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V
f
SERMONS
AND
DISCOURSES
ON SEVERAL
SUBJECTS
AND
OCCASIONS.
BY
FRANCIS ATTERBURT, D.D.
Late Lord Biflhop of Rochester,
and Dean of Westminster.
Publifhed from the Originals
By THOMAS M 0 0 R E, D.D. His Lordshi p's Chaplain.
VOL. IV.
The Fourth Edition.
LONDON,
Printed for T. Woodward,
and C. D a v i s againft Gray's Inn, Holbourn.
MDCCLI.
< ' l«
THE
CONTENTS
O F T H E
Fourth VOLUME.
SERMON I.
On the Martyrdom of King Charles I.
LUKE xxiii. 28.
Daughters of Jerufalem, weep not j or me, but weep for your/elves and for your Children. 3
A Day of Trouble, Rebuke, and Blaf-
phemy, that derived Infamy, Mifery,
and Guilt upon this Nation. ^zg. 3, 4
The Text taken from one of the Lef- fons, which, according to the Courfe of the Liturgy, was read to the King juft before his Martyrdom,- and is now appointed to be read on the Day of its Commemoration. p. x A 2 The
iv CONTENTS,
The laft Moments of his Life, in Imi- tation of our Blcfled Saviour's, were employed in awakening a drowfy Nation to a Senfe of its Guilt, and a Dread of its impending Punim- ment. 6
I. The Dodtrine this Day fuggefts to . us, are, That we mifplace our Grief if we employ it in bewailing and la- menting ourmartyr'd Sovereign^, 8
*The Day on which the ancient Mar- tyrs were crowned, folemnized with Joy like their Birth-days. 8
Jn like manner we ought to magnify the Grace of God, which infpired our Sovereign with fuch Virtues, as made him mine writh greater Luftre in the Depth of his Sufferings, than he did in his moft flouriming Cir- cumftances. 9, 10
And raifed him in his loweft State as far above the moft profperous Princes, as they themfelves feem raifed above the reft of Mankind.
10^-13
By which he has given an Inftance to profane Men, of the Power of thofe religious Principles, which could fupport him under all the
Jndig-
CONTENTS. *
Indignities that befel him. 14
And reflects an Honour on that Church, at whofe Breaft he fucked thofe Principles. 14, 15
Every Confederation that heightens his Virtue, enhances the Guilt of the Instruments of his Ruin. 15, 16
II. Nations, as Nations, are liable to Guilt, and confequently to Punifn- menti 1 6
The Reafon why this appears clearer from the Old Teflarmnt than the New. 57, 18
How this Nation is concerned in the Guilt of the Martyrdom. 18, 19
The inflaming Circumftances of its Guilt. 20, 21
Which was punifhed, in forne Mea* fure, by its own neccflary Confe- quences. 22^—26
Thefe not put to an end at the Reite- ration 27 Nor ever can be, while the Doctrines that paved the Way to this Wickednefs are embraced andcherifhed^o — 34 A Deprecation of God's Judgments*
34—35 A3 > S ER-
vi CONTENT S,
SERMON II.
The wicked Lives of Chrifluim noArgumentagainftth^Truth of Cbriftiamty.
i T I M. vi. i.
'That the Name of God and his Doftrine 7^ be not blafphemed. 3 9
Tho' the Purity of the Chriftian Mo- rality is a Proof of its divine Ori- ginal, yet the wicked Lives of Chri- jiians are urged as an Objection againftit. 39 — 41
I. An Enquiry into the Grounds of this Objection : Where it may be obferved,
That as bad Men are under the
Chriftian Difpenfation, they would
have been worfe without it. 42
The Vices we obferve among Chri-
Jiians ftrike the Imagination more
ftrongly, by reafon of their Near-
nefs. 43
And becaufe they ar£ attended with a
deeper Guilt. 44
5The 4 /*
CONTENTS. vii
The Virtues of a good Cbrijiian lefs known, becaufe pnidtiled with a View only to another World. 44
The Author of The Whole Duty cf Man a remarkable In.ftance of this. 45
II. Allowing the Complaint to be jiift, there would be no Reafon to urge it to the Difad vantage of Chriftianity itfelf. 46
1. The holier! and pureft Dodirine is but Doclrine ftill, and can only inftrudl and admonifl^not compel. 47
It is no more an Argument again ft Revealed than againft Natural Re- ligion. 48, 49
2. Chriftianity in its Infancy had all the Influence upon the Lives of its Profeffors that could be expe&ed ; and if it has not the fame now, this muftnot be imputed to its Dodlrine, but to other Reafons. 50, 5 1
As Ist Becaufe it is not embraced fo
much uponPrinciple,as formerly. 52
2 ily Becaufe different Schemes of Re-
ligion.have been invented, very dif- ferent from the Purport of the Gof- 'pel. 53
A 4 $tii
viii CONTENT S.
3*ly Chrijlians that rejedt the Means
of becoming good Men, muft be
naturally worfe for them, as well as
judicially fo. 58
4thly It is hard to make Chriftianity anfwerable for the ill Lives of thofe, who do not in good earneft receive it ; and harder ftill, that thofe very Men, whofe Lives give Occafion for this Objection, mould prefs it moft eagerly. 59
III. The Inferences from this Difcourfe are,
1. The Degeneracy of Chrijlians is no Argument againft the Truth of Chriftianity, but rather a Confirm- ation of it, becaufe fuch a Dege- neracy was actually foretold by Chrijl and his Apoftles. 60, 61
And becaufe the Defign of Chriftianity, which was to reform the World be- ing fo remarkably defeated, it muft have come to nought long ago, if it had not been from God. 62
2. From our prefent Degeneracy we may conclude we were once in a better State. 62, 63
3. We
CONTENTS. i*
3 . We learn from hence not to meafurc Perfons by Doflxines, or Dodxines by Perfons. 64, 65
4. The beft Way to remove this Scan- dal taken againft Chriftianity, is to conform our Lives to the Dodlrines of it. 65—67
SERMON III. The Fear of God a Motive to
Holinefs. PHIL. ii. 12.
Work out your own Salvation with Fear and trembling. >^- 71
The Author of our Nature has been pleafed to addrefs himfelf to our Paf- fions, as well as our Reafon. 71, 72 I. Some general Refle&ions that may ferve to leiTen the ill Opinion fcru- pulous Perfons entertain of their Re- pentance, from its being founded upon a Principle of Fear. 73
1. The Gofpel prelTes the NeceiTky of Repentance in general ; but- is filent as to theMotive from whence it muft arife. 74
2. Thofe
CONTENTS.
2* Thofe that think their Repent- ance ill grounded, becaufe it was owing to a Principle of Fear, might as well think their Scruples ill grounded, that are owing to the very fame Principle. 7S""7^
3. It is no flight Token of a. Man's being really good,. becaufe he fuf- pefts himfelf not to be fo. 76 — 78
II. The Fear of God's Wrath particu- larly proved to be a proper Motive to Obedience. 79
1. Becaufe Fear is a Paffion implant- ed by God in our Nature, and it ne- ver anfwers its End fo well, as when it has this Effect upon us. 79—81
2. Becaufe God cannot be confidered as a Law-giver, without enforcing his Laws by a Sanction. 81, 82
The Hope of a Reward as much a felfifo Principle, as the Fear of lo'fing. one. 82, 83
3. The State of a profligate Sinner is fuch, that nothing but Terror can lay hold of him. 83 — 85
If this Principle has done the Work of a better, it has had its proper Effcdt. 88—90
Melan-
CONTENTS. xi
Melancholy Perfons perfuade them- felves into an Opinion that they love God lefs, and dread him more, than they really do. 90, 9 1
The right Ufe of thefe Apprehenfions is to take Occafion from them to advance fafter in the Ways of Re- ligion. 91, 92
S E R M O N IV.
The Terrors of Conference.
MATT. xiv. 1, 2, 3. At that Time Herod the Tetrarck heard of the Fame of J efus, and faid unto his Servants, This is John the Bap- tift, he is rifen from the Dead, and therefore mighty Works dofiew forth them/elves in him. For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in Prifonfor Herodias fake, his Brother Philips Wife. 95
The State of the Wicked a very refl- lefsone. 95, 96
The Wildnefs and Inconfiftency of He- rod's Imagination. 97, 98
I.The
xu CONTENTS.
I. The Reproaches of Confcience una- voidable, proved from Scripture. 10*
From Reafon* 104
And Experience. 1 07
A late Writer, who always dreaded being in the Dark, a remarkable In- stance of this Truth. 1 12 Tiberius, another. 115 The Tales of Ghofts and Spedres ac- counted for upon this Principle. 1 17
II. To account for the Difficulties that attend the Proof of this Propofition, it is to be obferved,
1. That our Judgments often miflead us, when they are formed only up- on the Outfide and Surface of Men's Aftions. 120
2. That the Reprehenfions of Con- fcience are not a continued, but in- termitting Difeafe. 121
3. The few Inftances of wicked Men that go out of the World without feeling the Stings of Confcience, to be afcribed either to ill Principles
1 early and deeply imbibed, or to an Obftinacy of Temper, or to a nam-* tural or acquired Stupidity. 124, 125
Thefe
CONTENTS. xia
Thefe only prove, that there are Mon- gers in the morale as well as the na- tural World ; but make nothing againft the fettled Laws of either.
125, 126 III. The Application of this Do&rine, That even for Pleafures Sake we ought to abftain from all criminal Pleafures. 127
As it is a good Rule for a happy Con- duct of Life, to manage our Do- mejlick Concerns right, that we may be eafy under our own Roof; fo it is the beft Way to fecure Peace to ourfelves, by having it always in our Confciences. 129
Let thofe chiefly liften to this Re- prover, who are otherwife fet in a great meafure above Reproof. 130 ■
S E R-
xiv CONTENTS.
SERMON V.
St. Paul's Defence before Felix. ACTS xxivi 25.
And as he reafoned of Right leoufnefir Temperance, and Judgment to come Felix trembled. 135
The aftonifhing Scene of St. Paul s Preaching. Ibid.
I. The fubjedfc Matter of it remarkable for its Excellence and Importance.
137—140
And for its Fitnefs and Propriety with Regard to the Perfon, to whom it was addreffed. 140, 141
The Dexterity and Addrefs of the Apoftle to be admired in the Con- duct of it. 141, 142
His fincere and difinterefted Spirit.
142, 143
And his undaunted and exemplary Courage. 142, 144
II. The Manner of St. Paul's hand- ling his Subject, be reafoned. 146
A wrong
CONTENT S. xv
A wrong Notion frequently enter- tained concerning edifying Dif- courfes. 147, 148
III. The wonderful Effeft of St. Pant's Reafoning, Felix trembled. 149
The great Force and Efficacy of the Word of God when duly handled, fhewn from this and other Infiances in Scripture. 150 — 153
A Reproach to our Sluggifhnefs and Infenfibility. 153
Why St. Paul's Preaching had not the fame good Effect on Drufilla, the Partner with Felix in his Crimes. 153, 154
And why the good ErFedton Felix was not more lafting. 155, 156
An Exhortation, that the Word of God may have a better Effe<a on us. 156—158
SER-
XVI
CONTENTS.
SERMON VI.
Of Glorying in the Crofs of
CH RJ5T,
GAL. vi. 14,
But God for bid that Ifiould glory, fave in the Crofs of our Lord J efus Chrift, whereby the World is crucified unto me, and I unto the World, 167
The Occafion of the Words of the Text opened. 162 — 167
I. Whatever Excellencies, outward Ad- vantages, or Privileges it may be our Lot to enjoy, it mifbecomes us, as we are Chrijlians, to glory in them. 168
This urged from the Uncertainty of Their Continuance, or of Our con- tinuing with them. 169
From the Tendency of the Dodlrines of the Chriftian Religion. 170
And from the Contemplation of Chrifis Triumph on the Crofs.
171— 174 II. It
CONTENTS. xvli
II. It highly becomes us to glory in the Crofs of Chrift : 1 74
It is the Doctrine to which all the other Dodlrines of the Gofpel refer, and from which they derive their Efficacy. 175
The Propriety of the Church of Eng- land's ufing the Sign of the Crofs in Baptifm. 176, 177
III. The proper Methods of glorying in the Crofs of Chrift \ ijj
1. By frequently meditating on his
Sufferings: 178
2. By imitating thofe meek Graces
and Virtues that he difplayed under them: 179
3. By celebrating the Memorial of his
Death. 182—186
PftlH'OI
THBOLC
* • . . - '
• ■• . •
Vol. IV. a S E R.
yviu
CONTENTS.
S E R M O N VI.
External Worfhip a fit and rea- fonable Duty.
P S A L. xcv. 6.
O come let us worjliipy a?id bow down, let us kneel before the Lord cur Maker. 189
The Propriety of placing the Hymn, from whence the Text is taken, at the Entrance of our Morning Devo- tions, ibid.
I. External Adoration (hewn to be a reafonable Duty, as it relates to God, and is Part of that natural Homage, which the whole Man, Soul and Body, owes to him, on Account of his Crea- tion and Prefervation of us. 193
As we have no way of forming an Idea of God, but by confidering the fe- veral limited Perfections, fcattered among his Creatures; fo we have no Way of applying to him as De- pendents, but by confidering thole
Marks
CONTENTS. xix
Marks of Refped: that are ufed a- mong Men. 194, 195
External Worfhip mentioned as a na- tural Duty, in bothTeflaments.
197, 198
It is juft we fhould glorify God in this Life with the Body as well as the Soul, if we expert he fhould glori- fy both in another. 199
If outward Worfhip is not due to God under the Gofpel, the paying it to Idols cannot be highly culpa- ble. 199, 200 II. External Worfhip a reafonable Du- ty, as it relates to ourjehes, and is a Help towards promoting the fpiri- tual Worfhip of our Souls. 200
The Emotions of the Soul are na- rally communicated to the Body.
2CO, 201
The Bgdy by its devout Geftures re- turns the Force the Soul lent it :
201 — 203
And by this Means makesamends, as
it were,for the Obftrudions it gives
in the Performance of many other
Duties. 203, 204
a 2 III. Ex-
xx CONTENTS.
III. External Adoration a reasonable Duty, as it relates to our Neighbour, and is a Sign, by which we exprefs to others the religious Veneration that dwells in us. 204
The Advantages of publick Worfhip to excite the mutual Ardour of the Faithful, 204, 205
And to filence the Scoffs of the Un- believer. 205, 206 An Exhortation to the Practice of this Duty, from the Inconvenience of the Negledl of it, 208 And the Example of the Primitive Chriftians. 208, 209
S E R~
CONTENTS. xxi
SERMON VIII.
External Worftiipfhewn to be of no Efficacy, unlefs accompa- nied with Internal Devotion: Together with the excellent Contrivance of the Church of England Service to promote the latter.
LAM. iii. 41. Let us lift up our Hearts, with our V Hands, unto God in the Heavens. 213
The Occafion of the Text opened.
213, 214
The Folly of a mere external Worfhip
without a fuitable ArTe&ion of the
Heart fhewn from the Confidera-
tion,
i. Of the Divine Nature : 216
2. Of our own: 218
3 . Of the great End and Defign of Prayer: 219
a 3 4. Of
icxli CONTENTS.
4. Of the Bleffings, which, when du- ly performed, it is certainly attend- ed with. 220
The great Advantages of the publick Offices of the Church of England to raife the Attention of all fincere Worfhipers :
1. By their being drawn up in our
Mother Tongue: 223
2. In their confiding of a premedi-
tated Form of Words : 224
3. In their being divided into frequent
Breaks and Paufes: 227
4. In their Variety : 228
5. In the Solemnity of tfiem, neither
fo plain as not to be able to roufe, nor fo gaudy as to diftract the Mind. 229, &c.
SER-
CONTENTS. xxiii
S E R M O N IX.
The Ufefulnefs of Church Mu- lick ; on Saint Cecilia s Day, 1690.
P S A L. lvii. 7, 8. My Heart is fixed, 0 Gcd> 7ny Heart is fixed; I ' willfing and give Praife. Awake up, my Glory ! Awake, Tfal- tery and Harp ! I my f elf will awake right early, x 235
David a Man after God's Heart, by qualifying his own Heart for the Duties of the Santfluary. 235, 236
The Purport of the Text. 236, 237
I. A lively Attention of Mind the great Recommendation of our publick De- votions to God. 239 The Difference between the Jewijh
Difpenfation in this particular, and the Cbrifiian. 240, 241
II. All pious Helps to raife our Atten- tion, proper- to be ufed in our publick Worfhip. 243
a 4 Vocal
xxiv CONTENTS.
Vocal and Inftrumental Harmony ufeful to this purpofe j
1. As it removes the ordinary Hindran- ces of our Devotion, viz.
The Engagement of Thought, which we often bring with us intoChurch, from what we laft converfed with :
244
And thofe accidental Diftradiions that happen to us during the Courfe of the Service: 245
And laftly, that Wearinefs and Flat- nefs of Mind, which fome weak Tempers-may labour under, by rea- fon of the Length of it. 246
2. It not only removes Impediments to our Devotion, but fupplies us with Advantages towards performing it; By adding Solemnity to the publick
Service ; 247
And by raifing in the Soul all the de- vout Paffions, that of Love particu- larly, which wing it up to Heaven, and fit it for the Illapfes of the Holy Spirit. 249 — 253
St. John, in whofe Bread divine Love feems to have abounded moft, has fpoken the moft advantageoufly of Vocal andlnftrumentalMufick. 251
Jgna-
CONTENT. xxv
Ignatius inculcates the fame Leflbn after him, who probably learnt it perfonally from him. 251, 252
It makes our Duty a Pleafure, and enables us by that means to per- form it with Vigour and Chearful- refs. 253
This EfFedt remarkably vifible in Da- vidy 254
And feveral of the Chriftian Fathers.
25S
The Inconveniences that have arifen from Church Mufick much over- balanced by the Advantages of it.
259
III. The Way of performing Divine
Service in the Church of England y bet- ter fitted to raife our Affeffions, than any other Form of Devotion now pra&ifed in the Chriftian World.
259, 260
IV. An Exhortation to make our De- votion exemplary in proportion to thofe Advantages, which we above all others enjoy. 260 — 263
SER.
xxvi CONTENTS.
S E R M O N X.
Of Anxiety and Solicitude.
MATT, vi! 34.
y^'Take no 'Thought for the Morrow. 267
The Precepts of our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount very different from the prevailing Opinions of the Jews at that Time. 267, 268
The Duty of the Text explained, with its proper Limitations. 269 — 273
I. The Evil of too great Anxiety fhevvn,
1. As it is oppofite to feveral plain Precepts of Scripture; 274
2. As it is an Invafion of the peculiar Province and Prerogative of God;
274, 275
3. As it is built always on a fecret Diftruft of God's Goodnefs towards us, and perpetual Watchfulnefs o- ver us : , 276
Which yet very evidently appears to us from the Light of Nature 3
277, 278 And
CONTENTS. xxvii
And from the Obfervation of his Pro- vidence over the feveral Ranks of lower and lefs noble Creatures.
278 — 280
II. The Folly of too great Anxiety. 1. It makes us feel Afflictions which will never overtake us, and multi- plies thofe which certainly will :
281—284 "2. It takes away from us the Power either to efcape or bear them.
285, 286
3. An anxious Concern for Futurity robs us of all the Eafe and Advan- tages which might arife from a proper and difcreet Ufeof the^/r- fent Moment. 286
4. The Prefence of Evils often fug- gefts better Expedients and wifer Counfels, than all our Wifdom and Forefight can do. 287
5. By our tormenting Cares we for- feit our Intereft in the divine Pro- vidence and Protection. 288, 289
An Exhortation to trufl in God.
290 — 293 S E R-
xxviii CONTENTS.
SERMON XL
The Wretched nefs of living in a wavering State of Mind.
GEN. xlix. 4. T^UnJlable as Water \ thoujhalt not excel.
297 The Occafion of the Words. 297, 298 I. The ill Condition of that Man, who is diftra&ed between two Courfes of Life, a good and bad one. 299
1. He is in the meaneft State of Mind, human Nature is capable of, inaf-, much as he forfeits the Prerogative of his Understanding, which was defigned for a Guide to him : 300 And difgraces the Image of God, whofe glorious Attribute is Immu- tability: 301, 302 And laftly, makes himfelf lower than the Beafts, who ad: regularly un- der the Guidance of Inftind. 303 2. He is in a State of perpetual trou- ble and Dijlurbance to himftlf -, his good Fits being like fhort Intervals
of
CONTENTS. xxix
of Madnefs, which ferve only to let the Madman into a Knowledge of his Difeafe. 303 — 307
3. This Temper is mifciuevous to a Man in point of Inter eft, as well as Eafe-, not only by rendering him actually unfit for the Bufinefs of Life, but fufpeded likewife of Hy- pocrify and Diffimulation.
307—309
4. It is utterly inconfiitent with the Terms of Salvation. 309 — 312
II. To perfuade the Man that is thus bewildered to fix a fure Principle of Virtue in his Mind, that may guide and govern him throughout > and make him uniformly wife,
1. Let him be fure that his Belief is
right, and found at Bottom :
2. Let him confider well what that
particular Weight was, that in the Days of his Irrefoluticn frill hung upon him, and clogged his virtuous Endeavours; 315, ,316
3. Let him take care not to come
within the Reach of any thing,
that may unfaften his Refolutions,
4 whilft
xxx CONTENTS.
whilft they are yet young and ten- der. 316, 317 4. To thefe Endeavours let him add fervent Prayer, that he may be Jlablijhed, Jlrengthened, fettled.
3J7> 3l8
SERMON. XII. The Duty of living peaceably explained and recommended, in a Farewel Sermon at Saint Bride s.
ROM. xii. 18.
If it be pojjible, as much as lietb in you,
live peacebly with all Men, 321
The Importance of the Duty in the
Text, and the Seafonablenefs of pref-
fmg it upon the prefent Occafion.
321, 322
I. Wherein it confifts, in rehtion to Publick and Private Men, Opinions and Practice. 323, 327
II. The Extent of it, with all Men.
327—3?9 III. The
CONTENTS. xxxi
III. The Difficulty of pra&ifing it, in- timated by thefe Words, if it be pof- fible> and as much as lieth in you. 329 We are allowed to ftand up in De- fence of our Fortune or good Name, where violent Encroachments are made upon them ; 330
And in Defence of the Honour of God, and the Interefts of Virtue.
33°> 33i But ftill, as War has its Rules and
Reftraints, within which its Cruel- ties are bounded ; much more in thefe Cafes ought we to have an Eye to Peace while we feem to overlook it. 331, 332
IV. The beft Helps to the Practice of this Duty are,
1. To regulate ourPaffions: 333, 334
' 2. To moderate our Defires,and fhort-
en our Deiigns, with regard to the
good Things of Life : 334, 335
3 . To have a watchful Eye upon our- fel ves in ourfirft Entrance upon any Conteft: 335, 336
4. Always to guard againft the In- temperance of our Tongue, efpe-
cially
xxxii CONTENTS.
daily in relation to that natural Pronenefs it has towards publifhing the Faults of others : 336, 337
5. To keep ourfelves from embarking
in Parties and Factions : 337
6. To ftudy to be quiet, by doing our
ownBufinefs in our properProfeflion or Calling. 337, 338
7. Add Prayer to the Author of Peace and Lover of Concord, for the Fruits of his Spirit, which are Love, Joy> Peace, &c. 338
An Exhortation to the Practice of this Dodlrine on the prefent Occafion, viz. the Choice of a Lecturer.
339—348
O N
[3 ] ' A
SERMON
ON THE
MARTYRDOM
O F
King Charles I.
LUKE xxiii. 28. Daughters of Jerufalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourfehes, and for your Children.
THIS is a Day of Trouble, ?/*serm. Rebuke, and Blafphemy, di- I# ftinguifhed in the Annals of(^y\j our Nation, and the Calendar of our Church, by the fad Suffering of an B 2 excellent
4 On the Martyrdom cf
s e R m. excellent Prince, who fell a Sacrifice to
i . the Rage of his Rebellious Subje&s; and
C>rVN5 by his Fall derived Infamy, Mifery,
and Guilt on them, and their finfiil
Pofterity.
We are met here, to acknowledge our Sin, to exprefs our publick Detefta- tion of it, and to deprecate the Venge- ance, which hath purfued, and doth ftill, I fear, purfue us on the Account of it. In-order to raife and improve thefe good Thoughts and Difpofitions, I have pitch'd on the Words fpoken by our Bleffed Saviour in his fad Proceffion towards Calvary, as the Ground of our prefent Meditations, — Daughters of]t- rufalem, &c.
Since Providence fo orderd it, that one of the Leffons for that Day, whereon the Royal Martyr fuffer'd, and which was read to him juft be- fore his afcending the Scaffold, mould contain an Account of the Paflion of our Lord ; and the fame Leflbn is ftill by Authority appointed to be rea4 in thefe annual Affemblies; I may
be
King Charles I. 5
fee .allowed* I hope, from the Hiftory serm. of that Paffion, written by St. Luke, 1. to take the Words you have heard, L/*Y\i and apply them to the Subject I am now about to handle, without incur- ring the Imputation of drawing un- feemly Parallels, and without giving Offence to any, but thofe, who are Offended with the Amiiverfary itfelf, and with our folemn and devout Man- ner of obferving it.
As Jefus went to his Crucifixion, St. Lake tells us3 that there followed him, a great Company of People, and of Women, which alfo bewailed and la? merited him. But Jefus turning unto them, faid> Daughters of Jerufalem^ weep not for me, but weep for your J elves > and for your Children : For^ behold, the Days are coming, in the which they Jha/l fay, Blejfed are the Barren, and the Wombs that never bare, and the Baps that never gave fuck I His prefent Suf- ferings, and approaching Death, with- held him not from refk&ing with Con- cern on the Calamities, which were rea- B 3 dy
6 On the Martyrdom of
SEfcM.dy to overtake others on his Accounts i r And, becaufe the Women who followed t/YV him to Calvary ^ out of a Tendernefs of Nature peculiar to their Sex, indulged themfelves in the loudeft Expreffions of Grief; therefore to thefe he particular- ly addreffes the Admonition of the Text; directs them to turn their well meant Compaffion from him upon themfelves ; to referve all their Tears for a time, now at hand, when the whole Nation of the Jews would be called to a ftricT: Account for fpilling his Blood, and be made an aftonifhing Inftance of Divine Vengeance.
The good Prince, whofe unhappy Fate we commemorate, did in ; thisy as well as other refpe&s, follow the ■Heb.ii. io Steps of the great Captain of his Sal- vation% who was made perfeB through Sufferings: For the laft Moments of his Life, which his Murderers allow- ed him, were employed in awakening a drowfy Nation into a Senfe of its Guilt, and a Dread of its impending Punifhment. Secure of his own In- nocence
King Charles L y
hocence and Happinefs, he feem'd to s e r mb have conqtfer'd all Concern for him- i. felfs and, like a true Father of his U^VNJ People, was chiefly folicitous for the Peace and Welfare of his People, His dying Words breathed nothing but Pky and Tendernefs towards his Subjects who were to furvive his Fall, and to feel the fad Effe&s of it. And therefore to thofe, who with weeping Eyes then beheld that bloody Scene, and to us, who with like Grief now look on at a diftance, may we fuppofe the Royal Sufferer (confiftent- ly with the Character he then main- tain'd) to foyy—Weep not jor me; but weep for yourfelves, and for your Chil- dren.
This I am fure, is an Inftru&ion, which the Day itfelf feems naturally to afford us, and which I fhall, there- fore, purfue in both its Branches ; (hew- ing you,
Firft, That we mifplace our Grief, I5 If we employ it in bewailing and B .4 lamenting
8 On the Martyrdom of
s e R m. lamenting our Martyr'd Sovereign; i. And,
II. Secondly, That the true End of thefe annual Humiliations is, to weep for our- fehes, and for our Children ; to deplore the Guilt which our Fore-fathers con- tracted by this inhuman Deed, and which, we have reafon to fear, is not even yet fully expiated.
I. Firfly In the early Ages of the
Church, the Cuftom was annually to obferve thofe Days, on which the Mar- tyrs were crowned (fuch was the Lan- guage of that Time) not with dejeft- ed Looks, or any outward Expreffions of Sorrow j but with the Solemnities ufual on Birth-days (and fuch alfo they were ftyled) even with all pof- fible Inftances of devout Exultation and Joy. Upon thefe Occafions, pi- ous Chrijlians flocked to the Places, where thofe faithful Servants of Chrijl flept, or had fealed the Truth of their Teftimony with their Blood: There
they
King Charles I. 9
they held their facred Affemblies (as s e r m* they afterwards built their Churches.) r. There they made their Eucharifiick Ob- l/VNJ lations, and celebrated their Feafls of Love; gave Thanks to God for the exemplary Virtues and Graces, which adorned the Lives and Deaths of thofe holy Perfons, and excited themfelves into like degrees oiChrijiian Zeal and Fervor.
Their Behaviour in tliefe Cafes mould be the Rule of Our'sy and teach us to obferve this Anniverfary in fuch a manner, as may render it moft ho- nourable to the Dead, and moft ufeful to the Living. To that end, it v/ill become us, not vainly to indulge our Grief, or our Refentments, in behalf of our much injured Prince; not friiit- lefly to fpend our time in lamenting his Misfortunes ; but rather to em- ploy it in magnifying the Grace of God, which enabled him fo conftact- ly to endure them, and fo heartily :o forgive the Authors of them; which armed him with fuch a wondrous De- gree
f o On the Martyrdom of
SERM.gree of Meeknefs and Patience ; in~ I. fpired him with fuch Chriflian Mag-
^Wnanimity and Courage, as made him fhine with a greater Luftre in the Depth of his Sufferings, than he did in his moil flourishing Circumftan- ces; and put off his Crown after a more glorious Manner, than he firft wore it on the Day of his Corona- tion.
Indeed, the Mind of Man, filled with vain Ideas of wordly Pomp and Greatnefs, is apt to admire thofe Princes moft, who are moft fortunate, and have filled the World with the Fame of their fuccefsful Atchievements. But to thofe, who weigh Things in the Balance of right Reafon, and true Religion, it will, I am perfuaded, ap- pear that the Character of this excel- lent King, even while he was in his loweft and moft afflifted State, had fomething in it, more truly Great and Noble, than all the Triumphs of Con- querors ; fomething, that raifed him as far above the moft profperous Princes,
as
King Charles I. 11
as they themfelves feem raifed above the s e r m. the reft of Mankind. I.
Many Kings there have been, as l/VV happy as all wordly Felicity could make them ; and fome of thefe have diftinguHhed themfelves as much by their Virtues, as their Happinefs. But the PoffefTors of thofe Virtues, being feated on a throne, difplayed them From thence with all manner of Ad- vantage ; their good Adtions appeared in the beft Light, by reafon of the high Orb, in which they moved, while performing them; whereas, the Royal Virtues, which we this Day celebrate, fhone brighteft in Af- JliBion, and when all external Marks of Royal State and Dignity were want- ing to recommend them. OtherSj perhaps* may have been as juft, as beneficent, as merciful in the Ex- ercife of their Royal Power, as this good King was; but none furely did ever maintain fuch a majeftick Even- nefs and Serenity of Mind, when de- fpoiled of that Power, when ftripped of
every
12 On the Martyrdom of
SERM.every thing but a good Caufe, and i i. good Conscience; when deftitute of ^/\^! all Hopes of fuceour from his Friends, or of Mercy from his Enemies : Then, even then, did he pofTefs his Soul in Peace, and patiently expect the Event, without the lead outward Sign of Deje&ion or Difcompofure. He re- membered himfelf to be a King, when all the World befide feemed to have forgotten it; when his inferiors treat- ed him with Infolence, and his E- quals with Indifference; when he was brought before that infamous Tribu- nal, where his own Subjects fat as his Judges; and even when he came to die by their Sentence. — In all thefe fad Circumftances, on all thefe trying Occafions, he fpake, he did nothing, which miibecame the high Character he bore, and will always bear, of a great King, and one of the belt of Chrijlians. And this Mixture of un- affected Greatnefs and Goodnefs, in the Extremity of Mifery, was, I fay, his peculiar and diftinguifhing Excel- lence
King Charles I. j~
lence. Other Royal Qualities, that ad- s e r m. c'rn Profperity, he fhared in common I# with others of his Rank; but in the i/v\j decent and kingly Exercife of thefe paffive Graces, he had, among the Lift of Princes, no Superior, no Equal, no Rival.
Indeed, the laft Scene of his Suf- ferings was very difmal ; and fuch, from which mere Human Nature, un- fupported by extraordinary Degrees of Grace, muft needs have fhrunk back a little affrighted, and feemed defirous of declining. But thofe Succours were not wanting to him ; for he went e- ven through this laft Trial, unfhak- en; and fubmitted his Royal Head to the ftroke of the Executioner, with as much Tranquillity and Meeknefs, as he had born lefler Barbarities. The ParTage through this Red Sea was bloody, but fhort; a Divine Hand ftrengthened him in it, and conduct- ed him through it 3 and he foon reached the Shore of Blifs and Im- mortality.
He
*4 On the Martyrdom of
SERiM. He is now at Reft in thofe Manfi^ i. ons, where Tears are wiped from all ^^V^ Eyes, where there is neither Death , nor Pain, nor Crying, and from whence Sorrow and Sighs do fee away. Where- fore, Let us not mourn, refufing to be comforted y but let us rather (as thofe early Chrijiians did on the like Occa- fions) rejoice with exceeding Joy : Ren- dering to God our Thanks, that he hath been pleafed, in thefe laft and moft de- generate Times, to afford us fuch an illuftrious Pattern of Virtue and Good- nefs, as even the pureft Ages of Chri- fiianity would have looked up to with Reverence ; that, by this Means, he hath given to loofe and prophane Men an Inftance of the great Power of thofe Religious Principles, which did, and which only could fupport the Mind of this pious Prince under all the Indignities and Miferies that befel him.
What an Honour is it to that Church, at whofe Breaft he firft fucked thefe Principles, to have been inftru-
mental
King Charles I. 15
oriental in (owing the firft Seeds, from serm. whence fuch excellent Fruits after- 1. wards fprang ! How ought (he to bo&ft "w'VNJ and triumph in this Thought, That a Prince, who excelled as much in the Knowledge, as in the Practice of Re- ligion, (hould be fo firm and immove- able an Aflertor of her Doftrine, and Difcipline, and Worfliip ! which he therefore valued highly, becaufe he un- derstood them thoroughly : That he (hould go on to maintain Her Caufe, even long after he defpaired of main- taining his Own, or of being able to retrieve his loft Crown and Dignity ! and that, after he had thus defended her Faiths during his Life, he (hould recommend it (till more at his Death, by dying in it, and for it !
But the more Excellent the Chara- cter of this Prince was, the more bar- barous, and brutal was the Rage by which he fell. Every Confideration, which heightens his matchlefs Vir- tues, and endears his Memory to us, ferves alfo to enhance the Wickednefs
of .
1 6 On the Martyrdom of
SERM.of thofe Sons of Belial, who were the
I. Inftruments of his Ruin, and erabrued their Hands in his Blood. And there- fore, though we have no Occafion to weep for him, yet have we great Rea- fon to weep for ourf elves, and for our Children -, for the Guilt which the Nation contracted, and the Infamy it underwent, by reafon of that inhuman Deed, and for the other fatal Confe- quences, which then did, and which (as we have juft Reafon to fear) may
fill attend it. And this is the fecond Point, upon which I propofed to en- large :
II. i Secondly, That Nations, as Nations are liable to Guilt, and confequently to PuniiTiment; and fuch Punishments muft be inflifted in this Life, in which alone thofe Nations and Communities fubfift, and cannot be extended to an- other World, where all Kingdoms and People are to be fwailowed up in the Kingdom of the Lamb, and to be- come one Fold under one Shepherd,
and
King Charles I. tj
and that the Punifhments infli&ed bySERM. God on Nations in this Life, may be i. altogether, or in part, deferred by God ^""V>J for fome time, 'till the Iniquity of thofe Nations is full, and the Sinners grown ripe for Vengeance : Thefe are all Points fufficiently evident from Reafort and Scripture, and the Hiftory of the World j they need no folemn Proof, becaufe they admit of no great Doubt. Little indeed is faid on this Head in the Books of the New Teftament, which were all written for the Ufe of private fcattered Chriftians^ ere as yet any one entire Nation was converted, or any of the great Rulers of the World had fubmitted their Scepters to the Scepter of Chrijl : And, therefore, the Precepts there contained, relate chief- ly, if not folely, to the Conduct of particular Perfons, and are filerit as to the Methods ©f God's dealing with publick Bodies and Societies of Men. And there was the lefs Occafion for any Inftrudtions of this kind in the New Teftament, becaufe they had been given Vol. IVo C fo
1 8 On the Martyrdom vf
SERM.fo frequently and fully in the Old $ I. the Prophetick Parts of which do every
t/Y\ where inculcate thefe Doctrines* as the Matters of Fact, recorded in the Hifto- rical Books, illuftrate and confirm them. And from thence, therefore, all our Ob- fervations mufl be drawn, concerning the Influence which a People's Sins have upon their Sufferings, and con- cerning the Meafures of that Political Juftice, by which God governs the World. And in truth, it was proper that the Directions of this kind mould be given under the Inftitution of Mo* fes; the Letter of which extended no further than to the Concerns of this Life : Whereas the Duties, the Pro- mifes, and Threatnings of the Gofpel do all look beyond the Grave, and are defigned to regulate our Behaviour in this World, as it relates and leads to another.
The Dodtrine then of God's Vifit- ing Nations, as fuch, for Sins com- mitted by them in that Capacity, being fuppofed ; let us briefly apply it to the
prefent
King Charles I. 19
preterit Cafe, and fee how far we our-sERM: ifelves are concerned in it. J\
That the Sin of this Day Was Na- t/YN3 tionaly is not to be denied ; the Nation itfelf confeffeth it, by appointing and obferving thefe p'ublick and flated Hu- miliations. It was under the Colour of a National Authority, that the Rebellion was firft raifed, and all along carried on, and at laft confummated by the Ere&ion of that infamous High Court of Jujlice^ which gave the finifhing Stroke to the fuccefsful Villanies of that Time, by taking away the Life oF our Sovereign. Indeed, the greateft Part of the Nation abhorred that bar- barous Ait (and, had their Power been equal to their Inclination 5 - would have prevented it) but many of them had contributed to it too much, and too long before ; and, having joined in all the Steps that led to the Murder of the King, could not at laft, by expreffing their Deteftation of the Crimt, excufe themfelves entirely from the Guilt of it.
C 2 It
20 On the Martyrdom of
s e R M. It was the Nation therefore, that I. Sinned; and finned with an high Hand,
t-/"v~v-Jand with all the inflaming Circumftan- ces of Guilt and Aggravation. They made their way to the Completion of this Wickednefs, through the moft fo- lemn Engagement % through all the Ties of Reafon, and the Reluctances of Con- fcience : The Laws of God and Man were but as Withs upon the Arms of thefe SampfonSy which they broke at pleafure ; and, when they had once overleaped the Mounds and Fences of Juftice, were refolved to think every Step lawful, wrhich was neceflary to juftify thofe they had already taken. Many Years they continued ftedfaftly
Jer. viii.5.purfuing thefe unrighteous Meafures; they held fad Deceit :, and refufed to re- turn ; and after heaping Tranfgreffion upon Tranfgrefllon, did at laft, through the Blood of many of their Fellow Sub- jedlsy arrive at that of their Sovereign, and in the calmeft and moft deliberate man- ner perpetrate the black Defign they had for fome time meditated.
The
King Charles I. 21
The common Methods, made ufe of s erm. by rebellious Subjects in the DeJlru6iion j. cf Princes, did not pleafe them -, Poi- '^VNJ Jon, or a private AJfafjination was too bqfty and clandejline a Way : They were refolved to have the Proceeding more Publick, and Slow, and Solemn 5 to car- ry it on by the Forms of Law, and with the mock Shew and Pageantry of yujlice (a Way which crowned Heads had not hitherto been treated in) and fince the Crime itfelf was old, and had been often repeated, to recommend it at leaft by the Newnefs of the Inven- tion : In which refpedt, it muft be confeffed, that they outftripped all their Rivals in this Sort of Wickednefs, even the bloodieft of their King - killing- Neighbours. Indeed new Inventions for Slaughtering Kings, and overturning States, are the peculiar Reproach of this, . Nation -y of which we have two emi- nent Proofs upon Record, not to be paralleled in other Hiftories, the Gun- powder-Treafon> and that of this Day ; One of them contrived by Papijls9 C 3 the
22 On the Martyrdom of
SERM.thc Other by wild Sectaries and EfH.
I. thuftafts -y neither of them (God b$ G'VNJ thanked) by the Members of the Church
of England! Ter. v. 8. And, Shah II net vifit for fuch Things \ faith the Lord ? Shall not my Soul be a- 'venged of fuch a Nation as this ? Shall a People fin in this remarkable Man- ner ; and fhall not that Sin be as re- markably punifhed ? It was immedi- ately, and in fome meafure punifhed by the fatal and neceffary Confequences of it, by the fad Difordcrs and Confu- fions that attended it. For, had Zimri 2 Kings Peace who few his M after ? Did the *x-3 Partners in this black Crime quietly reap the expected Fruits of it ? No ! they did not, they were foon difplaced from the high Seat of Authority, which they had ufurped ; and gave way to other Ufurpers, and to various Forms of Government, which prevailed in their turns. The feverifh Nation roll- ed from one Pofture, one Expedient to another, and found Reft in none. It then foon appeared, how great the Loft
was
KingC H A R LE s I. 23
was of their admirable Prince, andofsERM. their ancient Conilitution, which pe- i. rimed with him. The People, who^VNJ had mifcalled his mild and gertle Reign, Oppreffion and Tyranny, found themfelves now ruled with a Rod of^'1]'^ Iron, and broken in Pieces like a Pot- ter's VeJfeL They had complained of Arbitrary Power without Caufe, and now fmarted under it without Remedy. To fecure their Liberty and Laws, they had made this Change ; which left both - of them at the Mercy of Standing Ar- mies. Thus did their own fFickednefsfe-'1^11' correB them, and their Backjlidings did reprove them ! They had pulled down a regular Primitive Church 5 and im- mediately Churches, Sedts, and Reli- gions, without Number, fprang up in the room of it ; inftead of the honeft Engliih Plainnefs and Simplicity, 2. de- mure and fly Hypocrijy prevailed ; in- ftead of fober and well-weighed Devo- tions, all the Freaks and Rants of En- thujiafm. Every Way of worshiping God, but the true One, was publickly C 4 allowed y
24 Otf the Martyrdom of
SERM.allowed -, all Men were admitted to the I. Exercife of the Sacred Function, but
L/W^J th'ofe who were moft lawfully called to it, and beft qualified for it. A Loud ansl Caufelefs Complaint of Impofitions on the Confidences of Men, in Things pertaining to God, had helped to ruin the Church j and now, every little So- ciety pretending to that venerable Name, did the v'cry thing they had complain- ed of j impofed the Platform of their Dodtrine, Difcipline, and Worfhip, as Divine •, and were for rooting out all that oppofed, or did not comply with it. In the mean time, they, who pre- ferved themfelves free from this fort of Infection, were in as much Danger of fwerving to a contrary Extreme, and of making Inferences to the Pre- judice of Religion itfelf, which they faw perverted and proftituted to the worft Defigns. Even good Men, at the fight of thefe prpfperous Hypocrites, were ready to cry out in the Words of
Jer. xii. complaining Jeremiah : — - Righteous '» 2* art thou > 0 Lord, when I plead with
thee ;
King Charles I. 25
thee-, yet let me talk with thee c/"/^serm. Judgments : Wherefore doth the Way 1. of the Wicked profper? why are all y~V*\l they happy that deal very treacherouf ly? Thou haft planted them-, yea; they have taken root ; they grow, they bring forth Fruit : Thou art near in their Mouth, and far (very far) from their Reins! Then, when thefe hypocritical Pretenders to Godlinefs abounded, did an oppofite Spirit of open Levity and Profanenefs begin-to gain Ground upon a Serious and Religious People : Then were thofe Seeds of Infidelity firft fown among us, which have fince fprung up, and increafed into a mighty Harve/L Our endlefs Divifwns were a Scandal to the truly Pious, the Boaft of Rome, and the Sport of Atheifis : We were made a Reproach to our Neighbours, ^Pfalxliv. Scorn and a Derijion to them that were1 I4; round about us -, a Bye-word among the Heathen, a Shaking of the Head a- mong the People : We lay down in our Shame, and our Confujion covered us. No Words can exprefs the various Sorts
of
26 On the Martyrdom of
SERM.of Mifery, under which this Nation I. then groaned, by reafon of the Multi-* ISV^Jtude of OppreJJions and Oppreflbrs. New Job xxxv. Lords had Dominion over us-, the ve- 16 iii ry Refufe an^ Qutcajl of the People ; the Head became the Tail, and the Tail the Head ; the Child behaved him* felf proud againjl the Antient, and the Bafe againjl the Honourable. From Violence and Bloodfhed this new Mo- del of Government had arifen ; and the fame Methods were requifite to cement and uphold it. Plunder and Rapine compleated the Devaftations which War had begun : Armed Force decided Right, or executed the Sen- tence of thofe, who had no manner of Right to decide it : They were altoge- Ezek. xxii. ther like Wolves, ravening the Prey to [bed Blood, and to dejiroy Souls to get jer.iv. ii.dijhoneft Gain. As the Voice of a Wo- man in travail, as the Anguijh of her that bringeth forth her firfl Child*, fuch was then the Voice of the "Daughter of Sion, that bewailed herfelf that fpread forth her Hands, faying-, Woe is me
now !
X/tfgCH ARLES T. IJ
n&w ! for my Soul is weary, becaufe of$ eri^» Murd rers ! I.
Atlaftt1' i eu, the Clouds "W
difp :d, and the Sun fhone out again rengtfr ; the Royal Family re- turned, and with it our old Conftitu- tion in Church and State ; the Regi- cides fuffered, and the Land feemed to be cleanfed of the Royal Blood, that was Jhed therein, by the Blood of thofe that Jhed it. Thus, for a while, we vainly imagined ; but fad Experience foon undeceived us. Not many Years pafled, before God did again empty, as it were, at once, all the Vials of his Wrath upon us : The Sword raged a-? broad ; Fire and Peftilence at home : And when this goodly City was laid in Ames, and Defolation and Empti- nefs reigned in her Streets, doubtlefs pious Perfons did often reflect, how much her mifemployed Wealth, and mifguided Zeal had formerly contri- buted to the Miferies and Confufions under which we laboured : And even {hey, whom a few Years Plenty and
Prof-
2$ On the Martyrdom of
SERM.Profperity had lulled into a Forgetful-
i# nefs of their Guilt, began then to lay
i^v-vJtheir Hands upon their Hearts, and
Gen. xlii. wi^1 J°feP^s Brethren to fay : Verily,
%*• we are guilty concerning our Prince;
therefore is this DeJlru5lion come upon
us!
Therfc was ftill a more terrible Judg- ment behind, which we were threaten- ed with, and in fome meafure felt, tho' the Providence of God did not fuffer it thoroughly to lay hold of us : I mean, the Advances made by Pope- ry in a late Reign toward eftablifhing itfelf among us. And this alfo was the Fruit of our former Iniquities -> for (to fpeak a plain Truth, which, plain as it is, has been lately treated with Scorn and Derilion by fhamelefs Writers) the Attempt of introducing a Foreign Re- ligion was but too natural a Confe- quence of our forcing the Royal Fa* mily to take Shelter in Foreign Coun- tries ; where they might be allured by the tempting Appearances of a fplendid Worfhip, and a regular Hierarchy, and
fey
King Charles!. £9
by glorious but empty Pretences to U-ser Mi niverfality and Infallibility; efpecially 1. at a Time, when the good Frame ofC/*W our Eccleflafticai Polity here at home was fhattered and diffolved, and the Honour of our Sion was laid low in the Dujl. Still therefore our Punifhment was from ourfelves ; nor was God a hard Majler in infli&ing it; for we reaped only what we had f owed y and ga- thered what we had fir awed -9 and the
Jirjl Subverfion of our Conftitution involved us in all the Confufions and Miferies, in which we long afterwards laboured. But that Storm alfo blew over, and Times of Liberty fucceeded, wherein we promifed ourfelves the fet- tled Enjoyment of all manner of Ad- vantages and Bleffings. Can we fay, that thofe Hopes were not in great
, meafure defeated by the Spirit of Irre- ligion and Libertinifm, which then, and ever lince that Time notorioufly prevailed; by thofe inteftine Factions and Difcords, by which we have been torn 3 and that foreign War, under the
Weight
36 On the Martyrdom of
^erm. Weight of which we for more thari i. twenty Years groaned ? till the vafl
(fc/V^w Expence of Blood and Treafiire, which it occafioned, made us ready to cry out in the pathetick Words of the Pro-
Jer. xlvii. phet, O thou Sword of the Lord, how
6* long will it be ere thou be quiet ? Put
thy f elf up in thy Scabbard ; reft, and be fiilll
And when that Sword refted in its Scabbard, was not the Manner of Sheathing it as unwelcome to us, as even the Havock it had occafioned, when naked and drawn ! Was not the good Queen (now with God) the Sub- ject of malicious, but groundlefs Re- proaches on that very Accouiit ? Did we not murmur at the Bleffing, and bring ourfelves, at laft, with great Dif* ficulty to relifh and approve it ?
But may we not now at length hope, that all is well with us, and that the ill Confequences of fpilling the Royal Blood of this Day are ceafed, the An* ger of God appeafed, and our National Guilt utterly pardoned ? How can that
be
King Ch a rles I. 3?
be, until the Nation itfelf hath mani- serm, feftly repented ? And the Repentance r. of a Nation for any Sin is befl teftified <-/"Y%J by its general Abhorrence of the Prin- ciples and Practices that caufed it. And are we able in this manner to purge ourfelves of this Day's Tranf- grefllon ? Do we, indeed, give evident, Proofs, that we heartily and univerfal- ly deteft it ? If that be really our Cafe, what meaneth then this Bleating of the\^m'x^ Sheep in our Ears, and this Lowing of the Ox^n which we hear ? How comes it to pafs, that thefe Anniverfary Hu- miliations are fo openly fpoken againft, ill treated and derided ? Why has the horrid Guilt of the Day been lejfened in Publick Difcourfes, and reprefented with all manner of Alleviations and Softnings ? As if it were unpopular and imprudent, to paint fuch a Villany to the Life, or to fpeak of it in fuitable Terms of Ignominy and Reproach I Why have the DoBrines, which paved the Way to this bloody Deed been free- ly revived, embraced, and cherifhed $
and
g i On the Martyrdom of
SERM.and thofe> for which the SufFerers in i. the Royal Caufe underwent all manner
C"VX;of Perfecutions, been difcountenanced and exploded ? Why has the Spirit of Liberty been indulged to an outrageous Degree of Licentioufnefs ; the Reve- rence due to Thrones fhaken by meari and infolent Pens; and Contempt poured on the facred Character of . Princes, as though they had not been
ii. anointed with Oyl? Why have Le- ctures, in fuch facred Places as thefe, been more than once^ read to the Peo- ple, not only with Permiffion, but Ap- plaufe, inftru&ing them how near they might approach towards the Sin of Re- bellion, without actually incurring the Guilt of it ? And why have impious Wretches by their Mock Feafts ridi- culed our Sole?nn Fqfts, without being punifhed, or (which is yet a worfe Sign) even without being detected in order to Punifhment ? Certainly, thefe are ho good Proofs of our Abhorring the Sin of the Day ; and why then mould we flatter ourfelves with the Thought,
that
King Charles I. 33
that God hath left off to abhor, andsERM. will no longer continue to chaftife us 1: for the Sake of it? 'Truly (to ufe our ^VNJ Saviour's Words) ye bear witnefs, that Luke xl ye allow the Deeds of your Fathers-, for*** they indeed killed the Prophets, and ye build their Sepulchres ; that is, Ye pay fome outward Refpeft to their Afhes, fome ceremonious Regard to their Memories ; but without renounc- ing the Principles, and abominating the Practices, that led to the fpilling that Righteous Blood, which, therefore, we have Reafon to fear, may be required even of this Generation.- When, and in what manner, God will require it, he alone knows. But if we confider the Height of all Sorts of Wickednefs, to- which we are now arrived; the open Contempt of Religion, and Scorn of facred Perfons and Things, that reigns among us; the inteftine Dif- cords, by which we are torn at home; the Dangers which have threatened us from abroad, and (however we rr^ay fay, Peace, Peace, to ourfelves) ffill Vol. IV. D do •
34 On the Martyrdom of
SDRM.do threaten us, we have juftCaufe to
i, apprehend, that the compleat Meafure
C/"VXJof our Iniquity is almoft filled up, and
that the Day of our Vilitationis not far
off.
But do not thou, O Lord, to whom Vengeance belongeth, do not thou deal with us according to our Deferts; be not difpleafed at us for ever, neither flretch out thy Wrath from one Gene- ration to another! Command thy de- fir oying Angel, when he .goeth through Ch.ix. 4. the City (as the Prophet Ezekiel fpeaks) to fet a Mark upon the Forehead of all thofe thatfgh, and that cry for the Ab- omination, which hath been done in the midjl thereof-, and either to fpare the whole for their Sakes -, or, at leaft, not to fmite the Righteous together with the Wicked! Make us deeply fenfible of this, and all other our great Enormities, and of thy wondrous Lenity and For- Lukc xixbearance! Teach us, even yet in this *2' our Day (if it be poflible) the Things that belong to our Peace, ere they be hid from our Eyes! Teach us by a
Refletf-
King Ch arles I. 35
Reflection on pajl Calamities, to pre- s e r m. vent new ones, and to avoid thofe Rocks i. and Shelves, on which our Fore-fathers */"W) were fhipwrecked !
Which God of his infinite Mercy grant, through the Merits of that Blood, which fpeaketh better things than the Blood of Abel !
20 him, Father, Son, and Holy Ghojl, be afcribed, as is mojl due, all Ho- nour, Adoration, and Thanks, now, and for evermore. Amen.
D 2 THE
139]
The Wicked Lives of Christians no Argument againjl the Truth of Chriftianity.
A
SERMON
Preached at
St. James's Chapel,
April 26, 1713.
— — «
1 T I M. vi. 1
" That the Name of God, and his Doctrine be not blafphemed.
TH E Purity and Perfection of the Chrijlian Morality, confidering the Meannefs of the Perfons who pub- ,^^/\j D 4 lifted
40 rfhe Wickednefs cf Chriftians
SERM.blifhed that Dodtrine, is a fure Argu-
ri. rhent of its divine Original and Autho-
l/'Y^ rity. But then the Lives of many Chri-
jltans, led in a Way fo little anfwerable
to the Precepts of Chrifty are a mighty
Dishonour to our Religion, and give
Occafion, to thofe who feek Occafion,
to reproach and blafpheme it.
What fignifies it, fays the Libertine, or indeed how can one be fatisfied, that the Gofpel is of heavenly Extraction ; when we fee, it hath no more Efficacy and Influence on the Hearts and Lives of thofe who profefs it, than other Reli- gions that are of mere Human Contri- vance ; when there is as much Impiety, and Vice of all Sorts among thofe that name the Name ofChriJl, as amongft the Mahometans and Heathens ?
This popular Objection St. Paul ap- pears to have had much upon his Thoughts, and doth therefore frequent- ly prefs his new Converts in this and other Epiftles, to diftinguifh them- felves by a becoming Sandtity of Life and Manners j for this Reafon, among i others,
no Proof againjl Chriftianity. ^i
ethers, T'hat the Name of God and fcSERM. DoBrine be not blafphemed. 1 1 .
If there were great Occafion for fuch L/^/NJ Exhortations then, there is much greater row ; when the Manners of Chrijiiam are degenerated fo far, not only from the Precepts ofChrift, but even from the Pattern fet by thofe firft Believers ; and when there are even among thofe, who call themfelves Chrijlians,fome, as ready fo lay hold of this Objection, and to urge it in Prejudice of our Religion, as any of the moft determined Heathens, even Porphyry, Celfus, or Julian ^himfelf, were.
From the Words therefore, a pro- per Occafion will be given me to en- quire,
Firft j What Ground there is for a L Complaint of the extreme Wickednefs of Men now under the Evangelical Dif- penfation.
Secondly, Allowing the Complaint K. to be juft, how little Reafon there yet
would
42 The Wickednefs 2/rChri/tiart3
serm. would be for turning it to the Difad- ii. vantage of Chriftianity itfelf. And,
III. Thirdly i What are the Inferences that may more juftly and naturally be deduced from it.
I. Firjly I am to confider, What ju/l
Ground or Coulour there may be for a Complaint of the exceeding Wicked- nefs of Men now under the Chriftian Difpenfation.
And here it may with Truth be ob- ferved, to the Advantage of our holy Religion, that, as bad as Men are un- der it, they would have yet been worfe without it -, fince, upon a juft Com- parifon of Chrijiians, even in thefe later Times, with the Enemies of the Crofs of Chrijl, it will, I am perfuad- ed, be found, that the Manners of the one are not quite fo corrupt and vi- cious as thofe of the other. There may perhaps be fome particular Chrijlians more abandoned to all Sorts and De- grees of Impiety, than any even of the
moil
no Proof againft Chriftianity. 43
moft profligate Heathens (for which serm. Inftances I fhall account in what fol- 11. lows) but furely ChriJiendomy as to the general State of it, is not equally fcan- dalous in this refpecl, with thofe Parts of the World, that are Strangers to Chrijl y thofe Parts of it, I mean, where the Incentives to Luxury, Ambition, and every fort of Vice do equally a- bound.
And therefore the aggravating De- fcriptions that have been given of this Matter by fome pious and pathetical Pens, are not to be interpreted too ftriclly. The Faults of Chrifiians are obvious and manifeft to thofe of the fame Faith, and ftrike our Imaginations ftrongly on the account of their Near- nefs ; whereas the Vices of the Heathen World, being praclifed at a Diftance, and coming to our Knowledge by rare and uncertain Reports, do therefore make but faint Impreffions on our Minds.
The Rule, by which Chrifiians are obliged to walk, is fo excellent, and
they
44 ^he Wickednefs of Chriflians
ser _\r.they are thereby fo fully and clearly ii. informed of the whole Extent of their l/VVDuty; the promifed Affiftances are fo mighty, and the Rewards fo vaft, by which they are animated to Obedience ; that their Tranfgreffions, as they are attended with a deeper Guilt, fo muft needs appear to be of a more prodigi- ous Size, than thofe of other Men. And it is no wonder therefore, if, on both thefe Accounts, good and holy Perfons have fpoken of them with a particular Degree of Deteftation and * Horror.
And as the Vices of Chriflians are, for thefe Reafons, open and glaring, fo their Virtues oftentimes difappear and lie hid. The profound Humility and Self-denial, which the Chriftian Reli- gion firft enjoined, leads the true Dif- ciples of Chrifl, in the Exercife of the chief Gofpel Graces, to fhun the Ap- plaufe and Sight of Men, as much as is poffible. Hence, fome of the beft Chriflians are leaft known to be fuch, becaufe they make the leaft Noife and
Shew
no Proof againft Chriftianity. 45
Shew with th. ir Goodnefs. There is s e r m. nothing extraordinary or fmgular in their n. Manner of Life and Behaviour -> no O- v^"n^j Mentation of San&ity in Look, Werd, or Deed. Notwithstanding their Do- meftick Severities, yet, when they come abroad, they anoint the Head, and 'Matt. vi. nvajh the Face, that they appear not17' unto Men to faft. They found no Trumpet before their Alms, or other good Works -, but endeavour to perform them with that Secrefy, which our Sa- viour recommended, when he faid, Let Matt. vi. not thy Right Hand know what thy Left 3- Hand doth.
And of this there is One, though a very late, yet fo remarkable an In- ftance, that, for the Honour of our ho- ly Faith, I think it may deferve to be .particularly mentioned , the Inftance, J mean, of the Author of that excel- lent Book, the Whole Duty of Man ; who took not more Care to do good to the World, than he -did to conceal the Doer of it ; being contented to ap- prove himfelf to him, and him only,
who
46 7%e Wickednefs of Chriftians
SERM. whofeeth infecret, and rcfolved that the 11. Praife of Men, whether in his Life, or l/W after his Death, fhould be no Part of his Reward.
On thefe, and fuch Accounts as thefe, I fay, Vice feems to have the Odds of Virtue among thofe, who name the Name ofChriJl, much more than it really hath. , However, after all the Abatements that have been, or can be made in this Cafe, ftill it muft be owned, That the Wick- ednefs of Chriftians is exceeding great, and, confidering the fpecial Helps to- wards Holinefs, which they above the reft of the World enjoy, very amaz- ing. Even good Men, when they find all the powerful Means of Grace pro- pofed in the Gofpel, to have fo little Succefs, are apt to be fomewhat ftartled at it 5 and ill Men do not fail to make a very ill Ufe of it, and to turn it to the Difadvahtage of Chriftianity it- felf. jj Seco?tdly, That they are very unrea-
fonable in fo doing, I am in the next place to fhew. For,
1. The
no Proof againft Chriftianity. 47
1. ThehoHeft and pureft Doftrine s e r m« imaginable is but Doffrine ftill; it can 11. only inftruct, admonim, or perfuade ;-t>rV%J it cannot compel. The Gofpel Means of Grace, powerful as they are, yet are not, and ought not to be irrefiftible. They are Moral Caufes, which do not violently conftrain our Wills and Af- fections ; but only, by gentle Methods folicit and incline them. They work not like a Medicine, or a Charm, with- out our Concurrence and Co-operation. And therefore let the Difcoveries of our Duty and Happinefs now made, be never fo bright and clear, yet a Multitude of Chrijliam may ftill fo live, as if there was no fuch Difco- veries. And this is no greater a Won- der, that it is, that the Lufls and Paf- fions of frail Men mould often get the better of their Reafon ) and the trued Senfe and Knowledge of our Duty give way in the Prefence of mighty Temp- tations; which always hath been, al- ways will, and muft be the Cafe, while Human Nature confifts (as it doth) of
jarring
48 tfhe Wickednefs ^Chriflians
serm. jarring Principles, and the corrupt Part 11. of us is (as it generally is) the prevailing L/VNJ Ingredient in the Compofition.
Let the Go/pel have never fo little Succefs in promoting Holinefs, yet all who have confidered it, muft own, that % it is in itfelf as fit as any thing that can be imagined for that Purpofe, and incomparably more fit than any other Courfe that ever was taken. If there- fore the defired End be not attained, we muft not blame the Means, which are confeffedly appofite and proper, but the Men, who refufe or neglect to make ufe of them. The Rules of Health, and the Prescriptions of the Phyfician may be good; and yet few be the better for them, if few ftridly obferve them. It is no Difparagement to the Art, if thofe receive no great Benefit from it, who do not furrendei themfelves up to the Methods it pre- fer ibes.
Did Philofophy fuffer in the Opi- nion of wife Men, on the Account oi the Debaucheries that reigned in thofe
Ages,
no Proof againft Chriftianity. ■ 49 Ages, wherein it flourished moft among serm, the Grecians and Romans ? Was it then u. thought a good Inference, that, becaufe L/VNJ Men were very diffolute, when Wif- dom was at the Height, and the Light of Reafon fhone brighter!:, therefore Wifdom and Reafon were of little life towards making Men Virtuous ? No ! the Excellence and Fitnefs of the Rule • was univerfally acknowledged ; and all the Blame was laid on thole, swho did not comply with it. Object in the like manner againft natural Religion to a Deify and he will give you the like Anfwer. And why then mould he not receive the fame Apology for revealed Religion, in its Turn ? If the ill Con- duct of thofe, who embrace any Rule of Life and Manners, be a reafonable Exception againft the Rule itfelf, there's an End of all Rules whatsoever; fince none there are, from which mod of thofe, who in 'Theory approve them, do not in Practice mightily fwerve and decline. But,
Vol. IV. E 2. The
50 *fhe Wickednefs of Chriftians
ser^m. 2. The prefent Wickednefs of Chri- II. Jlians cannot be owing to any Defect
Cv^V in the Doctrine of Chrijl, nor be urged as a Proof of the real Inefficacy of it towards rendering Men holy \ becaufe there was z. Time, when it had all the Succefs of this kind, that could be ex- pected > the Time, I mean, of its ear- lieft Appearance in the World ; when the Practice of the Generality of Chri- Jlians was a juft Comment on the Pre- cepts of Chrifi y and they could appeal from their Doctrines to their Lives, and challenge their worfl: Enemies to fhew any remarkable Difference be- tween them. When they were, as the
Phil ii i Apoftle fpeaks, blamelefs, and harm- lefs, the Sons of God, without Rebuke y in the midjl of a crooked and perverfe Nation, among whom they Jhone as - Lights in the World. When they were fo far from Injuftice and Wrong, and the feveral wicked Arts of Deceiving, that, in the vaft Multitude of Converts,
Aftsiv.3z.jV0 Manfaid that ought was his own, but they had all things common, and
were
no Proof againft Chriftianity. 51
were not only of one Faith, and of s erm, one Worjhip, but of one Heart, and of 11. one Soul. Now, if the Efficacy and*-^*^0 Power of the Chriftian Doctrine muft be tried by its Fruits, why may we not have leave to take it at its firft fet- ting out, and to argue, that the moft immediate and neareft muft have been the moft natural and genuine Effects of it ? He that will try the Goodnefs of a Spring, fhould go to the Fountain Head itfelf, and not judge of it by Streams from thence at a great Diftance derived, which many other Waters may perhaps have fallen into during its Courfe, and many impure Mixtures have, defiled.
The Gofpel is the fame now, as it was then ; equally the Power of God 'Rom. Li unto Salvation, equally mighty in pull-l6% ing down of Jlrong Holds -, and there- 2Cor. x. 4. fore, that it doth not ftill produce the fame Effects, muft be owing, not to any Ineptitude or Defect in the Means, but to other Caufes and Confiderations, E 2 fome
52 The Wickednefs tf/"Chriftians
serm. fome of which I fhall now briefly ex- I. plain. And,
i-/-v\-> J, There muft needs be a great Dis- parity between the Jirji Chrifiians, and thofe of thefe latter Ages ; becaufe Chriftianity was the Religion of their Choice. They took it up, while it was perfecuted, and they could have no other Inducement to receive it, but a Conviction of its Excellence, which they attained by impartial and diligent Enquiries ; the Effect of which was, that the holy Precepts and precious Promifes of the Gofpel made a live- ly and durable Imprefiion on them. Whereas Chriftianity with us is gene- rally not a Matter of Choice, but of Fafhion and good Luck. We are born, where it is profeflfed -y and we fall into it, as we do into other prevailing Opi- nions and Cuftoms, of Courfe > and no won der therefore, if it floats only on the Surface of our Minds, if it takes not Root downwards, and confequently If t doth not bring Fruit upwards, in our • Life and Practice. For the Gofpel,
tho*
no Proof againji Chriflianity. 53
tho* it be the great Inftrument of Ho- serm, linefs, yet can make thofe alone Holy, 11. who confider and weigh it, and faften its holy Rules upon their Hearts and Confciences by Meditation and Study. 2. Another Account of the great De- generacy of Chrifiians may be drawn from Mens ere&ing new Schemes of Chriftianity, which interfere with the true and genuine Account of it. Some Men rely on the mere Externals of Religion, on Majfes, and Pilgrimages, Indulgences, and bodily Auflerities ; And if all thefe fail, they have a Referve flill, in the Merits and Interceffions of Saints and Angels, Others, who call themfelves Cbrifiians, have no regard for the Dead Letter of Scripture, but regulate themfelves by a certain Light within, by unaccountable Impulfes and Infpirations. There are yet others, wrho hope to be faved by a bare Ad: of Recumbency on the Merits of Chrift, and by the Free Grace of the Gofpel, without obferving the Law of Works, without being tied to the E- E 3 Jements
54 fhe Wickednefs ^Chriftians
sERM.lements of Bondage, and carnal Ordi-
ii. nances, L/W^J Now thefe Schemes (and the fame we might fay of fome others) fubvert the true Go/pel Scheme of Salvation, by Repentance from dead Works , and becoming a New Creature ; and as far as they do fo, muft needs undermine the Intereft of Virtue and Goodnefs, andfmooth the Way towards the Com- miffion of Wickednefs. If all the World embraced the Doctrine of Chrijl in its Simplicity and Purity, without adultering it by falfe Mixtures, it would be far more Operative and Ef- fectual than now it is, towards reform- ing Mens Lives, and fanclifying their Natures. But when they frame to themfelves a Gofpel, which Chrijl and his Apoflles never preached, and ex- ped: to be laved on any other Terms and Conditions than thofe God hath propofed -, 'ti5 no wonder if from fuch an Evil Root, as Evil Fruit arifes -, and they grow as corrupt in their Practice, gs they are in their Opinions.
The
no Proof againfi Christianity. 5 5
The fame may be faid of fome over- ser m eafy and loofe, or over ftrict and ri- 11. gorous Decifions in Matters of Con- fcience. Many modem Cafuijis have bent their Thoughts, and {trained their Wits, in order K.ofoften the Severity of the Gofpel Morals, and to bring them down, as near as they can, not only to the Infirmities^ but even the Vices of human Nature. They have invent- ed an Art of Lying without Sinning : They have allowed a Man to act on that Side of an Opinion, which he is fatisfied is falfe, fo it carry but any Shew of Probability with it ; and they have determined it to be probable, if two or three grave Writers of Note have efpoufed it. They have made good Ends capable of Sanctifying the worft and moit forbidden Means > have declared it not neceffary for a Man to exercife more than one Aft of Love to- wards God in his whole Life-time, or to be contrite for his Sins, but on his Death bed. And thefe are the Pofi- tions, not only of a few, obfcure, but E 4 of
56 *The Wichdnefs 0/rChriflians
serm. of very, many, and very celebrated Au- , 11. thors 3 and cannot therefore but go on a great way towards debauching the Minds of all fuch as have any Reve- rence for thofe Cafuijis.
On the other fide, good, but mif- taken Men have fometimes carried the .Doctrine of the Gofpel to a very fevere and aftoniuhing Height 5 and framed from thence fuch Rules of Life, and Determinations in Morality, as directly oppofed the firft and moil innocent In^ clinations of Human Nature. And in this they thought, they had done God and Men good fervice -, but the Event has difproved them. For fome Per- fons finding Religion reprefented as fo melancholy and four a thing, have concluded, that God, the Author of our Nature, could never be the Au- thor of fo unnatural and extravagant a Scheme ; and have thereupon rejected it at once, and fet themfelves loofe from all the Ties of Morality. Others, itill adhering to the Truth of the Doc- trine, have yet been fo far difcouraged
no Proof againjl Chriftianity. 57
by the ; uncomfortable and forbidding serm. Look of it, as to lay afide all Hopes ei- 11. ther of duly pra&ifing or relifhing it ; ^"v-v- and have therefore refolved rather to en- Heb- xi- joy the Pleafures of Sin for a Seafon, and >' run the Venture of their future Happi- nefs, than be certainly miferable here, for fear of being fo hereafter. And a third Sort there are, who have endea- voured to raife their Practice up to thefe Speculations ; but failing (as how could they but fail ?) have funk into Religious Defpair, concluded themfelves Reprobates, out of the Favour of God, and a State of Salvation,
So that too eafy and too fevere De- cifions have alike done Differvice to Religion. T'hefe perhaps have fright- ened near as many from the Profecu- tion of Virtue ', as T'hofe have allured to the Commiffion of Vice\ but the True Dodrine of the Gofpel, which fleers between thefe Extremes, is not an- fwerable for the Exceffes on either fide, and ought not therefore to be blaf-*
phemed
58 The Wickednefs of Chriftians
s e r m. phemed on the account of them. We
11. may add in the l/*wj 3d Place, That *tis not to be expedt- ed, but that, where Chriftians arc wicked, they fhould be rather worfe than other Men ; for this very Reafon, becaufe they have more Help towards becoming better, and yet live in the Contempt or Negledt of them. Thofe excellent Rules of Life, which they will not fuffer to do them Good, muft for that very Reafon do them Harm, if they fet their Faces againft fo plain a Revelation of their Duty, and refolve Matt.vi. t0 ^n *n Defiance of it. For, if the *3. Light that is in them be Darknefs> how great is that Darknefs ?
How great, even according to the natural Courfe and Tendency of Things, whereby what is good, when corrupted, grows bad in proportion to its former Goodnefs : How much greater, in re- fpedt of the juft Judgments of God, who punifhes fuch Perfons with the R ; total Dereliftion of his Spirit, and a 28. Penal Blindnefs; giving thofe up to a
Reprobate
no Proof again ft Chriftianity. 59
"Reprobate Mind, 'who thus hold the serm, T'ruth in Unrighteoufnefs. 11.
Lafifyy The Faith of Chriji fuffers much from the ill Lives of thofe, who have nothing of Chriftianity but the Name ; and are, whilft they reproach it for the ill Conduct of its Profeflbrs, themfelves the greateft Reproach to it. Set afide the Diforders of the almoft Christians, and of fuch as, whatever they may outwardly profefs, do not fin- cerely and heartily love our Lord Jefus-, and one great Occafion of Blafphem- ing the Doctrine of Chriji will be re* moved. 'Tis very hard therefore to make our Faith anfwerable for the ill Manners of thofe, who do not in good Earneft receive it ; but much harder ftill, that thofe very Men fhould prefs the Objection moil eagerly, without whofe loofe and immoral Lives, there would not be near fo much Ground and Colour for it.
This is as if Catiline fhould have declaimed againft the Debaucheries of Rome, whilft he and his Accomplices
were
60 The Wickednefs of Chriftians
serm. were in the Midft of it, and had con- ii. tributed to bring it to that Pitch of C/YV) Wickednefs, which they had com- plained of.
Many other inftrudive Reflections might be fuggefted on thefe Heads : But thus much may fuffice to fhew, How far there is any real Occafion for a Complaint of the exceeding Wicked- nefs of Men, now under the Chriftian Difpenfation ; and then, fuppofmg the Complaint juft, how little Reafon there- would be, to turn it to the Difad- vantage of Chriftianity itfelf. It re- mains, that I fhould point out to you, on my
III. Third General Head, fome more proper and natural Inferences that may be drawn from it. They are many and weighty : But I will not detain you further than by the Mention of a few of them.
And, i. This fhould be fo far from fhocking our Faith, that it ought, on the contrary, to confirm and flrengthen
it,
no "Proof again ft Chriftianity. 61
it. For the univerfal Degeneracy of s erm. Cbriftians in thefe latter Days was ir. plainly and punctually foretold by Chrijl <s"v~^<* and his Apoflles. When the Son ^LukexviiU Man cometh, Jhall he find Faith on the 8- 'Earth'? faid our Saviour. Now the Spirit fpeaketh (fays St. Paul in his firft Epiftleto Timothy) that in the latter &.iv. 1,2. Times fome Jhall depart from the Faith, giving Heed to f educing Spirits, and DoBrines of Devils ; fpeaking Lies in ch.W. 12. Hypocrijy, having their Confidences fear- ed with a hot Iron. And in his fecond Epiftle, This know, that in the lajl Days . ... . perilous Times Jhall come ;for Men Jhall be Lovers of their own fielves, Covetous, Boafiers, Proud, Blafiphemers : To which he adds a large Catalogue of the black- ed and worft of Sins which fhould then abound. And parallel Paflages to thefe are alio to be found in St. Peter s and St. Judes Epiftles. Now the Te/limo-Rev ny of J ejus is that Spirit of Prophecy ;i0- and if he therefore and his Apofrles by that Spirit of Prophecy forewarned us of this Event, it fhould not, methinks,
JefTen
XIX-
62 rfhe Wicked?icfs of Chriftians
serm. leflen our Efteem of their Dodtrine, to
II, fee that Prediction fulfilled. ^V^J Nay, the vicious Lives of the Gene- rality of Chrijiians is an Argument for the Truth of Chriftianity on another Account. For the profeffed Defign of God in revealing it, being to reform the World, and that Defign being fo remarkably defeated ; were not our Re- ligion founded on a Rock, on the moft apparent Reafon, and moft incontefta- ble Miracles, it muft, a long time ago, have funk under the Weight of this Afts v. 3 8, fingle Prejudice. Had this Counfel, or this Work been of Men, it would, under fuch a Difadvantage, have certainly come to nought ; but it being of God, nothing can overthrow it. We may from hence in the
2d Place, Take occafion to confider the monftrous Degree of Pravity and Perverfenefs, that is hid in the Heart of Men, and to account for the Rife of it. It is plainly fuch, and fo great, we fee, as to be Proof againft the bright- eft Difcoveries of God's Will, and our
Duty;
no Proof againjl Chriftianity. 63 Duty ; fuch as no Rules can redtify5no serm, Endeavours can reform. 11,
And this 0/z<> Reflection, duly attend- ^VO ed to, would fatisfy us, that we are not now in our Natural State y and as we came forth from the Hands of God ; but fallen and degenerated from primi- tive Perfection. For can it enter into the Heart of Man to conceive, that the nobleft Part of the vifible Creation fhould, in its Original Frame and Con- ftitution, be the moft Imperfedt and Faulty ? That Man fhould have been created by God, with fuch violent Ten- dencies to Evil, and fuch rooted Aver- fions from Goodnefs, as at prefent dis- cover themfelves in him r Even with- out the Light of Revelation, it would, on this very Account, be highly rea- fonable for us to believe (what thofe, who reafonedbeft among the Heathens, the Scholars of Socrates did believe) that fome Change mud needs have happened in our Faculties and Na- tures, fince they were firft formed •> and that our Souls are now placed in a 1 State,
64 The Wickednefs tf/Xhriftians.
serm, State, not of natural Dignity and Ex- 11. cellence, but of Probation and Reco-
^V\ very.
3. It will be a third good Ufe of what has been difcourfed, if we learn from thence, not to meafure Doctrines by Perfons, or Perfons by Doctrines 5 that is, not to make the One a com- pleat Rule and Standaad, whereby to judge of the Goodnefsor Badnefs of the Other. I cannot now duly explain this Reflection, and fhall therefore employ it only in order to wipe off a Reproach that hath been fometimes call on that excellent Churchy of which we are Members ; as if ill Livers abounded more than ordinarily in her Commu- nion. I trufl in God, the Afperlion is utterly falfe and groundlefs; the mere Effect of Malice, Envy, or Defign. But, were it never fo true, yet would not this be a Touchftone to try her Doc- trines by ; fince for the fame Reafon that the Wickednefs of Chrijlia?is in general is no Argument againft the Truth of Chriftianity, the Wickednefs
to
no Proof again/1 Christianity. 65
to be found in any particular Society serm. of Chrijliam, can be no Objection a- n. gainft the DoBrines particularly pro- <^"V\J fefled in that Society. By Scripture and by Reafon Religions Opinions are to be examined; and not by the Lives and Practice of thofe who efpoufe them.
However, fince the World is for the mod part compofed of fuch as do not reafon rightly, but judge merely by outward Appearances 3 fince Mankind are generally fo made, that the holieft Religion in the World muft needs fuffer in their Opinions, on the Account of the ill Lives of thofe who profefs it; let us therefore make this
4th and lad Ufe of what has been faid, To excite ourfelves from thence to do what in us lies towards removing this Scandal from the Chriftiah Faith at large, and from that particular Church of Chriji to which we belong ; both by living Ourfelves, as becomes our holy Religion; and by influencing Others, as we have Ability and Oppor- -
Vol. IV. F tunity,
66 77oe Wickednefs ^Chriftians
ser M.tunity, to live as we do; that fo both ii. we, and they may adorn the DoBrine of ^zT^T^God our Saviour in all Things-, may render it lovely and defirable in the Eyes of all Men, even its fierceft Ene- mies and Oppofers; having our Con- i Pet. ii. verfation (as the Apoftle fpeaks) honeft among the Gentiles (and thofe who are worfe than Gentiles -, Chriftians in Name and Profeffion, but at the Bottom hard- ned and feared Unbelievers) that, 'whereas theyjpeak againjl us as Evil- doers, they may by our good Works, which they /hall behold, glorify God in the Day cfVifitation.
The primitive Chriftians (as you have heard) appealed freely from their Doc- trines to their Lives, in Confirmation of the Truth of Chriftianity: We, on the contrary, are forced to appeal from our Lives to our Doftrines; and to fhelter ourfelves under the indifputable Goodnefs of the Rule we embrace, whilft we are guilty of very many, and very great Deviations from it. Let us be afhamed to make ufe of this Ar- gument
no Proof again/1 Chriftianity. 67
gument any longer, and refolve to ren- serm. der our ABions and Opinions perfectly 11. conjijlent > that fo our Religion may ap- C/VNJ pear to be, not a Notional Syftem, but a vital and fruitful Principle ofHolinefs ; and we may fave not only our own Souls, but the Souls of many others alfo, who fhall be won over to the Obedience of the Faith, by obferving our good Converfa- tion in Chrift Jefus.
T0 whom, with the Father, and buf- fed Spirit, be afcribed all Maje/ty, Might, and Praife, now and for ever. Amen.
F 2 THE
t7i 1
The Fear of God a Motive to Holinefs. A
SERMON
Preached at
St. James's Chapel,
March 20, 171 8-19.
PHIL. vi. 1.
Work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling.
THE wife and good Author of our s e r m. Nature, forefeeing that, in this jUm degenerate and corrupted State of it, the v^VNJ Rules of Duty he prefcribed, would not, without great Difficulty and Reluctance be complied with, hath been gracouily F 4 pleafed
7 2 The Fear of God
SERM.pleafed to addrcfs himfelf, not to our in. Reafon only, but our Pajjions alfo, and U/V^V to enforce his Commands, by propofing, together with them, fuch Motives and Confederations, as (he knew) would have the greatejl Influence towards determin- ing our Choice j towards fecuring, and enlivening our Chriftian Obedience. And the moft operative of thefe Motives feems to be thai, which applies itfelf to our Fears, and urges upon us the ftrict Practice of Virtue, by the Threats of di- vine Vengeance, which will certainly at- tend our Difobedience. This Confidera- tion the facred Writers frequently incul- cate; and particularly St. Paul in the Words of the Text, wherein he exhorts the Philippians to work out their own SaU nation with Fear and Trembling,
On which Words I intend to build this plain, but ufefulPropofition, That " , A Fear of God's Wrath, and of eter- <l nal Punifhment, lsaproperzndfaffi- " cient Motive to lead Men to Holi- <c nefs." This feems to be a very evi- dent Truth y and yet thofe, who have.
to
c Motive to Holincfs. 73
to deal with fcrupulous Conferences, sf, r m. know, that fome very pious and well- 1 j 1. meaning Chriftians, do in good earneft ^^/%J doubt of it -y and will not allow them- felves to be in a Regenerate Eflate, or to have a fure Title to the Divine Fa- vour, becaufe their Repentance wholly took its Rife at the firft, and hath fince perhaps in fome meafure received its Growth and Increafe from thatbafe and flavifh Principle of Fear, to which, they imagine the true Sons of Adoption and the Eledi of God are always Stran- gers.
To remove the Scruples, under which fuch good, but miftaken Men labour, (hall be the Bufinefs of my prefent Dif- courfe : Wherein 1 will endeavour,
Firft, By fome general Reflections to L leffen the ill Opinion, which thefe Per- fons entertain of themfelves ; And then proceed,
Secondly, To prove more directly, ]j# that the Principle, from which their
Repent-
73 ^he Fear of Gov
8 e r m. Repentance and Obedience hath fprung,
in. is fuch. as they may fecurely rely on. UV>JAnd,
Firjiy I defire them to confider, that although the Gofpel doth (almoft in every Page of it) reprefent to us the Neceffity of Repentance in general, yet, as to any particular Motive, from whence this Change of Mind and Man- ners muft necejfarily flow, it is altoge- ther filent. Which feems to intimate this Truth, That if a Man be but fin- . cerely and throughly Good, it matters not milch out of what Principle he jirfl became fo: Fife the Scripture, which fo often and earneftly preffes upon us the one, would have laid fome Strefs on the other alfo. It is faid indeed that Luke x. we niuft Love the Lord our God with *7- all our Heart, and with all our Soul, and with all our Mind, and with all our Strength, that we mull: walk in his Ways, and keep all his Commandments y but it is no where determined, from what Motive this out Love and Obedience
muft
a Motive to Holinefs. 75
muft originally fpring, in order to finds erm. Acceptance with God. And there- m. fore, where no exprefs Dire&ions are VV^J given, there the Divine Goodnefs feems to have indulged a Latitude. And why then fliould we make the Way that leads to Eternal Life, narrower* and the Gates Jlraiter, than God him- felf appears to have made it ? But,
2. It feems a little unequal and pre- pofterous in thefe Perfons, to lay fo great a Strefs on their Fears in One Re- fpeft, when they diftruft them fo much in Another. For the State of their Cafe is plainly this, — That by a Dread of Divine Vengeance they were at firft feared from the PracSice of Vice, and led into the Paths of Virtue : And it is the fame religious Dread that now inclines them to fufpedt, and condemn themfelves, on that very account. They fear they have not repented in that manner they ought to have done, be- caufe their Repentance was at firft the Effeft of their Fear -, that is, they al- low
76 The Fear o/G o d
serm.Iow the Suggestions of this Paflion to
in. have a great deal of Weight in the lat-
CW ter Cafe, but none at all in the former.
Which is, at one and the fame time,
to pay too much, and too little Regard
Rom. xiv.to it, and to condemn our/elves (as St,
%2' Paul elfewhere fpeaks) in that thing
• we allow. And the Judgments Men
pafs on their own Condition, from fuch
inconfiftent and confufed Viewsas thefe,
muft needs be very uncertain, and unfit
to be relied on. Nay,
3. It is no flight Token of a Man's being really and fincerely Good, and upon fuch Principles and Grounds as are well-pleafing to God, in that he fufpefis himfelf not to be fo : Since we rarely find any but the beft and moft religious Minds, entertaining fuch lit- tle Doubts, and encouraging fuch nice Scruples as thefe. The bold prefum- ptuous Sinner goes on hardly in his way ; carelefs and fearlefs -y without looking backward to the Point from whence he fet out, or forward to the End of his Journey. He repentetb not
•f
a Motive to Holinejs. . 77
of his Wickednefs (according to the De- serm, fcription given of him by the Prophet in. Jeremy) faying. What have I done ? •~^*~^J but turneth again to his Courfe, as the J«r- **"*• Horfe rufheth into the Battle. The Hypocrite on the other fide, is as fe- cure and well fatisfyed in his Way, having a&ed his Part fo long, as to come at laft to think it real, and to de- ceive even his own Heart, as well as the Eyes and Obfervations of others -, and contenting himfeif with a demure Shew and Face of Religion, without any troublefome Doubts or Mifgivings. But it is the good and confcientious Man chiefly, that is uneafy and diila- tisfied with himfeif 5 always ready to condemn his own Imperfections, and to fufpedt his own Sincerity upon the flighted: Occafions. He defnesfo much and earneftly to pleafe God, that he can never think he pleafes him as much as he ought to do. Every wry Step, by which he imagines himfeif to have declined from the Path of Duty, af- fright* him when he reflects on it ;
every
78 The Fear of God
serm. every the leaft Obliquity in Thought, in. ,Word, and Deed, feems confiderable to l/'YNJ him. So that thefe Sufpicions and God- ly Jealoufies do, I fay, ufually abound moji there, where there is leaft need of them ; and it is (generally fpeaking) a very good Sign of a Man's loving God heartily and in good earneft, when he begins to doubt, whether he loves him or no ; and fufpedls even the beft Fruits of Holinefs, which mine in his Life and Practife, becaufe he cannot look back with Satisfaction on the Prin- ciple of Fear, from whence they flowed. And therefore thefe very Scruples and Jealoufies, which he thus cherimes, concerning the Goodnefs of his State, would really afford Matter of found Comfort to him, if he had but Skill 4 and Courage enough to make a right Ufe of them.
In order to convince him of which Truth, after premifing thefe general Reflections, I proceed now, as I pro- pofed, more particularly and direftly to prove,
" That
a Motive to HoVmeJs. jg
cc That a Fear of God's Wrath and s e r m, <c of eternal Punifhment, is a proper m. c< and fuflicient Motive to lead Men to (/V^J <c Holinefs."
This will appear, if we conlider, i. The Paffion itfelf, its Rife, Na- ture, and Ufe.
2. The natural Apprebenfiom we have of God, as a Lawgiver, Judge, and Avenger,
3. The Depth of Sin, into which fome Men are plunged; and out cf which nothing but Motives of Terror and Aftonifhment can poffibly raife them.
1 . The Paffion of Fear is natural to us, and was given us by God for our Safety and Convenience ; to warn us of impending Dangers, and to put us upon finding out proper Ways for a- voiding them. When therefore this Paffion imprints on our Minds a lively Senfe of the Punifhment due to Sin, of the Difpleafure of God, of the mighty and insupportable Torments of Hell; and doth from hence excite and q Icken
So *tbe Fear of God
SERM.usinto the Practice of Virtue; when ill; it doth this, I lay, it doth its Duty, ^W and ferves the very End for which it was implanted in our Nautre. Every thing, that God made, is good; that is, there is fome good Ufe or other, to which it may be put. And certain- ly our Fears muft then be of the great- eft Ufe to us, when they are turned upon their moft proper and impor- tant Object, Everlafling Burnings. Do we think, they were defigned to admo- nifh us only of faint Jlighter Harms, which may reach our Bodies, or our Fortunes ? to keep us awake and a- larmed in relation to the Evils of this Life alone, without extending to thofc of another \ as certain as thefc, and far greater than thefe in Degree and Du- ration? We may as well imagine, that Reajon was given us, merely as*an help towards managing the little Affairs of this prejent World to our Advantage, without any regard to what is future -, to make us , wife and prudent in our fhort and momentary Defigns upon
Kappinefs,
A Motivi to Holinefs. Si
Mappinefs, without afMing us in the s e r m. Difcovery and Purfuit of eternal Feli- nr. city. Certainly, as Man is a Creature '/VN Framed for Religion, (o every one of his Faculties and Affections was originally ordained to the fame End that he him- felf was ; and may therefore to that pur- pofe be ufefully, and is always tnoftftty employed. His Fears therefore, and his Hopes, and all the other Paffions that belong to the reafonable Nature, were given him, as much for religious Ufes, as his very Soul and his Being were. So that when the Terrors of the Lord per- fuade Men, a natural End is ferved by a natural Pajjion $ and, upon thefeTerms, we may be fure, the Author of our Na- ture will not refufe our Obedience.
2. This will further appear, in the next Place, from the natural Apprehen- fions we have of God, when we confider him as the Objeff of our Duty and Ser- vice : It is plain, that we do then re- prefent him to ourfelves, as a Law- giver ; that is, as one who prefcribes a Rule to our Actions, and will punifh
Vol. IV. G the
8z fbe Fear of God
sE R M. the Breach of it. We cannot conceive in. him as giving a Law without a SanBion, CVN*/ that is, without reprefenting him at the fame time to ourfelves, as enforcing that Law with a Threat, and fecuring the Obfervance of it by fome Penalty an- nexed. This is the Method of all In- ferior Legiflators, and is from thence eafily and naturally transferred by us to the Supreme, So that our firjl and moft immediate Conceptions of God, by which we are excited to our Duty, in«* volve in them this very Motive we are fo apt to fufpedt ; and we cannot pro- pofe to ourfelves the One, without feel- ing in fome meafdre the Power and Force of the Other,
To obferve God's Laws under a Pro-' fpeft of Regard, is what many of thofe, who rejed: a Principle of Dread, will not deny to be a reafonable and fufficient J?iducement to Virtue. Now, how our defiring a Good fhould make what we do on that account acceptable in the Eyes of God, and yet that very thing be unacceptable, when done to avoid an
Evil;
. a Motive to Holinefs. 83
Evil ; how the Hope of Reward fhould serm. be a good Motive, and yet the Fear of in* lofing that Reward be an ill one, is o'YNI hard to determine. It is on each fide, the Selfijhnefs of the Principle, and the Mixture of our own Interejl with it, that feems to leffen its Worth. And I cannot fee, how our Interejl is lefs con- cerned in purfuing Pleajure, than in flying Pain.
Indeed, the nobleft and mofl com- mendable Reafon of our ferving God is, our Love of him. God is Love, and he chiefly delights in thofe difinterefted Duties which fpring from that Prin- ciple. However, he hath been pleafed to condefcend to the IVeaknefs, nay to the Bafenefs of our Natures, and to accept our bounden Duty and Service, upon >much lower Terms. He hath thought fit to allure, and to fright en us into Obedience 5 and him that comes even this way to him> he will in no wife cajl out.
3. To ftrengthen this Proof yet fur- ther, let us, in the third place, take a 0 2 View
84 The Fear o/God
s e r m. View of the State and Condition of in. profligate Sinners. We mall find it to
t/W be fuch, that nothing but Terror can any ways lay hold of them. Is it pof- fible for a Man that is funk into all manner of Vice and Impurity, to be ftruck on a fudden with the Beauty of Virtue and Goodnefs, with the Love of God, and of his infinite Perfeftions ? Can he (do we think) recover himfelf, by reflecting on the Deformity and Tur- pitude of Sin, on the Dignity of his Na- ture, and of that divine Character and Refemblance which he bears ? Alas I let Virtue be never fo lovely, Goodnefs never fo defirable -, yet He hath no Eyes to fee it, no Heart to dejire it. He hath loft the Tafte of every thing, but thofe very Delights/m which he indulges him- felf 5 and Reafon is no longer Reafon to him, than it pleads for his Enjoyments. Now what, I fay, can poflibly roufe fuch a Creature as this, fo loft to all in- genuous Motives, but the Senfe of di- vine Vengeance, and the Dread of eter- nal Puni/hments ? The Terrors of Hell
may
a Motive to Holinefs. 8j
may (till perhaps perfuade him to con- serm. fider (for Fear will find an Entrance 1 1 1 . where no other Paffion can) but to all -^VNJ Arguments befides he is perfectly im- penetrable.
Indeed, after that the Wrath of God hath terrified him into Reflections on his wretched State, and into Refolu- tions of quitting it, there is room for other Motives to come in, %xi&finifo the Work thus begun , to improve his Con- trition, and raife his Refentments, and build him up in the Pra&ice of all manner of Holinefs. But ftill the lead- ing Step towards Repentance muft, I fay, proceed from his Fear \ which therefore is a fare Foundation for all Penitents to build on, unlefs we can fuppofe that God ever leaves Men in Sin, without affording them any one proper Motive to ftir them up to Vir- tue ; an opinion not eafily to be enter- tained of infinite Goodnefs.
Why then fhould the pious Chriflian harbour any Doubts of 'this kind in his Breaft ? 0, whyfiould his Soul be cajl pf- * 5- G 3 doien%
86 <tbe Fear of God
S E R M. dfcw/;, and his Spirit difquieted within in. him ? There is no Room for Defpon-. dency of Mind in fuch a State as His ^ no Reafon, why that Dread of Divine Wrath, which frighted him at/r/? into the Ways of Virtue, mould continue to haunt and purfue him fill, now he is far advanced in them. The only Fears, which will he prejudicial to him, and which he ought to difmifs, are thofe concerning the Validity of his Repentance. His other Fears were a- greeable to Nature, and Reafon, and to thofe Methods, which the Divine Wifdom hath thought fit to make ufe of for reclaiming Sinners. To ferveGod out of Love, and Love only, without the leaft Mixture or Allay of any bafer Principle, is the Privilege of Angels, and blefTed Spirits who live in the Pre- fence of God. It will hereafter be the Reward of our having lived as became the Gofpel, but it cannot be matter of ftriit Duty to us now. Lower and lefs noble Ends muft influence us, while we are in this State of Imperfection :
'TiU
a Motive to Holinefs. 87
Till that which is perfecl is come, that SERM, which is in part need not, and cannot 1 1 1 . be done away. Therefore why is bis Soul '-^VNJ cali down, and why is his Spirit difquiet- ed within him ?
To all this perhaps the. deje&ed Chri- Jlian, for whofe fake I have entered on this Argument, will reply, That the Fear of eternal Punifhment is indeed a proper and fufficient Motive to lead Men to Holinefs, if it befuch a Fear of God's Power and Juftice, as is . fweetly allayed and tempered by a Senfe of his Goodnefs ; that is, if it be an Evangelic and Filial Fear, compofed of an equal Mixture of Awe and De^ light, of Love and Reverence -3 for to fuch a Fear as this the moil: eminent Saints of God were no Strangers, fince they ferved the Lord with Fear (as good David fpeaks) and rejoiced before him with Reverence.
But alas ! His is altogether a Legal
and a Servile Fear ; a fullen, gloomy
Paffion, without the leaft Mixture of
any thing Joyous and Delightful ; a
G 4 mere
88 the Fear of Gov
SERM,mere Dread of Omnipotence, armed in. with Vengeance,which prefents the Rod to him as lifted up, and makes him tremble at the Sight of it j and forces him on towards his Duty, without, and againjl Inclination^ merely as Beads of Sacrifice are dragged to the Horns of the Altar. This is his wretched Cafe ; nq Glimpfe of Light appears in any Cor- ner of his Soul ; no comfortable Re- flections on the Goodnefs and Mercy of God fhine inwardly upon him ; but the Face of his Mind is all covered with Darknefs, Diftruft, and Horror. And how can the Services that flow from fuch a Temper as this, be acceptable to, that God, who is all Love and Light, and is pleafed only with a willing Mind, and a cheerful Giver ? This is the fad Account which fome Men give of themfelves without Caufe. To rectify it, let them confider,
Ist. Hath this Principle, which they thus blame, done the Work of a bet- ter ? Hatn it made them Charitable, Humble, Temperate, Devout ? Hath
it
(i Motive to Holinefs. %y
it enabled them to purify themfelves serm, from all Spot and Blemijh, and to ad- in. orn the DoBrine of their God and Sa- t/WJ viour in all Things ? If it hath, they Tit<li lo' may put what Odious Names upon it, and drefs it up in what frightful Shapes they pleafe ; but it is certainly fuch a Principle, as will bear the Teft, and, if they continue to be directed by it, will at laft carry them to Heaven. Be not deceived, He that doth Right eoufnefs, is i John iii. Righteous ; and as fuch, fhall receive a 7* Recompence at the great Day of Ac- count, though he became fo upon the . loweft and leaft valuable Confiderations: The Meannefs of the Motive, which induced him to obey, fhall not rob him of the Rewards which are due to Obe- dience. And therefore the Diftin&ion between a Legal and Servile Fear is Jiere miftaken and mifapplied. For a Servile Fear (in the true Notion of it) is fuch a Dread of divine Vengeance, as hath no laving Influence upon Mens Lives and Converfations \fuch as Male- factors are feized with, when under the
Sentence
90 'The Fear of God
SERM. Sentence of Execution, and without in. Hopes of efcaping it 5 fuch as 111 Men
1/VV feel, who go on obftinately in their 111 Courfes, notwithjlanding it 5 and fuch , under which the Devils themfelves bow and tremble, though without altering in the leaft their diabolical Natures by the Means of it. But this is far from being the Cafe of that Man, who works out his own Salvation with Fear and trembling : And therefore, we mifcall fuch Fears as thefe, when we term them Servile : For that is always in the Accounts of right Reafon, and will be efteemed in the Sight of God, a true Filial Feary which works by a true Filial Obedience. But,
2dIy It is further probable, that thefe melancholy Perfons do repreient their own inward Senfe of Things worfe than it deferves ; and perfuade them- felves into an Opinion, that they Love God lefs, and Dread him more than perhaps they really do. For (as I hint- ed at the Beginning of this Difcourfe) it is fcarce conceivable that any Men,
who
a Motive to Holinejs. 9 1
who are not fincerely good, fhould dif- ser m, quiet themfelves with fuch Scruples a- 1 1 1. bout the Ends and Motives which in- ^^^ clined them to Goodnefs. It is their Fear of not Loving God as much as they ought to do, which makes them apprehend that they do not love him at all. And therefore, inftead of turn- ing their Eyes inwardly upon the Ideas, which they have lodged in their fright- ful Imagination, let them diredt them upon the outward Effects of their Fears ; inftead of puzzling themfelves about the true Principle of Holinefs, let them take a comfortable Profpecft of the ge- nuine Fruits of it, which abound in their Life and Pradtice. And then their Doubts will all difappear, their Scruples will vanilh ; and they will be fatisfied, that the Love of God hath that Place which it ought to have in their Hearts, in as much as they Obey him : por in this we know that we love God > if we Johnxiv. keep his Commandments. But, IS*
3dly and lajily, Let the Men who are under thefe Apprehenfions, make a
right
92 The Fear c/God, &c.
serm, right Ufe cf them ; not difturb and ter- H i, rify themfelves with fuch Thoughts,
l/~V~sj but take Occafion from thence to gain Ground upon themfelves, and to ad- " vance falter in the Ways of Religion ; and to excite in their Hearts fuch a fer-r vent and exalted Love of God, as mall leave no room for any Doubts and Mif- givings. It is true, that perfecl Love cajleth out Fear ; but fuch a Degree of Divine Love is fcarce attainable here : However, we may afpire and approach ftill nearer and nearer towards this Per- fection. How much foever we have conquered our Dread of God, and im- proved our Love of him, we may go on ftill to dread him'lefs, and to love him
Ephef iii. more, 'till we come at laft to be rooted
l7>lS>1 9- and grounded in Love* and be able 1 6 comprehend, with all Saint s, what is the Breadth^ and Length, and Depth, and Height, and to know the Love of Chrift, which pajfeth Knowledge.
To Him, together with the Father ', and the Holy GhoJl> &c.
THE
r 95 1
The Terrors of Confcience.
SERMON
Preached at
St. P A U Us
Pefore the
LORD MAYOR,
May 30, 1703.
Matth. xiv. i, 2, 3.
At that Time Herod the Tetrareh heard of the Fame of Jefus, and f aid unto his Ser- vants^ This is John the Baptift, He is rifenfrom the Bead \ and therefore mighty Works do /hew forth them/elves in him. For Herod had laid hold on John, and hound him> and put him in Prifony &c.
"J^HE Wicked (fays the Prophet) are s E R M<
like the troubled Sea, when it can- IV not rejl, whofe Waters cajl up Mire and cx-v^j 4 Dirt.UAvii20'
9 6 *fhe terrors of Conference*
serm. Dirt. That is, Men of flagitious Lives iv. are fubjedl to great Uneafinefs : Whar>
l^VNJ ever Calm and Repofe of Mind they rriay feem for a Seafon to enjoy, yet anon, a quick and pungent Senfe of Guilt (awakened by fome Accident) rifes like a Whirlwind, ruffles and dif* quiets them throughout, and turns up to open View, from the very Bottom of* their Confciences, all the Filth and Im- purity which had fettled itfelf there. A Truth, of which there is not, perhaps, in the whole Book of God, a more apt and lively Inftance, than that which the Paffage I have read from the Evan- gelift fets before us. The crying Guilt of John the BaptifVs Blood fat but ill, no doubt, on the Confcience of Herod, from the Moment of his. fpilling it, However, his inward Anguifh and Re-* morfe was ftifled and kept under for a time, by the Splendor and Luxury in which he lived, 'till he heard of the Fame of Jefus ; and then his Heart fmote him, at the Remembrance of the Inhuman Treatment he had given to
fuch
The terrors ofConfcience. 97
fuch another Juft and Good Man ; and ser m. wrung from him a Confeffion of what iv. he felt, by what he uttered on that Occafion. He faid unto his Servants, This is "John the Baptift ! He is rifen from the Dead ! and therefore mighty Works do Jhew forth thcmfehes in him* There could not be a wilder Imagina- tion than this, or which more betrayed the Agony and Confufion of Thought, under which he laboured. He had often heard John the Baptift preach, and muft have known that the Drift of all his Sermons was, to prepare the Jews for the Reception of a Prophet, migh* tier than Him, and whofe Shoes he was not worthy to bear. Upon the Arrival of that Prophet, foon afterwards, He- rod's frighted Confcience gives him no Leifure to recoiled: what his MefTenger had faid; but immediately fuggefts to him, That this was the murdered Bap- tift himfelf ! Herod, as appears from Hiftory, was, though Circumcifed, lit- tle better than an Heathen in his Prin- ciples and Practices 3 or, if fincerely a Vol. IV. H Jew,
9$ *£hc "Terrors ofConfcience.
jerm.J^, was, at mod, but of the Sect of iv. the Sadducees, who /aid, there was no t/W RefurreSlion, and yet, under the pre- Matt.xxii.fent Pangs and Terrors of his Guilt, he imagines, that jfohn was r if en from the Dead, on purpofe to reprove him. It was the Baptijl's diftinguifhing Charac- J0h.x4t.ter, that he did 720 Miracles, nor pre- tended to the Power of doing them j and yet even from hence the difturbed Mind of Herod concludes, that it muft be He, becaufe mighty Works did fl:ew ' forth themfehes in him. And fo great was his Consternation and Surprize, that it broke out before Thofe, who fhould leaft have been WitnefTes of it ; For he Whifpers not his guilty Fears to a Bofom Friend, to the Partner of his Crime, and of his Bed; but forgets his high State and Character, and de- clares them to his very Servants. Surely nothing can be more juft and appofite than the Allufion of the Prophet, in refpect to this Wicked Tetrarch , He is like the troubled Sea, when it ca?i?iot reft, whofe Waters cajl up Mire and
Dirt.
T?he ^terrors of Conference. 99
Dirt. And fuch is every one, that fins serm. with an high Hand, againfl the clear iv. Light of his Confcience : Although he <^Y\J may refift the Checks of it at firft, yet he will be fure to feel the Lames and Reproaches of it afterwards. The A- venging Principle within us will cer- tainly do Its Duty, upon any eminent Breach of Ours y and make every fla- grant Act of Wickednefs, even in this Life, a Punifhment to itfelf.
With this general Propofition the particular Inftance of the Text (duly opened and confidered) will furnifh us: and this Propofition therefore I now purpofe, by God's Bleffing, to handle and enforce; and, in order to fix a due, lively, and lading Senfe of it upon our Minds, I {hall, in what follows, confider Co?7fcie?icey not as a mere In- tellectual Light, or Infor?ning Faculty, a Dictate of the Practical Under/land- ing (as the Phrafe of the Schools is) which Direfts, Admonimes, and Influ- ences us, in what we are to do , but as it ads back upon the Soul by a H 2 Reflexion
ioo *fke Terrors of Confcience.
SERM.Refleftion on what we have done-, and iv. is, by that Means, the Source and Caufe
(•YN^of all that Joy, or Dejection of Mind, • of thofe internal Senfations (if I may fo fpeak) of Pleafure or Pain, which at- tend the Practice of great Virtues or great Vices -, and begin that Heaven, and that Hell in us here, which will be
Prov. xx. our Sure and Eternal Portion hereafter.
27- cfhe Spirit (or Confcience) of Man is the Candle of the Lord, which not only difcovers to us, by its Light, wherein our Duty confifts ; but revives alio, and cheats us with its bright Beams, when we do well-, and, when we do ///, is as a burning Flame, to fcorch, and con- fume us.
As fuch, I (hall confider it in mypre- fent Difcourfe : Wherein,
J# Firfl, I fhall endeavour to Illuflrate
this plain but weighty Truth (for in- deed it needs Ittujlration only, and not Proof) by fome Confiderations drawn from Scripture, Reafon, and Experi- ence.
Secondly^
The Terrors of Confcience. i o r
SERIM.
Secondly, I fhall account for a parti- iy. cular and preffing Difficulty, that feems t^VVJ to attend the Proof of it. And, "•
Thirdly and lajlly, I fhall apply it III. to (the proper Object of all our Admo- nitions from the Pulpit, but mod: efpe- cially of this) the Hearts and Confciences of the Hearers.
Firjl, I am to llluftrate this Truth by I. fome Considerations drawn from Scrip- ture, Reafon, and Experience.
That Guilt and Anguijh are infepa- rable, and that the Punifhment of a Man's Sin begins always from Himfelf, and from his own Reflections, is a Truth every where fuppofed, appeal- ed to, and inculcated in Scripture. The Confequence of xhzjirft Sin that was ever committed in the World, is there faid to have been, that our of- fending Parents perceived their own Nakednefs, and Jied from the Prefence of God : that is, a confcious Shame and H 3 Fear
t02 The Terrors ofConfcience.
SE-RM.Fcar fucceeded in the Room of loft iv. Innocence; and the Prefagcs of their
^^own Minds, thofe Auguri 'a Pcence fu- ture (of which even the Heathen Mo- ralifts fpeak) anticipated the Sentence of Divine Vengeance. In relation to this Office ofConfcience it is, that the infpired Writers fpeak of it (in Terms borrowed from the awful Solemnities of Human Judicatories) as bearing Wit-
Rom. ii. nej} againft us, as Accufmg, or Excis- ing, Judging, and Condemning us. And the Prophet therefore adds this Woe to the other Menaces, which he had denounced on a difobedient and pro-
J .a *■
er- "-1 9- fligate People, that their ownWicked-
nefsjlxuld correal them, and their Back- Jliding ficidd reprove them : A Cor- rection fo fevere and terrible, that Solo- mon balancing the Outward Afflictions of Life, and Bodily Pains, with the Inward Regrets and Torments of a guilty Mind, pronounces the former of thefe to be Light and Tolerable in Prov xviii.comparifon of the latter: The Spirit i4 of a Man (fays he) will Jujiain his In-
firmities $
The Terrors of Cpnfcience. I cj
jirmities ; but a wounded Spirit who serm. can bear? Ifaiah deicribes the difmal iv. Reflexions, and foreboding Thoughts ^>""v^j that harbour in fuch a Breaft, after this Manner: The Sinners of Sion are if. xxxiii. afraid, Fearfulnefs hath fur prized the1^' Hypocrites: Who Jl^all dwell with de- vouring Flames? Who fall dwell with everlafting Burnings? But naPart of Scripture gives us (o lively an Account of this inward Scene of Dejection and Horror, as the Pfalms of Penitent Da- vid: In one of them, particularly, he thus complains: Mine Iniquities are ?(tXXXVui gone over my Head, as an heavy Bur- then; they are too heavy for me. I a?n feeble and fore broken, I have roar- ed, by re of on of the Difquietnefs of my Heart. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the Day long. My Heart panteth, my Strength faileth me-, and as for the Light of mine Eyes, it is alfo gone from me. For thine Arrows flick fafl in me, and thy Hand prefeth me fore : There is no Soundnefs in my Flefh, be- ll 4 caufe
io4 The terrors ofConfcience.
SZKM.caufe of thine Anger-, neither is there iv any Reji in my Bones, becaufe of my ISWSin.
This is the Expreffive Language of Holy Writ, when it would fet out to us the Diforders and Uneafinefs of a guilty felf-condemning Mind. And,
2. There is nothing in thefe Repre- fentations particular to the 'Times and Perfons, on which they point; no- thing but what happens alike to all Men in like Cafes; and is the genuine and neceffary Refult of offend ingagainft the Light of our Confciences. Nor is it poffible indeed in the Nature of the Thing, that Matters fhould be other- wife. It is the Way, in which Guilt doth and muft always operate. For Moral Evil can no more be commit- ted, than Natural Evil can be fuffer- ed, without Anguifh and Difquiet; Whatever doth Violence to the plain Dictates of our Reafon concerning Vir- tue and Vice, Duty and Sin, will as certainly difcorrtpofe and airlift our Thoughts, as a Wound will raife a
Smart
The Terrors ofConfcience. 105
Smart in the Flefh that receives it. ser m. Good and Evil, whether Natural or iv, Moral, are but other Words for Plea- 'VV\J Jure and Pain , Delight and Uneafi- nefs : At leaft, tho' they may be di- ftinguifhed in the Notion, yet are they not to be feparated in Reality $ but the one of them, wherever it is, will con- ftantly and uniformly excite and pro- duce the other. Pain and Pleafure are the Springs of all human Actions, the great Engines, by which the wife Author of our Natures governs and fleers them to the Purpofes, for which he ordained them. By thefe, annexed to the Perception of Good and Evil, he inclines us powerfully to purfue the one, and to avoid the other ; to pur- fue natural Good, and to avoid natu- ral Evil, by delightful or uneafy Sen- fations, that immediately affect the Body; to purfue moral Good, and to avoid mora! Evil, by pleafing or pain- ful Imprefiions rnade on the Mind. From hence it is, that we fo readily choofe or refufe, do or forbear every
thing
I o 6 The Terrors of Confcience.
SERM. thing that is profitable or noxious to iv. us, and requifite to preferve or perfect our Beings. And becaufe it is an End of far greater Importance, and more worthy of cur All- wife Creator's Care, to fecur.e the Integrity of our moral* than of our ;w/#ra/' Perfections; there^ fore he hath made the Pleafures and Pains, fubfervient to this purpofe, more extenfive and durable; fo that the in- ward Complacence we find in acting reafonably and virtuoufly, and the Dif- quiet we feel from vicious Choices and Purfuits, is protracted beyond the Acts themfelves, from whence it arofe; and renewed often upon our Souls, by di^ ftant Reflections ; whereas the Pleafures and Pains, attending the Perceptions of natural Good and Evil, are bound- ed within a narrower Compafs, and do feldom ftay long, or return with any Force upon the Mind, after a Re- moval of the Objects that occafioned them.
Hence then the Satisfactions, or Stings of Confcience feverally arife : They are
the
tfhe Tl errors ofConfcience. 1 07
the Sanations, as it were, and Enforce- s e r Mf ments of that eternal Law of Good iV. and Evil, to which we are fubje&ed; L^VNJ the natural Rewards and Punifhments originally annexed tothe-Obfervance, or Breach of that Law by the great Pro- mulger of it; and which being thus joined and twifted together by God, can fcarce by any Arts, Endeavours, or Practices of Men be put a/under. The Prophet therefore explains Good and Evil, by Sweet and Bitter. Woe be to i&, v. 20. them (fays he) that call Evil Good y and Good Evil! that put Bitter for Sweet, and Sweet for Bitter ! Implying, that the former of thefe do as naturally and fenfibly affecl: the Soul, as the latter do the Palate ; and leave as grateful, or difpleafing a Reliih behind them. But, 3 . There is no need of Argument s> to evince this Truth ; the univerfal Experience and Feeling of Mankind bears Witnefs to it. For fay, did ever any of you break the Power of a dar- ling Luft, rcfift a preffing Temptation,
or
108 ?ht terrors of Conscience.
e rm. or perform any Ad of a confpicuous iv. and diftinguifhing Virtue, but that you
/VV* found it foon turn to account to you ? Did not your Minds fwell with a fe- cret Satisfaftion, at the Moment when you were doing it ? And was not a Re- flection upon it afterwards always fweet
?rov.i;i.8.andrefreiliing? Health to your Navel, and Marrow to your Bones ? On the contrary, did you ever indulge a Cri- minal Appetite, or allow yourfelf fe- dately in any Pradice which you knew to be unlawful, but that you felt an inward Struggle, and ftrong Reluc- tances of Mind before the Attempt, and bitter Pangs of Remorfe attending it? Though no Eye faw what you did, and you were fure that no Mortal could difcover it; did not Shame and Confufion fecretly lay hold of you? Was not your own Conjcience inftead of a thoufand Witneffes to you? Did
Ezek.xx. it not plead with you Face to Face, as
35- it were, and upbraid you with your
Backflidings? Have not fome of you, perhaps, at this Inftant, a fenfible Ex- perience
J'be terrors vfConfcience. 109
perience of the Truth which I am pref- serm. ling upon you ? Do you not feel the iv. Operation of that powerful Principle, C/V>J of which I am difcourfing ? Is not the Memory of fome of your paft Sins even now prefent to you? And are not your Minds ftung with fome De- gree of that Regret and Uneaiinefs, which followed upon the firflCom- miffion of them ? And do you not dif- *cover what paffes within you, by a more than ordinary Attention, Serioufnefs, and Silence ; and even by an Endeavour to throw offthefe vifible Marks of Con- cern, into which you are furprifed, as foon as they are obferved ?
The jolly and voluptuous Livers, the Men who fet up for Freedom of Thought,and for difengaging themfelves from the Prejudices of Education and fuperftitious Opinions, may pretend to difpute this Truth, and perhaps, in the Gaiety of their Hearts, may venture even to deride it: But they cannot, however, get rid of their inward Con- victions of it > they mufl feel it fome-
times
110 The terrors cf Conscience .
serm. times, though they will not own ita iv. There is no poffibility of reafoning our-
CV^ felves out of our own Experience, or of laughing down a Principle woven fa clofely into the Make and Frame of our Natures. Notwithstanding our Endeavours to conceal and flifle it, it will break out Sometimes, and dis- cover itfelf to a careful ObServer, through all our Pretences and DiS- guiies; for even in the midji of fuch
Prov. xiH. a Laughter, the Heart is for row fid:
'4- and as the Beginning of that Mirth was Folly, fo the End of it is always Heaviness.
Look upon one of thefe Men, who would be thought to have made his ill Practices and ill Principles perfectly confident ; to have fhaken off all Re- gard to the Dictates of his own Mind concerning Good and Evil, and to have gotten above the Reproofs of his Con- science; and you will find a thoufand Things, in his Actions and Difcourfes,
John. i. s.tc^YmS againft him, that he deceiveth himfeif and that the 'Truth is not in
him.
*the terrors of Confciehce. ut
him. If he be indeed, as he pretends, serm; at eafe in his Enjoyments, from whence i v. come thofe Diforders and Unevenefs t-^VNJI in his Life and Condu&j thofe Vicif- fitudes of good and bad Humour, Mirth and Thoughtfulnefs ; that per- petual Purfuit of little, mean, infipid Amufements; that reftlefs Defire of changing the Scene, and the Objedls of his Pleafures; thofe fudden Eruptions of Paffion and Rage upon the leaft Dis- appointments ? Certainly, all is not right within ; or elfe there would be a greater Calm, and Serenity without: If his" Mind were not in an unnatural Situation, and under contrary Influ- ences, it would not be thus tolled and difquieted, For what Reafon doth he contrive for himfelf fuch a Chain and Succeffion of Entertainments \ and take care to be delivered over from one Fol- ly, one Diverfion, to another, without Intermiffion ? Why, but becaufe he dreads to leave any void Spaces of Life unfilled, left Conscience fhould find Work for his Mind at thofe Intervals ?
He
1 1 2 The Terrors cfCofifciencc.
BERM.He hath no way to fence againft guil- iv. ty Reflections, but by flopping up all
C^V^1 the Avenues at which they might en- ter. Hence, his ftrong Addiction to Company, his Averfion to Darknefsand Solitude 3 which recolledl the Thoughts, and turn the Mind inward upon itfelf, by fhutting out external Objects and Impreffions. It is not, becaufe the Pleasures of Society are always new and grateful to him, that he purfues them thus keenly ; for they foon lofe their Relim, and grow flat and infipid* by Repetition. They are not his Choice, but his Refuge ; for the Truth is, he dares not long converfe with himfelf, and with his own Thoughts; and the worft Company in the World is better to him, than that of a reprov- ing Confcience.
A lively and late Proof of this we had in a certain Writer, who fet up for delivering Men from thefe vain fantaftick Terrors; and was, on that Account, for a Seaibn much read and applauded. But it is plain, that he
could
*Tbe ^terrors cfConfcie?ice. 113
could not work that Effect in himfelf, s e r m, which he pretended to work in others : iv. For his Books manifeftly £hewr that -/"v-* his Mind was over-run with gloomy and terrible Ideas of Dominion and Power 5 and that he wrote in a per* petual Fright againft thofe very Prin- ciples, which he pretended to contra- dict and deride : And fuch as knew his Converfation well, have allured us, that nothing was fo dreadful to him, as to be in the Dark, and to give his natural Fears an Opportunity of re- coiling upon him. That he was ti- morous to an Excefs, is certain ; he himfelf owns it, in the Account which he wrote of himfelf, and which is in every one's Hands : But he did not care to own the true Reafon of it, and therefore lays it upon a mighty Fright, which feized his Mother, when the Spaniards attempted their famous In- vafion, in the Year 1588. the Year in which he was born. The more pro- bable Account of it is, that it natural- ly fprung from his own Conducft and Vol. IV. I Method
114 J"fo Terrors ofConfcience.
serm. Method of thinking. He had been iv. endeavouring all his Life-time, to get
i/WJ rid of thofe Religious Principles, un- der which he was carefully educated by his Father (a Divine of the Church of England) and to fet up for a new Syftem and Sedt, which was to be built upon the Ruins of all thofe Truths, that were then, and had ever been held facred by the bed and wifeft of Men. It was Vanity pufhed him on to this Attempt, but he could not compafs it. He was able, here and there, to delude a fuperficial Thinker with his new Terms and Reafonings : But the hard- eft Tafk of all was, thoroughly to de- ceive himfelf. His TJnderJlanding could not be compleatly impofed upon, even by its own Artifices ; and his Confci- ence, every now and then, got the bet- ter of him in the Struggle ; fo he lived in a perpetual Sufpicion and Dread of the Reality of thofe Truths, which he reprefented as Figments ; and, while he made Sport with that Kingdom of Darknefs (as he loved to call another
World)
The 'Terrors ofConfcience. J15
World) trembled, in good earned, atSERM. the Thought of it. iv.
Tiberius^ that compleat Pattern of '-^WJ Wickednefs and Tyranny, had taken as much Pains to conquer thefe Fears as any Man, and had as many Helps and Advantages towards it, from great Splendour and Power, and a perpetual Succeffion of new Bufinefs, and new Pleafures ; and yet, as great a Matter of the Art of Diffimulation as he was, he could not diffemble the inward Senfe of his Guilt, nor prevent the open E- ruptions of it upon very improper Oc- cafions. Witnefs that Letter ; which he wrote to the Senate from his impure Retreatment at Caprece, Tacitus has preferved the firft Lines of it -, and » there cannot be a livelier Image of a Mind filled with wild Diffraction and Defpair, than what they afford us : Quid fori bam Vcbis^ P. C. aut quomodo- fcribam, aut quid omnino non fcribam hoc tempore y Dii me Deaque pejus per- dant, quam perire quotidie fentio, fi fcio ! That is', " What, or how, at this I 2 " Time,
n6 The terrors of Conference.
serm. cc Time, I fhall write to you, Fathers iv. " of the Senate, or what indeed I fhall l/^W " not write to you, may all the Pow- £ c er s of Heaven confound me yet worfe <c than they have already done, if I <c know, or can imagine 1" And his Obfervation upon it is well worthy of curs, and very appofite to our prefent purpofe : " In this manner (fays he) " was this Emperor punifhed by a Re- cc fledlion on his own infamous Life cc and Guilt ; nor was it in vain that Cc the greateft Matter of Wifdom (he l< means Plato) affirmed, that were <c the Breaft of Tyrants once laid open " to our View, we fhould fee there " nothing but ghaftly Wounds and cc Bruifes ; the Confcioufnefs of their cc own Cruelty, Lewdnefs, and ill Con- dud:, leaving as deep and bloody Prints on their Minds, as the Strokes of the Scourge do on the Back of a Slave. TUberhts (adds he) con- fefled as much,when he uttered thefe <c Words; nor could his high Stati- u on, or even Privacy and Retirement
" itfelf
"The Terrors of Confcience. 1 1 7
cc ItfelF hinder him from difcoveringsERM. cc to all the World the inward Ago- iv. <c nies and Torments, antler which he <^VNJ " laboured." Thus that excellent Hi- ftorian *.
Believe it, the Tales of Ghofts and Speclres were not (as is commonly faid) the mere Inventions of defigning Men to keep weak Minds in Awe ; nor the Products only of a religious Fear, de- generated into Melancholy and Super- flition , but wicked Men, haunted with a Senfe of their own Guilt (as the cruel Tetrarch here in the Text, with the Baptift's Murder) were ufed to affright themfelves with fuch Phantoms as thefe, and often miftook ftrong and terrible Imaginations for real Appari- tions. Thus I am fure, the Author of the Book of Wifdomvzvy naturally accounts for them in his 17th Chapter; out of which I mall recite a large Paf- fage, very appolite to the Point which
* About this Paffage of Tiberius, fee Hooker's excel, lent Reflections, p. 367, 368.
1 3 we
1 1 8 The Terrors of Confcier.cz.
SERM. we are now handling. He is there IV# with great Elegance, defcrihing that iy~y~\, panick Fear, which ieized the impious /Egyptians, when (as he fpeaks) tl-:y 'were fettered with the Bonds cf a long Nrght, andfkut up in their Iloufes, the Prifoners ofDarknefs. Then, fays he, they who had fuppofed that they lay hid in their fecret Sins, were horribly a/lo- nijhed and troubled with flrange Sights. For neither might the Comer that held them, keep them from Fear -, but Noifes, as of Waters jailing down, founded a- bout them, and fad Vifions appeared unto them with heavy Countenances. And they that promifed to drive away Terrors and Troubles from a fick Soul (the Men, we may fuppofe, who fetup for confounding the Notions of Good and Evil, and ridiculing Copfcience) were fick themfelves of Fear worthy to be laughed at. For though no terrible Thing did affright them, yet bei?ig feared by Beafis that paffed by, and Hiffing of Serpents, they died for Fear -y refufng to look upon the Air, which on
no
The Terrors of Confcience. 1 1 9
no Side could he avoided. For Wicked- serm. nefs (as he- concludes) condemned by its iv. own JVitnefs, is very timerous -, and, be- f«/"WJ ing prejfed with Confcience, always for -e- cajieth grievous Things !
I know it will be faid, that though this be often, yet it is not always the Cafe ; fince we have now and then In- ftances of Men, who lead very flagi- tious Lives, and yet feel not any of thefe Qualms or Guirds of Confcience ; but do, in all appearance, live eafily, and fometimes even die calmly. Which could not be (fay the Objectors) if the Principle of Confcience, and the con- demning Power of it were natural to Man ; for it would then ad: like other natural Principles, univerfally,and with- out Exception. Having hitherto there- fore illuftrated this Truth by Obfer- vations drawn from Scripture, Reafon, and Experience ; I now proceed on my
Second general Head, To account IL for this Difficulty, which attends the Proof of it. In order to it,
I 4 i.I ob-
120 The Terrors of Ccnfcience.
serm, I. I obferve, that we are deceived iv, often in the Judgments we pafs on
l/V"^ fuch Occaiions. In our common In* tercourfe with the World, we fee only the Oiitfide and Surface, as it were, of Mens Actions, but cannot tell how it is with them Inwardly^ and at the Bottom, We frame our Opinions of them from what paries in Converfation and publick Places, where they may be upon their Guard, acting a Part, and fludying Appearances. ■ The Hy^ pocrite in Perfection will put on the Mafk fo artificially, that it fhall feem to be real and natural. Decency, and a Defire of Eiteem mall enable Men to cover great Paffions and Frailties, which neverthelefs fit very clofe to them, and, as fcon as thofe Reftraints are taken off, break out with Freedom. We have read of thofe, who have been endued with fuch a Conftancy and Firmnefs of Temper, as even to endure the Rack, and to appear compofed un- der the Pains of it, without owning their Crime, or declaring their Accom- plices,
The Terrors of Confcience. 1 2 r
pliccs. And in like manner, the Tor- serm. ments of a guilty Confcience may fome- iv. times be borne and diflembled. I ob- OWi ferve,
2. That the Diforders and Repre- henfions of Conference are not a conti- nue d> but an intermitting Difeafe ; re- turning upon the Mind by Fits, and at particular Seafons only \ in the In- tervals of which the Patient fhall have feeming Health, and real Eafe: The Eruptions of burning Mountains are not perpetual, nor doth ev.en the Smoak itfelf afcend always from the Tops of them ; but though the Seeds of Fire lodged in their Caverns may be ftifled and fuppreiTed for a Time, yet anon they gather Strength, and break out again, with a Rage great in Proportion to its Difcontinuance. 'Tis by Acci- dents and Occafions chiefly that the Power of this Principle is called forth into Aft 5 by a fudden ill Turn of Fortune, or a Fit of Sicknefs, or our Obfervation of fome remarkable In- flate of divine Vengeance, which hath
over-
122 The Terrors of Confcience.
serm. overtaken other Men in like Cafes, iv. Even Herod was not always under the Paroxyfm defcribed in the Text, but furprized into it unawares, by his hear- ing of the Fame of Jefus ; and then his Heart fmote him at the Remem- brance of the inhuman Treatment he had given tofuch another juft and good Perfon, and filled his Mind anew with forgotten Horrors. We cannot there- fore, from a prefent Calm of Thought, know, either how it hath been with a Man heretofore,or how itjhall be with him hereafter -y but may eafily in fuch Cafes, and do often judge wrong Judg- ment ; faying, Peace, Peace, where there is no Peace, but a 'Truce only $ and where it will appear, that there was none, whenever Affliction ruffles a Man's Soul, or a Death-bed rouzes him :
Vera turn voces peclore ab imo
Erumpimt,aiqae eripitur perfona,manet res: Then (and fometimes not till then) all Mafks and Difguifes are thrown off, and the Mind appears naked and un- guarded to itfelf and others,
Afk
*the 'terrors of Confcience. 123
Afk thofe who attend the Sick, and serm. help to prepare them for their PafTage iv. in o another World ; afk them, I fay, '-/"V>J and they will tell you, how many In- ftances they have met with of Men, whj feetn to have been given up to a Spirit of Infen Ability and Slumber, and have accordingly Jlept on for a long time, and taken their Reft ; and yet have in their laft Moments been all at once fufficiently awakened : What in- expreffible Agonies and Horrors they have found upon the Minds of dying defpairing Sinners, who thought them- felves fecure againft fuch Attacks, and believed that the clamorous Principle within them was wholly filenced'; but upon the nearProfpcfi: of another World, and which made no Impreffion on them at a Di/lance, have changed their Sen- timents, and dropped their falfe Confi- dence ; have feen their Guilt,and dread- ed their Danger, when it was too late perhaps to think of deploring the one, or efcaping the other. -
After all, it mufl be owned,
3. That
1 24 The Terrors of Confidence.
serm, 3 . That there are now and then In- iv. fiances of Men, who have gone through
l/W even this lafi Tryal unfhaken ; and, af- ter leading very diflblute Lives, have yet died hard, as the Phrafe is, without any feeming Concern for what was paffed, or Dread of what was to fol- low. Whenever fuch an Effect hap- pens, it is owing to one or more of thefe Caufies; either to ill Principles early and deeply imbibed, or to a cer- tain Obftinacy and Sullennefs of Tem- per peculiar to fome Men ; or laftly, either to a natural or acquired Stupi- dity. If a Man begins betimes with him- felf, and takes Pains to vitiate his Mind with lewd Principles, and lives long in the Profeffion of them, he may at laft root and rivet them fo faft, 'till fcarce any Application whatfoever is able to loofen them 5 and 'till the na- tural Sentiments of his Confidence are even choaked and ftifled by the Means of them.
A falfe Firmnefs andRefolution, join- ed with a Shame of unfaying and un- doing
The Terrors of Confcience. 125
doing all a Man hathfaid and done be-sERM. fore, may poffibly carry him headlong jv. on to his Death, without owning, or l/Y>J perhaps even feeing his Danger. Grofs and heavy Minds, unimproved by E- ducation and Inftrudtion, have at length arrived at fuch a Degree of Stupidity y as to think of nothing beyond this World, nor of any Thing in it, but what immediately affecls their Senfes. And even Spirits more refined may, by a perpetual and total Immerfion in bodily Pleafures, arrive at lafl at the fame Degree of Infenjibility. In fuch Cafes and by the Help of fuch Qua- lities as thefe, it is poJ/ibley I grant, andfometimes happens, that Men have gone out of the World, as they lived in it, defying Confcience r, and the Power of it, and deriding the Flames of Hell, "till they were in the Midft of them. But thefe are rare Inftances, and of no Force therefore, when oppofed to the general Convidion and Feeling of Man- kind upon the fame Occaiions. They prove only that there are Monfters in
the
126 The Terrors of Confcience.
SERM.the Moral, as well as the Natural iv. World, which make nothing againft the fettled Laws, and regular Courfe of either. To argue againft the innate and pungent Reflections of Confcience from fome Mens want of them, is, as if one fhould attempt to prove, that Man is not a reafonable Creature, be- caufe fome Men are born Naturals, and others by too great an Intention of Thought, or by brutal Exceffes, have loft the Ufe of their Reafon. For if the Light of Reafon may itfelf be ex- tinguifhed, much more may the Voice of Confcience be drowned ; which be- ing a practical Principle, is perpetually warred upon by our Lufts, and Paf- iions, and finful Habits ; whereas the other being a more fpeculative Power, hath no Contrary in the Mind of Man to ftruggle with.
But I forbear, fince there remains yet the
III. Third and laft Part of my Tafk, To apply what hath been faid to the
proper
tfbe terrors of Confcience. 127
proper Object of All our Admonitions serm, from the Pulpit (and particularly of iv. This) the Hearts and Confcience toi the ^^^r^j Hearers.
Since therefore the wife Author of our Natures hath fo contrived them, that Guilt is naturally, and almoft neceffarily attended with Trouble and Uneafinefs, let us even from hence be perfuaded to preferve the Purity, that we may preferve the Peace and Tran- quillity of our Minds. For Pleafure's Sake, let us abftain from all criminal Pleafures and Pollutions; becaufe the racking Pains of Guilt, duly awaken- ed, are really an Overbalance to the greateft fenfual Gratifications. The Charms of Vice (how tempting foever they may feem to be) are by no Means equivalent to the inward Remorfe and Trouble, and the tormenting Reflecti- ons which attend it ; which always keep Pace with our Guilt, and are pro- portioned to the Greatnefs and Daring- nefs of our Crimes : For mighty Sinners (here as well as hereafter) Jhall ^wifd.vi.6, 1 mightily
1 2 8 The Terrors of Conference.
serm, mightily tormented. Sins of Omiffion, iv. Infirmity, and Surprize there will be ;
</VNJeven the juft Man falls [even Times a Day by them, and rifes again from them with Strength and Chearfulnefs to his Duty -y but let us be fure carefully to guard againft all fuch flagrant Enor- mities, as do Violence to the firft and plainer!: Dictates of our Reafon, and overbear the ftrongeft Impulfes of our Confcience , forthefe will certainly leave a Wound behind them, which we mall find it hard to bear, and harder, much harder to cure. Let no Temptation, no Intereft, no Influence whatfoever fway us to do any Thing contrary to the Suggestions of Confcience in plain Cafes, and Points of Moment ; let us no more dare to do in private what that tells us ought not to be done, than if we were upon an open Theatre, and the Eyes of the whole Creation were upon us. What fignifies it that we efcape the View and Obfervation of Men, when the watchful Witnefs with- in fees and records all our Faults, and
will
The Terrors of Conference . 129
will certainly one Day reprove us, and serm. fet our Mifdeeds in Order before us. iv.
It hath been reckoned a good Rule i/VNJ for an happy Condudt of Life, to be fure of keeping our domejlick Concerns right, and of being eafy under our own Roof where we may find an agreeable Retreat and Shelter from any Difap- pointments we meet with in the great Scene of Vexation, the World. And the fame Rule will, with greater Rea- fon hold, in relation to the Peace of our Gonfciences. Let our firfi Care be to keep all quiet and ferene there: When this Point is once gained at Home, ex- ternal Accidents will not be able deeply to affed: us ; and unlefs it be gained, all the Pleafures, the Abundance and Pomp of Life will be infipid and tafle- lefs to us.
Wherefore let us refolve all of us to flick to that Principle, which will keep us eafy when we are alone, and will ftick to us in an Hour when all out- ward Comforts fail us. Let thofe of us particularly cherirn it, who are in
Vol. IV. K any
130 *fhe Errors of Confcience.
s e r m. any Degree placed above the reft of our iv. Neighbours by a Superiority of Parts,
C/'VNJ Power, Riches, or any other outward Diftindtions. Let thofe chiefly liften to this Reprover, who are other wife fet in great meafure above Reproof: The more deftitute they are of Advice and Correption from others, the more careful ihould they be to attend to the Suggeftions and Whifpers of this in- ward Monitor and Friend. Though they value not the Cenfures paffed by the Vulgar on their Actions, yet furely they cannot flight their own: Nor do they ftoop beneath themfelves, when they ftoop to themfelves only, and to the inward Dictates and Perfuaflons of their own Minds. The Marks ofDi- ftindtion they bear, though they may enable them fometimes to fin with Im- punity as to Men, yet will they not fe- cure them againft the Lafhes of an a- venging Confcience; which will find them out in their moft fecret Retire- ments, cannot be forbid Accefs, nor difmified without being heard; will
make
The Terrors of Confcience. 131
make their Way to them, as they did s e r m* to Herod and Tiberius, through Bufi- iv. nefs or Pleafure, nay even through C/WJ Guards and Crowds, and all the vain Forms and Ceremonies, with which they may be furrounded.
In a Word ; Let us keep Innocencyt and do the Thing which is right ; for whatever other Expedients towards Happinefs Men may take up with, yet that, and that only, will bring 2tfPf.x*xvii. Peace at the lajl. 37'
K 2 Several
1 r35 1
St. Paul'* Defence before Felix:
A
SERMON
Preached at
St. James's Chapel,
February 27, 17 12-3.
ACTS xxiv. PartofVer. 25. And as He reafoned of Right ecufnefs, Temperance, and Judgment to come, Felix trembled.
WH O, that hears thefe Words, s E R M# would not wifh to have been v prefent at this aftonifhing Scene ; which ,/VNJ reprefents the Apoftle of the Gentiles, giving an Account of his Psith to Fe- lixy the Roman Governor, in fc mov- K 4 ing
x*6 Obfervations on
s e R M.ing and convincing a manner, with fuch v. a Force of Eloquence and Strength of t/Y\) Argument, that even he, before whom he ftands capitally accufed, is ftruck, awed, confounded by his Difcourie, and the Judge himfelf quakes at the Voice of the Pr if oner ! As he reafon- ed of Righteoufnefs, Temperance, and Judgment to come (fays the Text) Felix trembled.
The Words will furnifh us with very Inftrudtive and Ufeful Reflections, if we take Occafion from them diftindt- ly to confider,
j# ' Firjiy The Subjett Matter of Saint Paul's Difcourfe; Right eoufiiefs, Tem- perance, and Judgment to come.
1I# Secondly, His Manner of handling it > he reafoned.
III. 'Thirdly, The remarkable EffeB, that followed, upon his thus handling this important Subje&j Felix trembled.
Fir),
St. Paul's Defence. 137
S E R M.
Firft, The SubjeB Matter of Saint v. PauPs Difcourfe is faid to have been, C/^/NJ Right -eoufnefsy Temperance, and Judg- ment to come.
Not that we are to imagine, that the Apoftle confined himielf folely to the three Particulars here mentioned, with- out touching on any other Point of Chriftian Dodtrine: Doubtlels he de- clared to Felix the whole Ccunfel of God in the Redemption of Man by Chrijl Jefus, and infifted particularly on the great Article of ChrijPs Refur- reclion, in this Sermon, as he did in many others: For the Words, imme- diately preceding thofe of the Text, are. that Felix fent for Paul, and heard him concerning the Faith in Chrijl ; and therefore all the Articles of the Chriftian Faith were, we may be fure, fufficiently explained by him. How- ever, though many other Doctrines were at that Time handled by the A- poftle, yet thefe of Right eoufncfs, Tem- perance y and Judgment to come, had
1 3 8 Obfervatiom on
s e r m. fo large a Share in his Difcourfe, were v. fo warmly, fo effectually urged by him,
U^W that St. Luke hath not thought fit to take Notice of any other Part of his Sermon. From whence we are natu- rally led to raife this plain, but profit- able Obfervation, that the moral Duties we are to pradtife in this Life, and the Rewards or Punifhments we are to ex- pert in another , are the chief Con fi der- ations in Religion, which mould moil often and earneftly be inculcated by thofe who preach the Gofpel, and be moll: attentively liftened to, and weigh- ed by thofe who hear it.
Some Perfons have a Prejudice againft what is, by way of Reproach, called Moral Preachings and Moral Arguing; when the Nature of Good and Evil, Virtue and Vice are infifted on, and the feveral ponfequences difplayed, which, by the Light of Reafon, are known to attend them: This, they think, is not to preach Jefus Chri/f, and his Gofpel > it is not to fp^ak fpil ritually, feelingly, powerfully, to the
Hearts
St. Paul's JDefe?7ce. - 139
Hearts and Confciences of Men. But serm. St. Paul j it feems, was not of this v. Mind, when he made Jujiice, and'--/VsO temperance, and a future Account, the chief Subjedt of his Sermon before Felix ; when he argued (as his Man- ner of Preaching upon other Occafions fhews that he did) from Principles of Natural Light, how great Reafon Men had to practife the two jirjl of thefe, and to believe and expe£t the latter -> when he enlarged upon the intrinfick Beauty and Lovelinefs of thofe 'Virtues, and their manifeft Subferviency to Mens prefent and future Happinefs ; and urged the univerfal Confent of Mankind to this Purpofe, who had al- ways acknowledged themfelves to be under thefe Obligations, and, accord- ingly' as they did, or did not fulfil them here, liable to be rewarded, or punijhed hereafter. St. Paul, we may be fure, thought himfelf all this while to' be preaching Jefus Chrift and his Gofpel : And from the EffeSt we learn, that this Moral preaching of the Apoftle
was
140 Obfervatiom df
SERM.was fufficiently powerful, awakening, v. edifying ; for it had fuch a Spiritual CW Efficacy in it, as to make his Auditor tremble.
But the Subjedl Matter of St. Paul's Difcourfe is not more obfervable, on the Account of its Excellence and Im- portance at large ) than it is, for the particular Fitnefs and Propriety of it, with Regard to the Per/on to whom it was addreiTed. The two Vices of which Felix was moil remarkably guilty, were Injujlice and Intemperance -y as Hifto- rians of unfufpecled Credit, both Hea- then and Jewijl?> inform us. Tacitus fays of him, that, Judcece impofitus, & cundla malefaBa fibi i?npune [ce/fura] ratuSy tantd potentid fubnixo, per om- nem favitiam ac libidinem jus regium fervili ingenio exercuit : i. e. The Im- » punity which he promifed himfelf from his high Station and Power, tempted him to commit all manner of Luft and Violence. And Jofephus adds, that Drujilla herfelf, who now fat with him on the Judgment Seat, was really
the
St. P a v i/s Defence. 141
the Wife of a certain King of the Eme- s fe r m. y^;7fj, but had been enticed from his v. Bed by Felix, with whom {he now i/V^o publickly lived and converted. Nothing therefore could be more eppofte, than a Difcourfe concerning Right eoufnefs and Temperance* before y^/3 a cruel and voluptuous Perfon; nothing move pro- per, than to put this unjuft Judge in mind of another, a more impartial and dreadful Tribunal, before which he himfelf mould one Day ftand, and be judged. Thus did St. Paid adapt and proportion what he fpake to the peculiar Wants and Exigences of the Hearer 5 and in fo doing, left us a Pat- tern worthy of Imitation j iuch as, when attentively confidered, will give us great Occafion to admire the Dex* terits and Addrefs, the fine ere and dif- inter efted ConduB, the mighty Courage and Zeal of this Eminent Apoitle.
What could have more of holv Art and Wifdom in it, than St. Paul's an- fwering the Enquiries of Felix in fitch a Manner, as was molt likely to benefit
the
142 Obfervations on
SERM.the Enquirer ? The Roman Governor, v. led by no other Principle than Curio-
C/VNJfity, defires from St. Paul an Account of his Faith : St. Paul readily com- plies, and fo orders that Account, as to fet tbofe Parts of Chriftianity in the cleareft Light before Felix, which he wanted moil: to fee and confider -, fo as to turn off his general Apology for the Gofpel into an immediate and clofe Application of fome of its chief Doc- trines to the particular Cafe of Felix •, and to mew him, ere he is aware, that the Laws both of Chriftianity and Na- ture agree, in condemning his Violences and Impurities.
What zfincere and difmterejled Spi- rit does there appear in St. Paul on this Occafion ! He ftood there accufed of heinous Crimes, and was ready to fink under the Malice and mighty Power of his Accufers, the High Prieft, and chief Men of the Jewi/I? Sanhe- drim then prefent, and foliciting a fe- vere Sentence againft him. And yet he feems regardlefs of the imminent Peril
he
St. P a u l's Defence. 143
he was in ; and, forgetting his own pri- ser mv vate Intereft, any Degree of Concern v. for himfelf, turns all his Thoughts, and bends his whole Force towards promoting the general Intereft of the Gofpel, and the Salvation of Souls. He contrives not how he may gain the Ajfeftiom of his Judge, and make him favourable to his Caufe ; but how only he may induce him to be kind to him- felf, and a good Chri/iian; how he may render him fit to receive Mercy and Favour from the fupreme Judge of Heaven and Earth. What is, if this be not to preach the Gofpel of Chrijt in Simplicity and godly Since- rity I
Laftly, we may obferve alfo, in the Behaviour of St. Paid, the Marks of an Undaunted and Exemplary Courage. He fears not, we fee, to utter neceffary, though harm and ungrateful Truths in the Ears of one, who had the Power of Life and Death over him. He knew, with what Dangers the faith- ful Difcharge of his Duty would, in
this
144 Objervatiom on
8ER M. this Cafe, be attended -, how impatient v. the Great are, under a Reproof, though
tXW couched in the moil gentle and leaft offenfive Language : what abfolute Em- pire Dritfilla had gained over the Heart of Felix, and with what Revengeful- nefs that impure Woman would be fure to purfue any one, who fhould venture to reprefent his Guilt to him, and to rouze his fleeping Conference : And yet none of thefe frightening Confiderations were able to reprefs his Godly Zeal, or to check his Freedom; which he conducted indeed, with great Caution and Prudence, insinuating his Reproofs under the Cover of fome Evangelical Doftrines, then propofed by him: However with fo great Force and Succefs, as to finite Confuiion and Ter- ror into the Perfon, for whom they were intended.
Let us copy the excellent Pattern which this Apoftle hath fet us, by tak- ing all proper Opportunities of fpread- ing the Kingdom of Chriji in the Hearts of Men, and of advancing the
Interefts
St. P avl* s Defenfe. 14$
Interefts of his Gofpel. Let us re-sERM. folve always to do our Duty, and dif- v. charge a good Confcience faithfully, (>rV>J without being deterred by poffible In- . conveniences, or Dangers that may at- tend us for fo doing -, without fuffering fecular Views, and our own private Interefts to divert us from purfuing a- ny good Defign, whereby we may rea- fonably hope to promote the Divine Glory, and the Good of Mankind. Let us adt in fuch Cafes difcreetly in- deed, warily, wifely ; but withal cou- ragioufly, zealoufly, firmly, as difre- garding the Fear of Man, when it comes in Competition with the Fear of God. Thefe (I fay) are the Inti- mations, thefe the Inftruftions given us by the Behaviour of St. Paul; when, before an oppreffive, a diffolute, and an unbelieving Magiftrate, he took an Occafion to Difcourfe of Right e- cufnefs, temper ance^ and Judgment to come.
In which Difcourfe of his,
Vol. IV. L The
*4& C^fervatiom on
Serm, The Second Thing obfervable is, his v. Manner of handling thefe' Subjefts 5 he
l/"Y"V Reafoned : that is, he treated of them in a Rational Way 5 proving from the Nature and Tendency of thofe Vir- tues our Obligation to practife them ; and inferring from thofe Obligations the Certainty and Neceffity of a fu- ture Account, wherein Notice fhould be taken how we have, or have not complied with them ; and we fhould be rewarded or punifhed accordingly. Andean any Thing L be faid more to the Advantage of a Rational Way of evincing the Dodtrines of Morality* and the Truths of the Gvfpel, than that St. Paul practifed it ? He prafti- fed it, not on this only, but on many other Occaiions : In his feveral Apo- logies for himfelf and for his Gofpel, recorded in the ABs, throughout hi& Epiftles fent to the feveral Churches he planted, we find this great Apoflle of the Gentiles continually Reafonijig -, not merely propofing Doctrines in an
Autbo-
St. Paui/j Defenfe. 147
Authoritative Manner, by Virtue o£serm. his Apoftlefhip and Commiffion from v. God, but proving and making good U^V>J what he propofes by Inference and Argument. Thus he frequently did, and by fo doing has fan&ified Reafon to the Purpofes of Religion, and fhewed us that one Sort (indeed the beji Sort) of good Preaching, confifts in good Ar- guing.
Some pious and well meaning Chri- (lians have a very wrong Notion con- cerning edifying Difcourfes, and pro- fiting by Sermons. They relifh no- thing from the Pulpit, but what is addreffed to their PaJJions, and fet out with all the Advantages of a popular Eloquence, and moving Delivery. By this Means they find themfelves in- wardly affedted and warmed ; and that heating of their Fancy they efteem and call Spiritual Edification. But when any Point of Dodtrine is handled in a Clofe and Argumentative Manner, it appears flat and unfavory to them, has nothing in it of the Life and L 2 Power
148 Obfervation on
5er M.Power o/GodlinefS) and is all mere hu- v. man Reafoning. But herein they are 'widely miflaken 5 for it is a far great- er and more ufeful Work, to inform the Under/landings, and convince the Judgments of Men, than to raife their Paffions -, and that Difcourfe, which is moft InJlruBive, and beft fupported by Reafon, is certainly, if Men attend to it as they ought, moft Edify i?ig too. A Vehement and Voluble Tongue y a languishing Tone of Voice, a pious Set of Phrafesy or the like, will very powerfully move the Affeffions of fome Sort of Hearers ; but the Warmth by that Means raifed, is momentary, and vanifhing, without any true, found, lafting, fpiritual Improvement. To compafs that, the Way, we find, which the mighty and fuccefsful Preacher St, Paul took, was, to Reafon. Though he were Divinely Infpired, and fpake therefore, as the Oracles of God, with an uncontroulable Authority -, though he were endued with Supernatural Powers, and could therefore have con- firmed
St. Paul's Defenfe. 149
firmed the Truth of what he uttered serm. by Miracles; yet in Compliance with v. the Way in which Human Nature, o^VNJ and Reafonable Creatures are ufually wrought upon, he Reafoned. But thefe Reflections have been in fome Degree anticipated ; and therefore, without en • larging further upon them, I haften to confider the
T'hird and loft Thing obfervable in III.
the Text, the wonderful Effect that
followed upon St. Paul's thus Reafon-
ing on thefe important Subjects, Felix
.trembled. His Mind was filled with
Horror, at the Remembrance of his
■pall Crimes, and the Apprehenfion of
a future Reckoning ; and thefe i?iward
Fears and Forbodings appeared in the
outward and vilible Marks of a great
Confternation.
Though he was one of the mightieft Men on Earth, and Paul, a poor de- fpifed Prifoner ; though he was then fitting on the Seat of Judgment, where it behoved him to do nothing that L 3 mifbecame
r$o Obfervations on
s e R M.mifbecame his high Place and Charac- .v ter ; yet could he not dhTernble the ^^v^° Pangs and Agonies of his uneafy Mind, he trembled !
From whence it is natural to ob- ferve the great Force and Efficacy of the Word of God, duly handled and applied : If is (according to the Ac- count of it, given by this very Apoflle in another Place) quick and powerful y and'Jharper than any two edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing afunder of Soul and • Spirit y and of the Joints and Marrow, and is a Difcerner of Heb. iv. the thoughts and Intents of the Heart. '*• There is no Sin fo fecret, but that it
will find it out and expofe it ; no Heart fo hard, but that it can foften it ; no Confcience fo far plunged in a lethargick Sleep, but that it is able to rouze it. Strange are the Inftances of this Kind recorded in Holy Writ.. Our Lord opens the Prophecies, and expounds the Scriptures concerning - . . himfelf, to the two Difciples travelling;
Lukexxiv. i i m i • i
*3. towards Emmaus -> and, while he is do-
ing
St. Paul** Defenfe. 151
ing it, their Hearts burn within them. serm. Philip points out to the Eunuch the iv. Meaning of a Chapter in If at as ; im- ^V^fcl ■ mediately Light and Conviction rufh,s' into his Mind; he confefles Jefus, and demands Baptifm. St. Peter preaches the Gofpel to a great Multitude of the Jews, who had juft before been inftrumental in the Crucifixion of Chrifl : They no fooner hear him, than they are pricked to the Heart, and cry out, Men and Brethren, fafcfrAasu.37, fhall rtve do ? and ftraitway there are added to the Faith no lefs than Three Thoufand Souls by this fingle Sermon, And here in the Text, while St. Paul is reafoning of Righteoufnefs, I'emper- Aft5 » , ance, and Judgment to come, Felix trembles. Such is the wonderful Power of Truth, when particularly bleffed by the God of Truth, and bid to go forth and profper ! Such is the great and aftoniihing Influence of the Word of God, when aiiifted and enlivened -by his Spirit ! It prevails over all Dif- ficulties., all Qppoiition, and is mighty zqot^ ^ L 4 to
152 Obfervations on
serm./o the pulling down of Jlrong Holds. v. Remarkable to this Effect is the differ- ent Succefs of 'Tertullus1 s and St. Paul's Pleading. "Tertullus, we may prefume, was one of the moft famous Pleaders of his Time; elfe the High Prieft and Elders, in a Caufe of fuch Confe- quence (which they themielves went from Jerufalem to Ccefarea on Purpofe to profecute) would not have pitch- ed upon him for their Advocate. And yet this great Orator, with all his ftudied Art and Eloquence, made no Imprefiion on Felix ; whereas St. Paul's Speech foon afterwards moved, terrified, confounded him. TheRea- fon of which different Effect feems to have been, that the one was with good Words to varnifh over an ill Caufe, and by the Power of Oratory to fup- port a falfe and lying Accufation : Whereas the other had Right and Truth on his fide, and therefore preffed them carneftiy : He himfelf felt what he fpake, had an inward and vital Senfe of thofe Truths he delivered ; and
therefore
St. Paul's Defence. 153
therefore he made others feel them toojSERM, he fpake from his own Heart, and to v. the Hearts and Confciences of thofe -/VXJ that heard him y and therefore he pre- vailed.
How mould this Inftance of the o- perative Virtue of God's Word re- proach our Sluggifhnefs and Infenfibi- lity ? An impure and wicked Heathen (we hear) trembled at St. Paul's Doc- trine. The fame Dodtrine founds every - Day in the Ears of negligent Cbrijlians, without terrifying, without alarming them. The fame Apojlle flill reafons with them in his Epiftles, concerning Righteoufnefs, Temperance, and Judg- ment to come : But he reafons to no Purpofe ; his Words feem to them as idle Tales , they neither feel their Force y not regard their Meaning. Surely for this Felix mall one Day rife up in Judgment againft them 5 for he heard and trembled.
I obferve (Secondly) that though Fe- lix fhewed great Concern on that Oc- . • cafion, yet Drufilla, the Partner of
his
~*54 ObferDations on
ISERM.his Crimes, did, for ought appears, fit v. by altogether unmoved with the Apo-
^-v^ file's Difcourfe. The mod probable Account of which feems to be this 5 that Jfjey being born and bred a Jew~ efs, had better Opportunities of know- ing the Will of God and her own Dur tv, and greater Obligations to praftifc what fhe knew, than thofe who were guided only by the Light of Nature and Reafon. And yet, notwithftand- ing the mighty Reftraints which her Religion laid upon her, fhe had for- faken her Marriage Vows, and gone from the Bed of her Hulband, who was circumcifed, into that of an un- circumcifed Heathen. For which Rea- fon her Guilt was of a much deeper Dye than that of Felix was \ and con- v fequently her Heart more obdurate, and infenfible of Reproof. From whence we may raife to ourfelves this general and lifeful Refledlion , that the more Advantages any Man has to- wards difcovering the Truth, and the more freely the Means of Grace hav«
been
St. Pauls Defence. 155
been indulged to him, the more def-SERM- perate in his Cafe, if he happens to re- v volt, and the harder will the Tafk be, y^.^sj if he turns profligate, to reclaim him. It is a Work of much lefs Difficulty to make a good Chriftian of a profefled Heathen, than to bring an ill Chri- Jtian, who now lives like an Heathen, to a feeling Senfe of his Sins, and to any Degree of true Remorfe and Com- punction of Heart for them.
Let us hear the Uiue of the whole Matter — What the Confcqiiences of thefe Tremblings of Felix was, and how long they continued upon him, the Context will inform us. He ab- ruptly breaks off the Difcourfe with St. Paul, and difmiffes him in Hade. Go thy way (fays he) for this Time, when I have a convenient Seafon I will call for thee ! But he foon recovers from his Fright > for it prefently fol- lows — He ho-ped alfo, that Money fiould have been given him of Paul, that he might loofe him ; wherefore he ■ fait for him the oftner2 and communed
with
156 Obfervations on
serm. with him. We fee the Seed of the v. Word, fown by the Apoftle, Jell among t/V^- Thorns, and immediately the Thorns Mat. xw.Jprung up, and choaked it : The Love of u-njuft and oppreffive Gain quickly returned upon Felix, and drove out the Impreffions of St. Paul's Reafon- ings ; and when he had once flood the Shock of his Confcience, and got the better of his Fears, he afterwards heard the Jame Things faid, without any De- gree of the fame Remorfe and Con- cern. Hefent for St. Paul often a?id communed with him, with no other Defign but that of gratifying his Cu- riofity, and extorting a Bribe from him — So fuddenly and eafily may the beft Reflections be ftifled, and the ftrongeft Convictions overborn by the Force of any one prevailing Vice, or Luft, that hath gotten an abfolute Do- minion over us!
That this may not be our Cafe, whenever we hear an awakening Dif- courfe from the Pulpit, and find our Confciences touched to the Quick with
fome
St. Paul* j Defenfe. 157
fome appofite PafTages of it ; let us not s e r m. forthwith endeavour to get rid of the v. Smart, and ta difmifs uich troublefome >^V"\J Reflections, as Felix did ; Go your way for this time, 'when I have a conve- nient Seaf on lwill call for you. Nay, but this is the proper Time, this the moft convenient Seafon for our enter- taining them, and converfing with them, when they prefs to be admitted, and heard. Take not therefore fome- thing, as the Way is, to put off the Fit ; call not in Company, Bulinefs, or Pleafure to divert your Thoughts from, their prefent melancholy Employment; but rather ftudy every way to cherifli and promote thefe good Beginnings by Retirement, Meditation, and Prayer ! Commune with your own Heart in your pr.iv. it, Chamber, and be jtill there ; fuffer thefe terrors oj the herd freely to rea- fon and plead with you, till they have perfuaded you there in private -y re- ap- ply, and inforce, and improve thofe good Impreffions you received in pub- lic, till you have riveted the Influence
of
158 Obfcrvations 072, &c.
serm. of them faft into your Mind, and v. reached the End for which the good t/W Spirit of God intended them ; even till (by the Means of them) you have 2 Cor. vii. wrought out a Repentance to Salvation lo- not to be repented of!
Which that all of us may attain, God of his infinite Mercy grant , through the Merits of Chvlft. our Saviour, to whom, with the Father and the bleffed Spirit, be ascribed all Power &nd Praifey now and for ever.
[ *6i ]
i. _ — =— i ■ i *
Of Glorying in the Crofs of Christ :
' - * ■*
A
SERMON
Preached at
St. J a M e s's Chapel,
O N GOOD-FRIDAY, 1718.
gal. vi. 14.
But God forbid that Ijhould glory, fa<ve in the Crofs of our Lord Jefus Chrift, whereby the World is crucified unto me> and I unto the World.
GO D forbid I A Manner of s erm, Speech familiar, and almoft vi. peculiar to St. Paul; frequently em-(/Y>J ployqd by him in his Writings, thrice Vol. IV. M in
1 6 2 The Methods of Glorying
s e r M.in this very Epiftle -, never, but where vi. he intends, with a particular Degree of 'Earneftnefs and Vehemence, to con- demn fome Dodtrine or Practice impu- ted to Chrijliansy or prevailing among them ; by which he thought Chriftia- nity highly difhonoured. In fuch Cafes, it is ufual with him to exprefs his Diflike, his Deteftation of fuch Doc- trine, or Practice, by this emphatical Phrafe, pvi $Wo> which we ^tanflate, God forbid !
The fpecial Occafion of his em- ploying it here in the Text, was this : The Gentile Converts among the Ga- latians, after St. Paul's Departure from them, had been feduced by fome falfe Teachers, who were Jews, into a Belief, that the Law of Mofes was not entirely abolifhed, but that Cir- cumcifion, and the other Rites of it, were ftill neceflary to be obferved by all thofe, who, being Heathens, in- tended to become Cbriftians. This Opinion had been entertained, and fpread by thefe falfe Teachers, part-
in the Crofs of Christ. 163
ly through a fuperftitious Reverence for s e r m. their Law, and a miftaken Notion vi. of the true Nature and Defign of the^~v~'sJ Go/pel ; and partly, with a View of leflening the Prejudices, which the yews had conceived againft the Doc- trine of Chrifi -, and of avoiding the Perfecutions, which they every where raifed againft thofe, who propagated, or profefled it.
The Apoftle having argued againft thefe Teachers, and their Opinions, ftrongly and fervently in various Parts of this Epiftle, returns to the fame Subject at the Clofe of it 5 and there fums up in fhort, what he bad before more largely delivered. As many (fays he) as defire to make a fair Jhew in the Flejh [_£>-& qov war Yi<rcti cv caw), a Phrafe of his own, which fignifies, to aci upon carnal Views, and for worldly Ends, and to ftudy popular and plau- fibie Appearances] they confirain you to be circumcifed, only left they fhculd fuffer Perfecation for the Crofs of Chrift. [Not fo much out of a Con- M 2 viftion
164 The Methods cf Glorying
ser M.vidlion of the Neceffity of what they vi. urge upon you, as that they may live 1/W eafily, and carry Things fmoothly with all Men.] For, as it follows, neither They [thefe falfe Teachers] themfehesy who are Circumcifed, keep the Law ; hut dejire to have you Circumcifed. To what End ? Even that they may glory in your Flejh 5 that they may boaft of having made you Profelytes to Juda- ifm, in the Way to Chrijlianity, and by that Means recommend themfelves to their Countrymen, on the Ac- count of their Zeal for the Law of Mofes, at the fame Time that they would be thought to ferve the Interefts of the Gofpel. But let them confult their own Safety, andaffedta falfe Glo- ry by this infincere Condudt, if they pleafe ; God forbid (fays he) that I Jhould glory, fave in the Crojs of our Lord Jefus Chrift ! God forbid, that I fhould adl upon any fuch worldly Views and Motives in the Propagati- on of the Doftrine of Chrijl, or think to promote it by any Methods, but
what
in the Crofs of Christ. j 65
what are agreeable to the Nature and serm. Defign of it ; It is the Do&rine of the vi. Crofs, and ought therefore to be preach- o""v"-v,i ed in Simplicity and godly Sincerity, without worldly Hopes or Fears, with- out Arts and Difguifes : The chief Ar- ticle of this Dodtrine, that wherein the great Lines of it center, is, the Satif- fadlion made to Divine Juftice, by the Sufferings and Death of a Crucified Sa- viour. By this Sacrifice of the Crofs all the legal Sacrifices and Ceremonies are determined and abolifhed ; by this, and this only, a real Atonement is made to God for our Sins, and a Way open- ed to his Favour : On this, confequent- ly, all the Hopes and Happinefs of a Chrijlian depend. Mean therefore and ignominious as the Circumftances of this Tranfa&ion were, I will not be offended at them myfelf, nor fear left others mould be offended : On this Sub- ject I will perpetually dwell in my pri- vate Meditations; and in my pubjick Inftruftions: Of this Capital Article of the Chriflian Faith I will not only not M 3 be
1 66 The Methods of Glorying
ser M.be afhamed, but I will boaft ; I will vi. glory in it, and in nothing beyond, or ^/V\ befides it : For it is a Dodrine full of Wonder and Delight, of Inftru&ion, Advantage, and Comfort to fincere Be- lievers, to penitent Sinners ; fince it is that, whereby the World is Cruci- fied unto met and I unto the World. Whereby the World is Crucified unto me : All that is in the Worlds the Luji . of the Flefh, the LuJl of the Eye, and the Pride of Life, is rendered, though not incapable of polluting me, yet in- effectual towards condemning me ; the Sting of Sin is taken away, the Guilt is pardoned; and / am crucified unto the World : I am, by the victorious Power of that Grace, which was pur- chafed by this Sacrifice of the Crofs, become infenfible, and dead, as it were, to the Pieafures, the Pomps and Vani- ties of this World , I have crucified the Gal.v.24. Fkfo, with the Afieftions and Lufts. Since therefore the Sufferings of Chrifi are of fo great Efficacy and Power, as to be able to free me, not only from 1 the
m the Crofs of Christ. 167
the Guilt and Punifhment of Sin, but serm, alfo from the Dominion and Power of vi. it y is there any Thing I mould value myfelf upon, in Comparifon of the Privilege of being made a Partaker of the Merits of thefe Sufferings? in Comparifon of the Mercies, the Ad- vantages I enjoy, by the Means of this humble, but admirable Difpenfation ? Let others form to themfelves what Schemes of Satisfaction and Happinefs, pride themfelves in what Preeminences, what Diftin&ions they pleafe , But God forbid that I Jhould glory, fave in the Crofs of our Lord Jefus Chrift, whereby the World is a~ucifed unto me, and I un- to the World !
I have largely explained the Conne- xion, and thereby opened the Meaning of thefe Words of St. Paul : The Ufe I intend to make of them is, from thence to fhew,
Firfty That whatever Excellencies, I, outward Advantages, or Privileges, it may be our Lot to enjoy, yet it mj£- M 4 becomes
i68 The Methods of Glorying
serm. becomes us, as we are Chri/liansi to vi. glory in them : But that,
II. Secondly, It highly becomes us to glory in the Crofs of Chrijl.
III. Thirdly, By what Methods, and in Oppofition to what Enemies of the Crofs of Chrijl, we are obliged to glory in it. — -—Of thefe three Points in their Order, as far as the Time will permit. And,
I. Firjli I am to fhew, That whatever
Excellencies, outward Advantages, or
Privileges it may be our Lot to enjoy,
yet it mifbecomes us, as we are Chri-
jlians, to glory in them.
I do not fay, that we are to be in- fenfible of fuch Advantages, to have no Relifh of them, no Complacence in them : For neither Reafon nor Re- ligion require fuch a Conduct from us. They are the good Things of Life, given us by the Author of all Good, on purpofe that we fliould, in due
Meafure
in the Crofs of 'Christ. 169
Meafure and Seafon, enjoy them -, nor serm. can they of themfelves, while our Ap- vi. petites, and our Opinions concerning ^-^v*-^ fuch Things are well regulated, be hurtful to thofe who poffefs them. They may be ufed, if they are not over-valued; if we do notfufferour Affections to cleave too clofely to them, and our Minds to be in any degree e- Jated, and fwelled by a Refleftion upon them. They may be a Part, zfmall Part of our Happinefs in this tranfito- ry Scene of Life, provided we always retain in our Minds the Apoftle's Di- rections concerning them, That they, who have thefe Things, be as though 1 Cor. vii. they had them not; and they that re-*°'*1' pice, as though they rejoiced not ; and they that buy, as though they pojfejfed not > and they that ufe this World, as not abujing it ; for the Fafhion of this World paffeth away : Thefe worldly Advantages, thefe Honours, Profits, Pleafures, whatever they be, are of un- certain Continuance, and may in a lit- tle Time flip away from us $ to be
fure,
170 The Methods of Glorying
serm. fure, we fhail in a little Time flip a-
vi. way from them, and leave them be-
*-/iW hind us : And therefore, why fliould
we reft in them ? Why fhould we boaft
of them ? Why fhould we feed and
raife, not our Appetites and Lufts only.
but our Vanity and Pride alfo, by the
Means of them ?
The Chriftian Religion, by the Ten- dency of all its Doctrines (particularly that of Chrift crucified) by the manner of its Progrefs, and the mean Charac- ters of thofe who firft promulged and embraced it, feems to have been fa throughout contrived, as effectually to mortify, and beat down any undue Complacence we may have in our-
1 Cor i ^lves on fuch Occafions. Te fee your 26. Callings Brethren (fays St. Paul with that 7rapj>*ioriuy that becoming Freedom of Speech, in which he excels) how that not many wife Men after the Flejh, not many Mighty \ not many Noble are called ; but God hath chofen the foolijh Things of the World to confound the Wife j and God hath chofen 'the weak
Things
in the Crofs of Christ. 171
Things of the World, to confound /&serm« Things which are mighty, and the bafe vi. Things of the World, and the Tbings^^-^* which are dcfpifed hath he chofen, yea, and the Things which are not, to bring to nought the Things that are. And to what end did he thus order Matters in the Propagation of his Gofpel ? Even to this (as it follows,) that no Flejh Jhould glory in his Prefence, but that he who glorieth might glory in the Lord ; might value himielf upon being a ferious fin- cere Chrijiian, and upon nothing be- fides it.
Indeed it is enough to difparage all the fine Shews and Appearances of this Life, and to render us indifferent to all the Charms of it, if we do but atten- tively confider that compleat Inftance of fuffering Greatnefs and Goodnefs, on which our Faith and Devotion ought this Day to be employed. For on this Day they were all, together Col.ii 14, with the Handwriting of Ordinances, (the ceremonious Observances of the Law) blotted out, fullied, and defaced,
and
172 7%e Methods of Glorying
SERM.and nailed by Chrift to 'his Crofs, as vi. the Scripture fpeaks ; on which when 'he was lifted up, he did there crucify the World, and the Things of it, ec- lipfe the Luftre, anddeftroy the Power of all its empty Vanities. Behold then our High-prieft, offering up the great Sacrifice required for the Redemption of Souls ! pouring out his own Blood on the Altar of his Crofs, and thereby making an Atonement for the Sins of the whole World ! Behold him, I fay, by the Eye of Faith, and you will ac- knowledge, that though there was ne- ver any Spectacle fo fad, yet neither was there ever any fo glorious, or fo worthy of being contemplated and ad- mired by Men and Angels. Stript in- deed he was of all outward Comforts and Supports, furrounded he was with every Thing that to human Nature was grievous : And yet, even in this Depth of his Humiliation, if we con- lider the mighty Work he was accom- pliming, we cannot but defpife all the vain Pomps of Life, in comparifon of
the
"in the Crofs of Christ. 173
the Splendor of his Sufferings. For serm. then, even then, while he hung on the vi. Crofs, was the great Captain of our t/VNJ. Salvation fighting our Battles, and fub- duing our Enemies ; then was he lead- ing Captivity captive spoiling Principa- £PMV* %" lities and Powers, making a Shew of them openly, and triumphing over them in himfelf: Then was he vanquishing Death by his Death, and opening for us a Gate to Life and Immortality : Then was he difarmingSinof its Sting, and Hell of its Terrors ; and procuring for us thofe Supplies of Grace, which might enable us to withftand the Temptations of Senfe, and the Wiles of the Devil.
Surely the vain Glories of this World, when compared with thefe real Tri- umphs of the Crofs of Chrifl, muft lofe all their Force and Influence, and grow flat and infignificant in the Eyes of a good Chrijiian. Can we look up to him that was pierced, fee him ftretched on his Crofs^ enduring the Pain, defpifing the Shame of it, and
not
1 74 The Methods of Glorying
s e r m. not look down with Neglect and Con- vi. tempt on that Scene of Sin and Vanity l/W which occafioned thofe Sufferings ? Is ..it poffible for us to love the World, i5. and the Things that are in the World,
while our Eyes are fixed on him, who Gal. i. 4. gave himfelffor our Sins, that he might deliver us from this prefent evil World \ that is, on purpofe that he might free us from the enchanting Power of its empty Delights, and vain Allurements? Thefe he taught us, by his Doctrine and by his Practice, by his Life and by his Death, to undervalue 5 he chofe to be without them, and the Perfec- tion of his Virtue confifled in over- looking and defpifing them. We there- fore, who profefs to be his Followers, muft certainly degenerate very far from that Profeffion, when we eagerly pur- fue, greedily enjoy, and highly admire them. iGor.v.6. Beloved, this our glorying is not good, But, II. Secondly, It highly becomes us to glory in the Crofs of Chrift, as I pro-
pofed,
in the Crofs of Christ. 175
pofed, in the fecond Place to fhew. serm; For fince by the alone Merits of his vi. Crofs we gain all the Advantages of the<^"v~^* Chriftian Difpenfation, are reconciled to God, and made capable of Heaven and Happinefs, we cannot but glory in that Crofs, if indeed we value ourfelves upon our being Chrijlians.
The Crofs of Chriji is the Do&rine, to which all the other Dodtrines of the Gofpel refer, and from which they de- rive all the Efficacy and Influence they have, towards purging our Conferen- ces from dead Works -, and therefore in that fingle Article they are often all of them fummed up and comprized. We preach Chrifi crucified, fays St. ,
Paul; as if that, and that alone were 23. the Subjeft of all he wrote, and all he fpoke : And again, I determiited to know nothing but Chriji, and him cru-1^01 '",2t cified-, as if that were the great Point of faving Knowledge, to which thofe who learn, or who teach the Religion of Chri/l, mould altogether apply them- felves. Can we look upon it, under
this
j 7 6 T*1oe Methods of Glorying
ser M » this View, and refrain from glorying vi. in it ? To this Article of our Faith the L/*W Enemies of the Gofpel have always taken the greateft Exceptions ; and in this therefore we ought to triumph moft, as being fecure againft their At- tacks, and defpifing their vain Objecti- ons and Reafonings. The firft Preach- ers of our Faith muft, in this Cafe, be i Cor. i. our Patterns. They knew that Chrijl 23 ' crucified was to the Jews a Stumblings Block -, but did they therefore diflem- ble the Scandal of the Crofs for that very Reafon ? No ! they boafted of it, they infilled upon it in all their Appli- cations to the unbelieving Jews, re- corded in the ABs\ particularly Saint
A&SX. 39. . r r -
Peter omits no occaiion of mention- ing to them Him whom they Jlew, and hanged on a Tree ; as an high Reproach to his Murderers indeed, but none at all to his Difciples and Followers.
Very fitly therefore has the Church of England appointed that, after we have been received into the Congrega- tion
in the Crofs ofC ti R I s T . 1 77
tion ofChri/l's Flock by Baptifm, wesERM. fhould befigned with the Sign of the vi. Crofs, in token (as me fpeaks) that we lS\r\J Jhould not hereafter be ajhamed to con- fefs the Faith of Chrifi crucified \ but Jhould manfully fight wider his Banner againft Sin, the World \ and the Devi ly and continue Chrifi* s faithful Sol- diers and Servants to our Lives Ends. A Ceremony, which, whatever Fault may have been found with it, is cer- tainly very Ancient, very Innocent, and very Significant too j as it fitly admo- nishes us, throughout the whole Courfe of our Chriftian Warfare, to look upon the Crofs of Chrifi as the proper Badge of our Profeffion, which we ought not to be afhamed, or afraid to own, when- ever He, in whofe Service we are lifted* fhall call upon us to take it up, and follow him. But to proceed, I am to fhew,
Thirdly, By what Methods, and in III, oppofition to what Enemies of the Crofs of Chrifi we are Obliged to Glory in it.
Vol. IV. N 1. Now
178 tfhe Method of Glorying
SERM. 1. Now the jirjl Step requi/ite to- vi. wards our complying with this Obli- IS^f^J gation is, frequently to meditate on the Sufferings and Death oiChrift. We glory in nothing but what we efteem and value ; and what we value much, we mall be apt often and attentively to confider. We mould therefore revolve iTim.iii.°ften in our Thoughts this great My- 16. fteryofGodlinefs, God manifejl in the FleJJj, dying on the Crofs, to dejiroy the Works of ihe Devil: We mould turn it on all Sides, and confider it, as the proper Subject of our Awe and Won- der, our Joy and Pleafure, our Grati- titude and Love 5 'till we have warmed our Hearts with a lively Senfe of the ineftimable Benefits conferred on us by the Means of it. This the oftener we do, the better : But we cannot, with- out inexcufable Negligence, omit doing it on fuch a Day as this, fet apart by the Church on Purpofe to commemo- rate the Paffion of our Lord. If we fail to employ fome Part of this Day in our Clofets, and in devout Meditati- ons
in the Crofs of Christ. 179
ons on the Crofs of Chrift, we are un- serm, worthy of that. Redemption he pur- vi. chafed for us. What (faid our Saviour O^VNJ to his fleeping Difciples, when he was entering on his Agony) can you not Mat.xxvi. watch with me one Hour] Can you not (hake off your Drowfinefs, and bear me Company in my Sorrows for a few Moments, on fo important and be- coming an Occafion ? Can your flug- gifti Inattention and Indifference to what concerns me fo nearly, confift with a true Love of me, or with the Character of my faithful Difciples? What! can you not watch with me one Hour? Watch and pray, left ye enter into Temptation.
2. A Second Step towards fulfilling , our Obligation to glory in the Crofs of Chrijl, is, if we endeavour to imitate the perfect Example he hath fet us, and to form in our Minds fome faint Refemblances of thofe meek Graces and Virtues, which adorn the Character of our Suffering Saviour. And this Step i6 a natural Confequence of the for- N z mer
1 80 ffle Methods of Glorying
SERM.mer; for Imitation will in fome De* vi. gree fpring from Attention: If we fee
l/W him as he is, we Jhall be like him, as St. "John argues. In vain do we boaft
1 John Hi of the Crofs of Chrifl, as that whereby the Guilt of our Sins is abolifhed, if the Power of them ftill remains unfub- dued in us: Then are his Sufferings our Glory, when they become a fruit- ful Principle of Holinefs to us, and af- fedt us in fuch a Manner, as to give us Refolution and Strength to live above the World, and ail its Temptations. In hoc vince, was the Infer iption on the Crofs, in that Villon, by which the firfl: Chriftian Emperor was encou- raged to give Battle to his Enemies. And this alfo is the Motto, by which every good Soldier of Chrifl is to ani- mate himfelf in his fpiritual Conflicts ; this is to be written on our Banners, and graven in our Minds: T'his is the
1 John v. Viffory which overcometh the World,
even our Faith irr a crucified Jefus.
When from Him we have learnt to
underva^-ie the falfe Glories of this
1 World,
in the Crofs of Christ. 181
World, and to defpife its Terrors, tosERM. live above the Gratifications of Senfe, vi. to refign ourfelves absolutely to God's >^W Difpofal, and to make it our Meat and join iv. cur Drink, our only Study and De- 34« light, to do the Will of him that fent us; when we fhall have emptied our- felves of all fwelling Thoughts, all vain Conceits of our own Privilges and Per- fections, and fhall be thoroughly in- ftrudted in that j^reat Leffon of Humi- lity, which he, who was meek and Matt. ti. lowly in Heart, hath taught us; when29- we fhall have fo ccnfidered him that Heb.xii. endured the Contradiction of Sinners^* Ggainfi himfelf as not to be weary and faint in our Minds, upon the like Oppofitions and Trials -, fo, as to bear Indignities and Injuries decently and well, and to forgive and pray for thofe who do them; fo as to be able to fup- port ourfelves under any of the Cala- mities of Life with Equanimity and Patience, with Fortitude and Firm- nefs : Then may we be faid, moft tru- ly, moil effectually to glory in the N 3 Croft
1 8 2 The Methods of Glorying
serm. Crofs of Chrijl ourj elves , and to pro-
vi. mote the Honour of his Religion with
t/Y^' otherSy who (hall observe our Progrefs
in all divine Graces and Virtues, and
be edified in beholding our good Con-
verjation in Chrijl fefus.
3. A Third Inftance and Proof of our glorying as becomes us in the Crofs of Chrijly is, if we frequently and wor- thily celebrate the Memorial of his Death, the bleffed Sacrament of his 1 Cor. xi. Body and Blood. For as often as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, ye , do fhew forth the Lord's Death, until he come, nocjocFyixxeTi, ye do fignifioantly exprefs it, ye do folemnly publifh and declare it. Indeed both the Sacraments, that of Baptifm, and this of the Lord's Supper, as they derive their Efficacy from the Crofs of Chrijl, io do they carry in them fome Refem- blance of his Death : Baptifm, of his Death and Refurrection jointly , the Eucharijl, of his Death only , being inftituted for this very End and Pur- pofe, to imprint on our Minds, by
Sym-
in the Crofs of C h r i s t. 183
Symbols of Bread broken, and Wine serm. poured out, a lively Image of the great vi. Sacrifice of the Crofs, and to infpire l^VNJ us, by that Means, with fuch holy Thoughts and Affections, as a good Chrijlian would have, if he were really an Eye Witnefs of the*Paffion of Chriji. Often therefore ought we to refort to this myfterious Repaft, even as often as we have Occafion (and when have we not Occafion?) to raife our Gratitude, and improve our Devotion, and inflame our Love towards God, for the abundant Mercies beftowed on us, in the Sufferings and Death of our Sa- viour. Nor can we abftain from this Table of the Lord, without forgetting (indeed without fo far renouncing) our Relation to Chri/l crucified, and there- by declaring ourfelves utterly unwor- thy of that holy Name whereby we are called. Verily, verily, except we eat John vi. the Flejh of the Son of Man, and drink 53' his Blood, we have no. Life in us.
' T was his dying Charge to us, Do Lukexxii. this in Remembrance of me : And furely, l N 4 conii-
184. The Methods of Glorying
s e r m. confidering how much be has done and
vi. fuffered for us, had he commanded us
^^sT^fome hard Things we fhould not have
refufed to comply with him : How much
lefs fhould we refufe, when we are only
commanded to remember him, by an
Action naturally pleafing and delightful
to us ? when he invites us only to eat
and to drink at his own Table?
Chrifty the fame -Night that he was betrayed, took Bread: At that very Time, when Men were laying Snares for his Innocence, and contriving his Ruin, did he appoint this great Means of bleffing and ftrengthening them: When his Body was now about to be pierced, and his Blood to be fpilt by the Hand of Violence ; then did he in- ftitute this Myftery, by which the Me- rits of both were to be conveyed to the whole Race of Mankind, even to his Murtherers themfelves, if by Faith and . Repentance they fhould lay hold of them. Mull not our Stupidity and In- gratitude be as amazing as his Love, if the very Circumftances, in which he
gave
in the Crofs of Christ. i g 5
gave us this Precept, do not incline usser m. to obey it ? Can we be faid to glory in vi. the Crofs fl/'Chrift, while we negleit L^Y\J and defpife this great Memorial of his Death, which he inftituted for the good of bouls ? Ought we not rather to fear, left, , by abftaining wilfully and con- temptuoufly from this holy Table, we fhould involve ourfelves in fome De- gree of their Guilt, whom the Apoftle declares to have trodden under Foot the Heb. x. Son of God, and counted the Blood of29' the Covenant, by which they were fafidli- fied, an unholy Thing ? But finally, we may
4. In the Fourth Place, be faid (very properly faid) to glory in the Crofs of Chrifty when we zealoufly affert, and vindicate the true Dodtrine of his Sa- tisfaction, againft all the Enemies and Oppofers of it ; againft the falfe No- tions of the Jews, and the falfe Reli- gion of the Mahometans ; againft the mifchievous Opinions of fome deceived, or deceiving Chriftians , againft the vain Pretences of Reafcn and Philofophy,
and
1 86 The Methods of Glorying, &c.
SERM.and againft the proud Infults and Blaf-
vi. ploemies of Athei/ls and Infidels. But
C/W thefe Particulars would open too large
a Field of Matter to me at prefent, and
may perhaps (God permitting) be no
improper Subjed for our Refledions on
a like Occafion.
In the mean time, let us conclude, by rendering to the great Lover of Souls the Thanks that are due to Him, for the Redemption, which he, as on this Day, purchafed for us.
Revel, v. Worthy is the Lamb, that was Jlain, to receive Power, and Riches , and Wif- dom, and Strength, anct Honour, and f$. Glory, andBleJjing: For He hath re- deemed us to God by his Blood, out of every Kindred, and "tongue, and People, ^13. and Nation, therefore Blejjing, and Honour, and Glory, and Power be unto Him that fitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever I A- men.
E X T E R-
[ i«9 3
The Duty of External Worfh'ip :
A
SERMON
Preached at the
ROLLS Chapel,
April 2, 1699..
PSALM xcv. 6.
O come let us worjhip and bow down *> let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
THESE Words are taken from s E R M% an Hymn, which is very fitly VII# placed at the Entrance of the Morning Devotions of the Church : It being a folemn and earneft Invitation to the publick Worfhip of God that follows ;
and
190 The Duty of
serm. and probably employed to that Purpofe vii. at the Beginning of the Service ufed in LTY>J the Jewijh Temple.
In that Hymn we are called upon to pay all the Parts of our internal and external Homage.
The Words, which I have chofen, mention only the latter of thefe, out- ward Adoration -y which they do, by cxpreffing the feveral Modes of it ; as Worjhiping, Bowing down, and Kneel- ing before God : Terms, which thofe who are fkilled in the Original, have been at fome Pains to explain, fo as to fettle the diftinft Meaning of each of them. I fhall wave that Enquiry, as not very ufeful, and confider the Words in their more free and general Senfe ; as they imply all thofe devout Pojlures of Body, in which outward Worfhip may be fuppofed to confift.
To prefs upon you, as effectually as I can, the Exercife of thefe, when we thus meet together in God's Sandmary, fhall be the Bufinefs of my prefent Dif- courfe.
In
External Worfhip. 191
In which I fhall endeavour to fhew serm; how requifite a reverent and pious De- vn. meanour in the publick Service of the WNJ Church is, in order to render our Devo- tions acceptable to God.
This perhaps, at firft fight, may feem too plain a Propofition to need any Proof: And it will be thought, that there is no good Chrijiian in the World, who is not very well fatisfied of the Truth of it. And yet, certain it is, that there are, among thofe who aim at a more than ordinary Purity in the Worfhip of God, many fincere but deluded Perfons, who difapprove and deny it; who think external Modes of Worfhip, not only unnecejfary, butfu- perJliticuS) now under the Gofpel Dif- penlation, when, they fay, all bodily Service is done away, the Law of out- ward Rites and Ceremonies is abolifh- ed, and the true Worfhipers of God are to worjhip him only in Spirit and John w. truth. 2*-
And even among thofe who admit the Necefiity of bodily Worfhip in the
theory.
192 The Duty of
serm. Theory, yet how many are there that vii. deny it in their Practice, and fo behave
LA^V themfelves in the pubiick Service of the Church, as to make it appear, that this Truth has not yet in good earneft reached their Hearts, or not funk very deep into them : Or if it has, the Im- preffions it once made upon their Minds, are now grown fo faint and weak, that they operate but little, unlefs by proper Arguments and Motives they be con- tinually excited and kept alive in them.
In order therefore to convince thofe who feem not to have fufficiently con- fidered the Importance of this Duty ; and in order alfo to raife the Devotion of fuch as are remifs and carelefs in the Difcharge of it ; I fhall, in what fol- lows, confider External Worjhip, as a fit and reafonable Duty, upon thefe three feveral Accounts. Either as one Part of that natural Homage, which the whole Man, Soul and Body, does,* by the firft Principles of Reafon, and Law of his Nature, owe to his fove-
reign
External Worjhip. 193
reign Lord, his great Creator and Pre- serm, ferver. Or as an Help and AJjijlance vn. towards promoting the fpiritual Wor- L^V\I (hip of our Souls. Or laftly, as an outward Sign, by which we exprefs to others the Religious Efteem and Vene- ration that dwells in us : That is (in a Word) it may be confidered with relation to God, Our [elves, or our Neigh* hour.
Firjl, then, External Adoration may I. be confidered as a Part of that natural Homage, which the whole Man, Soul and Body, owes to God, upon the Ac- count of his Creation and Prefervation of us, and his fovereign Dominion , over us.
If we are to worfhip God for the Being, and the Benefits which we re- ceive at his Hands, as the plain Rules of Reafon inform us 5 then does it feem agreeable to the fame Reafon,that we fhould make Ufe of all thofe fe- veral Ways of Worfhip, which do beft exprefs the totahnd entire Dependance Vol. IV. O we
194 TfjeDutyof
s e r Mw we have on him. The Soul worfhips vu* him, by framing to itfelf awful Ideas of
lsr>To his Majefty and great Excellencies, by invoking Aid and AfTiftance from him, and by putting up Praifes to him. The Body worfhips him, by bowing and proftrating itfelf; and by all thofe humble and devout Poftures, which fuit beft with thofe inward AfTedtions and Difpofitions of the Mind. Both toge- ther make up that compleat Harmony of Divine Worfhip, which refults from the Agreement of the feveral Parts of our Frame in the fame A£ts of Acknow-
Phil. i*. ledgment, that Odour of a fweet Smell,
t8- a Sacrifice acceptable, well pleqfing to God.
Indeed, as we have no Way of form* ing to ourfelves any Idea of God, but byconfidering the feveral limited Per- fections and Excellencies, that are va- rioufly fcattered among his Creatures, and attributing them to him without Bounds y fo have we no other Way of applying ourfelves to him, as his Vaf- iils, his Dependants, and the Works.
of
External Worjlnp. 195
of his Hands, than by confidering what serm, are thofe inward and outward Marks vn. of Refpeft, which we ufually pay to the Dignity of any Man here upon Earth, to his Authority over us, or his Beneficence towards us ; and by giving them to God, in a much higher De- gree, than we. do to Man. Now, the Expreffion of our Efteem of any Earth- ly Good, the Refpeft we bear towards Perfons of great Excellence, Parents, Benefactors, or Governors, is contained in thefe Two Things ; a Veneration of Mind for them, and a Submiffion of Body to them.
And whoever fails in either of thefe, is, by the general Confent of Mankind, reckoned to be fo far wanting in his Duty, and to deviate from thofe Rules of Subordination, which God has made neceffary for this World.
Of this the Mind of Man is very fenfible ; and being therefore confcious of the fuperlative Excellencies of the Divine Being, and of the infinite Good- nefs of its Nature towards us, finds it- O 2 fclf
196 The Duty of
ser M.felf uneafy under thcfe Apprehenfions, vii. 'till it has paid its due Homage, its Debt t/Y\ of Honour to it. Which, neverthelefs it has no Ability to do, otherwiie than by applying to God thofe outward fen- fible Marks of Refpedt, and thofe in- ward Submiffions of Soul, which are in Ufe among the Sons of Men.
To thefe therefore it flies, thefe it lays hold of, eager and impatient to do fomething (it knows not well what) in humble Acknowledgment of his Attri- butes, and in Return to his many lov- ing KindnefTes.
It fees very well, how difproportion- ed all our Afts of Homage are to the Divine Greatnefs : That God dwells in inacceffible Light, to which none of our Services can reach 5 in the Glory of an eternal Majefty, which nothing we can do, can either add to, or di- minish. Neverthelefs perceiving in it- felf a reftlefs Principle, exciting it con- tinually to the Love and Honour of God \ ftrong Endeavours after Grati- tude, and no other Way of exerting
them,
External Worjhip. 197
them, but by inward and outward Adts serm, ofWorfhip; thefe, how inflgnificant vn. foever, it ventures to pay, in fure Con- </V>J fidence, that they will be grateful to that Being, which accept eth according zCor.viii. to that a Man hath, and not according12' to that he hath not.
Thus does External Adoration be- come a Point of Natural Homage, due to the fupreme Lord of the World, in Token of that entire Dependance we have on him ; the Dependance of the whole Man, Soul and Body, which both equally came forth from his Hands, and are both equally fuftained by him. Both therefore muft join in paying the com- mon Tribute of Praife ; which, how- ever to Him it may be nothing worth, of lefs Account than a Drop of the jr. xi. , * Bucket, or 2. f mall Dujl of the Ballance, yet to Us-ward is the very Law of our Nature, and our bounden Duty and Service.
And this is a Way of Reafoning, which the Holy Ghoft in both Tefta- ments hath fandified, and taught us to ufe,
O3 Wo
198 The Duty of
serm, We are invited by the good Pfalmift vii. in my Text, to bow down, and kneel
C/'VNJ before God. And the Reafon follows : For he is the Lord cur God, and we are the People of his Hands. Agreeably to whichthe Apoftle urges us, to glorify God in our Body, and in our Spirit, which are Gods. We are to glorify him in our Body, as well as our Spirit , by outward as well as i?iward Devo- tion j fince there is the fame Argu- ment for both 5 they are God's : His they are, and to Him they mull do their Homage.
And therefore 'tis a remarkable Paf- fage, which the fame Apoftle hath :
Rom. xii. I befeech you, Brethren, by the Mer-
*• cics of God, that you prefent your Bo-
dies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God -, which is your reafonable Ser- vice. Though he mentions only the prefenting our Bodies, yet he gives that the Name of our reafoyiable Service, rt \oyixvj Xoci^lcL vf4&)Vy a Worfliip agree- able to Reafon, and to the Suggeftions pf our natural Faculties.
We
External Worjhtp. j g y
We all look for the Glorification, serm. not only of our Souls, but Bodies, in vn. the Life to come. Now a Reward ^\^\J fuppofeth a Work : It is meet and right therefore, that we fhould worihip and glorify God in this Life with the Body as well as the Soul, if fo be we expe<5 that God ihould glorify both our Bo- dies and Souls in another. The outward Worihip, without the inward is dead ; and again, the inward, without the outward, is not complete ; even as the Glorification of the Soul, feparate from the Body, is not, nor {hall be confum- mate, till the Body be again raifed, and reunited* to it.
Indeed, they who derogate fo much from bodily Worihip in the Service of the true God, do by Confequence ren- der Idolatry a Sin far lefs heinous in Degree than it is. For the Sin of Ido- latry confifts, we know, in our com- municating that Honour to a Creature, which is due unto the Creator alone. And therefore, in the fame Proportion as external Worihip is due to the Crea- O 4 torx
200 Tie Duty of
serm. tor, will the Grievoufnefs and Guilt vii. of that Sin be, by which we transfer
t/*W that Worfhip from the Creator to the Creature ; for it cannot be denied, but that Part of the Sin of Idolatry con- fifls even in the outward Worfhip given to an Idol. And therefore, if outward Worfhip be not infifted on with any Stri&nefs now under the Gofpel, as a Debt due to God, neither will the payT ing it to Idols be in any high Degree culpable.
Thus does the Confideration of out- ward Worfhip, as it refpects God, the. Object of it, afford us one powerful Motive to a compofed and folemn Be- haviour in the publick Service of the Church. Let us fee, what Force it will have, as it relates to our/elves j Or as it is,
U# Secondly, an Help and Affiftance, to-
wards promoting the fpiritual Worfhip of our Souls.
There is fo clofe a Connexion be- tween the Mind and its Organs, that
they
External Worjhip. 201
they aft, as it were, by Confent ; and serm. the Motions of the one do commonly, vii. and in fome Degree, pafs into the other. v^v"\J And this natural Sympathy mews itfelf no where more remarkably than inA&s of Devotion. When the Mind is warm- ed with heavenly Thoughts,ajid wrought up into fome Degrees of holy Ecftacy, it flays not there, but communicates thefe Impreffions to the Body -, and ex- cites thofe fcveral Adtions, without, that carry a Refemblance to what is done within.
On the other Side, devout Poflures of Body, when perceived and attended to by him that ufes them, do as cer- tainly pafs onward and impart their Force to the Mind alfo ; raifing there thofe feveral Paffions and Emotions, to which the outward Adl is naturally conjoined, 'Tis true, the Rife of all is originally from within -, there the Springs of A&ion firft begin to play ; and from thence Orders are fent out to the Body, what Motions mall arife. But then, after that, this Engine, thus
moved
202 Tlje Duty of
serm. moved, acts backward upon its fit ft vn. principle, the Soul -y returns the Force,
t/V^w that was lent it from thence, with In- tereft ; and improves that Spark of holy Fire, which firft fprung up there, into a great and mighty Flame.
External Worfhip then becomes this way a juft and reafonable Duty, inaf- much as it is naturally fitted to excite like inward Acts of Devotion ; and be- ing itfelf perceived, does, in a Way not perceived by thofe who yet feel the Effects of it, work upon the moll hidden Powers of the Mind. And it is very well it does fo : For the Mind of Man is in the Duties of Religion fo little Miftrefs of ftrict Attention, fo unable to fix itfelf {readily even on God, its bed: and worthiefl: Object, that it cannot have too many Afliilances from; wifbout> in order to it. As therefore God hath fo tempered the Body toge-
i Cor.xii. ther in all its Members, that the Eye
21 • cannot fay unto the Hand, I have no
need of thee ; nor the Head again unto the peet% J have no need of you : fo has he
alfo
External Worjkip. . 203
alfo tempered the whole Frame of Man serm, in fuch a Manner, as that the Parts of vn. it may mutually fupport each other. 'VVXJ Nor can the Soul, in its moft fpiritual and fublime Acts, thofe of Devotion, reject the Body, as ufelefs and unaflift- ing. Nay much more (as St. Paul con- l Cor- x'l'u tinues his Reafoning) that Part, which2' feems to be morejeeble, is necejjary.
We ufually blame the Body to an high Degree, as the great Ciog and Hindrance of the Soul; the Obftructer of its free and natural Motions, the Offerer of impious, of filthy, of vain Images ; the Soliicitorto every evil Act, all that defiles the Man. And this is generally what may be faid of it, with a great deal of Juftice. For it is all this, and it does all this in a thoufand feveral Inftances. But in the Cafe of Devotion now before us, Things may be far otherwife managed, and the Bo- dy rendered fo ufeful and ferviceable to the Soul in this Duty, as to make Amends (as it were) for the Obftruc- tions it gives it in the Performance
of
204 The Duty of
Ser ml of many others. Here it may be made
vjj. to draw equally in the Yoke of Duty : Nay even to give Wi?igs to the Mind, which it preffeth down, and over- whelms on many other Occafions. Nor is the Body more beholden to the Soul, for the Beginning of its Motions, than the Soul afterwards is to the Body, for the Increafe of hers. But
$11. Thirdly, We have ftill another Way pf confidering outward Worfhip, as it is a Sign, by which we exprefs to others the religious Efleem and Veneration that dwells in us. And we fhall find, that from hence too we are highly ob- liged to the moft folemn and devout JJfe of it. For as in the former Inflan- ces it has appeared to be an Inftrument of Gods Honour, and our own particu- lar Advantage, fo here we fhall find that it reaches even to the common Good of our Neighbour too.
And certainly great are the Advan- tages which the People of God, when they are met together, do mutually
receive
External Worfhip. 20$
receive from it. The cold and remifs serm* Worfhiper is, at the Sight of an exem- viii plary Piety, kindled into fome Degrees of holy Warmth ; the fervent and de- vout, in the Prefence of it, becomes yet more enflamed. A religious Emu- lation rifes then in the Breafts of the Faithful^ an holy Strife and Defire of excelling. He that fees another com- pofed in his Behaviour throughout,and fixed down to the holy Duty he is en- gaged in, grows afhamed of his own Indifference and Indecencies, his fpiri- tual Diflipations and Drynefs, and pre- fently fets himfelf to imitate that amia- ble Pattern, and refolves to be remark- ably devout, and as much the Object of other Mens Imitation.
But Believers are not the only Per- fons, that receive Benefit by it ; Un- believers too, tho' unwillingly, have their Share. The profane Scoffer, who dares encounter a Jingle Chrijlian3 without Shame or Fear of Reproof, has here an Anfwer to his bold Scoffs, in that ftill and powerful Argument,
which
206 The Duty of
serm. which arifes from the Behaviour of a vn. devout Multitude, worfhiping God in
l/W/A* Beauty of Holinefs : Such an Argu- ment as will deftroy all his unrea- fonable Sufpicions, and convince him of the Sincerity of Mens Hearts to- wards God, by the natural unaffected Signs of it, which are (hewn in his Service : Such as will put him in mind of the Numbers of devout and good Men, againfl which he engages ; lead him on from the Thought-of the prefent Congregation to thofe of the fame kind that are fpread over the Face of the Earth ; and make him lit down and confider, whether withfuch a fmall Strength (his own, and that of a few more) he can encounter fo ma- ny Thoufands, even the united Wif- dom and Pradtice of Mankind. Sure- ly, as St. Paul argues in relation to
lCor .x-,v.the Prophefying pra&iied in the Pri-
24> *5- mitive Church, if all thus ivorfnp, and there cometh in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all. And thus
are
External Worfliip. 207
are the Secrets of his Heart ??iade ma- serm, nifeji -, and fo falling down en his Face, vn. he will worjhip God, and report, that /VN Cod is in you of a <fruth.
Thus have I explained the feveral Grounds, on which external Adoration ftands, and the feveral good Ufes, to which it may be employed ; how much the Honour of God depends upon it, the Advancement of Piety in our cwn Breaft, and in that of our Neighbour. And fure I need exhort you but briefly to the PraBice of that, which appears every way fo plain and fo reafonable a Duty. Let us then lay up thefe Thoughts in our Hearts, and keep our Feet (as the Wife Man fpeaks) when we go to the Sanffiuary, by a care- ful Reflection upon them ! Let us car- ry in out Ears always when we enter into the Place of God's publick Wor- fhip, the Sound of thofe Expreffions he ufed to Mofes out of the flaming Bu(h : Put off thy Shoes from thy FeetExod. iii. for the Place whereon thou Jlandejl iss% holy Ground!
4 Let
2o8 T'he Duty of
serm. Let us confider with biirfelves, if vn. fuch and fo many are the Advantages that fpring from a due Care of external Behaviour, how great mufi the Incon- veniences then be, that arife from the Negled: of it ? from an indecent and Jlcvenly Worjhip > a Worfhip fit neither for God, who is a God of Beauty and Order, to receive -y nor for Man, who is the only Creature in this lower World that has a Senfe of thefe Things, to pay. Surely nothing lefs can fol- low from fo loofe a Practice, than the Decay of Religion in all its vital and fubftantial Parts ; a Forgetfulnefs of that God, whom to have always in our Thoughts is the greateft Prefer- vative againfl Sin that a Chriftian Man can have -, the Derifions of the Proud towards thefe our folemn Meetings, and the open Scorn of every thing that is holy.
From the primitive Writers of the Story of the Church we learn, that the Jirjt Chrijliaris, who were fo exempla- ry in all the Parts of Chriftian Duty,
above
External Worjhip. 209
above thofe of latter Times, outftripped s er m. us in nothing more than in the out- vii. ward Marks of Devotion and Reve- '^V^ rence, which appeared upon them in their publick ArTemblies. They re- forted to the Houfe of God with the fame holy. Awe and Reverence, as if they were really to meet, and to con- verfe with him there : They conti- nued, during the Time of Divine Ser- vice, immoveably fixed to their Duty, without the leaft Sign or Token of a wandering, or alienated Mind. They contented not themfelves with the or* dinar y Poftures of Devotion, fuch as Genuflection, the Eowing of the Head or the Body, but did (as one of the Ancients fpeaks) proftrate themfelves on the Pavement, cover it with their Bodies, and wafh it with Tears of de- vout Joy.
God grant, that, if thefe Heights of Devotion be too exalted for an Age fo degenerate as this, in which Iniquity abounds and the Love of many is waxen cold-, yet, at leaft, that fo much of the Vol.1V. P Life
210 Tie Duty of External Worfiip.
s E R M. Life and Spirit of Primitive Piety may
vii. be kept up among us, as may render
CV^J our Behaviour/c^r andcomfofedm the
Ufe of holy Things, and take away
from wicked Men an Occafion to blaf-
pheme !
New to God the Father, Sec.
External
1 213 ]
I
!■ ■■■ I Ml ■ ■ I ■ ' ■ ■ . . m . mt
External Worjhip not fufficient alone J A
SERMON
Preached at
St. J a m e s's Chapel,
In the Year 1711-12.
LAMENT, iii. 14. Let us lift up our Hearts, with our Hands, unto God in the Heavens.
TH E S E are the Words of Jere- f*|ty miahy fpoken to the Jews of vin. his Time, who were very exadt and t/y^ punctual in the outward Ceremonies and Performances of Religion, but ve- ry deficient in the inward Life and Reality of it. They reforted to the P 3 Temple
214 External WorJUp
serm. Temple conftantly, and were careful vin. -to pfa&ife the various Pates which the *-'/~v"v-,Law of Mofes prefcribed : But they did not bring along with them a Difpofi- tion of Soul fuitable to thofe Solemni- ties; their Mind was alienated from the Service, even while they were per- forming it. The Prophet, fenfible of this great Defefl in their way of Wor- fhip, thus exhorts them to the Cure of it. Let us lift up our Hearts (fays he) with our Hands, unto God in the Hea- vens.
Which Words refer to the Jews, as performing the Publick Service of their Church in the Temple or the Syna- gogue -, and imply, that the Devotion of the Handy without that of the Hearty is of no Acceptance" with God ; that i Tim.iv- bodily Exercife (in this Senfe of the Word) projiteth but little, unlefs accom- panied with an holy Warmth and Ele- vation of Mind.
This is a very plain but unregarded Truth : Many Chrijlia?is there are, who feem not to be thoroughly con- vinced
not fufficient alone. 2 1 £
vinced of it ; and the beft of us, God serm, knows (fuch is the Infirmity of our viii. Nature) want fometimes to be awaken- ^/VSJ ed into a vigorous and lively Senfe of it.
Many Frequenters of fuch religious Aflemblies as thefe, think their Duty fufficiently difcharged by a punctual and regular Attendance upon them* If they are prefent during the Time of Divine Service, if they take their Share in the feveral Parts of it, join in the Hymns and the Rejponfes, and add their Amen to the Prayers ; if their outward Behaviour be every way decent, and agreeable to the holy Ufages of the Church ; tho* they are inwardly ab- fent from the Duty, wherein theyfeem to be engaged, and their wandring Thoughts are employed all the while on foreign and vain Objects; yet fhall they go away fatisfied and juftified in their own Conceit, as if they had per- formed the whole of their reafonable Service, and not offered the Sacrifice ofizcoX. v. 1; Fools-, forgetting the Reproof which P4 Efaias
216 External WorflAp
SEKM.Efaias firft gave to the whole fewifh
vin. Nation, and which our Saviour applied
t-O'"^ particularly to the Scribes and Pbari-
Mat. xv. fees : This People draweth nigh unto me
with their Mouths ', and honour eth me
with their hips -, but their Heart is far
from me.
That fuch a Mock Worfhip as this,, fuch a mere Face and Form of Devo- tion, is not what God requires, what he will hearken to, or reward, give me leave briefly to fhew, by obferving, how unproportioned it is to the Divine Nature, and our Own, to the great End and Defign of Prayer, and to thofe mighty Blefjings and Benefits, with which, when duly performed, it is certainly attended.
The ObjeEl of our religious Addref- John iv. fes is God j that God, who is a Spirit ; and who therefore will be worfhiped i?i Spirit (as our Saviour argues) with all the Faculties and Powers of our Mind, with the utmoft Intention and Vigour of Thought : And he therefore who lifts up his Hands to him, without
any
not fitfficient alone. lif
any Elevation of his Heart \ Affronts serm« him, inftead of Adoring him. Blefs vm. the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is '^Qf within me, blefs his holy Name! faysI# good David. He fummons every Fa- culty and Affe&ion of his Soul, all that is within him, to do Homage to <3od, as knowing that the mere Out- Ward Homage, unaccompanied by the Inward, would be a Lifelels and Ufe- lefs Performance. What ! do we hope to impofe upon God, as we fometimes do upon Men, by a mere Form of God- Vi7iefs, without the Power of it ? Do we think, that he requires our Adora- tion and Homage for his own Sake ; and therefore contents himfelf with the Honours that are done him by out- ward Shews and Appearances ? He, who requireth Truth in the inward p.^ ylt £# Parts, to whom all Things are nakedHQb- iv- and open, and who tryeth the ^rypiai.vii.9. Hearts and Reins ! He, whofe Lan- guage in holy Writ is, My Son, give?T0V me thy Heart I Give me thy Heart ,26« whilft thou art performing any Part
of
xxim
2 1 S External Worjlnp
$ e r m. of thy Duty that relates either to Me, viii. thyfelfov thy Neighbour ; but chiefly
lS~\r>*Jgivc me thy Hearty whilft thou art immediately addretfing thyfelf to me by Prayer and Praife -, whilft thou art actually Converting with me, Intreat- ing and Adoring me : Give me thy Heart at fuch a Time ; or elfe all that thou giveft me befides, will prove a vain Oblation. Again,
Let us confider our own Nature as well as that of the Divine Being. Are we not Reafonable Creatures ? And ought not a Reafonable Creature to pay an entire and reafonable Service ? How can We be faid to worfhip God, while the better half of us is unconcerned in the Act ? It is the Mind, chiefly, that is the Man 5 and where the Mind there- fore is abient, the Man is not prefent : He offers not a living and a breathing Victim, but a dead and lifelefs Carcafe; and with fuch a Sacrifice how can God be well pleafed t
What is Prayer, but an Afcent of the Mind towards God ? an holy En-
ginc, 4
not fufficient alone. 219
gine, by which we lift up our Spirits tosERM. the great Father of Spirits 5 maintain a vin. fweet Intercourfe with him, and breath ^VXi out, from the Bottom of our Hearts, our common Defires and Acknowledg- ments to him ? And what is there of this, in coming unto him, as his People^ek- comet h> in fitting before him as his Peo-™ pie fitteth -, in f jewing much Love with our Month, while our Heart goeth after its Covetoufnefs f
Wondrous is the Efficacy of Prayer, as reprefented in Scripture ; mighty Things are there faid to have been done in virtue of it. But how were they done ? by the mere bending of the Knees, and uttering of Words and Syllables ? No ! but by the Attention of the Heart, by Zeal, and Fervency. It is only the fervent Prayer of a Rigb-l*™*** tecus Man, that aval let h much : And when Elias, by his prevalent Interpo- fition with God, (hut up or opened the Heavens, brought Drought or Rain upon the Earth, it is faid of him,Jamesv-
22<» External JForJhip
serm. vr(joo-&xv -zs-^oo-y^^o, that he prayed ai- viii. dently and earnejily.
C/VNJ Indeed this Qualification of Prayer is enjoined us by God ; not only as a becoming Expreffion of our religious Reverence towards him -, but as a pro- per and natural Means of working in our Souls thofe good Difpofitions, which his blefTed Spirit delights in, and delights to reward. We are di- rected to afk with a fixed and fervent Mind, becaufe fuch a Manner of afking fits and qualifies us for receiving $ makes us humble, fubmiflive, depen- dent, afFe&s us with a deep Senfe of our own Infufficiency and Unworthi* nefs, and of the Divine Bounty and Goodnefs; fufpends the evil Motions and Defires of our Hearts for a time ; and produces in us an heavenly Frame and Temper of Soul. This is the neareft and moft immediate EfFedt of Prayer, which muft firft be obtained, in order to the obtaining of our Re- quefts. And how therefore can he,
who
not fufficienf alone. 221
who is a Stranger to the One of thefe, serm, ever hope to arrive at the Other? viij.
Can we imagine that Pardon of Sin,' and Peace of Confcience ; the Fruits of the Spirit, and Support againft Temptations ; in a Word, the Bleffings of this World and the next, with which God has promifed to reward our Pray- ers, fhould be purchafed at the cheap Expence of Forms and Appearances ? That thofe Devotions which affe<ft not Us firft, fhould-affedt God afterwards ? That he {|jiould attend to, or regard, fuch Requefts, as we neither regard, nor attend to ourfelves ?
Let us then not mock God, and de-* ceive ourfelves ! Let us not think we have fulfilled our Duty merely by re- porting to the Church, and adding one to the Number of the Congregation; by doing as other Men do, and fay- ing as other Men fay there ; nor hope to atone by an outwardly decent Be- haviour, for an inwardly alienated Mind. But let us, under a due Senfe of the preceding Reflexions, whenever
we
±22 External Worfiip
serm.wc come to the Houfe of God, not fail
viii. to come whole and entire ; to offer and
KS^r^prefent unto God (as the Liturgy fpeaks)
ourfehes, cur Souls, and Bodies, to be
a reafonable, holy and lively Sacrifice to
him : let us refolve to worjkip him, not
with our Lips and Knees only, but (as
Markxi. we are obliged to love him) even with
so. all our Heart, and with all cur Scul,
and with all our Mind, and with all our
Strength !
God be thanked, by whofe good Providence we are Members of a Church, where the publick Offices of Religion are fo modelled and contriv- ed, as to be apt, in every Part of them, to raife the Attention, and kindle an holy Flame in the Breajls of all fincere Worfhipers. I cannot better fpend the remaining Part of my Time, than in pointing out to you the great Ad- vantages which we, in this Refpedl, enjoy, and by that Means fhewing you, how inexcufable we are, if we negleft to improve them, mere inexcufable than the Members of any other Church, or
Commu-
not fujficient alone. m . 223
Communion in the Chriftian World. S£ r m. For, viii.
1. The Language, wherein our Ser- ^ vice is performed, cannot but be of ufe to fix and keep alive our Attention. 'Tis our own Mother Tongue, what all of us are acquainted with ; and can there- fore liften to with Eafe and Delight, becaufe we underftand it. There is a Church, whofe publick Prayers are put up in a Language unknown to the great- eft Part of thofe who are to join in them. But how can the Heart be af- fected by the mere Sound of Words, while it is utterly a Stranger to their Meaning ? The publick Devotions therefore of an unlettered Papi/l, mud needs be one continued Scene of Di- ftradtions and Wanderings, from the Beginning to the End of them.
Nor are our Offices drawn up only in our own Tongue, but in the moft eafy and plain Parts of it, which lie open to Chrijliam of the meaneft Ca- pacities and Attainments. There is nothing fantaflical in the Expreffion of
them,
-24 External Worjhip
6erm, them, no vain Ufe of fuch hard Phrafes viii. of Scripture, as tend rather to amuie 'and puzzle, than to inftrucT: common Hearers ; nothing which approaches to that myfterious, unintelligible Way of Speaking, in which fome either de- ceiving, or deceived Chriftians delight $ nothing that favours of Singularity, Hypocrify, or Enthufiafm. Whatever we meet with there, is plain, fimple, natural ; and yet at the fame time fo- lemn, majeftick, moving \ iignificant and full, found and wholefome : It carries both Light and Heat in it, and is fitted equally tp inform the Under- ftandings and inflame the Affections of the wifeft and weakeft of Chriftians. I need not fay how far this Excellence of our Service contributes to roufe and infpirit the Attention of thofe who partake of it ; efpecia//y, if it be can-* fidered,
2. That thefe Prayers and Praifes are offered up in a premeditated Form of Words, with which every one is be- fore acquainted : For this alfo I muff
reckon
4
not fufficient alone. 225
reckon among the peculiar AdvantagessEkM* of our Way of Worfhip, towards faft- vin. ening down the Minds of Men to that^WJ holy Duty, wherein they are engaged. I grant, indeed, that Unpremeditated Prayers, uttered with great Fluency, with a devout Warmth and Earneft- nefs, are apt to make ftrong and a- wakening Impreffions on the Minds of the Generality of Hearers. But it may be doubted, whether the Attention thus raifed, be that which we are now recommending ; whether it be not an Attention rather of Curiofitv and Sur- prize, than of a real Piety and found Devotion. For a good and confcien- tious Man, who is to join in a Prayer, with which he was before unacauaint- ed, mud needs do it with fome little Diffidence and Fear, left there mould be any Thing in the Matter or Man- lier of that Prayer, improper and un- becoming : He muft fufpend his Affent to thofe unknown Requefts, 'till he has fo far ccnfidered them, as to be fure that they are fit for him to agree in. Vol. IV. Q^ And
226 External Worjhip
serm. And while he is thus employing his vin. Thoughts on one Petition or Sentence, UV\^ another fucceeds, which will require a like Degree of Sufpence and Delibera- tion: And this cannot but check his Devotion, by dividing and breaking the Force of his Mind. Whereas he, who offers up his Requefls to God in a known and itated Form, has no Avo- cations of this Kind to ftruggle with; , and can therefore apply himfelf directly and vigoroufly to his holy Tafk, and ]2.mcs\.6.afk in Faiths nothing doubting. He fears not, left unfitting Requefts fhould be made, or fit ones clothed in unfuit- able Language ; and is therefore at Lei- sure to excite all the Powers and Af- fections of his Soul, and to engage tnem in that fpiritual Service. This, I fay, is a peculiar Advantage, which attends the Ufe of precompofed Prayers ; and if there be many, who do not find and feel this Erfed of them, it is not, I am perfuaded, the Fault offet Forms> but their own : They want Attention and Fervency in this Way of Worfliip $
and
not f efficient alone. 22 7
and they would want it equally, perhaps serm. much more in any other. viii.
3 . It is yet a further great Advantage' which we of this Communion enjoy, that our Service is not one continued Adl of Devotion, but is interrupted by many little Breaks and Paufes, and confifts of feveral diftindt and entire Forms of Petition and Praife; by which Means the Mind is eafed and relieved from too long and ftrift an Attention; retires a little, and returns^ as it were, with new Strength to its Duty. The Collects of our Liturgy are iojkort, that a devout Chriftian may, even whilft he is pronouncing his Amen at the clofe, by a fudden Glance of Thought, recoiled: every Branch of them; and fo contract into that fingle Word the whole Force of the preceding Prayer. Nay, the very Frame and Contrivance of thefe Collet! s, is highly uieful to raifeand to enliven our Devotions, in- afmuch as they generally begin with the awful Mention of fome of God's Attributes, and always end with re- Q^2 minding
228 External Worjhip
serm. minding us of the Blood and Intercef- viii. fion of Jefus. And what Confide-
C^V^ rations in Religion are there more ope- rative and more awakening than thefe, which return fo often upon our Minds, during the Courfe of our excellent Service ?
4. Which contributes alfo to render us attent and devout, by that ufeful and affecting Variety > with which it abounds. There is in it a Variety of all Sorts of religious Duty, in which a Creature can apply itfelf to its Creator. There we confefs our Sins, and inter- cede with God for the Pardon of them : There we deprecate the divine "judg- ments that may be inflicted, and pray for all the BleJJings (Spiritual and Tem- poral) that can be beftowed on our- ielves, or others -y and there we put up our Praifes and Thankfgivings to God for all the Inftances of his Mercy and Goodnefs towards us. There we hear the holy Scriptures read, and profefs our Belief of the great Articles of . Faith : And thefe different Parts of
divine
not Sufficient alone, zzg
divine Worfhip are fo happily inter- se km. mixed, and fucceed each other in fo vm. beautiful an Order, that the Mind of /'VX^ the Worfhiper has always a'new and pleating Employment.
As the Prieft has his Share in the Performance of theie Offices, fo the People too have theirs; and in a much larger Proportion, than belongs to them in any other Chriftian Aflemblies. Each is employed in ftirring up the other in- to an holy and affectionate Emulation of Heart and Voice; and they do there- fore mutually provoke and kindle each others Devotion.
5. I add alfo (in the la/1 Place) that the Service of our Sanctuary is particu- larly contrived to promote Attention by the decent^ orderly, and So levin Manner ', in which it is performed. For it is neither on the one Side fo very plain and fimple, as not to be able to roufe ; nor on the other fo fplendid and gaw- dy, as to be apt to difiracT: the Mind. It is duly tempered between thefe Ex- tremes, and partakes of either, as far
0^3 a»
230 External Worjhif
SERM.as either is requifite towards creating viii. and cherishing a found and reafonable,
t^VNJa warm and aclive Devotion. Pictures indeed, and Images, to which the Church of Rome in this Cafe has re- courfe, fix the Attention; but it is on a wrong Objeffi. A Multitude of vain and pompous Ceremonies, a Variety of rich Habits and Ornaments, Muiick framed for Delight, without Improve- ment : Thefe Things indeed may ren- der an Affembly attent • but fo likewife would a Scene in the Theatre. The Devotion they produce (if indeed they produce any) goes no further than the Senfes 3 it is not that of the Heart and Spirit. But with us, all the outfide of pur Worfhip contributes towards the inward Life and Reality of it : Our Churches are decently adorned ; they who officiate at our Altars, are decently habited ; our daily Service is perform- ed, and our Sacraments adminiflred in a becoming and reverend Manner ; our Muiick is always, or always ought to be, grave and folemn. Every Part
aiid
not fufficient alone. 231
and Circumftance of our Worftiip is fo s e r m. ordered, as to infpire us with an holy viii. Reverence and Awe, and fo far to keep^^W) the outward Sen'es awake, as their Vi- gilance may be of ufe to give Wings to cur Devotion, and Vigour to our Minds.
Since therefore we have fo many fig- nal Helps- and Advantages towards wor- shiping God in his Sanctuary with an heavenly Frame and Temper of Soul, let ' us refolve from this Moment to make a due Ufe of them -3 to repair often to the Houfe of God with holy Reverence and Awe, and *to lift up our Hearts, together with our Hands, when- ever we thus approach him, in the Beauty of Holinefs.
Which that we may all of us do, God of his infinite Mercy grant, &c.
CU THE
I 235 3
The Vfefulnefs of Church Mufick : A
SERMON
Preached on
St. Cecilia's Day,
In the Ye ar 1698.
P S A L. lvii. 7, 8. ply Heart is fixed, 0 God, my Heart is fixed -, Iwillfing, and give Praife. Awake up, my Glory / awake Pf al- ter y, and Harp ! I my f elf will awake right early.
IT is the Man after Gods Hearts eRm. whofe Words thefe are -y and in ix. them he points out to us one of the ^WJ chief Methods, by which he became fo:
Even
236 TheVfefulnefsof
serm. Even by preparing and qualifying his ix. own Heart in the beft Manner that he could, for the Duties of the Sandtuary ; and by endeavouring, when he affifted at thofe Solemnities, to perform them with the utmoft Attention, Alacrity, and holy Warmth of Mind, of which he was capable.
He enters not on the divine Praifes, 'till he finds himfelf in fuch a Pofture, and under fuch a Compofure of Mind, as fuits with that holy Employment: My Heart is fixed, fays he, O God, my Heart is fixed: Then, and then on- ly, it is Time for him to go on, and fay, Iwillfing, and give Praife. And that he may be fure to preferve, to feed, and to improve the good Difpo- fition he is in, he calls to his Aid thofe excellent Helps to Devotion, which he had fo often tried with fo good Suc- cefs; Vocal and Infirumental Mufick, Awake up, my Glory \ fays he, awake \ Pfaltery and Harp! By his Glory he means his Tongue, the mofl noble Or- gan of the Body of Man, efpecially
when
Church Mufick. 237
when employed in celebrating the Praife serm. and Glory of God. By Pfaltery and ix. Harp (which alone are mentioned) we VVNJ muft understand all the feveral Inftru- ments of Mufick, which were, by his Appointment brought into the Temple- worfhip : And with thefe Affiftances, thefe Encouragements, he ventures now to undertake for himfelf, that he will maintain that lively Eredlion of Mind, with which he enters on the divine Service, throughout the whole Courfe of it -, that he will rouze up every Fa- culty, Affection, and Power of his Soul, and keep them fixed to the holy Work they are about, without Diffrac- tion or Wandring : I my f elf will awake, fays he. And when he adds to all this that he will do it right early , he inti- mates to us the particular Time, at which fuch Refolutions as thefe are beft executed ; 'tis in the Morning, the Sea- fon of Devotion, when the Mind is frefh and vigorous, untired with the Bufinefs of the Day, and untainted with ill Images and Impreflions.
This
23 £ tfhe Ufefulnefs of
serm, This I take to be the full Import of
ix. thofe Words of the devout Pfalmiftj
L/"VNJ which I have read to you; and which,
I think, I may now not improperly dif-
courfe on under thefe Proportions : By
fhewing you,
I. Firjt, That the great Thing which
recommends our public Devotions to God, is, our performing them, with an awakened, fixed, and lively Atten- tion of the Mind. That therefore,
II. Secondly, All the pious Helps and
Expedients, that conduce to this End, are to be laid hold of 5 particularly thofe which the Text points out to us, the Ufe of vocal and injlrumentalYtex^ mony.
HI. thirdly, That the Way of perform* ing divine Service in the Church of England, is better fitted to promote this good End [the fixing our Atten- tion, and enflaming our Affections] than any other pubiick Form of De- votions
Church Mufich 239
votions now pra&ifed in the Chri/lians erm. World: That it enjoys this Advantage, ix. as in feveral other Refpects, fo particu- t^*WJ larly in Relation to a folemn and decent Ufe of Church Mufick.
Which Three Points being made out, IV. I (hall clofe with a Fourth \ wherein I fhall briefly, but earneftly exhort you, to make your Devotion exemplary \ in Proportion to thofe Advantages, which you above all others enjoy.
Firjl, I am to fliew you, that the I. great Thing which recommends our public Devotions to God, is, our per- " forming them with an awakened, fixed, and Jively Attention of Mind.
Our Worfhip is compofed, as we ourfelves are, of a Body, and a Scul : the Body is the outward ceremonious Part ; the Devotion of the Lips, of the Hands, and of the Knees, all that lies open to the Senfe and Obfervation ©f others ; but the Life and Soul of the D.uty confifts in thofe inward A£ts
of
24° ^he XJfefulnefs of
se r m. of Adoration and Love, Intercefllon and ix. Thankfgiving, Submiffion and Truft, t-^VNJ thereof God, and we ourfelves only are confcious. This unfeen Homage is that, which animates and fandtifies what is vijible ; and without this, all the out- ward Shew, and Form of Devotion, is of no Acceptance, no Value ; a lifelefs and an ufelefs Performance.
Indeed under the Jewijh Difpenfa- tion.a Regard was had to the mere Externals of Religion : From a grofs and carnal People tied down to earthly Expectations and fenfible Objefts, God was pleafed, in fome meafure, to ac- cept a grofs and carnal Service, and to hinder them by that Means, from fall- ing into downright Idolatry, a mighty Propenfion to which they had contract- ed during their Stay in Egypt. They were to be diftinguifhed and kept fe- parate from all other Nations, by a pe- culiar Body of Rites and Ceremonies ; and thefe Rites and Ceremonies there- fore being ufeful to this End, derived fome Value alfo from it ; efpecially,
being
Church Mujich 241
being all of them fuch, as had a typical s e r m, Reference to more vital and fubftanti- ix. al Duties, and were Shadows and Em- blems of good Things to come : The Virtue of which, they, by the divine Appointment, did not only reprefent, but impart alfo to fuch as performed them. But this typical State being at an end, a more pure and perfedt In- ftitution fucceeded; a more refined and fpiritual Worfhip was fet up, in which the M:nd is all* and does all ; and in which c^T^r^/Obfervanceshave no otherwife a Place, than as they ferve, either to teftify the inward Affections of our Hearts to other s, or to excite and improve them in curjehes. A Worfhip every way proportioned to the Nature of God, who is to receive it ; and to the Nature of Man, who is to fay it -y and to the End and life alfo of fuch religious Duties, which is, not merely to exprefs our Homage to God, or to procure a Return from him -, but alfo to work in our Minds all thofe good Difpofitions and Graces, which Vol. IV. R we
242 . <Tkc Vfefulnefi of
SERM.we are fo earned to obtain \ and to be ix. at once a neceffary Condition^ and apro-
^^^VX^per and natural Means alfo of Spiritual Improvement. And this is remarka- bly the Cafe oifuch Prayers as are put up with Application of Mind, with Zeal and Fervency : Our very afking in fuch a manner fits and qualifies- us for receiving \ makes us refigned, fubmif- five, dependent ; affects us with a deep Senfe of our own Infufficiency and Un- worthinefs, and of the divine Bounty and Goodnefs ; fufpends the evil Mo- tions and Defires of our Hearts for a Time, and puts us every Way into that holy and humble Frame of Mind, which God delights in, and delights to reward.
A great deal more might be faid, to Chew, how requifite it is, to approach God in his Worfhip, with an awaken- ed, fixed, and lively Attention of Soul • if either this were a Feint, which anv good and pious Man doubted of, or were intended to be dwelt on in this Difcourfe any further, than as it leads
the
Church Mitfick, 243
the Way to thofe which follow. The serm. next of which is, ix.
Secondly, That therefore all fuch pi- ous Helps and Expedients as conduce to this great End, are to be laid hold of; particularly thole which the Text points out to us, Vecal&iA. Inftrumental Harmony. The Uie of thefe in Di- vine Service, I (hall now recommend and jufiify, from this Coqfideration : That they do, when wifely employed and managed, contribute extremely to awaken the Attention, and enliven the Devotion of all ferious and fincere Cbrijtians.
And their Ufefulnefs to this End will appear on a double Account, both as they remove the ordinary K/ndtr- ances of Devotion, and as they fuppiy us further with fpecial Helps and Ad- vantages towards quickening and im- proving it.
By the melodious Harmony of the
Church, the ordinary Hinder ances of
Devotion are removed, particularly thefe
R z three 3
244 *the Ufefubtefs of
serm. three : That Engagement of Thought, ix. which we often bring with us into the
^"W Church from what we laft converfed with ; thofe accidental Diflra£lions> that may happen to us during the Courfe of Divine Service ; and that Wearinefs and Flatnefs of Mind, which ibme weak Tempers may labour un- der, by reafon even of the Length of it.
When we come into the Sanctuary immediately from any worldly Affair (as our very Condition of Life does, alas ! force many of us to do) we come ufually with divided and alienat- ed Minds. The Bufinefs, the Pleafure, or the Amufement we left, flicks faft to us ; and perhaps engroffes that Heart for a Time, which mould then be tak- en up altogether in fpiritual AddrefTes. But as foon as the Sound of the facred Hymns flrike us, all that bufy Swarm of Thoughts prefently difperfes : By a grateful Violence we are' forced into the Duty that is going forward, and, as indevout and backward as we were
before,
Cktrch Mufick. 245
before, find ourfelves on the fuddensERM. feized with a facred Warmth, and rea- ix. dy to cry out with holy .David, my -/WJ Heart is fixed, 0 God, my Heart is fix- ed ! Iwillfing, and give Praife. Our Mifapplication of Mind, atfuch Times, is often fo great, and we fo deeply im- merfed in it, that there needs feme very flrong and powerful Charm toroufeus from it ; and perhaps nothing is of greater Force to this Purpofe, than the folemn and awakening Airs of Church Mufick.
For the fame Reafon, thofe 'acciden- tal DifiraBions that may happen to us, during the Courfe of the Service, are alfo belt cured by it. The fircng- eji Minds, and beft praclifed in holy Duties, may fometimes be furprized into a Forgetfulnefs of what they are about, by fome violent outward Im- preffions -, and every flight Occafion will ferve to call off the Thoughts of no lefs willing, though much weaker Worfhipers. Thofe that come to fee, and to be feen here, will often gain R 3 their
246 The Ufefulnefs of
s e R m. their Point, will draw and detain for a ix. while the Eyes of the Curious, or the
L^^X, Unwary. A Paffage in the facred Sto- ry read, and Expreffion ufed in the common Forms of Devotion, fhail raife a foreign Reflection perhaps in muling and fpeculative Minds, and lead them on from Thought to Thought, and Point to Point, till they are bewildered in their own Imagination. Thefts and an Hundred other Avocations will a- rife, and prevail ; but' when the Infiru- merits of Praife begin to found, our fcuttertd Thoughts prefently take the Ajafth, return to their Port:, and to their Duty, preparing and arming themfeives againft their Spiritual Ajfail- ants.
La/l!y> Even the Length of the Service itfelf becomes an Hinder ance ibmetimes to the Dcvorion, which it was meant to feed and raJfe : For, alas ! we quickly tire in the Perfor- mance of holy Duties ; and as eager and unwearied as we are in attending upon fcvular Bufmefs, and trifling Con- cern?,
Church Mu/ick. 247
cerns, yet in divine Offices, I fear, thes e R m- Expoftulation of our Saviour is appli- ix. cable to moil: of us : What ! can ye not S^f^J watch with me one Hour ? This Infir- mity is relieved, this" Hinder ance pre- vented or removed, by the fweet Har- mony that accompanies feveral Parts of the Service, and, returning upon us at fit Intervals, keeps our Attention up to the Dutv, when we begin to flag, and makes us infeniible of the Length of it. Happily therefore, and wifely is it fo ordered, that the Morning De- votions of the Church, which are much the longeft, mould mare alfo a greater Proportion of the Harmony which is lb tifeful to enliven them.
But its Ufe flops not here, at a bare Removal of fome of the ordinary Impe- diments to Devotion j it fupplies us alfo with fpecial Helps and Advantages to- wards furthering and improving it. For it adds Dignity and Solemnity to the publick Worihip ; it fweetly influ- ences and railes our PaJ/ions, while we afiift at it > and makes us do our Duty R 4 with
243 the Vfefulnefs of
s e R M. with the greatefl Pleafure and Chear* ix. fulnefs; all which are very proper and 'powerful Means, towards creating in us that holy Attention and Erection of Mind, which I have fhewn to be the mod reafonable Part of this our reafon? able Service.
Such is our Nature, that even the bed Things, and moft worthy of our Efteem, do not always employ and de- tain our Thoughts, in Proportion to their real Value, unlefs they be fet off and greatened by fome outward Cir- cumftances, which are fitted to raife Admiration and Surprize in the Breafts of thofe who hear, or behold them. And this good Effect is wrought in us by the Power of Sacred Mufick. To it we, in good Meafure, owe the Dig- nity and Solemnity of our pub lick Wor- Jhip ; which elfe, I fear, in its natural Simplicity and Plainnefs, would not fo ftrongly flrike, or fo deeply affect the Minds, as it ought to do, of the Slug- gifh and Inattentive, that is, of the far greatefl Part of Mankind. But when
Voices
Church Muftck. 249
Voices and Injlruments are ikilfully ad- serm. apted to it, it appears to us in a ma- ix. jeftick Air and Shape, and gives us very -"""V^O awful and reverent Impreffions -, which, while they are upon us, it is impoffible for us not to be fixed and compofed to the utmoft. We are then in the fame State of Mind, that the devout Patri- arch was, when he awoke from his holy Dream ; and ready with him to fay to ourfelyes : Surely the Lord is irzGen this Place, and I knew it not. How xxviil 17, dreadful is this Place ! 'This is none 0- ther but the Houfe of God, and this is the Gate of Heaven.
Further -, the Availablenejs of Har- mony to promote a pious Difpofition of Mind will appear, from the great Influence it naturally has on the Paf- fons, which, when well directed and rightly applied, are the Wings and Sails of the Mind, that fpeed its Paf- fage to Perfection, and are of particu- lar and remarkable Ufe in the Offices of Devotion : For Devotion confifts in an Afcent of the Mind towards God,
attended
2 SO "The Vfefulnefs of
seem, attended with holy Breathings of Soul, ix. and a divine Exercife of all the Pajfwns
l/"VN and Powers of the Mind. Theie Paf- fions the Melody of Sounds ferves only to guide and elevate towards their pro- per Object : Hhefe it fir ft calls forth, and encourages, and then gradually raifes and inflame?. This it does to all of them, as the Matter of the Hymns fung gives an Occafion for the employ- ins; them : but the Power of itischieflv feen in advancing that moil heavenly Paffion of Love, which reigns always in pious Breads, 'and is the fureft and moll infeparable Mark of true Devo- tion -, which recommends what we do in Virtue of it to God, and makes it relifliing to ourfehes ; and without which, all our fpiritual Offerings, our Pravers and our Praifes, are both inli- pid and unacceptable. At this our Religion begins* and at this it ends ; it is the fweeteft Companion and Im- provement of it here upon Earth, and the very Earned and Foretafle of Hea- ven : Of the Pleafures of which no- thing
Church Mufich 2 5 1
thing further is revealed to us, thansERM. that they confift in the Practice of Holy ix. Mufick, and Holy Love ; the joint En- -'-^VNJ joyment of which (we are told) is to be the happy Lot of all pious Souls to endlefs Ages. And obfervable therefore it is, that that Apojile, in whofe Bread, this divine Quality feems moft to have abounded, hasalfo fpoken the moft ad- vantageoufly of Vocal and Liftrumental Harmony, and afforded us the beft Ar- gument for the lawful Ufe of it : For fuch r account the Defcription, which he has given us of the Devotions of Angels and bleffed Spirits performed by Harps and Hymns in the Apoca/ypfe. A Defcription which, whether real or metaphorical, yet, belonging to the Evangelical State, certainly implies thus much, that whatever is there faid to be made ufe of, may now, under the Golpel be warrantably and laudably employed.
And in his Steps trod the holy Mar- tyr Ignatius, who probably faw Saint John in the Flefh; and learnt that
Lefibn
252 "The Ufefulnefs of
se R m. Leflbn of divine Love from him,which,
ix. after his Example, he inculcated every
^^VV where in his Epijiles 5 and together
with it inftils into the Churches he
writes to, a Love of Holy Harmony ', by
frequent Allufions and Comparifons
drawn from that Science, which recur
oftner in his Writings, than in thofe
of any other Ancient whatever, and
feem to intimate to us, that the Devo-
N tions of the Church were fet off with
fome kind of Melody ', even in thofe
early Times, notwithstanding we ufu-
ally place the Rife of the Inftitution
much lower.
Would w£ then have Love at thefe AfTemblies ? Would we have our Spi- rit foftened and enlarged, and made fit for the Illapfes of the Divine Spirit ? Let us, as often as we can, call in to our Aid the Affiftances of Mufick, to work us up into this heavenly Temper. All Selfifhnefs andNarrownefsof Mind, all Rancor andPeeviflinefsvanifh from the Heart, where the Love of Divine iSzm.xsl Harmony dwells -y as the evil Spirit of 23- Saul
Church Mufick. 253
Saul retired before the Harp of David, serm. The Devotional, as well as the Aftive ix. Part of Religion is (we know) found- WVNJ ed in good Natures and one of the beft Signs and Caufes of good Nature is, I am fure, to delight in fuch pious Entertainments.
And now it naturally follows from hence (which was the laft Advantage, from whence I propofed to recom- mend the Ufe of Church Mufick) that it makes our Duty a Pleafure, and en- ables us, by that Means, to perform it, with the utmoft Vigour and Chear- fulnefs. It is certain, that the more pleafing an Action is to us, the more keenly and eagerly are we ufed to em- ploy ourfelves in it, the lefs liable are wre, while it is going forward, to tire, and droop, and be difpirited. So that whatever contributes to make our De- votion taking (within fuch a Degree as not at the fame time to diffipate and diftract it) does, for that very Reafon, contribute to our Attention and holy Warmth of Mind in performing it.
What
254 *£he Ufejulnefs of
s e r m. What we take Delight in, we no long- ix. er look upon as a Talk, but return . to t-ZV^O alv/ays with Defire, dwell upon with Satisfaction, and quit with Uneaiinefs. And this it was which made holy Da- vid exprefs himfelf in fo pathetical a Manner concerning the Service of the Pfal. xlii. Sanctuary : As the Hart panteth after 1,2 " the Water -Brooks (fays he) fo pantetb my Soul after thee, O God. My Soul is athirjl for God, yea even for the living God. When, O when fall I come to appear before the Prefcnce of God? Which paffionate Willi, as it certainly proceeded from the Pleajzire he lock in reflecting on thofe holy Of- fices, fo, I queftionnot, but a good Part of that Pleafure arofe from the facred Melody which accompanied them. For fo he himfelf inftrucls us to think of him in many other Pailages of the Pfalms y particularly where he breaks Pf.lxviii. out into this pious Exultation : // is 24,25. rLOjen pcen^ q my Q0d7 hove thou goeft^
how thou my God and King goefl in the San cluary : T'he Singers go before,
the
Church Miifeck. 255
the Minjlreh follow after ; in the Midfis e r m. are the Dam] els playing with the T^im- ix. brels. And if the Image of that holy ^~V^ £>uire, now only prefent to his Memory \ gave him fo much Pleafure, what Tranfports do we think he was under, when he himfelf afjiftcd at the Ser- vice, and his Ears drank in their holy Strains.?
And the fame may we obferve to be the Cafe, as to fome of the Fathers of the firfl Rank, St. Chryfojion:, St. Au- Jlin, and St. Bafl : As Eloquent as they naturally were, yet they never appear fo Eloquent, never put on fuch a Va- riety of thought and Expreition, fuch an Elevation of Soul and Style, as when they are difeqirrfing of the Energy and Power of Church Mufck. Could I pro- duce to you the Pafiages from them to this Purpofe at length, you would fay, that Men who fpake thus feeling- ly, and with fo much Extacy, of the holy Hymns and Anthems of the Church, when they wrere at a Dijlance from them, muft have an Heaven al-
moft
256 The Vfejulnefs of
SERM.moft in their Breafts, when they par- ix. took of them. If therefore the Praifes
<-/V>o of God, tunefully performed, be na- turally attended with an holy Pleafure> that Pleafure, I fay, muft needs pro- duce Attention , aftuate all the Springs, and enliven all the Motions of Devout and Heavenly, nay even of Earthly, and Sluggifh Minds. The Ancients do fometimes ufe the Metaphor of an Ar- my, when they are fpeaking of the joint Devotions put up to God in the Affembly of his Saints : They fay, we there meet together in Troops to do Violence to Heaven > that we encom- pafs, we befiege the Throne of God, and bring fuch an united Force, as is not to be withflood. And, I fuppofe, we may as innocently carry on the Metaphor, as they have begun it, and fay, that Church Muficky when decent- ly ordered, may have as great Ufes in this Ar my of Supplicants, as the Sound of the Trumpet has among the Ho/is of the mighty Men ! It equally roufes the Courage, equally gives Life, and
Vigour^
Church Mufick. 257
Vigour, and Refolution, and Unani-SE mity to thefe holy Affailants. ix.
Thus have I fhewn you, in how O^V%J many feveral Refpects Vocal and IrJlru- ?nental Harmony may be ferviceabie to awaken, fix, and inflame us in our publick Addreffes to God 5 and how far therefore it recommends itfclf to the Approbation and Ufe of all pious Chriftians, upon this fingle Confider- ation : So that, though the Worfhip now under the Gofpel be Spiritual, yet are we not debarred, on that Ac- count, from employing federal Means and Injlruments of Worfhip, which are not fo. On the contrary, from the Spiritual Nature of our Worfhip, it follows, that all fuch outward Helps and Expedients may and ought to be laid hold of, as do really afiift and pro- mote the inward Worfhip of our Spi- rits. And for this Reafon therefore, among others, the melodious Harmony now praclifed in our Church ought to fce continued.
Vol. IV, . S Tjlj
258 the Ufefulnefs of
serM. 'Till then our Brethren of the Sepa- ix. ration can prove, either that Mujick has
U*W not that Influence on the Mind of Man, as it has been reprefented to have; or that the Minds of us Chrijiians are not fo difpofed to receive its Im- preffions, as thofe of other Men ; that we have not the fame Faculties to be wrought upon, the fame Paffions to be regulated, the fame Dulnefs and Dif- fraction of Mind to be cured; 'till this can be made out by them, they muft allow us to retain thofe Modes of Wor- fhip, which We and our Forefathers, from the Infancy of the Reformation down to this Day, have practifed, to our great Spiritual Comfort : Modes of Worfhip, which they perhaps, who ftand aloof from them, may think (and call fometimes) Rudiments of the Law, and weak and beggarly Elements; but which We, by Experience, find and feel to be very flrong and powerful Incen- tives to God/inefs.
Gal.iv. 9. If Abufes now and then creep into this Part of our Worfhip, they fhall
not
Church Mufick. 259
not be more ready to point them out,sERM< than We will be to own and reform ix. them. If fome flight Inconveniences wv^ may happen to have arifen from hence, which feem to blemifli the Perform- ance of our Religious Service, far be it from us either to cherifh, or defend them. The very beft Things are liable to be mifufed ; and the better the Thing, oftentimes the more liable it is to it. However we doubt not, but that, up- on a fair Balance of Profit and Lofs, it will appear, that the few Inconveniencies pretended to have arifen from hence, are not to be compared with the many and mighty Advantages, that have cer- tainly fprung from it ; and that if one good Man has been thrown back in his Devotions, Hundreds and Thou- fands have been extremely forwarded by it.
And this is what I fhould now more particularly endeavour to prove under
^ • TTT
'Third general Head, wherein I pro- ***•
pofed to fliew, that the Way of per- S 3 forming
ibo 'The Ufefulnefs of
serm. forming divine Service in the Church ix. of England is better fitted to fix our At-
fc/*W tent ions, and raiie our AffeBions, than any other Form of Devotions now prao tifed in the Chrifian World* : That it enjoys this Advantage, as in feveral other Refpecls, fo particularly in rela- tion to a folemn and decent Ufe of 'Church Mufick. But the greatefl Part of the Matter that would arife on this Head, is foreign to the Defign of the Day; and what is not fo, has in Part been prevented already ; and neither of them can now be infifted upon, without de- priving you too long of a better and more fenfible Conviction of the Power of Church Mufick, than any I can fupply you withe I mail therefore take this whole Point for granted ; and from thence, in the
ry Fourth and laft Place, very briefly,
but earneftly exhort you to make your Devotion Exemplary in Proportion to
* See the preceding Difcourfe on this Subject.
thofe
Church Mujich 261
thofe Advantages, which you above serm. all others enjoy. In vain will it be for ix. us to boaft, that we have extraordina- f-/V>J ry Helps to inward Piety, if our out- ward Behaviour plainly declares, that we do not make a due Ufe of them. In vain mall we hope to convince thofe that differ from us, of the Decency and Expedience of this Part of our Wor- fhip, and of its great Tendency to fpi- ritual Edification , if they fee that it does not really produce thofe good Ef- fects in us which we afcribe to it : Let us reafon never fo well in this Cafe, they will think they have an- fwered our Argument sy if they can but confront them with our Practices. Let us take away the Strength of this Ob- jection, as well as we can that of all theny?; and then, Iamfure, our De- votions will be altogether blamelefs. O let all of us, that have any regard for the Honour of that Church, to which we belong, any Zeal for the true Interefts of Piety, any real Con- cern of Heart on the Account of S 3 thofe
262 The Vfefulnefs of
SERM.thofe little Niceties, and endlefs Scruples IX. that thus unhappily divide us; O let
(/V"^ all of us, I fay, that are thus affected and difpofed (as all of us, I am fure, floouldb-t) refolve, from this Moment, fo to order our external Deportment in the Houfe of God, as may beft enable it to reach thofe excellent Ends ! Let no light and vain Motion, no loofe and unieemly Gejlures be feen upon any of us, when we appear in this great Pre- fence ! Let our Ears then liften to no- thing, but to the folemn Offerings of Prayer and Praife that are then put up, and liften to them with no other Defign, but to affect our Souls with a deep Senfe of them. Let not our Eyes lead the Way to our naughty Hearts, and teach them to wander! But let us be all compofed throughout into Attention, and awed into a religious Refpect and Silence.
To the Sound of Words, and the Significancy of Gejlures, let us join all along the iweet Melody of our Hearts; compleating the holy Confort, we affift
at
Church Mujick. 263
at, by a divine Agreement of Mind and serm, Body in the fame Acts of Adoration, ix. and by making all our Worfhip both c-^VXJ inward and outward exactly harmoni- ous, and of a Piece ! So mail we take away every Reproach that (hall be caft upon our Communion : So mall we win the Hearts, and convince the Judg- ments of thofe that differ from us : So mall we thoroughly recommend our Worjhip to God, and ourf elves by the Means of it. In a. Word, fo mail we make the Devotions of this our Church Militant here on Earth, the lively Image of thofe of the Church 'Tri- umphant in Heaven.
T0 a blejfed Participation of which, may God of his infinite Mercy bring us, &c.
S 4 THE
THE
SIN and FOLLY
Cf being Anxious about
Future Events.
[z67]
1
Of Anxiety and Solicitude.
A
SERMON
Preached at
Westminster Abby,
March 13, 1714-15.
■ ■ . , . . -
MATT. vi. 34. —Take no Thought for the Morrow. "
TH I S is Part of our Saviour's Ser- serm, mon on the Mount ; wherein he x. propofed a fhort Sum oiChrifiian Doc- trine, in Oppofition to the falfe Max- ims, . and corrupt Notions of Mora- lity, that then obtained in the World.
And
2 6 8 Of Anxiety and Solitude.
SE R m. And indeed, all the Precepts he there x. laid down, though highly reafonable
s^^r^ in themfelves, were yet fo diftant from the common Opinions and Practice of
Matt. vii. the Jews, that we are not to wonder,
28- if (as St. Matthew informs us) when he had ended thefe Sayings, the Multitude was aflonijlied at his Doc7rine : For they had heard nothing like it from their Teachers, the Scribes and Pharifees. And, perhaps, no one Branch of it was more furprizing to that worldly minded People, immerfed deeply in the Care.s of Life, and. in a refllefs Concern for Earthly Things, than the Rule given by him in the Text : — Take no Thought j or the Morrow. A Rule, which even to Chrijlian Ears may feem fomewhat harm at firfl Hear- ing ; and will therefore deferve to be a little explained, in order to its becom- ing a fure Foundation of Duty, and the proper Subject of thofe Reafonings and Exhortations, with which I propofe to enforce it,
—Take
Of Anxiety and Solicitude. 269
SER M.
« — fake no thought for the Morrow. x.
The Meaning of our Saviour in°'"v^J thefe Words, cannot be, that we are to live at Random, fe.cure and carelefs of whatever may befall us ; that we are not to look into the Confequences of our own, or other Men's Adtions, nor endeavour any ways to forefee, and prevent approaching Dangers: That we are to make no manner of Provi- fion for future Events, to lay up no- thing, and concern ourfelves about nothing, but what is prefent, and im- mediately before us: For this is no Part of the Character either of a Wife or Good Man, nor agreeable to many other Rules and Dire&ions given us in holy Scripture. Doubtlefs, Sagacity in difcerning, and a prudent Forecafl towards declining Evils, are not only allowable, but commendable Qualities : Frugality and Diligence are certainly Virtues: And therefore the prudent Man is thus de.fcribed by Solomon^ that he forefeeth the Evil, and hideth?rov.-xx\i-
himfelf:*'
270 Of Anxiety and Solicitude.
s e R M.himfelf: And the Ant is recommended x. to us, as a Pattern of Providence and
w^r^TYParlimonyj Go to the Ant, thou Slug- gard, conjider her Ways, and be wife. Even our Saviour had a Bag, wherein there was probably a Supply for more than one Day. And as he allows us to forefee Perfections at a Diftance, and to efcape them by an early Flight -, fo he himfelf took that Method of de- clining them, and cannot therefore be fuppofed to condemn what he frequent- ly praftifed. But his Meaning plainly is, to forbid fuch a Care and Concern for future Accidents, as is attended with Uneafnefs, Diftruft, and Defpon- dency-, fuch a Degree of thoughtful- nefs, as takes up, and dejects, and dif- tra&s the Mind. We are not too cu- rioufly to pry into the remote Iffues of Things, nor to perplex and affiidr. our- felves with the Forethought of ima- gined Dangers. We are not to guard againfl Want, by an eager anxious Pur- fuit of Wealth, nor be fo careful in providing fupplies for the Neceffities
Of Anxiety and Solicitude. 27 l
of this Life, as to forget that we areSERM. defigned for another. In this Senfe x. we are obliged to take no Thought for («'rVNJ the Morrow. And indeed this is the Senfe which the Original naturally car- ries : For what our Verfion renders by taking Thought, is in the Greek, a Word of much greater Force and Compafs, fignifying a reftlefs Solicitude, and Diftraftion of Thought; and by the Morrow, is not meant the very next Day only, but, according to the Im- port of the Eajiern Phrafe, all the Time to come, any future Event, at what Diftance foever. The Defign of the Text therefore is, to prohibit all anxious and perplexing Cares ; whe- ther as to the good Things of Life, the Neceffaries and firft Conveniencies of it, how we fhall be furnifhed with them; or, whether as to the ///Things, the poffible Dangers, and diftant Evils of Life, how we fhall bear them : A Difeafe very incident to good and vir- tuous Minds, when they happen to be a littled tindured with Melancholy; and
very
2J2 Of Anxiety and Solicitude.
serm. very apt, where it gets Pofleffion, to x. poifon all the Enjoyments of Life, and even to make Life itfelf fometimes a Burthen to the Owner. It has been known, when an excefiive Love of fome earthly Good [as perhaps of a near and dear Relation or Friend] has in tender Tempers raifed fuch a Dread of lofing that Happinefs, as hath been more than equal to the Pleafure they took in enjoying it. And there have been Inftances of thofe, who, un- der all the Affluence and Plenty in the World, have fancied to themfelves fome Accident, that might rob them at once of all they poffeffed ; and have by fuch an an imaginary Scene made themfelves as truly miferable, as if it were real Nor is it an unufual Thing for Men to be influenced fo far, by Refle&ions on fuch poj/ible Accidents as thefe, as to fhut up their Hands and their Bowels to the Poor, and to think themfelves excufed from relieving o- ther Men's Wants, left they them- felves fhould one Cay want what they
are
Of Anxiety and Solicitude. 273
are invited to beftovv. However, moulds e R m« fome of the fe be thought rare Cafes, x. yet nothing is more common, than to fee Men, who are at Eafe, difquieting themfelves with remote Profpe&s, and with the vain Fear of future Evils : Efpecially if they live in doubtful and diftra&ed Times, when the Spirit of DifTenfion reigns openly, and Parties of Men are load and violent againft each other: Then they fink under the fad View of Things, and are ever fearing themfelves with the Fore- thought of the very worft, that can befal Themfelves cr Others, particu- lar Families or Cities, Churches or Kingdoms. To thefe (and to all fuch as thefe) we may prefume that our Blefled Lord directs the Precept: of the
Text Take no Tl 'bought for the
Morrow.
It (hall be my Bufinefs to fhew both the Evil, and the Vnreafonablencfi of fuch Anxious Thoughts : and how little they are to be juftified, either in Point of Piety or Prudence.
Vol. IV. T Firjt,
2 74 Of Anxiety and Solicitude.
s e r m. Firjl, The Evil of them lies in theft
x. Particulars : That they are oppoiite to
1-^vr"v-'leveral plain Precepts of holy Writ •
That they often invade the peculiar
Province and Prerogative of God, and
are always built on a fecret Dijlncjl of
his Providence.
Several exprefs Commands there are in Scripture of the fame Import with that of the Text : Be careful for no- Phlllv-6 thing ffays St. Paul) but in every Thing, by Prayer and Supplication^ ivith <Tkankfgiving> let your Requefs be made knonpti unto God. Ca/l all 7 -your Care upon him (fays St. Peter) for . he carcth for you. Commit thy Way 'unto the Lord (fays good David) trujl in him, and he fall bring it to pafs. Can a Man tranfgrei's thefe Commands, without Guilt -, or entertain any De- gree of Anxiety, without tranfgreffing them ?
Indeed, when we indulge ourfelves too far in thefe melancholy Prefages, and pretend to fee a great way off the
Evils
i Fet.i
?( XX XVI
5-
Of Anxiety and Solicitude* 27 5
Evils that (hall happen to us, we are s E R m. guilty of Impiety on another Account ; x. inaftnuch as we proudly and arrogantly ^VNJ pretend to what doth not lie within the Compafs of our Knowledge, and afFecl to partake with the Almighty in one of his great Attributes. SecretDeut- Things belong unto the Lord our God : He alone, who orders and difpofes Futurities, can forefee them at a Di- Jlance : But Man is a fhort- lighted and blind Creature -, and never more blind, than when he pretends to fee furtheft, and to fet up for Propbefying. It is the kind Defign of God, to wrap up Things to come in Clouds and Dark- nefs, left we mould arrive at the Knowledge of that, which, when known, would certainly trouble us. The Scheme of fucceffive Angry Pro- vidences, by which God muji govern a wicked World, would be fo terrible and amazing a Sight, that, in Pity to us, God has fhortened and bounded our View. And what Madnefs, what Wickednefs is it then, to pry curioufly T 2 into
Of Anxiety and Solicitude. into thofe Arcana of Providence, which we can never find out, and which were hidden from us, on purpofe that we might not find them out ! Secret Things belong unto the Lord our God ; but thofe that are revealed, belong unto us and to our Children: And one of thefe revealed Truths is, the wife Aphorifm of the Text, Take no Thought for the Morrow.
That fuch Anxiety is Irreligious, will further appear, if we confider it as built always on a fecret Di/lru/l of God's Goodnefs towards us, and perpe- tual Watchfulnefs over us. It hath in- deed fomewhat of the Nature of Infi- delity -, and therefore our Saviour ap- plies himfelf to thofe who give way to it, under this Compilation : 0 ye of little Faith ! Did we repofe an en^ tire Confidence in God > were we thoroughly perfuaded, that he is as ready, as he is able, to do every Thing that is needful for us, and that, with- out his PermiHion and Appointment, no Snare can entrap us, no Calamity
can
Of Anxiety and Solicitude. 277
can crufh us, no Evil can approach tosERM. hurt us; had we always upon our x. Minds, I fay, a deep and lively Senfe --^V>J of thefe Truths, it were impofiible that a Concern for future Events fhould much difquiet us ; we fhould certainly, according to the Advice of St. Peter, cajl our Care upon God, if wTe in good Earneft believed, that he cared fir us. I do not fay, that fuch a Perfuafion would render us indifferent to all E- vents, and wholly unconcerned at the probable Approach of impending Dan- gers ; but it would in good Meafure take off the Edge and Sting of our Forebodings -, it would compofe and calm us into a patient Refignation of ourfelves to the Divine Will and Ap- poincment ; it would make us hope the heft, that there is room to hope in every Cafe, and expedt the worfl that could happen with Tranquillity and Evenness.
By the Light of Nature we learn,
God is infinitely wife and good : And
what greater Security can we have,
T 3 than
278 Of Anxiety and Solicitude.
s e r M.than to be under the Protection of in- x. finite Wifdom and Goodnefs ? Ought ^^^'we in reafon to difturb ourfelves with an eager Defire of poffeffing what in-* finite Goodnefs fhall be pleafed to lay upon us ? Do we not know, and feel, that we depend upon God, originally , for what we are, and every Moment A& xvii. for ^ contihued Prefervation ? That in him W§ live, ;;.:•. and have our being ? And can we doubt, whether he, whoga^'e us the greater Gift, Being itielf, will afford us the Lefs, whatever is abiviluLeiyrequifite to our Well-beh Matt vi The Argument is our Saviour's — Take no *f bought (fays he) for y Life, tybat ye /hall eat; ; your Body, what ye fhall put on : Is the Life mc :■? Meat, and /..
than Ray
The fame plain Lcfibn we learn alio from the Obfcrvation of God's perpe- tual Care and Providence over the fe- veral Ranks of hjper and lefs noble Creatures ; over the Birds of the Air, and the Beafis of the Field, and the
vc
Of Anxiety and Solicitude. 279
very Plants that flourish on the FaceSERM. of the Earth. Thtfe all wait upon x. him, who givetb kirn their Meat in -^W due Seafon. He freds them within, Pfal. civ. and he clothes them without, either ~ ' ' ufefully, or fplendidly, as feemeth beft to him : His overflowing Bounty fup- plies them with whatever is iuitable to their Natures and Wants : He cpeneth his Hands, andjilkth all Things living h Good. And (hall he, who pro- vides thus liberally for inferior Beings, neglect any Ways to take care of Man, the Heir of all his Bleflmgs, and Lord of the Creation ? Thus hath the fame divine Preacher, with admirable Sim- plicity and Force, argued in the fame Chapter: Conjider the Fowls of the ^ Air pays he) for they fow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into Barns ; yet your heavenly Father feedcth them : Are ye not much better then they f And why take ye thought for Ray-ver. 28 ment f Conjider the Li Hies of the Field, *9, 3° bow ttey grow: They toil ?wt, neither do they jpin j and yet I fay unto you, T 4 that
VI.
26.
2S0 Of Anxiety and Solicitude.
SERM./to Solomon, in all his Glory, was not x. arrayed like one of thefe. Wherefore if -'God fo clothe the Grafs of the Field, which ^To-day is, and ^To-morrow is cafl into the Oven, jhall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little Faith ?
But I forbear to enlarge further on this Point, that I may have room for thofe Conflagrations that belong to my
II. Second general Head ; under which I propofed to fhew, that an anxious Con- cern for To- morrow, is as deih'tute of all Pretences to Wifdom as Gocdnefs. A Cenfure, that will not eafily be allowed ! iin£e the looking forward to the probable Events of Things hath beenev er eiteemed one of the fii ft and chiefen: Inftances of Prudence. It hath * fo, and with good Reafon ; when that Sagacity is employed in a proper Man- ner, and within its due Bounds; when it gives the Mind a calm and clear Forefight of the Difficulties it is likely to meet with, and leaves it at Liberty,
under
Of Anxiety and Solicitude. 281
under that View, to prepare itfelf every serm, way for the Encounter : But when it x. ferves only to difarm us of our Cou- rage, and to deprive us of our Reafon; to create Vexations to us, and to mul- tiply Dangers ; it is then the very Folly of Foclijhnefs, as may appear from the cnfuing Reflections. For,
1. The Talk we fet ourfelves in this Cafe, is infinite and endlefs. And after all will not anfvver the Dcfign9 for which it is intended. He, who makes uncertain May-be' s the Objed: of his Concern, has taken Care to fup- ply his Mind with perpetual Matter of Difquiet ; has pitched upon a fruitful Subjed: of Uneafinefs, which can ne- ver be exhaufted. The poffible Evils and Calamities of Life are without Number ; and in vain therefore mould we attempt to reckon them up : Or, could we number them, it would be a ftiil vainer Attempt, to forecaft with ourfelves particularly how we might avoid them : Which yet is perhaps the only wife Reafon that can be given
for
282 Of Anxiety and Solicitude.
SERM.for our mufing much upon them. Did x. the Affairs of this World proceed in an
^-^^^^even and regular Courfe, fo that we might eafily trace Effects from their Caufes, and judge furely of the future by the prefent y it might be reafona- ble and prudent often to employ our Thoughts and Concern on Times and Things at a Diftance, and endeavour to forefee, what were pofjible to be fore- feen, in order to make the wifeft Ufe and Advantages of it. But alafs ! we have no fure Clue to guide us in fuch Searches as thefe : The Events of Life are to the utmoft Degree uncertain, and depend often on fuch fecret Springs and Motions, as lie without the Reach of our Obfervation ; and therefore fall out often fo crofly, and fo contrary to common Rules, that it is but loft Labour to draw long Schemes before hand, and form nice Conjectures upon them. 1 returned and jaw under the
fcccL ix. Sun (fays a very experienced Obfer- ver) that the Race is not to the Swift , nor the Battle to the Strong, neither
yet
Of Anxiety and Solicitude. 2 83
yet Riches to Men of Under/landing, nor serm. yet Favour to Men of Skill \ hut Time x# and Chance happeneth to them all. There /V\i is fcarce any Man, perhaps, who is not fenfible, that the greateft Turns that have happened to him in his Fortunes, have been owing to fuch lucky Hits, and to fuch a Set of confpiring Circum- fiances, as he could not any ways have forefeen, nor can yet account for : And few there are, I believe, who have not by the fame happy Co-incidence of Things, without their Foreknowledge, or Care, efcaped great Dangers. And what therefore is fo very uncertain, as future Events are, ought not to be the Object of any great Concern or Paffion. But were itpojjible to guefs at a remote Event with fome Degree of AfTurance, yet it is impofjible to know, whether we ourfelves mall live to fee it. It may happen, as we prefage : But, e'er it happens, we may be fnatched from the, World; and that is all one to us, as if it were never to happen at all
And
2 84 Of Anxiety and Solicitude*
6 e R M. And why then fhould fuch zjhort-livd x. Thing as Man, lengthen his Cares to l/V^no Purpofe ? Why fhouid a Creature of to day take Thought for the mor- row ?
Either the Evil we fear, will come, or it will not : If it will, then the Saying of our Lord takes Place, fuffi- cient for the Day (that is, for the Day of Vifitation) is the Evil thereof : It is Time enough to beat it, when it doth befall us -, but it is unparidonable Folly to invite it to come and tot ment us before our T^me ; to add imaginary to certain Afflictions, and to fufFer a Tfting a thoufand Times over in our Thoughts, becaufe we rriuft once fuf- fer it in Reality. But if it will not come, then our Fear of it is our only Evil : And furely fuch a Fear is Vaiiity and Vexation of Spirit, in the utmofl Propriety of the Expreffion. Anxi.ty of Mind, therefore, makes us feel a Thoufand Afflictions, which will ne- ver overtake us, and multiplies thofe which certainly will. And how can
a worfe
Of Anxiety and Solicitude. , 285 a worfe Character poffibly be given of s erm, any Thing, that fets up for Trudence ? x. Nay,
2. It not only multiplies Evils, but takes away from us the Power either to efcape> or bear them -y renders us incapable of ufing thofe Methods of Prevention, which are requiiite to ward the Elow, or of fufFering what we can- not prevent, with Decency and Patience. This is plain, that the worft Thing in the World to advife with, in Cafe of Dangers, prefent or future, is a feared Imagination: For that difturbs and dis- orders a Man's Thoughts to fuch a De- gree, that he cannot calmly confider what is fitted to be done, in order to avoid the Thing he fears ; and it de- prives him alfo of that Prefence and Firmnefs of Mind, which fhould fup- port him under what is unavoidable.
That very Trembling, and Weak- nefs, which proceeds from too quick a Senfe of approaching Danger, takes away from a Man the Ufe of thofe
Limbs
586 Of Anxiety and Solicitude.
6ERM, Limbs, which fhould help him, either x. to grapple with it, or to decline it.
C/V^O When thou art afflicting thyfelf there- fore, with fad Omens and Prefages,and applauding thy own Wifdom and Fore- fight m(o doing, remember theDecifion of one, who was certainly wife, and
Frov.xxix. who has told theejhat the Fear of Man bringeth a Snare -y but he that trufteth in the Lord,Jhall befafe. Again.
3 . This Concern for Futurities robs us of all the Eafe and the Advantages, which might arife from a proper and difcreet Ufe of the prefent Moment. Certainly, the greateft Pleafure, on this Side Heaven, lies in an even and fe- rene, a calm, compofed, and fteady Mind ; that is inwardly at reft, and, by Confequence, at leiiure to enjoy all outward Comforts ; that hopes the beft, and is prepared for the worft j enjoys the Prefent, and is not anxioufly con- cerned for the Future. Such a Temper of Mind is the greateft Blefling God can beftow upon a Man, becaufe it
gives
Of Anxiety and Solicitude. 287
gives the Tafte and Relifh to all other serm, Bleffings; and therefore the greateft x. Folly a Man can be guilty of, is, to L^VNJ part with it upon any Account, and to quit a certain Tranquillity now, out of the vain Fear of being robbed of it fome time, or other. Further,
4. 'Tis very unreafonable to difquiet ourfelves about dijiant Evils ; it often happening that the Prefence of the Things themfelves, fuggefts better Ex- pedients, wifer and quicker Counfels to us, than all our Wifdom and Fore- thought at a Diflance can do. The Morrow (fays our Lord) Jhall take 'Thought for the Things of it/elf-, that is, it {hall bring along with it a Pc-wer and Strength of Mind anfwerable to its Neccffities, a Frame of Spirit every Way fuited to our Circumflances and Occafions. "Thus Sicknefs (as one well obierves) cc doth of itfelf produce in " us fuch a Temper, as is fitted to that " Trial : it makes us affect Privacy and " Silence, which conduce to our Re- " covery, and gives us fuch a Seriouf-
<c nefs
288 Of Anxiety and Solicitude.
serm. cc nefs, andReadinefstofubmit to good x. cc Advice, as is agreeable to the Dan-
L/~s/Nj u gers tnat attend it. And thus Ne- " ceffity and Want infufe into the Soul " that Decency of Behaviour, that <c Careful nefs to watch proper Oppor- " tunities, that Courtefy and Eloquence " of Speech, which no Premeditation <c can furnifh, and proves a kind of <c Infpiration." Trouble not thyfelf, therefore, about what is to come : For when it is to come, it mall either^W, or make thee ready to undergo it : To- morrow JJoall take Thought for the Things cfitfelfy and why then fhouldft thou be at a needlefs Expence of Thought be- fore-hand ?
To thefe feveral Accounts of the Folly and XJnreaJbnablenefs of anxious and tormenting Cares, give me Leave to add one more, and I, have done.
That he, who indulges them, for- feits his Intereft in the divine Provi- dence and Protection; and that is a Lofs, for which all the Wifdom, and Skill, and Forefight in the World can
make
Of Anxiety and Solicitude. 2 8.9
make no Amends. He that terrifies s e.r m. himfelf with the Apprehenfion offuture x. Evils, declares in Effect, that he doth \S"Y\J not abfolutely rely upon God for his or- dering, and difpofing them. And he, who doth not abfolutely truft God with all his Concerns, has no Right to his Protection and Defenfe, no Reafon to expect his Support and Affiftance; but is left to work out every Thing, as well as he can, by the Dint oifecond Caufes, by his own Parts, Policy, and Prudence. And how wretched is his Cafe, who has brought his Affairs tothatPafs, as to be deprived of his beft and faithfulleft Counfellor, his mod kind and potent Friend, and to live, as it were, with- out God in the World? It is a fearful 'Heb.x. 'Thing to fall into the Hands of the living God, fays the Apoftle: and farely, ?jext to that, it is a fearful Thing to take ourfelvcs out of his Hands, and to exempt ourfelves from his Care ; which he is in good Conftrudlion fuppofed to do, who fets himfelf with any Degree of So- licitude to take Thought for the Morrow. Vol. IV. U Let
290 Of Anxiety and Solicitude.
serm. Let all of us, who are convinced of x. the Reafonablenefs of thefe Speculations,
l/W'put them immediately in Practice! let us even To-day, while it is called To-day, throw off all Anxiety and Concern for To-Morrcw ! If we heartily believe the Doctrine of divine Providence, let us fhew our Faith by our Works-, let us live, as if we did believe it ; Indvjlri- cufly indeed, warily \ wifely ; becaufe by thefe Means we are to entitle our- felves to the Protection of God -, but withal, unconcernedly, chearfully, re- fignedly, as knowing, that we wzfecure of his Protection when we ftand in Need of it. Let us behave ourfelves like du- tiful Children, under the Guidance of a wife and gracious Pare?it, who, we are latisfied, loves us, and will, as he thinks fit, and fees beft, provide for us 5 and therefore we fall into all his Commands nd Directions with an implicit Obedi- ind trouble ourfelves with nothing farther, but only to do the Duty which he hath appointed us, in our feveral Places
and
Of Anxiety and Solicitude. 1 g i
and Stations. Let us caft all our Care serm. upon him> for he careth for us. x.
Nay, fhould he at any Time feemv~^">r^ to withdraw his Favour and the Light oj his Countenance from us, fhould he bring us into the Pit and the Snare, and lay Trouble upon our Loins, fuffer the Malice of our Enemies, or (which is worfe) the Treachery of our Friends to prevail againft us ; let not ibis itfelf de- ject us or fhake the firm Repofe of our Minds, but let us ftill exprefs ourfelves in the fame refolved Manner that fob did under his fevere Trials : While Hive, Job. xxvii; will. I not remove mine Integrity from me,s' though he fay me, yet will Itrujl in him. Let us, even ztfuch a Time, take up Words of holy Aflurance^ with Ha- bakkuky and fay : Although the Figtree Hj*b- *"• fall not blofom, neither fall Fruit be in the Vines , the Labour of the Olive fall fail, and the Field fall yield no Meat , the Flecks fall be cut off from the Fold, and there fall be no Herd in the Stalls , yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God oj my Salvation.
U 2 Could
292 Of Anxiety and Solicitude.
serm. Could we bring ourfelves once to x. this Divine Temper of Soul, could we work ourfelves up into this devout Confidence, all the Turns and Viciffi- tudes of human Affairs, all the Strokes of ill Fortune, which we feel or fear, would fit light and eafy upon our Minds : In the midfl: of Confufion and Troubles, of Evils imminent, or already come; of real, or fancied Dangers; we might be even and fercne ; poffefjing our Souls in Patience, and the good Things of Life with Pleafure ; and enjoying the prefent Moment, without a Mixture of Fears and Difquiets, arifing from near or remote Pqffibilities : Saying, nay finging as the divine Pfalmift hath taught us, God is cur Hope and Strength, a very prefent Help in Time of Trouble ! Therefore will we not fear, though the Earth be moved, and though the Hills be carried into the midfl of the Sea : Though the Waters thereof rage andfwell, and though the Mountains fiake at the Tempejl of the fame ! God is our Hope and
Strength,
Of Anxiety and Solicitude. 293
Strength, a 'very prefent Help in 7*1 me serm, of Trouble. x.
To whom, even to the God and Fa- ther of our Life, the wife Difpenfer of Good and Evil, the Governor of Events, and Rock of our Confidence, together with his only begotten Son, and ever BlerTed Spirit, be afcribed all Glory and Praife, now and for ever !
U 1 THE
I 297 ]
The Wretchednefs of a Wavering Mind. A
SERMON
Preached at the
ROLLS Chapel,
December 4, 1698.
GEN. xlix. 4. Unjlable as Water, thou Jhalt not excel.
THESE are Part of the dyings erm, Patriarch Jacob's Words, when xi. he bleffed the Twelve, leaning upon^^>r^J the Top of his Staff. Of the Eldeft ofHeb. xi. thefe [Reuben] the Character he gives21- is contained in the Words I have read
to
298 The Wretchednefs of
SERM.to you ; of which there are feveral xi. very different Interpretations. I fhall ^V^not trouble you with them, but take that, which they do mod: naturally and obvioufly bear. And according to that, Jacob does in thefe Words feem to re- prefent Reuben to be of a fickle, uncer- tain, irrefolute Temper ; not utterly void of all Propcnfions to Goodnefs, but incapable of atling tip to them -y not without honeft and virtuous Refo- lutions, but unable firmly to keep and praclife them. And this being his Cafe, he pronounces upon him, that he Jhall not excel. That is, that he fhall never arrive to any Pitch and Perfec- tion in Virtue, nor ever command a thorough Efteem and Refped: from good Men -, that he mould never be able eminently to diftinguifh himfelf by the Exercife of thofe good Qualities of Mind, which procure Honour and Happinefs to Men in this World, and in another. — Unliable as Water, thou Jhalt not excel.
From
a Wavering Mind. 299
From which Words a natural Occa- s e r m. fion will be given me of difcourfing to xi. you of the /// Condition of that Man, vy\j who, like Reuben in the Text, being unjlable as Water ; is diffracted between two Courfes of Life, a good and a bad one. The Unhappinefs and Wretched- nefs of which State, after I have fet out and proved to you at large, I fhall apply myfelf to perfuade the Man that is thus bewildered^ to retrieve himfelf by ferious Coniideration, as foon as he can, and to fix zfure Principle of Virtue in his Mind, that may guide and govern him throughout, and make him uniformly wile and holy.
Now the Condition of a Man who y is divided between two contrary Ways of Life, between Virtue and Vice, God- linefs and Irreligion, is certainly very wretched and deplorable. For he is in the meaneft State of Mind that human Nature is capable of. He is perpetu- ally reftlefs and uneafy ; full of Anxie- ty and Torment. He lofes all the Ad- vantages
300 The Wretchednefs of
serm. vantages of this World ; and moft af- xi. furedly forfeits all Pretences to any in l^V*v the next,
1 . This doubtful, uncertain Way of Living and Thinking proceeds from a mean State of Mind, fuch as is beneath the Dignity of human Nature.
Man was made to difcern and em- brace Truth; and, for this Reafon, is Job xxxii. there a Spirit in him ; and the Infpira- ^' tion of the Almighty has given him Un-
derjlanding. He has Faculties, whereby he may diftinguifh between true and falfe, right and wrong 5 and may fix to himfelf fure Principles of Action. When he does this, approves what is beft, and flicks to what he approves, he does what he was defigned to do, and anfwers the End of his Being. When he does not> but fuffers him- felf to be fwayed and . bent different Ways by different Motives, and to float under Uncertainties, then he for- feits the great Prerogative, and the moft diftinguilhing Advantage that belongs to the reafonable Nature. The Scrip- ture
a Wavering Mind, 301
ture therefore alloweth not to the Irre- serm, refolute and the Inconftant the Name xi. of Men: They are faid to be Children VVNJ to/fed to and fro with every Wind of Doc- Eph. iv. trine. They are in the Weaknefs and I4" Nonage of their Reafon, which is as yet not improved and ripened into its due Strength and Maturity.
The Perfection of Man is to be like God) for in his own Image created ^Gen.i.27. him; to be like God in all his Attributes, particularly in that glorious one of his Immutability, whereby he is, as the Scripture fpeaks, without Variablenefs, * s . or Shadow of turning; the fame Te/ler- 17. day, 7*0- day, and for ever. 8>e
Now this Immutability of God is twofold, relating either to his Nature ; or his Purpofes. The Unchangeable- nefs of his Nature we have no Room to imitate: For he defigned us for a Changeable State, made us Creatures that were to purify our Natures, and <exalt them by Degrees ; till by his laft great and glorious Change he mould tranflate us into an Immortal and Un- alterable
302 The Wretchcdncfs of
se R m. alter able State, and make us eternally xi. the fame in our Natures, and eternally t^V"v 'happy in the Exercife of them. But his Moral Immutability ', the Steddinefs of his Counfels, Purpofes, and Adions, we may in fome Meafure, and there- fore muft. imitate, as far as Human Frailty will fufrer us. We are like him in this Perfection, when we get to ourfelveSj by Thought and Reflec- tion, a firm Perfuafion of the eternal Differences of Good and Evil, and of that infeparable Dependance which Re- ward and Puniihinent have upon them; and when we govern our Lives under the Senfe of thefe Perfuafions, Eve?ily and Vniforinly. This is truly Godlike I the great Improvement, the Honour, and the Excellence of our Natures! And this Perfection he robs himfelf of, who wavers between different Princi- ples and Practices; and is fometimes good and fometimes bad, as it happens. Pie puts not his Faculties to that Ufes for which they were given him; em- ploys not his Reafcn to thofe Purpofest 4 for
a Wavering Mind, 303
for which it was defigned, the eftablifh- serm. ing and ftrengthening of his Mind in xi. moral Principles ; but lives as much at ^ ^"^ Random, and without Hold, as if the Breath of the Almighty were not in him.
Indeed, unlefs Reafon gives us a Firmnefs and Conflancy of acting, it is fo far from being the Glory and the Privilege, that it is really the Reproach and Difgrace of our Natures; and makes us lower than even the Horfe and Pfal.xxxii. Mule that have no Under/landing. For 9* they, without that, aft always regularly and confonantly to themfelves, under the never erring Guidance of InJlinB ; a blind, but fure Principle ; whilft Man, with all his boafted Titles and Privileges wanders about in Uncertainties, does and undoes, and contradicts himfelf through- out all the various Scenes of Thinking and Living.
2. But the Dignity of our Nature, is a Confideration capable of touching hut few. Let us go on therefore to
more
304 The Wretchedness of
serm. more plain and affecting Confiderations.
xi. For fuch an unsettled Temper of Mind
l/WJ as we have defcribed, creates a great
deal of Trouble and Dijlurbance to the
Man, who is fo unhappy as to Mailer
of it.
And this follows plainly from what has been difcourfed upon the former Head. For whatfoever is natural, be- coming, and worthy of us, is attended always w^ith Eafe and Delight to the Doer; whereas that which thwarts our jirjl End and Defign, and is deflructive of our natural Perfections, muft needs be Pain and Grief to us. For the Truth of which in this particular Cafe we may appeal to the Feeling of all thofe, who have ever once made the Experiment. How uneafy is that Man always to himfelf, who acts backwards and forwards, and has no found Bot- tom to reft upon. What Difquiets does it create in his Mind, to fee him- felf perpetually condemning himfelf, allowing himfelf in that Opinion or Practice this Hour, which he is fure
he
Wavering Mind. 305
he fhall difallow and go againfl in the serm, next. [And this perhaps is the only xi. Part of his Temper that he ever can be r^W lure of.]
Certainly a Mind, thus at odds with itfelf, cannot but be very troublefome to the Man that has it ; unlefs, toge- ther with the Power of keeping his Refolutions, he has loft alfo that of reflecting afterwards on the Breach of them. For whenever he looks ba,ck upon his Actions, Guilt and Folly will appear written, as it were, upon the Front of them : He muft needs pro- nounce himfelf Light and Inconfiftent, Infincere, and Void of that true Fear of God, which dwells only with Sim- plicity and a, fingle Heart. In fines fo many difagreeable and mortifying Thoughts will offer themfelves to him, as cannot but leave a Wound behind them. And a Spirit thus wounded (with Guilt and Folly too) who can bear ? In Truth, as to Eafe of Mind, it belongs oftentimes to the compleatly wicked, more than, io thofe who are
Vol. IV. X by
306 tfhe Wrctchchefs of
s e r M. by halves fo. For the fir ft may have
xi. hardened and ftupified his Confcience
l/'V^O fo far, till it lets him alone, and gives
him no further Notice of the Danger-
oufnefs of the State he is in. But he
who Sins and Repents, and then fins
again in an endlefs Circle, is fure to
hear of his own Follies, and befenfible
of his own Miferies. His good Fits
are like the fhort Intervals of Madnefs,
which ferve only to let the Madman
into a Knowledge of his own Difeafe ;
v whereas it would be much more to his
Satisfaction and Content, if he were
Mad always.
Good God ! When a Man finds him- felf breaking through all the ft rongeft Bonds that fhould hold him ; through his mod deliberate Refolutions, made in Time of great Danger and Adver- iity, or upon his folemn Approach to the Table of the Lord, but forgotten again in the Prefence of any new Temptation, what Horrors muft the Senfe of this create in him ? What Hatred and Contempt of himfelf ?
What
a Wavering Mind. 307
What Defpair almoft of ever arriving at s e r m.
that Strength and Firmnefs of Mind, xi.
which is requifite to carry him evenly ^V\?
on through the Paths of Virtue ? Surely
he is like the troubled Sea, that cannot Ifa j\.
reft, ivhofe Waters cafl up Mire and 20, 21.
Dirt. There is no Peace, faith my God,
to fuch a wicked one as this.
But further ', fuch a Temper, fo di- ffracted between .contrary Inclinations and Practices, is in the
3d Place, mifchievous to a Man in Point of Interefl, as well as Eafe. For it renders him unfit for all the Affairs and Bufmefs of Life ; incapable of forming advantageous Defigns with Confidence, or of profecuting them with Effect. A double winded Man (faith St. James) is unliable in all his jam. i. 84 Ways. - He that is fo in Point of Re- ligion (the greateft and' moft important Concern of Life, the one Thing necef- fary) will probably be (bin every Thing befide ; and then what kind of Under- taking is fuch an 01^ qualified for ? To what Calling can he betake himfelf X 2 with
3©8 the Wretchednefs of
s e r m. with any Probability of Succefs, who xi. wants the very firft Elements of Thriv- ing, Induftry, Conftancy, and Perfe- verance ? Alas ! the Doubts and Mif- givings of his Heart concerning his own internal State are fuch, as take a- way from him the Tafte of all outward Comforts at prefent, and hinder him from an effectual Purfuit of them. , It muft be a Mind eafy and at reft, that can apply itfelf thoroughly towards making thofe Advantages of the Things of this Life, which are innocent and lawful. And fuch an one is not his, whofe Ways (as the Wife Man fpeaks) are doubie before the Lord. Befdes, this Unequalnefs in acting, thefe Heats and thefe Colds in Religion, when once they appear (and how can they chufe but appear fome time or other ?) will draw upon a Man the Sufpicion of Hypocrify and Diffimulation. He, who in the Eye of the World is fome- times goody and fometimes bad, as it happens, will be fure to have the Meafure of himfelf taken from the
tioorjl I
a Wavering Mind. 309
ivor/l Side of him ; and the other Parts sermm of his Character efteemed only as pure xi. Artifice and Feigning. His Credit will be blafted, and his good Name be taken away 5 that Engine, by which he is to profit himfelf and others, and to do all the Good he is like to do in the World. Intimacies and Friendships are rhe great Comforts and Supports of Life, and of thefe fuch a Man will be thought in- capable. What Ground can his Levity give any one to build their Confidence upon ? What Encouragement is there to venture an Acquaintance with the Rafli and Unjiable ? What Reafon to expedt a mutual Confent and Agree- ment of Thoughts and AfFed:ions,froin a Mind fo little at Unity in itfelf.
4. But thefe are flight Inconveni- ences, in Comparifon of what follows; that fuch a wavering uncertain Tem- per of Mind is utterly inconfiftent with the Terms ot Salvation, and the Hopes, of eternal Happinefs. For 'tis not an Holinefs taken up by Fits and Starts, X 3 that
3 * ° "The Wretchednefs of
s E R m. that can carry a Man to Heaven. It xit muft be a conftant regular Principle, ^Y"\J influencing us throughout, that muft / do that. If ye continue in my Word Johnvm. (fays our Saviour) then are ye my Dif- ciplcs indeed. An uninterrupted Cour fe of Virtue and Goodnefs, and nothing lefs, can juftify us before God, and intitle us to our Reward. And the Reafon is, becaufe nothing lefs can prove our Sincerity to God, which is the great and fundamental Rule, by which we are to be tried. And a Vein of this muft run through all our Thoughts and Actions, to make them acceptable before God. My Son, give me thy Heart, fays God 5 that is, come to me with a jincere and unfeigned DefigiT of ferving me • furrender up to me all thy Inclinations and Af- fections without Referve \ and give me Poffeffion of thy Soul, without any Rival or Competitor. Which how can he be faid to do, that admits contrary Interefts perpetually to ft niggle within him, and in his heartieft Repentances
is
a Wavering Mind. 311
is not without fome Proipedtof Sinning s e r m. again? Holy David therefore makes xi. Infincerity the Character and Mark ^-v-^ ofthefekind of Men : Their Heart pf.iXXviii. was not right with God, fays he, nei- 37- ther were they ftedfaft in his Covenant. The one follows upon the other \ if fo be that they are not fiedfajl, nei- ther can their Hearts be right with God.
Let not a Man therefore flatter him- felf that things are well with him, becaufe he is not abfolutely given over ' to work Wickednefs, but though he fometimes feems to be dead in Tref- Eph.ii. 1. pajfes and Sins, yet he foon rifes a- - gain by Repentance -, for allured ly this (which is at the Bottom nothing but an Art of getting to Heaven, and yet enjoying his Lufts all the while) will not ferve his Turn. There is no Pro- mife in Scripture that belongs to the wiftable and wavering Man ; the Terms of the Covenant are nniverfal Purity ; or at leajl nniverfal Sincerity : And under thefe, can no Man be laved. X 4 And
312 "The Wretchedness of
SERM.Andas the State of a Man is thus, xi with Refpedt to another World, very t^VNJ dangerous and bad already fo is it likely to grow worfe and worfe /till without Remedy. For every new Re- turn to Sin, every fingle Defertion of Virtue, does naturally unqualify a Man more and more for a found Repentance, and weakens all the Motives that lead to it. Sin does by this Means grow familiar to us, and lofes its Frightful- nefs. By our fuffering its continual Approaches, it begins to appear to us in a more harmlefs Shape : We find fewer Horrors about us at the Thought of it, fewer Deiires of avoid- ing it.
Befides, by thefe ViciJ/itudes of fin- ning and relapfing, our Refolution at laft is quite broken ; and we fit down every Time with lefs Hopes of the Mercy and Forgivenefs of God, and of his Grace and Affiftance.
Much more might be faid, to fet out the great Danger of fuch a State, and the Inconfiftency of it with the
Terms
a Wavering Mind. 313
Terms of Salvation, if this were not serm. too plain a Point to need any further xi. Proof; and therefore I chufe rather ^VNJ in what remains, to go on, as I pro- pofed, from thefe feveral Confidera- tions,
Secondly ', To perfuade the Man that II. is thus bewildered, to retrieve himfelf by ferious Confideration, as foon as is poffible ; and to fix a fure Principle of Virtue in his Mind, that may guide and govern him throughout :, and make him uniformly wife and holy.
For which Purpofe I fhall take leave to recommend two or three plain, but ufeful Confiderations.
1. Anafr/i, he that fets about this Work, rrsuftbe fare that his Belief is right and found at the Bottom : For 'tis generally the Uncertainty and Wa- veringnefs of this, that produces all that Unevennefs, and Diforder in the Life and Praftice of Mankind. A fud- den Heat of Devotion, or the Fear of what will become of a Man in the
. other
3 14 tfhe Wretchednefs of
s e r m. other World, will carry him fame times xi. into mighty Refolutions of quitting Sin,. t/""W and living well for the future. But thefe wear off quickly and come to nothing ; becaufe they arofe only from prefent Paffion, and were not built on any good Foundation, on any ftrong and full Conviction of the Mind. They Mat. xiii. -are the Seed which fellnpon Jlony Places, where they had not much Earth ; and forthwith they fprang uf>y becaufe they had no Deepnefs of Earth : But when the Sun was up (when an hot Tempta- tion prefented itfelf afrefh) they were fcorched \ and becaufe they had ?to Root, they withered away. Let him » there- fore, who would purfue this Cure to H h T PurP°fe3 l°°k t0 himfelf left there be i2. in him an evil Heart of Unbelief Let
him enquire diligently of himfelf, whereon it is that his Faith ftands ; how he comes to be perfuaded of the Truth of Natural Principles, and of thofe of Revealed Religion. And let him (if he has it not already) procure to himfelf fuch an Evidence of thefe
Things.
a Wavering Mind. 315
Things, as is not to be fhaken. Foi'serm. when this Principle is once well fixed Xi, in his Heart, Virtue will go out from it into his Life and Aftions ; and it will work Wonders towards making him all Harmonious, and of a Piece. When he has gone thus far, let him,
2. In the next Place, confider well what that particular Weight was, that in the Days of his /rr^/z///£72ftill hung upon him, and clogged all his virtuous Endeavours. What it was, that, when his Soul had made fome Effort towards Goodnefs, overbalanced it ftill, and fwayed it fecretly again to- wards Nature's Side: For that too is very often the Cafe. There is fome particular Sin of our Conftitution, fome great and ruling Infirmity, that damps all our good Motions, and fpoils all our beft Refolutions -} and will con- tinue to do fo, 'till by a diredl Oppo- fition of ourfelves to it3 we have con- quered and removed it. When we
3 1 6 The Wretchednefs of
ser M.have cut off this Right Hand, plucked xi. out this Right Rye, facrificed the dar- ^^^^-ling Luft of our Heart, we may then hope, that the greateftPart of the Dif- ficulty is over, and that no kfs powerful Temptation will be able to draw us a- fide. But 'till this be done, in vain are all our other Attempts and Defigns. While the great Offence has yet any Hold upon us, nothing will be done to Purpofe -, but he that has been divided in his Opinion, and wavering in his Practice, will be divided and wavering
fin.
3. When he has thus fettled his Faith upon good Grounds, and armed him- Heb.xii. felf well againft that Sin which does *• Jo eqfily befet him, he mud: take care
(in the next Place) nottofuffer himfelf to come within Reach of any Thing that may any ways unf often his Refo- lutions, whilft they are yet young and tender. He muft admit of no Debate within him about a Principle, but throw off all fuch Thoughts, as Ene- mies
a Wavering Mind. 3 1 7
mies to the Peace of his Mind. HesERM. muft liften to no fcepti cal Difcourfe -> xi- no loofe Reafonings of carnal Men, ^AN fuch as pervert the Truth. For thefe are the chief Engines of Satan to draw him back again into his former Unfettlednefs ; and his good Purpofes may happen to be Wafted in the Bud, if they are ventured too foon amongft them. No ! No ! but let him root and ground himfelf in the Faith firft by an anfwerable Life and Converfation ; fo (hall it happen, that as his good Prac- tice took rife at Jirji from his good Opinions, fo fhall his Opinions be flrengthened afterwards by his Prac- tice ; 'till both being confirmed in him, fhall enable him to Jiand in the evilE h> v- Day, and not to be afraid of what- 13. ever it is that would (hake his Stedfaji- nefs.
4. If to thefe Endeavours he (laftly) joins fervent and unwearied Prayer to Almighty God, for the Aids and Sup- ports of his Grace, he fhall affuredly
from
3 1 8 7%e Wretchednefs of &c.
from thence be made perfect at laft, be
Jlablifloed, flrengthened, fettled. He
ihall have a new Heart created in him,
i Cor. xv. ^lat ^a^ enable him to be Jledfafi,
58- immoveable, always abounding in the
Work of the Lord.
THE
[ 321 ]
Of Living Peaceably :
Farewel SERMON
Preached at
St. BRIDE's
December n> 1698.
ROM. xii. 18.
If it bepojjible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all Men.
THERE are many excellent Pre- serm. cepts and Rules of Duty laid to- xi 1. gether by the Apofile toward the End of </WJ this Chapter ; but none of greater Mo- ment to be earneftly inculcated upon Vol. IV. Y Chrijlians,
322 Of Living Peaceably.
s e r M. Chri/lians, and duly obferved, than this xn. which I have pitched upon for the (^"V^J Subject of my following Difcourfe. And I have the rather chofen it, at this particular Time, becaufe it is the laft Opportunity I fhall have of befpeaking you under that Character, which I have hitherto borne towards you. And it being likely therefore that the Con- teft now on foot, may end in the fame little Animofities and Mifunderftand- ings, which are ufual on fuch Occa- fions ; I thought I could not do better, than to difcourfe to you upon a Sub- ject that might be of fome Ufe to temper and allay them ; and to difpofe you towards fuch a peaceable State of Mind, as becomes thofe, who are about to chufe a Minifter of the Gofpel of Peace.
I (hall difcourfe firjl to you of the Argument at large * and then apply it to the particular Occafion for which I have chofen it. What I have to fay on thefe Words, muft naturally fall un- der thefe four Heads following :
i Firfi,
Of Living Peaceably. 323
Firfty Here is. a Command enjoined 5 s e r m. to live peaceably. x 1 1 .
Secondly, The utmoft Limits and H. Extent of that Command are fet down ^ we-muft live peaceably with all Men.
Thirdly, The great Difficulty of fo III. doing, is allowed and expreffed: If it be pojjible, fays St. Paul, and as much as in you lies \ intimating, that in re- fpe<5l of fome Tempers , and in fome Circumfances,itis fcarce poffible,though we do all that in us lies, to effed: it. To which I fhall add in the
Fourth and la/l Place, fome fami- IV. liar Helps and Directions, that may be of Ufe to affift us towards perform- ing it.
As to the Firji of thefe, the Pre- I.
cept here given of living peaceably, I
need not ufe many Words to tell you
what it is ; it is eafily and univerfally
Y 2 under-
324 Of Living Peaceably.
SERM.underflood : Would to God, it were xii. but as univerfally pradtifed! And then
C/*YN) fuch Exhortations as thefe would be needlefs ! But though an Account of the Duty may not be requifite, to in* form even the meanefl and moft igno- rant Cbri/lian, yet it may be of ufe to bring to his Mind what he already knows, and to awaken in him fenfible and lively Impreflions of it : And to that End, I fhall in a very brief, and plain Manner defcribe it.
To live peaceably, is fo to demean ourfelves in all the Offices and Stations of Life, as to promote afriendly Under- ftanding and Correfpondence among thofe we converfe with ; lb as to pre- vent, as much as we can, all outward Contention and Strife, nay, all inward Miftakes and Jealoulies from arifing, and to quench and allay them as ibon as we can, whenever they are rifen ; fo, as to difagree openly with no Man in Things of an indifferent Nature, and of no Moment; and, where the Point is of Importance enough to deferve to
be
Of Living Peaceably. 325
be infifted on, there to do it, with fosERM, much Candor, and Modefty, and xn. Sweetnefs, as not to offend even thofe '-/'WJ we do not agree with. In a Word, it is fo to conduct our Actions, Dif- courfes, and Dealings, as to make our- felves and others as eafy as is poffible. Various are the Inftancesof this Duty; fome influencing our Behaviour with relation to the Publick, fome towards PrivateMen ; fome regarding Opinions, and fome regulating our Pradlice -, fome taking Place in Matters of Civil Life, and fome in the Concerns of Religion.
They live peaceably with refpedt to the Publick, who pay a due Regard to the Laws of their Country, and ex- prefs a due Reverence towards their Superiors ; honouring them fincerely, obeying them fubmiffively ; not rafhly cenfuring their Actions, but putting the beft and moft candid Conftruclion upon them ; not being over bufy in Matters that are too high for them, and do not concern them.
Y 3 They
326 Of Living Peaceably.
serm. They live peaceably in Religious xii. Matters, who, on the one Side, are
U^V*v contented to enjoy their own Opinions, without arraigning their Superiors in Church and State for being otherwife minded ; and without disturbing the publick Peace, in order to propagate their Tenets, and make Profelytes -, and who, on the other Side, do not by un- juflifiable Methods of Severity force Men into the Pro! effion of what they dilbelieve ; whofe Zeal for their Faith never makes them forget their Tem- per, nor outrun the Bounds of Chri- ftian Goodnefs and Prudence ; who make great Allowances for the Weak- nefs of Men's Reafon and the Strength of their Prejudices, and condemn not all as infincere, who are not fo enlight- ened as they are ; but leave them to ftand or fall to their own Mafter -, praying for them in the mean time, that they may come to the Knowledge of the Truth, and endeavouring by all gentle perfuafive Methods to reclaim them.
Finally,
Of Living Peaceably, 327
Finally, They live peaceably in Mat- serm, ters of common Life and daily Practice, xn. who take care to make their Carriage ^/VNJ inoffenfive, obliging j who are not ready to entertain ill Reports of Men, much lefs to difperfe them ; who whifper about nothing to fet Friends and Neigh- bours at Variance ; who mind their own Bufinefs, without intermeddling much in the Concerns of others; who can take a flight Affront or Injury in Converfation without refenting it, and even a great one without returning it.
But I forbear to give any further Defcription of fo known a Duty 5 and go on to conlider in the
Second Place, the Extent of it : it II. muft be pra&ifed towards all Men : Not only towards thofe who are in good Terms with us, but toward thofe who are not 3 not only to the Good- natured and Candid, but even to the Captious and the Fro ward. For, as our Saviour argues in a like Cafe, if Y 4 you
3 2 8 Of Living Peaceably.
s e r m. you live peaceably with them only ', who xii. live peaceably with you, what T'hank *^Y\J foave y0U f £)0 n0f even Sinner$ the
Matt. v. fame ? The Worft, and worft Natured 46- Men will go thus far : For there is
no Temptation to break Peace with thofewho live inoffenfively with us, no room for Contention with the Mild and Complying ; the Tryal of our Temper, is, when Shocking Accidents happen to usj when ill Words are given us -, when we are touched in Point of Intereft and Honour ; or in any other refpedt drawn into a Dis- pute, and forced to engage : Then, to bear Oppofition meekly, to ward off the Anger of our Adverfaries by a dif- creet and dexterous Addrefs ; to keep ourfelves free from the Contagion of that Paffion and that Refentment which reigns in them, or free at leaft from the outward and vilible Signs of it, this is no vulgar Attainment, but a very great Pitch of Chriilian Perfec- tion. And the Apojlle therefore, at the very Time he is giving the Pre- cept,
Of Living Peaceably . 329
cept, acknowledges the great Difficulty serm. that there is fometimes in obeying it : If xir. it be poffible, fays he, and as much as in r-/"VNJ you lies ; intimating, as I faid, that in refpect of feme Natures, and in feme Cir cum/lances, it is fcarce poffible, tho* we do whatever in us lies, to come up to it.
And this is the Third Thing I un- HI. dertook to explain.
To live peaceably with all Men, in the ftricleft Senfe of the Words, is a Thing abfolutely impoffible, and out of our Reach ; for it depends upon what we are not Matters of, the Dif- pofitions and Paffions of other Men. Let us take what Care we can to pre- vent miftakes, they will fometimes a- rife; let us with never fo much Cau- tion avoid doing Injuries, we cannot always avoid receiving them ; fome churliih and favage Natures there are, that delight in Outrages, and are mov- ed with no Condefcenflons, no Com- pliances : fuch Sens of Belial (as was 1 Sam.
faidxxv- l7>
33° Of Living Peaceably.
s e R M.faid of Nabal) that a Man cannot /peak xii. to them. Where violent Encroachments
t^W are made upon our Fortune or good Name, we not only may, but mujl vindicate ourfelves from them, though Breach of Peace, and an open Rupture with any Man attend our doing it. Slight Affronts, and fmall Injuftices we may put up with -, but where we are wounded to the Quick, either in our Eftate, or Reputation, we are not at Liberty to be filent : To be upon our Defence in fuch Cafes, is a Debt we owe to ourfelves, our Pofterity, our Relations, and Friends, who have all an Intereft in us.
When the Caufe of true Religion fuffers from the Tongues or Pens of Libertines and Unbelievers ; when any open Attempts are by ill Men made on the Conftitution of that Church or State, whereof we are Members ; when an abfent Friend is traduced by lying Lips ; or the Name of any fincerely good and virtuous Man is vilified ; it is our Duty in fuch Cafes
to
Of Living Peaceably. 331'
to ftand up, and rebuke this Spirit of s e rm. Treachery, Malice, or Prophanenefs. xn. The Honour of God, or the Inter- '•VNi efts of Virtue would, at fuch a Time, be biemiflaed by our Silence and For- bearance : And therefore the Rule of our Saviour here takes Place ; he that is not with us, is againjl us. He that doth not openly and heartily efpoufe the Caufe of Truth, will be reckoned to have been on the other Side. And then Peace with Men can never be eli- gible, when it implies Enmity with God.
However, in all thefe Cafes, where we lay afide Peace for a more valua- ble End, we are bound to have an Eye to it, even while we feem to o- verlook it ; and muft fo break with Men on fuch Occafions, as to leave Room, and to prepare the Way for a Clofure. War itfelf has its Rules and Reftraints, within which its lavage Cruelties are bounded : Much more muft theMeafures of our Refentment, in fuch Breaches as thefe, be tempered
with
332 Of Living Peaceably.
s ERM.with great Humanity and great Pru- xii. dence. We muft recover our Right,
C/VN^and wipe off Afperlions, without Ran- cour or Revenge ; we muft contend for the Truth of the Gofpel itfelf, fo as not to forget the plain Precepts of it ; and for the Glory of God, with fuch a well regulated Zeal, as does not trample upon any of his Com- mands: That is, the Warmth of our Concern for the beft Doctrines, Per- fons, or Things, muft never fo far tranfport us, as to make us fay any Thing of any Man, but what our Caufe and his Character will juftify -, nor endeavour to infpire People with worfe Opinions concerning him, than we in our Confciences believe he defer ves. And to preferve ourfelves thus far upon our Guard, when we are engaged, is a much harder Talk than not to engage at all ; and will require our calling in to our Aid all the pious Helps and Expedients, with which Reafon and Religion will fur-
nifh
Of Living Peaceably. 333
nith us ; and which therefore I fhall serm, now, in the xn.
Fourth and lajl Place, point out to IV« you.
Many of this Kind there are ; but the Time I have already fpent, and the Application I am further to make of the Whole, will not fuffer me to mention all, or to dwell, as much as I ought, even on tbofe that I do men- tion.
1. The Rife of mod of our Dif- quiets and Difcords is, from the tu- multuous and diforderly Motions of our PaJJions ; and thefe therefore mud: in the jirji Place be well regulated, efpecially that fierce and boifterous Paffion of Anger > which discovers it- felf the earlieft, and is tamed the lateft of any ; and is, of all others,' the greateft Enemy of our Repofe. 'This therefore, and the reft muft be brought under the Difcipline and Government of Reafon, if we ever hope to be eafy to ourfelves or other Men j and in- deed.
334 Of Living Peaceably.
SERM.deed, unlefs we are firft eafy to our- xn. felves, it is impoffible we fhould ever
^^V^^ be fo to others. We may as well ex- pert perpetual Sun-fhine in Climates fubjecl to Storms and Hurricanes, as that there fhould be a lofting Peace in that Breaft, where the PaJJions are allowed to reign.
2. The next plain Help towards living peaceably is, if we moderate our Defires, and fhorten our Defigns, with Regard to the good Things of Life, contenting ourfelves with fuch a Share of them, as anfwers all the good Ends of living, and not eagerly grafping af- ter more, than would be of real Ufe to us, if we had it : The Wants and Conveniences of Nature are known, and certain, and foon fupplied ; but imaginary Wants are infinite and end- lefs ; and he that has fet his Heart up- on them, will find it very difficult ever to recall it. He is got beyond Reafon in his Defire, and will proba- bly flick at no unreafonable Method of obtaining it. And the natural IfTue
of
Of Living Peaceably. 335
of this muft be perpetual Feuds andsERM. Bickerings, Contentions and Struggles; xn. for our Defires will meet thofe of-^v~sJ other Men, as eager every whit as ours, and as impatient of being re- fitted. From whence come War and Fightings? (fays St. James.) Come they not hence, even of your Lujis ? that is, from your covetous Defires 5 for fo it follows : Te lull, and have not : r
J ' 7 James w.
ye kill, and de fire to have, and cannot 1,2.
obtain.
3. A third Rule, in this Cafe, is, to have a watchful Eye upon ourfelves, in our firft Entrance upon any Debate or Conteft -, and at that Time to be fure to keep the Reins clofely in our Hands, <when there is the moft Dan- ger in giving a loofe to them ; and they are the moft eafily manageable. For let us but indulge ourfelves a little in the firft Motions of Warmth and Refentment, and by infenfible Steps and Degrees we may be wrought up at laft into all the Heighth of Madnefs and Folly. The beginni?ig of Strife?rovxv[l
(faith14'
336 Of Living Peaceably.
s'erm. (faith the Wife Man) is as when one
Xn. letteth out Water. When the Bank is
<^v"V once broken down, we do not know
how far it may flow, or how deep a
Space it may fill.
To this we may add, 4thly A particular Vigilance over our- felves,with regard to the Intemperance of the cTo?7gne, that Member which James iii fetteth on Fire the Cozirfe of Nature, 6- and is iff elf fet on Fire of Hell. We
muft reftrain it in every Refpecl, but efpecially in relation to that natural Pronenefs it has towards publishing the Faults of others -, which ought never to be done, but with the utmoft Caution and Tendernefs. We can ne- ver ftrictly juftify ourfelves in fpeak- ing Evil of any Man, though that Evil fhould be true, but when either the Seal of Friendship binds up the Difcourfe, or the Rules of Charity and Juflice require us fo to do. The Son of Sirach feems to carry this Mat- Ecclus ter very far: Whether it be to Friend xix. 8. or Foe (fays he) talk not of ether Men's
Lives,
Of Living Peaceably. 337
Lives, and, if thou canji without Of- s e r m. fence, reveal them not; which feems xu. to bar us from fpreading an ill Re- 'S\^J port of any Man, but when we are under an abiblute Necejfity of doing it. He that governs himfelf conflant- ly by this Rule, takes one of the fureft and raoft promifing Steps towards liv- ing peaceably with all Men: Eipeci- ally if,
5'hly He keeps himfelf always from embarking in Parties and Factions, and falling in with Vehemence into all the Interefts and Defigns of them. This will neceffarily in Time imbit- ter his Spirit, and four his Humour, make him like and diflike Men im- plicitly, and lead him into many Re- fentments, which he has nothing: to do with.
Again, 6thly Let a Man that de- fires to pafs through this World in- offenfively, refolve to be very dili- gent in his particular Prfrficn and Calling ; and, if he has none, to make one to himfelf, by foniQ proper and
Vol. IV, Z fuitable
338 Of Living Peaceably.
serm. fuitable Employment. He that is em- xii. ployed, has no Leifure to move in the
O^V^ little Difputes and Quarrels which trouble the Peace of the World, and which are-chiefly kept up and ban- died to and fro by thofe who have no- thing elfe to do : The Apoftle there- fore (we may obferve) in his Exhor-
1 Their, tion joinsfudying to be quiet, with the doing our own Bufmefs, as if the one was a natural and infeparable Attendant on the other.
Above all, let him add, in the lajl Place,, fervent and unwearied Prayer to the bleffed Author of Peace, and Lover of Concord, that he would pleafe to vouchsafe him the ineftimable Be- nefits of it, and endue him with the Qualities that promote it, by the pow- erful Operation of that Spirit, whofe Fruits, Love, Joy, and Peace, are peculiarly laid to be ; who inhabited* only with thofe, who do in fome Meai'ure partake of them, and who to thofe, with whom he inhabits, im-
parteth
Of Living Peaceably. 339
pafteth them yet more and more abun-SERM. dantly* I xri.
Thus have T largely explained to you the Duty of living peaceably, and fhewn you ibmeof the moil effedte.1 Methods of performing it. Would to God all that hear me this Day would refolvb'to praftife this plain, but ufeful Lefibn, as fully as I have handled it, and give a remarkable In- stance of their Compliance with the Direction of the Text, in the Choice that is now coming before you 5 wherein, I fear, there will be but too much Occafion given of trying how far thefe Confederations have had their due Weight with you, and made a deep and becoming Impreffion upon you.
Seven Years I have from this Place admonifhed, exhorted, beibught you : What Succefs thefe Labours of mine have had, He knows beft, Sor whofe Glory they were deiigned. It will be one fure and comfortable Sign to me Z 2 that
34° Of Living Peaceably.
SERM.that they have had Jbme, if it (hall xn. appear, that the Words I have fpoken
wO/^ to you To-day, are not in vain $ if they fhall prevail with you in any meafure, to avoid thofe Rocks, which are ufually fplit upon in Elections, where Multitudes of different Inclina- tions, Capacities, and Judgments are interefted* To which End, let me intreat you, that, iince in thefe Cafes -'Unanimity and an entire Agreement of Hearts and Voices is not to be ex- pefted, you would at leaft take Care to difagree, in as decent, and friend- ly, and Chriftian a Manner as is pof- fible.
Let not your Zeal for any one Man's Character ever draw you to load, and depreciate, and vilify another I Take not up flight Reports to Mens Difad- vantage, fpread them not, encourage them not, liften not with Greedinefs to them.
Let it be enough, that the unftfc- cefsfuWg/£ what they feek after, an Opportunity of exercifing among you
that
Of Living Peaceably. 341
that Talent in divine Inftrucllon; v.liere- s e r m. with God has enabled them. Let them xit. not lofe alfo, as far as in any of you '-^WJ lies, their good Name, that great En- gine of doing good, by which their Labours muft be made effectual to q- ther Perfons, in other Places ; and which as far as any of you fhall endea- vour to deprive them of, fo far will you endeavour to obftruct the Influence of their Doctrine, and to make their Cha- racter ufelefs.
Remember, I befeech you, that your holy Contention is, about a Mi- nifter of the Gofpel of Cbrijl $ carry it not on by a Violation of any Rules of the Gofpel : Thofe Rules, for the Breach of which, if he be a good Man (as I queftion not he will be) he will not thank you, nay will be obliged by his very Poft to reprove you after- wards.
I fpeak not this to accufe any of
you, as if any of thefe Methods had
been already practifed ; but knowing
how the Paffiom of Men, not under
Z3 the
342 Of Living Peaceably.
sEE.M.ths ftrong Checks and Reftraints of xii. Grace ^ are apt to work on thefe Occa-
^^^^^-'ilons, as becomes me, I warn you.
Set an Example to (he reft of the Pariihes of this ample City, in the Management of fuch Elections as thefe, reform the Diforders that (God knows) too often attend them. Manifeft to. the World the Reafonabfoiefs of your having an Intereft in chufing your Preachers, by the fit and laudable Manner in which you make ufe of it. Be not. too ftiff and peremptory in your Opinions : Let thofe who are (or fhould be) confeious of their not hav- ing all the Advantages rcquiiite to- wards determining their Choice in thefe Things, defer fomewhat to the Judgment of fuch as are perhaps fome- what better qualified for it : They muft judge for themfelves indeed, their Souls are concerned -, but let them judge with Humility and Modefty.
Should ionic little Heats arife, while the Difpute lafts, when it is over, I £irt confident they will van i ill ; and all
of
Of Living Peaceably. 343
of you will join in paying that Perfons erm, you {hall pitch upon, the Efteem due xn. to his Function, and to his Station .^V>J here ; and which, I take this Oppor- tunity of telling the World, I have truly received from you.
However, though I have no Reafon in any refpect to complain of my En- tertainment among you, yet nothing would pleafe me better than to hear that your Refpedt and Love was in every Inftance increased towards him that is to fucceed me 3 becaufe nothing can be a better Evidence of your Sin- cerity in Religion, and of your Growth in it, that when you grow alfo in your fincere Regards to thofe, who in a particular manner belong both to that and you. And it is an infallible Sign, that the Truths of the Gofpel have not made that Impreffion upon a Man's Heart and Conicience which they ought to do, when the Preachers of the Gofpel have not had that Share in his Efteem, which belongs to the Ufe- Z 4 fulnefs
3 44 Of Living Peaceably.
se R M.fulnefs and Dignity of their facred Em- XII. ployment.
l/'YNJ And this I take to be fo univerfal a Rule, as to admit of no Exception ; at leaft, I am fure, I never met with any. And it is therefore my Hope, I fay, that you will always fhew your- felves to be a ^religious People, and under the Influence of good Principles, by your Behaviour towards thofe whofe Bufmefs it is to watch over you for good 5 which will be one Way, I am fure, of fecuring to yourfelves a Suo- ceffion of able and worthy Men, as may adorn this Place, equally by their Lives and Dodtrines \ and be a lading Honour and Advantage to thofe who chuie them.
As for myfelf with how great Im- perfection I have performed my Duty here, and how far Abort I have fallen of the important Truft committed to me, of inftrufting and guiding you in the Ways of Virtue, no Body can be more fenfible of than I am. However, thus much I take leave to fay, that in
SifttpU*
Of Living Peaceably. 345
Simplicity and godly Sincerity I haves erm. preached the Go/pel of Chrijl among xir. you : directing my Difcouries always ^^VNJ againft thofe vicious Principles and PraBices, which to me feemed moft to prevail -, and fparing nothing I ob- ferved to be amifs in you, out of Re- gard to Mens Perfons or Opinions, or to any worldly Consideration what- ever.
The Infidelity of the Age has forced me to dwell often on the great Articles and Myftertes of our Faith, and to ex- plain them largely : But I call God to witnefs, that I never propofed any Explication of thefe Points; never re- commended any Thing of this Kind to your Belief, but what I firmly, and from the Bottom of my Heart believed myfelf. The Faith I have delivered to you, the Faith of the Church of England, into which we are all bap- tized, is, I am intirely fatisfied, the fame that was once delivered to the Saints : I hope none of you will be ever invited, by the fpecious Arts and
Infi-
34*> Of Living Peaceably \
£E r m. Infinuations of Herejy, to depart from
XI1' it. I am fure the Profeffion of it in
t^v^ all its Branches and Members, is what,
by the Grace of God, / intend to live
and die in.
The Church you are of, is, without doubt, the pureft and founded, the moft reafonable and moderate Church upon Earth ; the neareft to the primi- tive Pattern of any, and the moft fer- viceable to our Improvement in Vir- tue and Godlinefs : Reverence her, I befeech you, in proportion to her Worth ; quit not her Communion for any Boalls to more pure and fpiritual Worfhip ; nor for the Amufements of a more glorious and fplendid one 5 for the Pretences of thofe Men who make Reafon their God, without taking in Revelation for their Guide ; or for the extravagant Follies and Freaks of En- thufiafm.
As a Sign of your unfeigned Refpefl for her Conftitution, refort often to her Service, and let your outward Be- haviour there fpeak your inward Devo- tion';
Of Living Peaceably. 347
tion ; frequent her Sacraments ; liften se r m. to her Inftruftions from the Pulpit ; xn. breed up your Children in the Know- Ky^TsJ ledge of her Articles of Religion ; fea- fon them early with a due Value for her Dcftrine and Difcipline ; and fa- tisfy yourfelves, that this is one of the beil: Legacies you can leave them.
This is what I have always incul- cated to you, and, had the Providence of God continued me longer among you, fhould have gone on to inculcate ftill. I can only hereafter wifh it, and pray for it, which I {hall not fail to per- form.
Indeed my particular Employment here now ceafes, but my Relation to you, I truft, never (hall ; I fhall always cherifh the Memory of it, and reflect gratefully upon it, reckoning myfelf yours in fome meafure, even after my minifterial Office here is at an End, and being ready to ferve any, even the meaneft of you, in all the Chriftian Duties and Services of which I am ca- pable.
And
348 Of Living Peaceably.
serm. And now, Brethren, I commend you. xi. to God, and to the Wora J oj : his Grace, l/^V^ which is able to build you upy and to A&s xx. &*ve you an Inheritance amo?ig them that 32. are fanBified. And may the God of Peace (that Peace, to the Practice of which I have now been exhorting and perfuading you) may the God of Peace, Hcb. xw.'who brought again from the Dead our 20t Lord Jefus, that great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the Blood of the ever- lofting Covenant, make you perfeft in every good Work to do his Will -, work- ing in you that which is well pleafng in his Sight, through Jefus Chrift, to whom be Glory for ever and ever. Amen.
F I N I S,
<•«)
BOOKS printed for C. Davis,
againft Graf s-Inn-G ate > Holbourn.
SERMONS preached at Sr. James's Church in Weftminfter, on feveral Occasions, by the Right Rev. Charles Hickman, Lord Bifliop of Londonderry, in 2 Vols. 8vo.
Sermons preached on feveral Occafions, by William Reeves, M. A. late Vicar of St. Mary's in Reading.
Sermons on various Subjects, by John Aber- nethy, M. A. in 4 Vols. 8vo.
Sermons preached on feveral Occafions, by Dr. Lupton late Prebend of Durham, and Preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, 8vo.
Sermons on feveral Occafions by Archbifliop Wake in 3 Vols. 8vo.
Dr. Payne's Sermon in 8vo.
Mr. Stephens's Sermons in 2 Vols. 8vo.
Mr. Archdeacon Waple's Sermon's in 3 Vols. Svo.
Mr. Straight's Sermons in 2 Vols. Svo.
Dr. Bifil Kennet's Sermons in Svo.
Mr. Jeremy Collier's Sermons in 8vo.
Bifliop Burnet's Sermons with an EfTay towards a new Book of Homilies in Svo.
Mr. Wheady's Sermons in 3 Vols. Svo.
Bifhop Moore's Sermons in 2 Vols. 8vo.
Mr. Batry's Sermons.
Monfieur
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The Works of GeofTry Chaucer, and compar- ed with the fornier Editions, and many valuable MSS. Out of which, three Tales are added which were never before printed j By John Urry, Student of Cbrift-Chuich, Oxon. deceafed : To- gether with a GlofTary, By a Student of the fame College. To the whole is prefixed the Author's Life, newly written, and a Preface, giving an Ac- count of this Edition, in Folio.
Picart's Temple of the Mufes illuftrated with Sixty large Copper Plates* in Folio*