FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D.
BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO
THE LIBRARY OF
PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
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A N
Humble A1
TOWARDS THE
REVIVAL
%
JUL 12 1.^32
O F
Practical Religion
AMONG
CHRISTIANS,
BY A
SERIOUS ADDRESS
T O
MINISTERS and PEOPLE,
In fome Occafional Difcourfes. -_ . By /. IV ATT S% D. D.
The ThirdEdition,
L 0 N D 0 N :
Printed for James Brack.stone, at
the Globe in Cornhill. 1742.
THE
PREFACE.
AMong the Papers publijhed lajl Tear, there hath been feme Enquiry made. whether there be any Decay of the Diffenting Inter eft and what may be fuppofed to have been the Occafion of it. So far as I have fear, bed into that Matter, I have been informed ; that whatfoever Decreafe may have appeared infome Places, there have been fenfible Adva?ices in others. And without entering into any Debate about the particular Reafons of its D-eclenJion in any Town whatfoever *, I am well fatisfied that the great and general Reafon is the Decay of vital Religion in tht Hearts and Lives of Men, and the little Succefs zvhich the Minijlra- tions Gf the Gofpel have had of late for the Con- verfion of Sinners to Holinefs, and the Reco- very of t hern, from the State of corrupt Nature and the ^ourfe of this World,4o the Life of God by Jefus Chrift. If this be not our Hope and Defign, the Support Gf the Diffenting Intereil is but of little Importance. JVhai is it that we mean by afferting the Rights and Freedom of Confcience in our Separation from the eftablifioed A 2 Church,
* This whole Affair h let in {t^ befi: Ligiit in a little Pamphlet, entituled, Free Thoughts on the tnofl frobabh Mca?:s of Reviving the Diffenting lnterefi% occa [toned by £ late Enquiry into the Caufes of its Decay: Printed iox R. Hett in the Poultry. 1730.
fr PREFACE.
jChurch, but more effectually to promote -the Kingdom of God amongft Men, to do more Honour to the Name of Ch nil our Saviour in his Inftitutions, and better to carry on the bleffed Work of the Salvation of Souls ?
But if thefe Things are not happily promoted ftmongft us, 'tis no wonder that Perfons releafe themfeives from all the biccnveniencies that in fome Places may attend their Separation from a publick Eftablifbment, efpecially when ytis fa evident that the Allurements of Riches and Hcmurs, and publick Trufts and Offices lie all on that Side.
Nor is the Complaint of the Decknfien of Virtue and Piety made only by the Proteftant Diffenters : 'Tis a general Matter of mournful Qbfervation amongft all that lay the Caufe of (Jed to Heart : And therefore it cannot be thought amifs for every one to ufe alljuft and proper Efforts for the Recovery of dying Reli- gion in the World. And fine e fome thing may be dgne amongft the Minifters, and fomething among the People, to attain this defirable End, I have been perfuaded to publifh thefe following Exhortations or Addrefles which are dire tied both to the one and the other.
"The Exhortation to Minifters was compofed at the Requeft of my worthy Friend and Brother Mr. John Oakes, and defigned to have been delivered at his publick Ordination in the Con- gregation of di ft en ting P rot eft ants at Chefhunt in Hertfordfhire, on November \ith, 1729
But
PREFACE. v
But the Providence of God prevented me from fulfilling that Service by confining me to a Bed of Sicknefs on that Day. In the Compofition of that Difcourfe my Thoughts ran out to four or five Times the Length of what would have been fufficient for that Service, fo that I mufi have greatly contracted it in the Delivery : But being much importuned both by my Reverend Brother, who has perufedfar the great eft Part of it, and by the Congregation now under his Care, to make it publick, I have revifed it with a larger View, and humbly hope that my younger Brethren in the Miniftry may be in fome Meafure excited and encouraged hereby to do their Part toward the Revival of decaying Piety. 'Tis exprefsly with this View andDefign, that my worthy Friend Mr. David Some in Leicefterfhire publifhed an excellent Sermon loft Tear, the Perufal whereof I would heartily recommend to all my Brethren.
The following Exhortation to the People was delivered in fever al Difcourfes to the Con- gregation which I ferve in the Gofpel \ and I would hope it has made fome ferious Impreffions on the Minds of thofe who heard it,ftnce it had been much defer* d that they might have a Re- view of it by theAffftance of the Prefs. Among the many Motives which may be urged upon the Confidences of our Hearers, in order to awaken them to ftrengthen the Things that remain and are ready to die, / thought it not impro- per to borrow fome Arguments for this purpofe
from
vi PREFACE.
from their on n Profeffion as Proteflant Diflen- ters, and as feparating from the ejiablijhed Worfhip of the Nation : And this I have done Without entering into a Detail of all theGrounds cf our Practice, or vindicating the Caufe of Nonconformity, which has beenfufficiently per- formed by other Writers. While we quit all the outward Advantages of the national Efta- bli foment by worfnipping in feparate Afflcmblies,. *tis prefumed in the Nature of Things, that we clo it (or at leaf that we fhoulddo it) upon the Profpeft of feme better Advantages for Religi- on ; and we hereby alfo lay our felves under Jpe- cial Obligations to make the beft Improvement of thefe real or fuppofed Advantages.
But this particular Motive relating to the DiiTenters is purfued only in the middle Part cf thai Difcourfe : Thefrji and the latter Sec- tions of it are of equal Concern and Importance- to Proteftants of every Name and Party : The Senfe and Style are fuited to common Under- fan dings : Novelties and Elegancies are lefs needful, where the Writer's whole Aim is to charge andimprefs the Confcience with the plain Rules and Duties cf practical Religion. And, way the Spirit of God, by his heavenly Influ- ences, render what was defigrfd fincerely for the Revival of real Godlinefs amongft us all, effectual to attain this bleffed End !
There is no Party of Chriflians whatfeever, who have Liberty to chufe their own Way of Worfhip, but pretend jhey are blefj'ed with
fome
PREFACE. vii
fome fpecial Advantages for the Service of God, and their Increafe in Piety or Virtue be- yond their Neighbours \ and ihefe 'pretended Advantages lay them under proportionable Obligations of Duty. A great Part of this Addrefs which I have made to our People tends to enforce every fort of Engagement upon their Confciences, and to excite them tofuperior Degrees of Holinefs ; and 9tis the fine ere Defire of my Soul, that our Brethren of the Church of England alfo may improve to the utmofh all their pub lick Privileges of every kind for the Increafe of Virtue and Religion. May every Denomination of Chriftians in the Land main- tain a holy Emulation with each other, which of us fhall run fwiftefi in the Courfe of the Chrifiian Life, and make the mofi eminent Ad- vances toward the heavenly World ! Amen,
Jpril 2, 1 7J I.
A Table of the Contents,
aN Exhrtation to Mini/1 ers from Col. iv. 17. ^— Take heed to the Miniftry which thou haft
received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it Page l S E c T. I. Of a Minifler's perfonal Religion 3
II. Of a Minified s private Studies 1 1
III. Of his public k Miniflr at ions J 2
IV. OftheConverfationofaMinifler 80
V. Afokmn Enforcement ofthefe Exhortations on the Confcience 92
Aferious Addrefs to the People from Matth. v. 47
What do you more than others? S E c T I. The Text applied to the Difciples 1 08
II. "The Application of the Text to our own Age
and Gircumflanccs 1 1 6
ID". The Advantages ofProteflant Diffenters in Matters of Religion 138
IV. Of tin Obligation ofProteflant Diffenters
to greater Degrees of Holinefs 186
V. Peculiar Practices of Piety and Virtue among the ancient Nonconform if Is 213
VI. An Enumeration of fever al Advantages for Piety which may be found among fome Chrif- tians of every Party 236
VII. Special Obligations which lie upon fome Chriflians of every Party 262
VIII. General Perfuafives to fuperior Degrees of Piety proportionable t€ our Advantages and Obligations. 279
AN
A N
Humble Attempt, &c.
An Exhortation to Ministers.
WHEN true Religion falls under a general and remarkable De- cay, 'tis time for all that are con- cerned to awaken and route themfelves to frefh Vigour and Activity in their feveral Polls of Service. If the Interefts of Piety and Virtue are things fit to be encouraged and maintained in the World, if the King- dom of the blefied God among Men be worthy to be fupported ; furely it is a ne- ceifary and becoming Zeal for every one who hath the Honour to be a Minifter of this Kingdom, to take Alarm at the Ap- pearance of fuch Danger ; and each of us lliould enquire, What can I do to ftrengthen the things which remain and are readv to diey as well as to recover what is loft ? Let my Brethren therefore in the Miniftry forgive me, if I prefume at this Seafon to let before them a plain and ferious Exhortation.
It was prepared for a publick Solemnity, wherein an eiteem'd young friend and Bro- ther entered into the Miniiterial Office ; and B upon
2 INTRODUCTION.
upon this Account I have ufed much more Freedom in the Language than I could ever pretend to juftify on any other Occafion. 'Twas in the Name of my Reverend Bre- thren then prefent, as well as in my own, that the Exhortation addrelfes him in the Manner following.
You have this Day devoted and dedicated yourielf to the Service of Chriji in the Mi- niftry of the Gofpel, and particularly for the Edification of this Church. Your Brethren in the Miniftry have alfo done all that they can do toward the dedicating and devoting, you to the fame facred Service, by the va- rious folemn Tranfactions of the Day ; and now we entreat, we exhort, we charge you in the Name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and in the Words of the great Apoftle, that you take heed to the Miniftry which you have received in the Lord that you fulfil #/, Col. iv. 17.
While we are endeavouring to prefs this Charge on your Confcience, we would fpeak alio, each of us, to our own Souls, and re- new the awful Charge upon our felves. We would call to mind our own Vows and Engagements this Day, and revive our de- cayirig and dying Zeal in this facred and important Service.
What I have to fay 0:1 this Subject fhall be contained under four general Heads.
1.
Of a Mmifkers per final Religion. 3
I. Take heed to your own perfonal Re- ligion, as abfolutely necefTary to the right Difcharge of the Ministerial Office.
II. Take heed to your private Studies and Preparations for public Service.
III. Take heed to your public Labours, and actual Mitifftrations in the Church.
IV. Take heed to your Converfation in the World, and efpecially among the Flock of Cbrijl over which you preiide. Bear with me while I enlarge a little upon each of thefe.
SECTION I. Of a Minifter's perfonal Religion.
I. KYfSAke heed to your own perfonal Reli« X gipn% efpecially to the Work of God in your own Heart, as abfolutely neceffary to the right Difcharge of the Minifterial Office.
Surely there is the higheft Obligation on a Preacher of the Gofpel to believe and praftife what he preaches. He is under the molt powerful and facred Engagements to be a Chriftian himfelf, who goes forth to perfuade the World to become Chriftians. A Minifter of Chrift who is not a hearty Believer in Chrift, and a fincere Follower of him, is" a molt fhameful and inconfiftent Character, and forbids in Praftice what he recommends in Words and Sentences.
B 2 But
4 Of a Minifter s perfonal Religion.
But 'tis not enough for a Minifter to have a common Degree of Piety and Virtue, equal to the relt of Chriilians ; lie fhould tranfeend and lurpais others. The Leaders and Officers in the Army of the blefled Jefns fhould be more expert in the Chriiti- an Exerciies, and more advanced in the holy Warfare, than his Fellow-Soldiers are fuppofed to be, 2 Cor. vi. 4. In all things approving our/elves (faith the Apoftle) as the Minifter s of God in much Patience, &c. and I may add, In much of every Chriftian Grace. A little and low Degree of it is not fufricient for a Minifter •, fee therefore not only that you praftife every Part and Inftance of Piety and Virtue which you preach to others, but abound therein, and be eminent beyond and above the reft, as your Station in the Church is more exalted, and as your Character demands.
The World expefts more from you, your own Conlcience requires more of you, and Chrift your Lord both requires and expects much more Religion to be found in you, who are the Leader, than in the reft of his Flock, final your Advantages are much fuperior to molt of theirs.
Your Time and Life are in a fpecial Man- lier devoted to the Things of God and Re- ligion, and the heavenly World : Your par- ticular Callings a Minifter is much nearer a- kin to your general Calling as a Chriftian,
than
Of a Minijter s perfonal Religion. 5
than that of the reft cf Mankind, and you ought to improve it for the Advancement of your Chriitianity. You are more diien- gaged from the bufy Cares and Embarraff- ments of this Life than other Chriftians, that you may have your Heart and Soul more entirely employed in Things that re- late to the Life to come.
Your daily Duty calls you to be more converfant with the Word of God, with the Rules of Piety and the Gofpel of Salvation : The Precepts which require univerfal God- linefs, and the Promifes that encourage it, are better known to you, and your Mind is better furnilhed with them, or at lealr it fhould be fo.
You are obliged to copy out the Life of Chrift more exactly, that you may be an Example to the Flock in every Thing that is holy.
Your Temptations to a vain and worldly Spirit, and a lenfual Temper of Mind are much fewer than thofe of many other Men, whofe ETearts and Hands are neceffarily bufied in the Affairs of the World, and who are more frequently conftrained into the Company of Sinners.
Now fince your Helps in the Way to Heaven, both as to the Knowledge and Practice of Duty, are much greater than what others enjoy, and your Obftacles and Impediments are in fome Inftances lefs than B 3 theirs,
6 Of a Mh lifter's per final Religion.
theirs, it will be a fhameful thing in you, as it is a Matter of Shame to any of us, to fink below the Character of other Chriftians in the practice of our holy Religion, or even if we do not excel the moft of them, fince our Obligations to it, as well as our Advan- tages for it, are fo much greater than others.
Take heed therefore to your own practical and vital Religion, as to the Truths Reality^ and Evidence of it, as to the Livelinefs and Power of it, as to the Growth and Increafe of it.
J. Take heed to your own practical Re- ligion, to the Truth and Reality cf ity and the clear and undoubted Evidence of it to your cvjn Ccnfcience. Give double Diligence to wake your Calling and Election fure. See to it with earned Solicitude, that you be not miftaken in fo neceffary and important a Concern ; for a Minifter who preaches up the Religion of Chrijl^ yet has no Evidence of ic in his own Heart, will lie under vaft Uifcouragements in his Work; and if he be not a real Chriftian himfelf, he will juflly fall under double Damnation. Keep a con- ftaht holy Jealoufy over your own Soul, left white you preach to the eternal Salvation of others ■, y our f elf become a Caff -away ^ or dif- approved of God, and for ever banifhed from his Prefence, i Cor. ix. 27.
Call your own Soul often to Account 5 examine the Temper, the Frame, and the Motions of your Heart with all holy Seve- rity,
Of a Mini fler s perfonal Religion. 7
rity, fo that the Evidences of your Faith in J ejus ^ and your Repentance for Sin, and your Conversion to God, be many and fair, be ftrong and unqueftionable ; that you may walk on with Courage and joyful Hope to- ward Heaven, and lead on the Flock of Chriji thither with holy Affurance and Joy.
II, Take heed to your own Religion, as to the Livelinefs and Power of it. Let it not be a fieepy thing in your Bofom, but fprightly and active, and always awake. Keep your own Soul near God in the way in which you firft came near him, i. e. b> the Mediation of Jefus Chriji. Let no Dis- tance or Estrangement grow between God and you, between Chrift and you. Main- tain much Converfe with God by Prayer, by reading his Word, by holy Meditation, by Heavenly- mindednefs, and universal Ho- Jinefs in the Frame and Temper of your own Spirit. Converfe with God and with your Own Soul in the Duties of fecret Religion, and walk always in the World as under the Eye of God. Every Leader of the Flock of God, fhould adl as Mojes did, fhould live as feeing him that is invifible^ Heb. xi. 27,
III. Take heed to your perfonal ReligL as to the Growth and Increafe of it. Let it be ever upon the advancing Hand. Be ten- derly fenfibie of every wandering Affedtion toward Vanity, every Deviation from God and your Duty, every riling Sin, every De- li 4 gree
8 Of a Miriifter's perfonal Religion;
gree of growing Diftance from God. Watch and pray much, and converfe much with God, as one of his miniftring Angels in Flefh and Blood, and grow daily in Con- formity to God and your blefled Saviour, who is the firft Minifter of his Father's Kingdom, and the faired Image of his Father.
Such a Conduct will have feveral happy Influences towards the fulfilling of your Mi- niftry, and will render you more fit for eve- ry part of your public Miniftrations.
i. Hereby you will improve in your Ac- quaintance with divine Things, and the fpi- ritual Parts of Religion, that you may bet- ter teach the People both Truth and Duty. Thofe who are much with God may expert and hope that he will teach them the Se- cret; of his Covenant , and the Ways of his Mercy, by Communications of divine Light to their Spirits. The Secret of the Lord is witbtbm that fear him, and he willjbew them his Covenant i Pfalm xxv. 14. Luther ufed to fay, that he got more Knowledge in a lhort Time by Prayer fometimes, than by the Study and Labour of many Hours.
2. Hereby you will be more fit to fpeak to the great God at all Times, as a Son with holy Confidence in him as your Father, and you will be better prepared to pray with and for the People. You will have an habitual Readinefs for the Work, and Increafe in the
Gift
Of a Minijlers perfonal Religion. 9
Gift of Prayer. You will obtain a Treafure and Fluency of facred Language, fuited to addrefs God on all Occafions.
Hereby you will gain a Freedom and In- tereft in the Throne of Grace, and become a more powerful Interceffor for your Peo- ple, under the Influence of Jefus the great Interceffor, who is ever near the Throne ; and before you improve your Intereft in Heaven, for the Edification of thofe who are commited to your Care.
3. Hereby you will be kept near to the Spring of all Grace, to the Fountain of Strength and Comfort in your Work : You will be ever deriving frefh Anointings, frefh Influences, daily Lights and Powers, to en- able you to go thro* all the Difficulties and Labours of your facred Office.
4. Hereby, when you come among Men in your facred Miniftrations, you will ap- pear, and fpeak, and aft like a Man come from God ; like Mofes with a Luftre upon his Face, when he had converted with God ; like a Minifter of the Court of Heaven employed in a Divine Office ; like a Mef- fenger of Grace who hath juft been with God, and received Inftructions from him > and the World will take Cognizance of you, as they did of the Apoftlcs, that they were Men who had been with Jefusy Afts iv. 13.
5. This will better furnifli you for (erious Convcrfe with the Souls and Confcicnces of
B 5 ' Men,
jo Of a Minijlcrs per fond Religion.
Men, by giving you experimental Acquain- tance with the Tilings of Religion, as they are tranfafted in the Heart. You will learn more of the Springs of Sin and Ho- linefs, the Workings of Nature and Grace, the Deceitfulnefs of Sin, the Subtilty of Temptation, and the holy Skill of counter- working the Snares of Sin, and the Devices of Satan, and all their Defigns to ruin the Souls of Men. You will fpeak with more divine CompaiTion to wretched and perifh- ing Mortals ; with more Life and Power to fl upid Sinners \ with more Sweetnefs and Comfort to awaken'd Confciences, and with more awful Language and Influence to backfliding Chriftians.
You will hereby learn to preach more powerfully in all Refpedts for the Salvation of Men, and talk more feelingly on eveiy . facred Subjedt, when the Power and Senfe and Life of Godlinefs are kept up in your own Spirit. Then on fome fpecial Occasions it may not be improper to borrow the Language of David the Prophet, and of St. Paul and St. John* two great Apoftles, rho* it may be bell in Publick to fpeak in the plural Number, We have believed, therefore we have fpoken ; what we have heard and learnt from Chrifi, we have declared unto you -, what we have feen and felt, we are bold to fpeak ; attend and we will tell you what Cod has done for our Souls, You may
then
Of a Miniflers private Studies. 1 1
then at proper Seafons convince, direct and comfort others by the fame Words of Light and Power, of Precept and Promife, of Joy and Hope, which have convinced, dire&ed and comforted you : A Word coming from the Heart will fooner reach the Heart.
SECTION II.
Of a Minified s private Studies.
TH E Second general Head of Exhor- tation relates to your own private Stu- dies : Take heed to thefe, that you may bet- ter fulfil your Mini (try. Give your/elf (faith St, Paul to Timothy) to Readings to Medi- tation, that your profiting may appear to ally i Tim. iv. 13, 15.
Thefe private Studies are of various Kinds, whether you confider them in gene- ral, as neceffary to furnifh the Mind with Knowledge for the Office of the Minifhy ; or in particular, as neceffary to prepare Difcourfes for the Pulpit.
ifi, Thofe general Studies may be juft mentioned in this Place, which furmjh the Mind with Knowledge for the Work of a Mi- nifter ; for tho' it is known you have pafs'd thro' the feveral Stages of Science in your younger Years, and have made a good Im- provement in them, yet a Review of many B 6 of
12 Of a Minijlers private Studies.
of them will be found needful, and an In- creafe in fome (fo far as Leiiure permits) may be proper and ufeful, even thro* the whole Courfe of Life.
Among thefe fome are neceffary to im- prove the reafoning Faculty, to teach us to diftinguifli Truth from Falfhood, and to judge aright concerning any Subjedts that are propofed to us ; fuch as are the Art of Logick, which gives us Rules for judging and reafoning, and fome of the fpeculative Principles of the Mathematicks, particular- ly the Demonftrations of Geometry* and the Inferences or Corollaries that are drawn from them, wherein we have the cleared and faireft Examples to teach us Reafoning by the Practice of it.
And as all Arts and Sciences have a Con- nexion with and Influence upon each other, ib for a Divine as well as for a Phyfician, it is needful there fhould be fome Knowledge x>f Nature and the Powers of it in the Hea- vens and Earth, in the Air and Water, that we may thereby learn and teach more of the Glories of our Creator, and more ea- iily diftinguifh between what is natural and what is miraculous. This will enable us alfo to think and fpeak more juftly almoft upon any Subject which occurs in our pri- vate Reading, in our publick Miniftry, or n our daily Converfation •, and particular- ly it is ufeful, if not neceffary for a Minifter
to
Of a Minijler s private Studies. 13
to have fome Acquaintance with human Na- ture, in the two conftituent Parts of it Soul and Body, and in the Powers and Paf- fions of Mankind, that we may better dif- tinguifh how far particular Actions are na- tural and mechanical, and how far they are voluntary and moral, virtuous or iinful ; how far they are influenced by Flefh and Blood, and how far they are under the Go- vernment of the Will, which is of great Importance in order to judge right in many Cafes of Confcience, and to give Directions for the moral or religious Life.
It is needful alfo, and of confiderable Mo* ment, that a Divine fhould be acquainted with the Arts of Method and of Oratory, the one to range our Thoughts and Dif- courfes in due Order, and to fet the Things of God before Men in the plaineft, the molt confpicuous and convincing Light ; and the other to win upon the Hearts of the Hearers, and to lead them by a fweet and powerful Influence on their Affe&ions, in- to the Love and Pradlice of Religion.
There are other parts of Science which are neceflary for Miniflers to be well ac- quainted with, and particularly thofe which are the Foundations of all Religion, fuch as the Knowledge of God and his Attributes by the Light of Nature of Reafon, the Know- ledge of Man as a Creature of God, in his natural ' Dependance upon his Creator, and in
his
14 Of a Miniftery s private Studies.
his 'moral Relations both to God and his FeU lozv-Creatures^ together with the Obligations to Duty which are derived thence, andwhich branch themfelves into all the Parts of Mo- rality and Religion.
*Tis requifite to have fome Acquaintance alfo with the Heathen Writers, the Folly and Madnefs of Pagan Idolatry, the Hifto- ry and the Cuftoms of ancient Ages and Nations, and the Hiftory of the Church of t\\tjews and of Chri/iia?is, in order to efta- blifh our Faith in the Dodlrines of Chrifti- anity, and to prove the Religion of Chrift to be Divine, and that the Bible is the Word of God.
When this great Point is once fettled, then our chief Bufmefs will be to underftand this Bible, and to find out the Meaning of the Holy Scriptures -$ and for this End (as well as for the reading of ancient Hea- then Authors) 5tis requifite that we fhould have fome Skill in the Tongues : and parti- cularly thofe wherein the Scriptures were written, viz. Htbrew^ and Greeks that we may be able at lealt to judge a little for ourfelves, concerning the Tranflation of any Text in our Language.
For this Purpofe alfo fome Knowledge of the Cuftoms of the Ancients, both Jews and Pagans^ is neceflary, in order to give us ajufter Idea of many Things recorded in Scripture * and we fhould get fome Ac- quaintance
Of a Minifier s private Studies. 15
quaintance with Geography and Chronology, which will be of great fervice to fet before our Eyes the diftant Places and Times wherein thofe ancient Affairs were tranf- a6ted, which the Scripture relates, and without which the Hiftory of Scripture, as well as fome of the Prophecies, can never be well underflood.
Nor is it an unprofitable Study to read fome of the Writings of the Fathers, who lived in the very firfl Ages of Chriltianity, that we may know the Sentiments and Cus- toms of thofe who lived neareft to the Days of the Apoftles ; this may give a little Light to fome Expreflions and Phrafes ufed in Scripture, and enable us fometimes better to underftand what the Evangelifts and Apoftles wrote. But it muft be confefs'd, that immediately after the Apoftolic Age, and jndeed before the Apoftles were dead, there were fo many Corruptions and Mif- takes both in Faith and Worfhip, fo many Fancies and Inventions of Men crept into the Church, that there is fcarce one ancient Writer perfectly free, and not one of them to be entirely trufted as a Direftor of our Confciences, or as a Regulator of our Be- lief or Pradlice. St. Paul himfelf tells us, that in his Days the Myftery of Iniquity be- gan to work, 2 Thef. ii. 7. The Fathers, as they are called, have many weak and fanciful Things in their Writings -> ^tis the
Bible
1 6 Of a Minifter's private Studies.
Bible alone that muft be our Guide •, the Word of the Lord is pure and p erf eft.
Above all Things therefore the conftant Reading and Study of the holy Scriptures are necefiary, in order to a larger and more compleat Acquaintance with our divine Re- ligion. Here our Faith and Confcience may reft fafely, in all our Enquiries about Mat- ters of Belief or Pradtice. The Dodtrines, the Commands, the Types and Hiftories, the Prophecies, the Promifes and Threatnings of the Word of God, are the brightelt and nobleft Part of the Knowledge of a Mini- fter. Thefe are the Things that are able to make us and our Hearers ivife to Salvation^ and to furwjh the Man of God for every good Word and Work, 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16, 17. Let us never imagine we know enough of Divine Things, while we dwell in Flefh and Blood. God and Chrijl, and the Things of Heaven, are fruitful and inexhauftible Sub- jects of our Enquiry and Knowledge -, they are fo in this World, and they will be fo for ever in the World to come. The Angels of God pry further into them* nor fhall the Sons of Men ever know them to perfec- tion. Thefe will be the glorious Obje6ts of everlafting Study, and everlafting En- tertainment.
I might add in the laft Place, that there are fome other Parts of human Knowledge, which, thtf they are not neceflary, yet are
greatly
Of a Minifter s private Studies. ly
greatly ornamental to a Minifter in the prefent Age, which is fo much enrich'd with Knowledge, viz. Some further Ac- quaintance with modern Geography, the Na- tions and Kingdoms of this World : Some general View of Afironomy, the Appear- ances, and feeming or real Motions of the Sun and Moon, Stars and Planets, and of this Earth, which is now generally agreed to be one of the planetary Worlds : To which we may join fome Skill in Philology , Criticifm on the Writings of Men as well as on Scripture, and various Parts of Sci- ence which go under the Name of the Belles Lettres, or polite Learning. Thefe are fuch fort of Accomplifhments of the Mind as will embeilifh the Character of a Minifter, and render his Perfon and his Labours more acceptable to the World.
But amongft all thefe Enquiries and Stu- dies, and thefe various Improvements of the Mind, let us take heed that none of them carry our Thoughts away too far from our chief and glorious Defign, that is, the Minijlry of the Go/pel of Chrijl. Let none of them intrench upon thofe Hours which fhould be devoted to our Study of the Bible, or Preparations for the Pulpit : And wherefoever we find our Inclination too much attached to any particular human Sci- ence, let us fet a Guard upon ourfelves, left it rob us of our diviner Studies, and our
bed
I 8 Of aMinifters private Studies.
beft Improvement. A Minifter fhould re- member, that himfelf, with all his Studies, is coniecrated to the Service of the San&u- aiy : Let every Thing be done therefore with a View to our great End : Let all the reft of our Knowledges be like Lines drawn from the vaft Circumference of- univerial Nature, pointing to that divine Centre, God and Religion : and let us purfue every Part of Science with a Defign to gain better Qua- lifications thereby for our facred Work.
Forgive me, my Friends, that I have dwelt fo long on thefe general Preparations for the Work cf the Miniftry. Tho' they are learnt at the Academy, yet I can by no means think it proper they fhould be left there and forgotten.
2dly, I come to fpeak of thofe particular Studies which are preparative for the publick Work of the Pulpit \ and here when you re- tire to compofe a Sermon, let your great End be ever kept in View, i. e. to fay fome- thing for the Honour of God, for the Glory of Chrift, for the Salvation of the Souls of Men ; and for this Purpofe a few Rules may perhaps be of fome Service.
One great and general Rule is, Ask Advice cf Heaven by Prayer about every Part of your preparative Studies \ feek the Direction and Afliftance of the Spirit of God, for in- clining your Thoughts to proper Subjects, for guiding you to proper Scriptures, and
framing
Of the Compofure of Sermons. i g
framing your whole Sermon both as to the Matter and Manner, that it may attain the divine and facred Ends propofed. But I infift not largely on this here, becaufe Prayers for Aids and Counfels from Heaven belongs to every Part of your Work, both in the Clofet, in the Pulpit, and in your daily Converfation.
The particular Rules for your prepara- tory Worlc may be fuch as thefe.
I. In chufing your Texts or Themes of Difcourfe, feek fuch as are mofl fuited to do good to Souls, according to the prefent Wants, Dangers, and Circumftances of the People ; whether for the Inftrudtion of the Ignorant ; for the Convidtion of the Stu- pid and Senfelefs ; for the melting and foftening of the Obflinate ; for the Conver- fion of the Wicked ; for the Edification of Converts •, for the Comfort of the Timo- rous and Mournful ; for gentle Admoni- tion of Backfliders, or more fevere Reproof Some Acquaintance with the general Cafe and Charadter of your Hearers is needful for this End.
II. In handling the Text, divide, ex- plain, illuftrate, prove, convince, infer, and apply in fuch a Manner, as to do real Ser- vice to Men, and Honour to our Lord Je- fus Chri.fl, Do not fay within yourfelf, How much or how elegantly I can talk upon fuch a Text, but What can I fay mcfl ufe fully to
thofe
20 Of the Compofure of Sermons.
thofe who hear me, for the Injlruftion of their Minds , for the Conviction of their Confidences, and for the Perfiuqfion of their Hearts ? Be not fond of difplaying your learned Criti- cifms in clearing up the Terms and Phrafcs of a Text, where Scholars only can be edified by them ; nor fpend away the pre- cious Moments of the Congregation, in making them hear you explain what is clear enough before, and hath no need of explaining ; nor in proving that which is fo obvious that it wants no proof. This is little better than trifling with God and Man.
Think not How can I make a Sermon fioon- efi and eafieft ? but how I can make the mofi profitable Sermon for my Hearers : Not what fine Things I can fay, either in a way of Cri- ticifm or Philofiophy, or in a way of Oratory and Harangue, but what powerful Words I can fpeak to imprefs the Confidences of them that hear with a ferious and lafiing Senfie of moral, divine, and eternal Things. Judge wifely what to leave out as well as what to fpeak. Let not your chief Defign be to work up a Sheet, or to hold out an Hour, but to fave a Soul.
III. In fpeaking of the great Things of God and Religion, remember you are a Mi- nifter of Chrift and the Gofpel, fent to pub- lifh to Men what God has reveal'd by his Prophets and Apoftles, and by his Son Je- fhs j and not a Heathen Philofopber to teach
the
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 2 1
the PeopJe merely what the Light of Rea- fon can fearch out : You are not to Hand up here as a Profeffor of Ancient or Modern Pbilofoph)\ nor an Uflier in the School of Plato or Seneca^ or Mr. Locke ; but as a Teacher in the School of Chrift, as a Preach- er of the New Teftament. You are not a Jezvijh Prieft to inftrud: Men in the precife Niceties of ancient Judaifms^ legal Rites and Ceremonies ; but you are a Chrijiian Minifter ; let Cbriftianity therefore run thro* all your Compofures, and fpread its Glories over them all.
It is granted indeed^ that Reafonings from the Light of Nature have a confiderable Uie in the Miniftry of the Gofpel. 'Tis by the Principles of natural Religion, and by Reafoning from them on the wonderful Events of Prophecy and Miracle, &c. that we ourfelves mud learn the Truth of the Chrijiian Religion, and we muft teach the People to build their Faith of the Gofpel on juft and rational Grounds •, and this may perhaps, at fome Time or other, require a few wThole Difcourfes on fome of the prin- cipal Themes of natural Religion, in order to introduce and difpJay the Religion of Jefus. But fuch Occafions will but feldom arife in the Courfe of your Miniftry,
7/ is granted alfo, that it is a very ufeful Labour fometimes in a Sermon to fhew how far the Light of Nature and Reafon will
carry
2 2 Of the Compofure of Sermom.
carry us on in the Search of Duty and Hap- pineis ; and then to manifeft how happily
the Light of Scripture fupplies the Defici- encies of it ; that the People may know how greatly they are indebted to the pecu- liar Favour and Goodnefs of God for the Book of Divine Revelation.
And yet farther^ fince the Whole of na- tural Religion is contained and included in the Gofpel of Chrift^ it is proper ibmetimes to fhew that Reaibn as well as Scripture confirms the fame Doctrines, and obliges us to praftife the fame Duties. 'Tis certain alfo that human Reaibn, tho' it could not difcover the Religion of Chrijl, yet it is able to point out many admirable Glories and Divine Condecencies in this Religion when 'tis difcover'd. It is good to imprefs the Confcience as well as inftruft the Uncler- ftanding by the two great Lights that God has given us, (viz.) Reafon and Revelation. Two fiich Pillars will fupport the Structure of Religion better than one. And when we happen to hear any of our Brethren occa- fiohally infifting on the Themes of natural Religion, and enforcing the Belief of Truths, or the Praftice of Duties by the Principles of Reafon, let us candidly fup- pofe they are purfuing fome of thefe De- signs which I have now mentioned, and that the Principles and Topicks of Re- velation and Chriftianity are in Referve
to
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 23
to be difplay'd at large in their following Sermons.
In general, 'tis molt fafe and honourable for a Minifter of Cbrift to make the Gofpel appear to be the reigning Principle in his Difcourfes, and make our Hearers fee how glorioufly it has improved the Religion of Nature.
If you fpeak of our natural Knowledge of the Attributes of God, and the Truths of Religion that Reafon dictates , fliew how they are all exalted, how brightly they fliine in the Gofpel of Chrifi, and what new Difcoveries and new Glories relating to them are de- rived from the Holy Scriptures.
If you fpeak of the Duties which Men owe to God, or to one another, even thofe which are found out by Reafon and natural Confcience, fhew how the Gofpel of Chrifi hath advanced and refined every Thing that Nature and Reafon teach us : Inforce thefe Duties by Motives of Chriftianity as well as by philofophical Arguments drawn from the Nature of Things : Stir up the Practice of them by the Examples of 'Chrifi and his Apoftles, by that Heaven and that Hell which are reveal'd to the World by Jefus Chrifi our Saviour : Imprefs them on the Heart by the conftraining Influences of the Mercy of God, and the dying Love of our Lord Jefus Chrifi, by his glorious Appear- ance to judge the Living and the Dead, and
3 by
2 4 Of the Compofure of Sermons.
by our blcfled Hope of attending him on that Day. Thefe are the appointed Argu- ments of our Holy Religion, and may ex- pert more divine Succefs.
When you have Occafion to reprefent what Need there is of Diligence and La- bour in the Duties of Holincfs, fhew alio what Aids are promifed in the Gofpel to humble and feeble Souls who are fenfible of their own Frailty to refift Temptations, or to difcharge religious and moral Duties ; and what Influences of the Holy Spirit may be expedited by thofc who feek it. Let them know that Ckrift is exalted to fend forth this Spirit, to bejloiv Repentance and San6li- fication as well as Forgivenefs,for without him we can do nothing, Aft. v. 31. Johnxv. 5.
As there are Seafons and Times proper to imprefs the Mind with the Glories of God our Creator, and to enforce the Du- ties of Morality, to teach Men to govern their unruly Appetites and Paflions, to bind all the Rules of Virtue on the Confciences of Men, and prefs them with Zeal and Fervour according to the Example of the Apoftles in the New Teftament \ fo there are Times and Seafons to treat more at large on the peculiar Truths of Revelation and the Glories of Chrijtianity, both for the Honour of our Saviour, and for the Welfare of Souls. For this Reafon they are fo largely infilled on by the holy Wri- ters,
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 25
tens, thofe bleffed Patterns of our Miniftiy. There muft be fbme Seafons allotted to the Defcriptions of the finful and miferable State of Mankind as revealed in Scripture, to the Dignity of the Perfon of Cbrift the Re- deemer, the only begotten Son of God and the Son of Man, to the Covenant of Grace, of Pardon and Salvation made with Men, in and thro* this glorious Mediator, to the In- carnation, Life and Death, the Sacrifice and Atonement, the Refurrc£tion, Intercef- fion and univerfal Government and Lord- fhip of Jefus Chrifi^ and his coming to judge the World at the laft Day, and to the appointed Methods of our Participation of the Bleflings which he beftows. Thefe il- luftrious Do6lrines are big with a thoufand Duties both to God and Man ; all the Prac- tices of Faith and Love, Repentance and univerfal Holinefs flow from them by plain and eafy Deduction : All the facred Rules of Piety and Virtue, Sobriety, Juftice and Goodnefs, the holy Skill of living and dy- ing in the Love and Favour of God, are the mod natural and happy Inferences from thefe fublime Truths of our Religion. We preach the Gofpel in a very defective Manner if we negledt the moral or divine Duties which are derived from the Faith of Cbrtft.
If you would raife the Hearts of your
Hearers to a Jutland high Eiteem of this
C Gofpel
2 6 Of the Compojure of Sermons.
Gofpel of Grace, and imprefs them with an awful Senft of the divine Importance and Worth of it, be not afraid to Jay hu- man Nature low, and to reprefent it in its Ruins by the Fall of the hrdJdam. 'Tis the vain Exaltation of ruin'd Nature that makes the Gofpel' fo much defpifed in our Age. Labour therefore to make them fee and feel the deplorable State of Mankind as defcribed in Scripture, that by one Man Sin entered into the World, and Death by Sin, and a Sentence of Death hath pajfed upon all Men, for that all have finned : Let them hear and know that Jews and Gentiles are all under Sin, that there is none righteous, no, ?io t one -, that every Mouth may be flopped and all the World may appear guilty before God. Let them know that Wis not in Man that walkefh to dirett his Steps ; that we are not fufficient of our f elves to think any good thing: that we are without Strength, alienated from the Life of God thro" the Ignorance and Dark- nefs of our Underflandings, and are by Nature Children of Difobedience, and Children of Wrath \ that we are unable to recover our j elves out of thefe Depths of Wretchedncfs without the Condefcenfions of Divine Grace, and that the Gofpel of Chrift is introduced as the only fovereign Remedy and Relief under all this Defolation of Nature, this overwhelming Diftrefs ; neither is there Sal- vation in any other, for there is none other
Name
Of the Compofure cf Sermons. 27
Name under Heaven given among Men, where* by we mufil be faved, Acts iv. 12. And they that wilfully and obftinately rejeft this Mef- fage cf divine Love, muft perifh without Remedy and without Hope ; for there re- mains no more Sacrifice for Sin^bat a certain fearful Expectation cf Vengeance, Heb. x. 26.
By this Conduct you will approve your feif to be a faithful Meffbiger of Chrift in good Earned, a Mmifter of the New Tefia- menty and a Workman that needs not to be afhamed, if you take fpecial Seafons to dis- cover to Men what the Word of God re- veals concerning their Mifery, and declare to them the whole Counfel cf God for their Salvation.
I intreat you, my dear Friend and Bro- ther, to get it deeply impreft on your Heart, that as (I believe) your real and fin- cere Defign is to fave the Souls of Men from Sin arid eternal Death, fo 'tis the Gofpel of Chrift which is the only Inftrument where- by you can ever hope to attain this blefied End •, and that for two Reafons.
(1.) *Tis this Gofpel which in its own Nature is mod happily diked in all the Parts of it to this great Defign, and no other Schemes which the Wit or Reafon of Man can contrive are fo : *Tis the Voice of par- doning Grace and Reconciliation to God by Jcfus Chrift that powerfully allures and encourages the awakened Sinner to return C 2 to
2S Of the Compofure of Sermons.
to his Duty to God and his Maker : 'Tis the Promife of Divine Affiftance to enable us to mortify Sin, and to pra&ife Holinefs, which animates the feeble Creature to at- tempt it : 'Tis the attractive View of hea- venly Bleflednefs as revealed in the Gofpel that invites the Soul onward to make its Way through all the dangerous Inticements and Terrors of this World which is at en- mity with God. The divine Fitnefs of this Gofpel of Grace to reflore fallen Man to the Favour and Image of his Maker is fo various and aitonifhing, that to defcribe it in all Inftances would require a large Volume.
And (2.) As the Gofpel is fo happily fuified to attain thefe Ends, fo 'tis the only effectual Means that God has appointed in the Lips of his Minifters for this Purpofe. 'Tis with thefe wondrous Difcoveries of this Gofpel that he furnifhed the Minds and Lips of the Fifhermen and illiterate Per- fans, when he fent them forth to convert and fave a perifhing World. Thefe were the facred Weapons with which they were armed, when our exalted Saviour gave them Commiffion to travel thro' the Dominions cf Satan, which were fpread over the Hea- then Countries, and to raife up a Kingdom for himfeif amongit them. *Twas with Principles, Rules and Motives derived from this Gofpd that they were lent to attack the
Of the Compofare of Sermons, 29
reigning Vices of Mankind, to reform pro- fligate Nations, and to turn them from dumb Idols to ferve the living God. And tho' Si*, Paul were a Man of Learning above the reft, yet he was not fent to preach the inti- cing Words of Man9 s Wifdom? nor to talk as the Difputers of the Age and Philofophers did in their Schools ; but his Bufinefs was to preach Chrifi crucified : Tho' this Doc- trine of the Crois and the Son of God hang- ing upon it, was a Stumbling-block to the Jews, and the Greeks counted it Foclifhnefs, yet to them that were called, both Jews and Greeks, this Dextrine was the Power of God and the Wifdom of God for the Salvation of Men. And therefore St. Paul deter- mined to know nothing among them in compa- nion of the Doctrine of Chrifi and him cru- cified. Thefe were the Weapons of his War- fare which were mighty thro9 God, to the pul- ling down of the fir ong Holds of Sin and Satan in the Plearts of Men, and brought every Thought into Captivity to the Obedience of Chrifi. 'Twas by the Mini ft ration of this Gofpel that the Fornicators were made chafte and holy, and Idolaters became Wor- fhippers of the God of Heaven •, that Thieves learnt honeft Labour, and the Co- vetous were taught to feek Treafures in Heaven ; the Drunkards grew out of love with their Cups, and renounced all Intempe- rance, the Rev Hers governed their Tongues C 3 ami
5 o Of tic Ccmf dure of Sermons.
and fpeke well of their Neighbours, and the cruel Extortioners and Oppreffors leafnM to practife Compaffion and Chanty : Thefe vileft of Sinners, thefe Children of Hell, were made Heirs of the Kingdom #/ Heaven, g wafted^ being fanllified, being juftifed in the Name of the Lord Jefus, and by the it of our God, i Cor. vi. 9, t£c.
Had you all the refined Science of Plato or Socrates, all the Skill in Morals that ever was attained by Zeno, Seneca or Epic- ictus, were you furnifhed with all the flow- ing Oratory of Cicero, cr the Thunder of r;:es, were all thefe Talents and Ex- rncies uuited in one Man, and you were ihi Pc-rfon fo richly endowed, and could you employ them all in every Sermon you preach, yet yen could have no reafonable Hope to convert and fave one Soul in Great-Britain, where the Gofpel is pub- lished, while you lay afide the glorious Gof- pel of Chrift and leave it entirely out of your Difcourfcs.
Let me proceed yet further and fay, Had you the fullefi Acquaintance that ever Man aquired with all the Principles and Duties of natural Religion, both in its regard to God and to your Fellow-Creatures, had you the Ski!! and Tongue of an Angel to range all thefe in their faireft Order, to place them in their fulleft Light, and to pronounce and v.prefent the whole Law of God with fuch
Force
Of the Compojure of Sermons. 3 1
Force and Splendor to a Britijh Auditory as was done to the Ifraelites at Mount Sinai, you might perhaps lay the Conferences ct Men under deep Conviction, /?r ^>» ^ L^w ij the Knowledge of Sin : But I am hilly per- iuaded you would never reconcile one Soul to God, you would never change the Heart of one Sinner, nor bring him into the Fa- vour of God, nor fit him for the Joys el- Heaven without this bleffed Gofpel which is committed to your Hands.
The great and glorious God is jealous of his own Authority and of the Honour of his Son Jefus : Nor will he condefcend to blefs any other Methods for obtaining fo divine an End, than what he himfelf has pre- fcribed , nor will his Holy Spirit, whole Office is to glorify Chriji, (loop to concur with any other fort of Means for the faving of Sinners where the Name and Offices of hrs Son, the only appointed Saviour, are known, and defpifed and neglected. 'Tk the Gofpel alone that is the Power of God to Salvation. If the Prophets will not ft and in his Counfel, nor caufe the People to hear his Words, they will never be able to turn If rael from the Iniquity of their Ways, nor the Evil of their Doings, Jerem. xxiii. 22.
Perhaps it may be faid in oppofition to
this Advice, that the peculiar Doctrines and
Difcoveries of the Gofpel of Chrift were
neceffary to be publifhed in a more large
C 4 and
32 Of the Compofure of Sermons.
and particular Manner at the firft Inftitution of our Religion, and to be infilled upon with greater Frequency among the Jews, and efpecially among the Gentiles, who be- forc were unacquainted with the Name, the Hiftory and the feveral Offices of the blef- fed Jefus : But there is no fuch need of re-, peating them in Chrijlian Countries, where People are trained up from their Infancy to know Jefus Cbrift the Son of God, the Sa- viour of the World : And therefore 'tis more needful in our Land to preach upon the na- tural Duties of Piety towards God, of Jus- tice and Truth and Goodnefs toward our Neighbour, and Self-government and So- briety with regard to ourfelves. And this may be done with good Succefs among the People upon the plain Principles and Mo- t.ves which arife from the very Nature of Things, from the Beauty and Excellency of Virtue and its Tendency to make all Men happy, and the natural Deformity of Vice, and the Mifchiefs that attend it.
But give me leave to anfwer this Objecti- on with thefe three or four Inquiries.
Firft , Was it not the fpecial Defign of thefe Dodtrines of Cbrift, when they were firft gracioufly communicated to the World, to reform the Vices of Mankind which Reafon could not reform, and to reftore the World to Piety and Virtue, for which the Powers of Reafon appeared fo feeble and
impotent :
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 33
impotent ? The Nations of the Earth had made long and fruitlefs EfTays what the Light of Nature and Philofophy would do to bring wandering degenerate Man back again to his Maker : Ru.tlefs and 'long EC- lays indeed, when after fome Thoufands of Years the World, who had forgotten their Maker and his Laws, ftill run further from God, and plunged themfelves into all abo- minable Impieties and corrupt Pradtices ! Now if the all- wife God faw the Gofpel of Chriji to be fo fit and happy an Inftru- tnent for the Recovery of wretched Man to Religion and Morality, if he furnifhed his Apoitles with thefe Dodtrines for this very Purpofe, and pronounced a Bleffing upon them as his own Appointment, why fhould we not fuppofe that this Gofpel is ftill as fit in its own Nature for the fame Purpofes as it wras at firft ? And why may we not hope the fame heavenly Bkfling in a great mea- fure to remain upon it, for thefe Purpofes, to the End of the World ?
While we introduce thefe divine Topicks, drawn from the Gofpel of Cbrijiy to inforce Piety and Virtue upon the Conferences of Men, God forbid that wc fhould abandon thofe Arguments drawn from the Nature of Things, and from human Reafon : The Gofpel does by no means exclude them, but clears and enlightens and advances them all, and gives them ten-fold Power for the C 5 Purpofes
34 Of tie Compofure of Sermons.
Purpofes for which they are defigned. The Melted Apofties themfelves fomctimes made ufe of them *, and they may be fpread abroad in a rich Variety by every Preacher of the Gofpel to much better Purpofe than a Seneca or an Epi£tetus could difplay them. All kind of Efforts are neceflary, and every fort of Weapon may be ufed in its proper place to make A (faults upon the Kingdom of Satan in the Hearts of Men ; but 'tis evident that the divine Principles and Mo- tives of Cbriftianity were fent us down from Heaven as more fovereign Remedies for the mortal Difeafes of the Soul, and far more effectual for the Reformation of Mankind.
Secondly^ If the beautiful Ideas of Virtue and Religion, and the natural Tendency of it to make Men happy, be fuch fufficient Motives to inforce the Practice of it, I would enquire why was not the Gentile World reformed without the Gofpel ? Why were the polite and knowing Nations fo abominably and almoft univerfally funk in- to fliameful Vices ? Why did not the felf- fufficient Reward of Virtue conftrain great- er Numbers of Mankind to change their Manners, and to praclife good Morality ? If this had been the beft and moft effedtual Way of changing the Hearts and of re- forming the profligate Lives of Men, why was not St. Paul fent only or chiefly with
thefe
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 3 5
thefe Principles and Inftruftions of Reafon, to talk of the divine Beauty of Religion and Excellency of Virtue amongft them, and the Advantages that it brought into human Society and private Life ? What need was there that he .fhould be commiffioned to preach the Doftrine of the Crofs of Chrift, and the Love of the Son of God defcending from Heaven to die for Sinners ? What makes him dwell fo much upon the Recovery of a finful World to God by the Atonement and Sufferings of the blefled JefuS) as a Means and Motive to periuade Sinners to forfake their Sins, and be recon- ciled to God ? Why are the Evangelic To- picks fo often infifted on and reprefented in lively Language for the Encouragement of Virtue and Piety, and as a Guard againft Sin ? What need had he of the Hiflory of a crucified Son of God rifing from the Dead, afcending to Heaven, fitting at the right Hand of God, interceding for Sin- ners, and governing the World, in order to reform Mankind from Vice and Impiety ? Why does the Scripture tell us, that the Hearts of Men are to be purified by Faithy that believing in the Son of God is the Way to get the victory over the World ? What need was there that St. Paul fhould teach us, that our Sins are to be mortified in us by the Af- fiftance of the Holy Spirit, or that St. Peter or St. John fhould tell us, that we nmft be C 6 • born
36 Of the Compofure of Scrmom.
horn again and made new Creatures by the JVord of God, and by this blefied Spirit and his Influences ? Were all thefc Doftrines fo needful in the primitive Days, and attend- ed with fuch illuftrious and divine Succefs, and are they grown ufelefs and needlefs now ?
Let me inquire, in the Third place, Are all the Hearers that make up our publick Aflemblies fo well acquainted with the Doc- trines of thrift and the Gofpel in our Day, that they have no need to be taught them ? Have they all enjoyed fo happy an Educa- tion from their Infancy, as to underftand the Principles of the Cbriftian Religion, and the peculiar Articles of the Faith, which are io necefiary to reftore Sinners to a di- vine Life ? Do they fo much as know that they are by Nature dead in TrefpaJJes and Sins ? And do they know how to apply thofe vital Truths to the blefied Purpofes of Godlinefs ? I am fure when we make par- ticular Inquiries, we find many of them ignorant enough both of themfelves and their Saviour, and they have need to be taught the firft Principles of the Oracles of God, and the Faith of Jefus.
Shall I inquire yet further, Is this a Day when we fhould leave the peculiar Articles of the Religion of Chrift out of our Mini- ftrations, when the Truth of them is boldly called in queftion, and denied by fuch Mul- titudes
Of the Compcfure of Sermons. 37
titudes who dwell amongft us ? Is this a proper Time for us to forget the Name of Cbrifi in our publick Labours, when the witty Talents and Reafonings of Men join together and labour hard to caft out his fa- cred Name with Contempt and Scorn? Is it lb feafonable a Practice in this Age to negleft thefe evangelick Themes, and to preach up Virtue without the fpecial Prin- ciples and Motives with which Chrift has furnifhed us, when there are fuch Numbers amongft us who are fond of Heathenifmy who are endeavouring to introduce it again into a Cbriftian Country, and to fpread the Poifon of Infidelity thro* a Nation called by his Name ? If this be our Praftice, our Hearers will begin to think indeed, that Infidels may have feme Reafon on their fide, and that the glorious Doftrines of the Gofpel of Chrift are not fo neceffary as our Fathers thought them, while they find no Mention of them in the Pulpit, no Ufe made of them in our Difcourfes from Week to Week, and from Month to Month, and yet we profefs to preach for the Salvation of Souls. Will this be our Glory to imi- tate the Heathen Philofophers, and to drop the Gofpel of the Son of God ? To be com- plimented by Unbelievers as Men of fupe- rior Senfe and as deep Reafoners, while we abandon the Faith of JefttSj and ftarve the Souls of our Hearers by neglecting to dis- tribute
38 Of the Compofure of Sermons.
tribute to them this Bread of Life which came down from Heaven ? O let us who are his Minifters remember the laft Words of our departing Lord, Go, preach the Gofpel to every Nation : He that believes and is bap- tizedfall be faved, and he that believe th not /hall be damned ; and ho, I am with you al- way j to the End of the World. Let us fulfil the Command, Jet us publifh the Threat- ening with the Promife, and Jet us wait for the attendant Blefling.
Wherefoever this Gofpel is publifhed with clear and proper Evidence, the Belief of it is made neceffary to Salvation, and 'tis part of the Commiflion of Minifters to make known this to the People : Nor is there any thing elfe which can ftand in the Room and Stead of this Gofpel, or attain thofe happy Purpofes for which this holy Inftitution was defigned. Unlefs therefore you have fuch an high Efteem for the Gof- pel of thrift, and fuch a Senfe of its divine Worth and Power, as to take it along with you when you defire to fave Souls, you had better lay down the Miniftry and abandon your facred Profeffion ; for you will but fpend your Strength for naught, and wafte your Breath in vain Declamations : You will neither fave your own Soul, nor them that hear you •, and you will have a terrible Ac- count to give at the laft Day, what you have done with this Gofpel which was in-
trufted
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 39
tr ufted with you for the Salvation of Men : You have hid this divine Talent in the Earth, you have traded intirely with your own Stock, you have ccmpaffed yourfelf about with Sparks of Light of your own kindling, and you muft lie down in Sorrow with eter- nal Lofs.
Forgive me, my dear Brother and Friend, and you, my beloved and honoured Bre- thren in the Miniftry, forgive me, if I have indulged too much Vehemence in this Part of my Difcourfe, if I have given too great a Loofe to Pathetic Language on this needful Subjedt. I doubt not but your own Confidences bear me witnefs that this eleva- ted Voice, is not the Voice of Reproof, but of friendly Warning ; and, I perfuade my lelf, that you all join with me in this Senti- ment, that if ever we are fo happy as to re- form the Lives of our Hearers, to convert their Hearts to God, and to train them up for Heaven, it muft be done by the Princi- ples of the Gofpel of Chrift. On the Oc- cafion of fuch an Head of Advice, there- fore, I allure my felf you will forgive thefe warm Emotions of Spirit. Can there be any jufter Caufe or Seafon to exert Fervour and Zeal, than while we are pleading for the Name and Honour, and Kingdom of our adored Jefus ? Let him live, let him reign for ever exalted on his Throne of Glory 5 let him live upon our Lips, and
40 Of the Compofure of Sermons.
reign in all our Miniftrations : let him live in the Hearts of all our Hearers ; let him live and reign thro' Great-Britain and thro* all the Nations, till Iniquity be fubdued, till the Kingdom of Satan be dettroyed, and the whole World are become willing Subjects to the Scepter of his Grace !
Thus I have finifhed my third Exhorta- tion relating to the Preparation of your Ser- mons for the Pulpit.
IV. In addrefling your Difcourfe to your Hearers, remember to diftinguifh the dif- ferent Characters of Saints and Sinners, the converted and the unconverted, the fincere Chriftian and the formal Profeffor, the ftu- pid and the awakened, the diligent and back- fliding, the fearful or humble Soul, and the obftinate and prefumptuous : And in various Seafons introduce a Word for each of them. Z7ms you will divide the Word of God aright L, and give every one their 'portion, 2 Tim. ii. 15.
The general way of fpeaking to all Per- fons in one View and under one Character, as tho' all your Hearers were certainly true Chrijlians and converted already, and want- ed only a little further Reformation of Heart and Life, is too common in the World, but I think 'tis a dangerous way of Preaching : It hath a powerful and unhap- py Tendency to lull- unregenerate Sinners a-fleep in Security, to flatter and deceive
them
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 4 1
them with Dreams of Happinefs, and make their Confciences eafy without a real Con- verfion of Heart to God.
Let your Hearers know that there is a vaft and unfpeakable Difference betwixt a Saint and a Sinner, one in Chriji and one out of Chrift, between one whofe Heart is in the State of corrupt Nature or unrenew- ed, and one that is in a State of Grace and renewed to Faith and Holinefs, between one who is only born of the Flejh and is a Child of Wrath, and one who is bom again, or born of the Spirit and is become a Child of God, a Member of Chri/l, and an Heir of Heaven. Let them know that this Diftmction is great and neceflary •, and 'tis not made (as fome have imagined; by the Water of Baptifm, but by the Operations of the Word and Spi- rit of God on the Hearts of Men, and by their diligent Attendance on all the ap- pointed Means and Methods of converting Grace. 'Tis a moft real Change and of infinite importance, and however it has been derided by Men, 'tis glorious in the eyes of God, and it will be made to appear fo at the laft Day in the eyes of Men and An- gels : But it will bring with it infinite Ter- ror to thofe who. thought themfelves fafe in a common carelefs Profeflion of Chriftianity, without any inward and divine Change of Heart. That little Treatife written by the learned Mr. John Jennings concerning the
Preaching
4 2 Of the Compofure of. Sermons.
Preaching of Chrifi and experimental Preach- ings has many valuable Hints relating to thefe two laft Particulars of my Exhorta- tion.
V. Lead your Hearers wifely into the Knowledge of the Truth, and teach them to build their Faith upon folid Grounds. Let them firft know why they are Chriftians, that they may be firmly eitabiifhed in the Belief and Profeffion of the Religion of Chrift^ that they may be guarded again ft all the Affaults of Temptation and infide- lity in this evil Day, and may be able to render a Reafon of the Hope that is in the?n : Furnifh them with Arguments in oppofi- tion to the rude Cavils and Blafphemies which are frequently thrown out in the World againft the Name and Dodtrines of the holy Jefus.
Then \tt the great, the moft important and moft neceiTary Articles of our Religion be fet before your Hearers in their faireft Light. Convey them into the Underftand- ings of thofe of meaneft Capacity, by con- defcending fometimes to plain and familiar Methods of Speech ; prove thefe important Doclrines and Duties to them by all proper Reafons and Arguments : But as to the in- troducing of Controverfies into the Pulpit, be not fond of it, nor frequent in it : In your common Courfe of Preaching avoid Difpufes,- efpecially about Things of lefs
Im-
Of the Ccmpofure of ' Sermcm. 43
Importance, without an apparent Call of Providence. Religious Controversies fre- quently introduced without real Neceffity have an unhappy Tendency to hurt the Spi- rit of true Godlinefs both in the Hearts of Preachers and Hearers, 1 Tint. iv. 7.
And have a care of laying too much Strcfs on the peculiar Notions and Terms and Phrafes of the little Sefts and Parties in Chriftianity : Take heed that you do not make your Hearers Bigots and Uncharitable, while you endeavour to make them know- ing Christians. Eftablifh them in all the chief and molt important Articles of the Gofpel of Chriji) without endeavouring to render thofe who differ from you odious in the fight of your Hearers. Whenfoever you are conftrained to declare your Dif- approbation of particular Opinions, keep up and manifeit your Love to the Perfons of thofe who efpoufe them, and efpecially if they are Perfons of Virtue and Piety.
VI. Do not content your felf to com- pofe a Sermon of mere Doctrinal Truths and Articles of Belief, but into every Ser- mon (if poffible) bring fomething Pradtical. *Tis true, Knowledge is the Foundation of Practice ; the Head muft be furnifhed with a Degree of Knowledge or the Heart can- not be Good : But take heed that dry Spe- culations and mere Schemes of Orthodoxy do not take up too large a part of your
Com-
44 Of the Compofure of Sermons.
Compofures ; and be lure to imprels it fre- quently on your Hearers, that Holinefs is the great End of all Knowledge, and of much more Value than the fublimeft Specu- lations, nor is there any Doftrine but what requires ibme correfpondent Practice of Piety or Virtue.
And among the practical Parts of Chri- ftianity, fometimes make it your Bafinefs to infift on thofe Subjects which are inward and fpiritual, and which go by the Name of Experimental Religion. Now and then take fuch Themes as thele, (viz) the firft A- wakenings of the Confcience of a Sinner by fome fpecial and awful Providence, by fome particular Paffages in the Word of God, in pious Writings, or publick Sermons, the inward Terrors of Mind and Fears of the Wrath of God which fometimes accompa- ny fuch Awakenings, the Temptations which arife to divert the Mind from them, and to footh up the Sinner in the Courfe of his Iniquities, the inward Conflicts of the Spirit in thefe Seafons, the Methods of Relief under fuch Temptations, the Argu- ments that may fix the Heart and Will for God againft all the Inticements and Oppo- fitions of the World, the Labours of the Confcience fluctuating between Hope and Fear, the rifing and working of indwelling Sin in the Heart, the fubtil Excufes framed by the Flefli for the Indulgence of it, the.
Peace
Of the Compojure of Sermons. 45
Peace of God derived from the Gofpel al- laying the inward Terrors of the Soul un- der a Senfc of Guilt, the Victories obtain- ed over ftrong Corruptions and power- ful Temptations by the Faith of unfeen Things, by repeated Addreffes to God in Prayer, by trufting in Jefus the great Me- diator who is made of God to us Wifdom and Right eoufnefs^ Sanclification and Re- demption.
While you are treating on thefe Subjects, give me leave to put you again in mind that it will fometimes have a very happy Influence on the Minds of Hearers to fpeak what you have learnt from your own Expe- rience, tho* there is no need that you fliould tell them publickly 9tis your own : You may inform them what you have borrowed from your own Obfervation, and from the Ex- perience of Chriftians, Ancient or Mo- dern, who have paffed thro' the fame Trials, who have wreftled with the fame Corrupti- ons of Nature, who have grappled with the fame Difficulties, and at Jaft have been made Conquerors over the fame Temptations. As Face anfwers Face in the Glafs, fo the Heart of one Man anfwers to another, and the Workings of the different Principles of Flefh and Spirit, corrupt Nature and re- newing Grace, have a great deal of Re- femblance in the Hearts of different Per- fons who have paffed thro* them. This
fort
46 Of the Compojure of Sermon*.
fort of Inftrufcion drawn from juft and fo- ld Experience wiil animate and encourage the young Chriftian that begins to (hake off the Slavery of Sin, and to let his Face to- ward Heaven : This will make it appear that Religion is no impracticable thing : ? Twill eftablifh and comfort the Profeffors of the Gofpel, and excite them with new Vigour to proceed in the way of Faith and Hoiincfs, it will raife a ftedfaft Courage and Hope, and will generally obtain a moil happy Effect upon the Souls of the Hearers beyond all that you can fay to them from Principles of mere Reafoning and dry Spe- culation ; and efpecially where you have the concurrent Experience qi any fcriptural Examples.
VII. Whether you are difcourfing of Doftrine or Duty, take great care that you i-mpofe nothing on your Hearers, either as a Matter of Faith or Praftice, but what your Lord and Matter Chrift J e fits has impofed. Thefe are the Limits of the Commiffion which Chrijl gave to the firft Miniflers of the Gofpel, Mat. xxviii. ult. Go9 difciple all Nations ^ baptizing them who are willing ro become my Difciples, and teach them to obferve whatfoever I have commanded you. He has not given leave to his Minifters, whether feparate in their (ingle Congrega- tions, or united in Synods or Councils, the lead Degree of Power to appoint one new 3 Article
Of the Compofare of Sermons. 47
Article of Faith, nor to injoin any new fort of Devotion or Practice, nor to impofe any one Rite or Ceremony of Worihip, but what he himfeif has framed and injoined. And yet, to our univerfal reproach, there is fcarce any Party of Chriftians but hath been too ready to impofe fome Dodtrines upon the Belief of their Profelytes, which Chrijl has not impofed, or to require of them fome Practices or fome Abftinences, aBout Meat or Days, or Things indifferent, which Chrijl has not required. 'Tis this aflliming Power that has turned Chriftiani- ty into an hundred Shapes, and every one of them in fome degree unlike the glorious Gofpel. 'Tis this has brought in all the Superftitions and Fooleries, the fplendid Vanities, the ufelefs Aufterities and the chiidifh Trifles of the Greek and Roman Churches *, and 'tis this has too far corrupt- ed the Purity and defaced the Beauty of moft of thofe Churches who boaft of Re- formation, and wear the Proteftant Name.
Now to difcourage and deter us all from fuch Prefumption : Let us remember that this impofing Spirit has generally found it neceffary to fupport its Commands with Pe- nalties and Perfecutions. Hence proceed the Imprifonments and the Murders, the Cruelties, the Tortures, and the wild and bloody Fury that has ravaged the Nations of Chrijlendoni) and caft a foul and lading
Blot
48 Of the Compofure of Sermon:.
Biot and Infamy upon the Religion of the bkfled J ejus. Bleffed Jefus, when (hall this Stain be vvailicd out from thy Religion, and this Scandal die ? If we furvey the perfec- ting Laws and Edicts that have been framed and executed in Great -Britain^ or in foreign Nations, in ancient or later Times, we fhall feJdom find that the plain and expli- cite Doctrines and Duties of the Gofpel liave been guarded with thefe Terrors : But 'tis the wretched Inventions of Men, 'tis the Inftitution of Priefts or the Appoint- ments of Kings, (all which have been mere Additions to the Word of God) that have had the Honour, fhall I fay, or the In- famy to be thus guarded with bloody Se- verities, and with Engines of Death. 'Tis the abfolute Determination of Men upon fome Points which Chriji has not plainly de- termined, 'tis fome Forms of pretended Orthodoxy which Scripture knows nothing of, or at leaft which the Word of God has not made necelTary to our Faith, 'tis fome Ceremonies or Modes of Worfliip which Chriji and his Apoftles never commanded, that have generally been the fhameful Oc- cafion of Excommunications, and Priibns, of Banifhments and Martyrdoms. See to it therefore with a holy and religious Care, when you dictate any thing to your Hearers as neceffary to be believed or pra&ifed, that you have the plain and evi- dent
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 49
dent Diredtion of Scripture to fupport you in it.
'Tis this corrupt Mixture of human O- pinions and human Forms of divine Ser- vice that has fo difguifed the pure Religion of the Gofpel, as to tempt the Deift to re- nounce it intirely. The pure Religion of Jefus has divine Charms in it, and is, like the Author, altogether lovely : But when on one hand 'tis corrupted and debafed by new Doctrines foifted into our Creeds, and new Myfteries which Men have invented to over-load our Faith-, when 'tis encumbred by new Rituals of Worfhip, or impofed Rules and Practices on the other hand, which the holy Scripture has not enjoined, when Men make Articles of Faith which are no where plainly revealed, when they pronounce that: to be a Sin which God hath no where for- bidden, and appoint that to be a Duty which God hath never commanded, (which I take to be the very Nature of Super- ftition) it cafts fuch a V<ril of Deformity over the Beauties of the Gofpel, that 'tis no wonder if the Men of Reafon ftart at ic and pronounce againft it. While we hold forth this confuted Mais and Mixture ot Things Divine and Human, and call it the Religion of Chrift^ we tempt the Men of Infidelity to eftablifli themfelves in their Unbelief; and they will hardly now give a favourable hearing to the pure Doctrine of D the
t;o Of the Compofure of Sermons.
the Gofpel, becaufe they have been fo much difgufted with the Sight of it in a corrupt and fuperftitious Drefs.
But in this Sate of Frailty and Imperfec- tion, Dangers attend us on either hand. As we muft take heed that we do not add the Fancies of Men to our divine Religion, fo we fhould take equal Care that we do not curtail the Appointments of Chrift. With a facred Vigilance and Zea! we fhould •maintain all the plain, exprefs, and neceflary Articles that we find evidently written in the Word of God, and fuffer none of them to be loft thro5 our Default. The World has been fo long impofed upon by thefe fhameful Additions of Men to the Gofpel of Chrift^ that they feem now to be refoived to bear them no longer. But they are un- happily running into another Extreme: Be- caufe feveral Sefts and Parties of Chriftians have tacked on fo many falfe and unbe- coming Ornaments to Chriftianity, they re-~ fo've to deliver her from thefe Difguifes* but while they are paring off all this foreign. Trumpery, they too often cut her to the quick, and fometimes let out her Life* Blood-, (if I may fo exprefs it) and maim her of Iter very Limbs and vital Parts. Bj- fe fo many irrational Notions and Follies e been mixed up with the Chrifttari m :, Ms now a modilh Humour of the o renounce almoft every thing that
Keafon
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 51
Reafon doth not difcover, and to reduce Chriftianity itfelf to little more than the Light of Nature and the Di£tates of Rea- fon. And under this fort of Influence there are fome who are Believers of the Bible and the Divine Million of Cbrift, and dare not renounce the Gofpel itfelf, yet they inter- pret fome of the peculiar and exprefs Doc- trines and Duties of it into fo poor, fo nar- row, and fo jejune a Meaning, that they fuf- fer but little to remain beyond the Articles of natural Religion. This leads fome of the learned and polite Men of the Age to explain away the Sacrifice and the Atone- ment made for our Sins by the Death of Chrift, and to bereave our Religion of the ordinary Aids of the Holy Spirit, both which are fo plainly and exprefly revealed, and fo frequently repeated in the New Teftament, and which are two of the chief Glories of the blefled Gofpel, and which perhaps are two of the chief Ufes of thofe iacred Names of the Son and the Holy Spirit into which we are baptized. 'Tis this very Humour that perfuades fome Perfons to reduce the In- jury and Mifchief that we have fuftained by the Sin and Fall of Adam to fo flight a Bruife and fo inconiiderable a Wound, that a fmail Matter of Grace is needful for our Recovery; and accordingly they impoverifh the rich and admirable Remedy of the Gofpel to a very culpable Degree, fuppo- D 2 fing
52 Of the Compojurc of Sermom.
fitng no more to be neccfiary for the Refh> ration of Man, than thoie few Ingredients which in their Opinion make up the whole Compofition. Hence it comes to pafs chat tire Doctrine of Regeneration, or entire Change of corrupt Nature by a Principle of Divine Grace, is almort loft out of their Chriftianity, or at lead they fup- pole renewing Grace and San&ification by the Holy Spirit and his Affiftances to carry nothing more in them than the outward Divine Meflages and Difcoveries of Grace made and attefted by the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit to the Chriftian World. This is a dangerous Extreme on the other hand •, I hope it will never obtain amongft us Proteftant Diffenters : But fince 'tis' a iafhionable Error, you ought to fet a ftri&er Guard a2;ainft it. As he that adds or takes away from the Words of the Prophecy in the latter End of the Book of God is left under a Curie, Rev. xxii. fo we fhould fet a holy Guard upon ourfelves, left we add any things to the Gofpel of Cbrifl \ or take any thing from if, left we expofe ourfelves to the fame Divine Indignation.
To avoid both thefe Extremes, permit me to give this general Word of Advice, and may God enable me to take it myfelf, {Viz.) That in all our Miniftraticns v/e keep a conftant and religious Eye upon the holy \ :p:ure, that in the ncc?ftary and moft
importan:
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 53
important Points of Dodtrine or Duty, we may teach our Hearers neither more nor lefs than the Scripture teaches. Our great Rufinefs is to expound Scripture, and en- force the Word of God upon the Minds and Hearts of Men : When therefore we explain the great and neceffary Points of the Gofpel contained in any one Scripture, let us do it as much as poflible by bringing other Parts of Scripture into the fame View, that the Word of God may be a Comment on itfelf. When we have Occafion to make Inferences from it, Jet us take care that the Connexion of them be ftrong and evi- dent, and that they lie not far off at a dis- tance, for in very diftant Inferences we are more liable to Miftake. When we are de- livering our own beft Opinions concerning divine Subjefts, and giving our Advice upon Matters which are not fo evidently and fo exprefily revealed, let us pradtife the Modefly of the bleffed Apoftle, 1 Cor. viu 6, io, 12, 25, &c. I /peak this by Per- mijjion or Advice^ and not of Commandment : "* 'Tis I {peak ity and not the Lord : I have D 3 no
* I know thefe Hxpreffions of the Apoftle have ano- ther Turn given them by fome judicious Commentator. % (<uiz.) that the Apoftle had fufficient Proof of the Direc- tions which he pronounces ftrongly, to be the Commands cf Chrift from other Places of Scripture ; but that thefe which he expreftes focautioufly were Directions which Cbrifl had not elfewhere given us, but were made
known
54 Of the Compofure of Sermons.
no plain Commandment of the Lord about it, yet I give my Judgment as one that has ob- tained Mercy of the Lord to be Faithful: I fuppofe therefore that in the prefent Cafe this is good to be pracftifed, or that to be avoid- ed : Judge ye ivit bin your fehes whether what I fpeak be agreeable to the Word of God5 i Cor. xi. 13.
VIII. Remember that you have to do' with the Under ft anding, Reafon and' Memory of Man, with the Heart and Confcience, with the Will and AffeBtons \ and therefore you mu ft vfc every Method of Speech which may be mod: proper to engage and employ each of theie Faculties or Powers of human Nature en the Side of Religion and in the Interefts of God and the GofpeJ.
Your firft Bufinefs is with the Under- ftanding^ to make even the lower Parts of your A uditory know what you mean. En- deavour therefore to find out all the cleared and moft eafy Forms of Speech to convey divine Truths into the Minds of Men. Seek to obtain a perfpicuous Style and a clear and diftindt Manner of Speaking, that you may effectually imprefs the Underftanding while you pronounce the Words-, that you may
known to him by his own fpecial Inspiration. I am not fuMy affured which is the true Senfe, but I rather think 'tis to be underflood a- St. PauPs own private Senfe or Things, who was a Man favoured with many lnfpi- rations.
fo
Of the Compojure of Sermons. c§
fo cxaftly imprint on the Mind of the Hearers the fame Ideas which you yourlelf have conceived, that they may never mif- take your Meaning. This Talent is fooncr attained in younger Years by having feme judicious Friend to hear or read over your Difcourfes, and inform you where Perfpicui- ty is wanting in your Language, and where the Hearers may be in danger of miftaking your Senfe. For want of this, ibme young Preachers have fixed themfelves in fuch an obfeure way of writing and talking, as hath very much prevented their Hearers from obtaining diftinft Ideas of their Dif- courfe. And if a Man gets fuch an unhappy Habit, he will be fometimes talking to /be Air, and make the People ftare at him as though he were fpeaking fame unknown Lan- guage.
Remember you have to do with the red* fining Powers of Man in preaching the Go- fpel of Chrift ; for tho' this Gofpel be re- vealed from Heaven, and could never be difcovered by all the Efforts cf human Rea- fon, yet 'tis the Reafon of Man muft judge of feveral Things relating to it, (viz.) It is Reafon muft determine whether the Evi- dence of its heavenly Original be clear and itrong: It is Reafon muft judge whether fuch a Decline or fuch a Duty be co tatned in this Gofpel, or may be juftly de< rorn
it: It is the Work of human P D 4,
56 Of the Compojure of Sermons.
compare one Scripture with another, and to find out the true Senfe of any particular Text by this means : And it is Reafon aifo muft give its Sentence whether a Do&rine, which is pretended to be contained in Scrip- ture, be contrary to the eternal and un- changeable Relations and Reafons of Things 5 and if fo, then Reafon may pronounce that this Doctrine is not from God, nor can be given us by Divine Revelation. Rea- fon therefore hath its Office and pro- per Province even in Matters of Revela- tion ; yet it muft always be confefied, that fome Propofitions may be revealed to us from Heaven, which may be fo far fupe- rior to the Limits and Sphere of our reafon- ing Powers in this prefent State, that hu- man Reafon ought not to rejedt them, be-. caufe it cannot fully underftand them, nor clearly and perfectly reconcile them -9 un- lefs it plainly fee a natural Abfurdity in them, a real Impoffibility, or a plain In- confiftence with other Parts of divine Re- velation.
Well then, fince you have to do with reafonable Creatures in your facred Work, let your Manner of fpeaking be rational, and your Arguments and Inferences jult and ftrong, that you may effectually con- vince your Hearers of the Truth of what you deliver in your Miniftrations of the GofpeL
And
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 57
And in your Reprefcntation of Things to the Reafon and Under/landing of Men, it would ibmetimes be of fpecial Advantage to have fome Power over the Fancy or Ima- gination : This would help us to paint our Themes in their proper Colours, whether of the alluring or the forbidding Kind. And now and then we fhould make ufe of both* in order to imprefs the Idea on the Soul with happier Force and Succefs.
When you wouM defcribe any of the per- fonal or focial Virtues of Life, fo as to en* force their Praftice, {et yourfelf to difplay* the Beauties and Excellencies of them in their own agreeable and lovely Forms and Colours. But do not content yourfelf with this alone: This is not fufficient to allure the degenerate and fenfual Mind of Man to praftife them. Few Perfons areoffo happy a Difpofition, and fo refined a Genius, as to be wrought* upon by the mere Afpeft c£ fuch inviting Qualities. Endeavour there- fore to illuitrate the Virtues by their con- trary Vices, and fet forth thefe moral Mif- chiefs both in their Deformities and their dangerous Confequences before the Eyes of your Hearers. Think it not enough to re- prefent to them the fhining Excellencies of Humility and Benevolence, of Juftice, Ve- racity, Gratitude and Temperance ; but produce to fight the vile Features of Pride,. Envy,. Malice, Spite, Knavery, Faifhood, D 5 Revenge,
58 Of the Compofure of Sermons.
Rev * • -faality, Luxury, and the reil
of that curled Train, in their proper Pla- ces and Seafons. Make it evident, how contrary they are both to the Law of God and the Golpel of Chrift; defcribe them in all their feveral Forms, Shapes and Ap- pearances ; ftrip them of their falfe Pre- tences and Difguiies •, fhew how they insi- nuate and exert themfelves in different Oc- currences of Life, and different Constitu- tions*, and purfue them fo narrowly as it were by a Hue and Cry, with fuch exa£t Defcriptions, that if any of thefe Vices are indulged by your Hearers, they may be found out by ftridt Self-Examination, that the Confidences of the Guilty may be laid under Convi6tion of Sin, and be fet in the way of Repentance and Reformation.
Whenfoever any Vice has found the way into our Bofoms, and made its . Neft there, its proper and evil Features and Characters had need to be marked out by the Preacher with great Accuracy, that it may be dif- covered to our Confciences in order to its Deftruftion : For thefe wretched Hearts of ours are naturally fo fond of ail their own In- mates, that they are too ready to hide their ill Qualities from our own Sight and Con- viction, and thus they cover and fave them from the Sentence of Mortification and Death, which is denounced againft every Sin in the Word of God. And let the
Preacher
Of the Compojitre of Sermons. 59
Preacher and the Hearer both remember, that Sin muft be purfued to the Death, or elfe there is no Life for the Soul. 'Tis only the Chrifuan who by the Spirit mortifies the fin- ful Deeds of the Body, has the Promife of Sal- vation and Life j Rom. viii. 13.
It would be a happy Thing, if this vi- vacious and fprightly Power of the Fancy, which too often becomes an ingenious and fuccefsful Tempter of the. Soul to Guilt, Mifchief and Ruin, might, by the Art of the Preacher, be gained over to the Interefts of Virtue and Goodnefs, and employed for God and Salvation.
Think farther, that you Jfhould take fome Care alfo to ingage the Memory, and. to make it ferve the Purpofes of Religion.. Let your Reafonings be never fo forcible and convincing, le: your Language be never fa clear and intelligible, yet if the whole E>ifcourfe glide over the Ears in a fmooth and delightful Stream, and if nothing be fixed in the Memory, the Sermon is in great, danger of being loft and fruitlefs. Now to avoid this Danger, I would recommend to you the Care of a clear and difcind Me- thod, and let this Method appear to the Hearers by the Divifion of your Djfcourfes into feveral plain and diftind Particulars, fo that, the Whole may not be a mere loofe Harangue without evident Members and dilarnable Reds and Paufes, Whatfoever- D 6 EroRer
60 Of the Compofure of Sermons.
proper and natural Divifions belong to your Subjett, mark them out by the Numbers i ft, 2d, 3d, &V. This wiil afford you Time to breathe in the Delivery of your Dif- courfe, and give your Hearers a fhort Sea- fon for Recollection of the Particulars which have been mentioned before.
But in this Matter take care always to maintain a happy Medium, fo as never to arife to fuch a Number of Particulars as may make your Sermon look like a Tree full of Branches in the Winter, without the beau- teous and profitable Appearance of Leaves or Fruit.
Caft the Scheme of your Difcourfe into fome diftindt general Heads, and letter Sub- divifions in your firft Sketches and Rudi- ments of it : This will greatly affift you in the Amplification, this will help you to preferve a juft Method throughout, and fe- cure you from repeating the fame Thoughts too often : This will enable you to commit your Sermon to your own Memory the bet- ter, that you may deliver it with Eafe, and it will greatly affift the Underftanding as well as the Memory of all that hear you. It will furnifh them with Matter and Me- thod for an eafy Recolleftion at home •, for Meditation in their devout Retirement, and for religious Conference or Rehearfal after the publick W orfhip is ended.
Confider
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 6 i
Confider again, your Bufinefs is with the Conferences and Wills and Affections of Men. A mere Gonviftion of the Reafon and Judgment by the ftrongeft Arguments is hardly fufficient, in Matters of Piety and Virtue, to command the Will into Obedi- * ence, becaufe the Appetites of the Flefh and the Interefts of this World are ingaged on the oppofite fide. 'Tis a very common Cafe with the Sons and Daughters of Adam to fee and know their proper Duty, and to have the Reafons that enforce it frefli in their Memory \ and yet the powerful Ef- forts of the Flefh and the World with-hold the Will from the Practice, forbid its holy Refolutions for God and Heaven, or keep them always feeble, doubtful and wavering. The God of Nature therefore has furnifhed Mankind with thofe Powers which we call PaJJions, or Affections of the Heart, in order to excite the Will with fuperior Vigour and Adtivity to avoid the Evil and purfue the Good. Upon this account the Preacher Ynuft learn to addrefs the Pajfwns in a pro- per Manner, and I cannot but think it a very imperfect Character of a Chriflian Preacher, that he reafons well upon every* Subject, and talks clearly upon his Text, if he has nothing of the Pathetick in his Miniftrations, no Talent at all to Itrike the- Paflions of the Heart.
Awaken-
62 Of the Compqfure of Sermons.
Awaken your Spirit therefore in your Compofures, contrive all lively, forcible and penetrating Forms of Speech to make your Words powerful and impreflive on the Hearts of your Hearers when Light is firft let into the Mind. Praftife all the aw- ful and folemn Ways of Addrefs to the Conicience, all the foft and tender In- fluences on the Heart. Try all Methods to rouze and awaken the cold, the ftupid, the fieepy Race of Sinners-, learn all the Lan- guage of holy Jealoufy and Terror to af- fright the Prefumptuous •, all the compaf- fionate and encouraging Manners of fpeak- ing* to comfort, encourage and direft the Awakened, the Penitent, the Willing and the Humble v all the willing and engaging Modes of Difcourfe and Expoftulation to conftrain the Hearers of every Character to attend. Seek this happy Skill of reigning and triumphing over the Hearts of an Af- fcmbly: Perfuade them with Power to love and prattife all the important Duties of Godlinefs, in oppofition to the Flefh and the World -, endeavour to kindle the Soul to Zeal in the holy Warfare, and to make *t bravely vi&orious over all the Enemies of its Salvation.
But in all thefe Efforts of facred Orato- ry, remember ftili you are a Minifter of the Gofpel of Chrift: And. as your Style muft not affeft the Pomp and Magnificence of
the
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 6$
the Theatre, fo neither fhould you borrow your Expreflions or your Metaphors from the coarfeft Occupations, or any of the mean or uncleanly Occurrences in Life. Swell not the Sound of your Periods with ambitious or pedantick Phrafes; drefs not your ferious Difcourfes to the People in too glittering Array, with an Affectation of gaudy and flaunting Ornaments, nor ever defcend to fo low a Degree of Familiarity and Meannefs, as to fink your Language be. low the Dignity of your Subject, or your Office.
IX. As the Art of Reafoning and the hap- py Skill of Perfuafton are both neceffary to be ufed in framing your Difcourfes, fo both of them may be borrowed in a good mea- fure from the Holy Scriptures. The Word of God will furnifh you with a rich Varie- ty of Forms both to prove and perfuade. Clear Inftru&ion, convincing Argument, and pathetick Addrefs to the Heart, may be all drawn from thefacred Writers. Ma- ny fine Strokes of true Logick and Rheto- rick are fcattered thro5 that divine Book the Bible : Words of Force and Elegance to charm and allure the Soul, glitter and fparkle like Golden Ore in fome peculiar Parts of it. Ycu may find there noble Ex- amples of the awful and companionate Style, and inimitable Patterns of the Terrible and the Tender. Shall I therefore take the
Freedom
64 Of the Compqfure of Sermons.
Freedom once again to call upon you to remember that you are a Miniller of the Word of God, a Profeflbr and Preacher of the Bible, and not a mere Philofopher up- on the Foot of Reafon, nor an Orator in a Heathen School ?
I am not here directing you to compofe your whole Sermons of nothing elfe but a perpetual Connexion of Texts of Scripture, nor to fpend the whole Hour in running from one Text to another, as a Concordance or the Margin ftiall point them out. Per- fons of low Degrees of Learning, who give themfelves up to this Method, have fre- quently introduced Scripture in their Dif- courfes in a Senfe which the holy Writers never thought of, and which the Spirit of God never defigned : And yet if a learned Man would happily explain the more diffi- cult Parts of the Word of God, perhaps it will be generally beft done, and especially in the Pulpit, by comparing them with other Texts which are more piain and eafy. Scripture is the beft Interpreter of itfelf.
As for Argument to confirm a Doftrine or enforce a Duty, you may borrow much of this from the Word of God. It is true, when we fpeak of thofe Subjects which be- long to natural Religion, we may very pro- perly bring Arguments from the Nature of God and Mar, and from the Reafon of Things, to (hew how necefiary and reafon-,
able
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 65
able it is to believe fuch a Truth, or to pra&ife fuch a Virtue; nor is the Scripture itfelf barren of fuch Reafonings, and even in the peculiar Articles of Chriftianity it is a mod excellent and ufeful Defign now and then to fhew how confident and harmoni- ous they are with Reafon, and how worthy of our Faith and Practice, fince the Word of God has revealed them, tho' they could not be found out by the Light of Nature. Yet thefe Arguments, if they are long and laboured, and not immediately apprehended by the Mind, are much more proper to be communicated to the World by Writing than by Speaking: There the Reader may review and dwell upon an Argument till he has grafped the whole Chain, and admits all the connected Inferences, and fees the undoubted Evidence of the Conclufion: But Reafonings in the Pulpit for the molt part fliould be fhort and eafy, that they may ftrike Convi&ion into the Mind almoft as foon as they ftrike the Ear, unlefs your Hearers were all Men of Learning and re- fined Education.
But the Bulk of our Auditories, whether in the City or Country, are not much pro- fited by Sermons merely made up of rational Proofs of any Doftrine or Duty, deeply and laboriously deduced from the original Springs and prime Nature of Things. They don't find their Minds fo much enlightened
nor
66 Of the Ccmpofure of Sermons.
nor their Hearts warmed by a tedious Train of connefted Inferences that are fetched from diftant Principles of Nature and Philofophy. This Method, I confefs, may entertain a few of the more rational, the more learned, or more polite Perfons in an Auditory, who can furvey and com- prehend the Senfe of fuch Diieourfes, and feel the Force of fuch long Chains of Ar- gumentation ; and thefe Perfons, I own, ought to have due Refpedl paid them in fome Parts of our Miniftry. Yet 'tis not the great Bufinefs of a Preacher of the Go- fpel only to pleafe the Few, but to become all Things to all Men, and if poftible, to win a Multitude of Souls to Ghrijl. The Generality of our Hearers have their Lives filled up with the Bufinefs of their Station, and have little Leifure or Advantage to improve their Underftandings in the Art of deep Reafoning, Thefe will yawn and nod, and grow weary of the Sermon; nor will fuch a Preacher (tho3 his Difcourfes are never fo much laboured) profit the Af- fembly any more than pleafe them if he goes on refolutely in this Way : Such a Minifler will quickly defpife his Hearers, and they will Icon be tired with their Preacher; and if fome Providence does not remove him to another Congregation, or if he does not betake himfelf to fome other Bufinefs of Life, he will be temoted to for-
Of the Compofure of Sermons. 6y
fake the Proteftant Dilfenters, and throw himfelf into the Eftablifhed Church when he has perfuaded his Conference to comply with the impofed Terms of Minifcerial Conformity.
I grant it is neceflary to ufe good Reafon thro' your whole Difcourfe, and conned: all the Parts of it with Juftice: But, as I hinted before, let your Arguments to prove any Point be generally fhort and eafy, and with- in the Grafp of a common Underftanding: Remember that a few plain and obvious Reafonings from familiar and well known Principles, and fome clear and well chofen Texts of Scripture, with a Word or two to explain or apply them to the Under- ftanding and Confcience of Men with Light and Zeal, will imprds the Judgment and pierce the Heart with more fpeedy and powerful Conviftion: And our Hearers, who regard a plain fcriptural Argument as the Word of the living God9 will much more readily receive it, and fubmit much foonef to the Force and Authority of it. Thus faith the Prophet^ or Thus faith the Apoftle^ carries greater Weight with it, both to convince and to perfuade, than a long Series of Demonftrations from remote Principles, tho* they fhould be firm and flrong as thofe of Euclid or Sir Ifaac Newton.
And as for bright, warm and pathetick Language, to ftrike the Imagination or to
affe<5t
68 Of the Co?npofure of So mens.
affecft the Heart, to kindle the divine Paf- fions or to melt the Soul, there is none of the Heathen Orators can better furnifh you than the moving Expoftulations of the an- cient Prophets, the tender and fprightly Odes of holy David, or the affectionate part of the Letters of St. Paul, which even his Enemies in the Church of Corinth con- fefs to be powerful. The Eajlern Writers, among whom we number the Jews, were particularly famous for lively Oratory, for bright Images, and bold and animated Fi- gures of Speech. Could I have heard Ifaiah or Jeremy pronouncing fome of their Ser- mons, or attended S. Paul in fome of his pathetick Strains of Preaching, I Ihould never mourn a Want of Acquaintance with Tully or Demofthenes.
A Preacher whofe Mind is well ftored and enriched with the divine Senfe and Sen- timents, the Reafoning and the Language of Scripture, (and efpecially if thefe are wrought into his Heart by Chriftian Expe- rience) fuppofing his other Talents are equal to thofe of his Brethren, will always have a confiderable Advantage over them in com- pofing fuch Difcourfes, as fhall be mod po- pular and mo ft ufeful in Chriftian Affem- blies: And he may better expedl the Pre- fence and Bleffing of God to make his Word triumph over the Souls of Men, and will generally fpeak to their Hearts with
more
Of the 'Compofure of Sermons. 69
more Power for their eternal Salvation. Shew me one Sinner turned to God and Ho- linefs by the Labours of a Chriftian Preach- er, who is generally entertaining the Audi- ence with a long and weighty Chain of Reafoning from the Principles of Nature, and teaching Virtue in the Language of Heathen Philofophy; and, I think I may undertake to fhew you ten who have been convinced and converted, and have become holy Perfons and lively Chriftians by an Attendance upon a fcriptural, affectionate and experimental Miniftry : The whole Af~ fembly hang attentive upon the Lips of a Man who fpeaks to the Heart as well as the Underftanding, and who can enforce his Exhortations from a manifold Experience of the Succefs of them. They delight to hear the Preacher, whofe plain and power- ful Addreffes to the Confcience, and whofe frequent Methods of Reafoning in the Pul- pit have been drawn from what they them- felves have read in Scripture concerning God and Man, Sin and Duty, our Mifery and divine Mercy, Death, Refurredtion, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. They at- tend with holy Reverence and Affe6lion on fuch a Minilter, whofe frequent Argument both in Points of Do&rine and Praftice is, *Tbus faith the Lord,
X. Bj not flothful or negligent in your Weekly Preparation for the Pulpit: Take
due
jo Of the Compofure of Sermons.
due Time for it: Begin fo early in the Week, that you may have Time enough be- fore you to finifli your Preparations well ; and always allow for accidental Occur- rences, either from Indifpofition of Body, from Interruptions by Company, from un« forefeen Bufinefs or Trouble, Kr, that you may not be reduced to the Neceflity of hur- rying over your Work in hafle at the End of the Week, and ferving God and the Souls of Men with poor, cold and carelefs Performances. Remember that awful Word, tho' fpoken on another Occafion, Jer. xlviii. 10. Cur fed he he that doth the Work of the Lord deceitfully. Manage fo as to leave ge- nerally the Saturday Evening, or at leaft the Lord's-day Morning, entire for the Review and Correction of your Difcourfe, and for your own fpiritual Improvement by the Sermon which you have prepared for the People.
If it fhould happen that the mere Pro- vidence of God, without any Negleft of yours, has hindered you from making fo good a Preparation as you defigned, you may with Courage, and hope of divine Af- fiftance venture into the Affembly with more (lender and imperfedt Furniture : But if your Confcience tells you that your Pre- parations are very flight, and the Negleft is all your own, you have Ids Reafon to expe& Aids from above without great Hu- miliation
Of the Compofure of Sermons. j\
miliation for your Negligence. And what if God fhould forfake you fo far in the Pulpit, as to expofe you to publick Shame, and thus punifh you for your CarelefTnefs in the mid ft of the Congregation ?
Study your Matter well by Meditation and Reading, and comparing Scriptures to- gether, till you have gotten it compleatly within your Grafp and Survey: Then if you fhould happen to be fo fituated in Preaching, that you could not refrefh your Memory by the Infpe6tion of your Paper every Minute, yet you will not beexpofed to Hurry and Confufion ; a ready Thought will fuggeft fomething pertinent to your Purpofe. Let your Preparations be ufually fo perfect that you may be able to fill up the Time allotted for the Difcourfe with folid Senfe, and proper Language, even if your natural Spirits fhould happen to be heavy and indifpofed at the Hour of Preach- ing, and if your Mind fhould have no new Thoughts arifing in the Delivery of your Difcourfe. Labour carefully in the For- mation of your Sermons in younger Years: A Habit of thinking and fpeaking well, procured by the Studies of Youth, will make the Labour of your middle Age eafy, when, perhaps, you will have much lefs Time and Leifure.
This fhall fuffice for the fecond general
Head) which exhorts you to take heed to
2 your
52 Of Public k Minijlr attorn.
your private Studies^ both thofe which may furnifli you for the Work of the Mini- ftry in general, and thofe which are necef- fary to your particular Preparations for the Pulpit.
SECTION III.
Of Publick Minijlr ations.
WE proceed now to the third general Head, and that is, Take heed to your publick Labours and Miniftratiom in the Church \ ' which may be done, by attending to the following Particulars.
I. Apply yourfelf to your Work with pious Delight; not as a Toil and Tafk, which you wifh were done and ended, but as Matter of inward Pleafure to your own Soul: Enter the Pulpit with the Solemnity of holy Joy, that you have an Opportunity to fpeak for the Honour of God, and the Salvation of Men. Then you will not preach or pray with Sloth or Lazinefs, with Coldnefs or Indifference : We don't ufe to be flothful and indifferent in the Purfuit of our Joys, or the Relifh of our chofen Plea- fures. Stir up yourfelf to the Work with fa- cred Vigour, that the AfTembly may feel what you fpeak. But if you deliver the molt folemn and lively Compofures like a Man that is half aileep, it will be no wonder if
your
Of Public k Minijlratiom. 73
your Hearers (lumber. A dull Preacher makes a drouzy Church.
II. Endeavour to get your Heart into a Temper of divine Love, zealous for the Laws of God, affe&ed with the Grace of Chrift ^ and companionate for the Souls of Men. With this Temper engage in pub- lick Work. Let your Frame of Spirit fe holy with regard to your own inward De- votion, near to God, and delighting in him t And let it be zealous for tfie Name of Chrift, and the Increafe of his Kingdom. O pity perifhing Sinners when you are fent to invite them to be reconciled to God. Let not Self be the Subjc6t or the End of your preaching, but Chrift and the Salvation of Souls. We preach not our felves^ faith the Apoftle, but Chrift Jefus^ and our felves your Servants for Jefus fakey 2 Cor. iv. 5. Speak as a dying Preacher to dying Hear- ers, with the utmoft Companion to the Ig- norant, the Tempted, the Foolifh, and the Obftinate ; for all thefe are in danger of eternal Death. Attend your Work with utmoft Defire to fave Souls from Hell, and enlarge the Kingdom of Chrift your Lord.
Go into the publick Afiembly with a Defign (if God pleafe) to ilrike and per- fuade fome Souls there into Repentance, Faith, Holinefs and Salvation. Go to open blind Eyes, to unftop deaf Ears, to make E the
74 Of Pub lick Mi nijl rations.
the Lame walk, to make the Foolifh wife, to rajfe thofe that are dead in Trefpafies
and Sins to a heavenly and divine Life, ai.J to bring guilty Rebels to return to the Love and Obedience of their Maker, by Jefus Chrifi, the great Reconciler, that they may be pardoned and laved. Go to diffuie trie Savour of the Name of Chriji and his Go- fpel, thro* a whole Affembly, and to allure Souls to partake of his Grace and Glory.
III. Go forth in the Strength of Chrifi, for theie glorious Elfedts are above your own Strength, and tranicend all the Powers of the brightelt Preachers. Be fir ong in the Grace which is in Chrifi Jefus, 2 Tim. ii. 1. Without him we can do nothing, John xv. 5.
Go with a Defign to work Wonders of Salvation on finful Creatures, but in the Strength of Jefus, who hath all Power given him in Heaven and Earth, and hath promifed to be with his Minifters to the Eiid of the World,- Matth. xxviii. 20. Pray earneftiy for the promifed Aids of the Spirit, and plead with God who hath fent you forth in the Service of the Gofpel of his Son, that you may not return empty, but bring in a fair Harveft of Converts to Heaven. *Tis the Lord of the Harveft who only can give this divine Succefs to the Labourers. He that plants is nothing, and he that waters is nothing, but all our Hope is in God who %iveth the Increafe.
Of the Publick Minijiratiom. 75
IV. Get the Subflance of the Sermon which you have prepared for the Pulpit fo wrought into your Head and Heart by Re- view and Meditation, that you may have it at Command, and fpeak to your Hearers with Freedom ; not as if you were reading or repeating your Leflbn to them, but as a Man fent to teach and perfuade them to Faith and Holinefs. Deliver your Difcour- fes to the People like a Man that is talking to them in good Earneit about their moil important Concerns, and their everlafting Welfare \ like a Meffenger fent from Hea- ven who would fain lave Sinners from HelJ, and allure Souls to God and Happinefs. Do not indulge that lazy way of reading over your prepared Paper, as a School-Boy does an Oration out of Livy or Cicero^ who has no Concern in the Things he fpeaks. But let all the warmeft Zeal for God, and Com- panion for perifhing Men, animate your Voice and Countenance •, and let the People fee and feel, as well as hear, that you are fpeaking to them about Things of infinite Moment, and in which your own eternal Intereft lies as well as theirs.
V, If you pray and hope for the Af- fiftance of the Spirit of God in every Part of your Work, do not refolve always to con- tine your felf precifely to the mere Words and Sentences which you have written down
E 2 in
y6 Of Publick Minijlrations.
in your private Preparations. Far be i% from me to encourage a Preacher to ven- ture into publick Work without due Prepa- ration'by Study, and a regular Compoiiire of his Difcourfe. We mult not icrve God with what coft us nothing. All our wileft Thoughts and Cares are due to the facred Service of the Temple : But what I mean is, that we fhould not impofe upon our felves juft fuch a Number of precompofed Words and Lines to be delivered in the Hour, without daring to fpeak a warm Sentiment that comes frefli upon the Mind. Why may you not hope for fome lively Turns of Thought, fome new pious Sentiments which may ftrike Light, and Heat, and Life into the Underftandings and the .Hearts of thofe that hear you ? In the Zeal of your Mi- niftrations, why may you not expe£t fome bright and warm and pathetick Forms of Argument and Perfuafion to offer themfelves to your Lips, for the more powerful Con- viction of Sinners, and the Encouragement and Comfort of humble Christians ? Have you not often found fuch an Inlargement of Thought, fuch a Variety of Sentiment and Freedom of Speech, in common Converfa- tion upon an important Subject, beyond what you were apprized of before-hand ? And why fhould you forbid your ftlf this natural Advantage in the Pulpit, arc! in
rhe
Of Public k Minijlrations. 77
the Fervour of facred Miniftrations, where alio you have more Reafon to hope for di- vine Affiftance ?
Befides, for us who are Proteftant Dif- fenters, and confine our felves to no (et Forms in Prayer? it feems more unreafon- able to confine our Lips conftantly and pre- cifely to the Words written in our Papers in the Work of Preaching. Do wq plead io earneftly for the Liberty of Prayer, and yet never give our Spirits a Liberty to exprefs their prefent warm, lively and affectionate Thoughts, in miniflring the Gofpel of Gbrift under the Plopes of his Afiiilance ? Why muft we never dare to add any Thing to our premeditated Notes in fpeaking t > the People, while we can take this Free dom in fpeaking to the bleffed God ? As there has been many a fervent and devout:. Petition offered to God in our Addreffes to him, which has not been thought of before, fo many a Sentence that was never written has been delivered in our Addreffes to the People with glorious Succefs -, it has come more immediate and warm from the Heart, and may have been blefs'd of God to fave a: Soul.
VI. Here would be a proper Place to in- terpofe a few Directions concerning Elocu- tion^ and the whole Manner of Delivery of your Difcourfe to the People \ which includes both a Voice, Gefture and Behaviour iuited E3 to
yb Oj Publick Mmijlrations.
to the Subject and Defign of every Part ci the Sermon. But the Rules that are neceC ;ary for this Part of our Work, are much better derived from Books written on this Subject, from an Obfervacion of the beft Preachers, in order to imitate themvandan Avoidance of that which v/e find ofFenfive when we ourfelves are Hearers. Befides, as I have had an Opportunity fometimes, my dear Brother, of attending your Per- formances in publick, I think I may be bold to fay, that in this as weJl as in feveral other Parts of your Miniftration, you Hand in no need of any Advice I can give. But lince you have called me at prefent to this Ser- vice, I have endeavoured to fulfil it.
If I had a defign to go thro3 the Whole of the Minifterial Office, I fhould here alio find a proper Place to fpeak of the Manner of your Performance of publick Prayer, of your Direction of the Perfon who leads the Pfalm in that Part of Worfhip which is cal- led Pfalmcdy, and in your Miniftration of v nances of Baptifm and the Lord's tr \ but this would require much more 1 xine, and my chief Defign was to put you in mind of a few ufeful Things which relate :o Preaching. I proceed therefore to the iaft Particular.
VII. Be very felicitous about the Sucqefs of all your Labours in the Pulpit. Water the Seed fown not only with publick, but
fecret
Of Pub lick Minijlratiom. 79
fecret Prayer. Plead with God importu- nately, that he would not fuffcr you to la hour in vain. Be not like that foolifh Bird the Oltrich, which lays her Eggs in the Duft, and leaves them there, regardlefs whe- ther they come to Life or not : God hath not given her Under ft anding, Job xxxix. 14 — 17. But let not this Folly be your Character or Practice : Labour, and watch, and pray, that your Sermons and the Fruit of your Studies may become Words of divine Life to Souls.
'Tis an Obfervation of pious Mr. Bax- ter'a, which I have read fomewhere in his Works, that he has never known any con- fiderable Succefs from the brighteft and no- bleft Talents, nor the moil excellent kind of • Preaching ; and that even where the Preach- ers themfelves have been truly religious* it they have not had a felicitous Concern lor the Succefs of their Miniftrations. Let the awful and important Thoughts of Souls be- ing faved by my Preachings or left toperijb and be condemned to Hell by my Negligence, I fay, let this awful and tremendous Thought dwell ever upon your Spirit. We are made Watchmen to the Houfe of Ifrael, as Ezekiel Was, Ezek, iii. 17, &c. and if we give no Warning of approaching Danger, the Souls of Multitudes may perifn thro' our Neglect, but the Blood of Souls will be terribly re* quired at our Hands,
E 4 SECTION
8o )
SECTION H
Of the C onver fat ion of a Minijler.
WE are come now to the Fourth and laft Thing which I propofed, in or- der to the fulfilling of your Minijlry, viz. Take heed to your whole Converfation in the World \ let that be managed not only as becomes a Prc- feffor of Chriftianity, but as becomes a Mini- Jier of the Gofpel of Chrifl. Now amongft other Rules which may render your Con- verfation agreeable to your Character, I entreat you to take thefe few into your Thoughts.
I. Let it be blamelefs and inoffenjive. Be vigilant, be temperate in all Things, not only as a Soldier of drift, but as an Un- der-leader of part of his Army. Be tem- perate, and abftain fometimes even from lawful Delights, that you may make the "Work of Self-denial eafy, and that you rriay bear Hardfhip as becomes a Soldier, 2 Tim. ii. 3. Be watchful or vigilant, left you be too. much entangled with the Affairs of this Life, that you may better pleafe him who has chofen you for an Officer in his Battalions, and that you may not be eafily furprized into the Snares of Sin. Guard againft a Love of Pkaftire, a fenfual Temper, an Indulgence of Appetite, an excefTive Relifh
of
Of the Convcrfation of a Minifter. 81
of Wine or Dainties y this carnalizes the Soul, and gives Occafion to the World to reproach us but too juitly.
Watch carefully in all your Conduit,- that you give no offence, as far as poffible, nei- ther to Jew or Gentile, nor to the Church of God, that fo the Miniflry may not be blamed^ i Cor. x. 32. 2 Cor. vi. 3. Maintain a holy Jealoufy over your felf and your Conduct, that the Name of Chrifi and his Gofpel (of- fer not the Reproach of Tongues and im- pious Blafphemies thro' your Means. Oh how dreadful is the Mifchief that a fcanda- Jous Minifter does to the Gofpel of our bl ef- fect Lord ! Wiiat a fearful Train of Confe- quences may attend his Indulgence of any finful Appetite, or any fingle criminal Ac- tion,, even tho* it be not repeated ! What a fatal Stumbling-block does he lay before the Feet of Saints and Sinners ! He turns away the Heart of Sinners from God and Religion, who perhaps began to think of fetting their Faces towards Heaven : He dif- courages the Hearts of young Chriftians, and weakens the Hands of all the Friends of Chrifi. Woe be to the Preacher by whom fuch Offences came. /
II. Let your Converfation be exemplary in ail the Duties of Holinefs and Virtue, in all the Inftances of Worfhip and Piety to- ward God, and in thole of Juftice, Honour, and hearty Benevolence towards Men. B: E 5 forw
82 Of the Gbtpoerfatiok of a M'unjicr.
forwaru and ready to engage in every good Word and Work,., that you may be a Par- tern and a Leader of the Flock, that you may be able to addrefs the People commit- ted to your Care in the Language of the biefled Apoftle, Be ye Followers of me even as I o.lfo am of Chrijl : Brethren, be Followers together of me, and mark them which walk fo as ye have us for Enf ample, for our Conversa- tion is in Heaven, Thofe Things which ye have both learned and received, and heard and feen in ?ne, do you pra<5tife, and the God of Peace (hall be with you, i Cor. xi. i. Phil. iii. 17, 20. Phil. iv. 9.
III. Let vour Converfation be Grave and manly, yet pleafant and engaging. Let it be grave, manly, and venerable : Remem- ber your Station in the Church, that you fink not into Levity and vain Trifling, that you indulge not any ridiculous Humours or ':hildifh Follies, below the Dignity of your Chara&er : Keep up the Honour of your Office among Men by a remarkable Sanftity of Manners, by a decent and manly De- portment. Remember that our Station does not permit any of us to fet up for a Buf- foon -, nor will it be any Glory to us to ex- cel in Farce and Comedy. Let others ob- tain the Honour of being good Jefters, and of having it in their power to fpread a Laugh round the Company when they, pleafe : But let it be our Ambition to act
en
Of the Converfationofa Minifler. 83
on the Stage of Life as Men who are devo- ted to the Service of the God of Heaven, to the real Benefit of Mankind on Earth* and to their eternal Interefts.
Yet there is no need that your Behaviour mould have any thing ftiff or haughty, any thing fallen or gloomy in it : There is an Art of pleafing in Converfation that will maintain the Honour of a fuperior Of- fice without a morofe Silence, without an affefted Stiffnefs, and without a haughty Superiority. A pleafant Story may proceed without offence from a Minifter's Lips ; but he ihould never aim at the Tide of a Man of Mirth, nor abound in fuch Tales as carry no ufeful Inftrudtion in them, no Lef- fons of Piety, or Wifdom, or Virtue.
Let a cheerful Freedom, a generous Friendihip, and an innocent Pleafure gene- rally appear on your Countenance •, and let your Speech be ever kind and affedtionate. Do not put on any forbidding Airs, nor let the humbled Soul be afraid to fpeak to you. Let your whole Carriage be civil and af- fable \ let your Addreis to Men be ufually open and free, foch as may allure Perfons to be open and free with you in the important Concerns of their Souls, Seek as far as pof- fible to obtain all your pious Defigns by foft and gentle Methods of Perfuafion.
If you are ever called to the impleading
and painful Vvrork of Reproofs this maybe
E 0 done
84 Of the Converfation of a Minifier. done cffe&ualiy upon fome Occafions v/ich- oj: (peaking a Word: When vicious, or Uncleanly, or unbecoming Speeches arife in pubLck Converfation, a fudden Silence with an aflumed Gravity will often be a fen- fible and fufficient Reproof. Or where Words of Admonition may not be proper becaufe of the Company, fometimes a fud- den Departure may be the belt way to ac- quaint them with your Difapprobation.
But there are Cafes wherein fuch a tacit Rebuke is not fufficient to anfwer your Character and your Office. Sometimes 'tis neceffary for a Minifter to bear a publick and exprefs Witnefs againft (hocking Im- morality, or againft vile and impious Dif- courfe. Yet in general it tnuft be (aid, if a Reproof can be given in fecret, 'tis beft, and mod likely to prevail upon the Offen- der, becaufe it lefs irritates his Paffions, nor awakens his Pride to vindicate himfeif, and. to defpife all Reproof.
Whenfoever Providence calls ycu to this Work, make it appear to the Tranfgreffor that you do it with Regret and Pain : Let him fee that you are not giving vent to your own Wrath, but feeking his Intereft and Welfare y and that were it not for the Ho- nour of God, and for his Gaod, you would gladly excufe your felf from the ungrateful Talk •> and that it is a Work in which your Spirit takes no delight, If the Cafe, amd
Cir-
Of the Conver fat ion of a Minijler. 8.5
Ci re urn fiances require fome Speeches that are ;iwful and fevere, let it appear (till that your Love and Pity are the prevailing Paf- fions, and that even your Anger has fome- thing divine and holy in it, as being raifed and pointed againft the Sin rather than againft the Sinner.
Study to make the whole of your Car- riage and Difcourfe amongft Men fo enga- ging, as may invite even Strangers to love you, and allure them to low Religion for your fake.
IV. In order to attain the fame End, let your Converfation be attended with much Self-denial and Meeknefs : Avoid the Cha- racter of a Humourift, nor be unreafonably fond cf little Things, nor peevifh for the want of them. Supprefs rifing Paffion early. If you are providentially led into Argu- ment and Difpute, whether on Themes- of Belief or Pra6lice, be very watchful left you run into fierce Contention, into an- gry and noify Debate. Guard againft eve- ry Word that favours of Malice, or of bit- ter Strife : Watch againft the firft Stir- rings of fudden Wrath or Rfcfentment •: Bear with Patience the Contradiftion of others, and forbear to return Railing for Railing. A Minifter muft be gentle^ and not apt to firive^ but meekly injiruffing Gain- fayers,
He
36 Of the Convcrfation of a Minijler.
He fhould never be ready either to give or take Offence, but he fhould teach his People to neglect and bury Refentment, to be deaf to Reproaches, and to forgive In- juries, by his own Example, even as God has forgiven all of us. Let us imitate his divine Pattern who cancels and forgives our infinite Offences for the fake of J ejus Chrijl. A Bijhop mufi not be a Brawler or a Striker ', but fuch as the Apoftle was, gentle among the People, even as- a Nurje cberifloes her Children ; and being effectually defirous of their Welfare, we fhould be willing to im- part not only the Gofpel of God to them, but any thing that is dear to us, for the Salva- tion of their Souls.
Never fuffer any Differences (ifpoflible) to arife between you and any of the People who are committed to your Care, or at- tend on your Miniftrations : This will en- danger the Succefs of your beil Labours among them, and for this Reafon, tho* you viiit Families with Freedom, yet avoid all unncceffary Enquiries into their domeftick Affairs by a prying Curiolity •, the Plea- fure of fuch Secrets will never pay for the Danger that attends them, and your own Bufmefs is fufficient for you.
Avoid entring into any of the little pri- vate and perfonal Quarrels that may arife among them, unlefs Providence give you an evident Call to become a Peace- maker :
But
Of the Converfation of a Minifter. 87
But even in this bleffed Work there is fom? Danger of difobliging one Side or the other ; for though both Sides are often to blame, yet each fuppofes himfelf fo much in the right, that your fofteit and mod can- did Intimation of their being culpable even in little Things, will fome times awaken the Jealoufy of one or both Parties againfl you ^ this will tend to abate their Efteem of you, and give a Coldnefs to their Attention on your facred Services. We had need be wife as Serpents in this Cafe, and harmlefs as Doves.
V. Let your Converfation be as fruitful and edifying as your Station and Opportu- nities will allow. Wherefoever you come, endeavour (if poffible) that the World may be the better for you. If it be the Duty of every Christian, much more is it the indif- penfible Duty of a Minifter of Chrift, to take heed that no corrupt Communication pro- ceed out of his Mouth, but that which is good for Edification, that it may minifter Grace to the Hearers, Ephef. iv. 29.
In your private Vifits to the Members of your Flocks, or to the Houfes of thofe who attend on your Miniftry, depart not (if pof- fible) without putting in fome Word for God and Religion, for Chrift and his Go- fpel : Take Occafion from common Occur- rences that arife, artfully and infenfibly to introduce fome Difcourfe of Things facred,
Let
88 OftheCofivcrjationofa Minijler.
Let it be done with Prudence and holy- Skill, that the Company maybe led into it ere they are aware. • The ingenious Mr. Norris's little Difcourfe of Religious Conver- fation, and Mr. Matthew Henry's Sermon of Friendly Vifits^ have many excellent and va- luable Hints in them for our Ufe.
'Tis to be confefs'd, that the beft of Mi- nifters and Chriftians fometimes fall into fuch Company, that 'tis hardly poffible to fpeak a Word for God and the Gofpel among them. Try then whether you can- not introduce a Word of human Virtue, of Goodnefs, Meeknefs, Humility or Tempe- rance. Try whether you cannot lead the Difcourfe to fome ufeful Theme in Matters of Science, Art and Ingenuity, or to Rules of Prudence, Morality, or human Condudl. There is a Time of keeping filence^ and re- training our Lips as with a Bridle*, even from every thing that is pioufly Good^ while fome fort of wicked Men fiand before us. The beft Men are fometimes dumb with Silence^ and. dare not fpeak of God or Religion, left they fhould caft their Pearls before Swine^ and give their Holy Things to Dogs, and left they fhould provoke the unclean or the envious Animals to foam out their Impurities, or ia turn again and rend them. But I doubt this Caution has been carried much farther by our own Cowardice and Carnality of Spirit, than David ever prattifed it in the 39th.
Pfahu
Of the Co fiver /at ivn of a Minijier. 89
Pfalm, or than Jefus Chrijl meant it in the 7 th of Matthew. Let us take heed then that we abufe not this prudent Caution to a manifeft Negleft of our Duty, and to with-hold our Lips from the Things of God, where Providence gives us a fair Op- portunity to fpeak of them.
Now and then take occafion to fpeak a kind and religious Word to the Children oi the Houfhold ; put them in mind of avoid- ing fome childifh Folly, or of praftifing ibme Duty that belongs to their Age. Let your Memory be well furnifhed with the Words of Scripture fuited to the feveral Ages of Mankind, as well as to the various Occafions of Life, that out of the Abundance 'ef the Heart your Mouth may fpeak to the Advantage of all that hear you, and parti- cularly improve the younger Parts of Man- kind, who are the Hopes of the next Ge- neration. Make the Lambs of the Flock love you, and hear your Voice with De- light, that they may grow up under your Inflruftion to fill up the Room of their Fa- thers when they are called away to Hea- ven : Nor let Servants be utterly neglected, where Providence may afford you an Op- portunity to fpeak a Word to their Souls.
Learn what are the fpiritual Circum- stances of the Families whom you vifit, and addrefs them- with a Word in Seafon where you can have proper Opportunity. Converfe
perfonally
90 Cfthe Converfation of a Minijlcr.
perfonally with them (if you can) about their eternal Concerns. Let the Eafe and Gentlenefs of your Addreflcs to them, in a natural and familiar Way, take off all that fhy and bafhful Tincture from their Minds, that is ready to prevent their uttering a Word about the Concern of their Souls. Inquire tenderly into their State with regard to God : Draw Sinners by Words of Com- panion to repent of their Crimes, to return to God, and to trull in Jefus the Saviour. Teach Chriftians fincerely to love and prac- Duty, and to endure with Honour the Vis of Life. Teach them to be fick and die as becomes the Difciples of Chrift. Treafure up your own Experiences of divine Things, not only as Matters of delightful Review in your own Retirements, and for the Encouragement of your own Hope, but as Leffons to be taught your People upon all proper Occafions. Whether you are affiiiled, or whether- you are comforted, let it be for their Confolation and Salvation. 2 Cor. i. 6.
A Minifter, v/hofe Bufinefs and known Employment is to fpeak of the Things of God, fhould never be afhamed to impart divine Knowledge, or to exhort to Holinefs with his Lips, and to preach the Word of the Gofpel of Grace, whether the World calls it in Sea/on or out o/Seafon, 2 Tim. iv. i. He that has the happy Talent of Parlour
Preaching,
Of the Converfation of a Minifter. 9 1
Preachings has fome times done more for Chrift and Souls in the fpace of a few Mi- nutes, than by the Labour of many Hours 3.nd Days in the ufual Courfe of Preaching in the Pulpit. Our Charafter fhould be ail of a piece, and we fhould help forward the Succefs of our publick Miniftrations by our private Addreffes to the Hearts and Con- fciences of Men, where Providence favours us with juft Occafions.
In order to promote this Work of parti- cular Watchfulnefs over the Flock of Chrifi^ where he has made you a Shepherd and Overfeer, 'tis ufeful to keep a Catalogue of their Names, and now and then review them with a paftoral Eye and Affe&ion. This will awaken and incline you to lift up proper Petitions for. each of them,, fo far as you are acquainted with their Circum- fiances in Body or Mind. This will excite you to give Thanks to God on account of thofe who walk as becomes the Gofpel, and who have either begun, or proceeded and increafed in die Chriftian Life and Temper by your Miniftry : You will obferve the Names of the negligent and back-Hiding Chriftians, to mourn over them and admo* nifh them : You will be put in mind how to difpofe of your Time in Chriftian Vifits, and learn the better to fulfil your whole Miniftry among them.
Ifhall
9 2 Afolemn Enforcement of thefe
I (hall enlarge no farther in the Enume- ration of our Duties, which would eafil/' iwell into a Volume, if they were fet be- fore our Eyes in their* full Extent : But in genera!, I fay, thefe are the Methods where- by we rnuft take heed to' cur fielves if wt \vould fulfil the Minifiry that zve have re- ceived of Chrifi. To fupply what I have , omitted, read frequently, and with holy Attention the Epiftle of Paul to Timothy and Titus, which will furnifh you richly with Directions for your Work : And I would* recommend to you the Examples of St. Paul and Timothy, as they are put well to- gether in a little Book by the Reverend Mr. Murray, which was printed bur a few Years ago. And as the Account of the Lives of many ancient Minifters may furnifh us with Patterns for our Imitation, fo the Life of the late venerable Dr. Cotton Mather, of New-England^ ha^ many excellent Hints in it for this Purpofe, Chap. 2. SeEi. 1. and Chap. 6,
SECTION V.
Afolemn Enforcement of thefe Exhortations' on the Confidence.
TH E Things which I have fpoken hi- therto have been a Difplay of the belt- Methods I can think of for the Execu- tion
Exhortations on the Confcience. 93
tion of the facred Office of the Miniftry : And fo far as they are . conformable to the Word of God, we may venture to fay, thefe are your Duties, my dear Brother, and .thefe are ours. It remains now to be confidered in what Manner fhall we enforce .them on our own Confciences, and on yours ? What folemn Obteftations fhall I ufe to prefs thefe momentous Concerns on all our Hearts ? What pathetick Language fhall I chufe, what Words of awful Efficacy and divine Fervour, which may firft melt our Spirits into Softnefs, and then imprint thefe Duties upon them with lading Power : We exhort and charge you, we exhort and charge our felves, by ail that is ferious and facred, by all that is important and everlaft- ing, by all the folemn Tranfaclions be- tween God and Man which are pad, and by all the -more folemn and awful Scenes which are yet to come, by all things in our holy Religion which are dreadful and tremen- dous, and by all Things in this Gofpel which are glorious and amiable, heavenly and divine ; we charge you by all that is written in this Book of God, according to which we fhall be judged in the lafl Day, by all the infinite and aftoniffiing Glories and Terrors of an invifible World and an unfeen Eternity, we charge and exhort you, we exhort and charge our felves, that we .all take heed to the Miniftry which zve have re- ceived
94 Afolemn Enforcement ofthefe ceived of the Lord Jefus that zve fulfil it. But let us defcend to more particular Forms of folemn Exhortation, which perhaps may ftrike our Confciences in a more fenfible Manner, and print the Duties deeper upon our Hearts,
Firjt then, we exhort and charge you, we charge and exhort our own Souls, by all the ancient Tranfadtions between God the Father and his Son Jefus Chriji for the Salvation of finful Men, by all the eternal Counfels of Peace that pafs'd between them to recover loft Mankind to the Favour and Image of his Maker, that we preach this Gofpel with faithfulnefs, and be inftant in the facred Work. It is the effeft of thefe divine Counfels that we publifh to Sinners ; *tis the merciful Product of this facred Co- venant of Redemption that we are fent to proclaim to a loft World : This is the Go- fpel which is put into our Hands : God grant we may fpeak as becomes Creatures entrufted with Meffages cf fuch a heaven- ly Original, with Affairs of fuch divine So- lemnity.
Secondly, We exhort and charge you, and we would charge our felves to fulfil our Mi- niftry, by the invaluable Trcafure of this Gofpel which is put into our Hands, by that Word of Life which is committed to our Miniftration. Let us fpeak with fuch a ferious Zeal as becomes the Oracles of
i God
Exhortations on the "Conference. 95
God and the Embaffies of his Mercy, with fuch Companion to dying Souls as is mani- felted in this Gofpel of Love, with fuch in- ward Fervour and holy Solicitude for the Succefs of our Labours, that if it were pof- fible not the Soul of one Sinner within the Reach of our Preaching might mifs of this pardoning Mercy and eternal Joy. Oh let us not dare to trifle with God or Men : Let us not be cold and lifelefs in pronouncing the Words of everlafting Life, nor lazy and indolent in carrying thefe Errands of divine Love to a loft and perifhing World.
Thirdly, We charge and befeech you, and we charge our felves, by the Mercies of the living God, which ^we hope both you and we have tailed, by the Grace of our Lord J e fits Chrift, which we hope we have felt and received, that you and we proclaim thefe Mercies with a facred Zeal, and that in the Name of God and of our Lord Jefus we offer them to a miferable World with holy Importunity.
If ever we have known this wondrous Companion of God to our felves, if ever we have tafted that the Lord is gracious, let us remember the Relifh we have had of this infinite Compaffion and condefcending Grace, when we were perifhing under the Power and Guilt of Sin ; and with an Imi- tation of that divine Piety, let us entreat Sinners to be faved, Let us remember all
the
96 Afolemn Enforcement of thefe
the alluring Charms, the heavenly Sweet- nelfes of forgiving, fandtifying and faving Grace ; and do our utmoft to fet them all before Sinners in the molt inviting Light, that we may win finful Men to accept of the fame Salvation.
Fourthly , We exhort and charge you, .and we charge our felves, by the dear and glorious Name of our bleffed Jesus, whofe Servants we are, whofe Name we bear, whofe Authority gives us Commiflion, and who hath chofen us to be the Minifters of his Grace, the Meffengers of his dying Love to the Sons of Men \ we charge and befeech you to take care of the Honour of his Name in your Miniftrations, for we are fent forth to difplay before the Eyes of the World the unfe arch able Riches of Chrijl : We are intruded to fpread abroad the Ho- nours of his Name ; O let us labour and ftrive that our Zeal bear fome proportion to the Dignity of our Truft, and let us take heed that we do nothing unworthy of our great and glorious Matter in .Heaven, who dwells at the Right hand of God ; no- thing unworthy of that holy and illuftrious Name, in which we are lent forth to preach this Gofpel, and to enlarge his Kingdom. He has fet us up as Lights upon a Hill in this finful World, this benighted Part of his Do- minion ; let us burn and fhine to his Ho- nour. He has affumcd and placed us as
Stars
Exhortations on the Confcience. 97
Stars in his Right-hand, let us fhine and burn glorioufly, that we may give Light to a midnight World. O that we may point out to them the Morning-ftar, that we may bring them under the Beams of the rifing Sun of Right eoufnefs, and guide them in the way to the Hills of Paradife and everlafting Joy !
Fifthly, We befeech and charge you, while we charge our felves, by the inefti- mable Value of the Blood of Chrift which purchafed this Salvation, that you and we dilplay this illuftrious and coftly Purchafe to finful perifhing Creatures ; this precious Blood, which is fufficient to redeem a World from Djath, and which is the Price of all our infinite and everlafting Bleffings, demands that we publifh and offer them in his Name, with holy Zeal and Sollicitude, to (inful Men. Oh may our Hearts and our Lips- join to proclaim this Redemption, this Salvation, thefe everlafting Bleffings, with fuch a devout and facred Paffion as becomes the divine Price that was paid for them, Let us not be found Triflers with the Blood of Chrift, nor let us bring cold Hearts and dead Affections when we come to fet before Sinners the rich and ineftimable Stream of that Life and Blood that comes warm from the Heart of the dying Son of God. Let perifhing Creatures know that it coll: the Prince of Glorv fuch a dreadful F Price
98 Afokhnn Enforcement of the
Price as this to redeem them from eternal Mifery ; and at the fame time let our own Spirits feel the powerful Workings of Gra- titude to the divine Friend tha and died for us, and let our Language make it appear that we fpeak what we fed.
Sixthly, We intreat you with all Tender^ nefs, and with holy Solemnity and Fear, we charge you and we charge our felves, by the invaluable Worth of perilling Souls, that we fulfil all our Miniftiy with a Con- cern of Heart equal to fo important a Cafe. How can wre dare to fpeak with lifelefs Lips, with cold Language, or a carelefs Air, when we are fent to recover immortal Souls from the Brink of everlafting Death ? Oh let it never be faid, that fuch or fuch a Soul was loft for ever thro5 our Careleflhefs, thro* our Coldnefs, thro3 our finful Sloth in pub- lishing the Offers of recovering Grace. How tremendous and painful will fuch a Thought be to our Hearts ! How dreadful the Anguifh of it to the awakened Confci- ence of a droufy Preacher !
Seventhly, We charge you folemnly, and we charge our felves, by the Honour that Chrift has done to us in Times pall, and has done to you this Day, by the Dignity of that Office with which We have been for- merly invefted, and which you have this Day received, that neither you nor we do any thing unbecoming this honourable Cha- racter.
Exhortations on the Confcience. 99
rafter. Does Jefus the divine Shepherd appoint us Under -Shepherds of his Flock, are we confcituted Stewards in his Houfet to difpenfe the Myfteries of his Grace, and the good things of his Gofpel ; are we the Mejfengers of our rifen Lord to a dying World, are we the Minifiers of our exalted Saviour in his Kingdom here below, are we the Stars in his right Hand, are we the earthly Angels of )m Churches? Oh let us take heed that we do nothing to difgrace the Titles of Dignity and Honour which he has put upon us in his Word : Let us re- member that every Dignity brings an equal Duty with it -, and by fulfilling the various and difficult Duties of our holy Station, let us make it appear that our Office was not conferred upon us in vain.
It behoves us well to remember that a Blemifh upon the Name of a Minifter, ari- fing from his own criminal Condudt, brings :: foul and lafting Scandal upon the Office it (elf, and upon the Gofpel of our glorified Lord, in whole Name we acr : And he will not fail to relent it.
Eighthly, We exhort and charge you therefore, my dear Brother, by all die facred Solemnities of this Day, by the Vows of God which you have this Day taken up- on your felf, and the Bond wherewith you have bound your Soul ; and we would each of us charge our own Conferences, by
our
F 2 own
ioo A fokmn Enforcement of fhefe
own former folemn Way-, that neither you rior we ever fuffer our felvesi to forget or disregard our holy and powerful Engage^ ments \ that we be awake at all times to ful- fil our Work, and that we never indulge low and trifling Thoughts of what has for- merly appeared to us, and what this Day appears to you of fuch awful Importance. Oh let us ever refrefh upon our Spirits the ferious and important Tranfa&ions of that Day wherein we gave up our fclves to Chrifi, in the facred Service of his Church. Let us often review the Vows of thefe re- markable Seafons of our Life, and renew and confirm them before the Lord.
Ninthly , We charge you, and we charge our felves, by the decaying Intereft of Re- ligion, and the withering State ot Chrifti- anity at this day, that we do not increafe this general and lamentable Decay, this growing and dreadful Apoftacy, by our flothful and carelefs Management of the Truft which is committed to us. 'Tis a divine Intereft indeed, but declining •, 'tis a heavenly Caufe, but among us 'tis linkin and dying. O kt us ftir up our Hearts, and all that is within us, and ftrive migh- tily in Prayer and in Preaching to revive the Work of God, and beg earneftly that God, by a frefh and abundant Effufion of his own Spirit, would revive his own Work Revive thy own Work, O Lord,
in
^
Exhortations on the Confcience^ joi
in the midjl of ihefe Tears of Sin and Dege- neracy, nor let us labour in vain, jfrhcrt is thy Zeal, 0 Lord, and thy Strength, the Sounding of thy Bowels and thy Mercies ? Arc they retrained ? O let us roufe our Souls with all holy Fervour to fulfil our Mini- ftry, for 'twill be a dreadful Reproach up- on us, and a Burthen too heavy for us to bear, if we let the Caufe of Chrijl and God- lineis die under our Hands for want of a lively Zeal, and pious Fervour and Faithfulnefs in our Mihiftrations.
Tenthly, We entreat, we exhort and charge you, and we charge our felves, by the fo- lemn and awful Circumftances of a dying Bed, and the Thoughts of Confcience in that important Hour, when we fhall enter into the World of Spirits, that we take heed to the Miniftry which we have re- ceived : Surely that Hour is haftening up- on us, when our Heads will lie on a dying Pillow. When a few more Mornings and Evenings have vifited our Windows, the Shadows of a long Night will begin to fpread themfelves over us : In that gloomy Hour, Confcience will review the Behaviour of the Days that are pad, will take Account of the Conduft of our whole Lives, and will particularly examine our Labours and Cares in our facred Office. Oh may we ever dread the Thoughts of making bitter Work for Repentance in that Hour, and of trea- F 3 furing
j 02 AJolemn Enforcement of theft
faring up Terrors for a Death-bed by a carelefs and ufelefs Miniflry.
Eleventhly, We exhort and charge you, and we charge our felves, by our gathering together before the Throne of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the folemn Account we r there give of the Miniflry with which hath entrufled us, that we prepare' by our prefent Zeal and Labour to render that mod awful Scene peaceful to our Souls, and the Iffue of it joyful and happy, Let us look forward tov that illuftrions and tre- mendous Appearance, when our Lord fhall come with ten thoufands of his holy An- gels to enquire into the Condudl of Men, and particularly of the Minifters of his King- dom here en Earth. Let us remember that we fhall be examined in the Light of the Flames of that Day, What we Lave done with his Gofpel which he gave us to preach ? What we have done with his Promifes of rich Salvation, which he fent us to offer in his Name ? What is become of the Souls com- mitted to our Care ? O that we may give up our Account with Joy, and not with Grief, to the Judge of the Living and the Dead, in that glorious, that dreadful and decifive Hour.
Twelfthly, We charge and warn you, my dear Brother, and we warn and charge our felveSj by all the Terrors written m this di-
Exhortations on theConfaence. 103
vine Book, and by all the Indignation and Vengeance of God, which we are fcnt to dis- play before a (infill World, by all the Tor- ments and Agonies of Hell, which we are commiffioned to denounce againft impeni- tent Sinners, in order to perfiiade Men to turn to God and receive and obey the Go- fpel, that we take heed to our Miniftry that we fulfil it. This Vengeance and thefe Ter- rors will fall upon our Souls, and that with intolerable Weight, with double and im- mortal Anguifh, if wre have trifled with thefe terrible Solemnities, and made no ufe of thefe awful Scenes to awaken Men to lay hold of the offered Grace of the Gofpel. Knowing therefore the Terrors of the Lord, lee mferfuade Men, for we muft allftand before the Judgment-Seat of Chrift, to receive ac- cording to our Works, 2 Cor. v. 10, if.
In the laft place, We intreat, we exhort and charge you, by all the Joys of Para- dife, and the Bleffings of an eternal Hea- ven, which are our Hope and Support un- der all our Labours, and which in the Name of Chrift we offer to finful perifhing Men, and invite them to partake thereof; Can we fpeak of fuch Joys and Glories with a fleepy Heart and indolent Language ? Can we invite Sinners who are running head- long into Hell to return and partake of thefe Felicities, and not be excited to the warmeft Forms of Addrefs, and the mod: F 4 lively
104 Ajblemn Enforcement of theft
lively and engaging Methods of Perfuafion ? What Scenes of Brightnefs and Delight can animate the Lips and Language of an Ora- tor, if the Glories and the Joys of the Chriftian Heaven and our immortal Hopes cannot do it ? We charge and entreat you therefore, and we charge our felves, by the fhining Recompences which are promifed to faithful Minifters, that we keep this Glory ever in view, and awaken cur dying Zeal in our facred Work. There is a Crown of Righteoufnefs laid up for thofe who have fought the good Fight, who have finifhed their Courfe, who have kept the Faith, 2 Tim. iv. 7. There is a Glory which is to be revealed, a Crown of Glory which fadeth not away, pre- pared for every Under-Shepherd who fhall feed the Flock of God under his Care, and be found faithful in his Work : IVhen the great Shepherd fhall appear, he himlelf will be- ftow it on them. O let us look up conti- nually to this immortal Crown. Let us fhake off our Sluggifhnefs, and roufe all our aftive Powers at the profpedt of this Felicity. Let us labour and ftrive with all our Might, that we may become Pofleffors of this bright Reward.
Before we conclude this Exhortation, let us try to enforce k ftill with more Power, by confidering in whofe Prefence are thefe Solemnities tranfadted, and thefe Charges given.
Wc
Exhortations on the Conference, to 5
We exhort and charge you then, in the Prefence of this Church, who hath called you to minifter to them in Holy Things, and who give up their Souls tins Day to your Care, to your Inftru&ions, to your Conduft in the Miniftrations of the Gofpel. We charge and exhort you that you take the Over-fight of them with all Humility and Diligence, and facred Delight, that you make the Life of their Souls your per- petual Care, that none of them may be loft thro5 your Default.
We exhort and charge you in the Pre- fence of this whole Aflembly, who are met together to behold and hear our Faith and Order in tht Gofpel. They are Wit- neffes of the folemn Obligations you have this Day laid your felf under, and will be called as Witneffes againft you in the Day of Chrijl, if you take no cure to perform your facred Vows.
We exhort and charge you, in the Pre- fence of the holy and ele£t Angels, who are continually waiting in their Miniftry on the Saints in the Church, and viewing with delight the Miniftration of the Gofpel of CJbriJlj their Lord and ours, as 'tis managed by the Hands of Men. They fee, they hear, and they will bear record againft you ; a dreadful Record of broken Vows and faithlels Promifes, if you are found carelefs and unfaithful.
F 5 Forgive
106 Afolemn Enforcement of tbi
Forgive me, dear Brother, forgive the folemn Language of thefe Exhortations; we hope, we believe, we are perfuaded your Heart is right with God, and you will be found faithful in that Day, and that Men and Angels will be Witneffes of your Zeal and your Labours in the facred Work. But we alfo feel fo much Coldnefs in our own Spirits, that we have need to addrefs you and our felves in moft folemn and awful Language.
We charge you then finally in the Pre- ^nce^of God, the great God, the All- cnowing and Almighty, the Univerfal Go- verncur and Judge, and our Lord Jefus Chri/l, to whom he hath committed all Judg- ment, who hath Eyes as a Flame of Fire to fee thro' our Hearts and Souls ; we charge you, and we charge our felves, under the all-feeing Eye of the great God and of his Son Jefus our Lord, that with holy Care and Diligence both we and you fulfil the Work of our Miniftry with which Chrifi ixath intruded us, that we may approve our felves to him in Zeal and Faithfulnefs and Love, in Zeal for his Honour and his Go- fpel, in Faithfulnefs to our facred Commif- fion, and in Love and Pity to the Souls of Men.
If Sinners will continue obfiinate and im- penitent, after all our pious Cares, Labours and Prayers, their BJood will not he at our
door j
Exhortations on the Confcience. 107
door ; our Work is left with the Lord, and our Judgment and Reward with our Gcd^ Ifa. xJix. 4. But if it be poiTible, we fhouU with utmoft Earneftnefs and Compaffion feize the Souls of Sinners who are on the very Borders of Hell, we Ihould pluck them like Brands out of the Fire, and lave them from burning, Jude 23.
O may the Spirit of the bieffed God fa- vour us with his divine Aids, that we may bring home many Wanderers to the Fold of Chriji the great Shepherd, that we may ref- cue many Souls from Death, who may be our Joy and Crown and Glory in the Day of the Lord Jefus ! May this be your Happinefs, my dear Brother, may this be mine ! May this be the Happinefs of every one of us who minifler in Holy Things, through the abounding Grace of Chriji and the Influences of his Spirit : And may it be the Happinefs of all who in different Places attend our con- ftant holy Miniftrations, and particularly of all that hear us this Day, to {land and appear with us before the Judgment-Seat of Chrift with mutual Delight and Joy : And may each of us who preach and hear, re- ceive our proper Portion of the everlafting Recompence and Glory which fhall be af- figned to thofe who are faithful by Jefus our Saviour and our Judge, to whom he JDornin end Praife for ever and ever. Amen.
F 6
( *o8 )
^Serious Address /# the People.
Ma t t h. V. $j. What do ye more than others f
SECTION I.
The Text apply' d to the Difciples.
THAT excellent Sermon which our Lord preached on the Mount feems to be addreffed in a fpecial manner to his Difciples, tho* a mixed Mul- titude might attend to hear it. The firft Verfe of the Chapter tells us that Jefus fee- ing the Multitude, went up into a Mountain \ and when he was fet, his Difciples came to him, and he opened his Mouth and taught them, faying, Bleffed are the poor in Spirit : And there are feveral Expreffions in the Sermon which plainly fhew that the Difcourfe was chiefly directed to the Difciples, Matth. v. 13, &c. Ye are the Salt of the Earth, ye are the Light of the World \ which he would never fay to a Multitude of mixed People
that
the text applfd, &c. 109
that followed him, made up probably of Galilean Gentiles as well as Jews.
The Words I have chofen are a warm and pathetick Queftion put to the Confci- ences of the Difciples, with regard to the great Duty of Charity and Love, which our bleffed Saviour had beenjuft preaching in fublimer Degrees than the ancient Pro- phets, If you falute none but your Brethren, if you love only thofe that love you ; or as Luke vi. 33. If ye do good to them that do good to you, what do you more than others ? For the Publicans and Sinners do the fame. Perfons who make no Pretences to Godli- nefs, and who neither enjoy the Advantages with which you are bleffed, nor lie under equal Engagements : They love their own Friends as well as you, and make grateful Returns for Benefits received ; they prac- tife many Duties of Morality, but I expeft that you my Difciples fhould far excel them, both in the Duties you practife, and in the Manner of Performance : I ex- peft that you fhould love your Enemies, and fhould blefs them that curfe you, and do good to them that hate you, as in Verfe 44. What is here fpoken thus warmly by our Lord to his own Difciples, concerning Love and Civility and Kindnefs to our Fellow- Creatures, may with the fame Juftice be applied to moft of the Duties which we owe to God or Man, and give us ground
to
l io The Text apply d
to raife this general Dodtrine or Theme of Difcourfe.
Do&rine. God requires and expetts higher Improvements in Virtue and Religion from Perfons ivho enjoy peculiar Advantages, or lie under fpecial Obligations.
Now to improve this Thought, and prefs it upon all our Conferences, I fhall enquire, i. What are the Circumftances under which the Difciples of Chrift then lay that obliged them to fuperior Virtue and Gcod- nefs •, and 2. I fhall endeavour to apply this to our felves, by enquiring what pecu- liar Circumftances of Advantage and Obli- gation, all or any of us lie under to exceed others in any Inftances of Duty, either to God or our Neighbour, and whether we have anfwered thefe Engagements or no.
In anfwer to the firft Enquiry, What were the Circumftances of the Difciples at this Time ? We may confider our Saviour in this Ser- mon exhorting them to fuperior Degrees of Goodnefs, as they appeared under thefe two Chara6ters ; (1.) as they were Jews and not Heathens, as a part of the Nation and Church of Ifrael, in diftindtion from the Men of other Nations or Gentiles \ or (2.) as they were the Difciples of Chrift, and not of the Scribes or Pharifces ; as they were Followers of a new Preacher, who ffts neither authorized nor acknowledged by their Priefts and Doctors of the Law,
who
to the Difciples. 1 1
who had no Countenance from the efta- blifhed national Church, and who frequently worfhipped in feparate Aflemblies *.
And there is good Reafon for this two- fold Confideration of them, if we remem- ber that in my Text Chriji compares his Difciples with Publicans, or the Gatherers of the Taxes whom the Roman Governors appointed, who were moft of them Hea- thens, and were often guilty of Oppreflion and Injuftice, and therefore he demands of his Difciples greater Degrees of Goodnefs than they ever praftifed : And in the 20th Verfe of this Chapter he compares them with the Scribes and Pharifees, the ftridt Pre- tenders to Religion, and the Teachers of it among the Jews ; and aflures them, that except their Righteoufnefs exceed that of the Scribes andPharifees, they Jh all not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
* It is granted indeed, that our blefTed Saviour did not feparate himfelf from the Je<uui/h national Church, fo as to abilain from the Worlhip of the Temple, be- caufe that was exprefly of God's own Eftablifhment ; nor did he avoid the Synagogues while they would fuf- fer him to preach there, and to warn the People againfl their Traditions : yet there were fo many Corrupti- ons in that Day that had crept into the national Church, that he found he could not fulfil his Miniftry, nor pro- mote the Salvation of Souls according to his Defire, and his heavenly Commillion, without holding feparate Aflemblies.
1. if
ii2 The Text apply d
I. If we confider the Difciples of Chrijl as JewSj as a Part of the Nation and Church of Ifraelj they had many fpecial Advantages for Religion above the Heathen World, and many peculiar Obligations. They were interefled in thofe fpecial Marks of Honour and Love that God had fet upon the Jewifh Nation, they were chofen to be a peculiar People to the Lord> and were devoted to him from their Infancy : They had their Laws given them by God himielf, as their King and Governor, and could have no doubt of the Wifdom and Juftice and Equity of them : They had a Multitude of fpecial Re- velations both of Duty and Grace from God as their King and their God, from God as the Objeft of their Worfhip and their ever- lafting Rewarder : They had the living Ora- cles committed to them for their Inftru&i- on, wherein divine Truths and Duties were written down in plain Language, as the Leflbns of their Faith and the Rules of their Practice : They had many Inftitutions of Religion and Worfhip didtated by God himfelf, and they were not left to the wild and uncertain Fancies of Men to invent Ce- remonies of their own which God will ne- ver approve : They had the Gofpel preach- ed to them under Types and Shadows, and there were many clear Difcoveries of the Forgivenefs of Sin and Reconciliation to God to be obtained for Sinners who re- turn
to the Difciples. 1 1 3
turn to God by Repetance, and who rely on the Promifes of his Grace. Well might our Saviour fay, I expeft from you fuperior Degrees of Religion and Virtue above the Heathen and the Publican, above the Ro- wan Tax-gatherers that dwell amongft you, and even thofe of your own Nation who make no drift Profeflion of Piety or Good- nefs. Think with your felves therefore, examine your Hearts and Praftice, What do you more than they? And let your Con- ferences be able to give an honourable Anfwer.
II. Let the Difciples of Chrift be confi- dered as Followers of a new Preacher, in a way of Diftindtion from the Difciples of the Scribes and the Jewifh Doffors of the Law. They fat under the Miniftry of a rifing Prophet Jefus of Galilee, the fuppofed Son of a Carpenter, who had no Approbation nor Authority nor Countenance from the eftablifhed Church, who held feparate Af- femblies for praying and preaching, and who taught the People fometimes on a Mountain, fometimes in the Wildernefs, fometimes on the Sea-fhore, and at other times in private Houfes ; and here we fhall find that the Difciples lay under farther Circumftances of Engagement to greater Pu- rity and a higher Perfection in Holinefs.
They had the Son of God himfelf for their Preacher, who /pake fo as never Man
fpake.
:i4 The Text apply d
rpakt\ who had all his Doftrines and his Meflages from Heaven, and fpake what his Father commanded him ; a 'Preacher, who explained the Law in a more perfect Man- ner, and raifed it to fublimer Degrees of Virtue even than Mofes himfelf, who re- ceived it from God ; and he purified it a!fo from the falfe and corrupt Glofles which the Scribes and Doctors of that degenerate Age had put upon it -, an Ambaflador from Heaven, who publifhed the Tidings of rich Grace and Pardon and Salvation in a clearer Manner, and gave them ftronger Encou- ragements to Repentance and Faith and Piety and brotherly Love than the World had ever known before.
They had Miracles wrought to convince them of the Truth of the Commiffion of Cbrift from Heaven, Matt. iv. 24. The God of Nature fpoke often to them in fome Work of Wonder, which was fuperior to all the Powers of Nature, to affure them that Jefuswas the Minifter of his Father's Grace to the Sons of Men.
They had feen fome of the Prophecies fulfilled in him, and fome of the Charac- ters of the Mefliah exemplified in his Perfon, in his Doftrine and his Conduit ; for tho5 this Sermon flands near the Beginning of St. Matthew's Hiftory, yet it was by no means the firft Sermon that he preached, nor the very Beginning of his Miniftry, as
will
to the Difcipks. 115
will eafily appear if we confult Matt. iv. and Luke iv. where we have feveral Ac- counts of his preaching before this.
Let us confider another great Advantage they enjoyed above others ; they had the nobleft and molt fublime Pattern of Holi- nefs always before them, who praclifed Self-denial, Humility, Zeal for the Honour of God, Mortification to the World, R.e- flftance of Temptations, and retired Devo- tion, in a fuperior manner to what ever any meer Mortal attained or pradtifed.
And befides all this, they made a Profef- fion of greater Striftnefs and Purity by their Adherence to Chrift and his Preaching, who appeared in the World as a new Teacher, to reform the Vices of Men, and found fault with the Preachers of the efta- blilhed Church, for the many Corruptions both of Dodtrine and Practice that reigned amongft them.
Now, " To what Purpofe (might our " Lord fay) and for what End are all 44 thefe Advantages given you, if not to " make you wifer and better than the reft 44 of the Nation ? And what is it you pre- " tend in following my Sermons and at- 44 tending upon my Miniftry in feparate 44 AfTemblies ? Is it not that you may be- 44 come more ftridtly religious, and that 44 your Virtue and your Goodnefs may ex- " ceed your Neighbours ? If the Teach-
44 ings
1 1 6 The Words apply d
u mgs of the Scribes and the Doftors of the u Law are fufficient for your Inftruction, M and equal to your Wifhes and your u Hopes, why do ye follow me from " Town to Town, and from one Part of " the Nation to the other ? Does not your " own Profeffion of being my Difciples " oblige you to greater Degrees of Piety ? " And have you not peculiar Advantages " for this End, by attending on my Mini- " ftrations ? I expect therefore that you u fhould live, and fpeak, and act to the Ho- " nour of God and the Good of Men, in a " Degree and Manner far fuperior to what " the Sinners and Publicans can pretend to, " and that you exceed in Right eoufnefs all the " Pretences and the Practices of the Pha- " rifees and the Scribes. "
SECTION II.
The Application of the Words of the Text to our own Age and Circumftances.
THUS having fhewn how reafonable was this Demand of Chrifi upon his own Difciples, we come in the next place to apply all this to our own Cafe, to our own Age and Circumftances. And here in order to enforce this Enquiry upon our Confcien- ces, What do we more than others ? we fhall confider our Character and our Privileges ;
to our Age and Cafe. nj
( i.) That we are Chriftians^ and not Jews nor Heathens. (2.) That we are Pro t eft ant s^ and not Papifts. (3,) That we are P rot eft ant Dift'enters^ who worfliip God in feparate Ailemblies, and follow the Teachings of Men who have no Commiflion from the eftablifhed and national Church \ and under each of thefe Characters we fhall enquire how much our Circumftances of Advantage and Obligation are fuperior to thofe of the reft of the World from whom we are diftinguifhed, and whether our Behavi- our has been anfwerable to thefe fpecial En- gagements.
I. We are Chriftians^ and not Jews nor Heathens. Let me fpeak to each of thefe apart.
lfty We are not born in a Land of Hea- thenifm, in grofs Darknefs and in the Sha- dow of Death, and therefore our Piety and Virtue fhould far exceed all the Practices of the Heathen World. We are not left to the Teachings of the Book of Nature, and to the filent Ledtures which the Sun, Moon and Stars can read us, nor are we aban- doned merely to the Inftruftions of Religi- on that we may derive from the Bealts of the Earth and the Fowls of the Heaven, or any of the Works of God the Creator.
We are not given up in the Things of Religion merely to the wandering and un- certain Conduct of our Reafon, feeble as it
is
115 ltje w or as apply a
is in itfelf, corrupted by the Fall of Adam our firit Father, befet with many Sins and Prejudices, and turned afide from the Truth by a thoufand falfe Lights of Senfe and Appetite, Fancy and Paflion, by the vain Cuftoms of the Country, and the Corrup- tions of our finful Hearts.
We are not bewildered among the poor Remains of divine Tradition delivered down from Adam to Noah, and from Noah to his Pofterity in the feveral Nations of the Earth ; we are not left to ipell out our Duty from thofe forry broken Fragments of Revelation, which are fo loft and de- faced among moft of the Nations, and fo mingled with monftrous Folly and Delu- fion, that 'tis hard to find any Reliques of Truth or Goodneis in them.
We are not given up to foul Idolatry and wild Superftition, nor to the llavifh and tyrannical Dictates of Priefts and Kings, who contrive what Ceremonies they pleafe, and impofe them on the People, which is the Cafe of a great Part of the Heathen World.
Poor and deluded Creatures ! feeling about in the dark for the Way to Happi- nefs, in the midftof Rocks and Precipices and endlefs Dangers, and led aftray into many Mifchiefs and Miferies by thofe whom they take for Guides and Rulers. And what an infamous and fhameful Thing would
to oar Age and Cafe. 1 1 9
It be for us, who have the divine Light of the Gofpel fhining among us to dire£t our Paths, if we fhould read among the Records of the Heathen Nations, that any of them have behaved better than we have done either in Duties to God or Man, and exceeded us either in perfonal or in focial Virtues .? Nay, what a Scandal would it be to our Profeffion, if we fhould not abun- dantly exceed all the fhining Virtues of the Heathen Nations, fince the divine Light that fhines upon us, and the divine Leflbns that are publifhed amongft us, are fo infi- nitely fuperior to all that the Heathen World has enjoyed ?
And yet, to our Shame and Reproach, there are feveral fingle Examples found in ancient Hiftory of lome of their moral and focial Virtues, beyond what mod of us have arrived at. What Patience under In- juries and cutting Reproaches is afcribed to Socrates ? What a Contentment of Soul un- der great Poverty, what Calmnefs under OpprefTion and Pain, and what a noble Difmtereftednefs in the Comforts or Cala- mities of this Life was found in Epiffetus the Stoick Philofopher ? What a friendly and forgiving Spirit in Antoninus the Empe- ror ? What a Moderation in the Enjoy- ments of Life, what a brave Contempt of prefent Death, and what a generous Love of their Country and Self-denial for the pub- lick
120 The Words apply d
lick Good do we read of in fome of the an- cient Romans^ before the Ages of Splendor and Luxury had corrupted them ?
*Tis granted indeed thefe Inftances are but few and rare, and we have good rea- fon to hope and believe that the Virtues which are praftifed in the Chrifiian World are abundantly more common and nume- rous, and therefore they pafs without fuch publick Notice and Renown : But is it not a fliame there fhould be any one Inftance of Heathen Virtue tranfcending the Prac- tice of Chrifiians ?
And if we confult the Hiftories of their religious Affairs, we fnall find feveral Ex- amples of their Zeal for forry Superftitions and ridiculous Idolatries, rifing higher than ours has done in the Praftice of our divine Religion : How far have their Self- denial and Sufferings, their Fatigues and Fervency in the Worfhip of their Idols, tranfcended our Devotion to the living and true God ? What coftly Honours have they done to fome of their Mediator Gods and Goddefles, beyond what we have a Heart to do for our Jefus^ the only true Media- tor between God and Man ? With what Curiofity and Exaftnefs and unwearied Di- ligence have the Votaries of thofe falfe Dei- ties, in fome of the E aft em and Weft em Nations, in ancient and later Times, ful- filled their Wafhings, and Scourgings, and
painful
to our Age and Cafe. 1 2 1
painful Abftinences, and praftifed all the auftere Rires of their Religions, while we are cold and indifferent, fluggifh and in- dolent in paying the facred Worfhip we owe to the great and bleffed God and to his Son Jefus? Lord, will not this Hea- then Zeal condemn our fhameful Sloth and Negligence?
Again idly, We are Chrijlians and not Jews: How much fhould our Practices of Piety exceed theirs? Our Gofpel is not hid- den under Types and Figures, nor veiled under the Smoke of Incenie and Sacrifice, as it was in the Religion of Mofes: How cheerfully fhould we receive and ftudy and rejoice in this Gofpel of Salvation, which fhines amongft us in its fulleft Light? And while we remember that wre are freed from the Bondage of numerous Ceremonies, how diligently fhould we attend to the two fa- cred Inftitutions of Baptifm and the Lord's Supper, which Chrifi has given us, and take Care that all the fpiritual Defigns of them be attained in us and upon us?
We are not waiting for a Mejfiah yet to come, which was the Cafe of many Pro- phets and Kings and righteous Men under the Jewijh Difpenfation : Blejfed are our Eyes and our Ears, for they have read and heard thofe glorious Tranfa&ions and Doctrines relating to the MeJJiah the great Prophet, the King of Ifrael, and the Saviour of the G World,
122 The Words apply J
World, for which the Fathers waited from Age to Age. With what Zeal and Joy, with what holy Exercifes and Raptures of Faith and Love fhouid we receive Jefus the Son of God, the great Mejjiab, who has all the Characters of this divine Prophet and this promifed Saviour found in him? With what a firm and fteady Soul fhouid we re- ceive the Dodtrines, and maintain the Ar- ticles of the Religion of Jefus, in Oppofi- tion to all the Snares of Infidelity, and the Artifices of every Deceiver.
Again, We are not left, as the Jews were, to the obfcure Language of Prophecy, to inform us of the Grace and Bleffings of the MeffiaWs Kingdom ; nor are we put to fpell out our Faith by fuch weak and idle Com- mentaries of Men as the Jewifh Rabbins have left us, whereby to underftand the Law of Mofes: We have the New Tefla- ment given us to explain the Old: Chrifl and his Apoftles are fent to us as Interpre- ters of the ancient Prophets: The Veil is taken away while the Books of Mofes are read among us, and many of the dark Fi- gures and the typical Scenes of Providence that belonged to the Jewifh Difpenfation are now unfolded and explained in a divine Light. How ihould our Hearts burn with- in us under an Evangelical Miniftry, in Imi- tation of the tv/o Difciples, Luke xxiv. 32. while Chrijl was unfolding to them thefpi-
ritual
to our Age and Cafe. 123
ritual Glories and Graces of his Kingdom, which were delivered by Mofes and the Pro- phets in more obfcure Language? How de- lightfully fhould we converfe with the two Books of God, the Old Teftament and New, when we underftand the Scripture fo far beyond what the beft of the Jews could do, who had only the firft of thefe divine Writings given them, without a fecond to explain it: How much therefore (hould our Faith and our Hope, our Love and our Holinefs tranfcend the Virtues and Graces of a Jew ?
And yet, alas ! how greatly does our Pie- ty, our Zeal, our Self-Government, our fingle and focial Virtues, and our univerfai Holinefs fall fhort of thofe Degrees to which fome of thofe Jewijh Saints attained ? Which of us can compare with the firft: of their Leaders, Mofes, the Servant of God, in an unwearied Attendance on the Com- mands of his Lord, in oppofition to all the Threatnings of the King of Egypt and the Murmurings of his own People Ifrael? Which of us would have fliown fuch Meek- nefs in bearing fo many Indignities and Affronts from an ungrateful Race of Men, whom he had refcued from Brick-kilns and Tafk-mafters and cruel Bondage? Which of us follow Godfo fully as Caleb and Jofhua did, and could bear fuch an undaunted Teftimony to the Truth of his Word, and G 2 the
124 5Hk? Words apply d
the Excellency of the promifcd Blefilng?, in oppofition to the Clamours of a whole Nation, and the Danger of being (toned upon the Spot? How few are there in the prefent Age of Chriftians who are fo well acquainted with the Efficacy and Succefs Prayer as Hannah the Mother of Samuel, who poured out her Petitions before God, and left her Cares and her Burdens there, and went away and was no more fad? When fhall any of us arife to the blefied experi- ences of David? When fhall we live fo much by Faith as he did, and triumph over our Fears even in the midft of Enemies, Dangers and Diftreffes? When fhall we ar- rive at fuch a humble holy Intimacy with God, as to walk with him all the Day long, and communicate with him all our Con- cerns, our Comforts, our Dangers and our Difficulties, and be able to rejoice in Hope as he did? How far are the Ways of his Faith and Love above ours, like the Way of an Eagle in the Air, too high and too hard for us? When fhall our Zeal for the Houfe of God carry us to fuch a pious So- 1 citude about it as his did? And when fhall we feel fuch longing Defires and infa- t able Thirftings after thePrefer.ee of God i • holy Ordinances as he found? Which of us c^n fay with the humble Spirit of Mi- cab, I w 11 bear the Indignation of the Lord becauji I have finned againjt him, 'till he arife
and
to our Age and Cafe. 1 2 5
and plead my Caufe? Or where is the Chri- ftian that can aflfume the Words of Ha- bakkuk with the fame Spirit of Faith, tto* there be no Fruit in the F-eld, nor Herds in the Stall, ye I will I rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of my Salvation? But it is Time to proceed to fome other Characters which belong to us, and wherein we enjoy Advantages for Holinefs fuperior to others \ for 'tis a moil evident and heavy Reproach upon us, that either Jews or Heathens fhould exceed us in any Inftances of the religious or civil Life.
II. We are Prcteftants, and net Papijls ; and what Progrefs have we made in devout Religion and m real Piety beyond what fome of the poor deluded People have done under the Power of Pcpijh DarkneLs, Superftition and Tyranny, notwithstand- ing ourtranfeendent Advantages?
We are not with-held from the pure and perfect Inftructions of the Word of God in our own Language, nor impofed upon by the Traditions of Men as the Papijls are, who are generally forbid to keep Bibles in their own Cuftody in mod of the Popijh Nations, nor are they fuffered to acquaint themfelves with the Scriptures in their Mo- ther-Tongue. We can fee the Doctrines with our own Eyes which v/e are required to believe-, we can read the Duties which we are commanded to practife 5 we can G 3 Icarh
126 Tbe Words apply d
learn the whole Counfel of God for our Sal- vation, and be inftrudted in all the Articles of Faith and Manners from the Word of God it felf. We are not deprived of this Key of Knowledge that leads us into the Treafures of Heaven and Eternity: We have the Bible in our Hands, we read it in our Families, 'tis open before us in our Re- tirements : Flow diligently fhould we fearch and inquire into every Truth and Duty that is propofed to us, as the noble Bereans did, A5ls xvii. 1 1 ? With what Zeal and Fer- vency fhould we practife every divine Ap- pointment, when the Obligations come up- on our Confciences more immediately from the Word of God ? And how careful fhould we be to worfhip God more exaftly ac- cording to his own Appointments, fince we have his own Word to inftrudt us ?
How great and unfpeakable are our Ad- vantages beyond thofe who dwell under Popijh Governments? Alas for thofe poor benighted and imprifoned Creatures, held in the Chains of Darknefs! How wretch- edly are their Confciences governed by blind Leaders, and they are not fuffered to be- lieve any thing but v/hat the Church teaches them, i. e. the Priefls, who are made the Directors of their Faith and Practice? Their Belief is founded on the Word- of poor fallible Men, and fometimes of wicked and deceitful Men too, inilead of the Dic- tates
to cur Age and Cafe. 127
tates of Heaven and the Words of the true and living God. They muft believe no- thing contrary to what the Church be- lieves, tho* it be never fo plainly written in Scripture \ for if the Church has deter- mined againft the plaineft Doctrines of the Bible, they muft be conftrued to another Senfe, according as the Church from Time to Time fhall pleafe to interpret the Word of God. What a Wonder is it if any of thefe miferable Mortals under fuch wretch- ed Difadvantages fhould attain to the Prac- tice of true Religion and the Faith and Holinefs of the Gofpel? But how much more fhameful would it be to 11s, if any of them under thefe Difadvantages fhould be found to exceed and out-fhine our Character and our Practice ?
We are not taught to repeat our Prayers like Parrots in an unknown Tongue. Oh, what a Mockery of Heaven is this! What an high Affront to God and to the Reafon of Man, to chatter over Words and Sylla- bles before the God of Heaven, and to ad- drefs him about the important Things of Grace and Salvation and eternal Life, and yet know nothing of our Wants or our Pe- titions! How ierious, how fervent, how Spiritual fhould our Devotion be, in com- parifon of theirs who are taught to pro- nounce a little Gibberifh in Latin inftead of ferious Devotion? Whenever I read of any G 4 Inftances
128 The Words apply \i
Inftances of religious and devout Papifisy and efpecially if they are Perfons of the lower Rank of Life, who have not the Ad- vantages of the Men of Learning among them ; and when I refledl to what Heights here and there one of them have rifen in the ipiritual Parts of Religion, I blulh and am afhamed of my felf, who enjoy fo much iuperior Advantages, and fink fo far be- low them in thefe divine Exercifes.
We are not brought up in the Superfti- tions and Idolatries of the Church of Rome; we are not taught to worfiiip Saints and An- gels, nor required to bow down before a Piece of Bread in the Hand of a Priefb, nor to pay religious Honours to Images of Wood and Stone, of Gold and Silver; we are not taught to addrefs our feives to departed Saints and Angels for Mediators, to apply to the Virgin Mother inflead of Chrifi her Son, nor to addrefs the Apoftles inflead of their Mafter: We are directed only to the one Mediator, Chrifi the Son of God, who is All-fufficient, to reconcile us to God, and to make our Perfons and our Prayers acceptable before the Throne; whereas the Difciples of the Pope diftribute the Care of their beft Interefts amongft ma- ny Mediators, and recommend themfelves to the Protection of many Saints and Savi- ours. Well, let us enquire then, are our Hearts united in the Faith and Love of Je-
JMS,
to our dge and Cafe. 129
us, the only Mediator, more than theirs? Are we better acquainted with Jefus the Son of God, to whom we have committed all our immortal Concerns, fince our Thoughts and Hopes, our Wifhes and Prayers, are not divided amongft many Interceffors ? Do we pay more honour to Jefus our only Sa- viour than they do, who have fo many Ob- jects of their Truft and Worfhip to divide their Hearts and Devotions into flcnder Streams ?
What fhall I fay for our own Excufe, if I fhould find fome Papifis exceeding us in their Love to God, in their Devotion to Chrift, and in their Benevolence to Men? I believe indeed their Number is but final 1, but methinks 'tis a fhame and reproach to us under our fuperior Advantages, if there fhould be found any of that corrupt and fii- perftitious Church pradtifing the Chriftiah Religion, in the fubftantial Duties of it, better than we. When I read Thomas a Kemps reiigning himfelf to his Lord and Saviour in fuch pious Language, u Give u me v/hat thou wilt, and as much or little " as thou wilt, and when thou wilt. Deal " with me as thou knoweft to be moil pro- " per, and as may bring thee mod Glory; " place me where thou pleaieft, I'm in thy " Hand, turn me and tofs me from Side to <c Side : Behold thy Servant ready to be <c and bear every Thing, for my Defire is G 5 "not
1 3 o The Words apply d
" not to live to my fejf, but to thee : * When I hear that excellent Man the Arch- bifhop of Cambray lifting up his devout Heart thus to Heaven in the fame Strains, of pious Refignation, " I am for thee, O 44 my God, againft my felf; none could 4C have thus divided me from my felf but 44 thy Hand only. I leave my felf in thy " Hand, O my God, mould this Clay of " mine, turn it up, and turn it down 44 again, give it a Form, then break it and 44 new mould it; 'tis intirely thine, it has 44 nothing to reply, 'tis enough for me 44 that this Being of mine ferves thy Pur- u pofes and thy good Pleafure: Com- 44 mand, appoint, forbid, what I fhall do 44 or what I fhall not do: Elevated, aba- 44 fed, comforted, fuffering, I for ever 44 adore thee, in facrificing all my own 44 Will to thine : H When I hear this Lan- guage of a Papift, how am I aftiamed of my own reftiff and unpliable Heart? How much do I want of fuch an intire Refigned- nefs to my Maker's Will? With what Plea- fure do I read Monfieur de Renty in the Zeal of his inward Piety running counter to the Practices of his own Communion, and declaring that " If we know not our 44 own Devotion rather by the Mortifica- 44 ticn ard Denial of our felves, than by 44 the Multiplication of our devout Exer- 44 cifes, it is to be feared they will be rather
44 Practices
to oar Age and Cafe. 131
cc Practices of Condemnation than of San- Cc £tification : And yet we fee the Work of 44 Jefus Chrift is almoft reduced to this 44 pafs among the fpiritual Perfons of our 44 Times/' But 'tis with a facred Regret and Self-difplicency I would look upon my felf, while I review other Parts of his Life, where he took upon him all the mean and laborious Figures of Service to his Fellow- Creatures, and conformed himfelf to all Inconveniences for the good of his Neigh- bour; " Methinks, fays he, my Soul is 44 all Charity, and I am not able to exprefs 4C with what Ardency and ftrange Expan- 4C fion I find my Heart to be renewed in " the divine Life of my new-born Saviour, 44 burning all in Love towards Mankind." How do I wifh that I could repeat from my Heart the Words of that poor Servant Maid Armelle Nicholas in France in the laft Century, " God has not fent me into this 44 World but to love him, and by his great " Mercy I have loved him fo much, that I 44 cannot do it more in the Way oi mortal " Creatures; I muft go to him, that I may " love him in the Way of the Blefled."
But before I difmifs this Head intirely, I would take notice of one Advantage more which the Proteftants oi Great-Britain en- joy toward the Practice of Charity and Love to their Fellow-Creatures, above and beyond what the Papijls generally enjoy •, G 6 and
1 3 2 The Words apply d
and yet even in this very Grace of Charity there have been Inftances, as you fee, where- in fome of them exceed us. Let us remem- ber that we are not educated in fuch a cruel and bloody Religion as the Papifts, which Cruelty, tho' 'tis not practifed by all of them, yet is taught by their Leaders: Their Religion encourages and infpires Men to murder and deftroy their Fellow-Crea- tures for God's fake, as our Saviour himfelf foretold, John xvi. 2. They firil call us Hereticks, and then condemn, torment and murder us, and blindly imagine they are doing God fervzee. Oh blefs the Name of the Lord for your Freedom from the Hand and Power of thofe whofe Religion it is to do mifchief in the Name of God, and to deflroy thofe whom the Priefts and the In- quifitors fhall pronounce guilty of any Opi- nions which they are pleafed to call He- refy. How often do they drefs up a Pro- t eft ant as it were in a Wolf's or Bear's Skin, and fend out all their Dogs to devour him? Blefs God with all the Powers of your Souls that you are not bred up in thefe bar- barous Sentiments; nor fhould you think your felf worthy of the Name of a Pro- t eft ant ^ if you do not make the Bible the Rule of your Faith and Pradlice, and give others leave to find out their Duty alfo in that holy Book, according to their own beft Strife of it, as well as your felves. But if
you
to our Age and Cafe. 133
you reproach and perfecute the fincere En- quirers after the Truth, if you bite and de- vour thofe who differ from you in their re- ligious Sentiments, who are humble and fincere Enquirers, What do you more than others? What are you better than the bloody Papifts? And indeed how much worfe are you than fome few of them whofe Souls abhor this cruel and antichriftian Ty- ranny? This barbarous Temper of yours would run all the Lengths of Perfection even to Blood and Burning, if the Sword and the Fire were entrufted in your Hands. Shew therefore that you live in a Land of Proteftant Principles and an Age of Liber- ty, and that the Spirit of the Gofpel, the Spirit of Charity and Love dwells in you, by allowing to all Men the Freedom of their own Opinions, while they maintain the publick Peace : And as you profefs to fol- low the divine Rule of Scripture, and the Diftates of your own Confciences with Ho- nefty and fincere Zeal, believe charitably that your Fellow-Chriflians of a different Party may feek after the Truth with as much Zeal and with equal Sincerity, tho* they may not happen to fee all Things in the fame Light, nor embrace the fame Prin- ciples. Let not your Accufations and Cen- fures grieve their Spirits. Make it appear that you love your Neighbours, your Fel- low Chriftians, and even the Enemies of
your
134 4 w rr or as apply a
your Perfon and your Religion better than the Paprjls, from whom you would diftin- guifh your lelves with Honour. But this fhall iiiffice for the general Diftin&ion be- tween Papift and Protejlant.
III. We are come in the next Place to confider our felves as Protejlant Dijfenters: Hereby we are diftinguilhed from our Fellow Chriftians who belong to the Na- tional Church of England, in our Choice of different Modes of Worfhip and Miniftra- tionsofHoly Things. Permit me here to addrefs you who are my Hearers under this Character, and inquire What do you more than others? You who attend upon the "Worfhip of God in feparate Affemblies, and fit under the Miniilrations of thofe who have no Commiflion from the fpiritual Guides of the Nation and Rulers of the Church; you who in this Refpeft are placed under fuch a fort of Providence as to be Imitators of the Difciples of Chrijl when he maintained feparate Aflemblie?, and preached to the People without re- ceiving any publick Authority, or lb much as Countenance and Approbation from the Rulers of the national Church in his Day. Surely this is a Queftion of very awful Im- portance, and very neceffary, while we con- tinue our Separation, What higher Degrees of Piety or Virtue do we praftife ? What fublimer Advances in Religion are we ar- rived
to our Age and Cafe. 1 3 5
rived at ? Wherein are we better by all our Nonconformity than thofe who conftantly conform to the Church of England as by Law eftablifhed? What do all our Pre- tences to Separation mean, if we afcend to no fuperior Degrees of Goodnefs ?
But before I enter into fo nice a Sub- je£t as a Comparifon between the Advan- tages and Obligations to ftrift Religion, which are found amongft the DiJJenters, or amongfl the Church of England^ and their different Improvements under them, I defire to lay down this one Caution, viz. That nothing which I am going to fpeak fhould be conftrued to relate to any of thofe holy Souls who are of the firft Rank in the School of Chrijl^ who are the moft pious and the moft ftri&ly religious, either among the Members of the Church of England^ or among Protejlant Di[fenters\ for I am not going to fpeak to or of thefe Perfons, nor would I make Comparifon between them: I would fet them all before me as Examples for my humble Imitation and yours, and not as the Subjedts of my Com- parifon. I am verily perfuaded there are many Perfons of both Communities who are dear to God, whofe Names have an honourable Place in the Book of Life, who walk humbly and clofely with God in all the known Duties of the Chriftian State, whofe Sobriety in what relates to them-
fdvcs,
130 1 he Words apply d
felves, whofe Juftice and Charity in what relates to their Neighbours, and whofe De- votion in what belongs to God, is glorious and exemplary indeed; who are taught and Jed by the fame Spirit of Holinefs, and are largely interefted in the Favour of God the Father and his Son Jefus Chriji. To thofe holy Souls on both fides I would only afk Leave to fay, Go on in your il- luftrious Courfe of Chrifiianity\ rival each other in the Swiftnefs of your Race, in your pious and divine Progrefs toward Heaven; and may each of you run fo far as to ob- tain one of the larger and fairer Crowns of Right ecufnefs that Jhall never fade *dway
Yet I can hardly with-hold my felf from pronouncing this one Word of Juftice, That if any of the Members of the eftablifhed Church in this mofl pious Rank of Men are fuperior to thofe of our diffenting Churches, I think they ought to have the Honour of this Superiority; and fome De- gree of Shame will belong to the beft of us, if we are found inferior to them either in Virtue towards Men, or Piety towards God, becaufe of our fuperior Advantages and Obligations.
Having laid down this Caution, I come to declare that the Perfons whom I would at this time compare together are the com- mon Profeffors of Religion in the Church of 'England^ and the common Profeffors among
the
to our Age and Cafe. 137
the Dijfenters, the Bulk of the People both on the one Side and on the other; and I would fain excite you who hear me this Day, who are Profeflfors of Religion, and call your felves Protejlant Dijfenters, to bethink your felves a little concerning the fenfible Decay of real Goodnefs that is found amongft you, in order to awaken you to the warmeft Zeal and utmoft Endeavours to revive languifhing and dying Religion. Give me Leave, while I have the Honour to be a Preacher amongft you in this Con- gregation, to addrefs you in the Words of our Blefled Saviour, who was in his Day a divine Teacher to a Congregation meeting upon a Mountain, and in the Pathetick Lan- guage of Admonition and Love I would fay to my Hearers as he did to his Difciples, What do you more than others? What is there of Duty to God or Man wherein you Sepa- ratifts from the publick Eftablifhment ex- ceed the reft of the Nation ? And to enforce this Exhortation, I fhail here confider,
I. What real Advantages for Religion you enjoy above your Brethren of the Church of England^ according to your own common Senfe of Things.
II. Whztfuperior Obligations lie upon you by your particular Profeilion of Religion in a feparate Way. And under each of thefe two general Heads I fhall run thro' various Particulars.
SECTION
138 The Advantages of Di (f enters
SECTION III.
The Advantages of Protejiant Dijfenters in Matters of Religion.
THEM Queftion that offers it felf to our Confideration is this, What are the real and fpecial Advantages for Improve- ment in Religion zvhichyou Protejiant DifJ en- ters enjoy, or fuppofe you enjoy, above your Bre- thren of the Church 0/ England?
And here I defire my Readers to ob- ferve, that I neither defign to begin nor maintain any Controverfy with my Bre- thren of the eftablifhed Church in thefe Papers, which are written purely to re- vive praftical Gcdlinefs amongft us, nor would I willingly give them any Offence. I confefs indeed that it may not be im- proper in fome Parts of our Miniftrations to enter into the Merits of the Caufe, and modeftly to give our People an Account of the Reafons why we feparate from the pub- lick Worihip of the Parifh: And yet this we have almoft univerfally declined for ma- ny Years out of Relpedt to the Church, nor is this my prefent Bufinefs or Intent in this Place; nor fhall I ftand to enumerate all our Differences, nor infift upon a Vindica- tion of our Condudt in the feveral Particu- lars that go to make up the Grounds of
Non-
in Matters of Religions 139
Nonconformity. You may find them put together and well fupported by other Wri- ters, and particularly by Dr. Calamy in his three Volumes of Moderate Nonconformity \ and the chief Heads of them, fo far as they relate to the People, are well abridged in a very little Book called Lay-Nonconformity Ju/lify'd) to which I refer my Readers who defire to take a more particular Notice of the Reafons of our Separation.
My only Defign in this Place is to men- tion fome of thofe Advantages which you Protefiant Dijfenters are generally fuppofed to enjoy above your Neighbours in the Af- fairs of Religion; and even thefe I fhall cite and borrow from thofe Books which were wTritten feveral Years ago, to make it appear that I defign no Contention : And if I am neceflitated to fpeak of fome of the Differences that lie between us, the Reader will fee that I reprefent them not in the Language of Difpute, nor purfue them any farther than to fhew meer Matter of Fa£t, that I may thence derive more forcible and pungent Warnings and Reproofs to thofe of our own Communion, who are negli- gent of Piety and Virtue under all their fuppofed Advantages.
Advantage I. You are not info much Dan- ger of taking up with the out-ward Forms of Religion^ inflead of the inward Power and more fpiritual Part of 'it, as your Neighbours
ma/
1 40 The Advantages of Dijjenters
may be, and that particularly in the two fol- lowing Inftances.
Firft, You are in no fuch Danger of mifi taking Baptifm for inward and real Regene- ration *, as thofe who are educated in the eftablilhed Church. You are not in the lealt tempted or encouraged in any of our Miniftrations to fuppofe that your Souls are regenerated by the outward Ceremony of Baptifm, or that you are really born again, and made new Creatures by being baptized with Watery to which unhappy and dangerous Miftake the Office of Bap- tifm in the Church of England has been thought to give too much Countenance in the plain Senfe of the Expreftions, and without any fufficient Guard or Caution: And the Anfwer in the Catechifm which Children are taught, does but too much confirm and eftablifh them in this miftake : Read the fecond Queftion in the Church Catechifm. Queft. Who gave you this Name? Anf. My Godfathers and God- mothers in my Baptifm, wherein I was made a Member of Chrift, a Child of God, and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven. And when their Parents hear it mentioned lb ex- prefsly at the Baptifm, that the Child, after it is baptized, is regenerate and grafted into
* See Dr. Calamy of Moderate Nonconf. Vol. II. p. 131.
/ • t
in Matters of Religions. 141
the Body ofChrift's Church* and that this In- fant is regenerated with the Holy Spirit^ 'tis no wonder if they encourage Children to believe in a moft literal Senfe what their Catechiftn exprefly teaches them, that they are all born again fo as to become the Children of God, Members of Chrift, and Heirs of Heaven by Baptifm. I readily grant that many of the Minifters of the Church and the wifer Chriftians do know and believe that there is no fuch inward Grace and Salvation really communicated by baptifmal Water : Yet almoft all the Expreffions in the Offices relating both to pubiick and private Baptifm, and to the Baptifm of thofe of riper Years, eftablifli Perfons in the fame Miftake, and that as I hinted before without any manifeft Caution to fecure them from it.
But you, my Friends, who feparate from the national Forms of Worfhip, are afraid of receiving this Do6lrine, for you think it a Matter of dangerous Confequence both with regard to your felves and your Chil- dren. You have been taught and have learned that Regeneration is a great and holy Change wrought in the Powers of your Soul, your Underftanding, Will and Affedtions, by the Spirit of God, whereby you come to fee the evil and defiling Na- ture of Sin, and the dreadful Confequences of it, beyond whatever you faw before,
whereby
142 The Advantages of-Dijfcnters
whereby you learn the Excellency and Ne- ceflity of Holinefs, whereby your fenfual, vain and earthly Temper of Mind is al- tered, and your Heart let upon the Things of God and Heaven and Eternity inftead of the perifhing Enjoyments of this Life, whereby your finful Nature is renewed by divine Grace, and you are brought to love Gcd and fear him, to hope and truft in him, as he has manifefted his Grace in thrift Jefus his Son, and whereby you are inclined to praitife all the Duties of Piety toward God, and Juftice and Charity to- wards your Fellow-Creatures. You are taught alfo, that tho* Baptifm or wa/hing with Water be a Sign or Figure or Em- blem of this great and holy Change, this Purification, from the Defilement of Sin, and this Renovation of your Natures to Holinefs, yet it is not the Thing it felf, it is not the real fpiritual Blefling; nor does this divine Blefling always attend it; and 'tis often adminiftered to Perfons who are never truly regenerate, who never have this divine Change or Purification pafling up- on them.
You lie therefore under the ftror.geft Ob- ligations to fee to it, that you have better Evidences of Regeneration than your meer Baptifm with Water: You are bound by your own Principles to feek this divine Change of your Heart, this fpiritual and 3 important
in Matters of Religion. 143
important Bleffing with the utmoft Care, Dili- gence, Devotion and Prayer. You are exhorted in the Miniftry of the Word to labour with your own Hearts to convince them of the Evil of Sin, of the Beauty and Neceflity of Holinefs, of the Excellency of true Religion and the divine Life; to imprefs your Spirits by all proper Motives that they may repent of all Sin, that your Will may be turned away from it with Ha- tred, that your Love and Fear and Hope may be fixed upon better Objeds than they are by Nature, even upon God and Chrifty and Things fpiritual and eternal : You are frequently called upon to ftrive and feek that your inward Difpofition of Soul to- ward your Neighbour may be kind and juft and faithful, fuch as God requires, that you may be delivered from the Power of Sin reigning in you, and that you may be re- formed and made fit for the Bufinefs and Bleflednefs of Heaven, where nothing fhall enter that defileth. You are exhorted and obliged to pray earneftly to God for the Affiftance of his Spirit in this Divine Work, for unJefs we are born of the Spirit as well as wajhed with Water we cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, John iii. 3, 5, 6. Now has this been your folemn Care? Has this been your zealous Defire, and the Matter o£^our Labour with your own Heart in fecret and of your fervent Prayer to God?
Do
1 44 The Advantages of Diffentcrs
Do you give your felves no reft till you find llich a Change wrought in your Souls whereby you are become new Creatures, whereby you hate every thing that is offen- five to God, and love and delight in the Practice of your Duty toward God and Man? What clear and convincing Evi- dences have you that you have entered into this new State, and obtained this divine Blefling? That inftead of being a Child of Sin and Wrath (as you are by Nature) you are become a Child of Grace, and a Son or Daughter of the moft High God ?
Again, as you profeis this Doctrine of inward Regeneration, and the Neceffiry of it in order to eternal Life, do you take due Care to imprefs the Senfe of it on your Children ? Do you let them know that, tho' they are baptized with Water, which is defigned to be a Type or Figure of re- generating Grace, and of your Duty of Pu- rification from Sin, yet this is not a fuffi- cient Evidence of it, unlefs they find that their Hearts are inwardly changed? Do you inform them at proper Seafons, and by all gentle and convincing Means, that they are early Sinners before God, that their Hearts and Lives are corrupt and unholy, that wafhing with Water can never make them Chriftians any farther than a bare Pro- feffion goes, that they muft be born agaii*, i\ e. they muft become new Creatures, and
have
in Matters of Religion. 145
have their Hearts and Inclinations and De- fires and Paflions altered from what they are in a fin fill State, and formed unto Holinefs if ever they would be faved ? John iii 3.
What profit is it to your felves or your Children to avoid this unhappy Miftake of inward Regeneration by Baptifmal Water \ if you never concern your felves to feek after fuch a real divine Change of Heart and Life, in your felves or in them, as may make it appear that you are born again ? What Advantage is it to your Off-ipring to guard them from this Error, if you ne- ver take care to convince them of their corrupt Nature and finful Inclinations ? If you never teach them plainly that 'tis their Duty to be converted and turned from Sin to God, and befeech them earneftly to fc t about the Work of Converfion with all holy Diligence ? What figmfies it to keep them from this Miftake about Regenera- tion, if you never pray for them, nor teach them to pray for themfelves, that God would renew their Hearts by his Spirit, that he would work this glorious and di- vine Change in them, that he would really tranfiate them out of the Family of Sa'tan% and make them his Sons and his Daugh- ters ? What ! do you take Care to let them know that the outward wafhing of Baptifm H doe*
■146 Tbe Advantage* o/Diflintc
does not, cannot make them really the
Children of Gad, Members of Chrijl, Heirs of the Kingdom cf Heaven, and yet have you no Sollicitude nor take pains to fhew t lem how they may become the Children of God and Inheritors of his Kingdom ? Do you Jet them grow up from the Day of their Bap- tifm, wherein the Figure and Emblem of re- newing Grace paft upon them, 'till they are become Men and Women, without ever in- Strutting and exciting them to feek after the Subftance of this heavenly BlefTing? Fathers, Mothers, elder Kindred, do you never concern your felves that your Children fhould obtain this divine Favour, and give good Evidence of the Work of the renewing Spirit of God in them, by a holy Behaviour and a heavenly Con- versation ? 'Tisbut a poor Pretence for Separat- ing from the eftablifhed Church, that you or your Children are in danger of being led into miftaken Opinions there, if you are not deep- ly folJicitous that both they and you may avoid the Mifchief as well as the Error, and that you pradtife as well as learn the Truth.
But leaving this Miftake about Baptifm, there's another thing alfo wherein you Pro- teftant Diflenters are free from the Danger of taking up with outward Forms inftead of Spi- ritual Bieffings, and that is the Ceremony of Confirmation *. You have no Such Rite per- formed among you as the folemn Impofition of
the
* Dr. Calamjh Moder. Nonconf. Vol. II. p. 271.
in Matters of Religion. 147
the Hand of the Bijhop on your Head, to become a Token or Sign of the Favour of God toward you, as is found in the Offices of the eftabliihed Church. See the Office of Confirmation in the Common-Prayer. So foon as Children are come to a competent Age, and can fay in their Mother-Tongue their Creed, and Lord9 s Prayer^ and the ten Commandments, and alfo can anfwer to other Queftions of this /hort Catechifm, they Jhall be brought to the Bifhop, And every one floall have a Godfather or a Godmother as a Id/itnefs of their Confirmation. Then the firft Prayer begins. Almighty and everliving God^ who haft vouchfafed to regenerate thefe thy Servants by Water and the Holy Ghoft, and haft given unto the?n Forgivenefs of all their Sinsy &c. And in a folio wing Collect the Bifhop fays — r-Thefe thy Servants upon whom (after the Example of thy holy Aooftles) we have now laid our Hands, to certify them {by this Sign) of thy Favour and gracious Goodnefs towards them. But you declare to the World that you cannot find that God has given to his Mini- fters any fuch Authority to certify Perfons of the Favour and gracious Goodnefs of God to- ward them by any fuch Sign as this. Butfincs you rejeft this Sign, are you not bound then to enquire what Hirer Signs you have of the Favour and Love of God to you ? What bet- ter inward Tokens and Evidences have you that you are the Children of God and Parta- kers of his Favour ?
H 2 You
1^3 The Advantages of Di [[enters
You complain that the pubiick Liturgy tempts Children to believe they are regene- rated or born again* and made Members of Chrift and Children of God in Baptifm^ which dangerous Opinion is alfo repeated in the Office of Confirmation * ; and you com- plain that they are further confirmed in this Miilake when the Bifhop lays his Hand upon their Head to certify them by this Sign of the Favour of God : Are you careful then to teach your Children, and to enforce it upon their Confciences, that they mull feek after better Signs of Regeneration and of the divine Favour, even the Graces of Faith and Love, and the Exercife of univerfal Holinefs in Heart and Life ? What a vain Imagination is it, what an idle Pretence to guard againft the Dangers of miftaking the Imposition of the Hand of a Man for a certain Sign of the Favour of God, unlefs you inflrucl your Houfhold, what are the true and undoubted Signs of his Favour? Unlefs you perfuade them to all holy Dili- gence in fecuring and maintaining fuch Evi- dences of converting Grace and the Love of God, as God himfelf has prefcribed,
fuch
* This Miltake is dill more confirmed and eftabliihed by the Office of Burial, wherein every baptized Perion, except theSelf-murtherers and the Excommunicated, has his Body commited to the Dull injure and certain Hope of Rtfurreaion to eternal Life, and is called a Dear Brother or 'Si.-ier, and Thanks are given for God's taki >g thiir SouL to bimfclfy how wicked foever their Lnes.hav; been.
in Matters of Religion. 149
fuch as God will approve of, and fuch as v/ill (land die Tcil in the Day of Judgment ?
II. Another Advantage that you Prote- ftant DiiTeiiters have towards your Improve- ment in true Religion and in acceptable Service to God is, thaxyou are freed from the Inventions of Men, and from the Impactions and Incumbrances of human Ceremonies in dit vine Worjhip * '. There need be no Proof of the Impofition of fuch Rites in the efta- blifhed Church, fince the Preface to the Common-Prayer Book confeiTes they have been devifed by Man^ and yet it is thought good to referve themfiilL But you, my Friend*, are required to praftife nothing in the Wor- ship of God but what you take to be his own pure Inftitutions.
It has pleafed God in his Provident, and it hath pleafed our late and prefent Ru- lers in their great Goodnefs and Juftice, to give you Freedom from thefe human Ap- pointments, and to permit you to worfhip God in a Way more agreeable to his own Word and to your own Confciences : The Queftion of my Text then returns upon you, What are you better than they who fubmit to them, what do you more than they? Do you never content your felves with meer H 3 Forms
* See Dr. Calnmys Introuu&ion to his fecond Vol. of Moder. Noncoufc.
1 50 The Advantages of DiJ] enters
Forms of Godlinefs ? Are you more fpiri- tual in the Service of your Creator, and more careful to praftife every Appoint- ment of God, fince you are difengaged' from the Appointments of Men ? Are your Spirits more warmly engaged in heavenly Things ? Are you more zealous in your De- votion ? Have you the. Fear of God more conilandy before your Eyes, and the Faith of our Lord J ejus Chrift working more powerfully in your Hearts ? Say, my Friends, while your outward Worfhip is more uncorrupted with a Mixture of hu- man Forms, have you more of the divine Power and inward Life of Religion ? And while you make the Bible the only and the perfect Rule of your Faith and Praftice* are you more careful to obferve all the Du- ties of Chriftianity which the Bible recom- mends than thoie who join the additional Inventions of Men with them in their reli- gious Performances ?
Alas ! what will all your Pretences to greater Purity in the outward Forms of Worfhip avail you, if you are not more pure and more advanced in the fpiritual Parts of Piety and Religion than your Neighbours ? You will give Occafion to others feverely to upbraid you, and that with feme Appearance of Reafon too, that you really ftand in need of thefe outward Forms to afilft you ; that you want thefe
Rites
in Matters of Religion. I 5 1
Rites and Ceremonies to flir up your did' Minds to the Remembrance of your Duty to God by their ?io table and jpiritual Significa- tion, which is the very Reafon given for the Uie and Continuance of them in the Pre- face to the Common-Prayer. Unlefs you are more religious and holy without thefe Forms than they are with them, they will fling your Pretence of Separation for the fake of greater Purity back upon your Faces with huge and deferved Reproaches, " What ! are you the Perfons who proicis " to cleave only to the pure Ordinances of " God's Appointment ? Do you abandon " and renounce our Ceremonious outward 4C Forms as though they were carnal, un- " clean and unholy, and yet fhamefuliy " neglect the inward, the fpiritual and " more neceffary Parts of true Religion and " Godlinefs ? n And how will you be able to anfvver fuch ftiarp and righteous Rebukes ?
Shall I be permitted to mention two or three of thefe Ceremonies upon this Occa- fion, that I may awaken and excite you thereby to various Duties, and warn you againft a Neglect of them.
1. You have not the divine Ordinance
of Baptifin incumbered amongft you with
the human Addition of the Sign of the
Crofs to be made on the Forehead of the
H 4 Child
I52 ^he Advantages of ' Diff enters. Child *, which is appointed by the Church as a Token that hereafter he Jhall not be med to confefs the Faith of Chrifi crucified, t manfully to fight under his Banner againft &«, the World, and the Devil. You re- nounce this Ceremony of the Crofs 5 but do you remember a crucified Saviour, and let Jiim dwell upon your Thoughts more than they do who make ufe of it ? Are you more courageous and manful in the Profef- fion of the Gofpel in a dangerous Hour ? Are you lefs afliamed to confefs the Faith of Chrifi crucified in the Company of Infi- dels, or manfully to fight under his Banner nft Sin, the IVorld, and the Devil, than tiicy ? Do you teach your Children thefe Duties, and fhew the Neceflity of Pracli- fing them without the Afliftance of this Figure made on their Foreheads ? Shall wc not give our Brethren of the eflablifhed Church Occafion to charge us with Folly or Hypocrify for being fo much offended at fuch a Sign of the Crofs, which they ufe to put themfelves and their Children in mind of Chrifi crucified, if they fee us ne- gligent of the Name, the Doftrines, and the Honours of a crucified Saviour ? Let us make it appear then to the World that we are faithful Soldiers of Jefus Chrifi without
this
* See Dr. C a farny of Mocfer. Nonconf. Vol. IT. p.
179. Vol- ILL p. 6;. La) Nonconf juitirud, p. 29.
in Matters of Religion. 153
this human Badge of DiftindHon ; ihew your Neighbours that you can fight with Courage and Glory under his Banner againft Sin and Satan, without having paffed under the Figure of the Crofs in Baptifm, and that you fland in no need of the additio- nal Ceremonies of Men to put you or your Children in mind of your Duties to the Son of God.
2. You are not required to provide God- fathers and Godmothers for your Children in Baptifm, who are called Sureties *, by which the Infant profejfes to renounce the De- vil and all his Works, and to believe God's holy Word and keep his Commandments. You are ready to imagine that the Promifes of thefe Sureties ariie fo high as to give Parents too much Indulgence and Excufe for their own perfonal Negledt of the Inftrudtion of the Child, efpecially when the Parent himfelf is not permitted to become a Surety.
You who feparate from the Church of England do not think it needful or proper to have any Sponfors, nor do you provide any fuch Sureties for your Children, and thereby you appear to lay your felves un- der a ftrong and publick Obligation to edu- cate them your felves in the Fear of God and in the Faith of Chrijl. Now the Quef- H 5 tion
* See Dr. Celamy of Moder. Nonconf. Vol. IT. p. 147, 169. Vol. III. p. 66, Lay Nonconf, juftified, p. 27. .
1 54 The Advantages ofDiffenters
tion addrefsM to your Confciences is this, Do you take mere Care in the pious and Chriilian Education of your Off-fpring than your Brethren or Neighbours of the Parifh, who have provided Sureties to fup- ply their own Abfence or Defect ? Are yen more diligent and more follicitous to fee your Children brought up in the Know- ledge of the true God, and in Acquain- tance with Chrijl Jefus the only Saviour ? Are you more careful to inform them be- times of their Duties to God and their Du- ties to Men, and to train them up in all the neceffary and important Dodtrin/es anel Practices of the true Religion? Surely your Brethren of the eftablifhed Church will have abundant Reafon to reprove and cen- fure you, who renounce the Aid of Sure- ties in the Education of your Children, and yet take f<x little Care of them your felves. " O cruel and profane Parents ! ■*' where is your Tendernefs ? where your "' Bowels of Affection ? How ftrangely " and wickedly carelefs are you of the im- " mortal Jnterefts of your own Off-fpring, " and the Intereft; of God in them? Have " you not devoted them to God and " Chrifi in Baptifm, and yet neither teach " them your felvcs the Way to the Favour " of God by Jefus Chrift^ nor make any " Provificn. for your Neighbours to do it " for you ? " You will be condemned by
the
in Matters of 'Religion. 1 55
the World and the Church, you will be condemned by all your Neighbours and by your own Children, and you will be ter- ribly condemned by your own Conferences, and by J efits the Judge of Mankind, if you neglect this facred Work, or do it in lb formal and trifling a Manner as can have little or no Effect on the Hearts and Con- fciences of your Off-fpring.
3. Shall I take one Step farther, and mention the Appointment of kneeling at the Lord's Supper *, which is acknowledged to be an human Inftitution, and not required in Scripture. It muft be granted that the Church of England, by a foleinn Caution, declares plainly that no Adoration of the Ele- ments is intended thereby \ nor do I enter here into the Enquiry how far it is lawful or convenient, but it is certain that it offends the Cor.lciences of many of you, who can- not think that any other Pofture is proper for the receiving of this Sacrament, than that of eating and drinking at a Table, in which Pofture it was inititutcd. But the Qjeftion that my Text would addrefs to your Confciences on this Occafion, is this -, Are you as humble and as devout at this facred Solemnity, while you neglett this outward Sign of Humility, as your Bre- H 6 thren
* Dr. Calamy of Moder. Ncnconf. Vol. II. p. 197. and Vol. IIL p. 68. Lay Noncoof. jullifkd. p, 31.
156 The Advantages of Di (Tenters
thren are who praftife it ? Are you more penitent and felf-abafed under a Senfe of your Sins, and more thankful for the con- defcending Love of Jefus the Son of God, who came and died to fave you ? Have you as great a Reverence for the Blood of Chrift, which was fhed for the Remiffion of Sins, and do you adore God and the Saviour with a more contrite Spirit and a warmer Zsal ? Do you partake of thefe (acred Emblems of the Body and Blood of Chrtft v/ith a moft profound Re- fpeft to him ? Ocherwife you will give your Neighbours juft Reafon to reprove and cenfure you, that you negleft at once the outward Forms and the inward Duty ; that you renounce the Pofture of humble Wor- ihip and forget the fpiritual Pra&ice of it \ that you have need to be rouzed from your Seats at the Table of the Lord, and be brought down upon your knees to con- fefs your want of Devotion and Honour to the Son of God, and your want of Hu- mility and religious Gratitude for his in- eftimable Benefits. In vain you pretend Scruples about the Pofture of your Knees, if your Hearts are not found in a very devout and adoring Frame at fo folemn a Seafon.
But give me Leave to make a further Enquiry. While fomfc ofyouprofefs to be difpleaied with kneeling at the Loru's Suppery
becaufe
in Matters of Religion. i $j
becaufe it is performing fuch an Inftitution of Chrift in a Gefture which he has not inftituted, do you think you are lefs crimi- nal who never perform this Duty at all, which our Lord and Saviour has fo ex- prefly inftituted and commanded ? Is this a proper way to ihew your Reverence for the Body and Blood of Chrift, to abftain intirely from the appointed Emblems and Tokens of them ? Will you dare to tell Jefus the Lord? upon his Throne of Judg- ment, that you were offended with your Brethren, who kneeled down to worihip him while they eat his Bread and drank his Wine, and partook of the Feail to which he lias called them ; and yet that you dared from Year to Year, for twenty or thirty Years together, to neglect this facred Feaft intirely, and turn your backs upon this gracious Ordinance ? Can you imagine that you pleafe him better by utterly refufing the Remembrance of the Death of Chrift at his Supper, than they do who remember him at his Table in a miftakcn Pofture ? Can you ever perfuade your own Confci- ences, that you who never comply with the tendered Pledges and Memorials of his Love, and rejedt his dying Commandment, are better Chriftians than they who prac- tife this facred Duty with a miftaken Gef- ture of humble Worihip, while they are called and invited to fit around this Table ?
Examing
158 The Advantages of DiJJenters
Examine yourfelvcs, my Friends, you that have never yet fealed a Covenant with God the Father by the Blood of ' Chrift at his Table, what are the true Reaibns of this Neglett ? Is it not Sloth and Negligence in fpiri- tual Things ? Is it not a very fhameful Indolence about Matters of religious Im- portance ? Is it not an Unwillingness to make open Profefllon of the Crofs of Chrift, and to bind your felves more publick- ly to all the Practices of ftridt Chriftianity and Godlinefs ? Converfe over thefe En- quiries with your own Hearts, and let your own Conferences determine, whether you are not vaftjy more to blame in neglecting to honour Cbriji in fuch an Ordinance, appointed with his dying Breath, than your Brethren of the Church of England, who confeientioufly and devoutly praftife this Command of Chrift, tho' 'tis in the Pofture of Adoration inftead of the Pofture of Communion at a Feaft •, and let your own Reproof awaken and fhame you out of your guilty Negligence.
I mention no more the Incumbrance of human Ceremonies, but to proceed immedi- ately to the third Advantage for the Increafe of Piety, which you fuppofe you enjoy amongft the Protectant Dilfenters, and raife fome ferious Enquiries upon it.
Advantage III. You are not confined to a perpetual Repetition of fet Forms of Prayer
in
in Matters of Religion. 159
in your publick JVorfmp *. This has been one Ground of your Difapprobation of the parochial Worfhip of the Nation. Some of your felves, and your Fathers before you, who have attended divine Service there, have complained much, that coldnefs and indifferency of Spirit and Formality are ready to be introduced into your Devotion by this Means ; and that your Hearts are apt to grow dull, negligent and droufy, under this uniform and confeant Rehearfal of the fame returning Forms and Phrafes, efpecially confidering that the Minifter is not fuffered to omit any one appointed Line in the Book, tho' he thinks it never fo im- proper \ nor is he permitted to add or in- fert one new Sentence in the midft of his ColleEl^ tho* never fo many devout Senti- ments and Petitions fhould arife in his Mind while he is reading it, and tho* thefe Petitions appear to him never fo fuitable to the prefent Time and Place and Congregation.
God forbid that I fhould fay or think that Forms of Prayer are finful Things, or improper for our Affiftance ! nor indeed am I fo zealous againft Forms, as to imagine that a precompofed Liturgy, in the main distinct Parts of Worfhip, Confeffion and
Petition,
* See Dr. Calamfs Moder. Nonconf, Vol. III. p. ico, 105. Lay Nonconf. juftifkd, p. 19.
1 60 Tfje Advantages of D iff enters
Petition, would be unlawful to be ufld. The Direftory of the AJfembly of Divines at Weftminfter comes pretty near to fuch a Defign, ftilJ fuppofing that there be Liber- ty for the Minifter to omit or add, to change and vary according to prefent Oeca- fions, and that he have leave to cxprefs a warm and devout Thought which is upon his Heart, and that he is not conftrained to forbid and fupprefs thofe pious Sentiments and Defires which may be hoped to be the Motions of the good Spirit of God in Prayer.
I never imagined that well-compofed Forms of Prayer might not be ufed with fuch a Liberty, and aflift the real Devo- tion of weil-difpofed Minds either at Home or at Church. It is my Opinion they may be fo managed as to become a happy Means to promote true Religion in the Hearts even of wife and advanced Chrifti- ans as well as Children and weaker Perfons. I am verily perfuaded that there are many holy Souls addrefs the God of Heaven in a Variety of Prayers that are precompofed, and find Spiritual Improvement thereby. There are many devout Minds who conti- nually worihip him in an acceptable Man- ner, even in thefe Forms of Words, and that not only in publick, but in their Fami- lies alfo. And yet I cannot help think- ing with you, that this Method of Worfhip,
if
in Matters of Religion. j6i
if there be a Confinement to the conftant Repetition of one and the fame Form, has naturally fome Tendency to pafs over the Ears without due Imprefiions on the Heart, and to leave the Worfhipper under a Cold- nefs and Indifferency of Spirit, which would be greatly relieved by a larger Variety of Sentiments and Expreflions in the publick Worfhip of every Lord's Day.
May I be permitted here to cite a few Lines from the ingenious Writings of the late Marquis of Halifax, who being a Courtier in the Reigns of the two Brothers, King Charles and James II. can never lie under the Sufpicion of being a Diffenter. This noble Writer, in a little Book under a borrowed Character, gives his own Senti- ments of Things. He tells us, that " ht " is far from relifhing the impertinent " Wandrings of thofe who pour out long " Prayers upon the Congregation, and all " from their own Stock, too often a bar- " ren Soil, which produces Weeds inflead " of Flowers, and by this means they ex- " pofe Religion it felf rather than promote " Mens Devotion : On the other fide, " there may be too great a Reilraint put " upon Men whom God and Nature have " diitinguifhed from their Fellow-Labour- " ers, by bleffing them with a happier Ta- " lent, and by giving them not only good " Senfe, but a powerful Utterance too ;
" this
1 62 H:e Advantages of Di/Jerzters
f* this has enabled them to guih out upon " the attentive Auditory with a mightv 44 Stream of devout and unaffe£ted Elo- ** quence. When a Man fo qualified, en- 44 dued with Learning too, and above all " adorned with a good Life, breaks out m into a warm and well delivered Prayer ? before his Sermon, it has the Appear- 44 ance of a divine Rapture ; he raifes and 44 leads the Hearts of the Affembly in 44 another Manner than the moft compo- " fed or beft ftudied Form of fet Words 44 can ever do ; and the Pray we's, who 44 ferve up all their Sermons with the fame 44 garnifhing, would look like fo many 44 Statues, or Men of Straw in the Pulpit, 44 compared with thofe who fpeak with 44 fuch a powerful Zeal, that Men are tempt- 44 ed at the moment to believe Heaven it 44 felf has dictated their Words to them. "
But I recall my felf from running out too largely on this Point. My prefent Bufincis is to enquire of you, my Friends, how ftands the Cafe with your Spirits in publick Wor- ship, who are not confined to the weekly Rehearfal of thefe religious Forms ? What do you mere than ethers ? Are you more lively in the freer Addrefles of your Souls to Heaven without a Confinement to fet Words and Phrafes ? Are your Spirits more humble, and your devotional Thoughts in warmer Exercife, while you are adoring the
great
in Matters of Religion. 163
great and bleffed God in a larger Variety of Language ? Are your Hearts more deep- ly affedted with a Senfe of Sin in your free Confeffions ? Are you more fervent while you join in your Petitions for pardoning Mercy, for fandtifying Grace, for Deliver- ance from Temptations, and Afliftance to perform Duty ? Are your Spirits more im- portunate in pleading at the Throne of Grace ? Is your Love and Gratitude more exalted in our more unconfined Methods of Thankfgiving and Praife ? Does your Zeal and Joy rife higher in bleffing the Name of the Lord your God and Jefus your Savi- our ? In a word, are you more devout and fpiritual in the Houfe of Prayer ? Are you more free from that Dulnefs, that Indif- ference, that Formality which you com- plain of, and which you profefs to fear un- der the ufe of a conftant Form ? If you content your feives with cold and lazy De- votions, with thoughtleis or wandering Hearts in the Place of Worfhip, under thofe free Miniftrations which you defire for your greater Advantage, your Com- plaints and Pretences againft the eftablifh- ed Forms of the Nation will hardly be ex- cufed from the Charge of vain and infin- cere ; and you may expeft a fevere Reproof from the Judgment- feat of Chrift. " Where " are all your Pretences to the Life and " Power and Spirit of Devotion, while
" you
164 The Advantages of Dijj
" you have not been reftraincd to the " Ule of a fingle Form ? What have you w done in the Houie of Prayer more " than thofe who have not enjoyed your " Advantages ? "
Advantage IV. You not only wcrfhip God in your own chofen Way, but you have the Choice of your ozvn Minifiers alio. You join your felves to what worfhipping Con- gregation you pleafe, whether it be within the Bounds of your own Parifh or no; and you are not confined to fit under fuch Teachers as fome rich Patron (hall chufe and provide for you * : And 'tis a melan- choly Thought, that too often a Country Parifh is furnifhed with a Preacher whom the Patron chufes as the fitteft Companion for himfelf, and whofe Character in the main is not much fuperior to that of the Patron either in the Love of Learning, in Piety or Virtue.
And let it be numbered among your Ad- vantages for Edification alfo, that how- ever difficult it may be for a Parifh to get rid of an ill Minifter, yet your Congrega- tions have Power to difmifs your Minifters, if they prove immoral and fcandalous, if they grow intolerably imperious and af- fuming, or fhamefully contentious •, if they
become
* See Moderate No-conf. Vol. III. p, 61, 154 Lay No neon tor m. jollified, p. 5.
/;/ Matters of Religion. 165
become grofsly negligent <jf die great Work of their Miniftry* and continue fo after all due Admonition, if they be known to fall into grofs and dangerous Errors, and will publifh them in oppofition to the common Senfe and Sentiments of the Peo- ple ; and fuch Difmiftions are fometimes pradtifed among you, where juft Occafions have rilen, and that without long and vexa- tious Procefles at Law : fo that you are not obliged to fit under the Preaching of Perfons of a blemifhed Character, or who are unqualified for the facred Work, or who are utterly unprofitable to your Edi- fication.
Well then, my Friends, if you have not fuch publick Ministrations as edify and pro- fit your Souls, 'tis in a great meafure your own Fault, fince you fit under fuch a Mi- niftry as you chufe. One would prefumc that you hear their Meflages of holy Things with Satisfaction and Delight. But while you enjoy this Privilege, enquire of your own Confciences, What have you pro- fited more than others ? Do your Souls find a greater Increafe in Knowledge, and in the Power of Godlinefs ? Do you treafure up more of their Words in your Heart, and receive them with Faith and Love fo far as they are agreeable to the Word of God ? Do you feed and live upon the Sermons you hear ? Do you attend on their Meflages
of
1 6 6 The Advantages of Diff'enters
of Truth or Duty with holy Joy, and make them the Fbod and Support of your Spirits ? If you chufe the Perion, and are pLafed with the Performances of him who minifters, 'tis a very confiderable Step to- ward profiting by his Miniftry. The Word mcthinks Ihould glide more eafily into the Heart, and have a powerful Sway and In- fluence on the Confcience, when 'tis receiv- ed from the Man we love to hear : And indeed what fort of Sermons can you ever hope to profit by, if not by the Preaching of thofe whom your felves have chofen ? You have plainly this Advantage above your Neighbours, but is your Improve- ment greater than theirs ?
But if we enter into Particulars on this Subject, we fhall find perhaps that your Advantages are more confiderable even in your own Efteem, arifing from the Cha- racter and Qualifications of the Mini- iters whole Labours you chufe to attend, and from the Way and Manner of their
Preaching *.
It
* Let it be obferved here, that different Nations and Ages, and Parties of Chriitians, have their peculiar Way and Manner in Preaching. The primitive Fathers and the Mcderns have very different Fafhions. The Germans and French, the En^lifh and Scots, the Cocc cl- ans and Voetians among the Dutch, the ArmirAans and Catoinift, ih3 ancient Puritans and the zealous Church- men of thai Day, the prtfent Cwformijis and the Non- conform if s9
in Matters of Religion. 1 67
It was the general Defire of your Fathers, and it is ftill for the mod part your De- fire and Endeavour to fit under fuch a Mi- niflry, as not only preaches the Law, to convince you of Sin and to direct you to the feveral Duties you owe to God and Man, but which leads you into a Senfe of your Degeneracy and Ruin by the Fall of Adam, and your Impotence to reftore your felves, and ogives you a large Acquaintance with the Me* thods of divine Grace in the Gofpel, and the Benefits of the new Covenant, recovering you from your guilty and finful State by the Sacrifice and Death of Chriji, and enabling you by his Spirit to perform the feveral Duties prefcribed. You defire fuch Preach- ers as difplay the various Glories of Chriji in his facred Offices of a Mediator and High-Prieft, a King and a Judge, and lead you to praftife all the divine, focial and perfonal Virtues, by Evangelical Motives and Evangelical Afliftances, as well as by the Principles and Obligations of the Light of Nature, and who infill frequently upon the peculiar Themes of Chriflianity and divine Revelation *.
Now
confonnlft s , have their different Manners partly in com- posing and partly in delivering their Sermons : Nor is it ftrange that the Protefiant Dijpnters mould think the Way pracli&d among them preferable to any other, and of more Advantage toward their Salvation.
* See Lay Nonconf juftified, p. 16, 17.
3
2 6 8 The Advantages of Dijjentcrs
Now permit me to make the Enquiry in my Text. Thofe of you- who do fit under liich Ministrations as you defire in this reipect, What do you more than others ? Are your Souls more Evangelical, more truly Christian than your Neighbours ? Have you more of the Temper and Spirit of the Gofpe] wrought into your very Hearts and inward Powers ? Do you love Chrift J ejus the Lord, and live upon him by daily Faith and Dependance, more than they who do not hear of him fo often as you ? Are you brought nearer to the Throne of God in more frequent and delightful Perform- ance of the Duty of Prayer, and in more humble, holy and intimate Converfe with God ♦, you who hear fo much of Jefus Chrift, the High-Prieft, of Atonement and Interceffion, and of his Readinefs to bring you into the Favour and Prefence of God ? Do you hate Sin more than your Neigh- bours, fince you are fo often taught what it coft the Son of God to redeem you from it ? Is the Frame of your Spirit and the Courfe of your Life more agreeable to the divine Pattern that the Holy Jefus has fet you, and to the ftrict Rules of his Reli- gion ? You who are taught more of the Ruin and Impotence of Nature, and the Necefiity of divine Grace, are you more felf-abafed under a Senfe of your Degene- racy and Weaknefs, and do you feek the
Afliftance*
in Matters of Religion. 169*
Afliilances of the Spirit of God with more Importunity and holy Fervours of Devotion, that he may fubdue Sin, and raife you to higher Degrees of Holinefs ? What Ufe do you make of the fpiritual and evange- lical Preaching which you profefs to attend upon, if the great Ends of the Gofpel of Cbrifi are not attained in and upon you, if you do not honour him more than others, if you are not made more like him, more holy and blamelefs before him ?
Examine your felves ftn&ly, my Friends, are you fo watchful, fo exadl in all the Virtues of Temperance, Sobriety, Juftice, Truth, Faithflilneis, Charity, Meeknefs, Forbearance, Forgivenefs, and all Inftances of Brotherly Love, as becomes thofe riiat profefs much Acquaintance with the blef- led JefuS) whofe Soul was divine Truth and Love, and whofe Life was all Virtue and Piety, and Goodnefs in Perfection ? Do you never give Occafion to your Neigh- bours to reproach your felves and your Minifters together, that you praftife fo little Morality becaufe you hear fo little of it preached ? Have you not by this means expofed the Preaching of the Name of Chriji to Scandal, and the glorious Doc- trines of the Gofpel to Infamy, as tho' they indulged the Hearers of them in licentious Practices ?
I You
j 70 The . \ >s of Dlffcnters
Your own Gonfcience
that we have endeavoured to a-
rr.wgft you the *a
ther kept back the Dc Du-
ties which our Lord ha : to publifh
to Men : We have taught y Defign of all the glorious Tra God and Cbriji for your Salvation is, that you might be holy and without Blame before him in Love, Eph. i. 3, 4. Wc have allured you, that the Grace of God which brings Salvation to . Men, teaches you to deny all Ungodlincfs and Worldly Lifts, and to live Jo- berly, righteoufly and religioiijly, and if you are purchafed to be a peculiar People to God by the Blood of his Son, it is, that you might be zealous cf good Works, Tit. ii, 11, 12, 14. Have you ever felt the Influence of the dy- ing Love and the redeeming Biood of Chrifi, foftening and melting your Hearts into a fincere Sorrow for Sin and holy De- fires to love God, and be made like him ? Has the Gofpel (wh'ch you yourfelves profefs to be lb much a better Spring of Holinefs than natural Religion can furnifh you with) has this Gofpel had its proper and powerful and fanctifying Effects on your Hearts and on your Lives ? Do you behave with fo much more Honour, Juftice and Goodnefs amongft Men, and with fo much more Piety toward God as your Ad- vantage requires ? You who have fo often
the
in Matters of Religion. lyi
the great and evangeiical Motives of the Life and Love, the Example, the Sacrifice and the Death of Chrifi fet before you in PubJick Worfhip, has your Love to God and Man grown fervent in proportion to fuch Perfuaiives ? How dreadful will your Cafe be, if after all Pretences to'' an evan- gelical Miniftry you difgrace the Gofpel of Chrifi in the Miniftratioqs of it, by intem- perate, immoral or irreligious Lives ? If you have better Helps to Holinefs and Vir- tue, according to your own Sentiments, than others enjoy, let your Consciences ne- ver be fatisfied till your Heart and Life be reformed and purified in proportion to r proieiVd Advantages, left you make Chrift the Minifter of Sin, and left the Preachers of a crucified Cbrifi be expofed by your Means as the Licenfers of Unrig!) - teoufnefs.
Again, you profefs to chufe fuch a Mi- niftry as not only informs the Mind in ge- neral of the Truths and Duties of Chrifti- anity, but makes a particular Search and Enquiry into Souls and Confciences, and teaches the Hearers by Evidences and Cha- racters drawn from the Word of God to ex- amine and judge of themfehes and their own State and Cafe : you like fuch Preaching beft as enters into the various Turnings of the Heart of Man, and unfolds and difco- vers the fubtle Workings of Sin in the Soul, I 2 and
iyi 7 be Advant
and its manifold Difguifes to conceal it felf from the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. You expect to hear your Minifters addrefs them I to
Pcrfons of various C: ; to direft
their difcourfe fometimes to the indolent and thoughtlefs Sinner, or the conceited and prefumptuous Sou], in order to rouze them out of their Security, and to thunder upon the flcepy Confidences of Men who fpeak a falfe Peace to themfelves, and awa- ken them to a Sight of their Miftake, and their infinite Peril. You expect your Mini- fters would fometimes enter into the par- ticular Cafe of convinced and awakened Souls, and treat with them about their im- portant and everlading Interefts, and put them upon moft earned Enquiries about the Way to be faved ; that we fhould affift them in their fpiritual Conflifts amidd all their budding Hopes, and their blading Fears, in all the pious and fecret Jealoufies of their own Hearts, their Doubts and Complaints, their holy Defines and trem- bling Tendencies toward God and Chriji^ and Salvation •, and that we fhould direft the doubtful Foot where to tread, and the doubtful Eye where to look for Peace and Pardon, for Light and Strength, for Ho- Jinefs and eternal Life. You delight to hear your Preachers fometimes mention the Cafe of the Affii&ed and the Tempted,
who
in Matters of Religion. 1 7 3
who are ingaged in a hard Combat with their fpiritual Adveriaries, with the P< ers of Sin within them, and Tempt;. without them, and you wait to hear give the feeble and the Oppreffed r proper Advice and Encouragement. You expert we fliould at other Times take Cafe of Backfliders in hand, and prepare a Word of Admonition and Reproof for thofe that decline from the good Degrees of Religion which once they profefled and praftifed \ that wTe fliould- ftren.gthen t\w. feeble, the humble and the fearful Chriftian, and pafs thro' the various Parts of fpiritual Experience, and the feveral Scenes and Stages of iht Chriftian Life. Surely was the Fafhion and Practice of our Fa- thers amongft the Puritans and Profeftant Dijfenters in their Miniftry : I hope this is the prefent Mode of preaching amongft us, and I wifh with all my Soul this Sort of Miniftration, this Manner of dividing tit Word of God, and giving to each their Due^ may never grow out of fafhion in our Places of Worfhip.
But my Bufinefs is to apply this Matter clolely to your Confciences : Under all thefe Advantages (as you fuppofe) of expe- rimental Preaching, do you live any better than your Neighbours ? Have you learnt more of the Chriftian Life in the various I 3 Parts
174 ^Je Advantages of D'tjfenters
Parts of it than they have done ? Arc you more acquainted with the particular State and Cafe of your own Souls toward God ? Have you traced out the Frame of your own Spirit, or are you more follicitous to find it ? Can each of you tell where to rank your felves ? Are you mere nominal Chri- itians, or real Followers of Chrifi ? Are you among the Secure and Prefumptuous, or the Awakened and Convinced ? Are you among the irrefblute, the doubtful and wavering Chriftians, or among thofe who run the Race of Holinefi with a Stea- dinefs and Eaablifhment of Soul ? Are you daily growing in the Things of God, or do you belong to the Clafs of Back- fliders in Heart and Ways ? Have you ob- ferved the Directions that have been given to Perfons under thefe different Characters ? Have you made fuch a Proficiency in Re- ligion hereby, as to anfvver the Defigns of thofe Miniftrations and Labours in the Pul- pit under which you have placed your ielves ? 5Tis in vain for you to pretend to have enjoyed fuch a Manner of Preaching as is moftfuited to bring Souls onward from ? State of Sin and Nature to a State of Grace and advancing , if you
your Ielves remain ftilJ in a State of Sin, and are Strangers to divine Grace, or if you have never applied the difringuifhmg Evi-
d.
in Matters of Religion. 175
dences of formal ProfefTors and fincerc Converts, (o as to learn where to rank your fe< .
Yet once more, give me leave to put you in mind, that you generally profefs to deiire fuch a Miniftry as not only inftructs the Head, but ftrikes the Heart in a power- ful and affe&ing Manner ; you delight to hear your Minifters in the Application of their Difcourfes fpeak with Life and Zeal, like Meffengers who are fent from God to Sinners on an Errand of Everlafting Im- portance : You love to hear them ad.: the Conferences of their Auditory in fuch a fericus, a penetr; and a pej
Style and Manner as becomes are in good earneft, who feel the P the Words which they fpeak, and who are refolved if poffible to reach the Hearts of the AfTembly, and to fave the Souls of Men from Hell by the concurrent Influ- ences of the Grace of God.
But then, myv Friends, if you chuie i a Miniftry, and fuppofe that you enjoy any fuch Advantages, what have yon pro- fited thereby more than others ? Do you frequent Places of Worfhip where there are fuch awakening, fervent and perfuafive Miniftrations, and why are you not more remarkably reformed, and more eminently religious ? Why are you not more effectu- ally convinced of the Eyil of Sin and the 1 4 Danger
176 The Advantages of Diflenters
Da :ger of eternal Wretchednefs under the Wrath of God ? Why are you not all more powerfully perfuaded to break off your Sins by Repentance, to cry out vohatjhall I do to be faved ? to fly for Refuge to the only Hope, to receive Jefus the Saviour in alL his bkiTed Offices, to refign your Souls to his Care and Grace and Government, and devote your felves to him for ever ? Why are you fo cold, fo indifferent in the Prac- tice of the Duties of Piety and Virtue, which are fo warmly recommended to you ? What ! is all the Fervour of the Pulpit loft upon you ? Do the Words die on your Ears, and never reach your Souls ? Why are you fo unaffedted with the important and eternal Things of the invifiblc World, which are fet before you in the Miniftry with fome Zeal and Affe&ion ? What will you fay for your own Defence, when fome -of your Brethren and Neighbours of the eftabiifhed Church, who have fat all their Days under that which you fuppofe to be a lefs affefting Miniftry, fnall have their Hearts awakened and warmed with the great and awful Scenes of Religion more than you ? How will you anfwer it to your final Judge, if he fhall find their Souls have been drawn near to God, and engaged in the lively Ex of Faith and Love
and every Grace, and yet you your felves who profefs to enjoy fupcrior Advantages
fhall
in Matters of Religion. I Jj
fhaJl be found cold Triflers and meer For- malifts in Religion ? A dreadful Sentence awaits fuch Sinners from the Tribunal whence there is no Appeal.
Thus I have finished the fourth Advantage which you who worihip God in feparate Aflemblies profefs to enjoy above your Brethren of the Church of England, viz. you chufe your own Minifters, and pur your felves under the Preaching and the pafloral Care of luch Perfons as you your felves beft approve and think mod adapted to the Salvation of Souls.
V. Another Advantage which you who worfhip God in feparate AiTemblics are fup- pofed to have above your Brethren of the Church of England is this, that the Commu- nion of your Churches is kept more pure and free from unworthy and fcandalous Members, by the Excercife of proper Difcipline^ in the Care that is taken about the Admiffion to the Lord's Table, and in excluding the Ignorant and the Vicious from your fpecial Feliowfhip. When a Communicant in any of your Congregations grows vicious or prophane, and it appears lb by evident Proof, he is at leaf! privately admonifhed to abftain from the Holy Communion, or plainly forbid to attend on it : And in fome of our Congregations he is more folemnly caft out of the Church, as unworthy to par- take of fo holy an Inftitution as the Table I 5 of
178 The Advantages of Dijjentei s
of our blefTed Lord : Nor is he received again 'till he hath profefled ferious Repentance, and hath behaved himfelf for fome proper Space of Time as a Penitent and a Perion thoroughly reformed. Now where fuch Difcipline is maintained in Chriftian Con- gregations, this remarkable Advantage is obtained by it, that all vicious Practices are moft evidently and powerfully difcou- raged by the Exclufion of Criminals from the Church. If fuch a Perfon be found among us, he is fhunned that he may be vfhamed : The pious Communicants have no company with him befides what is necet fary and cannot be avoided. This is per- fectly agreeable to the DiredHons of the Apoftle. Some conftrue thofe Words of Paul into this Senfc, in 2 The/, iii. 16. Now we command you in the Name of the Lord Jefus Chrijt that you withdraw your fehesfrom every Brother which walketh dtfor- derly : But in 1 Cor. ix. io, 11. theScnfeis ftronger and more evident ; / wrote unto you in an Epiftle not to keep company with For- nicators^ &c. but now I have written unto you not to keep company^ if any Man who is called a Brother be a Fornicator or covetous, or an Idolater, or a Raiitr, or a Drunkard, cr an Extortioner, with fuch an one, no, not to eat. Whether this eating refer to the re- ligious Feait of the Lord Vbupper, or whe- ther to the common Entertainments of the
Table,
in Matters of Religion. 179
Table, may perhaps be doubted by Inter- preters ; but this Inference is certain, that if the Apoftle forbids familiar Society with Perfons of this Character at our common Repaft, much more are we forbid to hold Communion in die facred Feaft with Perfons of fuch a Character. Surely the Table of the Lord fhould be guarded and kept as pure as our own Tables. The Churches of Cbrift are and fhould be feparate and distin- guished from the World ; they fhould have as little chofen and voluntary Society as may be with the Wicked of the Earth, and efpecially in Holy Things, that they may keep up a more venerable Character and Reputation of the Gofpei in the World, of the Obligations • that lie upon th profefs Chriftianity to be ftrictly reli- ts : They are called to feparate them- felves from every Defilement of Flejh and Spirit, to come cut from among the Wicked and Prophane, that they may he a peculiar Pec- pie to the Lord
'Tis true, this cannot be praftifed tr- niverfally and perfectly in any vifibie Churches of Chriji here on Earth, becaufe we are bound to judge by the fenfible Ap- pearances of Things : And thofe who I the vifibie Marks of Chriftianity in the Knowledge and Profeflion of £ th of
Chrift, and whole Converfation in the World is fober and pious to all outward I 6 App
i So The Adv\ *ag iof Difj enters
Appearance, may claim a Place in any Chriftian Church and in the peculiar Rites and Ordinances of the Gofpel : And upon this recount there may be fome fecret Sinners who make their way into our fepa- rate Congregations, and join with us in the mod folemn Ordinances, tho' they are not really worthy of any Room or Place in the Houle of God - Yet common Swear- ers and common Drunkards, publickly vi- cious, riotous and unclean Perfons, and Men of fcandalous Life, are never received amongft us to the holy Fellowfhip of the Supper or Communion at the Lord's Table ; therefore in this Refpect we hope our Com- munion is tolerably pure, and fuch as the Gofpel requires.
And indeed it muft be alfo confefled, that neither the Rubrick nor the Rules of the Church of England encourage fuch fcan- dalous Sinners to come to the Table of the Lord : But there is very little Obedience can generally be paid to thefe Rules in the continual Admiflion of all Perfons, as is pra&ifed now-a-days to this holy Sacra- ment: There are very few Minifters of our Parifhes who ufuaily attempt to lay thefe Bars againfb any Perfons, known or un- k/iown, who have a mind to come : And where a Minuter of a tender and fcrupu- lous Confcience has endeavoured to put the Rules of the Rubrick in practice againft
Perfons
in Matters of Religion. 181
Perfons of vile and prophane Character, he has expofed himfelf to great Difficulties and Troubles, and to many Hardfhips and vexatious Suits ; and efpecially if they who offer themfelves to the Communion, have wanted to qualify themfelves at the Table of the Lord, for an Office at Court or in the City, by Land or by Sea *.
Well then, fince you who aflemble in feparate Places of Worfhip maintain and enjoy a purer Communion in your Churches, fhould you not be very zealous and follici- tous, each of you for your felves, that you are no di (honourable Communicants at the holy Supper ? that your Confciences and your Hearts are pure in the fight of God ? that you lift up pure Hands at his Altar ? And uo you not feel this facred Engage- ment on your Souls, to keep yourfelves from the Infection of evil Company in the World, fince you are not conftrained to mingle with them in the Church ?
aire of your felves, Who are your chofen and delightful Companions among Men ? Is it with ycu as it was with David, who was a Companion of them that fear the Zjordf Pf. cx:x. 63. Are the Saints, the
excellent
* See Dr. Calamy of Mcder. Nonconf. Vol. III. p. 64. and Mr. RaflricFs Account of bis Hardfhips in the CI arch or England^ and his becoming a Noncon- formiit, at the ?,nd of that Volume, p. 8, &fr. Lay NoucOiif. juicf/'d, p. 32,. 33,
1 8 2 The Advantages of D iff enters
excellent in the Earth, high in your Efteem, and is your Delight amongft them ? Pf. xvi. 3. 3Tis granted, and the Apoftle allows it, 1 Cor, v. 10. that if you would always a- void the Company of the Wicked and the Prophane, you ?nuft e*en aim oft go out of the World, becaufe the World is fo full of them ; and in buying and felling, in the daily Bufmefs and Commerce of Life, their Prefence and Converfe cannot be avoided : But he directs you to 'avoid them, as far 2s it may be done confidently with ot Duties. And the great Queftion is, Who are the Companions of your Choice, and in whofe Society do you take the mod agreeable Satisfaction ? Are the Sons of Vice and Impiety your Familiars and Intimates ? And while you profefs your Defire to be feparated from them in the Church, do you chufe to dwell much with them in the World ? Does not fuch a ( duct give too juft an Occafion to charge you with Hypocrify ? What ! cannot you bear to fit near the Lewd anc the Prpph; the Drunkard or the Swearer in the Houfe of God, for fear of defiling your felves with their Communion, and yet can you de- light in thfeir Company all the Week, take fo much Pleafure to meet them ( \ ~ in your own Houfes or in die H publick Refort, in Taverns, in gay Af- femblies, at midnight Clubs, and in Sca-
1 -5
in Matters of Religion. 183
fons and Places of extreme Hazard to Vir- tue ? Can you take familiar Delight in thofe who neither love God nor fear him in the World, while you exclude them from a Place in the Church ? Is there no Defile- ment to be taken but in the Houfe of God ? Is there no Infection but at the Sacrament ? What flrange fort of Conduct is this ? Ri- diculous and inconfifterit ! And to what fevere Reproaches do you expofe the Proteilant Biflenters, with all their Pre- tences to purer Communion, while you make the Company of known and profli- gate Sinners your free Choice and your daily Delight ?
VI. It may be reckoned among your Advantages for ftrict Religion and Virt that your ivbck Conduct is fir iff Iv ebferved, and your Behaviour -is watched zvttb a nar- row and fevere Eye by many of your Neigh- bours of the efiablifhed Church, and efpecially by thofe of them that hate you : They are rea- dy to take notice of every Failing, and to make iharp Remarks upon every Defe ft you are guilty of in your Duty to God or Man. You cannot ftep awry, but Cenfure and Reproach attend you. If there fhould happen to be any Per fons in your Societies for Worfnip, who are a Sea::dal to Religion^ you fhall be lure to hear of it plentifully *, even
tho' * Lay Nonc.9uf. juftif. p. i7, 35, 43.
1 84 Tlje Advantages of Dij) enters
tho5 perhaps they are ejected out of your ipecial Communion : And this fhould awa- ken you to a double Watch over your ielves, to a more conftant and fevere Guard upon all your Words and Motions.
'Tis true, the Eyes of God and Angels are ever upon us all, and this ought to have the moll awful Influence on us, in order to fecure us from every Sin and Folly : But it fhould alfo awaken you to a conftant Care of your whole Conduct, when you remember that the Eyes of Men, and of fome fuch as have no great Kindnefs for you, are upon you too \ and they are fharp and piercing to fpy out every TranfgrefTion,, and 10 magnify every Inftance of your De- parture from ftrift Piety and Virtue into a heinous Crime and Scandal. I confefs this is no very pleafing Circumftance and Situ- ation of Life, to fband forth as a Mark for every nice Obferver, to have every Word and Motion watched and critically re- ked by an Eye of Jealoufy or profefled Enmity : JTis no pleafing Circumftance indeed, but perhaps it is, or it fhould be, a profitable one 5 for it carries in it a con- ftant Spur to Duty, a conftant Reftraint upon finful Appetite, and a Guard upon our whole Behaviour.
And here I cannot but make mention of an Obfervat:oii which 1 have often made in the Courfe of my Life, viz. If a Perfon
who
in Matters of Religion. 185
who profeffes himfelf to belong to the eftablifhed Church is found guilty of Swear- ing or Curfing, if he drink to Excefs, if he prove falfe and deceitful in his Dealing, if his Chara&er be vicious and lewd, and he indulge Iniquities of the groffer kind ; there is no fuch mighty Matter made of it in the World, nor is the Scandal of fuch a Criminal thrown at all upon the Church it felf : We never hear it faid upon fuch an Occafion, Thefe are the Members of the Church of England : But on the other hand, if a Protefiant Dijfenter, who at- tends conftantly on the Worfhip of God in our feparate AiTemblies, and communi- cates with us, be guilty of any foul or infa- mous Crime, what a loud Clamour is raifed in the Town ? What a noife fpreads and echoes thro' the Neighbourhood ? And the Name of the fingle Offender is not only fet up as a publick Mark for the Reproach of the World, but the whole Party of the Jjiffenters falls under Difgrace thereby ; Thefe are your Nonconformijis ; Thefe are your Saints -, Thefe are the Men that pretend to Godlinefs, and who don't think our Church pure enough for them \ See what Hypocrite* they are ! And thus they load the whole Proieffion and Party with the Crime and Scandal of a fingle Sinner. Now furely the View and Confederation of this Situa- tion of Things, and this Circumftance of
your
I S6 The Special Obligations
your Cafe, fliould make you all more watchful, more itrictly religious toward God, more fober, temperate and careful in the Practice of a!! peribnal Virtues, and more exaftly right d honourable in
all the Affairs of the focial Life, that you may never fuffer your Foot to Aide, i Occafion to thofe who wait for your ha. to blafpheme the geed Ways of the L wherein you prcfefs to walk. You called by Providence to give double Dili- gence, and walk more circumfpeftly in every Station of Life, fince fo many watch- ful Eyes are ever upon you : It behoves you to keep a holy Jealoufy over your felves, left at any time you yield to Temptation, that the whole Body of the DifTentcrs may not receive a 'Wound and Infamy thro* your Misbehaviour.
SECTION IV.
Of the Obligations of Protefiant Dijfenters to greater Degrees of Holinefs.
THUS I have finifhed the /r/? general Head of this Part of my Difcourfe, which relates to the real or fuppofed Advan- tages that the Proteftant Diffenters enjoy for their Improvement in Religion and Virtue above their Brethren, their Neigh- bours of die eftablifhed Church : I proceed
now
cf Pr defiant Difjenters. 187
now to the feccnd Genera], and that is to fet before you What [pedal Obligations you lie under to pratlife higher Degrees of Piety and Morality by the very ProfeJJion of Religi- on which you make in this Way of Nonconfor- mity\ and to enquire in the Language of our Saviour, What do you more than others^ you who have all the following Bonds and Engagements- lying upon you from your own Profeflion ?
I. The moil confiderable and moil uni- verfal Realbn why you profefs to diflent from the eftablilhed Church, and to fepa- rate from them, is, that you may make bet- ter Improvements in Religion than if you con- tinued in their Communion. Mofl of you who fpcnd any Thoughts about the Grounds of your Separation, profefs this to be your mofl general Motive, that you may ferve and worfhip God in a Way more pleafing and acceptable to him, becaufe you think it more agreeable to his own Word ; you hope to obtain greater Com- munications of Grace from him by waiting on him in a more exa£t Conformity to his own Appointments \ you walk in this fe- parate Path, that you may make fwifter Advances in the Chriftian Lire, and fpeed your courfe in the Way to Heaven.
And indeed if you divide your felves from an Eftabliflied and National Chriftian Church without this Dellgn, I fear you
will
1 S 3 The Special Obligations
will but deceive and difappoint your own Souls in your Separation. But on the other hand, if a holy Care and Sollicitude to ferve God more agreeably to his Will, and a Defire alter higher Attainments in your Religion, be your real End and fin- cere Intention ; fee then, that you make this appear by yoi ing Piety, and
your Advancement in ever Grace ; and let the World fee and be convinced by the Holinefs of your Practice, that you have chofen the right Way to obtain your End, and that your pious Purpofes are not dif- appointed. See that you lay qfidc every Weight and the Sin that eajily be jets you \ and fince you chufe a different Track, run with double Speed the Race of Chrijlianity that is fet before you : Prefs forward beyond your Fellows toward the Mark of your high and holy Calling, and take larger Steps toward the Prize. Do you not declare you are the Children and Followers of thofe who in the former Age were called Puritans, be- caufe of their ProfefTion of greater Purity of Life than their Neighbours ? Why then do you not with more Zeal and Sollicitude avoid every Degree of Impurity and De- filement ? Why do you not cleanfe your felves daily from every Pollution of Flefli and Spirit in a Manner and Meafure an- fwerable to your own Prcfeflion ? In all your religious Duties be ye more devout ;
in
if P rote jl ant Di ([enters* 189
m the Practice of every focial and perfonal Virtue be you fuperior to others ; and kt the tranicendent Degrees of your Fear and Love of God, and your Goodnefs toward Men, diftinguifh you if ponibJe from your Neighbours, as much as you are diftin- guifhed from your profeft and publick Sepa- ration from their Forms of Worfiiip.
Should any one have afiked the Difciples of Chriji after they had attended a confi- derable Time on his Miniftry in particular Meetings, on Mountains, in Defarts, and by the Sea-fide \ I fay, fhould any one have afked them, Why do you continue in this manner to follow after a new Preach- er, who has no Approbation or Counte- nance from Men of Figure and Power in the Eftablifhed Church, and who teaches you to renounce their human Inventions and Traditions ? Surely they would fay, 'tis becaufe we hope to pleafe our God better, and to honour him much more than the Scribes or the Priefts, than the Pharifees and their Difciples do, or the Bulk and Multitude of the Jewijh Nation : 'Tis becaufe we defign and hope to make higher Advances in Virtue and Piety than they : We would not expofe ourfelves to the Inconveniencies and Difficulties, to the long Travel, to the Hardfhips and the Re- proaches that we fuftain, if we could con- tent our felves with juft lb much Righteouf-
n *fs
190 The Spec i til Obligations
nels and Religion as the reft of the Na- tion, or even the Scribes and the common Sort of Preachers of the National Church ; and upon this Argument we may fuppofe our Saviour partly to build his Queftion in my Text, What do ycu more than others ?
And as this was the Cafe of the Difciples when they followed after Jefus a new Teach- er, and held their particular Meetings of- ten in feparate Places, fo it is and will be generally the Cafe of all honeft and fincere Perfons in their religious Separations from any eftablifhed Church whanbever. What Advantages is it they aim at in diffenting from others in their Forms of National Religion, if it be not that they hope to ad- vance more in the valuable Defigns of fin- cere Godlinefs, and better to fecure to themfelves the Approbation and Favour of God by their peculiar and feparate Me- thods of Worfhip.
'Tis therefore a moft important and 1 fonable Queftion which I would put to your Confciences and my own this Day, What do voe Dijfenters more than others^ more than our Brethren of the National Eftablijh- 7nent ? Do v/e make it appear in our whole Behaviour, that our Hearts are more holy and more heavenly ? Is our Zeal for the Honour of God warmer than theirs ? Have we a greater Deteftation of thofe Sins which are too much indulged among fome of
them ?
of ' P rot eft ant DiJ) enters. 19 r
them ? As we refule to comply with the Traditions of Men, are we more exaftly conformable to the Laws of God and the Rules of the Gofpel of Chriji ? Are we more fober and temperate, and watchful in our perfonal Conduct ? Do we praflife fuperior Goodnefs towards our Fellow- Creatures, and exceed others in the Duties of Juftice, Charity and Love ? Alas, my Friends, let our Pretences rife never fo high, if we do not attain fomething of this Eminence in Religion, or at lead zealoufly endeavour after it, we lofe the nobleft De- figns of our Nonconformity, and difgrace the peculiar Profeflion that we make in the figttf of the World. If this be the Thins: we pretend to, why do we not better an- fwer our Pretences ? Is there no other Dif- ference to be feen betwixt us and our Neighbours of the Church of England^ but that once a Week we turn our Backs upon the Parifh Church, and refolve to worfhip God in a feparate Place ? Are we as vain, as thoughtlefs of Religion throughout the Week, as loofe and fenfual in our Conver- fation as the reft of the World ? And are we content it fhould be fo ? When we take fuch a diftindt Profeflion upon us, 'tis uni- verfally expefted by Heaven and Earth, that we fhould diftiiiguifh our felves by our fhining Virtues, as the Fruits of this our Profeflion, GW, the great and blefled God,
experts
192 The Special Obligations
expe6ts it of us ; Jefus the Judge of all ex- pedis it of us ; the Angels who are Mi- niftring Spirits in the lower World, and who behold our Conduct expects it of us •, our Neighbours around us expedt it at our hands \ and our own Confciences will tell us that they have expected it of us too. If we negleft to feek this chief End of our Non-conformity, neither Scripture nor Rea- fon, neither God nor Chrifi^ nor Men nor Angels will approve of our Condudt, nor will our own Confciences fpeak Approbation or Peace to us in a wife and ferious Hour of Review.
Before I leave this firft Head of Argu- ment, let me take hold of another Topick, and argue with you further upon the Foot of your prof eft Separation. Confider the Incon- veniencies and Difficulties in fome Inftan- ces, and fome Seafons or Occurrences of Life to which you are expofed by this your Pra6tice : Perhaps you meet with now and then a Frown, a Token of Contempt, or a Word of Mockery and bitter Reproach among your Neighbours, upon the ac- count of your Profefiion ; you are often called Schifrnaticks, and charged with divi- ding the Church of Chrift ; and it is pof- fible you lie under fome Difadvantages in Trade and Bufmefs in the World upon this account too, as well as 'tis fufficiently known that you are excluded by certain
1 Laws
of Proteflant Dijjenters. 193
Laws from all Offices of Truft and ..Pro- fit in the Nation merely for your Noncon- formity. Befides this, there are fome angry Bigots in the World who hate you and your Profeffion, and would blaft you all together, and would rejoice to root you out of the Earth ; tho' for the molt parr, I would hope thefe furious Enemies of yours are only fuch as are no Friends to the prefent Settlement of the Crown in the Uluftrious Family who pofTefies it, and are Enemies to the Happinefs of this Nation and the Liberties of Mankind : But how- ever,'tis certain there are many who ei and hate us, tho' we acknowledge it with Gratitude, to the Honour of our Ruler?, that they have fo much Equity and Good- nefs as to with-hold the Hands of the Sons of Violence from perfecuting and deftroy- ing us. *Tis certain that we are obferved with an evil Eye, we are fometiir.es ban- tered and ridiculed by evil Tongues ; wc fuffer many an opprobrious Name, many a malicious Sneer and infolent Affront, b - caufe we cannot comply with fome Inven- tions of Men, and dare to worfhip God in another Manner than the chief Part of the Nation. Now fhall we fuffer all thefe ih:.ngs in vain ? Gal. iii. 4. And indeed it i?, and will be in vain, that we e?:pofe our feives by our Profeffion to thefe Sufferings, if we no Recompence in acquiring greater
Degrees
194 ¥he Special Obligations
Degrees of Virtue and Goodnefs \ in at- tuning firmer Hopes and a furcr Intcrcft in
the Favour of God, and the Rleffings of eternal Concernment.
Awake, awake, my Friends, and bethink yourfeives a little : Do you not aim at lomething glorious and divine that wiU counterpoife all the Evils you fuftain ? A- wake, and let your Characier and your Piety bnghten upon the World, let your uncontefted Virtues fliine among Men, let them efface all the Gioom and Darkncls that is thrown upon your Names, and over- power the unrighteous Scandal. What ? Shall we be caft out of ail publick Offices, Trufts and Salaries as Men unworthy of Civil Benefits and Honours, and in many Inftances be retrenched as to the more pri- vate and common Profits of this World, and yet content our feives to obtain none of the Treafures that relate to another World in the room of them ? Shall we bear the Scoffings of our Neighbours, and be derided as Fools and Phanaticks ? Shall we be reviled as Men of Humour and Hypo- crify, as Deceivers and falfe Brethren, and content our feives to bear all thefe Indigni- ties in the prelent Life, without gaining any thing by it with regard to Grace and Kighteoulhefs and the Lire to come ? This would be to confirm the Reproach of Folly upon our felyes with a witnefs, and juftify
the
of P rot eft ant Diflenters, 195
the World when they charge us with Mad- ness and Phanaticifm. What is there can bring our Wifdom, or even our common Senfe into queftion more juftly than fuch a foolifli Conduft, to profeis ^id afllime a Charafter in this World which fenfibly expofes us to Lofs and Shame, and yet not fo much as to feck after any Recompence in the Gains of true Religion, m the Re- wards and Honours of Heaven, and the Bleflings of the World to come ?
When our Saviour foretold his Difciples, while they followed his Miniftry, that they Jhould be perfecuted and hated of all Men for his Name's Sake, he encourages them to bear up under all thefe Hardfhips, by pro- inifing them the Favour of his Father, his own Blefling, and a large Reward in the heavenly World, John xv. $9. and xvi. ^ Matth. v. 10,— —12. Becaufe ye are not of the Worlds but 1 have chofenyou out of the World, therefore the World hateth you : If they have perfecuted me, they will alfo perfecute you : In the World ye fhall have Tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the World, and in me ye fhall have Peace. Bleffed are ye when Men fhall revile you and perfecute you, and fpeak all manner of Evil againft you for my Name's Sake -, rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your Reward in Heaven. Thefe are the Promifes which our great Redeemer made to iupport the Spirits of his pcrfe- K 2 cuted
196 The Special Obligations
cuted Difciples •, but 'tis always to be un- load on this Condition, that they main- tained their Character of exalted Virtue as the Difciples of the Holy Jefus, and in this View and Prolpedt they were wife and hap- : y, notwithftanding all their Sufferings. But docs not your own Reafon tell you, 'tis c vain and ridiculous Thing in you to ex- pole yourfelves to the unkindnefs of your Neighbours, and the Lofs of' your Ho- nour or Peace in any Degree for the Sake of feparate Forms ot Worfhip and Reli- gion, if yen take no Care to fecure Jbme fuperior Bleflings by your Condu6t, which will far over-ballance all the Mockery and Ridicule, all the Hatred and Hardfhips you fuftain ? Is it not a very weak and ienfelefs thing for any Perfon to bear Scan- dal and Reproach for being a Profeflbr of ftridt Religion in any Form whatfoever, if he has nothing elfe to comfort him but the mere Manner, Shape and outward Form of this ftrift Religion ? Will this empty Form and Shadow of Non- conformity ba- lance agafnft the folid Evils of Poverty and real LolTes, againft the bitter Scoffs and Jeers of an ungodly World ? Is he not a Fool m Grain to take up with a defpifed and ridiculed Profeflion and Form of God- linefl., if he neglects the inward Reality, Life and Power of it, and the divine Hopes and Joys that belong to it, in order
to
of Proteftant Di [[enters. 197
to fupport and recompenfe his Sufferings ? A Hypocrite in any Party or Profefiion of Religion has but a very unprofitable Bar- gain at the Foot and Balance of the Ac- count ; but to be a Hypocrite amongft the Diffenters is a Degree of Felly that wants a Name, when he gets nothing by it but Reproach and Contempt in this World, and Damnation in the other.
II. You profefs by this your Separation, that you dare to be fingidar in your Place, and Modes of IVorfoip, and in the Miniftri of Holy Things on zvhich you attend -3 why then fhould you not dare to be Angular in your Behaviour, in the Civil Life among your Neighbours, when any other Rules of Chriftianity call you to it ? You pr~ . the Forms of Religion in an ner with Courage, and why fhould y.i not dare to pra<5tife all Virtue and G( nefs with holy Courage too ia the . of a World, that is afhamed of inward and real Religion, and almcit afhamed of the Appearances of it, unlefs it be in going to Church ?
To be fingular in our Manner of Life, and diftinguifh our feives from our Neigh- bours, is no part of Religion or Virtue con- fidered in it felf ; but there are many Sea- fons that occur frequently, and which will occur in all Ages of finful Mankind, where- in every one who is a Servant of God, in K 3 any
J 98 The Special Obligations
any Form or Party^ is called to prafrife Singularity, and to diftinguifh himfelf from the vicious and irreligious World. Mofes forewarns us of it in his early Days, and lays down this Rule in Exod. xxiii. 2. Thou Jhalt not follow a Multitude to do Evil. The Wicked of the Earth will always think ji ftrange that you will not run with them to the fame Excefs of 'Riot, 1 Pet. iv. 4. Yet you are to remember, that you are redeemed from this frefent evil Worlds that you might i.e a peculiar People to God, zealous of good Works, Gal. i. 10. Tit. ii, 14. The Peo- ple of God in every Generation have been diftinguifhed from a World that lies in Wickednefs, and our blefied Lord has moft exprelsly foretold us in feveral Places, that there muft and will be a Difference be- tween the Men of the World and his Dif- ciples. Now have you arrived at this ho- ly Fortitude bravely to maintain this Dis- tinction at every Call of Providence, and to fhew your felves with more Zeal to be .Nonconformifts to a wicked World, than to divide your felves from your Chriftian Brethren, becauie of their different Forms
Worfhip ?
When you are in company with pro- phane Sinners, who make a Jeff of the Things of Religion, and trifle with the fa- cred Names of God and our Saviour, there is fometimes a fair Occafion in Providence,
and
of Protejlaiit Dij] enters. 1 g g and a loud Call of Duty to Hand up tor the Name and Honour of God, and fliew your Zeal for Religion among thole who feem to have renounced it : When you are in the midft of Infidels or Apoftates from the Ckriftian Faith, it may be fometimes proper to appear boldly in the Vindication of the Name cf Jefus and his Gofpel : When you fee profligate Wretches wallow- ing in their Iniquities, and {porting with Things facred, Confcience will tell you fometimes it is your Duty to bear your Teftimony for the Authority of the Law of God, and for the Purity of Mariners a- mong Men : I will not fay, 'tis always a neceffary Duty ; there are Seafcns when we fhould not caji our Pearls before Szvlnc, where there is no probability of doing Good to any Perfon in the Company, and where they will not only trample upon h$ly Things, but turn again and rend you, Matth. vii. 6. Under this Pretence we ought not to maintain an everlafting Silence, and hear the Name of God always blafphemed and the Gofpel of Chrift ridiculed without any Remonilrance or Reproof.
If a Church-man perfuade you to come and worfhip God according to the parochial and publick Forms, perhaps you would fhew your felf to be a DiJJenter, i. e. a Se- paratilt from the National Worfhip, and refufe to comply : Well then, if Sinners K 4 would
2 co The Special Obligations
would entice you to any wicked Practice, c r would draw you away or divert you from your prefent Duty to God, to your Family, to your felf or your Neighbours, I am lure that's a Seafon when you ought to fliew your felf a Chrijlian, i. e. a Sepa- ratiftfrom all that's finful.
Singularity in cur Ways and Forms of Worfliip and Separation from an Eftablifh- ed Chriftian Church, is fo far from being a Part of our Religion confidered in it felf, that it would be generally criminal in us, if we did not think there was fomething in that Church fo defedtive, fo irregular, or fo impofing as to juftify a Separation in the : of God. To be lingular in any Part of cur Behaviour from our Brethren or our Neighbours, is net a Thing to be chofen or defired, orpraftifed for it ielf, or its own fake ; it looks too much like Humour and Fancy, or Pride or Conceit, unlefs there is fomething wherein we can exceed them in the Things of Duty and Virtue, in Mat- ters cf Religion and Gcdlinefs by this Sin* gularity : The DiJJenting Inter eft is neither worthy nor fit to be maintained merely for the fake of DiJJenting^ or for the keeping up of a feparate Party in the Nation : But fince we believe and are perfuaded that God and cur Confciences call us to Singu- larity and Separation from human Appoint- ments in divine Worfliip, let us remember
that
cf Protejlant Diffentefs. 2 o i
that Morality fometimes as well as Devo- tion requires its Votaries alio, to pradlife Singularity and Courage : We muft fome- times ftand up alone for Virtue in a vicious Age, and maintain Sobriety, Temperance, Truth and Juftice, in opposition to a Mul- titude of evil Doers. Let us appear to be all of a piece, and fince we are not afhamed to be Separatifts in the Caufe of Religion, Jet us never be afhamed of it in the Caufe of Virtue.
You profefs to rank your felves among a People with whom a publick and lincere Regard to God and his Word, even in the common Affairs of Life, is not yet an un- fashionable Thing, and God grant that it may never be Co much put out of Fafhion among us, as it has long been among the Bulk of this Nation ! See to it then that Religion influences your wThole Form, and Manner, and Fafhion of Life, that you- dare not live as without God in the Worlds without converfing with him by daily Prayer and Praife : See that you dare not plunge your felves into the World, and the daily Bufinefs of your Calling, fo as to bu- ry and forget Religion all the Day long, and leave no time for fome fecret Addref- fes to the Throne of Grace. If there be .any Perlcn that prattifes the Rules of Tem- ■ce and Sobriety with greater Stridt- ngfs and Prudence than his Neighbours ; if K 5 there
202 The Special Obligations
there be any one that appears more remark- ably juft and true, and faithful in his Dealings amongft Men, or kind, charitable and benevolent to hjs Fellow-Creatures, and particularly eminent in the Pra6tice of Meeknds, Patience and Forgivenefs to them that have injured him, let a Proteftant Diflenter be the Man that dares be thus lingular. Phil. iv. 8, Whatfoever things are eminently pure and lovely^ and of good Re- $ort, if there be any Virtue \ if there be any Praife% if there be any Thing of the Prac- tice of Truth or Goodnefs that is peculiar- ly honourable in the fight of Men, let a Non-ccnformift have the Honour of this Peculiarity. He that is fingular in the Church, let him bravely dare to be fo in the World.
O let it never be faid by thofe who dif- fer from us, and efpecially by thofe who hate us, " Thefe are the Perfons who pro- 44 fefs Purity in Worfliip, but lee how vi- " cious they live ! They are as much given " to Luxury in Diet, to Extravagance and " Vanity in Dreis, to every Thing that is 44 fenfoai and voluptuous, or gay and vain, 44 as any of us who don't make fuch Pre- 44 fences to Religion : They give their 44 Lips as wild and wanton a Licence as 44 any amorgft us ; they are as loofe, as 44 frothy, as unfayoury in their Difcourfc " as any of their Neighbours ; they have
44 no
of Proteftant Difenfers. 203
" no more Inclination, or at leaft no more " Courage to fpeak one Word for God " and Religion than we have; they are as " ready to over-reach thole who deal with " them, and to cheat and defraud in Mat- " ters of Trade as any amongft us ; they " are as often found tardy in the Perfor- " mance of their Promifes, and in fulfil- " ling their appointed Payments ; their " Confciences will ftretch as largely as any " of ours to indulge a pleafmg Iniquity, " and they are as poor and wretched Per- " formers of any of the relative Duties of " the fecial Life >" Oh let it never be faid concerning any of you, that you are as fevere and unreaibnable Matters, as idle and un Ichfu] Servants ; that you are as unkind and carelefs, as faithlefs and as in-- folent Hufbands ; as vain and unthrifty, as peevifh and as noify Wives ; as cruel Pa- rents, and as undutiful Children; as unge- nerous Dealers, and as deceitful Buyers and Sellers, as any of the reft of your Neigh-* irs : Let it never be faid of you, that you are catched as often in a Lye, that you are as proud and haughty, as angry and paf- fionate, as griping, as covetous and hard- hearted to the Poor as any of the reft of Mankind. What a fhameful Thine; would it be if you ftiould give Occafion to the World to lay, " that notwithstanding all " your Pretences to Purity in Religion and K 6 " your
ctbe Special Obligations
" your Separation from us in our Ways of c* Worfhip, as the? they were not pure " enough for you, yet you make no more '• Conscience of Sin or Duty with regard " to God or Man, in the Courie of your " Lives, than any of us from whom you " feparate. " What a cutting Thought will this be to our Conferences in a ferious Hour, or on a dying Bed ? What inward Reproaches, what Agonies will it raife in our own Souls, wherefoever we have given juft Occafion for fuch a Cenfure of our Character, and fuch Scandals to be cad upon our Profefiion ?
III. You profefs to maintain and vindicate Chrifiian Liberty by your D iff ent from the cftablifhed Church \ you profefs to bear up and fupport the Freedom of Conference in of- fofition to all the Inventions and Impofitions of Men : This is certainly one Ground of your Separation, nor can I fay 'tis an un- juft or an unreafonable one -y for when the bleffed God has freed Mankind from the Burden of Ceremonies which himfelf had invented and prefcribed to all the World before the coming of Chrift, when he has delivered a!l the Nations from the bloody- Rites of Sacrifice which he appointed to Noah and all his Sons, when he had re- leafed the Jews from their Variety of Bon- dage, their Yokes of Servitude, their vseak and beggarly Elements and carnal Ordinan&es^
whit h
of Protejiant Difj enters. 205
which neither they nor their Fathers could } bear \ certainly he requires all the World in the Language of the Apoftle, Gal. v. 1. to ft and f aft in the Liberty wherewith Chrift has made them free •, and not be again entangled with the Yokes of Bondage : And if they muft not dare to return to the various Forms and Rites of the Worlhip which God himfelf had once prefcribed, and has now abolifhed, furely we cannot think it lawful for us to fubjetSfc our felves to the Rites which Men invent, and to take up new Forms and Ceremonies which are not pretended to be of divine Inftitution, but to be meer Appointments of Men. But 'tis not my Work here nor my Defign to enter into the Controverfy any further than juil to remember what our profeflion is. We declare for Liberty in the Things of God, and that no Man lias Authority to bind us to fuch Ceremonies as God has not ap- pointed. This, my Friends, is your Pro- feffion, to aflert your own Freedom, and to vindicate the Liberty of Mankind and of the Gofpel of Chrift. And now my Queftion addreffes you in the Words of my Text, What do you more than others^ who give themfelves up as Subjects to the Authority of Men in Matters of Con- icience ? Since, you ftand up for Liber- ty, aik your felves thefe two important Queftions :
ift Qiieft.
20 0- The Special Obligations
ijl Quejl. How do you manage the Li- berty which you vindicate ? Do you turn your Freedom from the impofed Rules of Men into a Releafe of your Conlcience and Practice from any of the Laws of God I Do you make your Difcharge from human Ceremonies an Occaiion to tempt you to difcharge your felves from any of the di- vine Commands ? Do you take the Liberty of not praftifing different Modes of Wor- fhip which God and your Rulers have given you, and under that Pretence indulge a Negleft of publick Worfhip, or a Courfe of Lazinefs and Sloth in Matters of Reli- gion ? Becaufe you do not think your felves bound to Fading on Afo-Wednefdays or Good-Fridays^ do you give a loofe to finful Appetites ? While you pretend to free your felves from religious Bonds of Confine- ment, do you fuffer your felves to be made Slaves to Sin, and to be carried away captive .by the Devil at his Will? 2 Tim. ii. 26. Wretched and hypocritical Pretence to Liberty indeed, if it be ftretched to this vile Extent ! The afferting your Liberty from all human Impofitions in Worfhip will gg but a very little Way towards your Acceptance with God, unlefs you are free fror.i the Bondage of Corruption^ and in this rdpeft tranflated out of the Dominion of Saian^ and brought into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God and the Kingdom of
our
of P rot eft ant Diffenters. 207
our Lord Jefus. Be follicitous therefore above all Things about a Releafe from the Power and Tyranny of Sin, that you may ferve the Law of God v/ith a ready Mind ; and fince you are called into the Chrifltan Li- ber ty^ take heed that you ufe it not for an Oc- cafion to the Flejh. This bleffed Advice does St. Paul give to his Galatian Converts, Gal. v. 13. And the Apoftle Peter is jea- lous of the fame Danger among the Chri- ftians to whom he writes, and therefore while they are fenfible of their Freedom, he warns them that they fhould not ufe this Liberty as a Cloak for Iniquity, 1 Pet ii. 16. Nor let that vile Character ever be charged upon you which the fame Apoftle charges on fome licentious Sinners who profeffed Chriftianity in his Day, 2 Pet. ii. 19. that while they promife Liberty to themfelves and others, they are the Servants of Corruption^ and allure others into Wantonnefs ; of fuch he pronounces their latter End to be worfe than iheir Beginning, and declares that the Mijl or Cloud of Darknefs is referred for ever for them, v. 17, 18, 19.
2 d Q^icft. While you affert your own Freedom from the Impositions of Men in Point of Worfhip, are you as careful in that you do not impofe your own private Opi- nions nor your own particular and unicnp- tural Practices on your Neighbours, in any religious Affair whatfoever ? Do you never
2o8 The Special Obligations
fct up your peculiar invented Phrafes, your own Forms of Speech, and the particular and darling Notions of your Sect and Party, as a Teft of the Piety or Orthodoxy of any of your Brethren, where the Scripture does not go before you in plain and evi- dent Language ?
How reafonable and neceflary is it, that you fhould always give your Brethren of the Church of England their Liberty in full Meafure to judge ftfr themfelves in Matters of Do£trine, Difcipline, Worfhip and Praftice, while in full Meafure you affume this your felves ? And take heed that you judge not the States and Perfons and Hearts of others in their feveral dif- ferent Practices and Sentiments, while you ib conftantly and juftly exclaim againft their Authority to judge or to cenfureyou,. or to impofe any Thing on your Confci- ences. St. Paul in his 1 4th Chapter to the Romans gives happy Directions to Peace and Love amongft all Fellow Chriftians that hold the few neceflary Articles of Faith and Pra6tice, tho' they may differ widely in their Opinions about other Things.
While you releafe your felves from the pretended Authority of a national Church, becaufe Chrifi in the New Teftament has not cftablifhed any fuch Church on Earth, fee that you do not dare pretend to Autho- rity your {elves, nor prefume to impofe
any
&J
ofProtejlant Diffenters. 209
any Thing in Do&rine, Duty or Worfhip on the Minds or Confciences of your Bre- thren amongft the Difjenters> which Chriji has not impofed, for I am fure he has given you no fuch Power ; God alone is the Lord of Conference, and he has appointed his Son Jefus to be King and Ruler of his Church. The Power of impofing Truth or Duty on our Belief and Praftice is vefted only in him. The Authority which is given to the Rulers of the Church is but to declare what Chriji has required and impofed. Go> fays he to the Apoftles them- felves, and teach all Nations to obferve what. I have commanded jy^, Mat. xxviii. 20. AH other Circumftances of human Aftions in religious Worfhip, which are neceffary to be determined at all, are to be fettled in Congregations by a friendly Agreement a- mong themfelves, without any Pretence to fuperior Authority and Impofitions. Dr. Calamy has fet this Matter in a very good Light, in his Introduction to his fecond Volume of Moderate Non-conformity. Words of Command and Authority in Matters of God and Confcience come out of the Mouths of any Set of Men with a very ill Grace, while they remember that they are all Fellow-Servants to one Lord, even the great and bleffed God, and to Jefus his Son,, who is appointed Lord of all ; but there is nothing more abfurd and inconfiftent than
the
2 1 o The Special Obligations
*h* Pretence of Protefiant Dijjenters to com- mand and impoie Matters of Faith, Wor- fhip and Pra&ice beyond the plain Rules of Scripture. For a Proteftant who owns the Bible to be a perfeft and fufficient Rule both for himfelf and his Neighbour, and a Dijfenier who difclaims the Authority of a whole national Church in Matters of Reli- gion and the Things of Salvation, I fay for Men of this Character to aiTume an impo- fing Power, this would be with a witnefs to build again the Things you have defircyed^ as the Apoftle fpeaks Gal. ii. 18. and to make your f elves Tranfgreffors with Evidence and Shame. A Proteftant Dijfenter who perfecutes his Brother with bitter Re- proaches and Condemnation, becaufe he differs from him in fome of the leflTer Points of Religion, and excludes him as unworthy of his Communion for the fake of Mint, Anife and Cummin, or by the Teft of fome unrighteous Shibboleth^ fome Forms of Orthodoxy or Discipline of meer human Invention, I know not a Name pro- per for fuch a Criminal \ for while he pre- tends to maintain his own Liberty, he make'; his Brother his Slave : Let us watch, my „ Brethren, againfl any fuch Impofitions* creeping in among us, and whenfocver we find any fuch Iniquities, let us purify our fblves and cafe them out.
If
of P rot eft ant Dijfenters. 211
If there be any Perfons in the Nation who are called to greater Degrees of Love and Forbearance than others, and who fhould Hand further off from impofing on the Confcience of their Neighbour and from judging their Brother, we are the Perfons ; we whom the Laws of God and the Laws of this Land have permitted to judge for our felves, and that even in op- pofition to the Rules and Conftitutions of a national Church. If there be any Mini- Iters or People in the whole Kingdom who fhould fhine in Charity to Men, in Love and Condefcenfion to their Brethren, and in receiving thofe whom Chrifi has received without laying Bars of doubtful Difputation upon them ; we Ihould be thofe Minifters and thofe People, we who pretend to ftand up to vindicate our Freedom from every Yoke of Bondage, and to fupport the Li- berty of Men and Chriftians.
IV. Another Obligation which lies upon you to do more than others is this % you and your Fathers have profejfed to obferve a greater Striffnefs in fome neceffary Practices of Re- lizion and Virtue than the common Multi- tude of thofe who call themfelves the national Church ; I fay, the common Multitude : I defire you to remember the Caution which I gave in the Beginning of thefe Difcourfes, that I had no Defign to compare the moft ftridtly pious and religious Perfons of the
Church
2 12 "The Special Obligations
Church of England with thofe of the Pro- t eft ant Diffenters : I am well affured there are many on both fides who make a moft ferious Profeffion of Piety, and who prac- tife ftridt Godlinefs -, nor would they dare to offend the great God in any Point, thro* their great Tendernefs of Confcience : but the Perfons whom I compare in thefe Dif- courfes are the Bulk or Multitude of the one Side and the other.
I will not maintain, and indeed I cannot believe that our Fathers heretofore have been in the right in every Punctilio of their Severities and Reftraints which they have laid upon themfelves and thofe of their own Houfhold. Some of them did not fo well underitand that great Article of Chri- ftian Liberty by which they profeffed to walk ; ibme of them, in order to obey that Advice of the Apoftle that they Jhould ab- ftain from all Appearance of Evil, were fome- times inclined to reftrain themfelves and their Families from thofe Things which had no reafonable Appearance of Evil or Blame in them. But I dare and I will pronounce, that in ibme Inftances of their Striftnefs they had the Word of God and the Reafon. of things on their fide. The late Bifhop Burnet, in his excellent Difcourfe on the Paftoral Care, does not fcruple to acknow- ledge that our Fathers bad a good Character for Stritlnefs in Religion, which gained them
their
of P rot eft ant D iff enters. 2 1 3
their Credit, tho* he fufpech we in this A^e have in a great meafure loft it*, Chap. VIII. p. 204. Now fhall we by our finfiil Ne- glect fupport and confirm this Sufpicion ? Wherein foever our Fathers have been in the right in this ftridfc Profeffion and Prac- tice, we doubtlefs are more abundantly obliged to awaken our felves to a pious Imitation of them, and to do more than 0- thers in our Day, as they did in theirs. Give me leave here to mention a few Particulars in which our Fathers eminently diftinguifh- ed themfelves from the bulk of their Neigh- bours, and this fhall be the Subjedt of the following Sedion.
D
SECTION V.
Peculiar Practices of Virtue and Piety among the ancient Non-conformifts.
I.AUR Anceftors the Puritans and \_y Non-conformifts diftinguifhed them- felves by their great Reverence of the Name of God, and keeping a conftant Jealoufy and Watchful nek over their Words, left they took that holy Name in vain. This has been your Charader in Days pafl, in the Age of your Predeceffors, and I hope this Honour remains ftill among (I you,
When
214 Peculiar Practices of
When Perfons, even fuch as appear fo- ber and virtuous, have made free with the facred Names of God and Chriji on trivial Occafions, when upon fome ftrange Story related in Company, or fome new Occur- rence in Life, they cry out, O Lord, good God, God blefs me, without any Appearances of Solemnity or a ferious Air ; when in their daily Language and Difcourfe they can hardly afk each other a common Quef- tion, or requeft a common Kindnefs, but they enforce their Requeft or Enquiry with ibme divine Name, for God's fake tell me, for Chrifts fake do this for me : I fay, when we hear fuch Speeches, we have been wont to take it for granted that thefe Perfons are not Diffenters, for we were never fuffered in the Days of our younger Education to take thofe holy Names into our Lips in fo thoughtlefs or irreligious a Manner.
Or in the ufual Language of Life, Per- fons have been wont to confirm the Truth of what they fpeak by thefe fort of Oaths, by my Faith, or upon my Salvation, or as I live, or as I hope to be farced, or as fure as God is in Heaven, we could readily pro- nounce that whatever Religion they were of, and whatfoever Sect they pretended to, they could not be Proteftant Dijfenters \ for we were never indulged to ufe fuch Affe- verations, nor to make fuch trifling Men- tion of Things that relate to our infinite
and
the ancient Non-conformt(ls. 215
and everlafting Intereft -, we were never fuf- fered, while we were under the Govern- ment and Education of our Parents, thus to break the Command of Chrift, who for- bids us in our common Difcourfe to pra&ife Swearing, but requires that our Communi- cation be maintained with plain Yes or no ; for 'what fo ever Forms or Words of Affeve- ration we uie that border upon /wearing by God or Creatures (whether at full Length or in Abridgment) carry fome Danger of Guilt in them, and come from the Evil-one^ Matt. v. 37. Now I think it would very ill become us to depart from thefe Inflruc- tions and Examples of our Parents, to abate our Refpcct for Things that are holy, to caft away our Reverence for an Oath and the awful Napie.s of God and his Son, and to indulge our felves in this dangerous and criminal Language, which is too much in ufe with the common Multitude. I could wifti indeed from my Soul, that there might be no Diftindtion ever left arnongft us to know a Diflenter or a Churchman by fuch Forms of Speech, or by an Abflinence from them : I wifh all our Brethren of the efta- bliflied Church would be as cautious and watchful againlt fuch unwarranted Free- doms as fome of them are, and would for- bear to break the third Command, which forbids us to take the Name of the Lord our God in vain, or to trifle with Things fa- 2 cred
1 1 6 Peculiar Practices of
cred : But if any of them will continue to praftife it, let us not be afhamed to diftin- guifh our felves as the Off-fpring of the Puritans^ and as Protefiayit Dijfenters, who have learnt of our Fathers to pay a religi- ous Reverence to all that is holy.
Secondly ', You and your Predeceffors have been very much diftinguifhed from the Bulk of the Nation by obferving the Lord's Day with greater StriEInefs^ in employing the feveral Parts of it in religious Worfhip, private or publick, fo far as the Strength and Health of your Bodies would permit, and fo far as is confident with the common Neceffities and Occafions of Life. This has been a Diftinftion of confiderable Hand- ing, and that not in a Town or two, but generally throughout the Nation.
If Perfons heretofore neglefted to wor- fhip God publickly above once a Day, un- lefs they were confined for want of Health, or by the neceffary Duties of Life •, if they counted it of no Importance how they fpent their Time when publick Worfhip was ended \ if they indulged themfelves in little Recreations abroad or at home, or in unneceffary Bufineffes or Amufements ; if they wafted the Afternoon in prolonging their Dinners, and filled up thofe Hours with the Pipe or the Glafs, or with imper- tinent Convention, which the more Serious employed in publick Aflemblies of Wor- fhip :
the ancient Non-conformijh. 2ij
ihip ; if they made the Lord's Day Even- ing a Seafon of familiar Vifits, wherein they wore away another Hour or two in Dil- courfe of fecular Affairs, in trifling Subjects (as now-a-days over a Tea-Table) or in the more guftful and modifh Language of Scan- dal and Defamation ; if they made no Ac- count of any other Part of the Day befides that which was actually fpent in publick Devotion, but turned it into Hours of Di- verfion and Entertainment, we have been wont generally to conclude (and with good Reafon too) Surely thefe Perfons can never he Ncn-ccnformifts, for their Education ne- ver would have permitted them to pay fo flight a Regard to the Lord's Day.
Well, my Friends, hew ftands the Cafe now amongft you ? IVhat do yon more than others ? Does the fame DiftinJtion ftill re- main between you and your Neighbours ? Or is it loft and vanifhed away ? I am wel! allured there are feme Members of the Na- tional Church that pay a mo ft religious Regard to the Day of Chrift and his°Re- furredtion ; but there are Multitudes that make but little Account of it, efpeciaUy when divine Service is ended. Are you careful, my Friends, to diftinguifh your felves from thefe your looler Neighbours in this Matter ? Or do you give your felves up to vain Amufements and Impertinences on die Lord's Day, or to trifling and for- L ma I
2i 8 Peculiar Prat
mal Vifits •, and thus deprive two Families at once of the ferious Ii of what
you and they have 1
fhip ? Are you careful to fpend as mi Time as you can in the Worihip of God through Jefus Cbrtft, and in the *^ of your eternal Welfare, either in the C!o- fet and Retirement, or with fome j Companions ? Or do you lavifti away the Evening in familiar Forms of Complaiiance and Ceremony, Entertainment and Di fion, without a Word of God and Religion, or recollecting the Sermons of the Day for your mutual Irxreafe of Knowledge and Grace ?
I (hail not detain you here to enter into a Debate about the Morality cf the Sabbath, or the Abolition of it among other Jewijb Ceremonies, or the Changes of it from the leventh to the firft Day of the Week : I fhall not ftay to enquire what Degree of Hoiinefs belongs to each Part of that Day, or to the feventh Part of Time \ but theie three Things I think I may lay down for certain Truths.
J. If there had not been fufficient Com- miffion given by the Authority of Chrifi for appointing the firft Day of the Week, which was the Day of his Refurreftion, to be the conftant Seafon of folemn AiTcm- blles for Chriftian Worihip, I am perfuaded the Apoftles would not fo frequently have
the ancient Non-conformifts. 2 19
chofen out and fixed that Day for the pub- lick Ordinances of Preaching and Praying and Breaking of Bread ? Now 5tis evident from the New Teftament they pradifed this, and appointed it in the Churches which were converted to the Chriftian Faith : I add further, nor would it have been fo univerfal and diftinguifhing a Mark of a Gbriftian in thole primitive Times to be an Obferver of the Lord's Day ; nor would it have been fo early and fo univer- fally praclifcd by all the Chriftian World after the Examph of the Apoltles, which is fufficiently manifeft in the ancient Hiito- ries of the Church : *Tis certain therefore that this was the Day appointed to the pri- mitive Church for their religious Affem- blies by Apoftolick Practice and Diredion, and 'tis mod reafonably inferred they had the Authority of Chrift for it.
II. If there had not been fuch a Seafon as one Day in {even maintained and con- tinued for a Day of publick Devotion thro' the Chrifrian Nations, coniidering the Op- pofirion of Rulers, the vicious Courfe of the World, and the Negligence of Chrifti- ans, it is pretty certain that the Cares and Labours or Pleafures of Life, that fecular Bufinefles or idle Amufements would have long ago thruft Chriftianity almoil out of the World, and have gone near to banifh L 2 true
-22o 'Peculiar \ es of
true Religion and Godlineis from the Face of the Earth : And where the Lord's Day is molt neglected, ferious Religion is almoil loft and gone,
III. If after we have heard Sermons on the Lord's Day, and waited on God in pub- lick Prayers and Praifes, we ihould make a Cuftom of devoting all the rett of the Day to our own Purpofes in the Labours or Diverfions of Life, it would be a moil effectual Way to lofe and abolifh all the pious Thoughts and the devout Affections, which might be railed in the Heart by any Part of the publick Worfhip in which we have been engaged : Thus the very De- fign of the Seafons of Worfhip would be loft, and all the pious Sentiments and Dii- pofitions drowned and buried in Bufinefs or Pleafure.
It is the Reviewing of the Truths and Duties which we have heard in the Miniftry of the Gofpel, 'tis the Meditation of them in our Retirements, the Conference upon them in our Families or in friendly Dif- courfe, the turning them into Matter of fecret or Family Prayer, in Confeffion, Pe- tition or Praife, and Converie about them between God and our own Souls, and the Carrying on of the fame Spiritual Defigns by reading Books of Piety and holy Con- versation, that is the only fure Way to ren- der
the ancient Non-conformijls. 221
der publick Worihip effectual to fit us for Heaven, and to anfwer the religious Pur- pofes of the Lord's Day.
If therefore any Perfons in this Nation refolve to give themfelves a Loofe in this Point, and take no Care to improve the Hours of this Day to the grand Defigns of Religion and Salvation ; if they will wafte them away in Trifles, in ufelefs Vifits or Amufements, let it never be faid that a Proteftant Dijfenter is amongft them, or gives any Encouragement or Countenance to fuch a Practice.
Thirdly^ I am naturally led, in the next place, to mention religious Difcourfe and Con- ference upon Themes of Virtue and practical Godlinefs^ as another Thing whereby Dijfen- ters heretofore were ufed to diftinguifh themfelves : They exhorted and comforted one another under their Sorrows by holy Converfation. If a Perfcn with never fo much Prudence and Serioufhefs fhould in- troduce a Difcourfe of Holy Things into a friendly or familiar Vifit, and efpecally if he fhould give a Rebuke to any prophane Speeches, fome of the Company would have been ready to fay, Surely this was fome Dijjenter, fome precife Puritan : And this Honour was done us by thofe who de- figned Contempt and Reproach.
Well, how (lands the Cafe now ? Are
not the Diffenters as backward as others
L 3 to
222 Peculiar Practices of
to begin religious Difcourfe, to put in a Word for God or Virtue, or to introduce any Thing of Heaven into their Conver- fation ? Are not we as fhy, and as much afhamed as our Neighbours of bearing the Face of Religion in the World ? Do we keep upon our Tongues the Language of Piety, and attribute the prdfperous or af- flicting Changes of Life to God and Pro- vidence, or only to good Luck and Mif- fortune ? Is cur Communication fuch as may adminifier Grace to the Hearers, and main- rain a Savour of Gcdlinefs upon all proper Occafions r Do we banifh entirely from cur Vilks ail loofe and prophane Difcourfe, and the more notorious Crime of Scandal, and introduce in the room of it the Lan- guage of the Children of God ? "They that feared the Lord, in the D^ys of Malachi the Prophet, fpake often one to another, for their mutual Support and Affiftance in the Things of Religion ; and they Jhall be mine, faith the Lord, when I make up my Jeziels. The ApofJe Paul olds the Theftalonians con- verfe treejy with each other upon the future Happinds of Saim0, the Appearance of drift in his Gjory, his Defcendmg to raife ti e Dead, to judge the World, and to carry up his Friends to c veriafting Joy, i Thef iv. 18. and v. ji. This Practice would the Apoflle fain introduce as a Cuitom or P^afhion among his Converts to Chriftia-
the ancient Non-conformijls. 223
nity, who fhould diftinguifh themfelves from the World. Let us enquire what is our Cuftom in this Cafe, and what do wt more than others ? Or have we duly main- tained the pious Cuftom, the Practice and Honour of our Anceftors ?
Fourthly, Another Thing wherein our Anceftors diftinguifhed themfelves from ma- ny of their Neighbours in the Towns and Villages where they Jived, was in Keeping mere regular Hours for the various Duties to God and Man , in abftaining from vain Com* feny and much JVine^ in preferving better Or- der in Families •, and in a more religious Con- cern in governing their Houfholds^ in main- taining the daily Worfhip of God thert, by reading the Word and Prayer with an unin- terrupted Ccnftancy, and in training up their Children and their Servants to the Knowledge and Fear of God, and in the Faith of Jefus Chrift, with utmoft SolJicitude and holy Watchfulnefs. 'Tis true thefe pious Prac- tices were more common in the whole Na- tion three or fourfcore Years ago than they are now : But if there be any Dege- neracy in that: refpedl among our Neigh- bours, is there not as great or greater De- generacy in proportion reigning and vifible amongft us ?
Shall I addrefs my felf with Freedom
to the Parents and Governors of Families ?
Are you as follicitous to keep up the Sea-
L 4 fons
224 Peculiar Practices of
ions of Worfhip in your Houfholds as your Fathers were ? Do you not fuffer every little Pretence now-a-days to break in upon the appointed Times of Family -Religion, and oftentimes to prevent it intirely ? Nay, are there not too many among you, who fcarce ever call upon God in their Families at all, unlefs it be perhaps on a Lord's Day Evening ? Are you fo careful to keep re- gular Hours for the various Parts of the Bufinels of the Day, or have you learnt to change the Courfe of. Nature, to turn Night into Day, and Day into Night, and to con- found the Order of Things ? C-;:n the Sea- ions of Family- Worfhip be v/ell maintain- ed, or can the Mailer perform it with ;i clear Head and a pious Heai t in the Even- ing, if he indulges his Amufements in pub- lick Drinking-Houfes till near eleven a clock at Night, or till the Hour of Mid- night approaches ? Is not evening Wor- fhip very often utterly neglected by this Means ? Is there any fuch thing as Devo- tion paid to God in the Morning, even in thofe Families whofe Affairs and Circum- ftances would admit of it, if there were a fincere Defire in the Matters to main- tain it ?
I grant there are fome Employments, Conditions and Cafes of Life, where 'tis hardly poffible for the Houfhold to meet together in the Morning -9 but I am well
allured
the ancient Non-conformifts. 225
aflured there are many Families wherein this Piece of Religion is neglefted, who can make no fufficient Apology or juft Excufe for it. *Tis with Pleafure that I remember that elegant Reproof given to a degenerate Age in a Sermon preached, (but I think never published) by the late Bifhop Burnet : <c In the Days of our Fathers, faid he, " when a Perfon came early to the Door " of his Neighbour, and defired to fpeak " with the Mafter of the Houfe, 'twas as " common a Thing for the Servant to " tell him with Freedom, My Mafter is at " Prayers, as to anfwer now, that he is a not ftirring. " This eminently refers to the Days of the Puritans, or the Time before the Rejioration. In which Words there was a fhort, a gentle, and a com- prehenfive Rebuke given to three or four Vices at once, (viz.) to the Wafte of Day- light in Sleep, to diforderly Hours, to the Neglect of Family Devotion, and to the being afhamed even of the domeftick Forms of Religion and Godlinefs : All which now prevail fo much amongft us. But if this Negledt has fo much over-fpread the Fa- milies of the eftablifhed Church, have not the Diffenters loft their Religion alfo in a fad Proportion ?
Will you complain that our Fathers
did not always maintain the Decency in
their Expreffions in Family Worlhip which
L 5 becomes
ZiG Peculiar J'- .
becomes Perfons addrcning the great God, and that you are hot capable of exprcfling yourfelves with a due Degree of Propriety and Decency in addreffing God while o- thers are prefent, and therefore you entire- ly omit the Duty : But give me leave to afk, Is it not better to honour God in your Houihold by daily Acknowledgment of his Mercies, and committing your felves daily to his Care and BiefTing, tho5 you cannot do it with fuch Accuracy as you defire, than to forget God entirely, and never ac- knowledge him at all ? Befides, as you have often heard from me, and I repeat it again, The Woril ip of God in various Forms of Prayer precompofed and fitted to the common Circum fiances of Morn- ing and Evening, is infinitely preferable to the Negleft of Family Religion, and the taking no Notice of God in your Houfe. Now there are many fuch Books for daily Devotion written by fome of the Divines of the eftabliihed Church, where the Senfe and Expreflions are proper and pious : I wifh fome of our Brethren among the Dif- fenters would not only encourage, but afiift their Flocks to offer up fuch Morning and Evening Sacrifices in thofe Families where now there is no Prayer. Thofe who find not in themfelves fufficient Courage or A- bility to pray without thefe Helps, may ob- tain excellent Affiftance by the prudent Ufe
of
the ancient Non-conformijls. 22 j
of them. Where any peculiar Circum- fiances occur in Families, which may oc- cafion the Qmiffion or Change of a few Words or Sentences, or the inferring fome new Petitions, it will be found no difficult Matter to thole to practife this with De- cency and Honour, who fet about the Work in good Famed, and feek for the Affiilance of the Spirit of God who is called a Spirit of Supplication.
I might enquire further under this Head, Are you fo diligent and ibllicitous that your Children and Servants Ihould know and love God, as your Anceflors have been ? Does it appear in their Improve- ment in the Knowledge and Practice of Chriftianity above their Neighbours, that they belong to the Family of a Protefiant Diffenter, whofe Character in a former Age, was famous for Education in all the ftriciefl Courfes of Piety and Virtue ? Or are your Honftiolds as ili-inflru£ted, and as ignorant as any of your Neighbours round about you ? What have you done in this Matter more than others ?
But Mafiers of Families are not the only Perfons that fall under this Head of Ad- monition : I fear there are others in our Age who continue from their early Educa- tion to worfhip in general amongil Pe fiant Dijfenters, and y^t neglect the goad Cuftoms of their Anceflors : Who (pel L 6
228 Peculiar Practices of
too many Hours of, Life in publick Houfes, who fometimes raifing their Spirits a Degree above Cheerfulnefs, protradt their Mirth beyond the Midnight Hour, and pacify their Coniciences with this Pretence, that they have no Family which wants or requires their Prefence at Home ? But do not their Clofets mifs them ? Do not their Bibles want their Perufal ? Doth nor Solo- mon wait for them with a Word of Reproof to thofe who tarry long at the Wine ? Prov. xxii. 29, 30. Do not the Families where they dwell feel the Inconveniencies of fuch late Watches ? Will not their own Health of Soul and Body find the mifchievous Ef- fects of it ? Will not their Character fufFer as the Off-fpring of Protejlant Difjenters, and the Profefllon which they ftill make of Non-conformity ? Will they continue Non- conformifts to the Church, and be fo very conformable to the finful World ?. Is this to ahftain from all Appearance of Evil ? You will find many more pertinent Enquiries on this Subject in a Serious Addrefs to thofe who untie ceffarily frequent the Tavern, printed lately in New- England.
In the fifth Place, may I mention Fruga- lity in Expences and Induflry in their parti- cular Callings, as a remarkable Pair of Vir- tues among our Predeceffcrs the Puritans and the Protejlant Dijfenters our Fathers ? I mean particularly in this Refpcft, that
the
the ancient Non-conformijls. 229
the Want of thefe Virtues fcarce ever appeared in the Ruin of Families^ and a Bankrupt vjas aim oft an unknown Name amongft them : Such a Man would have borne a long and heavy Load of Infamy, and have been ex- communicated at once, and caft out of the Church with Abhorrence, in our Fathers Days, unlefs he could with the greateft Evi- dence have made it appear that fome fud- den overwhelming Diftrefs, fome ruinous Providence, or fome furprizing Lofs had been the Occafion of it.
But how (lands the Cafe now ? Is not Bankruptcy reckoned too fmall a Crime amongft the Diffenters as well as amongft their Neighbours ? And that where there can be found no other Reafon for it, but that they have lived too faft, they have af- fefted the Luxuries of Life in their Drefs and Furniture, Food, Equipage and At- tendance, and would vie with their Neigh- bours in Splendor, Grandure and Expence, where the Circumftances of their Eftate or Trade have not been able to afford it ? Or perhaps they have frequented Taverns early and late, they have habituated them- felves to a Morning Whet, to prepare for fome luxurious Difh at Noon , they have indulged their Pleafures and negle&ed their Shop, they have trifled away their Time in idle Company, and Jfeft the Bufi- nefs of the proper Hour undone ; or it
may
230 Peculiar PraSiices of
may be they have fought to grow rich at
once by plunging th micives into Trade
and Debt beyond all Proportion of their
own Eftate, or Pofiibilky of Payment, if
they fhould meet with any difappointing
Accident ; and they have too often afiumed
the Character of the Wicked, who borrows
when he knows not how to pay again , and run
on borrowing without End, and without
Meafure, fo long as they could find any
Artifice to fupport Credit ; they have fup-
plied their Shops with Goods, their Table
with coftly Provifions, their Houfes with
rich Furniture, and their Family with fhi-
ning Apparel out of the Purfe of their
credulous Neighbour, and perhaps made
him pay their heavy Scores in the Tavern
alio. A Man who fhould have been found
in the Practice of half thefe Vices, would
never have been called a Biffenter in the
Days of our Fathers ; and 'tis a heavy
Shame, and an infupportable Difgrace, that
there fhould be any fuch Characters in our
Day that fhould wear the Name of a Non-
conformift : But 'tis weil there is Purity of
Dilciphne enough in our Churches to refufe
them at the Table of the Lord.
I proceed now to che fixth and laft Thing wherein the Proteftant Diffenters were wont eminently to diftinguifh them- felves, and that is in their Abftcining from thofe gayer Vanities and dangerous Diver/tons
of
the ancient Non-conformijh. 231
of their Age, which border fo near upon Vice and Irreligion, that fometimes 'tis pretty hard to feparate them •, fuch are many of our midnight Ajjemblies, midnight Balls, lewd and prophane Comedies, Mafqiie- rades, public k Gaming Tables and deep Play, and iiich like Places and Methods of mo- dern Diverfion, where Temptations abound and furprize the Unwary, where Virtue and Religion are in extreameft Hazard, and fometimes receive a fore and Jafting Wound. In this refpeft fhall I put the Queftion, What do you more than others ? 'Tis grant- ed there are fome Perfons of the eftablifhed Church that have avoided thefe Things as well as our Fathers the Puritans, and in fome few Families, even of Figure and Condition, thefe perillous Amufements may be difallowed or feldom frequented : But 'twas the conftant and known Mark of a Proteftant Dijfenter in former Days, to re- fufe Attendance upon any of thefe kind of Diverfions, and boldly to deny his Compa- ny when he was never fo much importuned. I hope we have not utterly loft thole Pieces of Puritanifm amongft us.
I grant that our prefent Age having run fo much greater Lengths in Liberty than the Age of our Anceftors, there may be fome degrees of allowance, or at leaft fome Excufes drawn from the too general Cuf- torn of others in thofe Things which can- not
232 Peculiar P raff ices of
not be certainly proved to be finful, tho* they may pofiibly have a dangerous Ap- pearance and Tendency : When a whole Age takes large Liberties, even Perfons of Sobriety and Virtue are under great Temp- tations to extend the Limits of their Rules of Practice ? 'Twac a known laying of one of the Ancients, that " chofe Things might " be done by Men of Virtue among the " Rabble of Romulus ^ which ought never 44 to have been done in the Repubhck of " Plato." 'Tis granted further, that it is hard to prove every one of thdfe Diver- fions I have mentioned to be abfolutely and univerfally unlawful : And it is poflible that Perfons of Piety and SeriouihcLs may give themfelves Leave, upon juft Reafons, to attend once or twice in the Courfe of Life upon fuch Diverfions ^ perhaps it may be done in order to know what they are, that they may not utterly condemn Things which they know nothing of, and that they may pafs a juft Judgment concerning them ; or upon fome other very uncommon Oc- cafion and Occurrence, where the real Ser- vice or Advantage does plainly over- balance die Danger of hurting our own Spirits, or of giving a bad Example to others.
But upon the Whole, it mud be confef- fed, that to make this Sort of Entertain- ments a frequent Pradice, tends greatly to
corrupt
the ancient Non-conformijis. 233
corrupt the Savour of Piety, and flatten our Relilh for Divine Things ; 'tis ready to thruft out the Religion of the Cloiet and the Family, to awaken the Springs of Vir- tue, to take off the Guard of the Confcience5 to fenfualize the Mind and fill it with vain Images, which too often pollute the Ima- gination, and opprefs the young Seeds of Virtue and Godlinefs, that were beginning to fpring in the Heart. And I am bold to fay, that if our Fathers were in any degree too rigid and auflere in pronoun- cing thefe Things abfolutely criminal and finful, and in their utter Prohibition of themfelves and their Houfhold from ever once attending upon them ; 'tis certain that we their Chiidren are much more criminal in giving too great a Loofe to many of thefe Diverfions. Can you not name the DiiTenters who wafte that Time at a Play- houfe, or a vain Affembly of Merriment, at a publick Gaming-table, or a Dancing- room, that Ttmej I fay, which belongs to God or their Families ? Who fpend thofe Seafons in late Vifits and private Balls or at Cards, whereby evening Devotion is ex- cluded utterly ? Who can wear out whole Hours in thefe foolifli and perillous Recre- ations, and complain they have no Time for Prayer ? Can you point to no Perfons who are Members of Diffenting Churches, who intice their Acquaintance to thefe Vanities ?
Do
23+ PccullarVraclices of
Do you know no Mothers who lead their little Daughters thither, nor Fathers who permit their Sons to go without Controul ? And do they know, or will they not believe that die Read to Lewdnefs and Impiety, to Ruin and Beggary, lies thro* thefe Scenes of dangerous Diverfion ? The Lpfs of Religion, the Lofs of Time, the Lofs of Virtue, the Lofs of Reputation, the Lofs of Eftate in many Families of the Nation, bear a loud and iafting Teftimony to the difmal Influence of thefe Practices •, and, methinks, a Proteftant Dificnter, who profefles to maintain greater Degrees of Purity in pubhek Worfhip, fhould alfo be follicitous to keep himfeif pure from thefe Appearances of Evil in publick Life, and to abftain from thofe Stages of Vanity wherein there is fo much Danger of D. l- ment and Mifchief.
To fum up all in general, your Fathers had an honourable Charade g at ReputacM^, even among the k Parts of th-t t> i, for ft rift Virtue, for ex mplary ac :re Godimefs beyond
ti common B . d Multitude of thofe
who called themielves the Eftabhfhed C rch : if any Perfon appeared to be h eligious and fearful of indulging
any Sin or Compliance with evil Company, if he v/ere fcr i.pulous of any doubtful Prac- tice, or attempted to give an Admonition
to
the ancient Non-confonnijh. 235
to the Sons of Vice, he was prefently called a Puritan, or a Fanatick, or Presbyterian by way of Reproach. This Honour was a frequent Tribute paid by the ungodly World to the fuperior Virtue and Merit of your Anceftors and their Profeffion of Non-conformity. What is become of this your Reputation, this honourable Charac- ter ? Have you loft your good Name ? Have you fold your Glory for the Indul- gence of the Follies and Vanities of Life ? Have you fallen into fuch a Neglect of ftricl Religion as leaves no other Diftinfti- on between you and your Neighbours, be- fides your Worfhip once a Week in a dif- ferent Place and Manner ? 'Tis time, my Friends, when Religion is funk into fuch an univerfkl Decay in the Nation, 'tis time to enquire whether we have not fuffered it to decay amongft us alio, whether we are not Sharers in the common Degeneracy. It is high time to awaken our Souls, and en- quire, What do we more than others ? If the Bulk of the Nation be gone tar in the Ne- gled of Virtue and Godlmefe, let us not dare to follow the Multitude, and make our Profeffion of Separation an empty Name, and our Pretence to purer Wor- fhip a mere Badge of Hypocrify. Let us remember, if God fhould take up his Rod into his Hand, to punifh a finful Nation with an overflowing Scourge, we who fol- low
2 3 6 Special Advantages
low any of the vicious Cuftoms of the Age* who conform to the Iniquity of the Times, and never feparate our felves from the growing Ungodlinefs of the Land, fhall be mingled with our Neighbours in the com- mon Calamity and Defolation : Our Pro- fcflion of a feparate and purer Communion will but aggravate our Guilt. If we do no more than others in the Pra&ice of fincere Piety, why fhould we expedl to be diftin- guifhed from others by any peculiar ln- flances of fparing Mercy ?
SECTION VI.
Of the fpecial Advantages for Piety which fome Perfons of all Parties enjoy above others.
HAving ended my Survey of the fpe- cial Advantages for Improvement in Piety which are found in the feparate Af- femblies of Prcteflant Dijfenters^ above thofe who generally attend on the Worfhip of the Eftablifhed Churchy and the fpecial Obli- gations that we lie under to do more than others, I proceed one Step further, which fhal] be the laft ; and that is to furvey any other peculiar Advantages^ or peculiar Obli- gations which belong to fome Perfons of all Parties among us above their Fellows, and to enquire into their Behaviour and Im
provement
of feme Chrijlians. 237
provement in practical Godlinefs, whether it has been anfwerable to the fpecial Cir- cumftances of Obligation and Advantage with which the Providence of God has favoured them.
And here let it be obferved, that tho* thefe two general Heads of Obligation and Advantage are often found together, and belong to the fame Perfons.; for every Ad- vantage lays a fpecial Obligation on him that enjoys it ; yet for Method's fake it may be more proper to treat of them diftindtly.
Fir ft. What are the Advantages which fome of every Party enjoy above others ?
I. I will addrefs my felf then to you who have been blefi with a more fir iElly Religious Parent 'age \ and pious Education, among any Party of Chriftians whatfoever ; and borrow- ing the Words from the Lips of our Saviour I would enquire, What do you more than others ? You who have been trained up in the Forms of Godlinefs from your youngeft Years, and the Nurfery has been made as .it were a Bethel or a Houfe of God ; you have been early taught to read the holy Scriptures in which Timothy was inftrufted from his Youth, to the great Honour of his Mother and Grandmother, whofe Names have an everlafting Memorial in the Book of God, 2 Tim. i. 5. and iii. 15. You have been nurfed up in the conftant Attendance on the Worlhip of God in the Family,
and
238 Special Advantages
and in the publick Aflembly \ you have been taught from your Infancy to pay Honour and Refpedt to every Thing that relates to God and Religion ; how Hands the Cafe with you now ? Do you pay more Honour to God in the World than is pradtifed by your Neighbours ? Do you maintain a greater Reverence to Things facred, and do you wTalk more clofely with God ? The Examples as well as the Advices of your Parents have been continually kt before you ; you have been inftrufted in all the Rules of Honefty and Virtue, of Sobriety and Kindnefs, one would expeft that you fhould have been a confiderable BlefTing to the World, and honourable Inftances of all that is pious towards God, and of all that is charitable towards Men under fuch happy Advantages \ enquire therefore, what is the Frame of your Heart, and what has been the Conduft of your Life ? Have you for- got the Labours and Cares of your Parents, and the religious Practices which they intro- duced into your youngeft Years of Life ? Are you growrn weary of them already ? Do you defpife all thefe ferious Things in the wanton Gaiety of your Youth, as the Follies of Childhood, and the Errors of the Nurfery, and the Weakneffes of your infant State ? This is the Reproach, this the Scandal which fome wild young Rebels have infolently caft on all the pious Cares of
of jo me Chrijlians. 239
their Parents, and the Forms of a religious Education : But we hope better Things of you, and that you have grown up from the lower Clafs of Inftruftion to fome of the more manly and advanced Leflbns of God- linels and Virtue ? Surely you can fhew a fair and honourable Superflrudture, fince you had fo happy a Foundation ? Are you not arrived at higher Degrees of Religion and Goodnefs than your Neighbours, fince your early Bieflings did fo far exceed theirs ? This ought to have been your Character, and we hope this has been indeed your Prac- tice.
Methinks fome of you fhould fay thus to your felves, Am I not a Branch of an ancient pious Family ? Am I not a young Defcendant of the People of God thro' many Generations ? What care ought I to take to fupport the Honour of my Anceftors, and the Dignity of my Family in the fight of God and Man ? *Tis not enough for me to compare my felf with others, and con- tent my felf to be as pious and as fober as they are who never enjoyed fuch early Blef- fings ; but I am bound to maintain a vifible Superiority in the feveral Inftances of Piety and Virtue, if poffible, above my Neigh- bours, that the ancient Reputation and Credit of my Name and Family among the Churches of Chrift may not fink into Dii- grace, or lie buried in Fogetfulnefs, left
the
240 Special Advantages
the World and the Church fhould join in the deferved Reproach and Infamy of fo degene- rate a Plant as I am.
Can you not remember the wife Counfels and companionate Advices which came daily dropping from a Father's Lips, and from the Fondnefs of his pious Heart ? Can you not remember the tender Admonitions that a Mother has given you rifing and going to reft, while fhe foftened every Word with a Tear of Love ? Have you not known their painful Sonicitude of Soul for your Happi- nefs and your eternal Interefts ? What have you done with all thefe Leflbns of Piety, thefe Afliftances to Virtue and Goodnefs ? Have you caft them all behind your back, and are you grown as negligent of God and Chrift) and Religion and Sacred Things, as thofe who have been brought up like the Savages of the Wildernefs, and have been fuffered to run at large in a wicked World, though tlefs of God and of all that is holy ? Have you taken no more Care to pra£tife the Rules of Sobriety and Temperance than thofe who have been nurfed up in a wild and licentious Indulgence of Appetite and Paffion ? Have you no more Striftnefs in your Morals than thofe who were born in Families which made no Pretences to Virtue, and took no care to inftiJ the Principles of Religion and Goodnefs into the Souls of their OfF-fpring? 'Tis time, my Friends, 1 'tis
offome Cbri/iians. 241
'tis high Time to bethink yourfelves and put fuch Enquiries as thefe to your own Con- ferences-, thefe early BlefTings will be come a terrible Aggravation of your Guilt in the great Day of Account, if the Judge fhall then find that you have abufed and loft them.
II. You who have fat under a ferious^ a fervent and evangelical Miniftry> who have heard betimes of the Evil of Sin, who have been taught the Danger of your State by- Nature, that you are afar off from God and Heaven, you who have been inftrufted early in the Gofpel of Chrift, and the Methods of his Salvation by the preaching of the Word, What have you done more than others? You have known Jefus betimes, and learnt his Offices as a Mediator to bring Sinners near to God, as a Prophet to reveal the Mind and Will of God to you, as a High Priefi to make Atonement for Sin on Earth, and to intercede for you in the Court of Heaven, as a King to give you Laws, and to govern you, as a heavenly Example of all that is pious toward God, and beneficent toward Man: Have you ever endeavoured to imprefs on your own Hearts a deep and humbling Senfe of your finful and dangerous State without renewing Grace and an Inte- refl in the Mediator's Love? Have you ever yielded yourfelves up to this bleiTed Mediator, and received his Salvation ? Have M you
42 Sp& ■'■ vtmtagi i
you prayed earreftly for the Divine Ii enccs of the Holy Spirit, which you have been often told are promiied in the Golpel, to make ycu new Creatures, and ailift you in every Duty? Have you had a conftant awful Senfe of Death and Judgment, of Heaven and Hell, which have been fo fre- quently let before you in the Miniftry of the Word, and iinpreft upon your E$tt and your Confciences with Life and Fervency? Have your Fruits of Holinefs been anfwer- able to this favourable Cultivation which Heaven has beftow'd upon you? Do you remember that awful Reprefen ration of your Cafe by the Apoftle in Heb. vi. 7. The Earth "which drinketh in the Rain that comes oft upon it, and ftill bears nothing but Briars and Thorns is rcjefiedofGod and is nigh unto Curfing^ whofe End is to be burned? Andean your own Reafon or your Confcience afford you one word of Apology or Defence againft this righteous Curfe and this burning Sentence ?
Let us think with ouifelves what Multi- tudes there are who have not been trained up in the ways of publick Worfhip, who thro5 the Wickednefs of their Parent?, or thro' their great D;fharce from the Places of any religious Afiembhes, have been very much unacquainted with any of the Bleffings of a Gofpel Miniftry: Think what Numbers of Families, efpecialJy in the Country, are
brought
offome Chrijlians. 24 3
brought up to the Labours and Drudgeries of Life at the Diftance of fome Miles from a Church of any kind, and are not able to attend on any Miniftrations of the Gofpel without great Fatigue and Inconveniences: How tranfcendent have our Advantages been above others? Have we made a right Ufe of thefe Bleffings? We who dwell as it were in the Houfe of God, who Jive near the Gates of Zion, who have the Ordinances of Cbriji brought almoft to our Doors, have we delighted ourfelves in the Worfhip of the Sanftuary and in the Ailemblies of the People of God? Or have we cried out What a Wearinefs is it ? And have we neg- lected the Methods of Grace which the Pro- vidence of God has brought lb near us? Have our Lips and our Lives and whole Behaviour manifefted that we have been often with God, and that we have been nourifhed up in Holinefs with the Provifions of the Houfe of God ? Do we think thefe heavenly Provifions will never be accounted for? Or that the great God will never afk what Ufe we have made of them all ?
III. You who have been favoured with religious Friends, Companions and Acquain- tance in the Courfe of Life, fuch as you may converfe with freely about the Things of God and your own Sou!, and who will be ready to help you onward to the Way to Heaven, What have you done more than others? M 2 How
z 44 Special Advantage*
How definable a Thing is it for young CKli- ftians to have fuch a Friend as David, Pi. Ixvi. 1 6. C id me and I will tell
you what God has done for my Soul? How happy is it to be placed amongit fuch Ac- quaintance who will walk with you in the Road to Salvation, and with whom you may go to the Houfe of God in Company ? When young Perfons firft begin to be awakened to a Senfe of Sin, to enquire what they mufl do to be favedj and to Jet their Faces tozvard Heaven, how fweet and unfpcakable a B!ef- fing is it to have a religious Frier.d near them, to whom they can unbofom them- felves, who can affift them with their Ad- vice, encourage them with their Company, fupport them by their own Experience, and keep Religion warm in their Flearts by holy Conference? Who can give them a gentle Admonition of their Danger, who can ftir them up to Duty whenibever they grow neg- ligent, and recall them when they wander from the Paths of Piety and Peace ? What Advances in Holinefs are juftly expedted from Perfons who have enjoyed fuch an Advantage as this ?
Howaffliftive and melancholy is the Cafe of many Perfons in their younger Years, whofe Lot is caft in Families where there is not fo much as the Profeflion or Form of Godlinefs? Who have had not one religious Acquaintance, not one Friend to fpeak a fe-
rious
offome Chriflia?is . 245
rious Word to them for Months or Yeais together? Who are under the perpetual Im- preflion of evil Communications and the mif- ehievous Influence of wicked Companions? Who are drawn away betimes into Snares and Defilements ere they are aware of their Danger? How unhappy are they who in- ftead of hearing pious Difcourfe live daily in the midft of Prophanenefs ? Who are fur- rounded with the Language of Hell, and where Curfes and Oaths and Blafphemies of the Name of God are made conftant and fa- miliar ? And i f at any time a holy Thought, or an awful Senfe of Sin be awakened with- in them, the divine Spark is quenched on a fildden, and never fufferM to kindle into a Flame 5 and every hopeful Appearance of Religion or Virtue is blafted and deftroycd in the very Bud ? How much more blelTed are your Circumftances who have been freed from the Temptations of evil Company in the dangerous Years of Youth ? 'Tis expect- ed that you fliould preferve yourfelves more unipotted and pure from all the Vices of the Age, that your Lips and your Lives fliould be untainted with the licentious Impiety or Leu dnefs of the Times, that your Behavi- our fliould be more agreeable to the Rules of ftrict Godiinefs, and your Virtues in the World fliould fhine with a more illuftrious Light and your Souls be animated with the pure Flames of Devotion, fince you have M 3 had
246 Special Advantages
had nothing to damp or difcourage th- But on the other hand, if ye have run into the Paths of Folly and Madnels without the Allurements of an evil Companion, without the Influence of a wicked Example, without thofe Temptations to which others are ex- pofed, how aggravcitcd is your Guilt in the Sight of God, and how deep and fenfibie Ought your Repentance to be!
IV. You voho have had Books of Piety and Religion put into your Hana from your youngeft Years, and have been taught to read the great Things of God and of your Salvation, what have you learnt, whai have you done more than others ? You who have been ex- cited and encouraged to acquaint yourk with the neceffary and important Things of Religion by reading, who have had the Rules and Advices, the Precepts, the Pro- mifes and Threatnings of the Word of God drawn up into a narrow Compafs in religious Treatifes, and fet before you in a moil powerful and perfuafivfe manner, you who have enjoyed the Labours of your Fathers, and are addrefied by the Dead and the Liv- ing, in their practical and pathetick Wri- tings, with the kindeft Exhortations to Vir- tue and Piety, and the molt awful Warn- ings againft every Sin, you who have been allured by all the mod engaging Methods your Parents or your Friends could think ot to acquaint yourfttvcs with the Hiftories of
Scriptgre,
ofjome Chrijllans. 247.
Scripture, the Dodtrines of Religion, the Examples of Godlinefs, and the important Affairs of your immortal Souls; *tis ex- pected that you fhould exceed others in pradtical Godlinefs fince you have enjoyed all thefe Affi (lances.
Let us be perfuaded to confider with our- felves, how many there are of our Age that never had one pious Book put into their Hands, and it may be they have never been taught to read s ot if they have learnt the Art of Reading, it has been employed from their Childhood in wanton Songs, in leud" Novels, or trifling Romances ; and thus their Fancies and their thinking; Powers have been unhappily tinctured with iniquity, and vitiated even from their youngeft Year : What Degrees of Holiriefs have we attain'a higher than they ? What Improvement have we made of our Privileges to acquire more eminent Advances in Piety, and get further onward in our Way to Salvation?
V. You who have had Clofeis or /seres Chambers at your Command^ and proper Places of Retirement provided for you^ wherein to retreat from the World, and converfe with God and your own Hearts, What have you done in Religion more than others ? This is a moft confiderable Advantage for Improve- ment in Godlinefs. Matt. vi. 6. our Saviour bids us enter into our Clofets^ and pray to our Heavenly Father who feeeth in fecret, and he M 4 promifes
248 Special Advantages
promifes in his Father's Name that he will reward us openly.
What Multitudes are there in the World whofe Parents have been fe negligent of ferious Religion both in themfelves and their Oft- fp ring, as never to contrive or provide for their Children either any Opportunities or any Conveniences for fecret Worfhip -9 nor have the ycung Creatures ever been taught to retire from the World, and call upon God in fecret? And what Numbers alfo have always lain under fuch ftrait Cir- cumftances even from their Childhood, that they are feldcm able to find a retiring Place, the whole Family being confined to a fingle Room or two? And if at any Time the Word of God has reached their Conferences,, and awaken'd them to a painful Senfe of their Sin and Danger, if they have been earneftly enquiring after Relief and Pardon and Salvation, when their Souls have been full and ready to overflow under a deep Im~ preflion of divine Things, they have neither had a Friend into whofe Ears they could vent their inward Sorrows, nor a fecret Corner to retire where they might pour out their Souls before God ? This has been a noft afflictive and painful Hindrance to young and early Religion : But as for you Vvho have enjoyed bleffed Advantages for Re- tirement, what have you profited by them ? O fay thus to your own Souls, Have I
offome Chrijliam. 249
made more conitant Vifits to Heaven than others? Have I converfed more frequently with God than they ? Have I arrived at a more humble and intimate Acquaintance with God thro5 J e fits Chrift the Mediator ? Have I attained greater Freedom at the Throne of Grace, and treafured up richer Experiences about the Duty and the Grace of Prayer, the Pleafure and the Succefs of it ? Have I learnt more of the Temper of my own Heart when I have had fuch Con- veniences for Retirement and for Self-exa- mination, fuch Opportunities to converfe with God and my own Soul, and to tranfadfc the important Affairs of Eternity? Which of us in this AffembJy who have enjoyed this Advantage have not Reafon to fmite upon our BreafU to acknowledge our Guilt, and to mourn before the Lord ?
VI. You who are not fo overburdened with the Bujinejfes and Cares of Life but you can find frequent Seafons of Leifure^ which may be employed in the Concerns of your eternal Inte- rest s> What do you more than others ? Me- thinks, when I obferve fome Peribns, and even whole Families under fuch Degrees of Poverty, that they are forced as it were to plow and threfli for their Bread from Morn- ing to Night thro* the whole Week, who are as it were chained to the labouring Oar, and mull fweat and toil early and late, and break in upon the Hours of natural Sleep M 5 and
250 Special Advantages
and Repofe in order to fupport this mortal Lifej ai d to furnilli themfelvcs or their Houfhold with Food and Raiment ; when I obferve how very little Time or Lei Hire they can employ to the Purpofes of Religion for their own Profit, or for the fpiritual Benefit of their Off-fpring, I cannot but pity them at my Heart: And if at any time they have had any Breathings of Soul after God or Godlinefs, the perpetual Cries of Nature in their poor ftarving FamiJies have almofl drowned the Voice of awakened Confcience, and made them neglect the one thing needful: They have been fo conflantly engaged in labouring for the Bread that pe- rijbes that they have little time tofeek that Which endures to eternal Life. Surely upon a Review fome of us (hould be awakened to reflect upon many wafted Hours of Lei- fure that we have fpent in Vanity, and whole Days that have been fquanderM away in fooliih Trifling or vain Amufement. Oh how much better might many of thefe happy Seafons have been improved in Clofets and retiring Rooms, in Reading or Prayer, to carry on the Defigns of Religion and our everlafting Happinefs!
How valuable a Thing is Time, tho* it flies away in Silence and fo much unnoticed and unregarded! Time for Rebels to feek their Peace with God! Time for Guilty Creatures to implore a Pardon? Time for
thofe
offome Chrijtiam. 251
thofe whofe Hearts are by Nature corrupt and finful, to labour with their hard and finful Hearts by applying the PfOffiifes, the Precepts and the Threatnings of the Word, in order to foften, to purify and refine them ! Time to wreftJe with God in Prayer for the Afliftances of his Spirit! Time for miferable Creatures to purfue Happfriefs! Time for mortal Creatures to prepare for Death, and for their immortal Spirits to get ready for Eternity! How richly might Time here on Earth be improved to lay up Treafures in Heavrn, to gain high Degrees of Religion and every Grace, and to make fwift and glorious Advances towards the State of the blefled ? How much more than others fhould we praftife Religion and Godlinefs who are blels'd with this Treafure of Time? What further Advances fhould we have made id the Road to Heaven who have any eonfi- derable Share of Time and Leifufe at our own Difpofal? And how many wafted Hours and Moments have the bed: of us to account for, which might have been employed to fublimer Purpofes, and have railed our Souls nearer to God ?
VII. You whom the God of Nature bds diftinguiftjed by any natural Talents or Quali- fications above others, what have you done in the Service of God more than others?
You who are blefs'd with [prightly Parts%
with a Sagacity of Mind, with afolid Rea-
M 6 fon
252 Special Advantages
fon and Judgment, with a&ive and vigorous Powers of Nature •, have you learnt more of God than thofe who are of flow Under- ftanding, and whofe Minds are lefs repen- tive of Knowledge? Have you gained a deeper Infight into the Grounds and Foun- dations of the Religion which you profefs?' Are you better acquainted with the great and important Articles of the Chriftian Faith and Practice than others? Can you render a better Re a fon of the Hope that is in you according to the Advice of the Apoftle Peter , 1 Pet. iii. 15? Can you fay more for the Defence and Vindication of the Gcfpel • againftthe bold Attacks of the Atheift and the Infidel? Have you fet your Ingenuity at work in any happy Contrivances for the Honour of God, or for the Welfare of Men? When the great Judge (hall make an Enquiry, Hoiv have you employ edy our brighter Talents of Wit and Reafon? 'twill be no fuf- ficient Anfwer to tell him how bufy you have been in Trade, and how ingenious to enlarge your Eftates, to build fine Dwellings, and to add Field to Field, and grow richer than all your Neighbours, while you have ufed neither Reafon nor Thought in the Service of Religion. But 'twill have a much worfe Appearance flilJ, if it fhall be found that you have turned the Edge of your Wit againft Religion and made ycur- feJvcs and your Companions- merry at the
Expcnce
of Jo me Chrijiians. 253
Expence of the Honour of Chrijl and his Gofpel-, that you have been fharp and in- genious for the Contrivance of new Vices and the Practice of Folly and Madnefs * that you have been fwift to- improve in every thing befides Religion and Virtue, and that you have been wife to do Evil, but to do Good have had neither Knowledge nor In- clination, Jer. iv. 22. Such bright and in- genious Sinners will expofe themfeives to the fiercer Flames of the Indignation of God, and thofe who have thus abufed the Sharpnefs of their Wit fhall feel the keener Pain in their Confciences.
You who have been endowed with fir ong and capacious Memories to treafure up much Knowledge, to retain long what you have learnt, and to recolleft it with Eafe, with what Sort of Treafure have you furnifhed this noble Repofitory of the Soul? Have you laid up nothing there but Trifles and Fooleries, nothing but Stories and Jefts, but Vanity and Impertinence, or Leudnefs and Scandal ? And have you neglefted the folid Riches of divine Knowledge, and the important Matters of Religion and eternal Life? Or have you taken care to hide a larger Portion of the Word of God in your Hearts than others, that you might not Jin againft him ? Have you treafured up more of the Truths, the Precepts, and the Pro- mifes of the Gofpel ? Does the Word of
Chrijl
2 54 Special Advantages
Chrijl dwell richly in you according to the Advice of the Apoftle, Colof.m. 16? Are you ready on every proper Occafion to entertain yourfelves and your Friends with holy Communications, with Pfalrns and Hymns and fpi ritual Songs which have been laid up in your Hearts? Or have vain Rhymes and wanton Sonnets filled up and defiled that Cabinet of the Soul ?
You who are adorned with a good natural Temper^ who are ever ready to oblige and pleafe, who have not fo many of the Seeds of Malice and Envy in your Conftitution as many of your Neighbours have, and in this refpe£t may be faid to have more of natural Virtue than they ; O what a bleffed Founda- tion is this upon which to raife an honour- able Superftru&ure of Piety and moral Goodnefs? You have not fo many vicious Qualities to fubdue as others, and yet have you fuffered Vice and unruly Paflions to pre- vail as much in your Hearts? Have you been follicitcus to adorn Religion with tins amiable Character which God and Nature have given you? Have you brought this Offering to the Service of the Gofpel ? Have you maintained your Candor and Be- nevolence, your Chaiity and Goodnefs towards Mankind who converfe with you ? And have you mad- the Prolefficn of Chii- ftianity appear illuftrious in your Behaviour? Have you employed thefe good Difpoutions
of
offome Chrifiiam. 255
of Nature to fliine in the Kingdom of Grace, like Diamonds polifhed and let in a Ring of Gold ? There is abundant Reafon to expeft you fhould do more Honour to Religion tian others, who are blefs'd with a Temper that fo happily imitates Virtue and holy Love? But have you devoted this Bleffing merely to earthly Friendfhips, and fhewn your Companion and Kindnefs to the Reft of the World, with a Negleft and Difdain of the Friends and Servants of God ?
Refle6t a little, my Friends, for what End did the God of Nature confer all thefe Blef- fings upon you!- Did he mould you of fuch a happy Conftitution in vain ? Do you ferve Sin and Senfe, the Flefh and the Devil, and the common Offices of this perifhing Life with thefe natural Talents and Advantages, and never think how much you might ad- vance your eternal Interefts by them? Do you never confider that you are obliged to ferve Jefus your Lord with them, and to do more in the World for God than others? For God, who is the Spring and Fountain of all thefe Bleffings, and has entrufted you with them for the Honour of his own Name ?
VIII. You who have been favoured with inward Workings of Heart toward God in your early Tears , you whole tender Confciences have been awakened betimes to a Senfe of Sin, and have been convinced of your Guil 1 and
256 Special Advantages
and Danger by the blefled Spirit of God, you who have enjoyed many a holy Motion of this bleifed Spirit upon your Souls, who have been brought often upon your Knees to the Throne of Grace to feek Pardon of Sin, Peace with God and eternal Life in your Days of Childhood, what eminent Advances in Religion fhould you have made before this Time? What have you done more than others? You who have been trained up almoft from the Beginning of Life under the Inftrudtions of God as well as the In- ftrudtions of Men, what Progrefs have you made anfwerable to thefe double and divine Advantages ? You who have tafted betimes that the Lord is gracious^ have you learnt to live upon his Grace ? Or have you loft this Savour of Religion, and are grown carelefs of fecuring the Love of God to your Souls? Shall I addrefs you in the Language of the Apoftle, Gal. iii. 3. having begun in the Spi- rit will ye end at laft in the flejh?
You who have learnt the firft Leffons of Chriftianity long ago, and begun to prac- tife them under the early Influence of inward Awakenings, what high Degrees have you acquired in the School of Cbrifi above others ? Have you learnt to obey the Spirit of God in all his Motions better than others ? Are your Corruptions more entirely under Re- straint ; Are your native Sins more effectual ly fubdued ? Are your youthful Paflions and
Appetites
offome Chrijlians. 2 57
Appetites better governed ? Is your Delight fti the Things of Religion rifen higher tharr theirs ? Is your Patience under Sufferings from the Hand of God more ftedfaft and exemplary, and your M eeknefs under Pro- vocation from Men more confpicuous ? Have you learnt more of the Pra£tice of Companion, Love and Tendernefs to your Fellow Creatures, and efpecially to thofe who love God ? What can you fay concern- ing your Improvement in thefe Inftances? Where are all the hopeful Appearances of Virtue and Godlinefs which rejoiced the Hearts of your pious and tender Parents, and gave Pleafure to all your Religious Ac- quaintance? Is your Goodnefs like that of Ephraim, like the early Dew and a Morning Cloud that vani/hes away ? Hofea vi. 4. Is there no Reafon for God to upbraid you as he did his People 7/h^/ofold, Jer.u. 2. I remember the Kindnefs of thy Youth, the Love of thine Efpoufals, when thou followed/i me in the IVildernefs? May not Chrijl fend his Apoftle to reprove you, O B ickfliders, in the Language of St. Paul to the Galatians, 2~e did run well, who did hinder you that you fhouldnot obey the 'Truth? What if God fliould pronounce concerning you that he would fend his Spirit to ftrive with you no longer, and abandon you to the Madneis and Folly of your own Hearts, and give you up to everlafting Wanderings ?
IX. You
2 5 ^ Special Advantages
IX. You ^£0 /^w Zw# trained up as the Children of God under the divine Difcipline of long or fharp Afflictions ^ what have you done more for God than others, or what have you learnt more of inward Piety? The Apoftle in the 12th Chapter to the Hebrews makes it appear that thefe fatherly Chaftife- ments of God are of great Advantage to the Growth of Virtue, and confiderably aflift our Improvement in Godlinefs. 'Tis a Mef- iage of religious Profit, tho* it be a painful one: As many as I love (faith our Saviour) I rebuke and chaften, Rev. iii. J9. The Defign of God in thefe afflictive Providences is to make as Partakers of his Holinefs. En- quire then into your own Hearts, you who have had the Voice of the Rod joined toge- ther with the Voice of the Word, have yoir attended duly to the divine Warning, and obeyed him that fpeaks from Heaven ! And • have you found your Hearts wean'd from thofe Vices which your Heavenly Father defigned to chaften and fubdue?
You that have been long confin'd to Cham- bers of Sicknefs, that have been chaftened upon your Beds withflrong Pains^ and have felt the Tabernacle often tottering and ready to fell into the Duff, have you yet learnt Silence and Submifllon to the Hand of God ? Have you learned Obedience by the 'Things which you have fuffered in Conformity to Jefus the Son of God ? Are you more wean'd from this World
and
offome Chrijtians. 259
and the Love of Life, who have been fo often upon the Borders of the Grave ? Are you more prepared for Death than thofe who never came within the Views of it? Has e- very fevere Shock of Nature made you exa- mine the Truth and Evidence of your Grace, fo that you have acquired a more folid and well-grounded Hope ? A re you more thank- ful than others for fome little Meafures of" Health which you enjoy, and more follici- tous to improve every Inch of Time and every Hour of Eafe to fome valuable Purpofes ?
Have not fome of us frequently (een Death entering into our own Dwellings, or into the Houfe of our Friends ? Have we yet learned to die ? And are we prepared to meet that lad Enemy better than thofe who never have been fo near him ? Have we learned to part with our Friends without fo much Difcompofure as others manifeft, fince we have had frequent Occafion to make ufe of the Confolations of the Gofpel on this Account? Do we live more upon God an E/erliving and Almighty Friend ? Has the cutting off the Streams of Bleflings amongft the Creatures made us dwell more at the Fountain, and abide nearer to God?
Perhaps fome of you may have been fmitten in your Eftate, and have loft a con- fiderable Part of your Subftance in the World ; you have been reduced it may be from plentiful Circumftances to a more
fcanty
2 6 o Special Advantage's ■
fcanty Diet, to coarfer Cloathing and a meaner Appearance, and are deprived of fome of the Conveniences of Life; have you learnt to live without them with an ealy and peaceful Heart ? Is your Spirit wean'd from thofe Grandures or fhowifh Appearances of Life which are by no means neceffary to true Happinefs ? Are you able to fay with St. Paul, Philip, iv. 1 2. I know both how to be abafed and how to abound \ every where and in all Things I am inftru5ledboth to be full and to be hungry \ for I have learnt in what- foever State I am therewith to be content.
Or perhaps you have been trained up all your Days in ftrait Circumftances, you have laboured hard to fupport Nature, and you have been freed from the Temptations that attend Riches and Grandure ; have you learnt to live without Envy againft the rich and the great, Envy the natural Vice of Mor- tals in mean Circumftances? Have you depended on the Providence of God for your daily Bread on Earth, and learnt this holy Leffpn of Faith ? Have you taken fo much the more Care to fecure to yourfelves Treafures in Heaven that never fade, and the Bread that nouriflies to eternal Life ? Are you among the Number of thofe who are humble and lowly as your Circumftances require? Have you been taught to be poor in Spirit ? You have had but few Temp- tations to Pride, have you therefore more
effectually
offome Chriffians. 261
£.ffe£tually fubdued this common Iniquity of JNature ? Ye have tafted few of the Charms of this World, and have had no ftrong Allurements to Earth, is your Heart there- fore more loofe from earthly Things? is your Subftance laid up in Heaven, and arc your Affections fet on Things that are on high? Have you any folid Evidences that your Name is written among the Number of thofe who are poor in this Worlds rich in Faith, and <Heirs of the Kingdom?
Are there any of the Sorrows or Difficul- ties that any of us have paffed thro* in this World rthat have made us more eminently fit for a better? Have any of the affl idling Strokes of the Hand of God made a fenfible Separation between us and our Idols? Or #re we found in that Rank of Men of whom the Prophet fpeaks in the Name of God, Jer. ii. 30. In vain have Ifmittenyour Chil- dren^ they have received no Correction: and whom the Prophet complains of to God himfelf, Jer. vi. 3. O Lord, thou haflftrickcn them, but they have not grieved-, thou haft confumed them, but they have refufed to receive InftruClion -, they have made their Faces harder than a Rock, they have refufed to return? What if the Blefled God fliould caft us out of his Fatherly Care, and fay in the Words in which he taught the Prophet Ifaiah to addrefs the Jews, Why fhould you be ftricken any more ? 2"e will revolt more and more.
How
262 Special (Migionx
How dreadful would the Cafe be, if God ihould give us up to our own Hearts Lulls, without anv further inftance of Paternal Difcipline and Love ? What if he fhould pronounce in his Wrath as he did againft a degenerated People by the Prophet Hofea, Chap. iv. 17. Ephraim is joined to Idols , let him alone : Let him run on in the Courfe of his Iniquity till he has made himfelf ripe for utter Definition.
There is no painful Stroke of Providence but carries with it an awakening Voice: And if we have been often fmitten with the Rod, we have received fo many frefh Warn- ings from Heaven; What are become of all thefe Warnings? Are they loft, forgot- ten and caft behind our Back? Have we endured fo many Things in vain, if it be indeed in vain ?
SECTION VII.
Of the fpecial Obligations to Piety which lie upon feme Perfons of all Parties above others.
HAving finifhed the general Head of Advantages which fome Chirftians of all Parties enjoy above others, I pro- ceed in the next Place to confider what fpecial Obligations lie on fome Chriftians beyond ethers to pradbfe Religion toward
God,
of/owe Chrifiians , 263
God, and Goodnefs toward Men, and to enquire whether fuch Perfons as lie under thefe Obligations have made anfwerable Improvements.
I. You who enjoy eafy and comfortable Cir- cumftances in the World, who are bled with Riches, or have at leaftavery happy Suf- ficiency to anfwer all the Cravings of Na- ture without the everlafting and anxious Cares of What jhall I eat, or what Jhall I drink, and wherewith jhall I be cloathed? What have you done for God more than others?
I will not, I dare not fay, that the great Things of this World are a certain Advan- tage to Piety, for Riches are fane times kept for the Owners to their Hurt ; they frequently become Temptations to Pride and Vanity of Mind, to the mirthful Extravagances and the Follies of Life, and lead away the Soul too often to forget God ; yet this I may ven- ture to fay, that the comfortable Circum- ftances of this Life are not in their own Nature Snares to the Soul, but they are always an Obligation which God lays upon his Creatures to raife a Revenue of Glory for him, and in a way of Gratitude to do more for his N.ime in the World than others. Honour the Lord with thy Sub/lance, and with the firft Fruits of thine Increafe, Prov. iii. 9, Tho* Riches may become a Snare if they are unbleft, yet they alfo may be improved
to
% 64 Special Obligations
to blefied Purpofes in Religion, and enable us to do much for God. Are you among the Number of thofe who arc rich in this World, and are you alfo rich in good Works , which is the Charge of St. Paul to the Chri- flians of his Day who enjoyed a larger Share of the Bleflings of this Life ? 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18. Do the Lips, and the Hearts, and the Bowels of the Poor blefs your Name, and give Thanks to God on your Behalf? Do the-Churches oiChrift acknowledge your Bounty for the Support of the common In- tereft of Chrijl and his Gofpel ? Does your Liberality and Benevolence in all proper In- fiances of Piety and Charity bear a Propor- tion to the Treafures with which God has intrufted you ? What have you done more than ethers, whom the great God hath made Stewards of a larger Heap of his earthly Bleffings?
II. You who have received great and re- markable Deliverances from Death or Mifery, cr Mi/chief of any kind, by the favourable Providence cf God, you that have efcaped imminent Dangers by Fire, by Water, in travelling by Lard or Sea, have you offered all due Acknowledgements to the kind and Almighty Guardian of your Life and Peace? Do you remember how frequently David devotes hiuifelf to God after every frcft Deliverance, how he engages himfelf in Love, and bkffes the Name of the Lord for
ever,
of jo me Chrijlians. 265
ever, and what a Multitude of Pfalms lie has written with this very Defign ? And can your Confciences declare what are the thank- ful Returns that you have made to the God of your Lives and your Mercies ? What have you done beyond others who never tailed the Pleafure of fuch Salvations ? What fa- cred and lafting Influence have any of thefe Providences left upon your Hearts ?
You who have been on the very Borders of the Grave, and ready to enter into the invifible World, under the Terrors of a guilty Confcience, and utterly unprepared to die, and yet God has commanded the Grave to fhut its Mouth again, and refpited your Life from going down to the Pit for a longer Seafon, have you taken any new Care to prepare for Death, that when the next Sicknefs comes you may not be furrounded with the fame Horrors ? Or are you as care- lefs of your eternal Interefts, as thoughtlefs of God and Religion and the Concerns of your Soul as you were before, or as others are who never enjoyed fuch a Warning ? What is become of all,.thofe keen Terrors that feized you on the Brink of the Grave ■? What is become of your Tears and Mourn- ings, your Vows and Refolutions, and your holy Promifes if God would fpare you but a few Years longer ? What ? Are they all vanilhed together with your Sicknefs ? Was N the
2-56 Special Obligations
the Wound of your Heart healed fo (lightly as to leave no Remembrance upon your Thoughts, and no happy Effects in your ? Are you no better than your former evil Companions? no better than you your- fdves were before this Affliction and Delive- rance ? Are you returned again to your old Iniquities, to your Neglect of Duties and your Forgetfulnefs of God ? Surely the next Mefikge you may expect from Heaven is the fudden Stroke of Death without any Opportunity for Prayer or Seafon for Re- pentance.
'III. You who are fixed in any fpecial Sta- tion of fuperior Influence upon others, as Pa- rents, as Governors of Families, as Minifters, as InftriiLlors of Youth, as Men of Honour and Reputation, of Rank and Character among your Neighbours, 'tis expected that you fhou'Id do more than others.
Are you a Parent, and have you brought Children into the World tainted with the common Corruption of human Nature, have you derived to them vicious Inclina- tions from Adam \)m firft Tranfgreffor, and are ycu not under tne ftrongeft Obligations to feek the Renewal of their Nature by divine Grace ? Are they come into this World by your Means, under the unhappy .Circumftances of Mankind, as Criminals v:A Strangers to God, and do you not feel
yourfelves
cffome Chrijhtins. 267
yourfelves under powerful Engagements to bring them acquainted with the God that made them, and lead them into the Methods of his Love? Do you think yourfelves bound to provide Food and Raiment for them, becaufe you are the Inftruments of bringing them into this mortal State, and under thefe Neceflities of Nature ; and arc you not as much obliged to take Care of their immortal Interefts, fince you are alio the Occafion of bringing their Souls into being ? For when a Son of Adam is born according to the common Law of Nature, there is an immortal Creature brought into Exiftence, and a Life of eternal Duration is begun. You who have taken fome Care daily, that your Children fhould be early ac- quainted with the common Affair of this peiiihing Life, but have you been as deeply follicitous to acquaint them with the Con- cerns of their Immortality ? Have you fought out any tender Moments of Addref* to imprefs their Confciences with an awful Senfe of God and Religion ? to let them know their Sin and Danger in a State of Nature, and to lead them to Jefus xht 1 Saviour of Souls ? Have you watched Moments when they have begun to manifeft the firft young Efforts of Reafon, and1 you then endeavoured to make them fenf of the important Things of Religion,
N 2 V\'( J
2 6 § Special Obligations
proceeded by Degrees as their Age would bear, to lead them into a larger Knowledge of Truth and Duty ? Have you taken no- tice of thofe Seaibns when their Confciences have been fir ft uneafy under a Senfe of Sin, and endeavoured to improve that Convic- tion, and to carry on the Work of God ? You have taught them, and they have learnt to know their own natural Wants of Food and Raiment, and Relief under Pain, and to addrefs their Parents on Earth for Supplies : And have you never let them know what their fpiritual Wants are, nor inftrudted them in plain and eafy Language to afk a Supply of their Father who is in Heaven ?
You have greater Advantages for this Purpofe than Minifters or Teachers of any kind : The Fondnefs of a Mother** Love, and the Authority of a Father's Voice, mixed with becoming Tendernefs, are fuited to make deep and lafting Impreffions upon their Off-fpring in early Years : Have your Parental Love and Authority been duly employed to this divine Purpofe ? Have you endeavoured to diffufe the Knowledge of God among your younger Houfhold, and have you made perpetual and fervent Ad- -dreflfes to the God of all Grace upon their Account ? Have your fecret Chambers been Witnefles of your Wreftlings with God in prayer for their Salvation ? and befides all
this,
qfjome Chrijlians. 269s
this, have you fet before them a bright Example of Piety and Virtue in your own Behaviour ? Have the Leffons which you have taught them by your own Practice happily concurred with the Jnftrudtions of your Lips to train them up for God and Heaven ? What can you fay, my Friends, to fuch Enquiries as thefe ? Have you been faithful to this Truft, and have you done any Thing anfwerable to thefe high Engage- ments ? Or have you only brought thefe In- fants into a World of Sin and Sorrow, and taken no Thought nor Pains to make them holy and happy I Have you introduced them into a State of immortal Exiitence, and yet employed no Care nor Labour to render that Exiftence happy, and to bring them up for the Bleffednefs of Heaven ? Is not this what you owe to your young Off- fpring, and to your own Chara&er as Parents ?
I Ihould here addrefs all Governors of Fa- miliesy as well as Parents, and thofe whole Bufinefs- it is to teach and inftruft Children, or who take Servants into their Houfe. You provide the Conveniencies of this Life for Servants, and ought you not to have fome Care of their Souls as well as of your own ? 'Tis the honourable Character that God himfelf gave Abraham, Gen. xviii. 19. 1 know Abraham that he will command his Children and his Houjhold after him^ and they N 3 jhall
2jcy y icil Obligations
p the IVay of the Lord: And his Ser- B well as his Sons were circumcifed and entered into the Bond of the Covenant. ere fcrvants are inftru&ed and admo- i/iihed by their Superiors with that juft Ten- der nei-s and Refpcft as Creatures made of the fame Flefh and Blood, there may be much done to win them to Chrift ; and where there appears a hearty Sollicitude for the Welfare of their Souls and their higheft In- terefi, they are not always fuch untraceable Creatures as to refufe the Affiflance that a Mailer or Miftrefs might give them in the way to Heaven : And remember this Aflifls d'MJe comes with a double Influence upon the i leaits and Cor.icicnces of thofe that are under your Government, wfien the mingled Principled of Authority and Love join in religious Advice.
Here I might addrefs Magifirates with a warm Enquiry, What do you more than others ? But we have few of that Character who attend our feparate Affemblies. I might Addrefs Minijters in the fame Language, who are eminently intruded with the Care of Souls ; but while each of us are engaged in fulfilling our own proper Pofts of Service, we have but very little Oppor- tunity of giving or receiving fuch mutual Advices in our publick Miniftry. Yet tvouid I not fuffer this Moment for to pafs
away
cffome Chrifliaus. 27 r
away without renewing the Enquiry upon my own Confcience, What do I more than others ? And in prefling the folemn Charge upon my own Heart of behaving in all my Miniftrations, and all my Studies, as be- comes one that is interefted in the Care of immortal Souls.
IV. You who have given your /elves up /; Chrijt by a folemn and public k ProfeJJion of his Name, and have joined your f elves to the Lord in his vifible Church, to partake of the fpecial Ordinances of the Gofpel, What do ye more than others ? You have declared to the World in a folemn Manner, that you have lifted your felves under the Banner of Chrifi, that you have taken up Arms againft Sin and every Enemy of your Salvation, and that you are become the Difciples of the meek and holy Jefus, what have you done anfwerable to thefe foiemn Engagements, beyond thole who have lived more at large, who have walked at a Loofe from all fueft facred Bonds ? The Vows of God are upon you, and you have recognized your Obligations to be the Lord's : Have you had your Con- vention in the World like the covenanted Servants of Chrifi ? Have you kept your- felves at a Diftance from the Defilements of the World, as a People purchafed by the Blood of the Son of God, and devoted to his Faith and Love ? Have you learnt to be N 4 meek -
272 Special Obligations
meek and holy, and harmlefs, and full of Companion to Men, and zealous for the Honour of God as Jefus your Mafter was ? Why do ye call him Lord and Mafter ', if you pra&ile not the Rules of his Advice, nor imitate his divine Pattern ?
You have often joined in the publick Worfhip of God as your God thro5 Chriji Jefus your great Mediator, and what have you gained by all thefe Seafons of Devotion ? Are you brought nearer to God than others ? Are you made litter after every fuch facred Seafon to join die wrorfhipping Affembly in Heaven ?
You who have often been Partakers of the bleflcd Inflitution of the Lord's Supper, and by this Means lie under powerful Obli- gations, and enjoy fpecial Advantages for i-Ioiinefs, What do ye more than others ? His holy Supper is provided for the Exer- cife and Eftablifhment of your Faith on a crucified Chrift : It is appointed for raifing and inflaming your Love to God the Father,, in fending his Son to die for you, and to Jefus the Son in fubmitting to Death for your Sakes : It is defigned to encourage and advance ycur everlafting Hope, and your holy Toy in the Lord ; and 'tis given you alfo to reprefent and to promote your Union and Love to all Fellow Chriftians, and to Jay you under the ftrongeft and mod folemn
Engagements
of fane Chrijlians. 273
Engagements to fulfil all the Duties of Chriftianity. Shall I intreat you to enquire into the Frame of your Hearts, and to look back-on your Behaviour in Life ? Are thefe holy and happy Ends of fo facred an Ordinance in any Meafure obtained , by you in a higher Degree than thofe who have no Opportunity to enjoy it, or no Inclination to attend it ? Is your Faith in a dying Sa- viour eftabiifhed fov that you can fay,, you will venture to live and die by the Faith of the Sen of God ? Is your Love kindled into a higher Flame to him who died for you ? Is your Hope more confirm'd ?." Is your View of heavenly Things where Jefus is at the Father's Right Hand, more conftantly maintained ? And do ye walk in the Joy of the Lord ?. Do ye feel the powerful Influence of thefe holy Solemnities ingaging you to a more undaunted Profeffion of the Name of Chriji^ . and the Practice of. every Duty toward God and Man ? Do you find your Hearts more united to your Fel- low Chriflians in Love, by communicating ; with them in the fame Bread and drinkins; , of the fame Cup, and by this Emblem of your vifible Union to one Plead even Chrijl Jefus £ Are you animated to fulfil difficult Services by thefe Heavenly Refreshments ? Do you find your Souls nourifhed by this Bread of Life ? Are you ftrengthened to N 5 bear-*
2ys Sped al Obligation*
bear the Fatigues of the Chriftian Soldier, and Jlipported by thefc holy Cordials under the daily Trials and Troubles of Mortality ? You ought to think with yourfelvcs, " To what " purpofe have I eat and drunk fo often at " the Table of the Lord, if my Religion " be ftill in a ftarving Way ? How little Influence have all thefe facred Vows and Engagements had upon me, if I luffer my felf to negle6l Duty or be defiled with Sin as often as thofe who never partake of this Entertainment ? And think alio what a fbameful Difcouragement you give to thofe who begin to fet their Faces toward Zion, if an Inhabitant of Zicn, a Member of a Chri- ftian Church, has not fomething more hea- venly about him than thofe who have not yet feparated themfelves from this World.
V. You who have had long and large Expe- rience of the Goodnefs and Grace of God thro* the whole Courfe of Life, and are now arrived at a good old Agey and drawing near to Death Eternity , What do ye more than others ? Do not the invifible Things of a future State appear to you in a fairer and ftronger Light when you are brought fo near them ? And have they not mere conftant Influence upon your Heart and Life ? You who have ib often tafted that the Lord is gracious, and have feen fo often the Intcrpofures of his"
Providence
of jo me Chrijiians. 27?
Providence to fave you from threatnipg Dangers, and the glorious Accomplifnments of his Promifes in the many Occurrences of t,he Chriftian Life, are you better acquainted with the Worth of thefe Promifes, and more ready to truft them upon every new- Difficulty ? Have you learned to live upon a naked Promife more than others, and to expe£t all from God, when you fee new Diftrefs arifing, and the Help of Creatures failing you ? Do you make it your Bufinefs to encourage younger Chriftians to walk on- ward in the way of Faith and Holinefs, and that fometimes by telling them what you yourfelf have feen and felt of the Grace of the Lord, as well as what you have read and heard of it in his Gofpel ? Do ye invite^ animate and comfort the younger Difcipies in the School of Chrifi at proper Seaibns, and fay, Come all ye that fear and love the Lor d^ and I will tell yon what he has done for my Soul ? Are the many Condefcenfions of divine Mercy to you entirely forgotten ? Is the Re- membrance of the various Inftances of his Grace loft out of your Minds ? Do ye dag- ger at every new Difficulty ? Are you frighted at every freffi Trial ? • Have ye been trained up in the School of Chrijl fo long, and learnt fo many Leflbns of Faith and Godii- nefs, and are ye flill beginning again, {till learning the firft Principles of Duty and No Hopci? ■
276 Special Obligations.
Hope ? What have ye done with all your Experiences of the Favours of Heaven and the rich Grace of Chrijl ?
You whofe tottering Tabernacles give you ywlice that they are ready to fall into the Duft^ have you attained a greater Affurance of the Building of God not made with Hands ^ that is referved in Heaven for you ? Have you learnt to fay with holy Triumph, We know that if this earthly Houfe be difjolved^ there is a nobler Habitation waiting for us on high? Have you this heavenly Inheritance always in View and Hope, and are you ready to be diflodged from your Dwelling on Earth, that you may dwell with Chrift in Haven ? Are ye confident and willing rather to be abfent from the Body\ and to be prefent with the Lord^ and that upon juft and folid Grounds ? O 'tis high Time for you who are fo near to Eter- nity, to get your whole Souls loofened from the little Affairs of this mortal State ? You who make daily Approaches to Heaven, 'tis time to be weaned from every Thing on Earth, and be dead to all that is not divine : You Ihould begin as it were to put on the Veftments of Paradife and Immortality, and to diffufe a Savour of the Holinefs and the Joy of that Place round about you, and let the World know that you are near to God. Or can you wear out whole Days and Weeks together, and never fpeak of Chrijl, of
Heaven,
of form Ghriftiam. 277
Heaven, of the Pleafuresat the Right Hand of God, and the Happinefs to be found in his Prefence ? And do you fuffer this little Rem- nant of Life to wear out daily without fome Efforts for the Honour of your heavenly Fa- ther and your Saviour? Can you pafs your Time away amongft Men, and walk bufily about their Affairs without any lively or joy- ful Thoughts of the Bufinefs and the Bleffed- nefs of the Saints on high, and the Spirits of the • juft made perfeft ? Are you fo near to the Place where God and his Son J ejus dwell in their brighteft Glories, and fay nothing of them to your Friends round about you ? So near the Borders of the upper World, and; yet cleave to the Duft as others do, and dis- cover as much Attachment to earthly Things, as thofe who are in the midft of mortal Amufements, and in the Vigour of human Life ? If this be your Temper ftill, what Apology can be made for you ? what Pretence of an Excufe ? How much do you difhonour Religion in old Age, and dis- grace the Profeifion of Fifty or Threefcore Years ?
You who have walked with God fo long thro' this Wildernefs, and have been fed and clothed and fupported all the Way, who have been delivered from many Enemies and many Dangers, from Fires and Waters, and Penis of every kind, who have been
carried
278 Special Obligations
carried thro' Multitudes of Difficulties, and made to triumph over huge Temptations, and have had rich Experiences of the Grace and Mercy of God thro* all your Pilgri- mage, can you not rejoice in him, trufl him in this laft Stage of Life, and venture thro5 Death and the Grave leaning upon his Arm ? Have you fo often committed your Souls into the Hands of your bleffed Re- deemer while they dwell here in FJefh, and can you not commit your Souls with holy Cheerfulnefs and Joy into the fame Hands when you are departing from thofe Regions of Flefh and Blood, and entering upon the Paradife of God thro' the dark Valley ? Can you not fay with the holy Pfalmift, Pfalm Ixxi. 20. Thou haft done great Things for me, O Gcd> who is like unto thee ? Thou haft fhewed me great and fore Troubles, and given me many a Salvation, thou /halt quicken me again even from the Duft of Death, thou /halt bring me again from the Depths of the Earth ; my God will redeem my Soul from the Power of the Grave, for he /hall receive me. Has he carried you thro5 fix Troubles* and cannot you venture yourfelf under his Conduct and Care to pais thro5 the feventh at the appointed Hour, and to make the Number of your Vi6lories and Salvations compleat ? We hope you have taught younger Chriftians to live and walk with
God,
oj fome Chrtfltans. 279
God, by your exemplary Behaviour and heavenly Converfation , and will you not alfo teach them to die, by roufing your Faith into an aciive Vigour, and railing your Courage high at the Gates of Death and the Borders of Glory ? Wh.it will the World fay, this finful and unbelieving World ? And what will younger Chriftians be ready to fay, if they obferve fuch as you are, call down and overwhelmed with tumultuous Fears at the approaching Hour of your Departure, when you have all along profeffed to the World how divine a Support your Religion contains in it againft all the Terrors of Death and the Grave ?
SECTION VIII.
Perfuajhes'to fuperior Virtue and Piety.
BEFORE I entirely finilh this Dif- courfe, perhaps it may not be amifs to mention a few Motives or perfuq/ive Argu- ments to awaken and excite you to improve in: Religion and Virtue prcportionably to all your Advantages and Obligations, I con fefs, throughout the Train of my Difcourfe I have given frequent Hints of this kind al- ready, and therefore I fhall mention but a few, and fhall be more brief in the Propofal lieu*
I. If'
28c Pcrfuafrces tofuperior
L If your Pradtice of fincere Godlinef?- bear no Proportion to the Obligation you lie under, and to the Advantages you have enjoyed, you will dif appoint ihejuft andreafon-- able Expectations of God, Angels, and Men concerning you. 'Tis true indeed, the blefled God, who foreknows all Things from the Beginning, cannot be really difappointed in a proper benfe, by any Occurrences among the Children of Men : But he is pleafed often to condefcend in his Word, to talk with us after the Manner of Men, in order to awaken us to Diligence, to Watchflilnefs, . and to an Improvement of our Bleffings to fome anfwerable Purpofes in Religion. So. he argues the Cafe concerning the unfruit- ful Nation of Ifrael, whom he called and chofe to be his own People, Ifai. v. 3, 4, &c. What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it ? When Hooked that it Jhould bring forth Grapes, wherefore did it bring forth wild Grapes ? The ever bleffed God complains here of his People like a. Vine-Dreffer difappointed of his Hopes.
Again, Angels expett it of you, for they, are Minifters of many a Favour of God to you : They are Witneffes of your Privileges and your Obligations ; they rejoice at your Converfion to God, and at your Growth in Hdinefs, and at every Victory you obtain ; but perhaps you give them Occafion to carry
many
Virtue and Piety. 281
many a melancholy Meffage concerning you to their Lord in Heaven, melancholy Mef- fages indeed of abuied Privileges and broken Obligations. There are Seafons when the Sons of God who are fent thro* the Earth come to prefent themfelves before the Lord, and give an Account of their Commiffion, and your Condudt, Job. i. 6. O may you furnifh thofe heavenly Minifters with con- ftant Matter of joyful Tidings to the Throne !
And let me add further, Men expeEl it of you j both the good and the bad : Every one that cbferves what Advantages you enjoy for Godlinefs, and what fpecial Obligations you lie under, expe6ts to fee fome Fruits of Holinefs anfwerable to your Profefllon, and to the Cultivation which Heaven has be- llowed upon you. Your Fellow Chriftians would rejoice to fee your Religion in a flou- rifhing State, and the ungodly World watch for your halting, and ftand ready to cover your Names with Reproach if you fail in your Duty. But this leads to a fecond Mo- tive.
II. If you negleft to improve your Obli- gations and Advantages, you will give a fcandalous and mournful Occafion to the Wicked tofpeak Evil of the Ways of God andGodlinefs : They will be ready to cry out, " This Re- " Jigion and Virtue has nothing in it, for the
" ftri&eft
282 Perfuafives to jupcrior
" ftridteft Profcfibrs of it ftiamefiiUy fail in " their Duty." And as every Party of Chriftians fuppofe themfelves to have fome peculiar Advantages, you will give Occa- sion to every different Sedt and Party, to throw Difgrace upon your particular Pro- f effion, if you pretend to more than others, and pradife lefs. " What are thefe People who would have us believe, that their Advantages for Improvement of Holi- nefs are fuperior to that of their Neigh- bours ? Are thefe the Perfons that poffefs Privileges above the reft of the World, and yet make no higher Advances in Vir- tue or Purity of Life, and have as little of Sobriety, or Honeity, or of Religion in them as their Neighbours ? " III. Unleis you improve the Bleffings you enjoy for the Purpofes of Godiineis, you will forget all thefe Blejfings* thefe peculiar Advan- tages for Religion* and provoke a righteous God to remove them. This was the Cafe with Jerufalem* the City that was beloved and favoured of God with his own Prefence, above all the Cities of the Earth, and whi- ther he fent his own Son from Heaven with a fpecial Commiffion of Grace and Peace to the numerous Inhabitants of it : But they had abufed all their Mercies, they had mif- improved all their Privileges, and forfeited att the Favours of a condescending God ;
and
Virtue and Piety. 2 8 3
and therefore the Son of God himfelf pro- nounced their Deftruction, tho' at the fame Time he wept over the rebellious City, and fhed Tears of Pity at the Thoughts of their Ruin : Lukexix. 41. Matt, xxiii. 37. OJeru- falem, Jerufalem', thou who killeft the Prophets, andftoneft them which are fent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy Children toge- ther, even as a Hen gathers her Chickens under her Wings, and ye would not ? Behold your Houfe is left unto you de folate : If thou hadjl known in this thy Bay, (i. e. in this laft Mef- fage which God has lent thee by me his Son) if thou hadjl known the things that belong to thy Peace ! But now they are hid from thine' Eyes, &c. The fame fort of Threatning is pronounced againft the chief Priefts and Elders of the People, Matth. xxi. 41, 42, &c* The Gofpel of the Son of God was preached to them, and rejected by them, Therefore I fay unto you, the Kingdom of God fhcdlbe taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof. Seme of the . primitive Chriftian Churches who enjoyed glorious Advantages had fuch a Sentence of Forfeiture threatned and executed flp them, Rev. ii 5. Remember from whence ihox art fallen, O Church of Ephefus, and repent and do the fir Jt Works •, or elfe I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy Candleftick $ut of his Place, i e. will diilblve. thy Church,..
and^
284 Perfnajives tofuperior
and deprive thee of all holy Ordinances, which was done effectually in the Courfe of punifhing Providence.
And in our Day, we Chriftians in Great Britain, by neglecting to improve our Ad- vantages, may provoke God to take away his Gofpel from amongft us, by permitting a Spirit of Apoftacy and Infidelity to over- run the whole Nation. We P rot eft ants may endanger the Lofs of our Reformation by fuch impious Negligence, and expofe our felves in the Providence of God to fome dreadful and bloody Defolation, whereby we may be given up to Idolatry, Superfti- tion, and Tyranny. We DiJJentcrs by the Mif-Improvement of our prefent Privileges and Peace, may forfeit thefe Mercies into the Hands of a righteous God : And tho* no Authority of Man can juftly deprive us of our Liberty to worfhip God according to the Diftates of our own Consciences, fo Jong as we pay proper Duties to the State, yet in the Courfe of Providence,, a juftGod may fuffer fome unrighteous and cruel Fac- tion to arife in the Land, which may pre- vail to the Ruin of our Liberties, to the Definition of our Peace, and to the Shame and Scandal of a Proteftant Kingdom.
I might upon this Head addrefs my felf particularly to thofe of every Party who enjoy any fpecial Advantages above their
Fellows,,
Virtue and Piety. 285
Fellows, and neglecft to improve them. What if God fhould bereave us of the Ad- vice of religious Parents, the Affiftance of pious Friends, the affedting and happy Mi- •niftry of ufeful Preachers, the Conveniencies of Retirement and a Clofet, Leifure and Seafons for religious Worfhip, or any other Privileges whatfoever, whereby our Souls might have made Advancement in their Way to Heaven ? What if in the Courfe of -his Difpenfations in the World, he fhould bring us into Circumflances of powerful Temptation ? What if he fhould caft our Lot in wicked Families, or take away all Opportunities of publick Worfhip ? What if he fhould confine us to Beds of Sicknefs, and vifit us with a Variety of DiftrefTes of every kind ? Such Sufferings may give us > painful Remembrance and bitter RefentmfPi; of our criminal Abufe of former Mercies.
Or what if our Rebellion againft the Dic- tates of Confcience, and our frequent Re- fiftance of the good Motions of God's holy Spirit, fhould provoke him to withdraw all thofe kind and heavenly Influences, and to give us up to the Hardnefs of our own Hearts ? What if Confcience fhould grow fbupid and fenfelefs and reprove no more ? What if the World and Spirit of God fhould call and invite us no more ? What if we -fhould be left to our own Folly and M^dne&i
abandoned
286 Perfuajives to fuperior
abandoned to the Power and Tyranny of our own Iniquities, and run on without Reftraint or Remorfe to the dreadful Precipice of Eternity, till we fall into the Pit of Fire and Darknefs whence there is no Redemp- tion ?
IV. If you negleft to live anfwerable to the Privileges which you enjoy, and the Bonds which lie upon you, your Guilt will be aggravated, and your final Condemnation en- haunc*din Proportion to thefe negle&ed Obliga- tions, and to thefe abufed Advantages. Thus it was with the Towns of Chorazin and Capernaum, wherein our Saviour had preach- ed his Divine Dodtrine, and wrought many mighty Works, Matth. xi. 20 — 24. It fhall be more tolerable for lyre and Sidon, two Hea- then Cities, and even for Sodom and Gomorrah, thofe Places of abominable Wickednefs, in the Day of Judgment, than for the Inhabitants of Galilee, who had abufed fuch heavenly Privileges. Think of this, O Chriftian \ there is a Day coming when every Advan- tage thou haft enjoyed fhall appear to have been a Talent that thou muft account for ; every Obligation that thou lieft under to Virtue and Godlinefs fhall be brought into the Account : And how terrible will that Scene be, if all thefe Privileges, Trufts and Engagements fhall appear before the Eyes of God, Angels, and Men, to have been
wretchedly
Virtue and Piety. 287
wretchedly mif-improved by thy Negli- gence ? That awful Hour is haft'ning upon us, when the Lord Jefus Chrift in. flaming Fire, and upon a Throne of Judgment, fhall repeat the fame Queftion to us Cbri<* ftians, to us Proteftants, to us Inhabitants of Great-Britain^ and to us prof eft Dijfenters, What have you done more than others ? And the Voice from the Tribunal fhall carry in it another Sort of Accent and Majefty than that in which it was pronounced heretofore in his Sermon on the Mount. Let each of us think with our felves what Anfwer we fhall be able to make to fuch a Voice of folemn and dreadful Enquiry, if we cannot now give a tolerable Anfwer when our Miniflers or our own Confciences put the fame Quef- tion to us. What Tremblings will leize our Souls, what Horror overwhelm our guilty Confciences, if all thefe Advantage's and thefe Obligations in the fearful Review fhall ferve only to aggravate the condemning Sentence, and fhall lay us under tenfold Punifhment from Heaven ? How dreadful will be the Anguifh of Confcience in that Day, when we fhall find ou delves condemned without Remedy !
V. -The laft Motive. I fhall mention is of a more gentle and alluring kind. 'Talents and Advantages well improved are the Way to obtain ftill greater -Advantages on Earth, and
will
288 Perfuafives tofuperior
will increafe your Crown of Righteoufnefs and your everlajling Reward in Heaven. Matth. xiii. 12. IVhofoever hath, and has improved what he enjoys, to him Jhall fomething further he given, and he Jhall have more abundant Ad- vantage ; and Luke xix. 16, 17, &V. He that received ten "Talents, and improved them wifely, was made Ruler over ten Cities : He that had two Talents was made Governor of two, while the unprofitable Servant who bound up his Talent in a Napkin, and made no ufe of it, was difpoffefled of what he enjoyed, and was driven into everlafling Darknefs and Mifery, where there is Weeping and Wail- ing andgnafhing of Teeth, Matth. xxv. 30.
You who profefs to traffick for the Riches of Heaven, have you no Ambition in you to be poffefled of fome of the fuperior Trea- fures, to be raifed to the fublimer Glories there, and fhine among the brighter and larger Stars ? One Star will differ from ano- ther in Glory, 1 Cor. xv. 4 r . And they who not only arrive at Heaven themfelves, but lead others thither too, fhall be arrayed in fuperior Splendors, Dan. xii. 3. You who are Racers in this holy State of Chriftianity, have you no Defire to gain fome of the firft and brightefl Prizes ? There are Crowns laid up for the Righteous of different Weight and Luftre, in the Hands of Jefus the final Judge, and he will reward every one accord-
Virtue and Piety. 289
ing to his Work : Thofe who have many Talents intrufted with them here on Earth;, have an Opportunity put into their Hands of obtaining fome of the nobler Prizes in Heaven,. and of wearing fome of the brighter Crowns. Let each of us then fay to our felves, " Open thine Eyes, O my Soul, " and take a juft and wife Survey what are 4t thy Talents, what are thy Advantages : 44 Has thy improvement in divine Know- <c ledge, thy Advances in Grace, thy fu- 44 perior Practices of Virtue and Piety been 44 proportionable to the Bleffings and Pri- 44 vileges that God has conferred upon thee ?"* 44 Awake at this Voice of Warning ! A- 44 wake, and bethink thy {elf, and mourn for 46 thy former Sloth, for thy fhameful Ne- 46 gligence, for thy Dulnefs in the Chriftian 46 Race, and all thine Abufe of the Favours " of Heaven : Awaken all thy adtive 4i Powers, and prefs forward with new Zeal " and Aftivity : Strive to anfwer all tlie " Demands of thy high and holy and hea- 44 venly Calling, and of the peculiar Ad- 4C vantages which thou haft enjoyed, that 4C when Jefust thy Judge, lhall at laft re- 44 peat this folemn Queftion, What haft 4< thou done more than others ? thy Tongue 44 and thy Confcience may give a happy " Account of thy part Behaviour : Then 44 fhalt thou receive this bleffed Sentence Q "from
290 Perfuafives to fuperior Virtue, &c.
" from the Lips of thy Lord, Well done good " and faithful Servant, thou haft been faith- " fill to the many Obligations under which " I laid thee, thou haft improved the nu* " merous Talents and Advantages with " which I intruded thee in the Days of thy " Flelh \ here, take thou from my Hands " one of thefe fairer Crowns, and afcend *' thou into fome of the higher Regions of " Immortality and Blefiednefs. Amen. "
The End.
BOOKS published by the fame Author.
I. TJhi losophical Essays on various Subjects, JL viz. Space, Subftance, Body, Spirit, the Opera- tions of the Soul in Union with the Body, innate Ideas, perpetual Confcioufnefs, Place and Motion of Spirits, the departing Soul, the Refurre&ion of the Body, the Production and Operation of Plants and Animals ; with fome Remarks on Mr. Locke's Effay on the Human Undemanding. To which is fubjoined, A brief Scheme of Ontology ; or, the Science of Being in genera}, with its Affections. The Third Edition, 8vo.
II. Logic k : Or, the right Ufe of Reafon in the En- quiry after Truth : With a Variety of Rules to guard againft Error in the Affairs of Religion and human Life, as well as in the Sciences. The Seventh Edition, 8vo.
III. The Improvement of the Mind ; Or, a Sup* plement to the Art of Logick : Containing a Variety of Remarks and Rules for the Attainment and Com- munication of ufeful Knowledge in Religion, in the Sciences and in common Life. 8vro.
IV. The DoFtrine of the Fajtons explained and im- proved ; Or, a brief and comprehenfive Scheme of the natural Affections of Mankind ; and an Account of their Names, Nature, Appearance, Effefts, and dif- ferent Ufes in human Life. To which are fubjoined, Moral and Divine Rules for the Regulation or Go- vernment of them. The Third Edition, i2mo.
V. Difcourfes on the Love of God, and the Ufe and Abufe of the PaJJions in Religion ; with a Devout Me- ditation annexed to each Difcourfe. The Second Edi- tion, i2mo,
VI Sermons on various $ubjetfs> Divine and Moral: With a facred Hymn fuited to each Subjea. Defign'd for the Ufe of Chriitian Families, as well as for the
Hours
BOOKS Publifhed by the fame Author.
Hours of Devout Retirement. In two volumes. The Sixth Edition, 8vo.
VII. The World' to come: Or, Difcourfes on- the Joys or Sorrows of departed Souls at Death ; and the Glory or Terror of the Refurrection. Whereunto is prefix'd, An Effay toward the Proof of a feparate* State of Souls immediately after Death, 8vo.
VIII. '71; e Holinefs of Times, Places and People, under the Jewifli and Chriftian Diipenfations : Considered and compared in feveral Difcourfes, on the Sabbath, the Temple, Churches, Meetinghoufes, £sV. i zmo.
IX. Humility represented in the CharaBer of St. Paul: The chief Springs of it opened, and its various Ad- vantages difplay'd ; together with fome occafional Views of the contrary Vice, 8vo.
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XI. The P/alms 0/ David imitated in the Language of the NewTeJlament, and apply'd to the Chriftian State and Worfhip. The Third Edition, large 1 zmo, with- the Preface and Notes,
N. B. The above Imitation of Pfalms is alfo printed in a fmaller Size and Character, and without the Preface or Notes, in order to render it more portable in the Pocket. The Eleventh Edition.
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