1
t - /.
i:^ 5^ o^ i:^. ^^^ i:^. "^2^
OF THK
PRINCETON, N. J.
•X o::^ OB-
SAMUEL AGNEW,
OF PHILADELPHIA, PA.
i^ez.
QTo.
yh<7^c^ yc$~y^§^s.
^«^^
() Case^ -Division.. ;?^?>C^.. I
5: SJtclf, Section,.:
V Book, ^^^ V,Z ^
SERMONS
O N
VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
Containing,
I. Religion and Virtue, confidered under the Notion of Wifdom.
II. The Excellency of Wifdom.
III. The Ways of Wifdom, Ways of Pleafantnefs.
IV. Wifdom the Strength of the Mind.
V. The Favour ef God, obtained by Wifdom.
V I. Long-Life, Riches, and Hon- our, the Fruits of Wifdom.
VII. The Love of Wifdom, ne. ceffary to the attaining of it.
VIII. Diligence in fceking Wif- dom always fuccefiful.
IX. Sclf-Government efTcntiai to Wifdom.
X. The Proud and Scornful inca- pable of attaining to Wildom.
XI. Attending to public Inftrudlion, and other Inrtrumentul Duties, recommended.
XIL Walking with Wife Men, a. Means of attaining to Wifdoin.
XIII. The Foundation of Confi- dence towards God explained.
XIV. Gn the fame Subjea.
XV. Walking by Faith and not by Sight, explained and recom- mended.
By JOHN ABERNETHT, M. A.
VOL. III.
LONDON:
Printed for D.Browne, without Temple-Bar; C. Davis, in Holborn-y and A.Millar, oppolite Katherine-Jireet in the Strand.
M.DCC.LI.
CONTENTS.
S B R iM O N I.
Religion and Virtue confidercd under the Notion of Wifdom,
Pfov. i. I, 2, 3, 4.
^he Proverbs of Solomon the Son of David,
king of Ifrael : ^0 know wifdom and in-
JlruBiony to perceive words of iinderfland-
ing ; to receive the injirudfion of wifdofn^
jufiice, and judgment^ and equity -, to give
Jubtilty to the fimple, to the young man
knowledge and difcretion. Page i
Sermon IL The Excellency of Wi5D0M„
Prov. viii. 6, 7. jlear^ for I will [peak of excellent things ^ and the opening of my Lipsfjall be right things ; for my mouth foall fpeak truth. P* 3^
A 2 S B R-
CONTENTS.
Sermon III.
The Ways of Wifdom, Ways of
Pleafantnefs.
Prov. iii. 17. Her ways are ways of fleafinfnefsy and all her paths are 'peace. P- 5^
Sermon IV. Wifdom the Strength of the Mind.
Prov. xxiv. 5. A ni'ife man is firong^ yea a man of knowledge increajeth Jlrength. p. 86
Sermon V.
The Favour of God obtained by
Wifdom.
Prov. viii. 35. IVbofo findeth me findeth lifcy and fiall obtain fwjoiir of the Lord. P* 114
Sermon VI.
Long-hfe, Riches, and Honour,
the Fruits of Wifdom.
Prov. iii. 16. Length of days is in kcr right- handy, and in her left-hand ricfjes ofid honour, p. 140
S ER-
CONTENTS.
Sermon VII.
The Love of Wifdom necefiary to the attaining of it.
Prov. viii. 17. / love them that love me, and thofe thatfeek me early fiall find me. p. 166
Sermon VIII.
Diligence in feeking Wifdom always
fuccefsful.
Prov. viii. 17, Ihofe that feek me early Jhallfnd me, p. 1 90
Sermon IX. Self-government effential to Wifdom.
Prov. XXV. 28. He that hath no rule over his own fptrity is like a city broken down, and without walls.
p. 2 14 Sermon X.
The Proud and Scornful incapable of attaining to Wifdom.
Prov. xiv. 6. A /corner feeketh wifdom and findeth it not.
p. 240
S E R-
CONTENTS.
Sermon XI.
Attending to publick Inftrudion, and other inftrumental Duties, recom- mended.
Prov. viii. 34.
Bleffcd is the man that heareth me^ watching daily at my gates^ waiting at the poJIs of my doors, p. 267
S E R M O N XIL-
Walking with Wife-men, a Mean^ of attaining to Wifdom.
Prov. xlii. 20. He that ivaJketh with wife men fall be wife:
P- 293 Sermon XlII.
The Foundation of Confidence to- wards Gqj> explained.
1 John ill. 19, 20, 21.
\And hereby we know that we are of the truth ^ and Jhalt ajjure cur hearts before him. Fof^ if cur hearts condemn us^ God is greater than our hearts^ and knoweth all things ; be^ loved^ if our hearts condemn us not^ theti have we confidence towards God. ?• 3 1 >^
< S E R"'
C O N r E M T S.
S E R IVI O N XIV.
On. tlie fame Sub]e6l.
44
S E R M o ;^ XV-
Walking by Faith, not by Sight^ cx^ plained and recommended.
2 Corinth, v. 7. For we ivalk by faith^ net hy ftght. p. 3 70
PHIITCETOII
■THEOLOGICAL //
,r PEIITCJETOIT
TIII^JOLOQIOJlL
SER-
[ I] SERMON I.
Religion and Virtue, confidered under the Notion of Wisdom.
PROVERBS I. I, 2, 3,4.
The pro'verhs of Solo??i07i the fen of David^ king of Ifrael : To knoiv ivifdoni and in-^ JiruSfion, to perceive words of under jl and- ing 'y to receive the injlrudiion of ivifdom^ jujliccy and judgment, and equity j to give fubtilty to the fimple, to the young man knowledge and difcretion,
AN Y one who readeth the proverbs 3 e R m; of Solofnon attentively, will fee that !• the principal fcope of them is to teach men wifdom. His manner of writing is, indeed, fuch, that no one fubjeiS is me- thodically treated by him, the whole book being no more than a colle6tion of wife moral fayings, without any coherence, fome probably wrote down by himfelf, and fome extra<5led afterwards out of other writings which are not now extant ; of the former Vol. III. B fort
2 Religion and Virtue,
SERM.fort fcem to be the firil twenty-four chap-* I. ters, and of the latter, the remaining part of the book, under this title, chap. xxv. i . 'Thefe are alfo proverbs of Solo?no?iy which the men of Hezekiah copied out. But though the writing is of this unconnected kind, yet one may plainly fee a general defign in it, which the author keepeth always in his view ; that is, to reclaim the fimple from their folly, by giving them a jufl notion, and a true tafle of real wifdom ; and to furnifh men in general with fuch inftruc- tions, fuch excellent rules of life, as might be profitable to diredt their whole behaviour. Thus he beginneth, fetting forth the wri* tcr's chief aim, and by its excellence be- fpeaking the attention of the reader. The proverbs of Solomon the f on of David king of Ifrael j to know wifdom and i7iJlru5lion ; to perceive words of underftanding -, to receive the infiruBions of wifdom, j^^fti^^-, and judg- ment, and equity ; to give fuhtilty to the fimple ; to the young 7nan knowledge and dif cretion, Befides a great many fcattered hints, in almoft every chapter, which fet the counfels of the excellent moralifl in the amiable light of wifdom, underftanding, and difcretion, he fometimcs, as in the 3d,
4 the
chnfidcred imder the Notion ofWifdom. 3
the 8th, and 9th chapters, doth defignedly, Serm.
and even out of his profeiTed method, that ^ ^^•
is, more largely than in the way of pro- Verbs,' infift on the beauty and excellence of wifdom, inviting men fcriouily and fleadily to contemplate her charr^s, that they may admire her inftrudions, .and give themfelves up to her condu6t,
Wifdom is introduced in the dramatick way (which is an antient, and, when well managed, a very ufeful way of writing) as a divine perfon appearing in a very lovely- form, difplaying her native worth and beauty ; and by the moft powerful pcrfua- fives, and the mofl affectionate manner of addrefs, foliciting the degenerate fons of men to hearken to her eounfels for their good. The reafonablenefs and happy ef- fects of our complying with her propofals are reprefented, and the vanity of all thofe things which rival wifdom for our aftedions, is fully fhewn. The means, and the necef- fary difpofitions on our part^ in order to our attaining the true difcretion here juftly cele- brated, are particularly mentioned, and thofe prejudices laid open, with the folly and un- reafonablenefs of them, which fhut mens minds, and harden their hearts againfl it.
B z With
4 Religion and VlrtuCy
Serm. With thefe things in our view as its mam •»• defign, let us carefully read the Book of Proverbs, Some perhaps negleft and dif- regard it 'as dry morality j but certainly it containeth pure religion^ and undejiled beforlt Cod the Father, excellent rules for the con- dudl of life -, and it marketh out the way in which alone we can hope for the divine acceptance, and the folid peace which ari- feth from the teflimony of an approving confcience. That you may read it with the greater advantage, I will endeavour, in this difcourfe, to explain the nature, charad:ersj and ufes of the wifdom of which it treateth ; and making that the ftandard, we may try fome things which have the appearance of wifdom, and, perhaps, correcfl fome wrong notions we have entertained in a matter of fo great importance : and by that amiable character, which muft be high in the efteem of every conliderate perfon, if it appeareth to be juflly applied, we may be induced to confent to, and pra<5tife the rules Solomon prefcribeth.
In general, it is very plain that what this
author meaneth by wifdom, is true religion
and virtue ; whether it be worthy of that
name, efpecially in the peculiar and diftin-
2 guiihing
cunfider-cd under the Notion oj JVifdom, ' f guifhing manner he giveth it, in oppofition S e R M« to every thing eUe that pretends to it, I •■• fhall afterwards confider ; at prefent, I ob- ferve, that what lie meaneth by wifdom, is rehgion and virtue; and you will fee it to be fo, if you look into the following paf- fages in the 7th verfe of this chapter ; T/jf fear of the Lord is the beginning of know^ kdge ; which was a principle Solomon learn- ed from his pious father, to whofe inflruc- tions he often refers in this book, and ac- knowledgeth his great obligations to them. This was i)<2^v^s dodlrine, FfaL cxi. 10. and indeed it was a maxim received by wife men in ages long before theirs, as you may fee in fob xxviii. 28. where it is reprefented to be the fum of what God taught men, as the fubftance of their duty, and their moft important concern. The fear of the Lord, in the ftile of the facred writers, fignifieth univerfal religion, becaufe it is an eminent part of it, proper enough therefore, by an ufual way of fpcaking, to defer ibe the whole; and becaufe it is a principle which, when the mind is duly poflefTed with, and brought thoroughly under its power, cannot fail of producing obedience to all the command- ments of God. As cTcry branch oi virtue
B 3 is
■6 • ' Religion and Virtue,
Serm.is enjoined by the divine precepts, which I- fl:iew us ail that is morally good with re- fpe(^ to ourfelves and our fellow-creatures> as well as to God, lb true religion is nothing . elfe but the praidtice of virtue, from a regard to the Deity. The fear of the Lord, if we underftand it in the ftri^teft fenfe, qf a pi- ous reverence for the fupreme Being, with a difpofition to do his will, is called the be- ginning of wifdom^ as being a very eminent: part of our duty, or rather a principle na- turally productive of that righteoufnefs and goodnefs in which true wisdom confilleth : If we take it in a greater latitude, as inclu- ding with the principle all its genuine fruits, in an univerfal conformity to the will of God, then it is the whole duty of man, as Solomon fays, Ecclef. xii. 13. and comprcr hendeth all which the facred writers call wifdom. So Job delivereth the dod:rine in the place already referr'd to, Unto ?nan Lk' [aid, The fear cf the Lord, that is wifdor/i -, and to depart from evil, is iinderjlanding.
Again j the ' wifdom which Solomon re- commendeth is called the knowledge cf the Hcl)\ chap. ix. 10. where the princi- ple already mentioned, is repeated in the fame words, .'The fear of the Lord is the be- ginning
confJcrcd under the Notion of Wifdom. 7
ginning of wifdom; and it is explained thus, Serm: the knowledge of the Holy is underjiaiiding. -*• They are religious things about which it is converfant j the deepefl: penetration in other matters,, the highefl attainments in humaa fciences and arts, an.d the exadtefl judgment in the affairs of this worlds will not intitle any one to the chara(Sler of wife, according to the do(5trine of this excellent author j but an acquaintance with, divine objeds, and with the duty we owe to God, is, accord- ing to him, the trueft underftanding. Nei- ther is it meer fpeculative knowledge even of religion he meaneth j the inftrudlions of wifdom do. all tend to practice j and the conformity of our lives to its rules is that only which will denominate us wife men in Solomon's account,, Pt^ov. xxviii. 7.. Whofo keepeth the law, is a wife [on.
Befides thefe general declarations, which are very comprqhenfive, taking in every part of our duty, and which plainly fhew the defign of the Proverbs is to reprefent the wifdom of univerfal righteoufnefs 5, the cha- .rad:er of wifdom is applied to particular vir- tues, and it is faid to qonfiH in them, as in the text, ver. 3. To receive the injirudiions of mjdom^ jiifiice^ and judgment y 'and equity. B 4 Juftice
S Religion and Virtue,
^ERM. Juflicc IS a very important branch of our ^' duty, a virtue which we have frequent oc- cafion for the exercife of in life ; it diredeth a great part of our behaviour towards man* kind, injoineth us to preferve the rights of men inviolable, and to render to all their due, to do as we would be done by, with- out being warped by a regard to any feliifh or private intereft. Perhaps there is not any thing in religion itfelf more difagree- able to the wifdom of the world ; for, gene- rally, men make their own intereft the chief end of their policy, and form their fchemes for private advantage, without caring to dif- tinguifh nicely between right and wrong; and hov/ever they may efteem inflexible righteoufnefs, as virtue and religion, yet it is far from being: accounted wifdom. But not to enter upon an inquiry into the truth of the cafe, whether juftice be only a kind of religious fimplicity, or real wifdom, founded on the befl maxims, and worthieft of an intelligent nature, and conducive to all the ends it ought to purfue ; or if that cunning which deviateth from integrity, ufeth fraud and indiredt arts to promote fel- - fi{h ends, be true difcretion, and becoming the underllanding of a man ; without inqui- ring
coTifidercd under the "Notion of Wifdom. 9
ring into this, I fay, it is fufficient to my S e R M. prefent purpofe, that juflice, judgment, and I- equity, are the wifdom which Solomon in- culcateth.
Another virtue, which he recommendeth under the fame character, is chaftity. This he very often infifteth upon, particularly in the 2d, the 5th, and 7th chapters, proving at large the iimplicity and thoughtlefnefs of the adulterer, who, with the infenfibility of a beaft, is caught in the toil, and flupidly falls into the fnare which is laid for him. The men who abandon themfelves to the purfuit of difhonourable and irregular plea- fures, fondly imagine there is a great deal of art and contrivance in their management; they are the men, in their own conceit, of deep intrigue, and refined underftanding, valuing themfelves upon the little artifices, whereby they feduce the unhappy partners of their crimes, and impofe upon thofe whom they injure. But all this, in the judg- ment of Solomon^ is extreme folly ; and the fenfelefs wretch, deprived of all reafon, is only hafling to his ruin, as an ox goeth to tlje Jlaughtei\ or, as a fool to the corrcBion of the flocks. The intemperate will not, perhaps, pretend to the charadtcr of wife ;
they
lo Religion and Virtue^
S E R M. they fatisfy themfelves with their fenfual
!• gratifications as the beft enjoyments, having endeavoured to drov^n all fenfe of fuperior excellence ; they decry wifdom, and treat it with contempt, as too rigid and folemn for that gaiety in which they chufe to Ipend their days. But if we v/ill take our notions of things from this writer, voluptuoufnefg and excefles in eating and drinking are di^ redtly contrary to wifdom, w^hich guardetb her votaries againft them as mofl pernicious^ ProiJ. xxiii. 19. Hear thou ^ my fin ^ a?id be moife, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not amongft wine-bibbers, amongjl riotous eaters cf jiejh J for the drunkard and the glutton Jhall come to poverty ; and drowfinefs Jhall cloath a man with rags, Slothfulnefs, ^ lazy jftupid ina(flivity and indolence, is a 'vice very, incident to human Nature j and they who give themfelves up to it vainly fancy they take the wifeft courfe, avoiding many dangers, and a great deal of painful toil and labour j the fluggard is wifer in his own conceit than f even men that can ren- der a reafon : But in this book he is charged with brutifh folly, and even fent to the bealts, as wifer than he,^ to be inflrudied by them, Prov, vi. 6. Go to the ant, thou Jlug-
- gard^
cofiJiHered under the Notion of Wijdom. 1 1
^ardy confider her ways^ and be wife. And, Ser M, on the contrary, diligence is preiTed as true I. wifdom. It is plain too, that the wifdom Solomon teacheth comprehends the right go- yernment of the tongue, which other infpi- red writers reprefcnt as an eminent branch pf religion, diredling us when to be filent, jind when to fpeak ; but efpecially he di- fedleth us to keep the heart, retraining fu- rious paffions, prelerving equanimity and por^ipofure of fpirit, and exerciling humility and tnceknefs.
c. 3tit I need not infift on particulars ; every pne mufl be convinced that folly is, accord- ing to the judgment of Splomon, the cha- rader of every vice ; and wifdom, of every virtue j and that his intention is to fet moral good and eidl in that light, that we may cKufe the one, and refufe the other. If any are inclined -to become his difciples, and to form their livf s by his inftrudtions, there is nothing they mult be fo careful to preferve fls their integrity, and with the utmofl cau- tion tliey muil avoid every fin i to accom- pli(h which ends is the invaluable benefit iie propofeth by the wifdpm he hath taught. When vice, of any fort, hath the greatefl outward advantages on its fide, when mul- titudes
12 Religion and Virtue^
S E R M. titudes are combined to enrich themfelves
I. by its unlawful gains j by their united coun- fels projects are form'd, and by their united force to be executed, fo that there is the greateft probability of fuccefs ; and honours, profit, and pleafure, are in profped: to be attained by unrighteous methods, it is the province of wifdom to preferve us from the fnare, and to deliver us from all crooked and forbidden paths; chap. i. lo. My fin ^ when fmners entice thee^ confent thou not. And, chap. ii. ii, 12. Difcretion Jhnll pre^- fevue thee, under jlanding Jhall keep thee, to deliver thee from the way of the evil man. And v/hereas in all the affairs and circum* fiances of life we are furrounded with temp* tations, and our own frailty is apt to betray us into fnares of one kind or other, the wifdom Solomon recommendeth is propofed as an univerfal defence and antidote againft all evil, and that which will eifedually pre* ferve us from every deftrudive way. Chap, iii. 21. My fon, keep found wifdom and dif cretion, fo fhall they he life unto thy foul, and grace to thy neck -, then fljalt thou walk in thy way fafely, and thy foot fhall not fliimble^
. This
confidered under the Notion of Wifdom, 1 3
This, I think, is fufficient to anfwer theSERM. defign I at firft propofed, that is, to (hew !• the nature, charaders, and ufes of the wif- dom Solomon recommendeth in the Proverbs, But there are two obfervations farther to be made, which both the nature of the fubjed:, and the exprefs declarations of the author dired: us to. The iirft is, that virtue and integrity, to be preferved from the ways of fin and wickednefs, that it may amount to true wifdom, mufl be the refult of delibe- ration and choice. Wifdom is the quality of a free felf-determining agent, whole fprings of a(ftion are under the guidance of his own underflanding j chance, or necef- fity, or outward impulfe, have no part in it. If you fuppofe a perfon retrained from any vicious courfe by force, or that he efca- peth it by a natural incapacity, or by acci- dent, without any defign of his own, with- out any exercife of underftanding, or confi- deration of the grounds he goeth upon ; the innocence of his life, if it may be called (o^ hath nothing in it of wifdom, and therefore nothing of virtue. Difcretion confifteth ia weighing maturely the motives of adtion, in comparing them together, and being de- termined freely by that which, upon the
whole.
14- Religion and Viriue;
Serm. whole, appeareth to be the juftefl: and the
^* beft. From which it is a plain confequence; that the more calrii and fedate, the more dehberate and free our minds are in ailing, our condud: is the wifer and the better. For a man to flumble into the right road,- or be hurried with -vehemence, without con-^ fidering whether he goeth, or ^hat he is doing, is not worthy to be called either wife or good. A contrary accident or im- pulfe, for any thing in him to prevent it, tnight as well have driven him the oppofitc way. And in this confifteth the folly of a wicked courfe of life, that the unhappy finner, as the prophet fpeaketh, Ifaiah xlvi. 8. doth 7iQt Jhew himfclf a man ; he doth not a(St, according to the privilege of his nature, as the refult of a calm inquiry into the motives of adlion, but rather is acfled upon by external objecfls, driven by his ap- petites and paffions, the weight which moves the brutal kind, or as if human na- ture were meerly a piece of meclianifm. Solomcn^ account is this, chap. xiv. 8. That it is the wifdom of the prudent to tinderftand his way ', and ver. 15. The fimple believeth 'every word, but the prudent man looketh well to his goings. Therefore he giveth this di*
reition
corjldered ujider the Notion of Wifdom. 1 5
red:ion, chap. iv. 20. My fon, attend to ;;/ySERM. 'words J incline thine ear to my Jayings. A ^ -l* rafli, inconliderate, thoughtlefs conduft, mufl come {liort of religion, becaufe it is unworthy of wifdom j for it is plain, by all the notions which our reafon fuggefteth to us of the Deity, he will mofl approve his reafonable creatures when they ad: the moft deliberately, and have impartially confidered all things which ought to determine them, in order to their making the bell choice they can. It followeth then, that the more precipitately we ad, ftill the lefs religioully, if religion be indeed wifdom ; and always when we find ourfcives vehemently prefied to any defigns.or meafures, fo as to exclude confideration, which is often the unhappi- nefs of men, . we have the more reafon to fufped: that, our minds are under an undue influence, and in a tempted ftate ; for con- fideration leadeth to virtue and religion, but the views of fin and folly fhun it as a mortal enemy. . ..
The fecond obfervation from the account which this book giveth us of religious vir- tue, and the light in which it places it as- wifdom, is, that a good man ufeth forefight, and looketh to the lafl iflue of things, that
1 6 Religion and Virtue <^
SERM.y^ he may direift his behaviour. Wifdom
I. confifteth in forming defigns fuited to the dignity of our nature, and purfuing them by the beft means in our power. Religion, then, could never juflly be called wifdom, if it had not a view to the future confe- quences of our prefent conduct, fecuring the greatefl perfection and felicity that can be hoped for. No man can be efteemed wife, who is infenfible to his own true in- terell: ; for it is an inclination infeparable from human nature, and juftified by the iiri(fteft reafon, to feek after happinefs ; it is a maxim which no one will deny, 'Job xxii. 2. He that is wife, is profitable to himfelf-y which Solomon applies to his wife man, that is, the virtuous, who in the beft manner provideth for his own fafety and happinefs ; Frov, ix. 12. If thou be wife, thou fhalt be wife for thyfelf-, but if thou fcornefl, thou clone fhalt bear it. Though virtue doth iiand on another foot, and there is really fuch a thing as moral excellence, neceffarily acknowledged and approved by our minds, abflTad:ing from all confideration of intereft, yet is it very much ftrengthened, and intel- ligent creatures reafonably eftabliflied in their choice of it, and their refolution to adhere
to
conjidcred wider the Notion ofWifdom. \j
to it againft all temptations, by this afTu-SERM. ranee, that it Ihall not hurt, but rather fe- ^' cure their happinefs, which hath been ac- knowledged to be the tendency of virtue, wherever any jufl: notions of it have ob- tained in the world. If men believe there is a Cod, wife, juft, and good, they mufl conclude that righteoufnels is pleafing to him i and if the foul is immortal, and fhall fubfiil in another Hate, they who have done good in this life, have the befl hope of be- ing diilinguiflied by the fiivour of the Deity in the next. Thefe are matters about which the facred rule of our religion hath not left us in the dark, as the heathens were j but taught us, with the greatefl: clearnefs and certainty, the wifdom of obedience to God's laws, and the folly of difobedience ; becaufe he hath appointed a day in "which he will judge men by 'Jefiis Chrijt^ according to their works. And thus purfuing his main fcope, and delivering his inftrudtions agreeably io liis grand principle, that virtue is wifdom, and that vice and wickednefs is extreme folly : Solomon fays, chap. xxii. 3. A prudent fjian forefeeth the evil, and hideth him/elf; but the Jimple pafs on, and are punijhed. Again 3 the religious govern themfslves by Vox. III. C a
i8 Religion and Virtue,
S E R M. a cautious forefight of the unhappy confe- I* quences of a finful courfe, and by views truly fublime, and far above this world. Chap. XV. 24. The way of life is above to the wife, that he may depart from hell be- neath.
Having proceeded fo far, and endeavoured to fhew you what the wifdom is which So- lomon fo much celebrateth in this book, per- fuading us to fludy it, and conform our- felves to its rules, it would be, in the next place, very proper to conlider the truth of his doftrine \ to inquire whether religion, univerfal righteoufnefs, goodnefs, tempe- rance, meeknefs, chaftity, and all the other virtues in which he placeth wifdorsi, be re- ally worthy of that character. If it be fo, then certainly the fear of the Lord, with the whole fyftem of virtues which it inclu- deth, or which depend upon it, mufl be high in our efleem j for we cannot help va- luing wifdom as the proper improvement of our reafon ; to think meanly and contemp- tuoufly of it, would be to forget ourfelves, and to difparage what mufl be acknow- ledged to be the excellence of our nature. But the pretences to wifdom, it is fuppo- fed, every man muft have leave to examine, 2 and
€onfidcred under the 'Notion of Wtfdom. 1 9
and to judge for himfelfj obedience maySERM. be demanded by mere authority j the fub- I. jed: is not at Hberty to enquire into the rea- ^"'^ fons of what is enjoined by his fuperior ; but counfel is addreiTed to the underflanding ; and whatever is propofed under the charac- ter of wifdom mud neceflarily be fubmit- ted to our own confideration, that we may receive it fo far as there appeareth fufficient caufe to our own reafon and judgment. Now, certainly this is a dodrine which will abide the flrideft and moft impartial trial, that true religion, and every branch of it, is wifdom, and the knowledge of the Holy is tmderjlajiding. Perhaps the befl and moft fatisfying way for illuftrating this, would be to enter into particulars, to conlider the duties of piety, of juflice, of meeknefs, of charity, and the reft ; and to fhew that every one of them is indeed wifdom, moll becoming men, exadly fuited to the ftate and relations of the human nature, and con- ducive to the higheft and moft important ends which fuch a Being ought to purfue ; but that would be too large for the prefent defign. If we take the whole fyftem toge- ther, it will not be ditficult to judge whe- ther it deferveth to be called wifdom, and
C 2 whether
20 Religion and Virtue^
Serm. whether they are not the wifefl men, who I. form the difpolitions of their minds and " """"^^ their pradiice by its rules.
One notion of wifdom is, that it confift.- eth in a right judgment of things, of their nature, fo far as that falls within our know- ledge, of their properties, relations, differ- ences, and of their ends and ufes. The difference between the wifeft man, and the weakeft, in underffanding, doth not lie in the materials of their knowledge, if I may fpeak fo ; they have the fame ideas, the fame reprefentations of objedls in their mind conveyed by their fenfes : But whe- ther it be for want of equal capacity, op- portunity, or diligence, the one hath not fo thoroughly examined, and doth not fo well difcern their agreement or difigreement, their relations, diftindions, and ufes, as the other. A defeat here mull have a very un- happy influence on our condud:, which muft be formed according to our fentiments and opinions of things. A man who is not able to diftinguifh, cannot know how to determine his choice, what to do, or for- bear ; what to chufe, or refufe j like a blind man placed among a great variety of things, fome good and fome bad, who hath nothing • to
corjidcred under the Notion of Wifdom. 2 r
to clired his choice, becaule he cannnot dif- Sf. rm. cern,the difference, and may be as ready to ^' catch at a pebble as a jewel, nay, as ready to lay hold on what is deflrudive, as on what may be good and profitable to him ; fo in the proper Iphere of the rational powers, as there is an elFcntial difference between objed:s, it is ablolutely ncceffary we fliould dilcern it, in order to our being rightly de- termined. If this be a juft notion of wif- dom, let us apply it to the fubjed before us, and any one may eafily judge, whether uni- verfal religion, the fear of God, julf ice, pa- tience, temperance, goodnefs, be not more agreeable to the true nature and efTential differences of things, and fl;ieweth an exadter judgment concerning them than the con- trary. Let any man who hath even the flendereft acquaintance with the fyftem of thefe virtues, determine, whether he who heartily embraceth and adtcth according to it, appeareth to have a truer difccrnment, than he who maketh the oppofite choice. I do not doubt but every one, who reflc(^l- eth ferioufly, will be convinced, that to fear God, to be juft, and charitable to men, and to moderate our own appetites and pafTions, is to judge rightly, to treat things as they C I are.
22 Religion and Virtue ^
Serm. are, according to truth, and to their real !• ^ nature and importance ; in other words, that it is wifdom 3 and that to abandon our felves to impiety, unrighteoufnefs, and fen- fual pleafures, is to confound things, to ncg- ledl their differences, to treat them quite otherwife than, at Icaft if we confidered, we {hould judge them to be ; or that it is folly.'
Another notion of wifdom is, an ability to improve our reafon to the befl purpofes. All men boafl alike of this high prerogative of their nature, that they are rational ; but they have not all the fame dexterity in the ufe of reafon, nor an equal capacity to em- ploy it for the fame valijable ends. The conftitution of the human nature feems to be uniform ; we have the fame original de- terminations, the fame fenfes, or ways of perceiving things, and the fame propenfities or afFed;ions which conflitute the ends we purfue J but they are various and unequal in their excellency and importance, according to the different parts of our nature to which they relate, and the ufes which the wife author of our being dcfigned them for. There is, for example, in man, a defire to meat and drink, and other gratifications of
the
cofijidercd under the Notiofi of IViJdom. 23
the external fenfes j there is alfo a defire oFSerm* moral excellence, an afFe(5tion to beings of *• the moft perfect charaders. Every one mufl fee there is a great difference in point of excellency and importance, between thefe affedions or defires, and the purfuits to which they determine us. It is the pro- vince of wifdom to judge concerning the worth and dignity of our ends, that we may purfue them v^ith fuitable zeal and applica- tion, as well as to find out the befl and pro- pereft means for obtaining them. Now, among all the ends which we are determined to purfue by any inflind:, appetite, or incli- nation of nature, it will be no difficulty to judge which are the worthieft, the moft ex- cellent in themfelves, and the moft becom- ing fuch creatures as we are to purfue, and confequently, which ends true wifdom di- redieth us to chufe, as the chief and con- ftantly to be aimed at, in preference to all others ; whether that moral perfection, which is the glory of intelligent beings, or the enjoyments of the animal life, which are common to us with the brutal kinds.
One neccifary determination in our na- ture is, to feek our own happinefs j and it will be acknowledged true wifdom which C 4 diredleth
24 Religion and Virtue ,
SERM.direcSeth us to the bed and moil: effedual I- way for fecuring that end. Now, not to enter on any large expHcation of this point, the queftion concerning the wifdom of reli- gion may be brought to a fhort ilfue. Let any man feriouily confider, and upon ma- ture refled;ion anfwer to himfelf, whether he really thinks it would be better for him, upon the whole, to be religious or wicked ; whether he would find himfelf eafier, and be better fatisfied in his own mind, and have better hope concerning his ftate here- after ; by fearing God, or not fearing him ; by a courfe of regular ftri(5l virtue, or li- centious immorality ? If there be any diffi- culty at all in anfwering the queftion, it arifeth from the vehemence of corrupt in- clinations, and the prefent unealinefs which accompanieth them; whereby men are ur- ged to comply, without confidering the certain, though at prefent diftant, confe- quences of fuch compliance. But, not to infift on any other arguments, this is a dif- ficulty unworthy of wifdom, becaufe it ari- feth from the weak part of our conftitu- tion, originally intended to be guided and direded by reafon, which in man ought flill to hold the reins 3 and we turn into folly,
■whenever
conjidercd under the Notion ofJVifdcm. 25
whenever we decline a fubjecftion to its em- S e r M. pire, or adt otherwife than it direcfteth. ^' Doth not wilUom require us to ad: with a regard to the future, as well as the prefent time ? Is it not true difcrction to have a greater regard to a more important than to a lefs important intereft, and to have a greater regard to an eternal ftate, than to that which is momentary and perilling ? And if this be taken into the account, the vvifdom of religion will fully appear.
It is certain that multitudes of mankind conduct themfelves quite otherwife ; they take up with the pleafures of the external fenfes, or the gratification of low defiresj and they imagine themfelves wife in doing fo, devifing fubtile methods for obtaining their ends. But this fatal miftake arlfeth from a partial confideration of the human nature, and a narrow view of our exigence. If we deliberately conlider the whole of our frame, and with difcretion extend our pro- fpeds to a future ftate, of which we have the flrongefl aflurances, we {hall be con- vinced that fenfible objcd:s cannot afford us the truefl felicity j and that it becometh fuch creatures as we are, to provide for a longer duration than the prefent life; that
the
26 Religion and Virtue y
Serm. the dominion of confcience over the lower I. appetites and paffions is abfolutely neceffary to preferve the harmony of nature ; and that the mofl: fohd and permanent peace and joy, fpring from the love and obfer- vance of God's laws. And as wifdom is profitable to diredt men to the profecution of the moft worthy ends, another part of its province is chufing the beft means for attaining them ; and this alio appeareth in religion. Its directions principally turn up- on the pradiice of piety and virtue ; and what better and more natural way can there be for arriving at perfe(5tion in any thing, than pra<5tiiing that wherein we would be perfed ? If we would hope to be finally blefied in beholding God's face in righte- oufnefs, what better preparation can there be for it, than, when we behold the glory of the Lord, difplayed in his word, to be changed into his image, to become parta- kers of a divine nature, and, cleanfing our- felves from the filthinefs of the flefh and fpirit, to perfect holinefs in his fear ; thus to grow up gradually, by a continual progrefs in every religious virtue, to a meetnefs for the inheritance of the faints in light. True it is, that through the prejudices which are
natural
confider-ed under the "Notion of Wifdom. 2/ natural to us, and felfifli afFedtions, which S e r M. arc very ftrong, the difcipllne of religion is I- irkfome to men, efpecially at their firft en- trance into it ; fo that true virtue, as prac- tifed in oppofition to the bent and tendency of depraved appetites and pafTions, is juflly reprefented under the notion of felf-denial and mortification. This at firfb view may, to unattentivc minds, have an unnatural ap- pearance, and not feem worthy the name of wifdom ; for that which is to be denied, thwarted, and controuled, being a part of our nature, the difcipline which prefcribeth the denying it, muft neceflarily prefcribe pain, (indeed the rule of our religion ac- knowledgeth this, reprefenting that part of the exercife it enjoineth, under the notion of pulling out the right eye, and cutting off the right hand) and therefore it may feem to be a difcipline not wifely calculated for promoting the felicity of the human nature, which is confeffedly an end of wifdom. Yet upon a more clofe and ferious conlide- ration, it will appear, that felf-denial and mortification is a neceflary part of wifdom, as a remedy accommodated to the infirmi- ties of our prefent ftate, and the diforders <)f our nature.
28 Re It gi en and Virtue^
Serm. We are divided againfl ourfelves, and find
J. oppofite tendencies in our hearts, carnal in- clinations and pafTions leading one way, and reafon and confcience propofing' another di- redly contrary. They muft be ftrangers to felf-refled:ion, who do not find it fo in fadt and experience -, and if it be fo, it is plain that fomething, which muft be called our- felves, and a part of our nature, muft be denied j either appetite and paffion on the one hand, or reafon and confcience on the other. But it is certain, and every confide- ratc perfon will be convinced of it, that the latter is the fuperior, the more excellent, and, of right, the governing part j and that conforming ourfelves to its direction will yield the greater, more exalted, and abiding happinefs. Now, is -it not wife and reafo- nable to deny an inferior, and worfe felf, for the fake of a better and fuperior ? And thus the law of mortifying the deeds of the body, of crucifying the flefli, with the affec- tions and lufts, is wifely injoined for the faving of the fpirit, for refcuing it from corruption, and railing it to a ftate of wif- dom, activity, and true pleafure.
Since, then, this dodrine of Solojnon fets religious virtue in fuch an inviting light; and fince, as he elfewhere fpeaketh, there is
a
cojifidered under the Notio?i of JVifdom. 29
a price put in our hands to attain it, let us Serm. not be of the fools who have no heart to I- purchafe it. This is the unhappy condition ' "' of many to whom divine iv'ijdvm crietb, and under ft anding lifteth up her ^jcice. The im- petuous clamor of their lulls and paflions prevaileth againft the calm voice of reafon ; their depraved afFedions, indulged, grow up to fuch confirmed vicious habits, as harden their hearts to an utter infenfibility, and a total negled of wifdom's moft earnefl feli- citations. Solomon, in this chapter, repre- fenteth the fatal confequenccs of this in a very clear and affeding manner i and with his words I {hall conclude : IVifdom iittereth her '•coke in the Jlreets, and cricth in the chief places of ccnccurfe, in the opening cf the gates, and in the city ; that is, in the plainefl and mofl intelligible manner: But then he adds, in the name of wifdom, Bccaufe I called, and ye refufed ; have fet at naught my coimfcls, and would none of my reprooji-r- they hated knowledge, and did not chufe the fear of the Lord; therefore, f:all they eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
S E R-
[ 30 ]
SERMON IL
The ExcELLE NCY of W I S D O M.
PROVERBS VIII. 6, 7.
Hear^ for I will Jpeak of excelkiit things, and the opening of my lips fiall be right things 3 for my mouth Jhall fpeak truth,
Serm. T TAVING endeavoured to explain the XJL nature, characters, ends, and ufes, of that wifdom which Solomon recommendeth in this book, fhewing that it comprehend- eth the whole fyftem of religious virtue, the fear of God, all the pious devout affec- tions and regards which are due to the fu- preme Being j juftice and good- will to men; fobriety, or a due government of our infe- rior appetites and paffions, together with the proper effe(5ls of thefe qualities and difpofi- tions of mind in our converfations, doing good, and efchewing evil j and having en- deavoured to juftify the notion he intendeth to give us, that it may have a proper influ- ence on our temper and pradlice, that this is true wifdom ; I fhall, next, apply myfelf
to
The Excellency of Wijdom. 3 i
to the confideration of feme arguments Serm. whereby he inforceth it, and urgeth us to II. ftudy, embrace, and conform our hves to its direiftion. One argument is contained in the text, which is a part of wifdom's ele- gant fpeech, addrelTed to the fons of men, in the moft open and folemn manner. She is reprefented, in the beginning of this chap- ter, as making a pubHc appearance in a rude, ignorant, and corrupt world, loudly pro- claiming her doctrines and counfels, and calling upon all men, without exception, even of the moft fimple and ftupid, to hearken to them. And what confideration could be more powerful to engage their at- tention than this, that flie fpeaketh of ex^ cellent things -, the opening of her lips is of right things^ and her mouth fpeaketh tj^uth. That this is the juft character of the in- ftrudtions and precepts of religious virtue, I will endeavour to fhew you in this difcourfe ; and then I fhall make fome pradical reflec- tions. You cannot but obferve, that other writers of fcripture, as well as SolotJion, at- tribute high excellency to religion 5 particu- larly we meet with many declarations of that fort in the books of "Job and the Fjahns. It is compared with things which are among men of the greateft price, and preferred to
them;
32 The Excellency of Wifdom.
Serm. them; which method of comparifon is a II' very natural one in enquiring into and de- fcribing worth. It muft indeed be fuppofed that we are, in fome meafure, acquainted wit;h the things which wifdom Jpeakethj otherwife it would be a vain attempt to fhew their excellence. But, befides that, I have already mentioned fome of them, in the brief account I gave of the defign and main fubjed: of this book ; I hope that is a fuppofition not unfit to be made in fuch an affembly : For though it muft be acknow- ledged, that the compleat fcheme of reli- gion and morality, and every thing belong- ing to it which may be comprehended in the doctrine of wifdom, is not without dif- ficulties ; fome of the fmaller lines in the divine draught may not be clearly difcerned, perhaps not all of them, by any even of thofe who have fearched into it with the greatefi: care ; yet the principal firokes are fo clear, that he who runs may ready as the prophet fpeaketh ; fcarcely any Chriftian can be ignorant of them, at leafl fo far ignorant, as not to be able to judge of their excel- lence.
My method for illuftrating Solomon's ar- gument in the text, fhall be this :
2 ^ Fi?'JI,
The Excellency of JVlJdom, 32
Tirfi^ I will confider the excellence oFSerm. the dodrines and injundtions of wif- II. dom, abtolutely and in themfelves, and under that head explain their reditude and truth.
Secondly^ I (hall, after the example of this, and other facred writers, compare them with other things which are mofl valued by men, and fliew their fupe- rior worth.
Firji, let us confider the excellence of the dodtrines and injundtions of wifdom, ab- folutely and in themfelves. And here it would feem reafonable, firft of all, that we fhould fix an idea of excellence, making it the ftandard whereby to try every thing which pretendeth to that charadler : But, as far as I can fee, the facred writers fatisfy themfelves, with refpedl to this matter, by appealing to the common fenfe of mankind, and fuppofe a neceffary approbation and efteem which muft be the llandard, at leaft the charadteriftic, of excellency to us. Their manner of fpeaking feems to be altogether unintelligible, unlefs there be fome common and plain rule wherein all men are agreed, and which muft have fo deep a foundation
Vol. III. D ia
34 ^he Excellency of Wifdom,
S E R M. in nature, as the neceflary invariable deter- JI- mination of our minds. If you fuppofe the charader of excellent and right to be the refult of arbitrary human conftitutions, it would never be uniform, but muft have as much variety as the meafures of the under- ftandings, fancies, cufloms, affedions, pre- judices, or whatever elfe might influence men in making fuch conftitutions. But we will find, by looking into our own minds, that we do not learn our notions of excellent and right that way j they are before the confideration of all laws, appointments, or- ders, and inftrudlions whatfocverj for we bring all thefe to the teft in our own minds, and try them by a fenfe which we have prior to any of them. This is not acquired (though it may be improved) by ftudy and learning, for then very few would be qua- lified to judge J but in the text wifdom ap- pealeth to the fimple and to fools, fubmit- ting her inftrudlions to their examination. Nay, this fenfe cannot depend on any pofi- tive declaration even of God's will, nor is the meaning, properly, of excellent and right things, fuch things as he hath com- manded. When St. Faul giveth thefe epi- thets to religious virtue, much of the fame fignification with thofe in the text, whatfo-
ever
The Excellency of Wifdom, 3^
e*uer things are triie^ and pia-e^ and jujl, S e r M. and hone/l^ and lovely^ I cannot think he H. means that thefe things are fo becaufe pre- fcribcd as duty in the word of God, confi- dered as a divine law j for then he would have exprelTed himfelf more plainly and in- telligibly thus ; whatfoever things are com- manded, think on thefe things ; and though the very fame things are enjoined by the fupreme authority of God, and inforced by the gofpel motives, by which they derive a new obligation upon the mind of man ; yet honefty and turpitude, lovelinefs and de- formity, are characters of a(flions which can have no reference to legiflative authority, but purely to that impreflion of moral excellence which is made deep in the human heart. Befides, the character of excellent is in a peculiar, and indeed the higheft fenfe, ap- plied to God's laws and to himfelf, which fhews that it is not to be underftood to be fixed by a pofitlve declaration of his will ; for if it were, when it is faid that his laws are excellent, and himfelf an excellent Be- ing, the meaning would be, that his laws are, and himfelf is, jufl what he pleafes ; which is in effed to fay, that his moral I perfections are not effential to him. It re- I mains then, that the original idea of excel- I D 2 lence
36 ^he Excellency of JVifdom.
S E RM. lence is, in this fenfe, efTential to our nature j II, that it is one of thofe perceptions to which we are neceflarily determined when the ob- Jed: fitted to excite it is prefented to us. By our conflitution we are tied down to certain fenfations or ways of perceiving, which feem to be uniform, ahke in all men, and fubje(3: to no alterations, in which we mufl finally acquiefce as the fole judges within their proper fphere. Job fays, chap. xii. 1 1. Doth not the ear try wordsy and the month tafte his jneats. The perception of taftes is natural, the fame originally in every man, no one learneth it from another, as^ we do the fignification of words, arts, and habits of divers kinds ; and every man's tafte is the only judge for himfelf of its proper objed:, no one can change it, or conform his man- ner of perception to the will of another ; fo that if a proclamation was made, offering meats and drinks to all who fhould be will- ing to receive them, and this argument ufed, not that they are wholfome or medi- cinal, tending to reflore and preferve health, for that might be difHcult to judge of, and requireth fkill and experience, but that they are fweet or palatable 5 to whom is the ap- peal underflood to be made,, but to every one for himfelf? for the mouth tafleth
meats.
^e Excellency ef JVifdom. ny
meats. In like manner, fays Job, the ear ^^r m. trieth words -, probably he means, the un- II. derftanding trieth dodirines, and the mind trieth the goodnefs of things, and muft pro- nounce the beft judgment on every one that is propofed to it. There is a tafte in the mind, or a power of difcerning of excel- lency, of right and truth, as well as in the mouth a tafte of meats ; and it is as natural and much more invariable. When certain charaders, anions, and principles, are pro- pofed to us, we have as neceffarily a per- ception of excellent and vile, right and wrong, of true and falfe, as we have of fweet, and bitter, and four, from the ob- jects of the external fenfe. And as this lat- ter is capable of being improved by experi- ence, or vitiated by a diftemper, which doth not hinder its being natural ; fo in the other cafe, there is not in all men an equal degree or extent of knowledge in the things of wifdom, which arifeth from an inequa- lity in their capacities, means of informa- tion, and attention ; but flill there is in all men a fenfe of the difference between moral good and evil, of the excellence of the one, and the turpitude of the other, as foon as it is underilood. I do not fay that this ne- D 3 ceflarily
ll"
■'^f-:-^-;;:^-''^
36 72?^ Excellency of Wifdom.
S E R M. lence is, in this fenfe, eflential to our nature j II. that it is one of thofe perceptions to which we are neceflarily determined when the ob- jed; fitted to excite it is prefented to us. By our conftitution we are tied down to certain fenfations or ways of perceiving, which feem to be uniform, ahke in all men, and fubje^t to no alterations, in which we mufl finally acquiefce as the fole judges within their proper fphere. Job fays, chap. xii. 1 1, Doth not the ear try words, and the month tafte his meats. The perception of tafles is natural, the fame originally in every man, no one learneth it from another, as^ we do the iignification of words, arts, and habits of divers kinds 5 and every man*s tafte is the only judge for himfelf of its proper objed:, no one can change it, or conform his man- ner of perception to the will of another ; fo that if a proclamation was made, offering meats and drinks to all who fliould be will- ing to receive them, and this argument ufed, not that they are wholfome or medi- cinal, tending to reftore and preferve health, for that might be difficult to judge of, and requireth fkill and experience, but that they are fweet or palatable ; to whom is the ap- peal underftood to be made,, but to every one for himfelf? for the mouth tafteth
meats»
ft
meats, bl Ml w:.
khh * trietlitirrx*
hpfoitc \i Mi(j, or 2 p bcj, ofqgii oioutliati&i SDdmiiciiiDQt
pofed [0 Di, ff ^h i a;
eiice, or vjtii dotliDodiixr other cafe, tic %eeorenr.:
<i 0! !
•"^;J3iir nature;
-P^ns to which
■"•^entkob-
■•^ to us, By
'■T to certain
■?, wiiicli
■ M, and
■ -1 n mull
i.y.-,ctiapjii.n,
■ -"Jtlimd
...:.;.■] of talles is
..:':imrjm,
•,. iiid kbits
. 7 ojj] 5 taile is the
•■ ::; proper objeft,
.':::.!o:mliisnian- \
•'" chnotkr; ,
...-.ie, offering ;
•^^■Jbewi!!-
Kf«
jboll'oiiieoriiiefii'
j^jalpreferveliealth,
^^ ID judge of. ^"^ J^^^but that they
The Excellency cf Wijdom, '^y
meats. In like manner, fays Jo^, the ear S^r m. trieth words-, probably he means, the un- II. derflanding trieth dodirines, and the mind trieth the goodnefs of things, and mufl pro- nounce the befl judgment on every one that IS propofed to it. There is a tafte in the mind, or a power of difcerning of excel- lency, of right and truth, as well as in the mouth a talle of meats ; and it is as natural and much more invariable. When certain characters, adions, and principles, are pro- pofed to us, we have as necefllirily a per- ception of excellent and vile, right and wrong, of true and falfe, as we have of fweet, and bitter, and four, from the ob- jedls of the external fenfe. And as this lat- ter is capable of being improved by experi- ence, or vitiated by a diftemper, which doth not hinder its being natural ; fo in the other cafe, there is not in all men an equal degree or extent of knowledge in the things of wifdom, which arifeth from an Inequa- lity in their capacities, means of informa- tion, and attention -, but flill there is in all men a fenfe of the difference between moral good and evil, of the excellence of the one, and the turpitude of the other, as foon as it is underilood. I do not fay that this ne- D 3 cciTarily
38 'The Excellency of Wifdom,
S ERM. ceiTarily determines our praftice ; we find by 11. experience that it is otherwife, and that men milled by their felfifh indinations, vi- cious cuftoms and habits, and flrong preju^ dices, chufe what they know to be evil, and refufe what they know to be good ; but every one who, according to Solomon's ex- hortation, will hear and ferioufly conlider, is quaUfied to difcern that the things which wifdom fpeaketh, are indeed excellent.
\\ the qneilion be, What are thofe things, in the inftrudlions of wifdom, or of religion and virtue, which appear to be fo excellent ? I aniwer, every thing. Let any man feri- oufly confider the great branches of religion as they are propofed to us in the fcripture, let them think on them feverally, and then in Gonjundion, as making up one fyftem, and let him calmly pronounce judgment, whether they, or their oppofites, are the more excellent and amiable ? whether the fear and iove of God, with a confl:ant tenor of practice agreeable to thefe great princi- ples, be better than irreligion and profane- nefs ? whether charity, fidelity, gratitude, temperance, chaftity, patience, be better than malice, fraud, violence, perfidioufnefs, drunkennefs, Igwdnefs, and a continued
courfe
The Excellency of Wifdom, 39
courfe of outrageous infolence againfl GodSERM. and man ? and then let him judge whether II. it be not true, which the prophet hath faid, Micah vi. 8. God hath Jhewed thee^ O ma?!, what is good.
But I think the wife man hath very well explained his own meaning in the following words ot the text, and leads us into a juft way of conceiving the excellence of religious virtue j for, faith wifdom, the opening of my lips fhall be of right things^ and my mouth fhall fpeak truth. Right and true are cha- raders which we cannot but acknowledge to be excellent wherever we difcern them ; fet them againfl their oppolites, in any cafe wherein you are competent judges, and fully able to diflingui(h, that you may fee to which of them your own minds mull neceffarily give the preference. An adion or a charader, in which redlitude and iate- grity eminently fliine forth, or a rule which propofeth them to us, fuch as that of our Saviour, Matt. vii. 12. Whatever ye would that men fiould do to you^ do ye even fo to them. This will command our veneration, and truth will always appear lovely, even when our private interefts and affedlions /land in greatefl oppofition to it. When D 4 any^
40 ^he Excellency of Wifdom.
SERM.any bias inclineth us to the fide of iniquity
II. or of falfhood, yet ftill we are confcious of a fuperior excellence and amiablenefs in righteoufnefs and truth, Thefe are the cha- raders of God's laws, which engage the cfteem and affedion of his fervants, I mean his moral laws, which are clearly declared in his word, and were known by the light of nature -, for the apoftle fays, the ivork of the law is written in the hearts of men-, the Pfalmifl likewife, Ffal, xix. 8. 'fhe Jiatutes of the Lord are right -, and ver. 9. His judg- ments are altogether righteous. And Pjal. cxix. 138. T^hy teftimonies are rights good^ and very faithful. It is true, that righte- oufnefs is often taken in a limited fenfe for one part of our duty to men, rendering to all their due ; but fometimes it comprehend- eth univerfal religion and virtue, to which the character of right is afcribed, not merely with regard to the authority of God enjoin- ing it, but becaufe of an infeparable reditude in the things themfelves, prior to all laws. Not only flrid juftice, but other parts of our duty, come under the denomination of righteoufnefs, becaufe of their congruity to that fenfe of right and wrong eflential to the rational nature j for example, the homage
we
^he Excellency of Wifdom, 41
we owe to Almighty God, as well as the S e r m. good offices which ought to be performed II. to our fellow-creatures ; for reverence, love, gratitude, and obedience, to the beft of be- ings, our conflant benefadlor, and the re- warder of them that diligently feek him, will appear as agreeable to the voice of rea- fon, as that we fliould preferve the rights of, and be beneficent to, them who are made of one blood with us, with whom we are joined in the communion of the fame na- ture, linked together by common wants, and a mutual capacity of fervice ; and who have the fame claim of good offices from us, as we have from them.
Again -, there is eternal truth in all God's teftimonies j they are founded on felf-evi- dent maxims. If we reduce what hath been already faid concerning the excellence and equity of the main efTential parts of our duty, into the form of propofitions, fuch as, that the fear and love of God, juflice, beneficence, gratitude, and fobriety, are better than the contrary, no man is fo flu- pid and perverfe, as not to aflent to them in his own mind, however gainfaying his in- clinations and paffions may be. We need go no farther than plainly to propofe them, 3 and.
42 ^he Excellency of Wifdom,
S E R M. and, indeed, we can go no farther, they J^I« are fo evident 5 I queftion whether any ar- gument that can be ufed is clearer than the propolitions themfelves.
There is another notion of excellence, confidered as the meafure of perfedlion which belongs to any particular kind of be- ing, or whereby it is fitted for its proper end. Thus, thofe things are efleemed ex- cellent which in the beft manner, and with the greateft exadnefs ferve the purpofes they were deiigned for, or which come up to the flandard of their particular kind, and ilill, upon a comparifon, thofe are faid to excel, which come neareft to it. Now, I have fhewn, in a former difcourfe, that reli- gious virtue juftly claims the pre-eminence in the quality of wifdoin as far excelling whatever may pretend to that Character, and as ferving nobler and more important purpofes than any other kind of vv^ifdom doth. But the highefl fenfe of excellence abftradeth from any particalar ufe, or any particular flandard, that which abfolutely on it's own account, and without reference to any end is to be valued -, it is its own end, and our efteem ultimately terminates upon it 5 and this is peculiar to moral ex- cellence, which irrefiftibly commands our
appro-
a
The "Excellency of Wifdom. 43
pprobation without regard to any ufe or any S e r m. benefit which can be fuppofed to accrue II. from it. In all the variety of circumftances wherein men can poflibly be placed, and in all the views we can take of it, righteouf- nefs will flill appear excellent to a reafonable nature and attradt its efteem.
I come in the fecond place, after the ex- ample of Solomon and other facred writers, to compare the Dodlrines and precepts of wifdom or religious virtue with other things which are mofl valued by Men, and to (hew their fuperior worth. That thefe writers do illuftrate the excellence of wifdom in this manner is plain 5 at the nth verfe of this chapter it is faid, Wifdom is better than ru- bies, and all the things that may be defired are not to be compared to it, and, ver. 1 9. My fruit is better than gold, yea than fine gold, and my revenue than choice fiher. And Chap. iii. I4, 15. The merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of fiher, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things thou canfi defire are not to be compared to her. The Pfalmift often declares his efteem of God's laws, as far furpafTing thoufands of gold and fiher, and, Job xxviii. from ver, 15. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither fJoall
fther
44 ^^^ Excellency of JVifdom,
SERM.T^/'y^^ he weighed for the price thereof \ it II. cannot be 'valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx or the faphir. The gold and chryftal cannot equal it, and the ex- change of it jJ: all itot be for jewels of fine gold, JSIo mention Jhall be made of coral^ or of pearl, for the price of wifdom is above rubies : the topaz of Ethiopia fiall not equal it, nei- Jhall it be valued with pure gold. To ilate the comparifon rightly, it would be proper to inquire into the grounds upon which thefe things are valued with which wifdom is compared, and preferred to them; and it feems to be this, that in the prefent flate of human nature commerce is necelTary, con- fifting in an exchange of the produce of the earth in different parts of it, and the fruits of mens induilry. Since the comfort and con- veniency of life cannot be fufficiently provid- ed for by the Ungle care and labour of one ; and we are all fenlible of this, for a great many hands are employed about even that with which we are fed and cloathed ; and lince no one part of the earth is fo compleatly furnifhed with all which may be ufeful, but it may be the better for what others can fpare ; which reafon determines diftant nations to traffick j on this account, I fay, commerce is necet- fary ; and to make it more eafy and advanta-
geous.
I'he Excellency of Wifdom, 45
geous, there is, by general confent, a coiti-Serm. mon flandard or meafure eftablifhed, by H. which all things are valued which are ex- changed i and fo Solomon fays, Ecclef. x. 19. Money anfwereth all things. It is this which maketh money itfelf fo much valued, be- caufe a man finds that ordinarily it is capa- ble of procuring him the greater abundance of thofe things which tend to render his condition eafy and to pleafe his appetites^ What maketh gold more precious than the pebble or iron ? It is becaufe it can be fold for more, and by its price command a great- ier variety of things which belong to the conveniency and pleafure of life. And, becaufe I would not diminifh any thing from its value, and I am fure I need not, in order to prove the point before us, that is, to {hew the fuperior excellence of Wifdom, let it be added, that it may be conlidered as affording men the means and opportunity of doing and receiving good of a higher kind, that is, of virtue itfelf.
But, now, to (hew the truth of what the authors mentioned fo conflantly and folemn- ly afBrm, that wifdom is better than rubies, pearls, or whatever elfe can be defired in this worlds iirft, let it be obferved, that
none
^6 ^he Excellency of Wifdom,
Serm. none of them come up to the charader of II. excellence before infilled on, and which muft be attributed to wifdom. They all have only a limited and relative v^^orth 5 no man can deliberately value them highly otherwife than with reference to their ufe, and there- fore they cannot in reafon be as much efteemed as thofe things which muft be acknowledged excellent on their own ac- count, and without refpe(ft to an higher end. Though for want of reflection and not look- ing narrowly into things, we may haftily take up the imagination of fome excellence in fu£h objects, yet upon a more thorough examination, we fhall find that their price muft be eflimated according to their ufcr fulnefs, and the advantages which may be procured by them ; but the excellence of religious Wifdom is in itfelf abfolute, and the more we inquire into it, and view it on all fides, its dignity and beauty will be fi:ill more confpicuous. If we put the cafe of diftrefs v/hich is incident to all men, of a man, for inflance, in lingering fickhefs, in the utmofl agonies of pain, or in the views of death ; he lofeth all relilh for his riches, for they can be of no ufe to him ; the luflrc of his gold and pearls fadeth -, but the ex- cellence of virtue fufFereth no diminution;
nay.
'The Excellency of Wifdom, 47
nay, in that difmal cafe, appeareth more de- S e r m. firable than ever. II.
Secondly^ The mofl precious treafures of' this world are not valued, not even altoge- ther by worldly men, but with fome regard to virtue ; but religious wifdom is neceflarily efleemed excellent independently on them, and without any manner of regard to them, which is a conlideration that fufficiently fheweth to which upon a comparifon, even in the judgment of the moft partial, the preference is due. Perhaps this may not at firft be alTented to, that worldly treafures are valued even by worldly men with fome re- gard to virtue ; but, pray, confider, if the moft fordid fpirits would be contented to enjoy the folitary pleafure of their riches ; nay, if they can relifti any excellence in them, or find any fatisfad:ion, without fo- ciety and a communication with fome in- telligent beings like themfelves. I cannot believe there is fuch an one among man- kind, and that it muft be fomething beneath the human nature which can fink into fuch a low and abjed: difpofition. Now, the fo- cial are really virtuous affections, which ftill fubfift, though in a weak and low degree, even in the covetous man ; he is indeed an Idolater, as the fcripture juftly calleth him, 3 but
48 ^he Excellency of Wifdom,
Serm. but he hath not wholly facrificed all his (o- II. cial difpolitions to his idol -, he hath an eye to the good of fome or other befides him- felf, which his heart findeth to be the great- eft pleafure and advantage his riches afford, though it may be they lie within a very fmall circle, fuch as his own family, his neareft relations and friends, whofe wants at prefent he fupplieth very fparingly as he doth his own ; yet ftill a regard to their future, and, as he imagines, lafting benefit, is the chief fupport of his fatisfadion ; and that, in fine, he can have no enjoyment of his jewels and his gold without fome degree of bene- volence. Confider farther, how we value other mens pofiTeflion of thefe precious things, and here perhaps, we will be more impartial 3 are the pofifeflbrs at all in our efteem if we fuppofe them void of inclina- tions to ufe their riches for the good of mankind ? Are thefe things at all valued when in the pofiefiion of our neighbour, otherwife than as the means andinftrumentsof virtue, confequently inferior and fubordinate to virtue itfelf, from which they derive all their worth ? So that in this way of ftating the comparifon, Wifdom muft be acknow- ledged tg have the fuperior excellence.
And,
T^he Excellency of JVifdom. 49
And, laftly, the things of this world, Serm. which rival wifdom in our efteem, Jiave !!• many inconveniences attending the acquifi- tion and the ufe of them, which do not affedl this invaluable poiTefllon ; they muft be peculiar and exclufive, enjoyed with dif- tind:ion, and as the engrofled property of the pofleiTor, and they perifli in our ufing them J but for wifdom, let a man labour ever fo much in acquiring it, he doth it not to the prejudice of any other, no one hath the lefs for his attainments, and it encreafeth rather than is diminiflied, by the ufe and enjoyment of it.
The proper application to be made of this dodtrine, is, that which is frequently recommended in this book, that we fhould hear the counfels of wifdom, as we are ex- horted in the text j that we fhould make it our choice, and ufe our utmoll endeavours to attain it. Prov. iv. 7. JVifdom is the prificipal thiftg, therefo?'e get ivifdo??! j and with all thy getting^ get imderjlandi?ig^ Cer- tainly the juft inference from the excellency of any thing is, that we fhould ufe our ut- moft diligence to be pofTefTed of it, and ef- pecially fince the excellence appeareth fo plainly upon the leaft refledtion -, and every Vol. III. E one
50 ^he Excellency of Wifdom,
S E R M. one who will turn his thoughts that way,.
!!• cannot but acknowledge it j which mufl exceedingly aggravate the folly of thofe who have no heart to it, when a price is put into their hands to get wifdom. God hath fo framed the human heart, that we muft necelTarily be felf- condemned in rebel- ling againft his laws, iince there is a witnefs in our own breaft of their excellency, their eternal righteoufnefs and truth. If any man, who is even under the greateft difad- vantages for the practice of his duty, would but ferioufiy think with himfelf how he will be able to anfwer for chuling what his own heart told him was worfe, and refufing what he could not but be fenfible was better, it would feem that even this might be fuffi- cient to reclaim him from his folly. It re- quireth no depth of penetration to difcerrs; the force of the argument ; as Mofes faith concerning the law, the main of which is,, that eternal law of righteoufnefs which So- lomon reprefenteth under the charader of wifdom ; and St. Faul applieth it to the gofpel, which flill excelleth in greater per- fpicuity, it is not in heaven, that thou fiouldjl fay. Who Jhall go up for us to heaven and bri'jtg it to us, that we may hear it and da
ne Exeellency of Wifdom. ^ j
it ? Neither is it beyofid the fea, that thou S e R M. Jhoiddcft jay. Who fiall go over the fea to II. bring it to us, that we may hear it and do ' it^ The word is nigh unto thee, even ia thy heart, and in thy mouth, Deut. xxx. 12.
But, ftill, let us remember what I obfer- ved before, that the fenfe we have of the excellency of wifdom, and the ftrong light in which it appeareth to every one who re- fledteth upon it, layeth no conftraint upon US; if it did, there could be no fuch thing as virtue or religion at all, for that kind of necefTity is inconfiflent with its very nature ; the approbation is necelTary, the eledion or determination to adl, is not ; between thefe two there is a great difference, they are of- ten feparated, but always to the reproach of an intelligent creature.
My brethren, it has pleafed God to fa- vour us with a gracious revelation by Jefus Chrift, vv^ith a new and clear publication of the dodrines and laws of religious wifdom. When men had darkened their underftand- ing by their own fault; when, as the apoftle faith, The world by wifdom hiew not God ; and elfewhere, the Gentiles walked in the 'vanity of their mi fids, having the u?iderjiand- ing darkcfied, being alienated from the life of
E 2 Qod,
^2 ^he Excellency of Wifdom,
Serm. God^ through the ignorance that is in them, II. hecauje of the hardnefs of their hearts ; who being pajl Jeeling, have given themf elves over unto lafcivioufnefs, to work all uncleannefs with greedinefs j when they were funk into a wretched impotence to good, the flefh pre- vailed again ft the fpirit, carnal and fenlible things made a ftrong impreflion on the mind ; and though they could not altogether efface the fenfe of true wifdom, yet very much obfcured it, and drew away the heart from an attention to its dictates j when cor- rupt cuftoms, the vain converfation received by tradition from their fathers, had prevailed to the enflaving of finners -, in this cafe it pleafed God, in great mercy, to find out a way for redeeming them by his fon fefus Chrify his fubftantial word and wifdom, who hath appeared to put away iin, and bring the fimple to underitanding. The gofpel fheweth us true wifdom in its native fimplicity and purity, and in that form which is beft accommodated to the circum- llances of our condition, enforcing its in- ftrudtions by new and powerful motives. The fum of what the grace of God, that bringeth falvation, teacheth us, is, that de- nyifjg imgodlinefs and worldly lufl^ we JJoould 3 live
The Excellency of Wijdom. ^i
live fiber ly\ right eoii/ly, and godly ^ in this Serm. prefent world, which is jufl the abridgment II* of the wifdoin which Solomon recommend- eth. It fhineth with a peculiarly attradive grace in the life and precepts of the holy Jefus, and a peculiar obligation is added by a clear and poiitive law, with a very impor- tant fandlion, the promife of a glorious re- ward to the obedient, and the threatening of a terrible punifhment to the obftinately difobedient, in order to reclaim iinners, and to ftrengthen men againft the many tempta- tions they are liable to in this ftate of im- perfedion : And yet farther, in companion to our infirmities, God hath been pleafed to give his Holy Spirit, the fpirit of 'wifdo?n and revelation in the knowledge of him -y whofe office it is to illuminate our minds, and affift our feeble endeavours in feeking after wifdom 3 fo that in negleding it, we fhall be altogether inexcufable.
Secondly J Let us entertain our minds with the excellency of wifdom as a very agreeable contemplation. We naturally incline to me- ditate on thofe things which are much in our efteem, and by that the prevailing difpofi- tions of the heart difcover themfelves as E 3 much
54 ^he Excellency of Wifdom,
S E R M. much as any way. The men of the world,
II' who have their portion in this Hfe, as the Pfalmill: fpeaketh, fpenu their foHtary hours in thinking on their treafures, contriving how to encreafe or prefeive them j or they dehght themfelves with fcenes of pleafiire which their imagination formeth in the fru- ition of them J as our Lord's parable of the rich man in the 12th of bt. Luke's gofpel reprefenteth him, as firft, confidering with himfelf how he fhould difpofe of the vaft increafe of his ground ; and then, faying to his foui, Thou haft much goods laid up for many years, take thine eaje, eat, drink, and he merry. The good man, on the contrary, vieditateth on the law of God night and day \ and a very reafonable exercife this is, if we have a juft fenfe of its excellency 3 nay, fuch as may well fupport the mind under moft affliding circumftances ; for any dif- appointment, or that which for the prefent feemeth to be grievous, may be borne, when the foul can relieve itfelf by having reconrfe to fomething more noble and important flill within its reach. That man mufh have a ipirit of a very odd conftitution, who cannot encourage himfelf under a difagreeable inci- dent, when he feeth his moft important in-
terefl
*The Excellency of Wifdom. ^^
terefl in a flourifhing condition. It was aSERM. ftrange perverfenefs in Haman\ temper, that H- when he was in a profperous flate, applaud- ing himfelf in the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, and his high pro. motion in the court of AhafucriiSj diilin- guiflied by the favour of that great monarch and his queen, which was the ruling defire of his ambitious mind j yet all this availed him nothing, becaufe a lingle man, fo little efteemed by him as Moi'decai the Jew, did not pay him the refpedl he required. We find by experience the power of innocent amufements in an afflicted flate of mind ; the pleafures of the fenfes and the imagina- tion, agreeable founds, the beauties of na- ture and of art, foothe the pafBons, and charm the troubled mind to reft. Now, is not the beauty of holinefs, the excellence of wif^ dom, a nobler fubjedl, and which muft have a greater force, if we turn our ferious at- tention to it, when we are opprelfed with cares ?
In the laft place, the excellence of wif- dom fhould affed: the characters of men in our efteem, and regulate our regards to them. If it be fo excellent in itfelf, then, certainly,
E ± thofe
56 The Excellency of Wifdom.
Serm. thofe who appear to have the largeft fliare II* of it, the wifeft men in Solomon' ^ fenfe, that is, the mofl virtuous, are the moft excellent, and the worthieft of our refped j accord* ingly he faith, chap. xii. 26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour. How is it that we govern our refped; to men ? Is it by riches, fplendid equipage, high titles, or any thing of a like nature ? David did not fo, for he telleth us, Pfal. xvi. 3. All his delight was in the excellent, the faints that were in the earth. And, Ffal. cxix. 6 1. I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and keep thy precepts. Nay, he giveth us this as the charadier of a good man, one who dwelleth in Zion, Pfal. xv. 4. In his eyes a 'vile perfon is contemned, but he honour- eth them that fear the Lord. An iinjujl man is an abomination to the juft, Prov. xxix. 27. Not that the juft hate the perfon of any man ; it is god-like to be kind to the un- thankful and the evil j but their temper and their converfation are not confidered by the virtuous with any complacency. Remem- ber, therefore, the diredlion of the apoftle James, ii. i. My brethren, haijc not the faith of our Lord fefus Chrift, with rcfpeSi of per- fons. It is, certainly, very unbecoming chri^
ftians
The Excellejicy of Wifdom. ^j
flians to diftinguifh men in their refpecfl by S e R m. external confiderations, and fuch things as II. have no relation at all to wifdom, but may be in fools as much as the wife 3 nay, in the vicious to a greater degree than the befl of
men.
S E R-
SERMON III.
The Ways of WISDOM, Ways of Pleasantness.
PROVERBS III. ly.
Her ways are ways of pleafantnefs^ and all her paths are peace,
AS the main fubjedl of this book is wifdom or religious virtue, the au- thor ufeth many arguments to engage men to the fludy, the choice, and the pradlice of it ; one argument I very lately explained in a difcourfe on the 6th verfe of the 8th chap- ter, that the things of wifdom are excellent and right things : Another is contained in the text, which I fhall now conlider : Her ways are ways of pleafaiit fiefs, and all her paths are peace. This properly followeth the other, and between the two there is a connexion, for pleafure naturally followeth cfteem ; and whatever is apprehended to be excellent, yieldeth delight even in the con- templation, much more in the pofleffion.
If
Th& Ways of Wtjdom^ &c. ^9
If we confider wifdom only as an objeft oFSerm. fpeculation, the mind hath fatisfadlion in HI. meditating upon it j for furely we will ac- knowledge there are mental as well as cor- poreal enjoyments, and| the mind is agree- ably entertained with other obje(5ts than thofe of the external fenfes. When the under- ftanding is regularly and diligently employed in a fearch after truth, the foul rejoiceth in finding it, and flill the joy rifeth in propor- tion to the excellence and importance of the objedl. Now, fliall the ftudious fearcher into nature, into the order, dependency, and operation of inferior caufes, to find out their effeds ; into the motions and fenfible qualities of bodies ; into the equality, pro- portion, and other relations of figures and numbers ; fliall fuch a one be highly pleafed in the difcovcry of truth, with evidence which is fatisfying to his mind ? And fhall the harmony of the foul itfelf, a due bal- lance of the affed:ions, a well-proportioned and becoming difpofition or adlion, be al- together infipid ; and righteoufnefs, moral excellence, and holinefs, not appear an ami- able form ? Nay, certainly, the knowledge itfelf, not to fpeak of the pra6tice of this fort of wifdom, is pleafant, as Solomon tel-
Icth
6o The Ways of JVifdo}}^
Serm. lethus, Prov. xxiv. 13. My fon, eat thou in. honey becaufe it is good, and the honey-comb^ which isfweet to thy tajle j foJJjall the know- ledge of wifdom be to thy foul.
Farther j let us confider, what no pious mind will call in queflion, that the greateft delight arifeth from ferious devout medita- tion on God. The faints in fcripture ex- prefs their experience of this with raptures ; what they call beholding the beauty of the Lordy the glory of their God, and the light of his countenance, is reprefented as the no- blefl enjoyment ; it is an anticipation of the heavenly felicity j for wherein doth the joy of heaven itfelf confift ? One principal in- gredient in it is, feeing the face of God, cal- led therefore the beatific vifion. Now, what is the view his faithful fervants have of the fupreme being, in which they fo joyfully acquiefce ? Certainly, the principal objects of it are his moral perfections -, and though all his excellencies are to be confidered as infeparable, yet thefe are what give loveli- nefs to the whole. Though abfolute fupre- macy, independence, eternity, immenfity, and infinite power, might produce admira- tion and aflonidiment, yet it is only when confidered in conjunction withholinefs, good-
nefs,
Ways of Pkafantiiefs, 6 1
nefs, and immutable truth, they caufe de-SERM. light. Thefe are the perfedions which his HI. people celebrate with triumphant joy. It followeth then, that moral excellence, ab- ilradly confidered, is a delightful objed of contemplation j and if it be fo, the more we partake of it ourfelves, that is, the more virtuous we are, and walk in wifdom's ways, the greater is our pleafure ; for then we have the more thorough acquaintance with it, as our author faith, chap. vii. 4. Wifdom is afifler^ and under/landing a kinf- iDoman^ with whom we have agreeable con- verfation as an intimate friend. This, I think, fheweth the truth of the aflertion in the text, that the ways of ivifdomy are ways of pie af ant nefs y as a confequence from the dodrine before explained, that they are t>:c client and right.
But I fhall now confider this as a diflind argument recommending religious virtue ; and for illuflrating it, we muft have our recourfe to fad and experience, for that is the only way pleafure can be known. We find it neceffurily attendeth fome impreflions made on the mind by external objeds, or fome of its its own inward exercifes 3 and, on the contrary, pain and uneafinefs as ne- ceflarily arife on other occafions. The ori- ginal
62 ^he Ways of Wifdom^
SERM.ginal idea could never be communicated to a creature who never felt pleafure, more than a man born blind could have any no- tion of colours. This would feem to bring the matter to a very fliort iffue, and cut off all occafion of reafoning upon itj for what, may it be thought, have men more to do than appeal to their own fenfe and by it's re- port decide the queftion ? Yet this, I am afraid, would be to the difadvantage of re- ligion 'y for how many are there of mankind who have not fuch experience of its plea- fantnefs as determineth them to prefer and to choofe it ? Plcafures of another kind more grofs and fenfible, while they do not ma- turely weigh the nature and confequences of them, preponderate in their affedtion.
But we muft be all convinced that pleafure fpringeth from different occafions ; there is a variety of objeds which gratify the mind, and in various ad:s and exertions of its own power it findeth fatisfadlion ; and no man's condition in the world, or the capacity of his nature, can afford him an experimental knowledge of delight in the whole compafs of it. Here therefore, we ought to ufe our reafon in order to choofe thofe pleafures which, all things confidered, are the befl and
fitted
JVays of Plcafantnefs. 63
fitteft for us. Though the original idea can- S e R M, not be learned by information or reafoning, HI. yet having it once fixed, we may be rational- ly induced by a calm attention to proper ar- guments to believe there is pleafure in fome things v^^hich we ourfelves have but litttle acquaintance with, and fo be perfuaded to make the experiment. One confideration of great weight in the prefent cafe is, the teftimony of thofe who have made a trial of wifdom's ways, and they all agree in afliiring us that they are ways of plcafantnefs and peace. If any thing be in a man's offer which promifeth a very agreeable entertain- ment, but hehimfelf hath never experienced it, how fliall he be determined in that cafe ? One reafonable way, if it be not over-bal- lanced by more powerful arguments on the other fide, which cannot be faid in the affair we are now confidering, is, to take the re- port of thofe who are the beft acquainted, at leafl, we may well regard it fo far as to make the trial ourfelves, and then judge up- on more certain knowledge. Good men exprefs themfelves very clearly on this head, and in very ftrong terms ; they declare with one voice that they have found exceeding great confolation in the way of God's com- mandments.
64 The Ways of Wifdom\
Serm. mandments, not only more pure, but in- *^^' deed ftronger and more intenfe than all the enjoyments of this world could yield them. The Pfalmift faith, in the 119th pfalm, ver. 14. / have rejoiced in the "way of thy tejii- monies more than in all riches^ and, Ffal. xix. 10. More to be dejired than gold, yea than much fine gold^ fweeter alfo than honey and the honey-comb ; and Job efteemed them tnore than his necefjary food. How many decla- rations have we of the Apoflles to this pur- pofe, which are the more to be regarded becaufe of their circumftances, fliewing that not only the pleafantnefs of wifdom's ways or of pure religion is fuperior to the pleafures of this world, but fufficient to fupport the the mind againft its pains ? They were fet forth as examples of afflid:ion and perfecu- tion, SpeBacles to men and angels^ counted as the off-fcourifigs of all things^ as St. Faul expreffeth it, and the filth of the world, the very refufe of mankind ; yet under that load of contempt which was poured upon them, and in all their DiflrelTes, they rejoiced not only in the profpedt of a glorious reward at the refurredion of the juft, but in the faithful difcharge of their Duty even in the prefent time, in the teftimony of their
con»
WaysofTleafafifnefs, 6 c
Confciences, that i?z funplicify and godly fin- Ser m. cerity they had their convcrfation in the world. HI. And, to conclude, in whatever degree any have experience in tiiis matter, having cho- fen the ways of wifdom or of God's com- mandments, they find themfelvcs obh'ged to acknowledge they are not grievous, but ways of pleafantnefs and peace.
But, fecondly^ one might appeal to the experience of thofe who have but theloweft meafure of this wifdom 5 and indeed I can- not think there is any one of mankind fo perfectly wicked and abandoned as not to have a fenfe of fome kind of goodnefs, if not of piety and the ' virtues which confift' in the government of the felfifli affecflions,' yet of juftice and good will to their fellows, which is an important part of wifdom j I fay, not to have a fenfe of fome kind of moral goodnefs, nay, an efteem of it's ex- cellence and dignity, and that it afFordeth a true and even a very great pleafure to the mind. But if bad men have little experi- mental knowledge of the pleafantnefs of wifdom's ways, there is another thing they . have experience of which provcth it, that is, the painfulnefs of the ways of fin and V-OL, III F folly ;
66 ^he Ways of Wijdom^
Serm. follyj for from that, if it be fufficiently attefled, it necelTarily followeth that the di- rectly contrary courfe of wifdom or religious virtue muft have yielded fatisfadion to them, and will yield fatisfadion to any who choofe it. Now, let any man who hath given himfelf the mofl unbounded liberty in grati- fying his inclinations, who in defiance of all the warnings he hath had, and the ineffec- tual remonflrances of his own confcience, hath indulged his pailions and hi& lufts with- out any controul, let him but calmly con- fider what pleafure he findeth in a review ; jwhether his enjoyments are not fucceeded with remorfe? Nay, whether his fhort-lived pleafures of fin are not much over-ballanced by the ftinging durable reflections of his felf- accufing and reproaching heart? Notwith- Jftanding all his endeavours to divert and ftifle it, (fometimes indeed thefe methods to a great degree, and the hearts of men are brought to a hardnefs and infenfibility which is amazing, their confciences, as the Apoftle fpeaketh, are feared, but is that an eafe worthy of a man, which arifeth from ftupid inconfideration ?) I fay, notwithflanding all his endeavours to flifle it, confcience will at fometimes with an irrcfiftible force break in
upon
W'ays of PleafantJiefs, 6'/
tlpon ills joys and mar them, efpecially ifSfeRM. any grievous calamities befal the finner, or HI. if death and judgment are prefented to his view; terror and anguifii then take hold of him and the wounds of his fpirit are intoler- able. Though very often during a courfe of profperity men do not know the terrors of the Lord, the unutterable griefs of an awakened confcience, yet no one who giveth himfelf leave to think ferioufly on fo impor- tant a fubjedl but mufl be convinced there is a reality in them, and his own heart will tell him the ways of fin lay a foundation fof felf-reproaches which are very grievous, too dear a price for fhort-lived criminal plea- fures.
You fee now wherein the principal pain and uneafinefs that followeth fin, and on the other hand wherein the pleafantnefs of wif- dom's ways confifteth, the one in felf-con- demnation, the other in felf-approbation, Thefe are pleafures and pains very intimate, the fpring of them is in our own hearts, their operations are immediate, there is no intervening diftance to abate their force j we need not go far to feek our comforts, and we cannot fhun our forrows, for how can we fly from our own thoughts? It mufl be F 2 a great
^8^ ^he Ways of Wifdomy
Serm. a great aggravation of our griefs that they III. are of our own procuring, and it raifeth
'joy to the greateft height that it fpringeth from an inward caufe, and is the refult of our own wife choice -, for then the mind hath the fatisfying profpedl of its continuance only by perfevering in the fame courfe. Proi;. xiv. 14. The backflider in heart Jhall be filled with his own waySy and a good man
Jhall be fatisfied from himfelf There is no way of accounting for this but by the con- ftitution of our nature, and refolving it into the will of our great and wife Creator, who in fo forming our fouls hath fhewn plainly that we are made for religion and virtue, to which end ht hath furnifhed us with a powerful argument always ready at hand, feeing in the pradice of it we mufi: be felf- approved, which is a very great happinefs, and in the contrary, felf-condemned, which is an extreme mifery, who can doubt but it was the intention of our maker, the wifefl and moft gracious of all beings, to direct our choice to the ways of wifdom.
Thirdly, The pleafantnefs of wifdom's ways may appear from this confideration, that they lead ta the enjoyment of the divine favour, and our walking in them is the. only
foundation
or*
Wdys of Fkafiwtncfs. 69
foundation upon which wc can have confi- S e r m. dence towards God. It muft be acknow- ledged, that he who is abfolutely fupreme^ can make his creatures happy or mifcrablc ; and reafon confirmeth wliat the fcripture declare th, that life is in his favour. It is, therefore, an unfpeakable pleafure to know that wc are entitled to his approbation, and an extreme mifery to be under the appre- henfions of his refentment : Who knoiveth the power of his anger F His juflice is armed with omnipotence to infliA punifhment, be- yond the reach of human imagination, on the obftinate workers of iniquity : But what can be wanting to the felicity of fuch as are in a flate of favour with him, feeing he is infinitely powerful and infinitely good I Now, there is no other ground upon which we can rationally form an expecftation that God will approve us, but our being appro- ved to ourfelves by a faithful difcharge of our duty j for this is a mofl evident truth, that if God accepteth of his reafonable crea- tures at all, it muft be in their doing that which, upon a diligent and impartial in- quiry, appeareth to their own underfland- ings bell:. If any pretended revelation did teach the contrary, I do not fee that we
F 3 could
yo ^he Ways of Wifdom,
S E R M. could poflibly believe it, becaufe it would
HI. deftroy natural religion, and, in efFedl, deny the moral attributes of God, the only foun- dation upon which we can fear, and love, and obey him. Bat chriflianity, the only complete revelation of his will, is fo far from teaching any fuch unreafonable doc^ trine, that it expreflly eftablifheth our hope in the way already explained, as alone agree- able to the didlates of reafon. St. Jchriy ia his I ft epiftle, 3d chapter, teacheth us, that the only ground upon which we can affure our hearts before God, or be perfuaded of our acceptance in his fight, is our knowing that ive are of the truths or that we have fincerely embraced and obeyed the gofpel, by the genuine fruits of charity and obe^ dience in our lives. If our hearts do not condemn us for inlincerity, that is, a<fling againft our confciences, or giving ourfelves up to the condudt of lufts and paffions, through their prevailing influence, or through floth and inattention, then we have confi- dence towards God 5 and that confidence will be a fpring of perpetual joy ; for as terror and confufion muil feize the mind fenfible of guilt, and of its being obnoxious tp the divine difpleafure, fo the ftrongefl
confolatioa
Ways of 'Pkafantnefs. yi
coTifoIatlon mufl arife from the hope of be- Serm. ing acquitted by the great judge of the whole III- world, efpecially when we confider the fo- lemnity of the judgment, and the confe- quences of it, as they are defcribed in fcrip- ture, with an intention, as on the one hand, to alarm finners, and bring them to repentance j fo on the other, to comfort good men, by afluring them that tbeir work of faith ^ their labour of love, and patience of hope, fhall not be in vain. Now, if it be fo, that the experience of the beft men afTureth US, that the ftudy and practice of religion is pleafant j if the experience of all men, who are in the leall degree attentive, and even of the greateft finners, proves that the contrary crooked ways of vice and wickednefs have always a mixture of uneafinefs and bitternefs in the review ; and if both reafon and fcrip- ture make it evident, that the exercife of true religion and virtue is the only founda- tion upon which we can have good hope towards God, then it muft be acknowledged to be true, which Solomon fays in the text, that the ways of wifdom are pleafa?itnefs^ and her paths are peace.
But yet farther to confirm us in this per-
fuafion, we may confider the pleafures which
F 4 ' accom-
72 7he TFays of Wifdom,
S E R M. accompany the pradice of lincere religion 5 ■^•^^- _ that is, which arife from the teftimony of an approving confcience, and the hope of the glory of God ; we may conlider thefe, I fay, in comparifon with other pleafures which are oppofitc to them, and which continually foiicit our affed:ions and our pur- fuit. For feeing the human nature is not capable of all kinds of delight at once, it is reafonable for us to make the beft our choice ; and feeing the pleafures of wifdom and of iin are utterly inconfiilent, fo that of necef- fity we muil hold to the one^ and refufe the other ^ the true queftion, in order to our be- ing rightly determined, is, which of the two kinds are the moft worthy, and in all re- fpeds the moft eligible ? It would be a vain attempt to perfuade men that there is no real pleafure in the gratification of their fenfes and the appetites of human nature \ to argue that the hungry feel no fatisfadion in meats, and the thirfty in refre/hing drinks, is to argue againft fenfe, and experience will quickly {how the vanity of fuch reafoning : Nay, it may be acknowledged farther, that voluptuous men, the lafcivious and the in- temperate, have by an habitual indulging of their inclinations, and by vicious cuftoms,
raifed
Ways of Plcafa?2tnefs. 73
raifed in themfelves defires of carnal enjoy- Serm. ments, far beyond the demands of nature, ^11- which yield pleafures in the moment of gra- tifying them, though at the fame time they are accompanied with a great deal more pain, like quenching unnatural thirft in a fever j let it, I fay, be allowed, that they find pleafure in gratifying thefe defires, for that is the very bait which allures them to their criminal exceffes, againil: the fober did:ates of their own minds ; yet Hill it will appear that the pleafure of wifdom's ways is far more excellent, and on many accounts to be preferred.
Fir/iy it is a juft prejudice againft the gra- tifications of fenfe, or of the merely animal life i I mean againfi: their being chief in our efleem and affedlion, that they are common with us to the brutal kinds. We fee the beafts have the outward fenfes to as ureat a degree of perfedion as we ; they eat, they drink, and perform all the fundions of the animal nature, and, as far as we can judge, with as exquifite a relifh, and as high a fatif- fadion as ourfelves. Now, do not we value ourfelves upon the prerogative of reafon, whereby we are exalted above, not only the inanimate and vegetable, but the fenfative
creatures ? I
y4 T'he Ways of Wifdom,
Serm. creatures ? And (hall we fink fo far beneath III. the dignity of our fpecies, as in the choice of our pleafures, to be upon a level with the beafts of the earth ? As every fort of being capable of any happinefs at all, hath enjoy- ments fuitable to its powers and meafures of perfed:ion, thofe which are peculiar to man, mufl be the moft becoming him ; and fuch are the pleafures of wifdom, of their parti- cipating in which the brutes give not the leall difcovery. Not only fo, but the plea- fures of fenfe, licentioufly indulged, and in the forbidden degree, weaken reafon, and marr its free exercife, which is a flrong ob- jection againft them. Can any thing be worthy an intelligent and free agent, which darkens his underflanding, and impares his freedom ? Now, every man hath too much experience, if he ferioufly refledteth, not to be fenlible that carnal gratifications, immo- derately purfued, caft a fhadow over the un- derflanding ; that they are accompanied with perturbation, and diflipate the vigour of the foul. Set againfl thefe the joys of an ap- proving confcience, the peace which arifeth from the love of God's law, and an inward fenfe of our own integrity, and fee whether they are not of a nobler character ? They
are
Ways of Pkafantnefs, y^
are pure and ferene, attended with no tu- S e r M. rnult ; and inflead of impairing the higher H^. powers of the mind, the underilanding and liberty, they preferve them in the greateft compofure and undiflurbed exercifc, and ia their mofl healthful and vigorous ftate.
2^fyi The pleafures of this world are but very precarious 3 we can h^ve no fure hold of them, nor any certainty in our profpe^t of a future enjoyment of them j a man hath it not in his power to command them when he will ; they depend on external objedts which cannot be always prefent, and if they were, could not always pleafe. It is but a poor confolation that lies at the mercy of time and chance, and which therefore mufl: be fubjed: to continual difappointments. When one has the keeneft appetites, the ftrongeft inclinations to entertain himfelf agreeably, his hopes are often fruflrated, being liable to many unforefeen incidents and indifpofitions in the objedl, or a fudden indifpoiition in the faculty marrs his expelled pleafure : But the good man is fatisfied from liimfelf, his joy and peace do not depend on variable accidents, he retireth into his own heart, where he enjoys an inward har- Daony and tranquility, not interrupted by
jai-ring
^6 The Ways of JVifdom,
Serm. jarring paflions, or the galling reproaches of III. a guilty confcience. Who would not prefer even a moderate fatisfa(5tion which never fails, but is always ready to meet us when we turn our thoughts towards it, to a delight which might for once, or very feldom, be tranfporting 3 (if that were the cafe, though really it is not, for the pleafures of the fpi- ritual kind are the more intenfe as well as certain) I fay, to an enjoyment, which, if it were very great and even fuperior, is difficult of accefs, requireth a concurrence of various circumftances and events not in our power, and overballanceth all the fatisfadion it yields, with painful delays and vexatious difappointments ? Efpecially, if we add, in the next place, that carnal pleafures are but of a ihort continuance, being defigned by the author of nature not to be the chief bu- finefs and enjoyment of a reafonable being, but for certain particular ends in the animal life, which, when they are anfwered, the pleafure dies, nay, is often turned into aver- fion and diflafte, and always the review of them is at leaft infipid. Thus the pcrfons whom Solomon calleth wine-bibbers and 7'io- tons eaters ofjlejh, have no lafting fatisfac- tion in that fenfual delight they chufe ;
when
TVays of Pleafanfnefs. 77
when the ends of nature are obtained, theSERM. appetite palls, fatiety comes in the place of HI. pleafare, meats and drinks become naufeous, and the ufe of them opprelTeth rather than pleafeth. No man is able to recal pleafarcs of that fort, he rather fhuns a reficdlon upon them, from a confcioufnefs that they will not bear the calm examination of his own mind. On the contrary, the pleafant- nefs of wifdom's ways, defigned for the conftant exercife, and the conftant enter- tainment of the mind, never flattens, never becomes taflelefs or burthenfome ; it will abide the trial of our cooleft thoughts, and the more we examine it, ftill it will be the more delightful, always frefh, always new ; and the more we ufe it, the more it encrea- feth, and will ftill encreafe, till the pure ftream endeth in rivers of pleafiires which are at God's right hand, as the Pfalmift fpeaketh j and the joy groweth up to that fuhiefs which is in his prefence.
Laftly, Thefe are to be accounted the greateft, the nobleft, and in all refpeds the moft valuable comforts, which fupport and relieve the mind in its greatefl need. See- ing we find ourfelves liable to calamities of feveral forts, and particularly to death, which
IS
7S T/3^ U^ays of WiJdonU
Serm. is the moll (hocking to nature on its owft Hi- account, and is more dreadful to a confide*^ rate mind, becaufe of its important confe- quences, certainly it mull be our wifdom to make the bell provilion we can againll the evil day, and to chufe thofe pleafures, if any fuch there be, which will not fail even then. But no enjoyment of this world, and leall of all the pleafures of lin. Hand us in any Head when the hour of dillrefs Com- eth. What comfort hath the mifer in his treafures, what delight hath the vicious in his debauches, when licknefs feizeth the body, and the fear of judgment taketh hold of the foul l But then the religious, the truly wife man, polTelTeth an undillurbed, calm, and a felf-applauding triumph, he looketh back on a well-fpent life with joy, appealing to God as Hezekiah did, Remejn^ her^ Liordy I befeech thee^ how I have walked before thee^ in truths and with a perfe£i heart, and have done that which is good in thy fght. And he looketh forward to a future judgment, and an eternal flate, with confidence.
And now, my brethren, thefe things are fpoken as to wife men, judge ye what isfaid-, let us calmly confider and judge, whether,
ab](lra(^ing
4
Ways of Fkafantnefs. 79
abftracfling from other arguments, religion S e R M, hath not the advantage of fuperior pleafure on its fide, and even on that account juftly claimeth that we fhould prefer it to the con- trary courfe. I know the prejudices of men incline them to a different opinion, and it is very ufual for thofe who are the leaft ac- quainted with it, to paint it in their own imagination with a four forbidding afpedl. Whatever other arguments may enforce it, and hard neceffity, perhaps, may ftrongly urge them to it, when they think on a fu- ture judgment, yet they mufl lay their ac- count to part with all pleafure when they devote themfelves to the fludy of godhnefs and fobriety ; efpecially, the light in which the New Teftament fetteth the religious ex- ercifes which it enjoineth, the duties of re- pentance, mortification, felf-denial, and pa- tience, carry forrow and feverity in the very found of them ; and to confirm all this, it is fometimes obferved, that the people who feem to be ferious and devout, who have a great appearance of piety, are the mofl eflranged from joy.
This is a matter worthy of our ferious confideration, that we may be able to form a right judgment ^ but when the objedion is
allowed
So- The Ways ofWifdoniy
Serm. allowed all its jufl; weight, I hope it will III. ll;ill appear that the ways of wifdom are ways of pleafantnefs. To begin with what was laft mentioned as an argument from fad: and experience, that fome ferious and devout perfons feem to have the leaft plea- fiirej not to mention the cafe of hypocrites, who, as our Saviour faith, disfigure their faces, and are of a fad countenance, which ought not at all to ailed; the caufe of reli- gion, being a mere counterfeit ; it mull be acknowledged that fome ferious melancholy perfons fpend their lives very uncomfortably, almoft in continual fear and grief. But whence doth this arife ? Pray, take their own teftimony ; they will all agree that the true caufe is a fufpicion of their infincerity j not only their paft tranfgreffions are the oc- cafion of their prefent grief, but they are afraid left their compliance with the gofpel terms of acceptance be defedive, their per- formance of their duty cometh fo far fhort as they think of what God requireth, and the corruptions of their hearts are fo ftrong, breaking out into fo many trangreffions. Now, can it ever be reafonable to impute that forrow to religion as the proper caufe, which by the confeilion of thofe who fuffer ■
it
JVays of Pleafanfncfs, 8 r
it arifeth wholly from the want or imperfec- Ser M. tion of religion ? Aflc thofe whofe deep hu- HI* miliation and fear render life uncomfortable, whether they would not be comforted even more than in the greatefl abundance of corn and wine, if they found in themfelves fcn- {\h\y faith laorhiig by love, and all the chri- flian virtues in fuch lively vigorous exercife as their own confciences could without any fcruple witnefs to their fincerity 5 and they will readily anfwer in the affirmative 5 fo that their experience is no objecftion agalnft the dodtrine of the text, but rather confirm- eth it. Befides, if fome melancholy per- fons who are religioufly difpofed fliall ima- gine that religion abridgeth their freedom in the ufe of fome things, which are in them- felves innocent, this proceedeth from a miftake, and is wholly to be attributed to their weaknefs. The chearful temperate ufe of worldly enjoyments is not prohibited by the precepts of wifdom, which only re- trench overgrown immoderate defires j and thefe are fo fir from tending to the meafure of happinefs which the liberal author of na- ture defigned for us in the prefent flate, that they mar it rather. iil.7
Vol. III. G idly.
82 'The Ways of Wifdom^
Serm. 2^/y, It muft be acknowledged thatdiffi- III. culty and pain, in certain inftances, attend the firft entrance upon a religious and vir- tuous courfe of life. When men have aban- doned themfelves to profligate wickednefs, and a long cuftom of finning hath ilrength- ened their pronenefs to it, it cannot be ex- pe(5led it fhould be eafy for them to break it off at once and pradice the contrary virtues. We fee that habits of any fort are v^^ith dif- ficulty unlearned and difufed, cfpecially thofe vv^hich are founded on a propenlity of nature and bias of the mind. The fcripture there- fore reprefenteth repentance and mortification as painful, exprefUng them by rending the hearty plucking out the eye, and cutting off the hand ^ yet even the very beginnings of reformation are not v^^ithout pleafurej the £rfl purpofes which a man formeth of doing his duty yield him fatisfadtion, efpecially fince there is hope of a happy ifTue if they be heartily purfued ; and we are not left to ftruggle alone with our weaknefs, but alTured that the fuperior aids of divine grace will be granted to them that afk. But every ftep of our progrefs in the paths of holinef* wiU bring an increafe of delight fufficient to re- compenfe all the toil and uneafinefs which
attend
Ways of Flcajcintnefi. 83
attend it. Let a man arm himfelf with refo- S e r m,' lution to refift the moft vehement temptations, I ^I- and thwart the moft prefling inclinations of his own heart to fin, he will find that every inftance of his doing fo will diffufe joy thro* his mind, and make his conqaeft eafier in the next afTault j the righteous jl: all hold 07z his IV ay, and he who hath clean hands fiall grow jironger and ftrojiger^
If, now, it appeareth that the ways of wifdomare ways of pleafantnefs and peace j if the objedllons againft it are fo weak and infufficient^ if the real difficulties arife not from the nature and reafon of the thing, but from our prejudices, inexperience, and irrefolution, and they are all fuperable by the means God hath afforded, that grace of his which hringeth Salvation, and hath ap~ peared imto zis ; if it be fo, one would think the argument is very ftrong, confound- ing the jirong hold cf fin, fpoiling it of that in which its greateft ftrength lieth, namely, pleafure; for wifdom is fuperior even in that, and allureth us by a more folid, lalling, and certain fatisfadtion. Surely human na- ture muft be ftrangely loft to a juft fenfe of its own true intereft, if it can refift fuch a motive. Though the demands of autho- G 2 rity
84 '^he Ways of Wifdom^
Serm. rity might feem harfh, and the threatnings m* of penalties affright, yet the profped: of pleafure muft, one would think, powerfully, jnfinuate itfelf into the mind, and captivate its affed;ions.
In a particular manner, let the thoughts of chriftians dwell on the glorious gofpel where- by their confolation is amply provided for. Our Saviour fpoke his excellent dodlrines and precepts to his difciples, that his joy might remaiji in them, and that their joy might be full j he hath promifed the holy Spirit under the amiable charadler of the comforter-, it is the peculiar work of that divine Agent, that relident in the church in behalf of the Father and the Son, to con- firm the argument in the text, to minifler confolation to them who fincerely walk in wifdom's ways. And this fhould engage us to adore our gracious God and Redeemer who had our comfort fo much at heart. We have a bountiful mafter who not only hath afcertained to his fervants a great re- ward in reveriion, but, even now, impart- eth to them that joy which is their flrength, and attrad:eth their deiires to that perfedion of comfort which is to be enjoyed in his pre- fence^ for the fpirit is given as a pledge or
earneft
Ways of Pleafantnefs. 85
earneftof the future inheritance, Eph. i. 14. Serm, 2 Cor, V. 5. confirming our hopes and mak- HI. ing us earneftly defirous, not to be zincloathed, but cloathed upon with cur houfe which is from heaven.
Q X S E R-
[ 86 1
SERMON IV.
WISDOM the Strength of the MIND.
PROVERBS XXIV. 5.
A wife man is flrong^ yea a Ma7i of know- ledge increafeth firength.
S E R M. '~|~^ H E ftate of human afFairs in this world Jl is found by experience to be very un- certain J the profperity we enjoy this day may not continue to the next; we fee fo many furprizing revolutions in the external condi- tions of men, of all ftations in life, as con- firm what the Pfalmill faith, FfaL Ixii. 9. Surely men of low degree are vanity^ and men of high degree are a lie ; to be laid in the hallance^ they are altogether lighter than vanity. Thefe changes very often have un- happy effects on the temper of our minds ; they produce difpiriting fears and over- whelming forrows, and, as a confequence of both, perplexity and irrefolution, which are the difhonour and torment of the rea-
fonable
Wifdom the Strength of the Mind. 87
ibnable nature. In the fudden approaches Serm.' of difficulty, the mind is filled with con- IV. fternation, which darkeneth the underftand- ing, and confoundeth the adive powers j and under the preflures of afflid:ion and the reverfes of what is commonly called fortune, it is feeble and unrefolved. It muft be ac- knowledged that a defence againft thefe evils would be very defirable ; if there be any fuch thing at all to be attained as a jufl fecurity and confidence of mind on a ra- tional foundation, who would not purchafe it at any rate, that feeing it is not poffible to prevent outward changes, we may at leaft prevent their difmal inward efFeds, and pof- fefs a conflant equanimity, an uniform peace and fteady refolution in our fouls ? And this, I think, Solomon doth in his book of Fro- 'verbs, among other great advantages, at- tribute to wifdom or religious virtue ; par- ticularly in the text, where he faith, A wije man is jlrong, yea a tnan of hioivlcdge in* creafeth frcngth.
No one will imagine that it is bodily ftrength which Is here meant, which hath no connexion at all with wifdom (a fool, or a wicked man, may have more brutal force than the wifeft and the beil of man- G 4 ' kind:
88 Wijdom the Strength of the Mind.
S E R M. kind) but a rational and virtuous fortitude IV". which groweth up with other branches of religion, and is the happy attendant of an increafing and univerfal integrity.
In difcourfing on this fubjed:, I think it will be natural,
Firft^ To confider the difeafed and feeble flate of mind again ft which wifdom is the proper remedy 3 or that weaknefs and the fymptoms of it, which is natural to men without wifdom or virtue.
Secondly, I will endeavour to fhew wherein the ftrength of the wife man lieth, and how wifdom or religious virtue is the cure of our weaknefs and its fymptoms.
i/?. Let us confider the difeafed and feeble flate of mind, againft which wifdom is the proper remedy j and it feemeth to confift in an indifpofition for the due exercife of its pow- ers. The body is then diftempered and weak, when it is unfit for the functions of nature, when its members or organs are unapt for the right difcharge of their proper offices in the animal ceconomy ; and fo the mind, render- ed uncapable of fuch offices, fuch adivity and exertions as become fuch a being, is weak and difeafed. This is its unhappy cafe when
the
Wifdom the Strength of the Mind. 89
the underftanding is fo over-clouded as not S e r m. to difcern what is necefTary to a jufl con- IV. dudl, or when the felf-determining power is infeebled that it cannot adl ftcadily and uni- formly, or it hath not that felf-enjoyment, inward compofure and tranquillity, which ought to attend the due exercife of all its fa- culties in a found and healthful conftitution j fo that the principal fymptoms of that weak and diftempered condition are darknefs, ir- refolution, and difcomfort.
I have already infinuated, that the weak- nefs againfl which wifdom fortifieth the foul is efpecially difcovered in the difficul- ties of life, and therefore principally appear- eth in the prevalence of the pallions which are excited by them, and are fammed up in averfion, that is, in the prevalence of fear, and forrow, and anger. It is true, the other paffions have by a different manner of operation the fame effed 3 they are all of them the weak part of the human nature j they are, indeed, when duly governed, very ufeful and orna- mental to fuch a creature as man in his pre- fent condition, and plainly fliew the great wifdom and goodnefs of our Creator 3 but reafon and moral confcience is the man; in its vigor and authority over the inferior fprings of adtion^ our ftrength lieth : The
excefles
90 Wijdom the Strength of the Mind,
Serm. excefles of paffion and lower affeftion to IV. which we find ourfelves liable in this pro- bationary flate, are the diflempers of the mind which wifdom cureth. But what I chiefly intend at this time, agreeably to many paflages in this book, to which I may after- wards refer, is, to ihew how the wife man is ftrong, and the man of knowledge in- creafeth flrength againft the trials and ad- verfe occurrences of life,
I/?, Fear is an infirmity natural to man, which very often hath pernicious effedls, and in itfelf, abftrading from its effeds, is very uncomfortable. I believe every one hath experience enough to make him fenfible thaty^^r hath torment. Though there feem^ eth to be a great difference as to this parti- cular in the natural frame and conftitution of men ; fome are much more hardy and re- folved, more calm, and have greater prefence of mind in the expectation of evil than others j yet I fcarcely believe there are any who have not felt fometimes fuch fhocks and furprizes, under the apprehenfion of danger, as were painful to them. Now, there needeth no reafonins: to fhew that this is a weaknefs and mifery -, we know it by an inward confciouf- nefs. Every living creature, according to
2 its
Wifdom the Strength oj the Mind. p j
its meafure of perfedion, hath a felf-enjoy- Serm, pient, findeth eafe and fatisfadion in its IV. found and healthful flate ; and it might be cxpeded it fhould be fo, confidcring the great gocdnefs of the Creator. But it was wifely provided that fuch of them as arc liable to dangers and annoyances from abroad, fliould have a painful appre- Jienfion of them, in order to their being put upon the fpeedieft methods for avoiding J;hem. This is the end of fear in their conflitution. We fee the brute kinds plain- ly difcover it, in their narrow fphere of fen- fible objeds which threaten them, and from which all their danger arifeth j they are quickly apprifed, and immediately di- refted, without deliberation, to all they can jdo for their fafety. But man is made with a larger comprehenfion, and with the pri- vilege of forefight, by which he difcover^ cth a greater variety of dangers, and feeth them at a greater diflance ; and this certainly was not originally intended to be his tor- ment 5 but, if it be fo in event, it mufl be by way of penal inflidion for his fliults, or a diftemper of his mind againft which there is a proper remedy provided. This, then, is the firft part of our weaknefs, of which wifdom is the cure,
2dly,
gz Wifdom the Strength of the Mind,
Serm. 2dly^ If we alter the fituation of diffi- IV. cult uneafy circumflances and events in life, and, inftead of the perturbation which at- tendeth the profpedt of them as future, con- iider them as adtually incumbent, they pro- duce the pafiion called grief, which ifi our prefent condition we are too well acquainted with to need any explication of it. It is not, indeed, equal in all men, no more than fear, even when the outward occafion is the fame or equal. There are fome fpirits which can much better than others fuftain their infirmity ; and yet I think we muft all be fenfible, that in the vaft variety of trou- bles to which man is born, one or other doth fo prefs the weak fide of every human conftitution, that it requireth a force above that of mere, unimproved, and uncultivated nature to fupport it ; that is, it requireth re- ligious wifdom ; without the aid of which, it will fink us into a painful indifpofition and weaknefs of mind.
Another pafiion belonging to the fame clafs, is anger ; when the difagreeable event is confidercd as an injury, and as befalling us by the injufi:ice or ill-will of a voluntary agent. The true defign of this in our con- ftitution, is the fame with that of the other 1 paflions.
Wifdom the Strength of the Mind, 93
pafTions, that is, our own prefervation ; and Serm. there it ought to reft. But often it is ac- I^*^* companied with a violent propenfion to the mifcry of the apprehended injurious, and tranfporteth men into a behaviour very un- becoming them, and which they cannot re- fledl upon without regret and confuiion.
Now, let us confider the fymptoms which commonly appear in men, and are produ- ced by thefe original caufes of our diforders in our prefent infirm ftate, that fo we may fee the need of wifdom as a remedy, if it be indeed a remedy. And, firft, we find that during the prevalence of the pafTions al- ready mentioned, and efpecially in their firil and moft violent alTaults, the underftanding is obfcured, at leaft, we have not the due ufe of it. How often are men in the extre- mities of fear, and forrow, and anger, redu- ced almofl to an incapacity of thinking? and even, in lower degrees of thefe paffions, they have not fuch clear views of things, which efpecially are more immediately ne- ceflary in their prefent circumftances, as otherways they might have. It feemeth to be the natural tendency of pain to arrefl the thoughts J the mind is detained in the af- flidHng confideration of that which render- eth it uneafy, without having freedom to
view
94 IVlfdom the Strength of the Mind,
SERM.vIew other objeds, or even the grievous ob- IV. jed: itfelf on all fides ; whereas the proper exercife of the rational powers is^ in confi- dering calmly and deliberately what is pre- fented to the mind, efpeclally, which nearly concerneth its own intereft ; attentively viewing all its properties, relationSj and ten- dencies, comparing fedately all things which may enlighten the counfels of the heart, and fo prepare for a juft conclufion. And, furely, the mind is weak and difeafed, when the underftanding is not rightly exercifed ; for that is the glory of man, the leading fa- culty of the foul 5 according to the direction of which, and the refult of its deliberations, every thing muft be regularly done, both for the purpofes of duty and happinefs.
^dly^ In purfuance of this, the counfels of the mind are full of perplexity. How- ever unprofitably and indeliberately, yet ftill it thinketh on the difagreeable objed:, and cannot be diverted from it j its thoughts arc attended with a great deal of difturbance and confulion, but as little light as comfort ; for, if the paffions darken the underftand- ing, they quicken the imagination, which during their prevalence is exceeding fruitful, continually employed in forming images of
the
JVifdoin the Strength of the Mind. 95
the fame complexion with that which fet- Serm. teth it a work j frightful ones, when we are 1 *^* under the power of fear -, melancholy, when grief is prevalent ; and images of provocations received, and mifchief to be done in return, during the impetuofity of anger.
3^/>', As thefe imaginations raifed in the mind by the influence of paffion, are not the proper directors of our condudl, the pre- valence of them, and their multiplicity, ac- companied with darknefs, confufion, and tumult, produce irrefolution, inftability, and fatal precipitation. The mind, if it deter- mineth itfclf at all, doth it upon flight grounds, or fuch as are not duly and ma- turely weighed, and therefore rafhly ; the confequence of which is unlteddinefs 3 for if we form a purpofe upon the imagination or fuggeftion of a paillon which happeneth to be uppermoli, having no fure ground, it quickly changeth, and fo doth the purpofe with it. But, for the moft part, the mind is in fufpenfe, not knowing what to refolve -, it looketh on the right hand and on the left, and can fee nothing but uncertainty. I think every one mufl be convinced that this, indeed, is weaknefs, and exceedingly uncom- fortable ^ the foul is rendered, in a great
meafure.
96 Wijdom the Strength of the Mind,
Serm. meafure, uncapable of doing any thing wor- IV. thy of itfelf, or in profecution of its true in- tereft, and it hath very Uttle enjoyment. The Pfalmift expreffeth himfelf very feel- ingly on this fubjedt, Fjal. xiii. 2. How long Jhall I take counfel in my foul, having fa-row in my heart daily ? When forrow or fear is in the heart, the foul is then taking counfel in itfelf, but to little purpofe, and with very little fatisfadlion. If it be poflible to find relief againft the difadvantages and difcom- fort of fuch a ftate, to which we are all fubje(5l in fome degree, one would think we Ihould be difpofed readily to embrace it 5 which leadeth me to confider, in the
Second Place, Wherein the ftrength of the j wife man lieth, and how wifdom, or reli- gious virtue, is fitted to adminifter a cure of our weaknefs and its fymptoms j which I j fhall illuftrate according to the method al- * ready laid down, that is, by fhewing it is a proper antidote againfl the evils I have men- tioned. And, firft, it is a defence againft fear ; fo Solomon teacheth us, chap. iii. 23. having exhorted to keep found wifdom and difcretion, he addeth, T^hen Jhalt thou walk in thy way jafely, and thy foot JI2 all notjlum-
ble;
Wifdom the Strefigth of the Mifid, 97
ble J ivhen thcii Heft dciv?iy thou Jhalt not be S E R M. afraid; yea, thou /Jjalt He dowjt, and thy ^''' Jleep fiall be fweet. And the following words, in the 25th verfe, may be under- flood as a continuation of tlie promife, Be not afraid cf fuddenfear, neither of the de- folation of the wicked ivhen it comet h. But, to explain this more particularly, let us ob- ferve, that religious wifdom fupporteth the mind againft the fear of uncomfortdble events in life, becaufe it reprefentetli them as too inconliderable to afFe(^l our main interefts. That which naturally maketh us folicitous about any future event is, the opinion we have of its importance to us -, if we appre- hend it to be of fmall moment, the founda- tion of fear is taken away. This is the rea- fon why men of weak and corrupt minds are thrown into fuch confufion when any danger threateneth their worldly concerns, becaufe they regard them as their All, and cannot relieve themfelves by looking up to a fuperior interejfl, which is fafe, and out of the reach of danger. But the good }?ian is fatifed from himfelf his integrity is his chief treafure ; and while that remaineth untouched, he is fecure againft every thing in this world which can befal him, and Vol. III. II meeteth
98 Wifdom the Strength of the Mind,
Serm. meeteth danger with intrepidity, becaufe it IV. can only deprive him of things which are not the highefl in his efteem, nay, are con- fidered only as minute circumftances in com- parifon, far from his principal and moft fubftantial felicity. That virtue is a greater good than riches, worldly honours, and car- nal pleafures, hath been profefled as a prin- ciple by many heathens ; and every one wha na?nefh the name of Chrijiy and is his difci- ple, muft be fuppofed to avow it; or, in words agreeable to the flile of the gofpel, that the new creature, the image of God repaired in us, the fpiritual life effedted in the foul by the grace of Chrift, and the operation of the Holy Spirit, is more excel- lent than any enjoyment in this life, and the immediate and moft necefTary preparation for the greateft happinefs in the next. But the wife man is thoroughly pofTelTed with thefe fentiments, and according to them formeth the difpofitions of his fpirit, and according to them are governed all his affec- tions and paffions, his delire and averfion,. bis joy and grief, his hope and fear.
2dly, The teftimony of our confciencc concerning our fincerity, which is the pe- culiar enjoyment of the man whom Solomon calleth wifcy is an efFedual prefer vative
againft
Wtfdom the Strength of the Mbid. gg
agalnfl immoderate deje(fting fears, as itSERM.' giveth us confidence towards God, and af- IV". furance of his favour. Men cannot help, even thofe who are the mofl averfe to them, having apprehenlions of a Supreme Being, the wife and jufl governor of the world, who is pleafed with the righteous, and an- gry with the wicked every day, and his ven- geance ready to break upon their heads in terrible judgments; and, therefore, when danger threateneth them, the terror of it is increafed by this jealoufy, that it is fraught with the difpleafure of the incenfed deity, tvhich ilriketh the foul with dread, far be- yond what could be raifed by the event in itfelf confidered. A guilty accufing con- fcience is haunted continually with the fright- ful images and grievous remembrance of its own crimes, which pierce it through with anxiety, and make it imagine every thing it meeteth, to be a meffenger of wrath. But the TOod man is free from fuch QifiTadling furnixies and confounding fears. This is'the reafon of what Solomon obferveth, and which is confirmed by experience, P?'ov. xxviii. i. The wicked jiee nvhen no man purfucthy but the righteous are bold as a lion, N .•: but that wicked men are often fearlcfs of danger,
H 2 and
1 oo Wifdom the Strength of the Mind.
S ERM. and meet it with the greatefl figns of refo- ld- lutionj yet it is certain, the farther men depart from virtue and integrity, their cou- rage rnufl: be the more unfleady, and the appearance of it, which is founded in paf- lion, is no other than brutal rage, like the iiercenefs of a lion, or the mettle of an horfe that ruflieth into the battle ; but paffion is not able to bear up the mind in a feries of dangers ; for the clamour of confcience will return and flrike the flouteft heart with ter- ror and amazement. A fedate and conftant fortitude, efpecially in adverfity of a long continuance, can only be the effedl of an immoveable uprightnefs, and flow from the inward peaceful reflections of an approving mind.
"i^dljy The wife man is ftrong againfl: fear, becaufe his confidence is in the divine all- fufficiency, love, and faithfulnefs. This is the reafon our author giveth, chap. iii. 26. For the Lord fid all be thy confidence^ and fi^all keep thy foot from being taken. No wonder they are at a lofs in hazardous conjundures, who know of no fuperior power to interpofe in their behalf, to avert evil, or over- rule it to a good ifllie. Chance and neceflity, as the caufe of events, are the refuge of igno- rant minds, wilfully Hiut and hardened
againfl
W'lfdom the Strength of the Mind. i o i
againfl: the knowledge of God, as the great S e r m. and wife governor of the world ; but a poor ^ V. refuge they are in the evil day. What com- fort can any one have in looking to empty infignificant words (for really chance and iieceility are no more) under the doubtful expedlation of an overwhelming calamity ? But faith controulcth the fears of a religious mind, for it reprefenteth an intelligent, pow- erful, and gracious providence, as fuperin- tending all affairs, and direding all events irrefiftibly ; it refleth fatisfied in infinite goodnefs, from which joyful hopes may be formed even in the laft extremity ; it reiie(5t- eth comfortably on the experience which good men have had of God's favour, reliev- ing them, and giving an expe(5led end to all their troubles 5 for he hath been their dwelling-place in all generations^ as the Pfalmifl: fpeaketh -, and efpecially, embra- cing the revelation God hath given, it re- lieth on his covenant with his people, in which are folemn promifes fufficient to fup- port their fpirits even in the laft article of danger, fuch as, that he will never leave nor for fake thetn ; he will give grace and glory, and withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly 5 and, that all things Jf:all H 3 work
102 Wifdom the Strength of the Mind,
S E R M. work together J or good to them that Io;pe IV. God.
And as the foul of man, confclous of its fpiritual nature and independence on the perilling body, and of its natural defire of immortality, extendeth its prefaging views to an eternal ftate, and can never be tho- roughly fecure againfl fear, without fome good profpedt of a future felicity ; this is the compleat confolation and fupport of the good or the wife man ; he rejoiceth in the hope of the glory of God, in the midft of fur- rounding calamities ', and when there is no hope of evalion this confidence is not abated, yo5 refolved, therefore, that though God Jhould Jlay hitn^ yet he would tritjl in him ; which, furely, mufl import an expedtation of favour from him after death. The chri- flian religion propofeth this to us more clearly, for our Lord Jefus Chrift hath brought life and immortality to light through the go/pel-, and therefore the very reafon the apoflle giveth, why we faint not, though cur outward man perifjeth, is, becaufe we took not at the things which are feen, but at ' the thifigs which are 720t feen ; for the things which are feen are temporaly but the things which are not feen are eternah
What
Wifdom the Strength of the Mind. 103
What I have faid on this head, fheweth S e r M. in a great meafure the llrength of the wife ^ '^ • man againfl forrow^ fo that it will not be neceffary to infift upon it ; we have no more to do than alter the fcene, to transfer the calamities of life from the profpe(5t to the incumbency of them 3 and that which fup- ports the mind againft the one, will be alfo a relief againfl the other.
The reafons why afflidling occurences are often fo fl:iocking to men that life linketh un- der the burden and pineth away in mifery,arej that we over-value the good things of which they deprive us 5 for in proportion to the affec- tion of defire, fo will the grief always be ; and becaufe they are inflamed with an appre- henfion of God's wrath, and the conciouf- nefs of guilt maketh them to be conlidered as penal inflidions of his juftice, on which account deliverance is defpaircd of, Nay, the melancholy view of the mourner is lengthned out to the utmofl: duration of his being, that is, to eternity. Againft all this, religious virtue is the fovereign and univerfal relief; it reprefenteth a more fubflantial en- joyment to counterballancethe prefent pain, a reconciled God and an approving confcience, as a perpetual fpring of joy, and an eternal H 4 weight
1 04 Wifdom the Strength of the Mind.
Serm. weight of glory to reconipenfe the pain and Iv, toil of the prefent ftate, which are, in com- parifon, but a light affliction and for a mo- ment.
The fan^e principles and fentiments in the mind of a wife man reilrain immoderate anger, which, as Solomon faith, refteth in the bofom of fools ^ Ecclef. vii. 9. H'^ con- fidcrcth the trarifports of pdffionate wrath as the impotence of the foul deftroying it's peace ; that no provocations or injuries which can be done to him in this world can afFedt his main interell; they appear to him very inconliderable things while he enjoyeth tran- quillity within, and believeth God is his friend, who can make even his enemies to to be at peace with him, can afTwage their malice or controul it's moil violent efforts, and whofe loving kindnefs is a fund of fu- perior confolation, even better than life it- felf, beyond which the utmoft rage of men cannot reach j and, finally, as the great rule by which he formeth his temper and con- dud: is, the imitation of the Deity, he conlidereth that nothing is more godlike than to forgive injuries, and be kind to the un- thankful and evil.
But let us, next, confider the advantage
of religious wifdom in delivering us from
3 the
JVifdom the Strength of the Mind. 105
the fymptoms of weaknefs arifing from the Serm. paffions. The firft I mentioned was igno- IV. ranee and confufion ; the underftanding is fo darkened that it cannot difcern the way we (hould chiife, and form a jufl and deli- berate judgment of things, which certainly is a great unhappinefs. Now, it is the in- valuable advantage of true wifdom, that it openeth the eyes, and fetteth things before the mind in a clear and full view. 'The tejii- mony of the Lord is fure, jnaking wife the fwiple^ the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes^ PfaLxix. 7,8. What- ever difficulty there may appear in the paths of virtue to the corrupt and unexperienced, they are all plain to him that iinderftandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. Prov. viii. 9. There is an admirable fim- plicity in religion, and the highway of holinefs, as the prophet calleth it, Ifa. xxxv. 8. is fuch that the wayfaring man^ though a fool, JJjall not err therein. Whereas the ways of fin are crooked and intricate, a man eniia^ed in them ftill meeteth with one difficulty after another, and vexeth himfelf with unprofitable projects, which only tend to involve him in farther trouble, Prov. xv, J 9. The way of the flothful man is an hedge
9f
io6 Wifdom the Strength of the Mind.
Seru, of thorns J (and the cafe is fame of other fin- ners wandering in the maze of errors) te the way of the righteous is plain. Solomon faith, Eccef. ii. 14. A wife man's eyes are in his heady but a jool walketh in darknefs. And again, chap. x. 2. A wife man's heart is at his right-hand^ but a fool's is at his left. The vicious diflempered mind is hke one without eyes in a rough road full of precipices ; irregular paffions millead the underftanding, fo that it is at a lofs not know- ing what hand to turn to in the greatefl ur- gency of affairs, having forfaken the paths of truth and judgment. But the underftand- ing of the wife difpaflionate man is always a ready guide to him, diredling his active powers with promptnefs and dexterity.
In purfuance of this, the man of know- ledge increafeth ftrength againft irrefolution, unfteadinefs, and precipitancy j his behavi- our is confident and uniform, becaufe it is conducted by one invariable principle. The apoftie reprefenteth it as the happy fruit of that perfection to which chriftians arrive by the gofpel miniftration, that they are no more like children tofj'ed to a?id fro^ ajid carried about with every ivind, Eph, iv. 17. As the paffions of men naturally make them fickle
and
Wifdom the Strength of the Mind, 107
and unflable J true wifdom, which confift- Serm. eth in the inaftery of the pafiions, mufl have IV. the contrary effe6t j and accordingly you will always obferve, that the moft difpaflionate men are the mofl conftant 3 for confciencc and reafon hold the fovereignty in the foul, and their voice is flill the fame.
Again, as bodily ftrength produceth faci- lity and chearfulnefs in adtion, the ftrong vuin rejoiceth to run his race, which would be a great oppreffion to the weak j the ftrong in a religious fenfe, that is, the wife and virtuous, rtm in the path of righteoufnefs, and do not faint ^ as the prophet f|:>eaketh, they walk and are not iveary^ their good works are performed with vigor and alacri- ty, and their hearts are enlarged to run in the of God's commandments. This effedt of wifdom Solomon obferveth, chap. iv. 12. When thou goefi , thy fleps flmll not be fir ait en^ ed, and when thou runneji^ thou fialt not fumble » As a man walking in a narrow dif- ficult path, or labouring under an incum- brance to which his ftrength is unequal, findeth himfelf crampt and uneafy, his pro- grefs is flow and painful, fo the weak and imperfedl in a religious fenfe, prefled down by weights, embarrafTed and entangled with 2 the
io8 Wifdom the Strength of the Mind,
S E R M. the fins which eafily befet them, do not run the race which is fet before them, but their ileps are ilraitened and they often ftumble. From thefe inconveniences wifdom is the effectual relief J iteftabhfhethandinvigorateth the powers of the mind, it enableth the per- fon indued with it, to attend his proper work with eafe and fatisfad:ion, and to con- tinue with patience in well-doing.
And you may obferve the text faith, the man of knowledge increafeth ilrength ; though the firft entrance of it maketh a great change in the condition and conducft of men, and from that time difcretion begin- eth to prejerve and undei-Jlanding to keep them J as our author obferveth, chap. ii. i o. 1 1 . yet it is not perfect at once, but by degrees groweth up to maturity, and every ftep we advance brings an additional flrength with all the comfortable confequences of it, as yob faith, chap. xvii. 9. The righteous fiall hold on his way^ and they that have clean hands beflronger and Jlrofiger. That which com- pleteth the benefit of this fpiritual flrength, is, that the wife man is confcious of it, and enjoy- eth it with pleafure ; not that he proudly valueth himfelf upon his flrength, or treats others with
a fupercilious contempt 5 fuch a temper is far
from
IFifdom the Strength of the Mi?id. 1 09
from a wife man, his humility is a great Serm. part of his religion and his flrength j but as IV". in the animal nature a found conftitution and vio-or is felt by thofe who poflefs it, and it produceth eafe and the more comfortable en- joyment of life, whereas declining flrength is painful and burthenfome to itfelf j fo the fenfible fruition of it is infeparable from a healthful ftate of the mind, that is, efta- bliflied virtue and integrity.
Having given this account of flrength and weaknefs of mind, as they arife from the oppofite c^ufes of wifdom, or the prevalence of irregular aftedions and pafTions, let us apply it to ourfelves, and enquire carefully into the flate and temper of our minds. Certainly, the enquiry is of great impor- tance if \VQ have it at heart to know whe- ther wifdom hath enter'd into our fouls, as Solomon fpeaketh, and what meafure of it we have attained. And though to men un- accuflomed to this exercife of communing with their own hearts, as the Pfahniji calleth it, without which there can be no proficien- cy in virtue, it may appear difficult, the difH- culty is far from being infuperable, if we could but engage ourfelves to a vigorous attention ; the objects of enquiry are not diflant remote things, but fuch as are known by an inward
con-
no Wifdom the Strength of the Mind.
Se RM. confcioufnefs -, and certainly it is reproachfuf for a man to be a ftranger to himfelf and to what pafTeth in his own mind.
Let us, then, try what equanrmiLy wc maintain in the changes of life j do our fpirits' rife and fall with every varying emergent ? Do our fears and hopes, our joys and for- rows, depend on the fmiles and frowns of this world, fo as in threatning or adverfe turns of providence, the underflanding is darkened, the counfels are perplexed, courage faileth and refolution becometh unftable ? If it be fo, the confiitution of the mind is weak, and there is a great dcfe<5t of wifdom. As I am perfuaded every one who is ac- quainted with himfelf will find thefe fymp- toms in a degree to be regretted, you may fee what the caufe is, and what would be the cure. Have we not juil caufe to bewail the imperfed:ion of our integrity and all the religious virtues ? If by a vigorous zeal and conftant diligence in them we were growing up from feeble infancy to the flature of per- fed: men, we fhould find the advantage of it, in a prefence and tranquillity of mind efla- blifhed above the reach of time and chance. Security and confidence doth fo naturally Ipring from virtue, that whoever hath any
juft
Wifdo?7i the Strength of the Mind. 1 1 1
juft fenfe of the one is led to confider the Serm. other as its infeparable attendant ; accor- IV. dingly, feme of the wifer heathens have ex- prefTed themfelves excellently on this fubjed, and one of their poets faith, concerning the virtuous man, That if the frame of nature were difTolved, he would meet its ruins un- terrified. But our divine religion explain- eth the confidence of a good man very fully, and flieweth the true grounds of it, which are fo firm and fo clear, that it is unworthy of a chriftian, of his privileges, his charac- ter, and the vacation wherewith he is called, not to retain his confidence^ and the rejoicing of his bope^ fl^^dfaji to the end.
One would think it fufiicient to recom- mend true piety and chriftian virtue, if it giveth fuch confidence and fecurity of mind which is fo very defirable in our prefent flate, a flate of difcipline and trial, wherein there is much vanity and vexation of fpirit ; and, as Solomon obferveth, God hath wifely given travel and grief to the children oj men, as a part of their portion under the fun. But ftill let us remember there is no other foun- dation upon which we can be flrong, in the fenfe of the text, or attain to firmnefs and ferenity of mind, but wifdom, or the
pracSticc
112 Wijdom the Strength of the Mind,
Serm. pradice of pure undefiled religion. There iV. are very different courfes taken by men to iupport themfelves againfl the viciffitudes of time, and the fears and forrows which they occafion^ fome have recourfe to fchemes and projeds of their own, in order to ob- tain reft : If this or the other defign were accomphfhed, and fuch an affair fettled, then they are fecure : But as it is altogether uncertain, whether they fhall ever obtain their end 5 fo if they did obtain it, they may be never the nearer tranquillity j for the ftate of human affairs always is and muft be changeable ; fo that the fecurity arifing from our own devices, or any imagined outward circumftances, is intirely groundlefs. Solo- mon maketh a comparifon between wifdom and money, as a defence, E^:^/^/. vii. 12. and he acknowledgeth they may be both fo called. But though money fometimes is a means of fafety to the proprietor, it alfo fometimes expofeth him to mifchief and danger 3 but the excellency of knowledge, faith our author, is, that in all events // giveth life to them that have it. In pati- ence, confidence in God, refignation to his will, contracting our defires to the things of this world, and the other branches of reli-
gious
tVifdo7n the Strength of the Mind. 113
ctIous virtue, is our only folid peace, astheSERM. prophet having reproved the fcws for their IV. vain confidence in Egypt for their fafety, ^ telleth them, Jfaiah xxx. 15. /« returni?2g and reft ye jhall be faved-, in qiiiet?iefs and confidence pall be your fir ength.
Vol. IIL I S E R^
[114]
SERMON V.
The Favour of G O D obtained by Wisdom,
PROVERBS VIII. 35.
Whofo Jindeth me Jindeth life^ and jl: all obtain favour of the Lord,
I HAVE, in difcourfing from feveral paf- fages of this book, confidered fome of the arguments by which the wife man re- commendeth religious virtue under the cha- rader of wifdom, fuch as the excellency of its ways, the pleafantnefs of them, and that fecurity and confidence which arifeth in the mind of a wife or a good man, from the confcioufnefs of his own integrity. Another very flrong argument is contained in the text, that whofo findeth wifdom findeth life, and fhall obtain favour of the Lord. I do not think that life here is to be underftood in fo narrow a fenfe as to mean only, or principally, the continuance of this prefent life ; though there are other declarations of
Soloifiq^
The Fa'vour of God obtained by Wifdom, \i^
Solomon ill this book, which muft be fo in- Serm, tcrpreted, as chap. ix. ii. By me thy days V. fiall be multiplied^ and the years of thy lije Jhall be increafed. And chap. x. 27. The fear of the Lord prolongeth days^ but the years of the wicked fiall be Jhortened. Yet, confidering that life in this text is not fo limited, that often in fcripture it hath a larger fignification, and that the words ad- ded to explain this advantage of wifdom, and fhew the true caufe of it, namely, ob- taining favour of the Lord, leads us to more important and durable effects than the meer lengthening out our prefent ftate of exift- ence : Confidering all this, I fay, it feem- eth reafonable by life to underfland that which indeed is better, and for which life, in the firfl and more obvious fenfe, is only va- luable, that is, happinefs ; and fo it mufl be taken in that faying of our Saviour, Luke xii. • 5. The life of a man (or his enjoyment and felicity) doth not confjl in the abundance of the things which he pojjejfeth. The in- tention of this text, then, is to reprefent a very great blelTednefs to good men, whether in the prefent or a future ftate, annexed to wifdom or religious virtue, in confequence of their obtaining God's favour.
I 2 The
1 16 ^he Favour of God obtained by Wifdom, Serm. The great creator of all things hath fo V. framed the human nature, that very impor- tant confequences in the moll fenfible man- ner affedling us, necelTarily refult from our own difpofitions, and our courfe of action, which fhould reafonably determine us to chufe moral good, and efchew evil. And this evidently {heweth that man vi^as made for virtue, fince by his conftitution he can- not be happy without it 5 as in the other parts of the creation, from the obvious rela- tions and ufes of creatures, we infer the Al- mighty Maker's counfel and delign. But feeing we are capable of knowing him as the free and intelligent ruler of the world, and of apprehending his favour and difplea- fure towards us according to our works, whether this be difcovered by the principles of natural religion, or the politive declara- tions of his word -, thence diftind: and very ftrong arguments are drawn, which fhould induce us to chufe the good, and refufe the evil 5 for they reprefent him as a lawgiver, whofe precepts claim the refpe(5t of his fub- ie(5ts, as they are enforced by the promifes and threatenings of one who is able to fave and to dellroy. Solo?}ion telleth us, chap, xxiv. 14, iki2X when lioe have found the know- ledge
T^be Favour of God obtai7ied by Wifdom. i \j
ledge oj ivifdot7J^ there fiall be a reward y and Serm. our expc5intio7i Jhall not be cut off. But here ^• he afcertaineth the reward, and mentioneth particularly what il is, namely, the favour of the Lord. I fhall, 4
Firfty Endeavour to fhew how great, how fubftantial and comprehenfive a felicity this is.
Secondly y The tide which wifdom, or reli- gious virtue giveth to it j or upon what ground we may exped:, according to the declaration in the iext, that if we find wifdom, we fliall obtain the favour of the Lord.
p/r/?, To fliow how great, how fubftan- tial and comprehenfive a felicity this is. And one would think it will be eafily allowed, if we confider our mofl obvious notions of the Deity ; that idea which all his works, and more particularly the holy fcripture, give us of him, as a being infinitely perfecft and all- fufiicicnt, the fountain of life and of hap- pinefs. We judge of the importance of any perfon's favour, and of the fecurity and ad- vantage which may arife to ourfelves from it, by his power and capacity. The defire I 3 even
1 1 8 ^he Favour of God' obtained by Wtjdom,
S E R M, even of a poor man is his kindncfs^ and ought V. to be gratefully acknowledged; but one cannot form fuch hopes from it, as from the friend- fhip of the great, whofe ' exalted condition putteth many things in their power to give, which we efteem good for us. Now, if God hath the fupreme and abfolute dominion over all things; if, as the Pfalmift faith, '^PfaL xxxiii. p. He fpake and it "was done^ he comvianded and it flood faft. And verfe 1 1. T^he counfel of the Lord ftandeth for ever^ the thoughts of his heart to all generations* Then that muiV^e a juft inference, ver. 12. Bleffed is the nation whofe God is the Lo? d, iind the people whom he hath chcfen for his own inheritance. It is impoffible his favou- rites fhould be unhappy, becaufe he neither wanteth power to effed; what his good-will inclineth to, nor wifdom to contrive the bell method for their fafety and advantage. The account, therefore, which the faints in fcripture give of what they call their por- tion, the happinefs they chufe, in w^hich all their defires and hopes center, as in oppo- fition to the very different choices made by others ; the accounts, I fay, are very fliort indeed, but very full ; the light of God's countenance, his blefling, his loving-kind-
nefs.
l^he Favour of God obtained by Wifdom. 1 1 9
nefs. Thefe terms are equivalent, and allSEKM.c mean the fame thing which in my text is V. called the favour of the Lord^ which good men regard as the All of their felicity : If they enjoy it, there is nothing wanting to them } if they be deprived of it, there is no- thing can fupply its place, or afford any true confolation. Thofe who are fo unhappy, or rather fo foolifh, as to neglect this chief good, ftill, however, as their nature unalte- rably determineth them, intent upon happi- nefs, fall into a great variety of purfuits ; they fay, Who will fiew us any good? Pfal. iv. 6. Though there are objeds fuitable to the inclinations God hath planted in our na- ture, and in conferring them upon us the liberality of his providence appeareth ; yet even fuppofing them fought after, and en- joyed without fm, they come fhort of being our true felicity, both in the perfedion of degree, and in the duration of them. They cannot yield folid contentment and fatisfac- tion to the mind of man, becaufe they are too low in their kind for its high capacity ; and they are of a perifliing nature j pleafure is but for a feafon, honour only an empty fhadow ; nothing can be more variable and uncertain than it is ; and riches make them-
I 4 fives
120 The Favour of God obtained by Wifdonu
S ERM, felves wings J and fie c as an eagle towards V. heaven. But the favour of God is a fove- reign good, and never-failing foundation of hope, and fpring of comfort ; it extendetli to all poflible cafes, and is a fupport in the moll diftreffed fituation of affairs j of which we have a remarkable example in the hiftory of Jacobs returning from the land of Syria, When his family had grov^n to a confider-- able number, and his fubltance likewife en- creafed in a painful fervice, indeed under a long oppreflion, fo as to drawr upon him the envy and difcontent of his father-in-law, from whom he efcaped with difficulty, . a new and a greater danger meeteth him from his brother, with whom he had parted on ill terms, and expected now the deflrudlive effedls of his refentment againft himfelf and his defencelefs family. In this great extre- mity, having made the beft difpofitions he could for faving at leafl fome of his houfe-^ hold, laft of all, he betook himfelf to prayer, the earneflnefs and importunity of which is reprefented by an angel's wreftling with him in the likenefs of a man, and the refult was, that he obtained a bleffing -, that is, the pro- mife of God's fpecial favour, which had been, made to Abraham ^nd IJaac, was re? 3 newed
The Favour of God obtained by Wifdom. 121
newed to him. Thtre is no mention oFSerm. any particular promife with refpect to the V. prefent exigency in anfwer to his prayers, that is, that he fliould efcape from Efau ; and there was no need of any, for the favour of God is in all events fufficient for his fer- vants, their rock and refuge in every article of danger 3 when that foundation is once laid, and an interefl in the loving-kindncfs of their God afcertained to them, they are fully fatisfied, and reafon with themfelves in this manner ; let the appearances be ever fo dilmal and (hockino:, our God is able to de- liver us j but if he has thought fit to appoint otherwife, and that the prefent danger mufl put an end to life, flill we are fafe, his fi- vour reacheth beyond the line of life, and maketh death itfelf our gain. Such hope had thofe glorious confefTors for the true re- ligion, Shadrack, Mejhach, and Abcdiiego^ wherj doomed to a fiery furnace by Nebu- cbad?2czzarj and their hope infpired them, with heroic refolution, Dan. iii. 16. They anfwered, and faid, 0 Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to anjwer thee in this matter, Jf it be foy our God, whom we Jerve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, (ind he will deliver us out of thy hand, O
king.
122 'The Favour of God obtained by Wifdom, .
SERM,king, But if not, be it known unto thee, O | V, king, we will not ferve thy gods, nor worjhip the golden image which thou haji fet up, I come, in the
Second Place, To confider the title which wifdom or religious virtue giveth to the fa- vour of God, or upon what grounds we may exped:, according to the declaration in the text, that if we find wifdom, we fhall ob- ain favour of the Lord. As I fhewed before, lat the perfedion of felicity, and the great- lefs of the reward, imported in the favour of God, is juflly inferred from his glorious natu- ral excellencies, his abfolute dominion and power over all things ; fo that the wife, that is, the virtuous and the good, are intitled to his favour, may be juflly argued from his moral attributes. We mufl neceffarily fup- pofe that the Supreme Being is infinitely good, righteous, and true, and that he ex- ercifeth thefe perfcdiions in the government of his reafonable creatures- This is proved in the fame manner as the exiflence of God, and his other attributes, that is, by arguing , from eifedts to their caufes, from the exer- cife of powers and principles to their being -, and from this moft certain truth^ that all
real
The Favour of God obtained by Wifdofn, v i: 5
real and abfolute excellencies muil: belong to S e r m. the infinite, unoriginated, and independent V. caufe of all things. Every confiderate per- fon will find himfelf obliged to acknowledge that the moral attributes are real and abfo- lute excellencies, moft juftly and worthily therefore afcribed to the infinitely perfedl Beij\g. Befides, this mufl be allowed to be the foundation of true religion, and, there- fore, hath been univerfally acknowledged wherever it was profefTed or pradlifed ; for how can men do any thing that is good out of a regard to the Deity, which is the very meaning of religion, unlefs they firfl believe him to be good, and a lover of virtue ?
And, indeed, the greateft corruptions of religion and morality have taken their rife from wrong notions of God. What wonder is it, if the worfliippers are mifled to cru- elty, lafcivioufnefs, and ambition, if it be once believed that the objeds of worfhip themfelves are of the fame difpofitions, and that wicked pradices are agreeable to them ? But if, on the contrary, we are fully con- vinced that God is perfectly holy, jufl, be- nevolent, and faithful, then we are fur- niflied with the ftrongeft motives to prac- tice, and to think on the things which are
fure^
124 5^^^ Favour of God obtained by Wifdom,
S^'RM^purCy and true, and ho?ieJi, and virtuous^ V. becaufe we are fure thefe things are approved by him. What the fcriptute declareth on this fubjedt is perfe<5lly agreeable to reafon, for it celebrateth the holinefs and the juftice of God, efpecially as manifefted in the di- flindtion he maketh between good and bad men, PJal. xi. 5, 6, 7. The Lord trieth the righteous, but the wicked and him that loveth 'violence his foul hateth. Upon the wicked he Jloall rain fnares, fire, and brimfone, and an horrible tempefi ^ this fall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous Lord loveth righteoufnefsj his countenance doth behold the upright. And elfewhere we are taught, that becaufe he is holy therefore he delight- eth in holinefs, he hateth fin, and the evil and the vicious are an abomination to him.
But this is fo evident, I need not fpend time in endeavouring to illuflrate it. I (hall, therefore, apply myfelf to the conlideration of an obvious obbjedion taken from the promifcuous adminiftration of things in this world. How doth it appear that the wife and virtuous obtain favour of the Lord, fince his providence doth not diftinguifh them by marks of favour ; but, by the confeffion of the facred writers themfelves, they are in as
bad
The Favour of God obtained by Wijdom, 125
bad a condition with rcfpedl to the affairs of S e r M. this life as the wicked ? Ecclef. ix. i, 2. 'The V. righteous, and the wife, and their works y are in the hand of God-, no man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before him. All thifjgs come alike to all-, there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good^ and to the clean, and to the unclean ; to him that facrificeth, and to him that facrificeth not ; as is the good Jo is thefmner, andhethatfwearethy as he that fear eth an oath. Nay, it is oftea found in experience, that when wickednefs is triumphant, and the proud are counted hap- py, the moft eminently religious fuffer cruel perfecution ; the apoftles were fet forth as examples fuffering all manner of adverfity and tribulations, counted the ofF-fcourings of all things, and the filth of the world. This objecflion hath been often advanced againft the equity and wifdom of provi- dence, and as feeming to prove that the affairs of this w^orld are under no intelligent direction, but left to blind chance or no- ceffity ; and taking it in its whole compafs, it would require a large confideration j but I (hall at prefent only examine it with a view to the point before us, that is, I will (hew that it is not conclufive again (1:
the
126 ^he Fa'vour of God obtahied by JVifdom.
SERM.the dodrine of the text, that the wife, or V. the religious, obtain favour of the Lord.
And in the firft place, it is to be obferved, that the prefent flate is appointed by the wifdom of God to be a flate of difcipline, and improvement, wherein, as all men are imperfedt in a moral fenfe, fo is their con- dition with refped to happinefs, mixed and imperfedt j a great deal of what is generally accounted affli(3:ion fuch as the inferiority of fome men to others in refped: to the advan- tages of nature and outward ellate, a mean birth, a weak conftitution of body, poverty, and other things of a like nature ; a great deal of this, I fay, might be refolved into the mere fovereignty of the divine dominion. There is a vaft variety in the works of God even which we fee ; the very kinds of them cannot be numbered, and herein doth his greatnefs and his wifdom appear. Now, furely in difpofing the feveral parts of his creation, in fettling the order of his king- dom, and affigning their different Nations to the fubjeds of his providential rule, the great Creator and Governor is not accountable to any of his creatures; he doth whatever pleafeth him, and who can fay, What dofl thou ? Will a man complain that he was not made an angel, or a brute that it is not raifed
to
T'he Favour of God obtained by Wifdom. 127
to the dignity of a man ? So in the fame fpe- S e rm. cies, as there is wifely appointed an inequa- V. lity, we need go no farther than the fame fovereign freedom of providence as the caufe of it, without any confideration of merit in the creatures. In a great houfe, as the apoflle faith, 2 T^im. ii. 20. Inhere are veffeh of gold and fiher, alfo of wood and earth', fome to honour^ and fome to difionour. But, indeed, the heft men have fin enough to juftify all the feverity they meet with. If the moral attributes of God require that a very important diftindtion fhould be made between bad and good men, which laft cha- radter really means no more than the fincere- ly though imperfedly religious, it is reafon- able to expe<fl there fhould be a difference between the latter and the perfedlly inno- cent j and fince there is not a jufl man that liveth upon the earth and finneth not, the providence of God is fufficiently vindicated in appointing to all men vexation, and tra- vel, and grief, under the fun', which, how- ever, when the whole of our exiftence and our mofl important interefts are taken into confideration, may well be called a light afflidlion, and but for a moment. Here it is that God vijiteth the faults of his children
with
■ 1 2 8 ^be Favour of God obtained by Wifdo7n,
Se r m. with rodsy and their fms with chajiifement, ^' yet without taking away his loving kindnefs from theniy Pfai.ixxxix. 33. but flill, they will acknowledge they are puniflied far lefs than their Iniquities deferve ; nay, very often the fufFering and afflidiing infirmities of men, even of good men, are the natural as well as penal confequences of their fin ; and, furely, it is not reafonable to expedl that the nature and conflitution of things fhould be altered to exempt them from troubles which they well deferve.
2dlyy The fufferings of good men in the prefent flate may be confidered as trials ; fo the fcripture reprefenteth them; and it is very confident with the favour of God to his fervants that he fhould try them in order to their growth in virtue, and fo becoming ftill more the objed:s of his favour. We ought to be fenfible that religion is the higheft per- fection, and continuance and growth in it the noblefl enjoyment we are capable of in this world, as well as that it is a reafonable fervice; and, therefore, the methods of providence towards us which have a ten- dency to the increafe of virtue are to be ac- counted tokens of God's favour rather than objedions agalnfl it. iR^i-'. iiic 19. As many
The Favour of God obtained by Wifdcm. 1 2 9 m I love, I rebuke and chajlen. On this ac- S e^r m* count it is that chriftians are reconciled to their prefent fufFering, and even glory in their tribulations, becaufe they know that tribula- tion worketh patience, and patience experi- ence, and experience hope, Rom. v. 3. The apoftle James therefore exhorts chriftians to count it all joy when they fall into divers tempta- tions, knowing that the trial of their faith worketh patience, James i. 2. and St. Peter^ I Ep. i. 6, 7. faith to the perfecutcd chri- ftian Jews, Te greatly rejoice, though ?iow for afeafon, if need be, ye are in heavinefs through manifold temptatiofis 5 that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold which perijheth, though it be tried by the fire, may be found to praife, and honour^ and glory. As God intended that fome of his fervants fhould, for his honour, and pro- moting the intereft of truth and pure reli- gion, be rare examples of thofe virtues which efpecially fiiine in tribulation, as patience, fortitude, meeknefs, and charity 5 and in- tended for them a great reward, it was fit he fhould appoint for them a proper fqene wherein thofe virtues might be eminently difplayed, that is, infirmities, reproaches, perfecutions, and diflreftes.
Vol. III. ^ K ^ But,
130 T^he Favour of God obtained by Wtjdom, Serm. But, in the third place, the perfectly fs- Jj^ ^ fyirjg anfvver to the objedion, is, that the greatefl diflindion between good and bad men is to be made in another flate -, and then the reward of the righteous will be fo complete as to make amends for all their toils and forrows in this world. It is con- iiftent with the greatefl love of God to fub- jedt his creatures, even though perfectly in- nocent, to very grievous fufFerings, when he not only hath it in his power, but hath ac- tually purpofed and declared it, that he will recompenfe them fufficiently by a propor- tionably greater felicity afterwards. The mofl glorious example of this is our Lord Jefii^ Chriflj who though holy, harmlefs, and tindefiled, and fepar ate from fmnet's, fufFered unutterable griefs, yet without any diminu- tion of the Father's love to him, which abundantly fhewed itfelf in the fulnefs of joy that followed, and his exaltion at the right-hand of the majefty on high. Thus although good men are obnoxious to many calamities in life, it doth not follow, that therefore they have not obtained favour of the Lord, becaufe the favour of the Lord is not a principle which exerteth itfelf necef- farily but freely, and the manifeflations of it
are
T^he Favour of God ohtahied by WifJom, 131
are direded by wifdom, choofing the beftSERM. time, and the beft manner for making the obje<5ts of it happy.
Hitherto I have gone no further, except in mentioning the example of Chrifl, than reafon itfelfandthe principles of natural reli- gion will dired: us. It muft be confeiTed they leave clouds and darknefs upon the fu- ture flate, yet not without flrong though general intimations of an hereafter, and of a retribution to come, which have wonder- fully fupported fome great men, even among the heathens, in the laft extremity, and the agonies of death itfelf. But, now, our Lord yefus Chrift hath abolijloed deaths a?id brought life and immortality to light, through the go/pel y the way is opened into the holie/i of all, into heaven itfelf by his blood, fo that we have clear and full afTurance, that he who findeth wifdom fhall obtain fa- vour of the Lord ; for he fhall obtain the inheritance y incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away -, that crown of glory, and of righteoufnefs, which the righteous judge hath promifed to them who love his appear- ing, which is the bell and mod complete evidence and effed: of the divine favour.
K 2 ' lies
132 The Favour of God ohtained by Wifdom. S E R M, I fee no reafon why this may not be com- ^- prehended in the meaning of the text j for though the Old Teftament writers fpeak but darkly of the future felicity in compari- fon of what the gofpel doth, the covenant God made with Ifrael being founded on other and inferior promifes, yet in thofe ancient authors we have fome flrong inti- mations concerning it, befides what the principles of natural religion fuggefled j you know our Saviour argueth convincingly againft the Sadduces, who denied that there arc any fpirits, and, confequently, that men are capable of fubfifting in a future ftate, from thefe words of God to Mofes, I am the God of Abraham T, of Ifaac^ and of facob. Since God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, it is a juft inference, that thefe eminent patriarchs did not altogether perifli when their natural lives ended, but that they fubfifted in another ftate, and therein enjoyed the moft perfe<ft accomplifhment of that glorious promife, that God would be their God. Some of the later prophets fpeak yet more clearly of the future glory, and even of the refurredion of the dead ; and iince fo ancient a believer as Job expreffed his hope in thefe ftrong terms, / k7iQW that
my
^he Favour of God obtaiJicd hy WifiJom. 1-53 rjjy redeemer liveth, and that he Jhall ftand S'er u. at the latter day upon the earth j and though ^. after my Jkin worms dejlroy this body, yet in 7fiy fejh Jhall I fee God, Job xix. 25. It is reafonable to tliink that Solotnon alfo under- flood it, and that he had it in his view when he fpoke of the favour of tlie Lord as the full revi^ard of wifdom.
But however that be, what will moft obvioully occur to a chrifllan's thoughts, as the compleat reward of religion, and the perfedt enjoyment of God's favour, are thofe things promifed in the gofpel, which eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, which God hath laid up for them that love him. Let us then, my brethren, meditate on thofe excellent defcrip- tions which the infpired writers give us of the future ftate. They not only afTure us that if we be ftedfaji and immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, our labour Jhall not be in vain \ and that in due time we fiall reap, if we faint not : They not only reprefent the ftate of the faints after death, as perfectly free from- all uneafinefs, which is the negative part, yet abfolutcly necelliry to felicity, there Jhall be no more hunger ^ or thirji, no more for row ^ and figh-
K 3 ing.
1 34 ^^^ Favour of God obtained by Wifdom, SERM.ingy no more pain-, they not only reprefent V. it in fuch general terms as fhew it to be ex- ceeding glorious and happy, as when it is fet forth under the notion of a kingdom, a crown, a royal palace, and building of God ; but they explain the particular ingredients which, to a ferious compofed mind, muft appear the noblefl enjoyments that a rational nature is capable of, fuch as the fociety of angels, and the perfe6led fpirits of the juft, an entire deliverance from temptation and iin, the perfedion of knowledge and of charity, being like God, and feeing him as he is ', and all the blcffed exercifes and frui- tions of the foul not to fuffer any abatement by its re-union with the body, which in the prefent ftate lays fuch weight upon it, and cramps its afpiring powers, but as con- fummated, rather, at the refurreflion ; the body then immortal, and fpiritual, fafhioned like unto the glorious body of Jefis Chriji^ being every way a well qualified companion to the mind in all its high entertainments, and fo to continue through all eternity. We may conlider, at the fame time, the ftrong affurances God hath given his fervants for the confirmation of their faith and hope j not only we have his faithful word to rely 3 OA,
^he Favour of God obtained by Wifdom, 135
on, but, as the apoftle faith, Heb. vi. 17, 18. Serm. Betjig willing more abundantly to Jhcw unto V. the heirs of promife the immutability of his counfl^ he C07ifirmed it by an oath ; that by two immutable things^ in which it is impcff^ ble for God to lye, we might have fir ong con- folation^ who have fed for refuge to lay hold on the hope fet before us.
I fliall now, in conclufion, only make two pra(5tical refledlions on what hath been faid. Firft^ we may fee what is the nobleft end of life, the worthieft of our affedlions, our choice, and of our moil diHgent and conftant endeavours, that we may attain it. If life be in the favour of God, \i his lovi?jg- kindnefs be better than life^ and imports in it fo many and great bleflings, then it is cer- tainly reafonable for us to purfue it by all methods in our power, and in preference to all other things. Men can never be juf- tified to themfelves, nor have inward peace in fuch a wrong choice and courfe of adlion, as feeking thofe things which are mean and unworthy, in comparifon, and negledting that which mull; appear to themfelves bell:. Thus the prophet prefTeth finners, and it might be thought any one would eafily apprehend K 4 fclie
:k 'j6 ^he Favour of God obtained hy Wifdom. Serm. the juftnefs and the force of his reafoning, V. Ifaiab \v. 2, 3. Wherefore do ye fpend your money for that which is not bread f and your labour for that which fatisfieth not f Hearken diligently unto me^ and eat ye that which is goody and let your foul delight itfelf in fat- nefs y incline your ear to me^ and come j hear^ and your foul Jhall live. And, to the fame purpofe, our Saviour, John vi. 27. Labour 7iot for the meat which perifeth, but Jor that which endureth to everlajting life-, which the Son of Maji fkall give unto you^ for him hath God the Father fealed. It is very ftrange that human nature fhould be fo infatuated, fo loft to its true intereft, and the proper ufe of its higher powers, as to be led en- tirely by fenfe, and give itfelf up to the di- rediion of appetites and pafhons ; VN'hich up- on the leaft conlideration muft appear to be the lower part, and far from the principal end of our being. Yet fo it is, that many men, even chriftians, are governed by their brutifh inclinations, and aim at nothing higher than gratifying them : But befides that this is moft unreafonable and unwor- thy of men, it, is diredly contrary to the profefTion of religion, the proper end of which is to obtain the favour of the Lord.
2dly,
I'he Favour of God obtained by Wijdom. 137- idly^ The way to obtain this end is plain- S e R m. ly marked out to us in fcripture, particularly V. in this Text ; and it is very inexcufable folly and thoughtlefnefs if we miftake it. Suppo- fing men to have a general perfuafion that the favour of God is of the greateft confequence to them, and they cannot be happy without it, yet ftill an attachment to their fins mif- ieads them another way, that is, they flat- ter themfelves that it is poffible to obtain it without reforming their lives. How many are there who prefume in their hearts that they are the favourites of God, though they go on in their finful courfes, and harden themfelves more and more in their vices ? To what caufe can this be attributed, or what are the pretences by which men pro- fefling religion thus fatally deceive them- felves ? Indeed the very profeffion of reli- gion itfelf deceives them, though it is very furprizing that it fliould. Thus the ^ews^ becaufe they were the people of God, in covenant with him, the poflerity oi Abra- ham^ and of IJraelj and becaufe they con- ftantly performed the outward rites of wor- fiiip which he appointed, therefore imagined they were in a good flate towards God j though the prophets often reprefcnted to
them
138 T^he Favour of God obtained by Wifdom.
Serm. them the vanity of fuch pretences, which V. were refuted by many plain inftances de-
^"•^"'T'^ monftrating that God had no regard to them. Their own hiftory {hewed that though he brought their fathers out of Egypt with a ftrong hand, and they did eat fpiritzial meat^ and drank fpirittial drink^ yet with many of them he was not well pleafed. He afterwards forfook Shiloh, the tent which he placed with men; and the ark of the covenant in which they trufted for their defence, was taken into captivity, the temple itfelfwas burned ; and the laft fatal cataftrophe of the yewifi nation demonflrated that the favour of God is not annexed to the greateil out- ward privileges, lince even they may come fhort of it, whofe are the father s^ afid the giving of the Laws, a?id the fervice of Gody and the promifcs. After fuch examples, fhall we vainly imagine that any external privileges, profeffions, or ads of devotion, will entitle us to the divine acceptance ? Our blefled Saviour hath taken much pains to guard his difciples againft fuch a pernicious error ; he hath expreflly aflured us, that if / we fhould fay to him at the laft day, have we not eaten and drank in thy prefence, pro- phefied in thy jzame, and in thy name have caft
out
rbe Favour of God obtained by Wifdom. 1 39 cut drcih, and in thy name have done many^.^u. wonderful mrh ? His anfwer will be, Ine- ■ ver knew you, depart from me, ye that -work iniquity, Mat. vii. 2*2.
SER-
[ 140 ]
SERMON VL
Lo N G-L I F E, R I c H E s J and Honour, ' the Fruits of WISDOM.
PROVERBS III. i6.
Length of days is in her right-hand, and in her left-hand riches and honour.
ANY and great are the advantages which Solomon attributeth to wifdom or religious virtue, thereby recommending it to our choice. It muft be acknowledged that thofe mentioned in the text are of the lowefl kind, and fo they will always appear to a mind well inflrud:ed, and which hath a true talle of real excellence. The plea- fures of felf- approbation, the inward tranr. quiUity of foul, which arifeth from the tefli- mony of an unreproaching heart, fupporting it in all events, and a fenfe of the favour of God, are enjoyments of a far fuperior na^ ture, as well as more durable, than the longefl:, and moft profperous, and honour- able life which can be hoped for in this 3 world.
Long-Lifcy Riches y and Honour, &c/ 141
world. Yet, fince length of days, riches, Serm. and honour, are infifted on by the infpired ^ ^^^ writers as the effects of wifdom, it will be very proper for us to confider them in that view i and we fliall find that, at leaft, reli- gion hath not, generally fpeaking, fuch a tendency to diftrefs, mifery, and dishonour, even in this life j and, on the contrary, that irreligion and wickednefs is not fuch a fure way to become rich and great, as many are apt to imagine, who, it is certain, govern themfelves by fentiments entirely oppofite to thofe of Solomon -, and the very reafon why they chufe the ways of injuftice, difhonefty, and vice, is, becaufe, poftponing the concerns of their fouls and of eternity, they hope thereby to fecure and to promote their pre- fent interefts, which are higher in their efteem.
To explain the dodlrine of the text, and prevent miftaken notions concerning it, I muH: obferve that there is a great difference between the Old Teftament and the New, withrefped to tlie motives by which religi- ous virtue is feverally enforced in them ; and the alTertion of our author might be pro- nounced by him in another fenfe, and on other accounts than it can be now according
to
142 Lofig-Hfcy RicheSy and Honour y
Serm. to the gofpel. It is certain that by the co* VI. venant God made with the people of Ifraely and that is the foundation the Old Tefta- ment writers go upon in their dodrine; there was an eftablifhed connexion between obedience and outward profperlty ; the land of Canaan^ and an undiilurbed fafety In it, with fuccefs againft their enemies who ihould at any time invade them j thefe blef- £ngs were politively promlfed to that na- tion, upon the condition of their keeping God's law. Accordingly we find in their hiftory, that whenever they declined to ido^ latry and other fins, defolating judgments brake in upon them, their enemies trium- phed, their country was wafted, and they were brought into bondage. On the other hand, no fooner they repented, returned to their God and to their duty, reformed their manners, and pradlfed piety and righteouf- nefs, than immediately there was a change in the ftate of their affairs, which prefently were in a fiourifliing condition, their adver- faries fell before them, their loffes were re- paired, and God eflabiiflied them In the quiet pofTeflion of the promifed land. And as thefe were the meafures conftantly and uniformly kept with the whole nation, the
conduct
the Fruits of Wifdom. 143
condu6l of providence towards particular S e r M. perfons was, not always, but for the moft part, agreeable to them The mofl righte- ous men, and of the mofl exemplary lives for piety and virtue, were profperous, and, according to the declaration in the text, had length of days, riches, and honour. Abra^ ham, from a fmall beginning, grew to a great eflate ; Jacob alfo, Jojeph, Job, MofeSy David, 'Daniel, and others, men of the moft diftinguiftied worth, and the moft il- luftrious characters we meet with in the Old Teftament hiftory ; though fome of them had very grievous trials, (as the whole Ifra^ elitijh nation had, which is not inconfiftent with the promife of external profperity made to them, lince that was the event) yet, in the main, their lives were rather happy than afflided, and the difficulties they met with in the beginning ended in their profperity.
But the New Teftament differeth from this very widely, both in its general decla- rations, and the inftances of fad: which its hiftory containeth. Our Lord aftureth his difciples, all who v/ill embrrxe his religion, and fubjed: themfelves to his rules, that they muft exped tribulation, and through it en- ter into the kingdom of God : He requireth
of
144 Long-life^ Riches, and Honour,
Serm. of them, as the very condition of their be-
VI. ing his approved followerSj and entitled td his favour, that they fhould reiign and be ready to forfake (hating in comparifon) all their worldly intercfts. So that length of days, riches, and honour, inftead of being promifed as the revi^ards of chriftianity, in fome cafes, muft be renounced by all the fervants and difciples of Jefus Chrift. And then, for particular inflances in hiflory, fo far as the fcripture bringeth it dov^^n, they are perfedlly agreeable to thefe general de- clarations. No one of the apoftles (and theirs are the moil eminent charad:ers for religious wifdom ) lived in any external fplendor 5 on the contrary, they vi^ere tried with continual afflid:ion, perfecutions, re- proaches, and diftrelTeSj and approved them* felves to God and to the churches as faith- ful minifters, in labours, imprifonments, pe- rils, failings, troubles of various kinds, po- verty, and all manner of ill ufage in the world, inftead of riches and honour.
There feemeth to be an objedion againft this, elpecially from two expreffions in the New Teftament ; the one is that of our Sa- viour, Matt. vi. 33. Seckfirfl the kingdom of God and his right eoufnefs, and all ihefe things
(the
the Fruits of Wifdorn. 145
the things of this world, from an anxiety S e r M. about which hfe had been difTuading them) VI. y7W/ be added unto you. The other is, i Tim. iv. 8. Godlifiefs is pf-ojitahle unto all things^ having the promife of the life that how isy and of that which is to come.
For the firft, it is plain our Lord's defign is to {hew the folly of an inordinate careful- nefs, not about abundance of worldly things, outwafd fplendor, and gr^at wealth, but the necefTaries of life, what we fliall eat and drink, and wherewithal we fhall be cloathed. The promife therefore muft be tinderftood to extend no farther than to anfwer the intention of fuperfeding our thbughtfulnefs about thefe needful things, encouraging us to truft chearfully in the bounty of provi- dence, for fupplying us with them, and it doth not reach to honour and riches ; and yet even in that limited fenfe, we muft not conceive of it inconfiftently with the whole current of the gofpel docSlrine, which requi- reth a refignation of our very lives, and a readinefs to part with them for the honour of God, and to preferve a good confcience. As to the other text, i ^im. iv. 8. it feem- eth to mean, that in the practice of true re- ligion we may hope that, ordinarily, God*^ gracious care will be employed for our fup-
Vol, hi, L port
146 Long-life, Riches, and Honour,
S E R M. port and prefervation. In the 9th and i oth VI. verfes the apoftle adds, "This is a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation, for therefore we labour and fuffer reproach, be- caufe we trufi in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, efpecially of them that believe j plainly enough intimating that we are not to exped an exemption from trou- bles, or to enjoy a life of external eafe and fplendor ; for he faith expreilly, we labour end fuffer reproach ; but only that God, whofe providence preferveth the lives of all men, taketh a fpecial care of fincere chri- ftians. But that outward profperity is not intended to be the reward of religion, and that the promife of it is not the fan^ftion of the law of faith, or of chriflianity, but the promife of eternal life, is evident, becaufe there is no neceffary connexion between the condition and the promife. No man who rightly underflandeth, and ferioufly conli- dereth the ftrain of the New Teftament, and withal refled:eth on the general courfe of providence which in this point explaineth it, can believe that riches and honour are annexed to the exercifc of godlinefs as the proper recompence of it ; for then they ought to follow it conftantly, and uniform- ly, and in exad proportion, which it is cer-
taia
the Fruits of Wifdom: W
tarn they do nots as the bleffednefs of the S er m; future ftate is always awarded by the Lord, the righteous judge, to them who feek it by patieru continuance in well-doing, and who love his appearing.
But though what hath been faid on this fubjea: is ftriaiy true, and it was neceffary to obferve it, that we may rightly under- hand the fcriptures, and kndw upon what foot religion ftandeth according to the gof- pel ; nay, even under the Old Teftament it- felf,' the promifes of profperity to good men were not to be taken fo abfolutely, but that the cafe of perfecutioii was always to be ex- cepted, which fometimes proved (o violent a temptation to the beft men, as to fhock them in the belief of the reality and advan- tage of religion, which we find was the cafe of the Pfalmift, the prophet Jere?niah, and others : Notwithftanding all this, if we obferve the ordinary methods of divine pro^ vidence, and the general courfe and flate of things, with their connexion and dependence m this world, we (hall find that, for the moft part, the pradice of the chriftian vir- tues hath a tendency even to our outward advantage, and to promote our prefent in- tereft, rather than the contrary. The ob- fervation holdeth more univerfally with re- L 2 fpe^
1^8 hong-life i Riches ^ and Honour y
Serm. fpe£l to communities, fome of which have VI- rifen from very fmall beginnings, to great and pov^erfiil nations, by induftry, fruga- lity, the exad: diftribution of juflice, iideHty, and other virtues ; as, on the other hand, the hiflory of all ages iheweth, that the moil opulent and flouriihing kingdoms have been precipitated into ruin, by avarice, oppref- iion, luxury, and injuftice. So true is that proverb of Solotnon's, that righteoufnefs exalt- etb a nation^ but Jin is the reproach of any people.
But, though in the cafe of private per- fons, the diftincftion is not often fo remark- able between the good and the bad, in the prefent adminiilration of providence, the righteous and the wicked being involved in the fame common calamities, and the for- mer fometimes fuffering by the vices and the cruelties of the latter, which God doth jiot interpofe to reftrain, intending to fet all things right, which feem now irregular, in a future ilate of retribution ^ yet, bad as the world is, wifdom is better than folly, and men, generally fpeaking, make their way in it to all the happinefs it affordeth, by fobriety, godlinefs, and righteoufnefs, much better than by a courfe of iniquity and vice ; which I fliall endeavour, in the remaining.
part of this difcourfe,. to illuftrate.
2 The
the Fruits of P/ifdom. 1 49
The firft, of wifdom's gifts reprefented as"^^^^- in her right hand, whereby is fignified its ^^ * being principal in its kind, and preferable to other temporal advantages, is, length of days. Life muft be allowed more valuable than any of the various enjoyments of this world, becaufe it importeth the capacity, and is the foundation of them all. Death puts an end to all our pleafures, gains, and honours j the rich and the poor, the great and the fmall, lie down together in the filcnt grave j and with enjoyment, the diffolution of life concludes our hopes and projedls ; Job xvii. 1 1 . My days are paji^ viy purposes are broken cff", even the tlmights of my heart. And ver. 1 5. And ii'here is noiv my hope f as for my hope^ ivhof'allfee it? So that if there be any thing here worthy of our efteem and our choice, any advantage which we would defire to continue pofTelTed of, or any change for the better to be expected, length of days is to be valued in the fiiil: place. I would not be underftood to raife the value of lite fo, that we fhould be exceffively fond of it, than which nothing can be more dangerous to integrity, and even to happincfs, for it often betrayeth men into the moft unwor- thy ad:ions, and layeth a foundation for the greatell miferies they can fuftcr, in the per- L 3 petual
'150 Long-life, Riches y and Honour-y
Se R M. petual diflra6ling fears and difcontent of their- VI. own minds : But it is certain Solomon judg-^ eth rightly, when he placeth it in the right hand of wifdom, for it muft have the pre-, ference of riches and honour, though not of an approving confcience j and efpeciallyj if the prefent be coniidered as a ftate of pre- paration for eternity, wherein we have the opportunity and the means of providing for an unchangeable hereafter, fuch a duration of life, in which that great work may be brought to a happy conclufion, muft be ac- counted by us a great bleffing ; and, gcne-^ rally fpeaking, I do not fay always, length of days is upon this account deiireable.
But, that a religious or a virtuous courfe of life naturally tendeth to prolong our days, we may be convinced by experience. If we compare the ftate of mankind at diffe- rent tirnes, I mean with refped to health and longevity, we fhall find that always, in thofe nations and ages wherein regular vir- tue was moll prad:ifed, nature itfelf was in the greatefl vigour, and life drawn out to the longefl period. Whereas vice, and a licentious difTolution of manners, conflantly corrupted the ftrain, bringing on a multi- tude of mortal difeafes, which fhorten the days of men, rendering their condition un-?
happy.
the Fruit i of Wifdom, 151
happy, and with life itfelf are propagated Serm. to wretched pofterity. The virtuous fim- VI. plicity of the firft ages may be one reafon why the patriarchs were fo long-hved j and the abounding of wickednefs in their dege- nerate offspring is one great caufe why the term of hfe is fo lliortened, and the vigour of the human conftitution fo remarkably im- paired. If we defcend to the particular branches of wifdom, or the particular vir- tues, we may eafily fee the eminent influ- ence which fome of them have on the pre- fervation of life, and the unhappy tendency of the contrary to its deftrudion.
Temperance, in particular, doth very much contribute to health and long-life j and the immoralities oppofite to it, are the occafion of many diftempers which have raged among mankind, and daily bring mul- titudes to the grave. Debauchery, glut- tony, drunkennefs, luxury, lafcivioufnefs, all contrary to fobriety, which confifleth in the due government of the carnal appetites, make life fo feeble and joylefs as it is in many men, and bring them in crouds to an un- timely end,
Meeknefs and patience, likewife, are vir- tues which concur to the producing of the fame happy effe^^ ; as they controul and re-
L A ftrain
152 Lo7ig-life^ Riches, and Honour ^
Serm. flrain anger and <ftll the difagreeable paflions VI» it comprehendeth, whereby life, when they prevail, is rendered uncomfortable and even pineth away. We fee that people of choleric ind peevifh tempers not only are eftranged from joy, the ferenity and peace of the mind is broken, but thofe inward diftempers prey upon the very vitals, and the body itfelf languifheth by their pernicious influence. It is obferved in the facred hiflory, that Mofes preferved a wonderful meafure of health and vigor in a very advanced age. When he was one hundred and twenty, his natural force was not abated, though at that timq the age of man was reduced to the ftandardi which ftill continueth, of feventy years, as appeareth by the 90th Pfalm of which he? was the author. And though it mufl be acknowledged that being a perfon of fo great eminency, fo ferviceable to God, and ufeful to the IJraelites his peculiar people, the prolonging of his life may well be at- tributed to a fpccial providence, yet we may veafonably apprehend that natural caufes con<- curred to the fame end, and particularly, that his very uncommon equanimity and good temper, never ruffled with paflion, had a fliare in bringing him to fuch an eafy and happy old age 3 for tliis was his charac-
ter^
the Fruits of Wijdom. 153
tcr, Num. xii, 3. That he was very meek Serm, above all the men which were upon the face VI. of the earth. And in lower inflances, where nothing miraculous can be pretended, it is known in experience that a ferene difpafTionate mind contributeth very much to the prefcr- ving a firm and healthful habit of body.
It is alfo worthy of our obfervation under this head, that benevolence and the fecial virtues comprehended in it tend to fecure life againft that foreign violence to which the unjuft, the cruel, and the inhumane, are obnoxious. It is certain that, next to the providence of God, the greateft fecurity of our being in this world againft external dan-« gers is in the good will and kind offices of our neighbours -, as the greateft hazard arifeth from them, if they are ill affedted towards us. Men in a regular fociety and in peace, are the guardians of each others fafety, and their united afFed:ions are their common de- fence ; as, when it is otherwife, they arQ the mofl: dangerous enemies to one another. Now, what is it that will mofl: effedually procure the good-will and efleem of men, and confequently fcreen our lives againft any danger from their injuries ? Certainly, the pradlice of the focial virtues. A man who is known by the general tenor of his life and
adtions
*154 Long-life^ Riches, and Honour ,
SeRM. adions to be juft and faithful, honcft and VI. beneficent, will have the efleem and love of all who have not divefled themfelves of hu- manity, and are not under the power of ftrong prejudices or irregular paffions ; and confequently hath great advantages for his fafe- ty, to which the world about him will think, themfelves obliged to contribute as far as they can. The Pfalmift faith Pfal. Iv. 23. bloody and deceitful men Jhall not live out half their days. This, as it may be afcribed to the juilice of divine providence, which, though: it doth net fully I'ecompence good and evil in this world, yet, being the guardian of human fociety, often interpofeth topunifh and reftrain thofe particular evils which are deil:rud:ive to mankind ^ fo in their own nature the crimes of fuch men tend to fliorten life, by awaken- ing the juflice and even the paffions of men againft the guilty.
The fecond gift of wifdom mentioned in the text is riches, which it is natural enough for men to defire, indeed to an extreme ; fome with one view fome with another. There are many who have their hearts im- moderately fet on riches, and labour incef- fantly to obtain them, only as the means of ambition and luxury, or what they call living well, by which really is meant no more than
having
the Frmts of W{fdom. 155
having it in their power to gratify their fen- S e R M. faal inclinations. There are but very few in ^ V L comparifon, who covet wealth for its own fake, and heap up treafures only to behold them with their eyes, as Solomon fpeaketh clfewhere, or to enjoy the fordid pleafure of poiTeffing them without any regard to their ufe, which is the fpirit and character of a mifer. Men have generally an eye to fome future ufe of their riches, and indeed not only to themfelves but others, though very often the purfuit of them is attended with a finful an- xiety, with a narrow felfiih fpirit, and both the purfuit, and pofleffion accompanied with an undue confidence in them, and a haughty contempt of thofe, it may be, of greater merit, who are in a lower condition.
Thefe are the abufes of wealth ; but wc may confider it in another view, and fuch a one, as it may well be attributed to the bounty of providence and lawfully fought after ; that is, firft, as the means of living cafy, and enjoying the comforts of this world with moderation. Nature teacheth, and religion doth not forbid it, that wc fhould endeavour to render our condition ia this world tolerable, to be above penury and pinching wants j not above the need of ho- neft indultry and frugality, which is really 4 a vir-
1^6 Long-/(fe^ Riches^ and Honour,
Serm. a virtue, and very fuitable to the prefent VI. ftate of men, v^^hatever their ftation and circumftances ia life be ; but above that contempt which generally attendeth ab- jedl poverty, and thofe temptations to vi^hich many are expofed by it, according to Agur\ prayer, Frov. xxx. 9. That I may not be poor^ and/leal, and take the Name of God in vain. But efpecially, vi^ealth may be valued as the means and the ability of doing good in a religious and moral Senfe j of juftice, and promoting the interefl of truth and vir- tue, of beneficence and compaffion, reliev- ing the neceffities of the poor, and in many refpeds of being profitable to men. Riches, then, are in their own nature indifferent, capable of being ufed, and in fa(5t they are ufed, either to good or bad purpofcs j and fince they have an aptitude to the former as well as the latter, it is no diihonour to wif- dom to place them in her gift, though a left-hand gift, as Solomon exprefi*eth it, and of an inferior nature.
But the queftion is concerning the tenden- cy of virtue to the acquifition of wealth. Let it fi:ill be remembered that this is not the principal advantage of religion, nor at all the proper reward of it from the hand of the great judge in purfuance of his promifes
or
the Fruits cfWifdom. 157
or declared rule of proceeding with his fer- S e R m. vants and followers 5 there is therefore no VI. necellary connexion between virtue and riches, which are not always to men of un- derjianding^ as Solotmn obferveth, Ecclef. ix. 1 1, nor indeed to the beft men ; fometimes the ungodly profper in the world, and in- creafe in riches, as the Pfalmifl faith, and maketh it the fubjed: of a grievous com- plaint, PfaL Ixxiii. 7. Thei?- eyes Jiaiid out with fatnefs, they have more than their heart could wijh ', yet, generally fpeaking, and in the ordinary courfe of things, virtue is the furefl way of thriving in this world, which may be thus accounted for.
We find by experience that men ordina- rily acquire riches by their parliv'.iony, their induftry, and their credit 3 now, to ^11 thefe the moral virtues comprehended in wifdom are eminently ferviceable. Firft, men grow rich by fparing, by avoiding extravagant and confuming expences, by living within their eftates, fo as their incomes or ordinary ac- quifitions, the fruits of their induftry, ex- ceed their confumption ; for the contrary mull: tend to poverty. But the natural ef- fed: of temperance, chaftity, humility, is to retrench a great many exorbitancies : Wheij men, by the diredion of thefe virtues, have
formed
I5S Long-life, Riches, and Honour,
Serm. formed the difpofitions of their minds, arid VI. by their influence have learned moderation, to be content with a Httle, and to deny the pomp of lifej and that falfe appearance of greatnefs, which is imagined to be in fump-* j tuous living, this mufl of courfe cut off a great deal of expence, vvhich the pride, and vanity, and luxury of others maketh them liable to. Solomon fays, Trdv. vi. 26. By means of a whorijh woman a man is brought to a piece of bread-, and, in chap^ xxix. 3. Me that keepeth company with harlots fpend' eth his fubjiance. And it is certain that gluttony, drunkennefs, and the pride of life, the affeding an unneceffary fhew of magni- ficence and grandeur, which are all contrary to virtuous wifdom, muft have the fame effedl. There is, it is true, a fordid parfi- tfnony, which is itfelf a vice; and a with-^ holding more than is meet, which as it tend- eth to poverty, fo is altogether inconfiftent with charity ; but true virtue avoideth both extremes, the abje6l meannefs of the cove- tous, as well as the foolifh expenfivenefs qf the prodigal.
Again ; diligence Is necefl'ary to the ac- quiring of riches. Our author's obfervation is, Prov, X. 4. He becometh poor that dealeth viith a flack hand, but the hand of the dili-^
gent
the Fruits of Wifdom. 1 59
gent maketh rich j and, in his account, dill- Serm, gence is a part of wifdom. He infifteth a great deal in this book on the evil of lloth, and particularly flieweth its tendency to po- verty 'y which indeed is too plain both from reafon and experience to need any illuftra- tion ; but at the fame time reprefenteth floth as folly, as in itfelf very linful, and direftly contrary to what virtue would incline men to. It is the reproach of a reafonable na- ture, a negledl of the talents, the active powers and opportunities God hath given, for our improvement of which we are ac- countable to him, and upbraided even by the brute kinds, which in their narrow fpheres are induflrious to anfwer their pro- per ends of life.
'T^dly, Confidering men as in civil foclety, and having traffick and commerce with one another, mutual confidence is of great ad- vantage for their getting riches. As indu- ilry and the diligent improvement of the fubftance one hath in his hands, or his abi- lity, of whatever kind it is, is the only or- dinary means of becoming rich ; he who is trufted hath the advantage of improving up- on another's flock as if it were his own j but what is it that procureth fuch credit ? Certainly the reputation of virtue, of juflicc,
honefty
i6o Lon^-life^ Riches, and Honour ^
Serm. honefty, and fidelity. It is true, fomething
VI. elfe is neceflary to what is commonly called credit, that is, the opinion of a man's hav- ing a fund or ability to difcharge the obli- gations he is under in point of right and property 5 for the want of ability, as well as of honefly, may be the occafion of his fail- ing in'it ; but then there muft neceflarily be an opinion of his integrity; and what can eftablifh that opinion, and fuch a charadtcr in the world, but a virtuous courfe of life, pradlifing conftantly the things which are honed, juft, and true ?
And, in the laft place, honour is beflowed by wifdom, or is the efFe(5l of virtue. Ho- nour fignifieth that efteem, with the out- ward tokens and expreffions of it, which men have in the world 3 and it may be con- fidered as flowing from external advantages, particularly riches and power; for from thefe inequalities of condition, which afFedl civil fociety, efpecially power, arifeth a di- ftindlion of refped: ; and in this fenfe the tendency of virtue to honour may be illu- ftrated the fame way as its tendency to riches ; that is, honour is procured by the fame means by which this ordinary fource of it is procured, namely, by frugality, by diligence 5 for, fayeth Solomon^ Prov. xii. 24.
The
the Fruits of TVifdom. i6i
^'bt hand of the diligent JJjall bear rule^ but S e r M. the Jlothful fiall be under tribute. And chap. VI. xxii. 29. Seefi thou a man diligent in his bu- fmefs, he jhall jland before kijigs, he fiall not Jland before ?nea?i men -, and by a repu- tation for juflice, generofity, and other vir- tues : Still underflanding this not as infallibly certain, or as if it were fecured by the fanc- tion of the divine laws, like the future re- ward ; fometimes we fee, on the contrary, the wicked great in power, and the vilefl of men exalted, furrounded with the applaufes and acclamations of an ignorant and vicious multitude, as perfons of the fame charadter acquire great riches : But it is not always fo ; and in the nature of things, and ordinarily, wifdom or virtue is as profitable and likely a means for thefe purpofes, as any other, and more ; nay, it is plain, that often men, really the moil corrupt, find themfelves obliged to put on the appearance and dif- guife of virtue, of fobriety, of juftice, and honefty, in their way to riches and honour.
But in another fenfe honour is the more certain effed: of wifdom or religious virtue, becaufe virtue itfelf maketh the very cha- rader which is honourable, or the fubjedl of efleem ; for men are necelfarily deter- mined to approve moral goodnefs wherever
Vol. III. M they
1 62. Lofig-Iife, Riches, and Honour ,
S E R M. they fee the genuine difcoveries of it, and VI. negleding the dazzHng kiftre and badges of external grandeur, they cannot help having in their heart a veneration for the man who, by the whole courfe of his behaviour ap- pears to be pious, fober, juft, and charita- ble, let his condition be what it will.
My brethren, I would once more, in the conclufion, repeat the caution which has been already mentioned, that riches, or honour, or any thing of a parallel nature, any outward advantages in this world, are not the proper rewards of religion ; and though godlinefs, in. fome fenfe, hath the promife of the life that now is, yet that is none of the better promifes on which the gofpel covenant is eftablifhed. Chriilianity propofeth other kind of motives to us than thofe of this world, and requircth, in order to fincerity, that we fliould be influenced by them. If indeed we could aiTure men of riches and honour, as the certain recompence of their piety and virtue, perhaps many might be prevailed with, regarding thofe more than the fuperior arguments which the gofpel doth infift on -, but then piety and virtue would ceafe to be what they really are ac- cording to the true nature and fpirit of chri- flianity, which requireth that we fhould
forfake.
the Fruits of Wifdom, 1 65
forfake all thofe things, that we fliouldSERM. pradtife religious virtue for its own fake, on ^^• the account of its own amiable excellence, and with a view to our obtaining the favour of God, beholding his flice in righteoufnefs, and being fatisfied with his likenefs.
But the principal ufe we ought to make of the dodrine as it hath been explained, is to remove an objeftion or a prejudice men have againft religion, apprehending it to be contrary to their intereft in this world % to fliew the folly of the covetous and ambiti- ous, and the unreafonablenefs of the grounds men generally go upon in their purfiiit of riches and honour. It is thought that con- fcience ftandeth In the way of wealth as an obftacle, and that to be good and virtuous, is the way to be poor and defpifed. It is fo, I acknowledge, fometimes 5 fo it was in the firfl ages of chriflianity, and always in a ftate of perfecution j and in that cafe the faithful fervants of Chrift mufl: forfake the unrighteous Mammon^ nay forfake all their lawful worldly interefts, and even hate their own lives, that they may cleave to their mailer, and preferve their integrity. Befides, it it not to be thought that the profeffion and the practice of true religion will exempt men from the common calamities of this M 2 worldj
1 64 Long-life y Riches J mid Honour,
S E R M. world, or alter their natural circumflanceo ^^' and relative conditions which arife from the eflablifhment of human focieties. Good men as well as bad are liable to ficknefs and death, and St. Paul fuppofeth, i Cor. vii. 21. That men might be called to the pro- feffion and privileges of the gofpel in a flate of fervitude, from which chriiliianity did not releafe them, but directed them how to bear it j but, at leaft, all thefe calamities and afnidions, bad men are as liable to as the religious ; nay, there is a natural probability, and ordinarily it is found true in fad, that the prad;ice of real piety and virtue will be no hindrance to men's prefent interefl:, but rather promote it. Now, is it not extreme folly for men to rifque their falvation, that they may fave their lives, and get worldly gain, and yet not be in a better way to fe- cure thofe ends, but rather likely to come fhort of them > to facrifice their confclences to their honour, and yet lofe that honour they fo earneftly feek after, which generally is the cafe of ambitious wicked men. T^his their way is their folly ; and though it hath been proved to be fo by innumerable in- flances from the beginning of the world, yet men go on fllll in the fame track, and pofterity approve the maxims and the con- duct
the Fruit i of Wifdom, 165
dua of their fathers, as the Pfalmift obfer- Serm. veth, Pfal xlix. 13.
Lqjlly, We may fee, and ought to ac- knowledge, the wifdom and the bounty of providence, which foordereth and difpofeth the affairs of this world, that generally mens interefl doth not interfere with their duty, and they do not expofe themfelves to very great inconveniencies and difadvantages by a ilria adherence to the praftice of virtue. We are here in a ftate of probation, and mufl lay our account with difficulties ; yet the affairs of this life are fo ballanced, that we have encouragements to our duty, as well as difcouraging trials, and the former feem rather, in the whole, to over>ballance the other ; fo that we are not without witnefTes of the divine goodnefs, and indeed of the ^eal gain and advantage of godlinefs.
M 3 S E R-
[ i66 ]
SERMON VII.
The Love of W I S D O M necefiary to the attaining of it.
PROVERBS VIII. 17.
I love them that love me, and thofe that feek me early JJjall find me,
Serm. / I ^ HE defign of this book is to teach ^^^' JL men wifdom, that is, true religion and virtue, as we are told in the beginning of it, chap. i. i, 2. T^he proverbs of Solomon, to know wifdom and inflruBion, to perceive the words of underjlandmg. The author ufeth many arguments which fliould induce us to make wifdom our choice and our ftudy, fome of which I have, in feveral dif- courfes, infifted upon, fuch as thofe taken from the excellency and pleafantnels of its ways J from the confidence and fecurity of mind which arifeth from it in all the vicifli- tudes of time ; and the promife of God that they who find it {hall obtain his favour. I have fhewn you likewife, in explaining the
words
^he Love of Wifdom^ &c. 167
words oi Solo?noji, chap. iii. 16. that though Serm. outward profperity is not the principal end, VII. nor the proper reward of religion, nay, to purfue it as the principal end is inconfiftent with fincerity; yet divine providence hath fo wifely and gracioufly ordered the flate of things in this world, that, generally fpeak- ing, the pradtice of virtue is not detrimental to our prefent intereft, but rather tendeth to promote it. There are, befides thefe, par- ticular arguments enforcing the particular branches of wifdom, as piety, diligence, temperance, juftice, and charity, which I fliall not infift on, and fome other general confiderations, efpecially the terrible punifli- ment and miferable effeds of folly, that is, of irreligion and wickednefs, which I hope will be fufficiently plain to any attentive perfon, from what hath been faid.
I fhall therefore, in the next place, con- fider fome of the means which Solomoji pro- pofeth, and the neceffary qualifications on our part that we may attain wifdom. It is certain that a great many of mankind come (hort of it, and even many of thofe to whom isoijdom crieth, and underfianding lifteth up her voice ; that is, who enjoy the beft op- portunities by the publication of the will of God to them, and the gracious inftrudiions M 4 he
.i6S ^e Love of Wifdom
Serm. he hath vouchfafed to the world by his mef-
VII. fengers. It is not conliftent with the nature of true rehgious wifdom, nor indeed with our nature, that it fhould be forced upon us, or difpenfed as fome other of God's gifts are to men promifcuoufly, without any re- gard to previous difpofitions, or preparatory endeavours ufed by them. It can never be reafonably thought, that fuch an accomphfh- ment as wifdom, fo perfective of the human nature, and advantageous to it, fhould pre- vent our delires and our labour to obtain it ; it is enough that God hath endued us with a capacity, and furnifhed us with fufficient motives and fufficient means, by a due im- provement of, and attention to which, we may arrive to fuch a meafure of it as will render us happy, and flill more and more happy in proportion to our proficiency.
The firft qualification mentioned in the text is the love of wifdom, which will na- turally introduce us to an acquaintance witk it. Wifdom is reprefented in the flile and manner of writing ufed by Solomon and other ancient authors, as a divine perfon making a folemn entry into the v\^orld, difplaying her native excellence and beauty, and invi- ting men, even the mofi: fimple and igno- rant, to converfe familiarly with her, in or-
de;-"
neccffary to the attaining of it. 169
der to their acquiring valuable knowledge, Serm, and thofe perfedions which are highly or- ^ VII. namental, as well as ufeful, and which will ' afford the moil agreeable entertainment to their minds; but fuch as remain ftupidly infenfible of her tranfcendent dignity, and through a vehement attachment to low and fenfual enjoyments, negled: her kind folici- tations, can have no benefit by them. I ihall,
Firjl, Endeavour to explain the love of wifdom, and fliew the feveral fenti- ments and difpofitions which are im- ported in it. And,
Secondly ^ How it contributeth to our ob- taining wifdom.
Firft^ To explain the love of wifdom, and fhew the fentiments and difpofitions ^ which are imported in it. The affe(ftions and paffions of the human nature, are the moving fprings which fet our adlive powers at work : Defire, hope, and joy, which are all included in love, have a powerful influ- ence on the mind determining it to adion. And as the operations of this principle are uniform, by underftanding love, and the
natural
170 7he Love of Wifdom
Serm. natural exertions of it towards any objed: VII. /'and we cannot but be fenfible of it, if we attend to what pafleth in our own minds) we may underftand how it operateth to- ward every objed: to which it is applied ; which is only faying in other words, with refped: to the prefent fubjedl, that, as in all other cafes, the love of wifdom fheweth it- felf by a high efteem, bv fervent defires^ and by a fincere delight in its ways.
Various are the methods by which the objeds of afFediion are introduced into the mind, fome wholly by the fenfes ; no fooner the object is prefented, than, according to natural inflindl, the affedlion is raifed, pre- venting any reflexion or confidcration. Of this we have many inflances, and indeed, not only the defire of private good is thus excited, but our affedlion to other beings, a complacency in their happinefs, or a vigo- tous inclination to do them good as far as it is in our power. Thus, for inftance, if we fee any of our fellow-creatures in diftrefs or danger, how natural is compaffion, and how flrong a principle, often prevailing even againft private intereft, and the call of felfifh inclinations ? How quickly, and without any reflexion at all upon the rea- fonablenefs of it, or confidering at all that
5 it
neceffary to the attaining of it. 171
it Is his duty, will a man find himfelf de- Serm. teimlned to ufe his utmoft power for reliev- J^|^^ inr one whom he feeth in great extremity and ready to perifh, even with danger, trou- ble, and difadvantage to himfelf? Nay, there are plain enough difcoveries of fuch affec- tions, or inflindts refcmbling them, in the inferior kinds of animals, who are not ca- pable of any moral refledtion or abflrad thinking at all.
But there are other objedls of affedion which are brought into the mind after a different manner, that is, by refleaion, in- quiry, comparing things, and forming ge- neral notions of them. There are excellent objcds which, when well underflood, we cannot but highly efleem, but they do not occur to our fenfes ; we are led to the know- ledge of them by experience, obfervation, and reafoning. Of this fort is what S>olomon calleth wifdom or virtue, which is not an objea of fenie, but a quality of the mind intirely ab{\ra<5led from all material beings, and taking none of their properties into the idea of it, as real, however, as any of them, and as truly an objed: of love and efteem to the mind which difcerneth it. When the afFedions of piety, reverence for fupreme
moral
272 T^ke LoiJe of Wifdom
Serm. moral excellence, of gratitude, benevolence,
VII. and honefty, are brought into the mind, there is love excited to them, and they ap- pear very amiable and attractive objeds. It IS this indeed which is ftridly moral good- nefs or virtue, not a mere pronenefs to do good, raifed and excited to adlion by the impreflion which outward things make up- on the fenfes, but a temper formed to good- nefs, with the underflanding and approba- tion of a felf-reflediing mind, which dif- cerneth its excellence -, and Solomon very properly calleth it wifdom, becaufe it is peculiar to intelligent beings, and is the jull improvement of their rational powers.
What, therefore, I think is firft of all im-^ ported in the love of wifdom, is, a high efteem of its faperior excellence, as the re- fult of mature conlideration. Solomon pref- fetH his difciples to exalt wifdom^ chap. iv. 8. that is, to entertain very exalted thoughts of her dignity, for thefe v/ill naturally com- mand our afFedions, and engage us to ear- jieftnefs and diligence in the purfuit of her. And it is for this reafon that he very often compareth her with things which are the moil defired by men, and aflerteth that fhe is principal, far tranfcending gold and iilver, more excellent than the ruby or the topaz ;
the
jiecejfar^j to the attaining of it, 173
the defign of which comparifons is to in- S e R m, duce men to an attentive confideration. ^11. The beauty of wifdom doth not flrike the fenfes as external objeds do ; it doth not by noife and tumult, or by a glittering lliew, captivate the fancy, which inftead of favour- ing is rather an enemy to its pretenfions ; but it addrefleth the underftanding, and be- fpeaketh our afFed:ion, by that fubflantial worth which will abide a ftrid and impar- tial examination. This is what methinks we fhould be induced eafily to comply with, becaufe it is fo becoming that reafon we boafl of as the high prerogative of our na- ture. Here now is a great difference be- tween the love of wifdom and other affec- tions, that it is always accompanied with the approbation of the underflanding, nay, and ftill the more we confider the more we approve it. It is an afFedion wherein we fhall always be juflified to ourfelves, which is a flrong argument in its favour, as it lay- eth a fure foundation of inward peace. Is it not unworthy of intelligent creatures to run blindly into the purfuit of any thing,. without having carefully inquired into, and judged of its nature, its worth, and its ufe- fulnefs ? Thofe creatures are not to be blamed who have no capacity of refleding and rea- fon ing
174 ^^^ Love of Wijdom
Serm. foning on their own propenfities and incli- VII. nations, for being direded wholly by them ; but it is reproachful for us not to fhew our- felves men, and call to mind, as the prophet Ipeaketh, not to compare the objeds of our own affedtions and delires, and give the pre- ference to thofe which our reafon muft pro- nounce the mofl worthy. Now, wifdom doth not, as many other objeds do, folicit our aifed:ions, and invite our profecutiori indeliberately ; fhe calls upon us to make the exadeft fcrutiny we can, and would have none to be her votaries, but upon the terms of a fair and impartial examination. And indeed a great point is gained when the mind is brought to fuch a difpolition j for it is no fmall difficulty to difengage it from flrong prepofTeffion in favour of external and fenlible things, and fuch a fair and impar- tial trial will iifue in the higheft efteem of wifdom, and that will even irrefiflibly draw our affedions. It will therefore lead to a jufl deciiion of the great queftion concern- ing what ought to have the chief room in our hearts, if we will dwell in our own thoughts upon a dehberate comparifon be- tween wifdom, and all thofe things which iland in competition with it; and if we
fball
neceffiiry to the attaint fig of it. ' 175
fliall find ourfelves obliged to acknowledge Serm* its fuperior excellence, then it follovveth, ^Ih
idly^ That we fliould defire it above all things. This alio Solomon propofeth as a qualification and means of attaining to wif- dom, Frov. xviii. i. Through defire a man hailing feparated himfclf, feeketh and inter- meddieth with all wifdom ; a flrong prevailing defire in his heart towards its native worth and mofl amiable beauty putteth him upon ufing the moll: vigorous and conftant endea- vours for acquiring it, which fhall be fuc- cefsfijl. Defire is, in the human conflitu- tion, an adive fpring of our movements and operations j as the weight of bodies deter- mineth their defcent towards the center, io defire carrieth the mind towards its objeft ; its force appeareth univerfally in all the bu- finefs of human life, and in the whole com- pafs of our enjoyments j it is that which ex- citeth every one of the powers of nature to its proper exercife. Seeing it is fo, if the obtaining of wifdom be propofed as our end, wc muft be engaged in the profecution of it,' jufl: as in the profecution of all other ends, that is by defire. But in the human nature there is a great variety of inclinations, and they cannot all have an equal degree of force; that which is the ftrongeft carrieth
the
176 '^he Love of Wifdoni
Serm, the mind, and determineth it to adlion ; ths VII. reft are gratified, and their demands com- phed with, only by its permiffion, or when it is abated. Thus the different lufts of men, according to their predominancy, form their difpofitions and different vicious cha- radiers ; the voluptuous, the proud, and the covetous, are fo feverally denominated from the defire which hath the afcendant over them ; they have a variety of defires, but that which is the moft prevailing, confti- tuteth the temper.
As thefe different corrupt affedions are the great obftrudtions to wifdom, they are then effediually removed when wifdom itfelf becometh principal in the efteem of the mind, and its ruling defire : And, therefore, what the divine inftrudions of this book conftantly aim at is, that we (hould eagerly, affedionately, and vehemently, defire reli- gion and virtue preferably to all other things, which is very reafonably infifted on and re- commended to us, becaufe in many cafes the determination of the defire, and the mea- fures and degrees of it depend on the mind itfelf. The influence of defire is very great, and it ftrongly, nay fometimes irrefiftibly carrieth the mind j yet we are not moved necclTarily, as bodies are by fprings and 3 weights 5
7iecej]ary to the attaining of it, ijy
weights i the foul hath a great fhare in form-* S e r M, ing, railing, and regulating its own defireS; VII. and by an attention to the motives of dclire, examining them carefully, and applying it- felf to the confideration of proper arguments, which it hath naturally a power to do, the current of its inclinations may be changed 5 thofe which are evil and irregular cured^ and the good farther ftrengthened and con- firmed.
Our blefled Saviour, in his excellent fer- mon on the mount, which containeth the fum of his falutary doctrine, pronounceth them blefled ivho hunger and thirft after righteoufneJSj Matt. v. 6. That righteouf- nefs is true religion, the fame thing v/hich Solottion calleth wifdom, and the beft pre- paratory difpofition in order to our attain- ing it, and enjoying the happy fruits and rewards x)f it, is an eager appetite, exprelTed by hungering and thirrting, which is raifed in the mind by a ferious attention. After- wards, in his inflrudiive parables. Matt, xiii, he reprefenteth true piety and virtue under the fimilitude of treafure hid in a field, and a pearl of great price, to the end we may be engaged to feek it earneflly and above all things, which is the firfl and ^bfolutely ne- cefiary qualification in order to our attaining
Vol. III. N it.
1^8 'The'LoveofJViJdom
SERM.it, This was the excellent fpirit of the
VII. apoftle Paul^ Philip, iii. 8. Tea^ donhtlefs-, and I count all things but lofs for the excel- lency of the hiowledge of Chrijl fefus my Lord ; by which is meant true chriftianity, pure and undefiled religion before God the father, thus explained by him in thefe words, ver. lo. which, in the fiyle of this apoftle, evidently fignify holinefs, charity, meeknefs, and patience, after the example of Chrift ', that I may know hiniy and the power of his rejurreBion^ and the fellowfi:ip cf his fuferings^ being made conformable to his death. This he prized above all things,, and counted them but lofs and dung that he might attain it. But the infincerity of many may appear to themfelves, if they bring the temper of their minds to a fair trial ; for they cannot but be confcious to themfelves, that other oppofite inclinations prevail ; though they may have fome defires to wif- dom, efpecially becaufe it is of fo great im- portance to their interefl:, yet they have little fenfe of its beauty and amiable excellence ; or things more grofs, and of an inferior na- ture, preponderate, and their defires of re- ligious virtue are, as Solomon elfewhere fpeak- eth, feeble and ineffedual, Prcv. xiii. 4. l^he fold of the fluggard defreth and hath
nothing,.
hecejfary to the aftaintJig of it, i^^
nothing. We ought to examine our pious S e r m. inclinations after this manner, what is it VII. they terminate upon ? Is it the beauty of ^ holinefs ifelf? And are they more prevailing in the mind than other inclinations ?
3^/^, Love naturally (heweth itfelf in the complacency which the mind taketh in the enjoyment of, or even in meditating upon, the beloved objed^s. Thus the love of wif- dom is teftified by delighting in it, and this Solomoji requireth as the neceflary condition of obtaining it, and partaking of its happy fruits, Frov, ii* i o, x i . When wifdom enter^ eth into thine hearty and knowledge is plea^ fant unto thy foul, difcretion Jhall preferve thee, unde7'Jlanding fiall keep thee* We may obferve that this is one ingredient in the fentiments and difpolitions of the pious, David often exprefleth his great fatisfadion in the way of Gods tefiimonies, which are the ways of wifdom, he rejoiced in them more than in riches. Pfal. cxix. 14. A?2d made them his fongs in the houfe of his pilgrimage, fob alfo maintained his integrity by this plain evidence of it, that he delighted in God, which he could not do without delighting in "his law, nay, he faith expreflly that he efeemed the divine precepts more than his ne-^ eeffary food. And though the pleafures of N 2 religion
, i8o ^he Love ofWifdom
S E R M. religion feem to be the refult of an intimat-e *^il acquaintance with it, doubtlefs they are then the ftrongell, and a growing experience will be accompanied with an increafe of joy, yet pleafure attendeth the firil fincere in- clinations to wifdom, and the firft hearty endeavours to attain it. Defire indeed feteth the mind and all its powers on work, and ftill in our imperfect fliate, is the moft pre- valent fpring of diligence. Our condition is like that of children, of new-born babes, as St. Peter defcribeth it, who defire milk that they may grow thereby 5 but that very defire hath enjoyment in it, and the entrance of wifdom giveth pleafure to the foul. It may therefore be very proper for us to refle<ft on our joys, and to confider what it is we have the greatefl; complacency in, that we may know what manner of fpirits we are of, for the conflitution of the mind appear- eth as much this way as any other. The worldly man entertaineth himfelf with the higheft fatisfadlion in his great polTeffions, he faith to his foul, Thou haft much goods laid up for many years, take thine eafe^ eat, drink, and be merry, Luke xii. 19. And every one according to the particular temper and complexion of his fpirit rejoiceth in the fruition of. the objed which is the moft
2 agree-
nccejfary to 'the attaining of it. 1 8 1
agreeable to him. Whether therefore wcSerm, are lincere lovers of wifdom, we may judge, VII. by the pleafure we take in its ways and in- flru(5tions. The experience of delight, and the high relifh of agreeable objedls will powerfully determine the mind for its own fake to meditate upon them, and by this we may know whether we are after the fejlj or the fpirit j for they that arc after thejieff.\ mind the things of the flejh^ but they that are after the fpirit, mind the things of the fpirit ^ Rom, viii. 5. For whatever kind of obie(5t yields us the greatell joy, that it is which the mind will naturally attend to, and fre- quently entertain itfelf Vv^ith, Let us then compare the joy which arifeth from wifdom, and that which we have in other things, and thus judge of our own difpolitions : A perception of pleafure in the gratification of our natural appetites is the necelTary efFed: of our conftitution, and therefore is not to be condemned as if there were any thing criminal in it j but the mind is impo- tent and irreligious which is entirely under the power of them, and hath no tafle of the rational and fuperior pleafantnefs of wifdom's ways, in which they who arc wife perceive a vaflly greater dignity and, happinefs, Thefe are the ways, thefc the N 3 (epti-
iSz T/je Love of Wijliom
Serm. fentiments and difpofitions by which the VII. love of wifdom difcovereth itfelfj and I fhall confider in the
Second place, how they contribute to our attaining that excellent quality. We fee in the ordinary courfe of human life and affairs, dejire putteth men upon that labour and di^ 'ligence which are the ordinary means of fuccefs, and even reconcileth them to that difficulty and pain, which otherwife would feem very grievous j fuch an effeA it had upon yacoby as to make feven years of fer- vice feem but as a few days, Gen. xxix. 20, Which however he complaineth of chap, xxxi. 40. as very irkfom, the fr oft confumed him by night, and the heat by day \ and in a jnultitude of inftances, we commonly fee that ftrong affedions excite men to painful labour, and even make fufferings appear light, which otherwife would be thought infupportable. The covetous and the am- bitious toil inceffantly, they rife early and fit up late, they eat the bread of for rows, that they may compafs the ends to which their feveral inclinations them, though they are under difcouragement from experience, which often flieweth that fuch endeavours arc un- fuccefsful. But there is a more certain con-
nedlion
necejjary to the attahiing of it. 183
neaion between the love of wifdom and ft.e Serm. obtaining it. becanfe it doth not depend on JU^ thinss without, which are not uiour power, and die very afFedion is a part and degree of the acquifition and the enjoyment. Aa high efteein, an earneft defire, and tranfcen- dent delight in religion and virtue, have in them the reaUty of religion and vntue itftlf, wiiich being a quality of the mmd, muft be principally feated in the afteaions, and is really, though imperfealy. there where it is beloved. The love of w.fdom iflcludeth in it the root of every pious and virtuous inclination and every good praftice; tliey who love it. v^ill be difpofed to hearken to its counfels, to receive its inftruftions, and conform to its rules.
Solomon telleth us, Prov, viii. 9. that '^^ ^ords ofr^-ifdom or righteoufrcfi arc all^atn to him that underftandeth; it is not difhcult to a mind that hath a fervent afFca.on,_to it as Mofes excellently fpeaketh concernmg the commandments of the mora! law, Beta. XXX II. Audit is applied by the apoftle to the word of faith or the gofpel. which is to us the rule of religious virtue. Th^com- ,„a,nhuent is not bidden from thee, neUeru it far of. It » mt i" heaven, that thou JlLldefifay, -who fiall go up for us to bca-^
IS 4
iS^ ^I^^ Love cfWifdom
S E R M. *Den and bring it unto tis, that we may hear VII. it and do it ; neither is it beyond the fea, that thou Jhouldefi fay, whojhall go over the fea for us, and bring it unto us that ive may hear it and do it. But the word is very nigh un- to thee, in thy mouth, and ift thy heart, that thou inayefl do it. The glorious charader of wifdom's ways is plainnefs and perfpecuiCy 5 we are not put on an impracticable work, or'fuch as is attended with infuperable hard- fFiips, as if it were Hke climbing up to hea- ven, or ranfacking the bowels of the earth ; they lie open to them, who with hearty defire, and with pleafure and alacrity, ap- ply themfelves in that honourable purfuit. Our greateft labour is with our own hearts, to get them duly prepared, diverted of pre- judices and prepofcilions, to quiet the cla- mors and tumults v/ithin, to impofe filence upon the fenfesand the imagination, which, are continually prefenting to us vain diver- fions and amufements ; when this is done, and the fervent love of wifdom will efFe<5t it, for how can we pretend to love that which hath not the afcendant in our hearts, and doth not command the attendance of our thoughts in preference to other things; but, I fay, when this is done, we may fay, pnto wifdom, as Frov^ vii, 4. Thou art my ' ' ' Mer,
necejfary to the attainmg of it. 185
Jifter^ and call underjlanding a kinfwomaiu S e R M. The man who hath anrived to a juft domi- VII. nion over himfclf, who hath the command of his paflions and can reftrain his loofe irre- gular appetites, is ah-eady poircfTed of wifdom, and is truly a virtuous man. Now, this is fo far from being extremely difficult to the perfon who loveth religious wifdom, that it is the infeparable character and certain eftedt of a prevailing love to it j for how can it be efteemed above all things, earneftly delired, and delighted in, unlefs other oppofite af- fections yield to it, and the mind, defpifing and forfaking them, cleaveth to it. It is true Solomon faith, Fro'V, xxiv. 7. T^hat knoii'ledge is too high for a fool, that iSy the Jcorner : The proud and the wicked man, whofe mind is enflaved to his paffions, imagineth a mighty difficulty in it, but it is of his own making ; his corrupt and vicious affediions confirmed by evil cufloms arc pre- dominant, they are become even nature in , him, and he is become impotent, unable to unlearn them, to deliver himfelf from their power, and change his courfc, as the Ethio- pan is to change his Jkin, c;« the leopard his fpotS', that is, he hath made it hard for himfelf, by an habitual indulgence to his paffions, whereby he hath put himfclf under
their
i 8 6 The Love of Wijdom
Serm. their power; but ftill a llncere afFedion to
VII. wifdom, and ilrong refolution, would con- quer it; for the words of the prophet referred to '^er. xiil. 23. are not to be underftood of a natural impoilibillty, but a great difficulty occafioned by evil habits. It is prejudice only and corrupt affedlign which make the things ' of wifdom too high for a man. To the upright heart and fincerely difpofed to embrace the inr flrudtions of virtue, its myfleries become very plain and familiar, Frov. xiv. 6. The fcorner feeketh wifdom, and fmdeth it noty hut knowledge is eafy to him that under^ fiandeth,
idly. The love of wifdom contributeth to our attaining it, ai it is a difpofition high- ly pleafing to God, to which he hath made gracious promifes, particularly of inilrudion. We muft conceive of the fupreme being as a lover of virtue and goodnefs, of every thing which is truly amiable on the account of moral excellence ; and if it be fo, he hath complacency in thofe of mankind, whofe affedions are placed on the fam« thing which is Jiis delight. Original perfed wifdom loveth its own image in the crea- tures, and even fuch a tendency towards it, as a high efleem, and earneft defire, and
tranfcen-
nee e [far y to the attahting of it, 187
tranfcendcnt delight j for, as I obferved be-SERM. fore, thefe are the reality, at leafl, the be- ^^I» ginning of wifdom or true religious virtue jtfelf. Now, if they who have this qualifi- cation are thereby entitled to the favour of God, it followeth that they are in the beft preparation for wifdom, and a continual ad- vancement in proportion to the meafure of their love to it ; becaufe he is the Father of lights fro?n whom every good and perfedl gift Cometh down^ and he hath commanded fuch as lack wifdom, to ask it from him, with a fincere love to it, who giveth liberally and doth not upbraid* As he communicateth freely of his bounty to all his creatures, and his mercies are over all his works, he will not be fparing of his gifts to the objedis of his peculiar complacency. Wifdom is a gift which it is every way worthy of him, and congruous to his moral attributes, to beftow on thofe whom he dclighteth to honour. Providence indeed difpenfeth its gifts very liberally, and with an undiftinguifhing hand, even to the unthankful and the evil; but wif- dom is of a more peculiar nature, and a more certain mark of the divine favour, ap- propriated therefore to them who have a more efpecial intereft in his regard. As this is agreeable to the fentiments we na- 5 turally
1 8 8 '^he Love of JVifdom
Se RM. turally have of the Deity, the fcripture con-
VII. taineth exprefs promifes of divine inflrudion to fuch as are religioully difpofed to receive it ; and, as I obferved before, all pious dif^ pofitions are comprehended in the love of wifdom. Thus, in Prov. i. 23. Turn you at my reproof y behold^ I "will pour out my fpi- rit upon you^ I will make known my words un- to you. This promife, though fometimes mentioned in the Old Teftament, is more clearly and exprefsly given in the New, and the advantages of it are more fully ex !ain- ed. There v/e are taught, that the Holy Ghofl was fent down from heaven to in- flruft finners, to convince the world ofjin^ of righteoiifnefsy and judgment ; not only to infpire the apoflles and affift them in an ex- traordinary manner for the confirmation of chriftianity, but to abide always in the chriftian church, to accompany the mini- ftration of righteoufnefs by his gracious in- fluence, enlightening the minds of men, re- claiming them from their errors, delivering them from their prejudices again fl the wif- dom which is from above, and, in fine, operating pov/erfully on their minds, that good difpofitions may be formed in them^ apd carried on to perfedion*
Thefc
nccelJary to the attmnhig of it. ib^
Thefe confiderations fnew, that as we S e R m. have the greateft encouragements and ad- J^ vantages for attaining to wifdom, that is, to true and fincere religion, with the happy fruits of it by the chriftian difpenlation, and fince God isoorketh in us, both to 'will and to do of his good pkafire, we ought to ufe all diligence in humble and affedionate concurrence with him.
And, on the other hand, our remiffnefs, and ou'r continuance in folly, will be alto- gether inexcufable. Since God hath put fuch a price in our hands to get wifdom, no other account can be given of our coming fhort of it, but that we have 7io heart to it, PrcT'. XV ii. 16.
S E R-
[ jgo]
SERMON VIIL
Diligence in feeking WISDOM always fuccefsful.
PROVERBS VIII. 17.
Tbofe thatfeek me early y JJjallJifid me:
Serm. c > HE father of light s^ from whom every ^^^*^' JL good and perfeB gift cojiieth down, be- ftoweth his mercies very freely on mankind ^ but his gifts are not all equal, nor do they equally require previous difpofitions and the ufe of preparatory means on our part. Our beings, with all the powers and capacities which belong to them, are derived from the divine bounty ; and to them it can never be fuppofed that any merit, or any agency of ours, could have in the leaft contributed. We fee that the enjoyments of life, not only thofe which are abfolutely neceffary to its pre- fervation, but thofe which render it comfort- able, are difpenfed by the indifcriminating hand of providence, and often in as large a meafure to the unthankful and evil, as to the
good
Deligence ih fecking lVifdo?n^ Si^c, 191
good and virtuous. But wifdom, efpeclally Serm. in the fenfe of this writer, though origi- VIII. nally from God, is of a peculiar nature, and it doth not prevent any qualifying difpofi- tions and endeavours in thofe who obtain it. The foundation of it is laid in the faculties of the mind, that fpirit ivhich is in many and the infpiration of the Almighty^ which giveth him imderftanditig j we have affedlions and determinations in our nature which lead to it 5 but wifdom itfelf is an attainment to which our own aflive endeavours contri- bute, and the noblell powers of the mind are voluntarily and vigoroufly exerted in it. Upon a comparifon with the common fa- vours of providence, this blefled accom- plifliment which giveth fuch a luftre to the human nature, being its highefl improve- ment, will appear far more excellent to any one who duly conlidereth it ; it is too great, and the confequences of it too important, that it fhould be proftituted to the fool or the wicked, the fenfual or the vicious, the lazy and unadive. One qualification for attaining wifdom I have already explained, that is, the love of it 5 another is contained in the fame text, and an exprefs promife of fuccefs is made to it in the name of wifdom, thofi that feck me early JJj all fnd me. The
love
192 Diligence In fe eking Wifdom
S E R M. love of wifdom is not an idle affed:ion, reft- VIII. ing in the heart ; it is an adive principle, which will exert itfelf in vigorous endea- vours. Nothing is more ufual with men than to give good words, to pay a compli- mental refpe<5t to religious virtue, and ac- knowledge its tranfcendent excellency ; and, the truth is, they cannot help acknowledg- ing it in their hearts, being naturally and neceflarily determined fo to do. But when they are called upon to pracStife according to the direction of their avowed principle, then the coldnefs of their love, and the ftrength of their contrary inclinations appear. No- thing can fufficiently prove the fincerity of our profelled affedlion to wifdom, but that feeking it early recommended in the text 5 which I fhall, in this difcourfe,
Firjl, Endeavour to explain ; and then. Secondly, Shew the advantage of it in the afTurance of fuccefs, or the happy event ; if we feek wifdom early we fhall find it.
Flrfly Let us confider what is meant by feeking wifdom early; which is evidently this, that it hath the chiefeft room in our cares and application. That which is highell
in
always ftcccefsfut, - 19^
in our efteem, moll earneftly deiired and S e R Mi delighted in, will naturally engage our firfl VIIL concern and endeavours, while matters of an inferior conlideration are juftly poftpo- ned. Our Saviour requireth us to feek, firfl, the kingdom of God and his right eouf- nefs; and the apoflle recommendeth it to chriflians, that they feek the things which are above* Both thefe exhortations fignify the fame thing with that in the text ; for what is the kingdom of God and his righte- oufnefs ? and what are the things above, but the perfedion of wifdom ? Or, if we will make a difference between religion and the rewards of it, yet that maketh no difference in the manner of feeking ; for glory, ho- nour, and immortality, are fought rwo other- wife than by a patient continuance in well- doing, which is nothing elfe but the prac- tice of religious wifdom. Diligence in feek* ing wifdom evidently fuppofeth a high efteem for it, and an ardent defire 5 but the fentiments and difpofitions imported in the love of it, I confidcred in difcourfing on the firfl: part of the text : In purfuance of which, and as the very meaning oi fc eking wifdom^ there muft be an afTiduou^ and conflant ufe of all proper means, and the vigorous exer- cife of our own powers, of our underfland- VoL, III, O ings,
1 94 Diligence iitfeeking JVifdom
S E R M. ings, in attending to and meditating on in- VIII. ilrudlion, and of our adive powers in prac- tifing according to it. We all know what diligence is, in the things of this world ; our naturally active powers do always exert themfelves according to the predominant in- clinations and bent of the mind, and in pro- portion to the flrength of them. Solomon obferveth, that the adulterer waitethfor the twilight 'y he fpareth no pains, he endureth fatigues and tedious delays, that he may ac- complifli his wicked purpofes. The cove- tous and the ambitious rife early and fit up late, that they may acquire riches and ho- nours. Change the objedt, and you will fee what it is to be diligent in religion j that it importeth an earneft intention of mind, which is particularly the fpirit and life of all religious labour j for it is not here as in or- dinary outward work, where the labour of the hands produceth the proper eifedt, how- ever the mind is employed j but the foul muft efpecially exert itfelf with vigour and earneft application, without which, external adions are of no avail, indeed, but empty forms, ferving no other purpufe than to ' difbonour God, and expofe men to con- - demnation for hypocrify.
u-t
Secondk.
always fuccefsfuL ig^
Secondly J And if we would indeed feek S e r M. wifdom, it muft be by the conftant ufe of vIII. the proper means in order to our obtaining it. Thefe the nature of the thing dire(fleth, and to us they are clearly marked out in that divine revelation which is given to us for a rule. We are required to fearch the holy fcriptures, and attend to the opportunities of inftrudlion, to hearken diligently, and, as Solomon fpeaketh, to waif at wifdoni's doors j efpecially to practife religious virtue, which is naturally the way to acquire habits of it, and even to arrive to perfe(5lion in them. We can never reafonably pretend to defire any thing which is attainable, the way be- ing prcfcribed for attaining it, while we negled: that way, and abandon ourfelves to a fupine indolence, or to a contrary courfe. In the common affairs of life we judge of a man's difpofitions by his practice, and of his intention by the means he maketh ule of; if we obferve a man diligent in his call- ing, we conclude, and very juftly, that he is intent upon the comfortable maintainance of his family ; if we fee one continually pradiiing any art, we judge that it is his intention to be mailer of it, and reap the benefit which may arifc from it. After the fame manner we may reafonably infer, that
O 2 ^ if
196 Diligence infeeking JVifdojit
SERM.ifaman be induftrious in ufing the mean^ VIII. of religion, and praiSlifing its rules, it is his intention to get the knowledge of it, and perfection in it ^ if he patiently continueth in well-doing, and is ftedfaft and unmove- able, abounding in the work of the Lord, he knoweth and expedieth his labour fhall not be in vain. But, on the contrary, let his profeflion be ever fo good, and if he flatters himfelf that his love of wifdom is great, and his defires and hopes of the re- ward of it very flrong, yet if he doth not deny ungodlinefs and worldly lujis, and live Joberly^ righteoujly, and godly ^ in this worlds if inftead of crucifying the fiejh with its af- fe^ions and lufls, he giveth up himfelf ta work wickednefs with greedi7iefs -, the prac- tice of that perfon giveth his profeflion the lie, he deceiveth himfelf, and his pretended religion is vain. Not every one who maketh the loudefl: and moft pompous profeflion,, or, as our Saviour expreflfeth it, who faith unto him, Lord^ Lord, pretending the greateil refpedt to him, is the greatefl: proficient in wifdom, the mofl approved difciple of Chrift, and the beft qualified for entering into the kingdom of heaven : But he who is labori- ous in good works, and is continually en- deavouring to do' the will of God. Many^
faith
always fuccefsful, 1 97
fakh our Lord, fiall ftrive to enter in, and Seru^ Jhallnot be able, God hath fhewn us the VIII. particular path wherein we muft walk, and the courfe we nauft run 5 it is not by being induftrious in uncommanded rites, 'voluntary humility, and will-worjlnp ^ nor yet by a formal repetition of external fervices, even though they be of divine inftitution, but the plain way of holinefs j being righteous before God, and lualking in all the Jiatutes nnd ordiiiances of the Lord blamelefs. There is an eftablifhed progrefs in religious virtue, and the path of the jiift is as the finning light, whi^h fiincth more and more unto the perfeSl day j and there is, according to the declarations of God's word, an eilablifhed connection between holinefs and eternal life, which is really nothing elfe than the per- fedion of holinefs. We may as well pre- tend to difTolve the heavens and the earth, to alter the frame of nature, as to change that conftitution in the moral world, fixed in the eternal and invariable counfels of the great lawgiver; as the prophet Jeremiah^ vchap. xxxiii. reprefenteth the covenant God made with IJrael as immutable, like what he calleth the covenant of the night ,ani of the day, atid the ordinances of hca'ven. The defires and the hopes of men, who
O 3 makic
jgS Diligence iji fee king Wifdom
Serm. make any profeffion of religion at all, are VIII. generally fet upon the reward of it under the notion of a great happinefs, which in- deed God propofeth in order to encourage and engage us to diligence. But the truth is, to feek it ; and to feek wifdom or reli- gion itfelf, is juft the fame thing j and the facred writers always take care to teach us, that in vain fhall we hope to obtain the crown of glory, unlefs by the pradice of holinefs, or walking in the paths of virtue : 2 Tim. ii. 5. If a man alfo jlrive for jnafleries^ yet is he not cyowneJ except he firi^ceth law^ fully ^ according to the rules of the courfe ; that is, in the prefent cafe, by a careful ab- fjtlnence from all fin, and abounding in the cxercife of every virtue.
La/lly, Being thus folicltous, and having made a choice of the befl means, diligence, ovfeeki?2g early ^ importeth ufnig them fre- quently and with fpirit and vigour. The fcriptures often warn us againft floth, and, particularly, Solomon in this book, giveth us a very clear and lively defcription of that difeafe of the mind wliich debafeth it, wafl:- eth its ftrength by an infenfible but fatal confumption, and burieth its natural adive powers in a vile ilupidity. It is true what be for the mofl: part defcribeth under that
name,
alivays fuccefsfuL 199
name, and earneflly diluadeth from, fliew- Se rm. ing its unhappy tendency, is idlenefs and VIII. inadtivity in temporal affairs, which is itfelf ' folly and wickednefs j but it may be eafily applied to the bufinefs of religion, in which we cannot hope to make any progrefs, with- out an earnefl: and vigorous application ; for thefe are prejudices to be conquered, temp- tations and infirmities to be relifted, and, in the generality of men, corrupt cuftoms and foolifli opinions to be unlearned, which will require mature confideration and care, both in the fludy and the pradice of wifdom. The criminal negligence by all means to be avoided is, either the total omiffion of our duty, or the fuperfjcial and fpiritlefs per- formance, both which proceed from the fame indifpofiticn of mind, they are equally faulty, and obftrudl our proficiency in wif- dom.
A ferious attention to the frame of our nature, and the prefent conftitution of things, will convince us that induftry is very be- coming fuch creatures as we are. From the relation and dependance of things, and the ufes they ferve in the fyftems of nature, we infer the defign of them j and if that way of reafoning be jufl, nothing will appear more plain to any confiderate perfon, than that O 4 the
206 Diligefice In Je eking Wijdom
SERM.the powers and capacities of our nature, VIII. now in a ftate of weaknefs, a kind of in- fancy, are to be improved by ufe, and car- ried on by degrees to maturity in their befl and noblefl: accomplifhments, that is, in knowledge and virtue. And our bleffed Sa^ viour, the great mafter of our religion, whofe precepts are perfectly agreeable to reafon, hath injoined induftry to his difci^ pies that they may grow up to perfedion j the method he prefcribeth of advancing in religion to the Jiature of perJeSi men^ as the apoftle fpeaketh, is, by a careful confidera- tion, and ftudy, and pratflice ; it is by ufe that we have our internal fenfes exercifed to difcern good and evil \ and by ufe we ac^ quire a facility in the pradice of patience, temperance, godlinefs, and all the other chriflian graces. Such diligence is efta- blifhed by a perpetual and univerfal law of chriftianity, which bindeth every difciple of the Lord Jefus ; and in proportion to it he hath declared, that their rewards fliall be, when he cometh to reckon with his fervants, and render to every man according to his ivorks. He hath entrufted them all with talents, diftributing to them as he hath thought fit, according to their feveral abi- lities ^ but a price is put into the hand of
every
(ilwayi fticcefsful , 2 o i
every one to get wifdom ; and the flothful S e R M. fervant is, in his account, a wicked one, and VIII. will be condemned for his unprofitable- nefs : But, for the diligent and faithful, their recompence (hall be in exadt propor- tion to the meafurc of their improvement.
Thus I have endeavoured to explain the feeking of wifdom early, and fhewn you, that it importeth a follicitude and earneil intention of mind to attain it, the choice of proper means, and diligence in the ufe of them. I proceed in the
Second place, to confider the advantages of it, the aiTurance we have of fuccefs, or the happy event, that if we feek wifdom early, we fliall find it. It will be the lefs necefTary to infifl upon this, becaufe I ex- plained fo largely the influence which the firft qualification, the love of wifdom hath upon our obtaining it ; and with the love of wifdom feeking it early, hath a necefTary connexion, as the certain infeparable effedl ; fo that the manner of its contributing to the end of our gowing wifer or more virtuous, is illuflrated the fame way. You fee the text containeth an exprefs promife made in the name of wifdom, they that feck me early fliall find me. Diligence import- eth
202 Diligence in feeki7ig Wifdom
Serm. eth In it, thofe difpofitlons of mind, and
VIII. that pradice with which we muft fuppofe the fupreme Being, infinitely good, and a perfed lover of virtue, fo pleafed, that he will beftow whatever is necelTary on his part in order to mens polTeffing that bleffed quality and endowment with the happy fruits of it. It is the greateft evidence we can give of a prevailing love to wifdom, which furely God approveth above all things, and of a readinefs to thwart and deny for its fake the love of eafe and averfion ^to labour, and all feliifh afFe(5tions, wlilch might hinder our progrefs -, the greatefl evidence of a fpirit prepared to undergo all the difficulty and pains which may arife from the indolence and depravity, which every man may find in himfelf. The great qualifications which the fcriptures require (and they are all imported in diligence) for our making progrefs in religious wifdom, are, hearing, or a careful unprejudiced at- tention to divine inflru(5bion, meeknefs, hu- mility, and obedience ; on thefe conditions God will give his holy fpirit, whofe good offices for our attaining wifdom and advancing even to confummate virtue, are largely ex^- plained in the gofpel. Our Saviour hath allured us, that his heavenly Father will give n. kis
akvays fiiccefsfuL 203
his holy Jfirit to them ajk, and feek, andSERM. knock; that is, who ufe great earneftnefs, ^VIIL importunity, and conftancy, to obtain it, in order by that divine afliftancc to become wifer and better, more pious and virtuous.
Again, it is plain that diligence in feeking wifdom or religion is really pradlifing it. This is a means vi^hich the nature of the thing, and the fcripture dired: us to ufe; and v^e find in all thofe things the knowledge whereof or dexterity in them is acquired, it is by application and practice we arrive to perfcdion. Thus it is that habits of all forts are attained, and facility and pleafure in them ; that which men indeed have a ca- . pacity for, but are unpradifed in it, is dif- ficult at firfl and painful, afterwards becom- eth cafy and delightful ; and it cannot be Qtherwife confidering the imperfedion of the human capacity. Seeing, therefore, the feeking of wifdom is doing thofe things wherein it confifteth, the effedt of our be- ing accuftomed to them, muft be our find- ing or increafing in it.
Having now finiOied what I intended, in general, in difcourfing on this text, I hope I fhall not depart far from the defign of it, in recommending two particular diredions by way of application 5 one is, to feek wifdom in
the
2b4 Dtligmce infeekuig Wifdom
6 E R M. the beginning of every day ; and the other, to VIII. feek it in the morning of Hfe or in youth. Firft^ Religion is the proper bufinefs of every day ; it is not a folemn feparate affair, which only requires an attendance at fome fpecial fea- fons, and ordinarily to be laid afide ; it ought to mix itfelf with all our concerns, and if it be fo, it muft be fit for us to be- gin every day with it Thus did the pious Pfalmift, Pf, V. 3. My voice Jhalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord^ in the morfiing will I diredJ my prayer unto thee^ and will look up^ They who fincerely feek God, feek wif- dom in the firfi place, and fervent prayer is orte means of obtaining it ; "James \. ^. If miy man lack wifdom^ let him ajk c^God^ 4ind itfiall be given him. A religious difpo- ^tion will naturally dire<5l to this; for if de- vout affecftions are prevalent, they will de- termine our firfl waking thoughts to it as the moft efteemed obje<5l -, and, furely, if the bent of our inclinations is towards wifdom^ vve fhall be inclined to fix on this as the bed opportunity for applying ourfelves to it, when refrefhed with ileep, the body giveth lefs diflurbance to the mind, and is more free from that dulnefs and inactivity, which affect it wlien tired and worn out with la- bour, and with thofe amufements and avo- 3 cations
always fuccefsfuf. 205
cations with which the fenfes and the ima- Serm. gination load it through the daily courfe of VIII, our converfation with the world. Every day of our lives we enter into new fcenes of vanity and temptation, againft which the greatefl vigilance and precaution we can ufe is fcarcely fufficient for our defence; but certainly it muft be a great advantage to have the foul fortified by an early refolu- tion, as the refult of ferious thought, and by a diligent endeavour to get fuch impref- fions made as may abide through the whole courfe of our affairs, and enable us to main- tain an uniform tenor of fpirit in all events which may befal us, and the variety of bufinefs in which we may be engaged. Other affairs which men are folicitous about, they apply themfelves to early ; and if re- ligion be a bufinefs of the greateft import- ance, it juflly requireth an early attendance; efpecially, that wifdom may get the flart of folly in our thoughts, and the exercifes of our minds (which very often it doth not) and a feafonable provifion may be made againft the natural weaknefs of the mind, and the temptations which may be expeded to affault it. The merchant, that he may increafe his gain in the way of his lawful occupation ; the hufbandman, that he may know the ftate of hi^ flocks, and whether
hi^
20 6 Diligence in feehing JVifdom
Serm. his fruits be fafe and profpering, and apply
VIII. his cares as their condition requireth ; the fcholar, that he may make proficiency in his learning rifeth early, and is affiduous in la- bour ', and fhall not he whofe bufinefs is re- ligion, and who hath his falvation to work out, be as diligent, and attend his moft im- portant concern in the prime of every day, the befl feafon for fuch labour.
2.dly, Let the young be perfuaded to feek wifdom early, to feek it in youth, a feafon which hath great advantages for fuch exer- cifes. Solomon, having in his book of Eccleflajies largely defcribed the vanity and vexation of all things under the fun, and having made bitter reflections on the folly of irreligion, and of men's Indulging them- felves in the way of their hearts, and the fight of their eyes, propofeth this exhorta- tion, chap. xii. i. and prefl^eth it by flrong arguments, remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. When all the powers of nature are in their vigor, and the mind in the bell aptitude to receive ftrong and laft- ing impreffions ; then is the propereft fea- fon for learning any thing, but efpecially, coniidering the pronenefs of mankind to folly, which is confirmed and rendered more inveterate by cuftom, it is plain we
fhall
always fuccefsfuL 207
(hall moft fuccefsfully employ ourfelves in S e r m. the ftudy of religion in the prime of life j v III. for how much eafier is it for the mind un- debauched by vicious cuftoms, to receive a good tindlure, and be turned towards vir- tue, than to unlearn evil habits, which have long prevailed and taken deep root, and to mortify corrupt inclinations, which are be- come obdurate by indulgence having had a long pofTeflion. If young perfons could be perfuaded to enter into a ferious confidera- tion of the infirmities and difadvantages of old age, the evil days, as Solomon calleth them, and the years 'wherein we jhall fay^ there is 710 pleafure in the in, it might hap- pily prevail with them to provide better againfl: the otherwife infupportable burden, by a feafonable diligence in their duty j that the forrows of thofe painful and uncom- fortable remains of life might be alleviated, by the peaceful reflecflions of an approving confcience on a well ordered converfation, rather than load declining years with a work, to which they are altogether unequal, the very beginning of religion, the exercife of repentance from dead works ; and proceed- ing upon that early foundation, fo to finifh a good courfe, as to have well grounded hope of an abundant entrance into the everlafting
king-
20 8 Diligence in fe eking Wijdont
S E R M. kingdom of our Saviour Jefus Chrifl. Befides, VIII. it is altogether uncertain, whether ever you fhall arrive at old age (as every one from daily obfervation and experience will find himfelf obliged to acknowledge, however little influence it may have on the temper of his mind and his condudl) j and there- fore to neglecSt the feeking of wifdom in youth is to rifque your falvation, and to lofe what may be the beft, nay only, opportunity of providing for a future ftate. It is true, youth hath its difadvantages too ; it is the age of folly and vanity j animal afFed;ions are then vehement J inexperience and thoughtleffnefs, precipitate the unwary young man into fnaresj but this is fo far from being a juft objection againft feeking wifdom early, that, on the contrary, it is a flrong argument for it, there being no other prefervative againfl the mentioned inconveniency and all its fatal confequences j and the difficulties how- ever great are not lelTened, but increafcd ra- ther, by negle<fling the concerns of religion, and yielding to vicious inclinations.
But the more general application relateth to all the flages of life, indeed, to every part of our time. 1 do not mean that we fhould be continually employed in the im- mediate duties of what is ftridly called re-
ligion/
' alivays fuccefsfut. :i d 9
ligion. Wifdom is more compreheniive, andSERM. its influence fhould reach to the direding all VIII. our affairs. It is a good precedent T)avid giveth us, T'fal. ci. 2. / ivill behave myfelf ivifely in a perfedl way. I will walk within my houfe with aperfeB heart : in all my do- meftic concerns, and, by a parity of reafon, in all the other buflnefs of life. But as all our affairs fliould be conduced by the principles of religious virtue, I fhewed you, that to feek it early y fignifieth making it the chief bufi- nefs, the ruling delire of our hearts, and our conflant labour, as Solomon often in this book advifeth, afTuring us, that our labour fhall not be in vain, chap. ii. 3, 4. If thou crieji after knowledge^ and liftefl up thy "joicejor underjianding^ if thou fe eke ft her as (liver y and fear cheft for her as for hid trea- fureSy then ftsalt thou underhand the fear of the Lord, and find the hiowledge of God. And in chap. iv. 5, 7. Get wifdom, get un- derftafidingy forget it not, neither decli?ie from the words of my mouth. Wifdom is the principal things therefore get wifdom^ and with all thy gettitig, get imder (landing. What Solomon faith concerning the fuccefs of induftry in religion, is attefted by the ex- perience of others, who by due pains, in fpite of all difadvantages, have attained to it* Vol. IIL P Un«
2 1 o "Diligence in fe eking Wifdom
Serm. Unwearied endeavours have overcome dif- VIII. ficulties, which feemed to be very great, removed hindrances which were in the way, and let the diligent ftudents into the fecrets of it, making thofe things, which, accord- ing to this author's expreflion, are too high for a fool, plain and familiar to them»
But, befides the excellency of the thing it- felf, that is, of wifdom or virtue, which fhould engage us to the profecution of it, Solomon telleth us, we fhall have great benefit by it, as in chap. iv. 6, 8. She Jhall preferve and keep thee, fie jloall promote thee, and bring thee to honour. It is natural for men to feek happinefs ; whatever other principles of ac- tion we have, affedtions to other beings, and particular feliifh paffions, we are fure there . is in every one of mankind a general delire of felicity, and that we have a power of choofing the means for obtaining it, in which reafon, obfervation, and experience are our guides. Now, the feeking of wifdom, or a conflant and diligent ufe of the proper means for obtaining religious virtue, by a careful attention to the rules and motives of it, and endeavouring to grow up to perfec- tion in practice, this is the highefl enjoy- ment our nature is capable of, as well as the moll reafonable exercife of our powers.
God
always fucccfsfuL 211
God hath annexed pleafure to fuch dilUSERM.' gence, and the good man is jlitisficd fro?n VIIL hiwfdf', a pure and a folid fdtisfaftion arifeth from fuch an exercifc of his capacities, and ufe of his talents. We have the concurring teftiinony of good men concerning the joy which fpringeth up in their minds from a ferious affcdionate meditation on God's pre- cepts, and, efpecially, from their abound- ing in good works ; whereas an unmanly in- dolence taketh away the relifh of life itfelf, and rendereth it but an infipid and burthen- fome duration -, and for the pleafure of the external fenfes, though they enjoy it to as great perfediion as any men, not the lefs but the more for their keeping within the bounds of innocence and moderation j yet it is far from being their chief enjoyment : The improving of their minds in knowledge and virtue, and the practice of piety, righte- oufnefs, and charity, yieldeth a vaftly more noble and intenfe fatisfadtion. Every ftep of our proficiency in wifdom will bring an increafe of pleafure 3 the light ivhich is fow?i for the righteous JJAneth more and more to the perfeB day ; and the joy of the up- right in heart, as it will grow up to a full harvefl: in the future flate, when they who fow to the fpirit, bringing forth the fruits of P 2 k
212 Diligence in feekiiig Wijdom
Serm. it plentifully, fhall reap life everlafting, GaL VIII. vi. 8. So even in this prefent life, which is their feed time, they reap true and fubftan-- tial happinefs in the approbation of their own confciences, and firmly believing in Chrift, though 7io'w they fee him not, they rejoice with joy unfpeakable and full of glory. This being the bed improvement we can make of our powers and capacities, we tref- pafs againfh the law of our creation as well as againft the revealed will of God -, either if we do not fo employ thofe powers and capacities, or ufe them to contrary purpofes. We fee other creatures which have adive powers conflantly ufing them according to the diredion of nature ; and if we carefully attend to our own conftitution, it muft ap- pear that this is the mofl proper improve- ment we can make of our powers. Solomon fendeth the flugo-ard for inftrudtion to the ant, which by a natural inftindt is diligent in providing againft future wants, and to anfwer the purpofes of its being. Creatures of a fuperior order are zealous and diligent in their higher fpheres, and in employing their capacities for the proper ends of them. And {hall we only be unadllve, hide our ta- lents in the earth, or abufe them to mean and unworthy purpofes ?
Chri-
always fuccefsfuL 213
Chiillianity addeth ftrong motives to thofe Serm. of reafon and the religion of nature. That VI II. defcription which the apoftles give us of the grcit and awful day of the Lord, they ap- ply, in exhorting us to grow in grace^ and in the knowledge of our Lord Jefus Chrijf, or in religious wifdom, 2 P^^. iii. 18. The ex- ample of our S:ivicLT is fet before us, who i^m. his earlieft youth increafed in wifdom and favour with God and man, as he grew in ftature, Luke ii. 52. And through the whole courfe of his life, he went about do- ing good. We have enemies of our falva- tion, who are continually laying fnares for us, and going about feeking whom they may devour 5 and therefore we fliould be fober and vigilant, feeking wifdom to be defended againfl their malicious efforts and their fubtle devices. And, laftly, we have the promife of divine affiftance, which is a very great encouragement; if to the dili- gent ufe of all other means we add fervent prayer, our Saviour hath aflured us, that God will give his Holy Spirit ; and tliere- fore, if any of you lack wifdom^ let him ajk of God, who giveth to all men liberally , and ufhraideth not, and it jhall be given him.
S E R'
SERMON IX,
S E L F-G ovERNMENT effcntial tQ WISDOM.
PROVERBS XXV. 28.
He that hath no rule over his own fpirit^ u like a city broken down^ and without walk,
S E R M. A S it is the profeiTed defign of thjs boolf ^-^' JLjL. to recommend religious virtue unde): the character of wifdom, the author, in his concife and unconnected manner of writing, hinteth feveral flrong arguments to prefs his main fcope, which I have endeavoured to explain 3 and then I propofed to confider the directions he giveth in order to our at- taining wifdom. If men are once won to a juft efleem of that great endowmept which is the very perfedion of the human nature, the nobleft accompiifhment of the mind ; ^nd if they be thoroughly fenfible of the unfpeakable advantages which will accrue to them from it both in this world and the jiextj this will naturally produce the love of
Self-government ejfentlal to Wifdom. 2 1 5
wifdom, and an ardent defire after it, which Serm. is the firft quahfication 5 and, next, an ear- JA^ neft diligent endeavour, or feeking wifdom early j both which I have confidered. But the great queftion is concerning the proper objec-t of our diligence. In every art or fcience a man learneth, he muft know now to employ his induftry 5 it is not enough to tell him he muft take pains, he muft be made to underftand how he ought to beftow his pains. The artificer is acquainted with his tools, and the manner* of ufing them, and with the proper materials of his labour : The man of letters is direded in the choice of his books, and the proper fubjeft of his ftudy In like manner the teachers of reli- gious wifdom ftiew us what are the objeds about which it is converfant, and they are our own hearts : The votaries of virtue muft there apply their ftrength and their moft careful attention ; and their conftant bufinefs is to obferve, and duly to regulate, the affeaions, difpofitions, and voluntary movements of their own minds. Solomon direaeth us, ?rov, iv. 23. 7b keep the heart mnth all diligence, for out of it are the ifues of life-, and, in the text, he fheweth the wretched, the forlorn, and ruinous condi- tion of the perfon who hath no rule over
P 4 his
2 1 6 Self' government effentid to Wifdom.
S ERM. his own fpirit ; he is like a city that is bro' 'IX. ken down^ and without walls, without order and beauty, witnout ftrength and fafety 5 a coniufed, irregular, and deformed heap, open to every alTault, and defencelefs againft any invader.
This, one would think, is a fubjeifi: re^ commended to our ftudy and application by the immediate intereft we have in it. What is it that can poffibly concern a man more than the art of* felf- government, the conle- quences of it fo nearly affedl him, and a pei .:eption of the advantages of it in inward tranquillity fo obvious, indeed, unavoidable, and of the difadvantage of negleciling it in the continual reproaches of his own heart ? ] . it not very inexcufable for a man to be a ilranger to himfelf, and not to know how to maJL^ the beft of his own natural powers and aifedions, fo as he may be carried to his proper perfed;ion, and enjoy all the hap- pinefs he is capable of? Would it not fhew a trifling and over-curious temper- for a man to fpend his time in inquiring into the ftate, the fituation, the cuftoms, policy, and laws of far diftant countries, and be a Granger to his own, to which he hath fo near a rela- tion, and fo much a better opportunity of improving hjs knowledge to valuable pur-
pofes ?
Self-government ejfential to Wifdom. 2 1 7
pofes ? In like manner, every kind of know- S erm, ledge may be reckoned unprofitable while the knowledge of ourfelves is neglected, and we do not make it our bufinefs to under- hand the maxims and rules by which we fliould govern our fpirlts. For a man to take a great deal of pains abroad, to fpend his time and labour in acquiring the art of working in metal, in wood and ftone, a dexterity in cultivating the ground, to be fkilful in commerce, to underftand the hi{^ tory of nature in as great an extent as Solo" inon did, who had underftanding exceeding much, and largencfs of heart even as the fayid 'which is on the fea-JJjore ;. fo as not only to treat judicioufly of moral fubjed:s, but to fpeak with knowledge of trees, fro7n the cedar which is in hehanon^ to the hyjf'op which fpringeth out of the wall-, of be a ft s alfo, mid fowls, and creeping things , and f {Joes, i Kings iv. 29. To know the diflances and mag- nitude of the heavenly bodies, and the laws according to which they are moved in their feveral orbs, to be an able politician, well acquainted with the interefts of flates and kingdoms, and the rules by which they ought to be governed 3 for a man, I fay, to arrive at a great meafure of perfedion in thefe kinds of knowledge, however ufeful
3 ^^^
2i8 Self-government effential to Wijdom.
Serm. and valuable in many refpeds, and yet to be ignorant of hinifelf, and of the true prin-r ciples and maxims by which he ought to condu(5l his life and form the difpofitions of his mind, is to be wife in trifles, and foolifh jn matters of the greateft moment. What^ ever reputation may be acquired by fkill in thofe things which may be juftly called fo- reign, as having no relation to the principal ends of our being, fuch ikill, when exer- cifed ultimately on objeds of this fort, is but unprofitable, and indeed folly ; yet are many of mankind, even of thofe who are reputed wife, guilty of this folly j for though the objed; of religious wifdom be very ne^r us, and our moil imnaediate concern, it is very often overlooked, the minds pf me^ being too much engrolTed by the objeds of fenfe, or through a fecret unwillingnefs to enter into fludy and difcipline. I will en-? deavour, in this difcourfe,
F'lrft^ To give you, at leaft, a general no- tion of what it is to have rule over our own fpirits j and then you will fee the ufefulnefs of it, and the infeparable con- pedion it hath with attaining to, and jiiaking progrefs in, wifdom.
fielf-gcoernment ejfential to Wifdom.
zig
Firjlj Let us conilder what it is to have S e r m, rule over our own fpirits. It is obferved by IX. expofitors, that the word rendered fpir'it^ fometimes, in the writings of this author, iigniiieth anger, as, Re clef. x. 4, If the fpirit of the riiler (that \% jiis wrath) rife againji thee^ leave not thy place ; for yieldi?jg pad" ficth offences. And Frov. xvi. 32. He that is flow to anger ^ is better than the ??iightyy and he that ruleth his fpirit, than he that faketh a city. This, no dcubt, is one of the paffions which ought to be kept under a fleady government, if we would make any proficiency in wifdom, for // refieth in the bofom of fools. But there are other affedions and paffions of the human nature, which for the fame reafon it is necelfary to reftrain and controul, becaufe, often rifing to an ex- orbitant height, they are enemies to virtue.
To have a juft view of this fubjecft, we ought to confider the intire conftitution of our minds, and all their powers and facul- ties, affedions and paffions, between whick there is fuppofed a great difference, feeing it is the fame agent who is to rule and be ruled ; that is, the fame fpirit. There is fomething in it which hath a right to do- fninipn, as being in its nature fuperior ;
there
220 Self'go'vernmenf ejfenital to Wifdom,
Serm. there are other parts which hold an inferior IX. place, and ought to be in fubjedion. Now, if we attend to the conftitution of the hu- man fpirit in its full extent, we fhall find in it a great variety of powers and affedions, various fenfes or ways of perceiving tilings without us i various defires and averlions 3 a power of refieding upon ourfelves, of comparing our own thoughts, and the re- prefentations which are made to our minds of things as good or evil j of inquiring into the importance of them, and all the coiJi- derations which fhould dired our choice, and of determining upon the whole. We find alfo that which is called conjcience^ a fenfe of duty and fin, and cf moral good and evil ; a necefTary felf-approbation arifing from the one, and reproach and condemna- tion from the other. There are, befides, a great many propenfities in our minds which cannot be called in the ftrideft fenfe natural, but incidental rather, and which take their rife, not from the efier-ce of our conftitu- tion, but from particular occafions in life, various complexion of body, and other in- ^ ciclental caufes. To make this plain by ex- amples J we fee a great difference in the tempers of men, fome eagerly covet wealth, others have an impatient thirll for power
and
Self'gcvemmejit effeiitlal to Wijdom, 221
and honour, and others are prone to theSERM. purfuit of pleafure j fome timorous fpirits IX. are very apt to fall into panicks, are thrown into conflernation by any fudden furprifing emergent, which prefenteth danger to the imagination ; and others fall into furious tranfports of anger upon any apprehenfion of an injury, or appearance of provocation. But that thefe are not natural in the flridleil: fenfe, that is, neceffarily belonging to our conftitution, I think appeareth from this confideration, that they are not uniform. Nature operateth alike, and by certain inva- riable laws. All kinds of beings in the uni- verfe continue in their motions and relations after the ordinance of their great author, as the Pfalmift fpeaketh, FfaL cxix. 91. con- cerning the heavens and the earth. And fo in fome things, the human nature is as uni- form as any other ; there are certain fenfa- tions, powers, and appetites, in all men, of which we can no more diveft ourfelves, than we can ceafe to be ; but thefe parti- cular propenfities, of which I am fpeaking, are not fo ; they are flrong in fome, in others weak, or fcarcely to be difcerned at all, which flieweth them either to be con- tradled, or to depend on accidental caufes. Nay, they vary in the fame perfons ; he
who
222 ^elf ^government ejjmtial to Wifdonu
SERMi who is voluptuous in youth, becometh, per- haps, covetous in his more advanced years, and peevifli and froward in his old age 3 fo that even oppofitc difpofitions prevail in him at different times^ Eelides, they have been, the very firongefh of thern, conquered and amended, by firm refolution, by diligence in the ufe of proper means, with the affift- ance of divine grace.
As to the caufes of thefe affections and propenfions in men, there is generally thought to be, and probably is, a remote tendency to particular difpofitions of mind from the very frame of the body* One is fanguine, another is cholerickj another is melancholy j but there is no fuch infelicity of bodily conflitution as hath a neceffary in- fluence on the mind, while it continueth poffeffed of its natural powers to form its temper, otherwife the diforders arifing from this caufe would be faultlefs -, the conftitu- tion of the body may minifter great temp- tations, yet the mind hath a natural force, and is under a law to refift them.
I am apt to believe, the more 'general caufe of criminal diforders, and con traded faulty difpofitions, is from rafli opinions haftily taken up, and on no juft grounds* Every man may find, if he confiders what
paffeth
ScIf-gGvern??Jcnt ejfential fo Wifdom, 223
paffeth in his own heart, that befides the S e r m, impreffions which are nccelTarily made by ^^' external objcd:Sj there are images continual- ly formed in the fancy, and there are often confufed combinations of thoughts, repre- fentations of things, which have no exiftence, nor any foundation in reafon. The imagi- nation joineth notions very arbitrarily toge- ther ; fometimes only the dark fide of an obje(fl: is feen, without attending to that "which is more agreeable; fometimes on- ly thofe parts are viewed which are apt to adminifter pleafure and move defire, {Grip- ping it of every thing which hath a con- trary tendency, which however ought to be confidered, in order to form a true judg- ment. Very often our falfe opinions are imbibed from the company we converfe with, or occafioned by outward circum- ftances, education, and cuilom, all which are known to have a great fliare in forming the tempers and manners of men.
From this fhort and general view of the human fpirit, we may take our rife to the confideration of the government which is ellablifhed in it, where the proper authority is lodged, and what ought to be fubjedt. There are fome things exempted from this dominion, and are indeed not properly un- 4 der
224 Self-government ejjential to Wtfdom,
Serm. der any law, becaufe we have no liberty in IX. them. The original determinations of our nature we cannot poffibly alter nor hinder, and we are not obliged to it. We cannot put a flop to the perception we have by our fenfes, to our hearing founds, feeing colours, and perceiving other fenfible qualities j nor yet to the original appetites, as hunger and thirfl, or to the natural defire of happinefs j nor indeed to the approbation of acftions morally good, when we underftand them, and the difapprobation of that which is evil. Thefe things do not belong to the rule of our fpirits, they are the conftant neceffary effeds of the law of nature, or the confti- tution which the Author of our beings hath given us.
But there are powers and afFecflions in our minds, the exercife whereof is under our direction, and we are accountable to our- felves for it. For inftance, a man's rule over his fpirit confilteth in fufpending his de- termination, till he hath duly examined the caufes and motives upon which it is found- ed. I obferved before, that we are liable to many miftakes in this ftate of infirmity^ whereby we are drawn into a wrong con- dud: ; not that the fault confifteth in the erroneous opinions themfelves, but the cri- minal
^clf'gcroernmcnt effential to Wifdotn. 22 c
minal caufes by which we are betrayed into Serm* them, and in too haftily following their di- IX. recflion without inquiring whether it be right or wrong. This power of deliberating and fufpending determinations we are confcious of, and can never juftify it to ourfelves, that we do not exercife it upon proper occaiions. No man findeth himfelf under a neceffity of confenting to every propofal which is made to him, or of following every fuggeflion in his mind. He hath a power of doing or for- bearing, of choofing or refufing ; nay, we are not under a neceflity of ading according to the firft apparent probability ; we can fufpend our judgment and our choice till we have confidered more maturely, till we have examined whether there be not a ftronger argument, and a jufler motive of action on the other fide. By a conftant careful atten- tion, a fincere, that is, a diligent impartial inquiry, a great many of our errors might be corrected, which are the unhappy fources of ill condudl; thofe vain images formed in the fancy, into the eager and indehberate purfuit of which we fufFer ourfelves ta be hurried, might be prevented, and that confufed aflemblage of thoughts which ex- citeth flrong propenfities and averfions, very often unreafonable, might be broken, ' Vpl. IU, <^ Thk
T
226 Self' government ejjhifi'al to JViJdom,
E R M. This is the iirjil, and indeed an effential ■^^- branch of felf-dominion, or rule over our own fpirits, without which we have not the right ufe of reafon, which is our prin- cipal diflinguifhing fiiculty, nor can regular- ly purfue the proper ends of fuch a being. On the one hand, it is to be confidered, that our condition and capacity is limited and imperfect 5 we cannot, at one view, comprehend the whole of things which are necefTary to be confidered, in order to the direction of our choice and our prac- tice, but mufl take them in gradually, and purfue our enquiries by leifurely fteps, as the narrownefs of the mind will allow. How then is the underftanding to be exercifed, if it is to be exercifed at all in forming our condud:, but in deliberation ? And what room is there for deliberation, unlefs the adive powers be fufpended to give way to it ? On the other hand, this is the high pre- rogative of our being, above inferior agents, particularly thofe of the brutal kind. God hath made us with a variety of delires and afFe<5lions, between which a bal lance is to be preferved, that we may attain to the ends of our being, and enjoy our true happinefs. We have felfifli defires, which terminate in private good or enjoyment : We will find
ia
SclJ-gCDemment cjfenfial to Wijdom' 227
in our own hearts too, a defire of the good S e r M. of others, mid a delire to thofe actions IX. wherein our own minds may approve us, to the things which are pure, true, and juft, and honeft, and lovely : I'he former are in niaiiy men flrong and vehement, being con- tinually indulged and complied with; the other are overlooked and negled.ed, where- by they become weak ; and yet the force of them appeareth very great, by the moil painful fenfations which arife in the mind for counter-a(fting them. It is for thofe creatures which have no defires but what center in themfelves, to follow their direc- tion wholly and without any helitation 3 but for us whom God hath endued with a capa- city, and even a fenfe of obligation to do good to others, and to pleafe him, wc ought to cherifli and ad;ively endeavour to jftrengthen thofe nobler fentiments and dif- pofitions, which is at the fame time pur- fuing our own happinefs in the beft manner ; for perceptions of the higheft pleafure are annexed to them. But in order to preferve this due ballance of the affections, and an- fwer the ends of our entire conftitution, which are fo much fuperior to thofe of the brutes, it is necelTary we fhould have, and habitually exert the power of fufpending (^2 our
22S Self-government ejfential to Wifdom.
•S E R M. our determinations, till we have examined IX' and been fatisfied, concerning the motives upon which we a6t. The more we have of this power, and exercife it, the more we are mafters of ourfelves, and have rule over our own fpiritsj and that mind is impotent and without any defence againft fatal mifcondud:, which adeth rafhly and indeliberately.
But more particularly, to have the rule over our own fpirits, is, to keep the paffions under an exadt difcipline, and to reftrain their exceiles. By the pafTions are meant thofe vehement fenfations and emotions, which accompany defire and averfion, the great fprings of adion in mankind. Ex- perience flieweth, that often flrong agita- tions of body, and violent perturbations of mind attend our purfuit of what is appre- hended to be good, and our averfion to, and endeavour to fhun evil. Thefe in their original defign, as planted in us by the wife and gracious Author of nature, are a very ufeful part of the conflitution, direding and ex- citing us to the vigorous ufe of proper means for our own prefervation and happinefs, to V^^hich men would not be generally deter- inined by calm reafon and deiire.
Concern-
Self-gGver?mtent ejjential to TVifdo??u 229
Concerning every one of the paflions We S e r m. may anderfland by ferious refledion the par- IX. ticular ends and ufes they ferve ; and it is the province of reafon and confcience to keep them within thofe limits which the ends and ufes diredt, that is, to provide that they do not tranfport us beyond the jull de- fign, or into a vehemence above what the importance of it will allow. This will be beft underftood by particular examples. An- ger is a paffion which the author of nature hath planted in us for our own necelTary defence, by repelling injuries, and that we may exert ourfelves with vigour for the pre- fervation of our lawful interefts againll un- juft invafion j but it rifeth to an extreme which ought to be reprefTed, when it tranf- porteth us beyond thofe bounds, and when it terminateth in the deftrudion or hurt of the injurious, without regard to our own fafety, which is the proper end.
Again 5 there are natural defires in men of very unequal moment which often rife to paflions. But how unreafonable and weak is it to be paffionate for trifles ? and thofe defires which are of greater confideration to the ftate of the world, but do not relate to the highefl: ends of life, certainly we ought fo to govern, that the anxiety aod uneafi-
0^3 nefs
230 Self-government ejjential to Wifdom.
Serm. nefs of them do not entirely defliroy the re- IX. lifli of life, and render us unfit for purfuing the main bufinefs of it. The defire of ofF- fpring is a natural one and lawful, but it was heightened by paflion in Rachel to a great extreme, when fhe faid, give me chil- dren^ or I die.
Befides thefe pafiions which have a foun- dation in nature, and the excefs only is faulty, which the mind ought to reftrain by calm and ferious confideration, there are others raifed on occafions merely fantaflical > cuftom, habit, and other caufes, beget falfe opinions, which reprefent things under the appearance of good, and f^amp a great im- portance upon them, which have really no relation to the neceffities and the ends of our being, as the objeds of the original defires have 5 fuch as gay apparel, equipage, titles, which have the inviting idea of ma2;nificence and grandeur annexed to them. But if we calmly confider the human nature, we will fee they have no connedlion with the main concerns of it ; and yet thefe f uitaftical things are known to be the occalion of very violent and diflurbing paflions, which a wife man ought to reflrain ; and it evidently belongeth to ajuft government of himfelf.
Feair
Belf-goveniment ejfentlal to Wijdom. 231
Fear is, by the wife and good Creator, S e r m* placed in our nature for its prefervation, IX. that beiag apprifed of danger, we fhould arm againft it, and take all necefTary pre- cautions for our fafetyj but very often it hath the contrary effect, it fo difpiriteth and enfeebleth a man, as to render him quite uncapable of doing any thing for his own defence, which is a great inflance of wcak- nefs and want of due government over our own fpirits j but it might be faccefsfully oppofed by reafon and vigorous refolution, though reafon and confcience have, perhaps, as hard a taflc in conquering fear as any in- firmity of the human nature. But it is not necefTary to go through all the pafTions and infirmities of the human mind, which ought to be kept under difcipline, the examples I have mentioned will be fufHcient to anfwer the defign I propofed, that is, to give you a general notion of what it is to have rule over our own fpirits, I come, in the
Second place. To confider the reafonable- nefs and ufefulnefs of it, and the connedioa it hath with attaining to, and making pro- grefs in, wifdom. The tr^e end of fclf- government is, that the fuperior powers of the mind may be preferved in their due ex- Qw4 ercife.
232 Self' government ejjential to Wifdonu
SERM.efcife, and that the nobler afFedions of cAif JX» _ nature may have their full force. Any one who but a little refledleth on the frame of men, Will fee that the underflanding is a high faculty, by which we all fuppofe our- felves diftinguifhed from the inferior kinds of animals ; we value ourfelves upon it ; its capacity is large, reaching to a vafl variety of objedls J its exercifes are various, and we have flrong perceptions of pleafure arifing from them. Should we not then exert our utmoft power to preferve it free and undif- turbed, and to enjoy the ufe and improve- ment of it to the higheft degree of perfec- tion we are capable of? But the irregula- tities mentioned in the lower parts of our nature, the vanities and errors of the ima- gination, and the extravagancies of the paf- lions, tend to darken the underflanding and marr its free exercife, as every one's experi- ence will fatisfy him who doth at all attend to what paffeth in his own mind j and therefore, certainly, we ihould with our ut- moH: power oppofe thofe diforders which obfcure that which is a principal glory of our frame.
Again ; the felf- determining power is an excellent one, and a high prerogative of our nature. We cannot, I think, but be fenfi-
ble
Self-gcuernment ejfeiitial to Wtfdoml 2331
ble that there is a great dignity and pleafure Serm, in the exercife of true hberty, or of adling IX. freely according to the beft judgment we can make of things j and that it is an abjedl and a painful flate of mind, to be driven and hurried blindly, without feeing the grounds we go upon. Now, a confufed imagina- tion and tumultuous paffions tend to dellroy freedom j the foul, through their influence, is cramped and ftraitened, nay, becometh impotent, and fo is deprived of the true and fubflantial pleafures of liberty. This is a juft reafon for reflfling vigoroufly the ty- ranny of lull and paffion. Why do we fo highly refent the incroachment made upon our freedom by others, and tenacioufly affert the right of judging for ourfelves, and a6t- ing according to the belt judgment we can make, if we will meanly give up that right to an ufurping tyrant within, which equally taketh away the privilege, namely, liberty in adling according to the approbation of the underftanding upon a deliberate inquiry, which they who are condu(5ted wholly by their imaginations and paflions cannot boafl of. It is true fuch men boafl of liberty, which they place in cailing off the reflraints of reafon and confcience, but, indeed, are under the bafefl and mofl wretched fervi-
tude.
234 Self-government ejjential to Wifdom.
SERM.tude, while as St. Pd*/^;- oblerveth, 2 epift. IX. ii. 19. T^hey are the fervants of corruption^ for of whom a man is overcome^ of the fame is he brought into bondage.
Befides, as man was not made wholly for the bufinefs and ends of the animal life, like the beafls which perifli, he hath feme af- fections which carry him to higher ends. Every man who is arrived to the exercife of underftanding, hath fome fenfe of duty to the Deity, and benevolence to his fellow- creatures ; in thefe we cannot but approve ourfelves, and they yield the higheft fatis- fadlion, though in many men fuch fenti- ments and affedions are weak and ineffec- tual ', but, v/hy ? Certainly, becaufe they are overborne by the excefles of other affedions, becaufe the lufls of the flefli, the lull of the eyes, and the pride of life, are flrong, there- fore the love of God and man is weak j the generous fentiments of piety and charity al- moff ftifled. Now, is it not a deplorable condition men are in, when the inferior, the brutal defires, are overgrown, tyranni- zing in the heart without controul, while the nobler affedions, which are the glory of the human nature, and carry it to its higheft ends, are almoil extinguiflied. This Should infpire us with refolution to reflore
the
Sclf-gcvern?nc72t ejfential to Wifdcm. 235
the fovereignty of reaiuii, and recover theSERM. rule over our own fpirits. IX.
And, now, is it not apparent that this is ''^ * the moil important coiicein of ours ? That this Hberty, confifting in the freedom of the mind from the power of its own infirmities, and efpecially corrupt appetites and pafiions, is worth the contending for with the warmeft zeal, feeing it is fo necefiliry to all the great purpofes of reafonable natures, all that ought to be dear and valuable to us as men, or which belongeth to the dignity of our be- ing, and the place we hold in the univerfal fyftem ? What man is there whofe indig- nation would not rife againft the thought of degrading himfelf into the condition of inanimate things, or of brutes ? Doth it not appear, even to our firft thoughts, much more worthy, that confcious of the excel- lence of our nature we fliould afpire to its true perfedlion, and maintain its dignity, which is then only done when we are go- verned by underftanding and confcience. The text reprefenteth the condition of the man who hath no rule over his own fpirit, as very deplorable ; he is like a city that is broken down^ and without ivalls ; the image of a weak and a defpicable (late. Such a city is expofed to the affaults of its enemies,
without
236 Self-government ejfehtial to Wifdom
S E R M. without any means of defending itfelf, prc» IXi ferving its rights, or protecting its inhabi- tants : Juft fo is the man in whom reafon and confcience have loft their force, and no more maintain their dominion ovef the lower afFe(5lions ; he is a prey to every temptation^ having no defence againft it ; fierce paffions, with an impetuous fury, drive him (and he hath no power to refift them) juft as ftiips are driven by a tempeft. In this cafe it is impoflible to attain to wifdom or virtue, and to make any progrefs in it, for it is the beft exercife of reafon. Religion is a rea- fonable fervice, and liberty is eHentially ne- cefTary to it 5 for without willingnefs, or a free choice (every one is fenfible) there can be no fueh thing as religion or virtue. Though we may very well conceive moral goodnefs, indeed, the moft perfedt, without what Solomoti calleth rule over our own fpi- rit, or a maftery over paffions and other in- firmities; becaufe there is no fuch thing, no affedions or difpolitions of a contrary tendency in the moft perfedl being ; nor doth goodnefs neceffarily include it : Yet in the imperfed; ftate of the human nature, the meafure of virtue dependeth on, and is pro- portionate to the degree of our conqueft over the frailties, the felfifh aftedions and paf- a fions
ScIf-gover?wient ejmtial to Wifdcm, 237
pons of our own minds ; and it may beSERM, juftly laid, not only that rule over the fpirit IX. hath a connedlion with wifdom in the mo- ral and religious fenfe, but that it is the very thing itfelf.
This, my brethren, giveth us juft occafion to confider with regret the degeneracy of mankind ; Boloimn faith, Ecclef. vii. 29. That God made man upright^ but they have fought out many inventions. The integrity of our nature confifleth in the dominion of the fu- perior powers, and the fubordination of the appetites and paffions to them ; but it is de- formed when, on the contrary, the lower afFedtions get the afcendant, and reafon and confcience are dethroned, which experience as well as the fcripture flieweth to be the unhappy cafe of finners who are difobedient^ and deceived^ ferving divers lufls and plea^ fures, the brutal part ruleth over the man 5 paffions indulged become untradtable and impetuous ; and cuftom in finning is a prin- ciple ilrong as nature itfelf. The prophet reprefenteth the difficulty of reforming ha- bitually vicious and wicked men, by com- paring it to a natural impoffibility ; Jer. xiii. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his Jkin, or the leopard his Jpots, then may ye aljo do good tvho are accujiomed to do evil?
But,
23 S Self'gO'vemjnent ejfential to Wtfdom.
Serm. But, in the next place, I propofe to our IX. ferious thoughts the unfpeakable obligations we are under to the mercy of God for the gracious contrivance of the gofpel, the prin- cipal delign of which is to recover us to li- berty, or to felf-dominion ; to reftore the jufl; empire of reafon and confcience, and to free us from the intolerable and moft igno- minious fsrvitude of fin. That which our blelTed Saviour intended to lead ns to, is, a deliverance from the power of our lufls and pafiions, bafe and cruel mafltrs j and though we have the principles in our conftitution, which, duly improved, might bring us to that ftate of freedom, yet conlidering how impotent we were become, God faw it need- ful, and we are greatly indebted to him for it, by a lignal and gracious interpoiition to carry on that work. To this purpofe what could be better defigned ? God hath fhewed US what is good by a clear revelation ; true wifdom is taught by a law, not left to be found out by reafon, which in the greatefl: part of men is weak, and its light very much obfcured j and a fandion is added of the greatefl force to flrike our minds, and de- termine us to obedience. Eternal life is promifed to the fnicere, and everlafting de- ilrudtion is threatened againfl impenitent fin-
ners.
Self-gc^jcrrwmit ejfejilial to Wijdom . 239
ners. To encourage and animate us in fiiak- S e r M# ing off the yoke of fm, and returning to God, ^^^ the hope of forgivenefs is confirmed by the facrifice of ChrilVs death, in whom God hath declared himfelf well pleafed, and reconciled to Tinners who obey the gofpcl \ and the fpi- rit is promifed and given to help our infir- mities, and where the fpirit oj the Lord is, there is liberty, 2 Cor. iii. 17. The tendency of his afiiilance and operations, and of the whole chriftian miniftration, is to refcue Tin- ners from the mod reproachful and painful bondage of fin, and teach them to rule over themfelves, to deny felf, not reafon and con- fcience, the power of which is re-eftabliflied by the miniflration of the Spirit, but the ex- travagancies of paffion, and the irregular de- fires of the flefh and of the mind. Let us, therefore, having fo great encouragement, be prevailed with to ufe our beft endeavours that we may more and more underfland and ac- cuftom ourfelves to this difcipline, that fo making conftant proficiency in wifdom, we may enjoy the fruits of it here in plealantnefs and peace, and have the afiTured hopes of the reward which God hath promifed hereafter to the wife, Dan. xii. 3. l^hat they JJo all jliiiw MS the brightnefs of the Jirmarnent^ not in out- ward fplendor, but true fubftantial glory.
c S E R-
[ 24° ]
SERMON X.
The Proud and Scornful incapable of attaining to WISDOM.
PROVERBS XIV. 6.
A /corner feeketb wifdom, andjindeth it 7iot.
6erm. XF wifdom or religious virtue be the no- X. A bleft accomplifhment of the human na- ture, moft fuitable to fuch beings as we are, in itfelf tranfcendently excellent, and upon a comparifon far more valuable than all we can defire in this world ; if it will afford the trueft and mod: fubflantial pleafures to our minds while we live here, and the beft pro- fpedl of future felicity in the enjoyment of the divine favour, yet without any real dif- advantage to our prefent outward intereft ; all which I have endeavoured to fhew in difcourfing from feveral paflages in this book: If, I fay, it be fo, then certainly they who are convinced of this, fhould ufe their utmoft endeavours in the conftant purfuit of wif- dom y they fliould refolutely thwart every
^he Proud and Scornful^ Sec. 241
ihconfiflent inclination, and deny whatever S e R M. may hinder their attaining it. The greateft X. difficulties we have to overcome, in order to our acquiring this blefled quality, and all its happy fruits, arife from ourfelves ; we have fo many felfifli affedions and paffions, which being indulged grow to an exorbitant height of power, and the tendency of them is contrary to virtue, that it will require the ilrideft and moft conflant attention to be preferved from their corrupting influence, I have lately explained felf-government, or, as Solomon exprefTeth it, having a rule over our own fpirits ; that is, obferving a ftrid: difcipline in our minds, keeping a careful univerfal watch over our own fenfes, ima- gination, appetites, and paffions, fo far as they are under the direftion of the under- flanding and confcience ; and I fliewed you the neceffity and ufefulnefs of this, in order to our attaining to, and making proficiency in, religion.
I propofe, in difcourfing from this text, to confider particularly the character and dif- pofition of the Scorjier, and the obftrudtion which arifeth from it to men's becoming wife, which you fee Soloynon reprefenteth as fo great, that in will defeat all means, and difappoint all the diligence men can ufe;
Vol. III. R for
242 l^be Proud and Scornful
S E R M. for it is fuppofed that the fcorner may feek X. wifdom, and be at pains for it, and yet ne- ver find it. Not that he difcerneth wifdom to confifl: in true religion and virtue, and feeketh after thefe ; for in a diligent purfuit of this kind his labour fhould not be loft : But he feeketh after wifdom, that is, know- ledge and {kill to make the beft of life ; in which he either doth not include religion at all, or it is of fuch a kind as will by no means anfwer the end : For as to true reli- gion, his temper, as we flaall afterwards fee, difqualifieth him as much for feeking as finding it.
Let us, fo'Ji, confider the charadler. We meet with it often in the writings of Solo- mon^ and in other parts of fcripture, by at- tending to which we fliall find the following ingredients in it : Firft, pridcy which figni- fieth an undue defire of honour, or an over- valuing one'^s felf, and a joy and triumph of heart on account of fome apprehended ex- cellence or advantage, with a contempt of others fuppofed inferior. To have a juft notion of this evil, againft which the facred writers inveigh with fo great feverity, re- prefenting it as what rendereth men ob- noxious to the divine difpleafure, and pre- ■ cipitateth them into the raoft fatal mifcon-
dua»
incapable of aftai?iing to Wifdom, 24.'^
du<ft, and indeed into deflrudion ; wemaySERM. obferve, that it is a perverfion or mifappli- X. cation of an original delire in the human nature, that is, the defire of honour, which God hath planted in us for excellent pur- pofes i for it is of great ufe to our happinefs, and a fecurity to virtue. But when the de- fire terminateth ultimately, not on the things which are praife- worthy, but upon praife and refped: feparated from worth, and is founded, not on any real excellency, but thofe things to which the weaknefs and folly of men have annexed efleem, it is then a faul- ty ambition j and the overvaluing ourfelves upon fuch things, while we defpife others, or, in general, upon the apprehended right to, or pofleffion of any good efleemed above its real nature and ufe, is linful pride. Thus, for example, the goods of fortune, as they are commonly called, riches and power, be- ing the foundations of diftindion among men to vv^hich the opinion of the world hath affixed the idea of grandeur and magnifi- cence ; the natural perfedions of the body, as ftrength and beauty j the accomplifh- ments of the mind, whether natural or ac- quired, fuch as wit and knowledge. In fine, whatever is reputable in the eyes of man- kind, and particularly thofe we converfe R 2 with 1
244 ^'^^ Protid and Scornful
Serm. with i thefe are the fubjeds of a fecret tn- X. umph and felf-applaufe in the thoughts of the proud, and the foundations upon which they claim a diftinguifhing refpe<ft, defpi- iing in their hearts, and carrying it haugh- tily and fupercilioully towards thofe whom they apprehend to- be inferior to them.
To explain this fubjed: more fully, it mufl be obferved, that the overvaluing one's felf, which is meant by pride, hath a rela- tion to fome other beings, and includeth a comparifon. And as the fcripture repre- fenteth pride under the notion of impiety, and the fource of an undutiful behaviour to- wards God, Tfrl. X. 4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance, will not feek after God y this fm doth import too great an elation of the mind, too high an efteem of one's felf, even upon a comparifon with the Deity. Not that any of mankind, or any intelligent creatures who acknowledge the being of God, do avowedly fet them- felves above him, for that would be too manifefl an abfurdity; but they entertain fuch fond thoughts of their own perfection, merit, and fufficiency, as are really incon- iiftent with their profefTed acknowledgment of his fupremacy and their dependence, as derogate from his infinite unparallelled ex- cellency,
vicapabk of attaining to Wifdom. 245
cellency, and are unbecoming the relation S e r m. which creatures bear to him. To fpeak X. and to a6l as if our Hps were our own, and our powers to be employed wholly for our- felves, and by the dired:ion of our own wills, without fubordination or any regard to his ; as if we lived independently on him, and pofTeffed any thing which we did not receive from his bounty ; as if we Jiad no need to have recourfe to his liberality for the fupply of our wants ; as if we had a fo- vereign right to difpofe of ourfelves, and our own interefts and affairs j or as if we were not accountable to him for all our adions : This is proudly to exalt ourfelve.s againfl Gcd, and to forget that we are and jnuft necefTarily be in the condition of frail depending creatures. Like this was the pride of the angels, who, as St. Jude telleth us, kept not their jirft eftate^ but left their own habitation; and the apoftle PW reprefent- eth it as the caufe of the devil'^ .condemna- tion, I 'Tim, iii. 6. Not that it is to be ima- gined he ever thought himfelf greater than the Almighty in power and perfection, and would on that account attempt to dethrone him by fuperior force j but in the pride of iiis heart, the high conceit of his fufficiency to R -5 condu(3:
246 The Proud and Scornful
Serm. condudl himfelf, he refufed to be in fub- X. jedlion to his maker, and obey his laws.
2^/y, The pride of mens hearts is difco- vered by affecting a pre-eminence above their fellows, and a fond prefumptuous opi- nion of their own excellency upon a com- parifon with them, which really is a rebel- lion againft the eftablifhed order God hath appointed in the world ; for he hath linked us together in fociety, and made humble condefcending love the firm cement of it. I hinted already what I take to be the juft foundation for explaining this, that is, the natural defire of approbation and efleem. All fin is the perverting that which is right, and to have a true notion of the prefent dif- eafes of our own finful ftatCj we ought to look back to the primitive order of nature. Now, I fay, the defire of honour, that is, of approbation and efteem founded in good offices and the things which are indeed praife worthy, is wifely planted in our minds by the author of nature, as a fecurity of our duty, and to engage us to mutual be- nevolence 'y but in our degeneracy it is be- come a felfifh defire, and honour is fought independently on the true grounds of it, which is the very evil of this branch of pride : Still, however, there is a relation had
to
incapable of attaining to IVijdom, 247
to moral excellence, which we find ourfelves Serm. obliged to acknowledge as the only true ex- X. cellence ; and the proudeft man, in his moft prefumptuous thoughts of himTelf, valueth himfelf on what he imagineth to import a capacity, or the appearance of a difpolition, to do good of fome kind or other.
Not to mention any farther the occafions of pride, or the apprehended good things, whereupon men value themfelves, which are more remote from the prefent fubjed:, you may efpecially take notice of thefe two, which are diretSlly to the purpofe, as tend- ing to unfit men for attaining wifdom. Firft, there are fome who value themfelves much, and claim a great deal of honour on account of their underftanding, that is, ei- ther their adual knowledge, or capacity of inveftigating and difcerning truth ; though, indeed, this ground of glorying, or of claim- ing refpedl, if it be thoroughly examined, will appear a very infufficient one ; for it is certain that the mofl enlarged human un- derftandings are but weak, and labour under many defed:s j the wifeft man mult be itw- fible that his knov/ledge is very fcanty, and befides the difficulty which attendeth the acquifition of it, as Solomon faith, he that increafeth kno'ivledge increafcth forrow ; it is R 4 hablc
248 The Proud and Scornful
S E R M. liable to many accidents 5 a diflemper of X. body, or a flroke on the head, may make a man of the happieft memory and the cleareft judgment, forget his own name ; fo narrow, as well as pecarious, is that underftanding of which men boaft, and affedl a diftinftion by it above others ; though after all, their fuperiority will not be always fo heartily ac- knowledged as they imagine ; as it is not conliftent that a man fhould particularly know the points wherein another is wifer than himfelf, the generality of people, how-r ever envious on other accounts, are pretty well fatisfied with their own fliare of this talent. And,
2^/v, Religion itfelf is to fome the fubjed: of glorying and vain elation of mind 5 not the reality of it, for that excludeth boafting, but the appearance. There were people zealoufly profeffing religion among the an-' cient Jews^ whom the prophet thus defcri- beth, and methinks the defcription very na- turally marketh them out as fcorners j Ifatah Ixv. 5. 'They fay, ft and by thy f elf come not near me^ for I am holier than thou. The Pharifees, in our Saviour's time, were their true fucceffors, a generation whom our Lord reprefenteth as far from the kingdom of heaven, farther than even publicans and
Jiarlots \
incapable of attaining to Wifdom. 249
harlots, and this was a principal part oFSerm. their charadler, they preteeded to a peculiar X. reputation for fandlity, and would have great acknowledgment made to them, as the ftridlefl devotees of their time and their na- tion, not on account of true fubftantial piety and goodnefs, which would have given them quite other fentiments and difpofitions ; they neglected judgment, mercy, faith, and the love of God, thefe weightieft matters of the law ^ but they had a fiery zeal for the ritual parts of religion, ceremonies of little importance, and the traditions of the elders; they fafted often, paid tithes of all they pofTelTed, took care to wafh their hands, and their cups, and pots, and tables, and to make broad their phila(fteries 5 on this foun- dation they pretended to eminent piety. When yet our biefTed Saviour reprefenteth them as the worft of men, which muft be the cafe of all fuch hypocrites as make a religi- ous profeffion fubfervient to ambitious views, which fincere religion utterly abhorreth.
As pride, on whatever pretence it is founded, is an evil difpofition, it muft be judged of efpecially by what palTeth in the heart ; prevailing afFedions do firft and moft naturally difcover themfelves in the thoughts ; that which is moft in their efteem, men in- 4 cline
250 ^^^ Proud and Scornful
Serm. dine mod to meditate upon with pleafure, X. and if their ownfclves, or fome imagined excellency of theirs, affordeth the mofl agreeable entertainment to their minds, and they dwell upon it with an inward exulta- tion, without taking into the account, and coniidering at the fame time, what in rea- fon ought to abate it, this evidently fhew- cth, if they would attend to it, a fond and prefumptuous conceit. Thus NebuchadneZ" zar, whofe pride was (o outrageous, in- fulting God himfelf, who puniflied him by degrading him into the condition of a beafb, exulted in his power and greatnefs, when he beheld the magnificence of his works, and the fplendor of his royal feat. Dan. iv. 30* Is not this great Babylon that I have built, for the houfe of the kingdom^ by the might of my power ^ and for the honour of my Majejiy,
Again, There are outward figns which too plainly indicate the pride of the heart ; the very geftures and looks of men difcover the vanity and elation of their minds; Solo- mon, and other of the facred writers, fpeak of lofty eyes, and haughty looks, and pride of countenance. It is not pofTible for the mod carelefs obferver not to diftinguifh this difeafe by fome obvious fymptoms, thofe airs of fuperiority which fome afTume, their
affec-
incapable of attaijiing to Wifdom, 251
afFe(5tation of praife, and their behaviour S e r M, when it is beftowed on them ; for, as Solo- X. mo7i juflly obferveth, Prov. xxvii. 21. As the fining pot for fihevy and the furnace for gold^ fo is a man to his praife : His eagernefs in purfuing, and manner of receiving it, plain- ly enough difcover the complexion of his fpi- rit; and an infolent behaviour towards others, endeavouring to lefTen their charadlers, to de- rogate from their worth, and aggravate their failings, infulting their misfortunes and ap- prehended weaknefs, and an impatience of contradidtion ; thefe and the like obvious fymp- toms, inftances of felf-fufficiency and con- tempt of their fellows, clearly (hew the pride of mens hearts J and contentions, animofities, wranglings, and difturbing the peace of foci- etles for trifles, or matters of fmall moment, and merely felfifli and perfonal j thefe are ef- feds which muft be attributed to the fame caufe, for, as our author faith, Prov. xxi. 24. Proud and haughty f corner is his name^ who deakth in proud wrath.
This pride is the firft ingredient in the character of the fcorner: Another compre- henfive one, ^vhich, I may fay, finiilietli it, is contempt of religion and virtue. Some- times it is the unhappy cafe of finners, but only of thofe who have gone on in a courfe
of
2^2 The "Proud and Scortiful
Serm.oF fin, and been long accuftomed to do X. evil, that they at laft banifli the truth they long detained in unrighteoufnefs, and get rid of thofe principles which were trouble- fome when believed, by reproaching their wicked pracflices. This they do not arrive to fuddenly^ not till having often baffled confcience, and by indulging them, given fuch a power to corrupt lufts and vicious habits, that they overcame all refinance. But it is the greatefb height of impiety, and an infolent defiance of almighty God, when religion and all that is facred, even the eter- nal moral differences of good and evil, are made the fubjedis of ridicule. There is ob- ierved, in the ifl Pfalm, a gradation in evil, Bleffed is the man that walketh not in the counfel of the ungodly^ nor fiandeth in the way of Jinners^ nor fifeth in the feat of the fcornful. It is our unhappinefs to tread at all in thefe deftrudive paths 3 but it is ilill worfe to be fixed and obftinate in them ; and worfl: of all is the ftate of that Sinner, who is eftablifhed in the fociety of thofe "who have cafl: off all reflraint, and openly deride all goodnefs. They are fools ^ Solomon faith, who make a mock at fin^ divert them- felves with it as only a trifling amufement, and laugh at the evil of it, and the tremend- ous
incapable of attaining to Wifdom, 253
ous confequences which grave and ferious Serm, perfons talk ofj this is, as he elfewhere X. Ipeaketh, f porting with firebrands, arrows, and death. The prophet Ifaiah, chap, xxviii. 22. advifeth the Jews, not to be inockerSy leji their bands be ?nade Jirong, left they be abandoned, in the righteous judgment of God, to the incorrigible hardnefs of their impenitent hearts, without any further means of being reclaimed, and fo their ill condi- tion being remedilefs, they treafure up wrath to themfelves againft the day of wrath.
One of the plaineft defcriptions we meet with of thefe fcorners is in the 2d epiftle of St. Peter chap. iii. 3, 4. Knowing this, that there Jhall coine in the lafi days f coffers, walk- ing after their own liifls, and faying, where is the promife of his coijiing ? For fince the fathers fell afieep, all things, cofitimie as they were from the beginning of the creation. They fupport themfelves in their impiety, and found their contempt of religion, upon fomc fort of reafoning, whereby they ima- gine they prove that the great motives to godlinefs are merely chimerical, and but idle dreams; as in the inftancc before us, the fcoffers are reprefented as alledging that there is nothing at all in the promife of God':5 coming to judge the world, to reward
his
254 ^f^^ Proud and Scornful
Serm. his faithful fervants, and to punifh the dlf- obedient -, that the hopes formed upon that promife are merely vifionary, and that the threatenings of punifhment are empty fcare- crows i and the argument to confirm this is taken from fad, and the experience of many ages ; for the promife was made very long ago, yet we fee no effect of it, noranyfen- fible fign of its accomplifhment ; the world goeth on in its old courfe, and things con- tinue on the fame foot fince the fathers fell alleep ; they feem to be forgotten, and none of thefe great things come to pafs, in the expectation of which they died j one ge- neration fucceedeth another in the fame track, and it is like to be fo itill, without any evidence of God's interpoling in the manner his promlfes import. But fuch fond imaginations under the colour and appear- ance of reafoning, in v^^hich the fcoffers flatter themfelves they fhew an uncommon ftrength and genius, courage and freedom of thought, the apoftle imputeth to wilful ignorance, ver. 5. a ftupid inattention to the plaineft and moft obvious truths concerning the power and wifdom of God in making the world, and difpofing its feveral parts, and of his having actually interpofed in the government of it, fo direding events in the o inanimate
incapable of attaining to Wifdom, 2 c c
inanimate creation as to anfwer the ends ofSERM. moral government, by diflributing rewards X. and punirtiments to men. Whatever the particular topic be, whether that of a fu- ture ftate, the efiential diiFerence of good and evil, a wife, juft, and good providence ruling the world, or whatever other impor- tant principle, the fpirit and manner of the fcorners is the fame 5 entering on fubjedls of the greatefl moment with abundance of felf- fufficiency, and it may be, a vivacity of imagination inftead of a penetrating judg- ment, they think by halves, and take up with a bare unexamined probability on the fide in favour of which they are prejudiced by their corrupt afFecftions, or, perhaps, with a bold jeft inftead of a folid argument.
Indeed, their moral charadler, that is, the temper of their minds and their condu(5t, is of eifential confideration to give us a jufi notion of the fcorners. St. Peter faith in the place already mentioned, they walk af' ter their own lufts. And St, Jiide^ fpeak- ing of the fame perfons, whom he calls mockers, and the apoftles of Chrift foretold they fhould come in the laft time, he de- fcribeth them thus, they walk after their own ungodly lujis^ they are fenfual, not having the fpirit. It is certain mens afFe<flions have
a great
256 The Proud and Scornful
Serm. a great influence on their underftanding, an(J X, go far in forming their judgment of things j they are eafily induced to imagine that true which they are fond of, and very unwilling to difcover a truth which mufl reproach them, is contrary to their interefts, and will give them uneafinefs in a courfe they are re- folved to purfue. This is diredlly the cafe of a vicious man, with refpedt to religious inquiries, or feeking after wifdom. The truth lieth againft the intereft of his lufts and wicked habits, which he cannot, or ra- ther will not, bring himfelf to a refolution of forfaking, and therefore is ready to catch at any pretence whereby he may counte- nance his continuing in them. If there be reality in religion, if there be a neceffary and mod important difference between mo- ral good and evil, both in their nature and confequences, the finner muft be felf- con- demned, and therefore he maketh a hard fhift to get rid of fuch troublefome princi- ples, and at lafl to confound light and dark- nefs, good and evil, fo to draw iniquity with the cords of vanity y as the prophet fpeaketh, Ifaiahv. 18. Or, to be encouraged in his wicked ways by frivolous deceitful pretences, till at lafl he arriveth to the utmofl height of fcorning, bidding defiance to ^Almighty
God,
incdpahle (f attaining to tVifJonu ^57
God, as it followeth, ver. 19. Let bim make Serm* fpecdj and haft en his ivork that we may fee ify X. and let the counfel of the holy One of Ifi^acl draw nigh a?id come^ that we may know it. Thus I have explained to you the char?.(fler of the fcornerj which is a compofition of pride, a contemptuous difbelief and rejec- tion of the principles of religion, and obfli* nacy in vice. I proceed in the
Second place to fliow that it is, and mufl neceflarily be the greateft obftrudlion to mens becoming truly wife j infomuch, that if the fcorner (as tlie text faith) feeketh wif dom, yet he findeth it not. And this will eafily appear, if we attend to the particulars already mentioned. Firft, it is plain that pride is a great hinderance both to the at- tainment of knowledge and virtue; who- ever hath a high conceit of himfelf, on whatever account it is, if he hath an excef- five value for any endowment, quality, or advantage of any kind, he is pofTefTed of, he will defpife not only other men, whom he looketh upon as his inferiors, in that point which he efleemeth fo juflly diilinguifhing^ but he will defpife other things which yet arc acknowledged by a great many, indeed, the generality of men, to be very valuable
Vol. III. S and
25S ^he Proud arid Scornful
S E R M. and pralfeworthy. He that valueth himfelf X- upon his riches, will defpife another who boafteth of high titles, a noble defcent, or fome fuch diftinguifhing privilege; and both of them have a very low opinion of the wife and virtuous man, as a limple, a weak, or a mean-fpirited creature, not ca- pable either through the weaknefs of his underflanding, or a filly fcrupuloufnefs, to make his way in the world fuccefsfully, or to make any figure in life. The man with whom wifdom is in fuch contempt is not likely to find it ; though he fhould ufe fome diligence to acquire the reputable part, or rather the external appearance, yet the reali- ty of wifdom, which is religious virtue, meeknefs, godlinefs, patience, felf- denial, and charity, thefe are defpifed by him : How then can he find them ? for wifdom loveth only them that love her^ and thofe only Jhallfindy whofeek her early , Prov. viii. 17.
But, more particularly, the man who is proud of his wifdom and his religion, is the fartheft off from becoming truly wife and religious. His high conceit of his own fuf- ficiency, and of his great capacity and ac- quifitions, rendereth him indeed uncapable of, and difinclincd to, the only proper means whereby that real excellent quality
can
■vr
iricij^ahle of difiii?ihig to Wifdcm. 259
tan be attained ; and therefore Solo?no?i ex- S ejr M. horteth the perfon who would hope to be a proficient in true wifdom, 7iGt to be njoife in his own eyes J nor lean to his own underjtand" ing^ ProV. iri. 5, 7. And St. Taid telleth OS, I Cor. viii. ^hai knowledge puffcth up^ but charity edijicth ; and if a man thinkcth he knoweth a?iy thing (fb as to be conceited of his knowledge) he knoweth 7iothing yet as he ought to know. And GaL vi. '^, If a man think himfelf to be fomething (a perfon df gi'eat weight and confideration, by reafoh of hrs great attainments, and fit to prefcribe to others in the matters of religion) while he is nothing (no fuch perfon) 7^^ decetveih him- felf: By the pradice of modcfty and humble condcfcending charity, we Ibould have rhuch more ground of rejoicing and glorying in our- felves. What V/as it that made tlie fcws, and efpecially the proudeft (cO, of them, the Pkd- rijees, fo untradtable to the inftrudi'ons of our Saviour, and fuch enemies to the fimplicity of the gofpel ? It was evidently the pride of their hearts, and the high conceit they had of their own knowledge and fanxflity. Our Lord plainly telleth them they were fo much under tKt power of worldly and ambitious views, and had it fo much at heai't to maintain the apphsmfe of men, as perfons
S 2 of
2^0 The Proud and Scornful
Serm. of the greatefl eminency, that this was the X. very caufe of their infidelity, o: reje<5ling his rehgion, which taught the profeflbrs of it to purfue fubftantial ^oodnefs and the ap- probation of God, not the efteem of the world ; for hoWy faith he, John v. 44, can ye believe J who receive honour one of another ^ and feek not the honour that cometh from God enly. And John xii. 43. Some of the chief rulers believed in Chrifi^ were convinced in their hearts that the dodlrine he taught was true and divine, yet they did not own that convidion, nor confefs him to be the true Meffiah, as they really believed he was, for they loved the praife of men more than the praife ofGody and therefore would not ex- pofe themfelves to excommunication and the reproach of apoHacy, which at that time eould not be avoided by any who would embrace the chriftian religion.
The fame reafon for which Chrift cru- cified, or the do6lrine of the gofpel, was to the Jews a ftumbling-block, made it to the Greeks foolifhnefs. As the former proudly endeavouring to e^abiifh a righteoufnefs of their own by their own performances, would not fubmit to the righteoufnefs, or the me- thod of jullification or acceptance with God, which is by faith. So to the other who
valued
incapable of attainhig to Wifdofn. 2.6 1
valued themfelves upon their philofophy Serm. and their eloquence, their fcicnce fo called, X. which was then in great reputation, fuch a fimple inflitution as that of chriflianity, (o plain, accommodated to the weakeft capa- cities, without any fliew of learning, taught by illiterate men who fought not their own honour, nor at all attributed the contrivance or the fuccefs of their dextrine to any fkill and wifdom of theirs, but wholly to God : To thefe proud conceited Greeks, I fay, fuch an artlefs inftitution as that of the gofpel, appeared very contemptible. And, in ge- neral, that it muft be fo, that the pride of men, a high conceit of their own wifdom mufl: hinder them to become truly wife, is evident, becaufe it marreth diligence and impartiality, without which no man can be fuccefsful in his enquiries, nor attaiji to un- derflanding in any thing. The fcorner will not admit a fufpicion of any error ; the opi- nion and the fchemes of religion he hath embraced, however wrong and faulty in themfelves, have a great advantage to re- commend them to his efteem, becaufe they are his own, and they arc now no more to be fubje6led to a new examination : To dif- cover an error would be an affront to hiin, and he ftandeth too fair with himfelf to fub-
S 3 niit
^()2 ^he Proud and Scornful
Serm. mitto it; and what need is there of any ^' more diligence in fearching ? he hath formed his judgment of things, and the meafures of his condud:, with a fufficiency of knowledge and prudence. Farther, as this difpofition naturally groweth upon men when they do not fet themfelves in oppofition to it, and take proper methods to lubdue it, it muft at laft effectually defeat all means of inllruc- tion and amendment, becaufe it maketh the jfcorne): impatient of admonitions and re- bukes. So Solomon often telleth us, that the fcorner heareth not reproof, that he hateth it, and the perfon who in the friendliell manner oifereth it to him ; and it is con- cerning perfons of this temper, that our Sa- viour warneth his difciples, that they fliould prudently avoid laying the wife admonitions pf the gofpel before them, left they (liould not only be defeated by their incorrigible obftinacy, but be the occalion of brutifh violence and contempt, which he exprefteth thus. Matt. vii. 6. Gii^e not that which is looly unto the dogs, neither caji your pearls before fwine J left they trample them under their feet', and turn again and rend you. The man who is fo far engaged in the in- tereft of his vices; and fo wholly under their power, that even his underftanding is cap- ' z tivated
incapahk of attalnuig to Wijdom. 263
tivated, and he denieth and defpifeth the Se r m- firft principles of religion and virtue, feem- ^ X.; eth to be altogether incurable j ail the ave- nues of his foul fhut up, that wifdom can- not enter 5 and the proud impious imagina- tions he hath fet up in its place, are an im- pregnable defence againft it.
Befides, this perverfe difpofition rendereth men obnoxious to the difpleafure of God, and entirely difqualified for receiving favour from him, efpecially that great favour of in- flrudtion, fuch a perfect gift as wifdom, which Cometh dowji frof?i the father of lights, Prov. iii. 34. Surely he f cornet h the fcorners, but giveth grace unto the lonidy j he will deal with the infolent defpifers of his glorious perfe(flions and fovereign dominion accord- ing to their wickednefs. Other finners dif- obey, but they defy him ; they are repre- fented elfewhere in fcripturc, as faying, Who is Lord over us ? and^ loe are lords y ive icvV/ come no more unto thee. The proud are in a very peculiar manner, and above all others, the enemies of God, therefore he refifteth them, as the apoftle James iv. 6. interpret- eth the words of Solomon jufl now menti- oned. Seeing then the fcorner rendereth himfelf fo utterly uncapable by wicked pre- judices, unfitting his own rational powers
S 4 for
264 '^he Proud and Scornful
Serm, for their proper exercife in a fair enquiry 5 X. ^ and feeing by his wickednefs he fo provoke eth God, grieving his fpirit who teacheth men, and giveth them underftanding, how is it poiTible he fhould find wifdom ?
All the application I fliall make, is only to exhort you to humility, as a mofl ne- cefTary qualification for your increafe in ufe^* ful knowledge, and in every chriftian vir- tue 5 God giveth grace to the humble. There IS no difpofition more becoming our reli- gious profeflion and character as difciples of Chrift, who hath commanded his followers to imitate him, and learn of him, for that he is meek and lowly in heart, and declared that one of the befl preparations for enter- ing into his kingdom is humility, which he reprefenteth by the emblem of the harmlefs innocence and unambitious fimpHcIty of a child, Matt, xviii. 3. having called a little child, and fet him in the midft, he faid^ except ye be converted and become as little children, ye Jhall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, JVhofoever, therefore, fiall hum-^ hie himfelf as this little child, the fame is greatefl in the kingdom of heaven.
There may be miftaken notions concern^- ing this as well as other chriftian virtues, |t is far from confifling in any fuch fenti-r
me-nts
incapable of attaining to Wijdorn, 265
ments as difparage the human nature, or S e r m. any fuch temper and behaviour as are un- X. worthy its dignity ; we muft not degrade ourfeh'es into a lower fpecies that we may be humble men j that is rather to unman ourfelves : nay, we ought to contend for the privileges of our being, for the freedom which belongeth to us as men, in the uf^ of our reafon for direding our condudl, an4 all other common rights ; to betray and give them up to any invader, is abjeft bafe- nefs, and no virtue at all : And as the apo- ftle, Ro7n. xii. 3. exhorteth every man not to think of hitnfelf more highly than he ought to thinky but foberly, humility doth not re- quire any man to think more meanly than the truth. But with refped to God, it con- fifteth in a juft fenfe of our own fubjedion and dependance, of our own weaknefs and guilt, that we may be ready to yield him that obedience and refignation he claimeth, and to comply with thofe methods for our inflrudtion and falvation he prefcribeth j and with refpedt to men, it confifteth in a due regard of their common rights, and to thofe which belong to every one in particular, ac- cording to their feveral relations, and their valuable and ufeful abilities, qualities, and ^pcomplifhrnents of any kind, without en- croaching
266 The Proud and Scornful ^ &c.
S E R M. croaching upon them, or derogating from X* them; or from the honour and good offices they juftly claim, according to the laws of hu- manity, juftice, and charity. This difpofition and behaviour diredly oppolite to that of the fcorner, as it will entitle us to the favour of God, and the approbation of all good men, for before honour is humility^ d^nd. pride goeth before a fall; and our Saviour telleth us, Luke xviii. 14. Every 07ie that exaltcth himfdf J]:all be abafedy and he that humbleth himfelf Jloall be exalted^ fo it will preferve an inward equa- nimity and felf-fatisfadlion, free from thofe tempefts and furious tumults of mind to which the pride and paffions of men always expofe them, and is the fureft way to grow in every valuable quality, and particularly, to grow in grace ^ and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrijl^ 2 Fet, iii, 28.
SER-
[ 267 ]
SERMON XL
Attending public Instruction, and other inftrumental Duties, recommended.
PROVERBS VIII. 34.
BJtjfed is the man that heareth mCy watching daily at my gates, waiting at the fojis of my doors.
I Have endeavoured in fome difcourfes, S e r m. from feveral palTages in this book, to lay -^^ before you the neceffary qualifications for our attainining true wifdom or religious vir- tue, and fet againft them the greateft hin- derances, which muft be removed ; particu- ly infilling on the prevailing love of wifdom, diligence in the ufe of all proper means for acquiring it, a difpaffionatc temper of mind, and humility. It is certain that our vehe- ment irregular affedlions and paflions do moft unhappily obftruA our growth in grace and faving knowledge, and nothing more ^han pride and affedtation, I might have
enlarged
268 Attending public InjiruBion^
£ E R M. enlarged on other particular Vices which the ^I' author hath hinted in his Proverbs, as ob- ilrudions to wifdom, fuch as cowardice, or an undue fear of men, lafcivioufncfs, intem- perance, covetoufnefs, and wrath, which do all of them darken the mind, marr its progrefs in any kind of valuable knowledge, weaken its force and expofe it a prey to temptations ; but fome of thefe have been occafionally touched upon, and fuch general rules of felf-government laid down, as, if duly applied, might be a defence to us againfl them all.
What I intend at this time, is, to re- commend the careful ufe of thofe folemn means, which God hath graciouHy inftituted for our attaining to religious wifdom ; and I think the text giveth a juft occafion for it ; Solomon reprefenteth wifdom as a divine per- fon, making a public appearance in the world, fetting up a court, or rather a fchool, fending out her miniflers, inviting men, even the mofl rude and ignorant, to become her difciples, by which they may hope for great advantage. I know not what can be more naturally underilood by all this, than the gracious deiign God hath formed and exe- cuted for recovering men from their igno- rance, corruption, and mifery, and bringing
them
atid other Dudes, recojjTmendcd. 260
them into the way of virtue and happinefs, Ser M, by an exprefs revelation and pofitive inflitu- XI. tions, which he hath pubHfhed to them with all necefTary folemnity. However amiable and excellent wifdom may appear to con- liderate minds, in her moft fimple and na- tural form, and whatever force there may be apprehended in reafon to overcome pre- judices againft the things which are pure, and jufl, and true, and honeft, and virtuous; yet mankind were become fo degenerate, fo univerfally depraved, even dead in trefpajjes andjins^ that to reclaim them there need- ed, and we ought to efteem it an invaluable advantage, and a very great favour that there is granted, a fpecial interpofition of hea- ven, a plain and direct call from God by a pofitive law, with encouragements beyond what human understanding could devife, and affiftance above the mere force of na- ture. The divine revelation hath indeed ap- peared in different forms, and the laft is the moft perfed:, I mean the gofpel, Heb. i. i, 2. God ijoho at Jundry times^ and in divers viamierSy fpake in tinies paft unto the fathers by the prophets^ hath in thefe laji daysfpoken unto us by his Son, And we may be fure the moft complcat fyftem, with the greateil ad- vantages of every fort, the mofl powerful
fan^^ion
2^0 Attending public InJiruBlon^
Se R M. fandion to enforce it, the clearefl: inftrudlory,' XI. and the purefl manner of adminiftration, as well as the moft convincing evidence of its troth and divine authority, vvere v^^orth;^ of fuch a meflengef .
But I will confider the open appearance of wifdom and the public plan of her doc- trines and rules, abftra<5tly from what is pe- culiar in any dilpenfation. The fefped: which is due from men, is, to heart afid the text pronounceth them blefled who do {o. Their duty is farther thus exprefled, tvatching daily at the gates of wifdotn, and ^waiting at the pojls of her doors. As the gates and avenues to the houfes of the great are filled with retainers, as fervants, fubjedts, vaflals, and other dependants (according to the various diftincSlions of men in higher or lower ftations) who are continually thronging thither to pay their homage, and to prefent their petitions 5 and as fcholars in- tent upon learning, diligently attend public ledures, and all other means of teaching, {o we ought to make our court to wifdom, and be mofl folicitous to embrace every op- portunity of admiffion into her favour. It will be no difficulty to underftand the par- ticulars which are reprefented by this allu- fion, that is, the inftromental duties of re- ligion.
afid other Duties y recCmmended. 271
ligon, purfuant to the eflabllflied methods of S e r M. inflrudion which God hath appointed, fuch ■^^• as fearching the holy books, the ftanding record of the divine doftrine and laws, which God himfelf often enjoineth, and it hath been fuccefsfully pradlifed by the beil; pro- ficients in wifdom ; the attending opportu- nities of public inftrudion, not forfaking the cjfeiiihling ourfelves together, as the apoftle diredeth, Heb. x. 25. and afliduity in prayer for that illumination, which God hath pro- mifed by giving his fpirit to thejn that cijk. But I fhall not purfue the detail of thefe particulars, which are obvious to every one who knoweth the method God hath taken in revealing his will, and the forms of fervice he hath prefcribed. I will endeavour in this difcourfe to fhew you,
I. The reafonablenefs of attending all the inftituted means of our inftrucflion.
II. The refped: of wifdom, which is im- ported in hearing.
III. The proper difpofitions of mind, and the manner of hearing and ufing all means, lignified by ijoatching daily at the gates of ijoifdom^ and ivaiting at the pojis of her doors.
Brfi,
Attending ptthlic InJlruBion, Firft, To fhew the reafonablenefs of ouf attending all the inftituted means of inftruc- tion ; and this will eafily appear to any con- fiderate perfon : If God had never vouch- fafed to men a pofitive revelation, if wifdom had never criedy nor tinder jlandiiig lifted up her voice in that manner to the children of men^ if we had never known any thing of her but by the foft whifpers in our own breafts, that fenfe of moral goodnefs and excellence, which we feel whenever we at- tend to it, though it is in the generality of men very much overborne by the tumults of the imagination, by vehement feliifli paf- lions, and evil habits ; if, I fay, it were fo, we fhould have been obliged, under all the difcouragements and difficulties which at- tend our prefent frailty, to feel after virtue if happily we might find it^ as the apoflle fpeaketh of mens feeking God by the light of nature, Adis xvii. 27. And it is furprizing to what length fome have arrived without the help of \ki2X grace which bringeth falva-- tion^ and hath appeared unto us. But when it hath pleafed God to eredt a kingdom ia the world, when we have laws publiflied, examples, promifes, divine affiftance, when there is a public adminiftration whereby we are called to glory and virtue, and the divine 3 power
and other Duties ^ recommended. 273
power hath given us all things which per- Serm- tain unto \iic and godhnefs j for us to be ob- XI. ftinately unattentive, like the adder that ftop- peth her ear and will not hearken to the voice of the charmer^ charming ever fo wifely y as the Pfalmift expreileth the obduracy of fin- ners, Pfal. Iviii, to treat all the offers God hath made us with negledt, and the means he hath appointed for our reformation, with- out fo much as repairing to the courts of his wifdom, or ufing any of the methods pre- fcribed for our inftrudtion and amendment -, this furely is great ingratitude, a heinous con- tempt of God's authority, an affront to his love, and it mufl be inexcufablc folly fo to negledl our own true intereft. Yet how many are there who iliew a wretched in- difference to the means of their fancfliii ca- tion and falvation, chooiing to fpend their time in amufement, or wholly about the affairs of the prefent life, while the folemn invitations of wiidom, the feajl fe hath prepared for their entertainment, -^.^ Solomon reprefenteth the provilion which divine grace hath made for the fouls of men, in the ixth chapter of this book, while, I fay, thefe invitations are contemned as if they were mere trifles ? But fuppofing men fo far fen- lible of the refpedt due to a divine revela- Vox. III. T tion.
274 'Attending public lnJiru5iion^
S E R M. tion, that they attend the publifliing it, XI' and ufe the outward means God hath ap- pointed for their Inftrudion, a great deal more remaineth yet to be done, that they may be entitled to the bleffednefs here pro- nounced by Solomon, to thofe who hear wifdom. It is not merely an outward at- tendance the word of God demandeth, many who pay it that refpe^t, and even profefs to believe it, yet receive the grace of God in vain ; I^ will therefore proceed in the
Second place, to confider what is imported in hearing. And let us obfervc that the fcripture reprefenteth this as the fum of that duty and refpedl which God demandeth for Chrift who is his wifdom, and the great re- vealer of his will to mankind. In one of the moft celebrated prophecies of the Old Teflament, concerning the Meffias, this is expreflly required with great folemnity, and under the moil fevere penalties, Deut, xviii. 15. .I'he Lord thy God will raife up unto thee a prophet fromthe midft of thee, like unto 7ne (faith Mofes)unto himjloallye hearken; al- moil the fame words are repeated in iJer, 1 8. and in the 19th it is added, and it Jlmll come to pafs, that whofoever will not hearken unto
2 ^iy
ctid other Dutjes, recotnttiendeH, ty^
fny words which he Jlmll [peak in my name^ /SermJ will require it oj him. When the S6n of God -^** appeared in flefh, and entered upon his pub- lic miniflry, a voice from the excellent glory, as St. Peter ^ an eye and ear witnefs calleth it, recommended him to fome of the apoftles, and by their teftimony \j6 the world \ti this manner, Mat. xvii. 5. T^his ii my beloved Son, in whom I am ioell pleafed; hear ye him, Thtis it is apparent that what« ever is meant by hearing Ghriit the v/ifdom of the Father, or hearing that lafl: and moft perfedl revelation God hath given of hil mind to the world,- it is" enjoined and en- forced with all the authority and obliga- tory power with which any divine precept can be enforced. By Mofes God made his will known to Ifrael^ and gradually pre- pared the way by predictions and types for the compleat fcheme of revealed religion in the gofpel, which is the cleareil call of wifdom to the children of men. Mofes who was to be regarded by the people of God, as an infpired teacher, foretelleth the coming of another great prophet, the au- thor of a new difpenfation, and dsclaretht before-hand, in the name of God, that he was to be hearkened unto under the highefl penalty for contempt and difobedience j and T 2 whcii
■276 ■ Attending public InftruBlon,
Serm. when this divine mefienger adlually canae XI. into the world, God himfelf, by an exprefs voice from heaven, commanded men to hear him.
Now, hearings in the text, and other pa- rallel declarations of fcripture, importeth a ferious and attentive confideration j not mere- ly the ufe of the external fenfe commonly Signified by that word, but principally, a diligent application of the mind to under- iland the important contents of the divine inefTage. Our bleffed Saviour, in his para- ble of the fower, Matt. xiii. reprefenteth fome hearers of the gofpel by the fimilitude of ground by the way- fide, fo hard, being conftantly trod upon, that the feed doth not enter into it, but is catched away by the fowls J which he thus applieth to the carelefs unattentive profelTors of religion; they hear indeed, but imderjland not the ivord of the kingdojn 5 the72 cometh the wicked o?ie, and catcheth away that which is /own in their hearts. Their not underftanding it is not a fimple ignorance arifing from inca- pacity, ,or fpoken of without any regard to the caufes of it ; for it is plain our Lord in- tendeth to lay blame on fuch hearers, and to charge them with guilt, which he could not do, if their ignorance proceeded altoge- ther
and other Duties, recommended. 277
ther from a defccfl of natural capacity ; or, Serm- which is the fame thing in this refpeft, that ^^ it equally vindicateth them from guilt, the ^ want of fufHcient perfpicuity in the gofpel, when compared with the rational powers of thofe to whom it is direded. But, by not underftanding, is meant not confidering, which' hath juft the fame efted with igno- rance as to any good improvement j or, however, no other ignorance is meant, than fuch as is the fruit of inattention, which ex- perience flieweth us it very often is. It is very plain that the beft ufe we can make of our underftanding, is in a clofe and vigorous attention ; and our progrefs in ufeful know- ledge dependeth more upon this than any thing elfe we can do. External informa- tion, and hearing, in the mofl obvious fenfe, is at firft neceifary, and may be afterwards very ufeful, but inward application of the mind, and fixing its thoughts upon the im- portant objeft, is more univerfally profitable. This is always within the reach of our own power, and without it the other will make no impreffion, nor can we obtain any be- nefit by it.
This is what we are, in the firft place, to
underftand by hearing j an attentive regard
to inftrudion. Amidft the amufcments of
T 3 »
'$,tj^ jiff ending public InJlfuBion^
S^RM. a vain world, and a variety of voices found- XI. ing in pur ears, and calling .us different ways^ the wifdom of Gpd Jla^th the firft right to be heard, and ^yhat he prefcribeth, to be at- tended to. A great and neccflary point is then gained, apd a foundation laid for our obedience} for as one fatal, and, indeed, yery general caufe of djfobedience, js inat^ tention, when once we are delivered from ^hat, a quite contrary courfe pay be ex- pedted. There can be little doubt but reli- gion will make way for itfelf and prevail^ if we let it fo far into our hearts, as to give it a fair hearing. It may be juftly faid, no juan was ever impious and wicked upon inature deliberation ; and to fay otherwife is to affront religion, and in effed: to fay the diredly contrary to what the apoftle affirm- eth, that if is a reajonable fervice. But ifhough in fad: a great many who heat and profefs religion, are fo hardened through the deceitfulnefs of fin, that no impreffion is made upon them, it is, we will acknow- ledge, a reafonable demand on behalf of di- vine wifdom, and particularly of the great prophej: whom Qod hath fent into the yrorld, that we fhould liften to and feri- pufly confider what he faith j and that we lliould try whether there be fuch truth and
fuch
and other Duties^ recommended. 279
fach importance in his dodlrines and pre- S e r m," cepts as is pretended. The chriftian reve- XI. lation is far from requiring the aflent and obedience of men without inquiring ; on the contrary, the firfl: teachers of it always ad- drelfed themfelves to the underftandings of men, and appealed to their reafon, defiring every one candidly to examine, and to judge for himfelf J and particularly in the xviith of the ABs and nth verfe, the Berea?is are greatly commended, as fhewing a more no- ble fpirit than others, in that they received the word with all readinejs of mindy that is, not without examination, but upon a full trial, and after fearching carefully whether thofe things were Jo as the apoflle repre* fented them.
2^/y, Hearing fignifieth a fubmiffive dif- pofition, receiving with a fuitable deference what our heavenly Father is pleafed to re- veal to us, giving it fuch an entertainment as the nature of the things revealed feverally requireth. To hear, is to turn at the re^ proofs of wifdom, to tremble at the threat* nings of God, to hope in his promifes, and pradife what he enjoineth j and, in general, that we may give fuch a becoming enter- tainment to every declaration of his will, we muft believe them all ; Nor is this a blind T 4 and
280 Attendmg public InJiruSlion,-
SERM.and irrational perfuafion, but fuch as we are XI. determined to by the highefl and bell evi- dence, having fiiil impartially examined, and been fatisfied concerning the characters and proofs of a divine revelation. There cannot be a more certain principle than this upon which our faith refteth, it is impoffibk for God to lie. He can neither be deceived himfelfj nor deceive us ; but he that hath received the tejiimony of Ckrifl (to whom God beareth witnefs by many figns and wonders) hath fet to his jeaU that God is true J John iii. 33. An implicit faith our Lord juilly claimeth, that we fliould take upon trufl whatever he hath revealed, refl- ing on his infallibility, and cajting down imaginations^ and every high thing which exalteth itfef againft the knowledge of God. Whatever difficulties there may appear in the fayings of divine wifdom from the pre-- jjidices of men, whatever irregular lulls and pallions may fuggell in oppofition to them, we ought to be in the humbleft manner re^ figned to our great unerring teacher. Many, indeed, of our Saviour's hearers were of- fended at his dodrines and fpiritual precepts; they objeded that his fayings v/ere hard ; they afked how thefe things could be, and they forfook him. But it is only our prejudices
and other Duties, recommended. 281
and paliions he requireth us to deny, thatSERM. we may be his difciplcs ; not our reafon, -^I* for to that he teacheth nothing contrary. Certain it is, God doth not require us to be- lieve a contradidion or abfurdity, or what appeareth to be fo to our own undeiftand- ing upon an impartial inquiry, it being im- poffible that we fhculd really believe it ; and to imagine that chriftianity containeth any fuch thing, is to reproach it and its bielTed author. If, for example, any one fliould impofe upon us, under the pretence of di- vine authority, fuch af principle as tranfub" Jtantiation, which containeth a manifefl ab- furdity, and deftroyeth the very foundations of liuman knowledge, as we could not pof- fibly aff;^nt to it with underftanding, we ought not to profefs it. It is the fuggeflions of corrupt appetite and paflions, the incli- nations of the carnal mind, which is •en- mity againft God, we ought to deny, in order to the obedience of faith, not the principles of reafon, which are originally from God, and as truly as revelation is.
We ought, however, to make a differ- ence between the teachers of divine truth ; fuch as God hath fealed, and given them fufficient credentials of their miffion from him, fhould be fubmitted to, and their
dodjine
2^2 Attending public InftruEiion^
Seplm. do6lnne received without referve 3 but the XI. inflru(Sions of all other teachers ought to be examined and copipared with the authen- tic declarations of a well-attefled revelation, and no farther received than as they are founded upon inquiry, by every one judging for himfelf, agreeable to them. And thus our Saviour, the author of our religion, hath taught us to diflinguifh between him and others, Matt, xxiii. 8. He will not al- low his profefTed followers to be called, or to call any man rabbi^ mafter, and that be- caufe one is their teacher and mafter, even Chrifl. To allow men an equal authority with him, or which is in efFedl the fame, to regard them as infallible interpreters of his mind, is to deny him. An implicit faith in him, is what he requireth from his difciples, and is the very fpirit of chriftia^ nity ; an implicit faith in mep is the bane of it.
Lafll)\ Hearing wifdom importeth an ab-- folute unreferved obedience. A multitude of inftances might be produced to fhew that, according to the ftile of the facred writers, this is the fenfe of hearing God 5 and that for this good reafon, becaufe obedience will be the certain effed: of hearing, as it hath been already explained. If we hear witl^
^ttentioft
and other Duties^ recommended. ^83
attention and reverence, impartially andSERM. without prejudice, our n>inds will then fay JCI. to the Lord, /peaky for thy Jefvant hefireth-, and as Saul did at his converfion. Lord, what wilt thou hcfve me to do ? J\.Cts yii. 6. I am ready, without delay op cpnferring with flefli and blood, to follow tfjy dif edion, and no fooner fhall I be favoured with an intimation of thy will, than I fhall imme- diately prepare myfelf to do it. This rer fpedt to Chrift our fupreme teacher, I take to be that wherein a truly chriftian difpofi- tion doth confift, the very fum of our duty, at lead that which God will accept, but no- thing lefs, according to the grace of the gofpel. pefeds there may be, no doubt there are, even in a heart thus difpofed, through remaining ignorance and infirmi- ties ; but when fuph is the habitual prevail- ing temper, the foul hath confidence to- wards God, as being one who fincerely heareth his wifdom. Sincerity is to be de- termined by the prevalence of good afl?ec- tion$ againft the contrary ; that is, fincere love to God which prevaileth againft the }ove of the world 5 and fo we then fincerely hear Chrift, when it is the fixed governing purpofe of our hearts to follow him, what- ibever may call or folicit ps to the contrary.
284 AttendiJig public Inftrii5fion^
Serm. I^" all men upon earth fhould prefs us to XI. what, upon the befl: inquiry we can make, appeareth difagreeable to his will, we ought to forfake them and follow him 5 if our pre- fent intereft, and the moft importunate in- clinations of the flefh, fliould direct us one way, and he another, we mufl renounce them, and cleave to him. I come, in the
ThtrJ place, to confider the proper dif- pofitions of mind, and the manner of hear- ing and ufing all means, lignified by ivatch^ ing daily at the gates of wifdom, and 'wait- ing at the pojis of her doors. And, firft, it importeth a fenfe of our conflant need of inftrudion, that we may be ilill making farther progrefs in knov/ledge and in grace. it is not enough that we have once entered into the courts of wifdom, and are liited among her votaries, that we have given a refpedful attention to her laws, and even obeyed them ; there is a neceffity of re- newed continual application j and that, un- latisfied with the prefent meafure of our at- tainments, we fliould daily endeavour to make farther proficiency. The wifeft and beft men are mofl: fenfible of their defeds, and therefore, after the example of Mofes and Ddvid^ they inceflantly pray that God ^ would
and other Duties, recomj7ie7ided. 285
would ficw them his glory, and teach them S e R M. his way. The apoftle reprefenteth to us XI. the genuine fpirit of a chriftian, in the ac- count he giveth of himfelf, moft worthy of our imitation, Phil. iii. 12, &c. Not as tho^ I had already attained, or were already per- fetl J but 1 follow ajter, that I may appre- hend that for which I am alfo apprehended of Chrift Jefus. Brethren, I count not myfelf to have apprehetided ; but this one thing I do, forgetting thofe things which are behind, and reaching forth unto thofe things which are before, I prefs towards- the mark, for the prize of the high calli7Jg of God in Chrifi fefus. If this be the temper: of our minds, it will incline us to a daily attendance at the gates of wifdom, that is, a daily ufe of the appointed means for our increafe in know- ledge and virtue. There is a rich treafure of important truth in the facred oracles, which, by fearching and a regular dihgence in the ufe of appointed means, may be found out, and ufefully applied for our advancing to perfed:ion in religious virtue ; and the di- vine Spirit, who prcfideth over means, and gives them efficacy, intcrpofeth by his gra- cious influence, co-operating with the facred inftitutions, whereby they become efFedtual ; which being the earnefl exped;ation and hope
of
^S6 Attending public InfruBion,
SERivi. of fincere chrifliahS, engageth them to i XL conftant attendance. Befidcs a growth in knttwledge, which is earneftly defired, as being the foundation of increafe in every good quality^ and abounding inl every good work, vve ate fo apt to let divine truths flip out of our minds, that We need to be often ftirred up by way of remembrance^ Which is one proper end of the holy miniftrations : For this it was that the apoftle Peter wrote both his epiftlesj as he telleth ns in the 3d chapter of his fecond epiftlCj and ifl verfe ; and he deelareth it to haVe been the proper buiinefs of his apoftolic office, as long as he lived, to flir up chriftians, chap. i. 12, J 3. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of thofe things y though ye kmiv them^ and be eftablijhed in the prefent truth : yea, I think it meet^ as long as I am in this tabernacle^ to fiir you up, by futting you in remembrance. But flill, a religious pradice, what our Saviour calleth good fruits, the fruits of righteoufnefs and cha- rity, and the apoflle defcribeth as works which are good and profitable to men, thefe are the great end of facred miniflrations, and fhould be our end in attending them. Then are we the true difciples of wifdom, and watch at her gates not in vain, when
we
and other buties, recommended. 287
We conftantly purfue the defign of reform- S e r m. ing our lives, ilrengthening good difpofi- ^2.' tions, corred:ing bad ones, and that we may abound more and more in the fruits of righteoufnefs, 'which are, by Jefus Chrijl, to the glory of God.
2dly, Our watching at the gates of wif- dom, and waiting at the pofls of her doorSj that is, the regular performance of the in- ilrumental duties of religion, requireth a conftant care and folicitude that the benefit of them may not be loll -, and, particularly, a ftrid vigilance over our own fpirits and our whole behaviour. They who wait at the doors of the great, are always ready to embrace every occafion of getting their bu- llnefs done, their liomage paid, or their pe- titions prefented} they will not amufe them- felves with trifles, negleding their chief con- cern, that would be very indecent in fuch circumftances, and foolifh. When we go up to the houfe of God, to the folemnities of public worfhip, or ufe any other means appointed for our inftrudlion, we ought tD confider ourfelves as fervants in waiting, and to be wholly taken up in the bufinefs of our prcfent fervice, attending with earnefl defire and a refolution of ready obedience, every fignification of our mafter's will. Be- hold,
28 S Attending public InJiruBion,
SERM,hoU, faith the Pfalmift, Pfal. cxxiii. 2. aS' XI. the eyes of /ervants look unto the hand of their mailers^ and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mijirefsj fo our eyes wait upon the Lord our God. But every one who re-, fledieth on himfelf, will find, by experience, it is no fmall difficulty to preferve fuch a temper of mind, to watch all the avenues of the heart, and keep it with diligence, as Solomon advifeth, to prevent the incurfions of vanity, and reftrain the wanderings of the imagination, fo that the fervice of God may be performed, and the proper defign of it purfued without diftradtion.
'^dly. We have need of patience, which alfo is fignified by waiting. Our progrefs in religious knowledge and virtue is gradual. God hath been pleafed to accommodate his methods of inflrudion to our weaknefs j as little children are taught the firft rudiments of knowledge very flowly, and the fame things muft be often repeated and inculcated to make an impreffion upon their minds 5 io the prophet reprefenteth the divine con- defcenfion in communicating ufeful truths and precepts to thofe who are flow of heart to underftand and receive them, Ifa. xxviii. 10. For precept muft be up07i precept y pre- eept upon precept^ line upon line, line upon
line.
and other Duties ^ recommended, 289
line^ here a little and there a little. So we Se R M^ ought to attend with unwearied affiduity XI. the means of religion, till we obtain the be- nefit of them. I do not fay we fliould be patient of any thing that is finful in our- felves, for that is not the proper objed: of patience j and it is certain there is fin in our imperfedlions and infirmities, intended to be cured by the prefcriptions of wifdom j yet . patience is the character of a contiiHiance in well doing, as well as of enduring afiiidions, and while we have many difficulties to ftruggle with, arifing from temptations and from our own frailty, wc ought not to weary and faint in our minds, for that will end in unaftive floth ; the gates of wifdom will then be unfrequented by us, or we fhall repair to them without earn- eft defire, without fpirit and refolution, whereby our attendance will become unpro- fitable to us. Very often indeed fo it is, that little fenfible advantage is obtained by the means of Felisiion, which is always chargeable on ourfelvcs; for the means are in themfelves, well fitted to their proper end. Any one who ferioully confiders them, will fee that this is particularly the charad:er of the chriftian infi:itutions. But from what- ever caufe it ariletb, there is a danger of the Vol. III. U fervice
200 Attending public tnJiniSiion,
S E R M. f^i'vice of God's being infipid and burthen-^ XI. fome to us, and of our being indifferent and fpiritlefs in it, againft which we fliould guard with the utmoft care, and always en- deavour with alacrity and vigor to ufe the means of our rehgious inil:ru<5tion and im- provement.
Let us, my brethren, very ferioufly confi-
iider this important declaration in the text,
±
that they are blefTed who hear 'U)ifdom^ ivatching at her gates, and the pqfls of her^ doors. If wifdom be in itfelf an excellent attainmentj the very perfection and integri- ty of the human nature, if its ways be pleafantnefs and peace, and will entitle us to a great future reward, then certainly we jfhould feek it with the greateft earneftnef9, cry after it, as Solomon fpeaketh, and ufe diligently all proper means for attaining k. As they are blelTed who hear, on the contrary, they make themfelves unhappy who defpife inflrudiion 5 as it is faid at ver. 36. of this chapter, in the name of wifdom, He that fmneth againft me, wrongeth his own foul -y all they that hate me, love death-, and yet more fully, in the firft chapter of this book from the 24th verfe, the miferable effedis of fuch defpite to wifdom are laid before us, becaufe I have called and ye re-
fiift^>
and other Duties J recommended, 291
fufed^ I have fir etched out fny hand, and no SerM. man regarded it ; but ye have jet at nought XI. all my counfelsj and would ?2one of my reproofs 1 will alfo laugh at your calamity^ and mock when your fear cometh ; wheji your J ear com-" eth as defolatioft, and your dejlrubiion as a whirlwind, when diftrefs and ajiguifij cometh upon you j then fijall you call upon tnc, but I will not a?ifwer 'j they fijall feek me early, but fi:all not find me ; for that they hated knowledge, afid did not choofe the fear of the Lord; they would none of my counfel, they dejpifed all my reproof-, therefore fi all they cat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. Thefe tlireaten-' ings in their full meaning are .certainly intended againfl: obftinate incorrigible lin- ners ; but even lower degrees of difre- fped; to the appointed means of inftruc- tion are faulty, which yet do not amount to an utter hatred of knowledge and rejec- ting the fear of the Lord. As it is very plain that Chriflianity rcquireth our aflem- bling together for the purpofes of woribip, I cannot but obferve, that fome chriflians negledling it fo much as they do, flieweth too great an indifference to the injun<flions of our Lord, and to the defign of fuch aflemblies. This is fo much the rather to U 2 be
202 Attending public InftruBion, &c.
SERM.be taken notice of becaufe it hath for fome XI. time been growing among the proteftants of our dendmination. Perhaps fome may think they cannot exped any great im- provement in knowledge by the public in- flrudlions j yet their declining them is an offenfive example, tending to bring them into difefteem and difufe among others who both need and may receive information by them in matters of the greateft moment. Belides, a well-difpofed mind may bear (and think it no difagreeable entertainment) to be ftirred up by way of remembrance, by the repeating and inculcating ufeful truths. And coniidering the many avocations we have from pious exercifes, it may not be unprofitable for the beil and wifeft, jointly with their fellow-chriflians, at fet-times to engage their folemn attention to the things of religion, and endeavour to excite good affedions in themfelves, which may contri- bute to their defence againfl the returning temptations of the world. On thefe ac- counts, I cannot but wifh, for their own fakes, and for the common edification of the churches, that chriftians were more ear- ned and conftant in attending the public inftrudions of wifdom, a7jd 'isoatching at her gates,
S E R-
[ 293 ]
SERMON XII.
Walking with Wise Men, a Means of attaining to WISDOM.
PROVERBS XIII. 20.
He that walketh with wife men^ JJ^all be wife.
I Have propofed to your confieratlon, from Serm. feveral pafTages in this book, fome ne- XII. celTary qualifications and rules in order to our attaining true wifdom, and to our efla- blifhment and growth in it : The lafl I in- fixed on, was, the diligent ufe of the means God hath inftituted for this end. Divine wifdom crieth, and imderjianding hath lift- ed up her 'voice, as this author fpeaketh, that is, God hath given a gracious revela- tion of his will, fent meflengers into the world, and eftablifhed a public order for the inftrudtion and reformation of men ; and on our part the mofl: fubmiflive refpe(ft is due to his appointed method ; hearings watching at the gates of wifdotn, and wait" ing daily at the pofts of her doors ; or a U ^ reverent
294 Walking ivith JVife Men,
S E R ivi. reverent attendance on the folemnities of re- XII liglon, receiving Vv^ith a fincere purpofe of ^''^'y'^ conforming our lives to it ; all w^hich we fhall find upon an impartial enquiry to be the W\\\ of God, and hoping v^^ith an earneft expectation, and patient waiting, for the in- valuable benefits he hath promifed to com- piunicate to men by the methods of his grace.
I propofe now to confider it as a good expedient for our becoming virtuous, and in- creafing in virtue, that we fhould deiigned- ly, and of choice, affociate with virtuous perfons, and fhun as infedious the fociety of the wicked. ^He that walketh with wifi men J fi:all be wife, I fl:iall,
I. Endeavour to fhew you what it is to walk with wife men, in the fenfe of this text.
II. The influence of it to our attaining wifdom.
Firft, What it is to walk with wife men ^ and I take it to fignify, that we fhould chufe perfons of that charader for our intimate friends, and voluntarily join in their company and converfation. A man may be carried, pr forced to go, contrary to his inclinations ;
but
a Meajis of attaining to JVifdom. 295
but walking is the motion which oneSfiRM, choofeth. As the general tenor of a man's Xll. defigns, and the courfe of his free ad:ions, is, by the facred writers, defcribed under the notion oi his ivalk-, to walk with a perfon, in their ilile, denoteth a friendly- communication and delightful fociety, tak- ing him into our councils, intimating our difficulties to him, feeking his advice, an4 depending on his aid.
Thus it is, that the fervants of God walk with him, and, in proportion to their capa^p city of mutual good offices, fo they walk with one another. It followeth then, that a mere involuntary prefence with the vicious, or being unwillingly deprived of the fociety of the good, is not a trefpafs againft the rule here recommended. The iirft of thefe cafes will not make us thofe companions of the wicked, v/ho are threatened with de- llrudion in the lail words of this verfe, the companion of fools JJjall be dcftroycd ^ nor is the other, being neccffjrily and unavoidably deprived of the fociety of good men, a culpable neglect of the means to get wif- dom. Providence may appoint a good man's flation among linners, perhaps, for the trial of his integrity, or that he may be a wUnefs againft their crimes. Noah had the U 4 affli'^ioiA
296 Walkhig with Wife Men^
6 E R M. afHicflion to be in a world of the ungodly,
XII. when a mighty torrent of iniquity and pro- fanefs brought on a flood of waters which overthrew their foundation^ as it is exprefTed in the book of Job ; and juft Lot lived in Sodom ^ wh^rt his right eoits Joul ivas vexed i?i feeing and hearing every day, the filthy con- verfation of the wicked. Surely it was not imputed to thefe excellent perfons as a fault that they did not walk with wife men, when there were no wife men for them to walk with ; and fo far from being the guilty com- panions of fools, who {hould perifh with them in one common deftrudion, God marked them out to a peculiar falvation ; and having made their hearty but ineffedtual remonftrances againft the prevailing wicked- nefs of the times and places they lived in, they were preferved from the ruin which came like a whirlwind on finners by an ex- traordinary divine interpofition.
Again, fometimes the beft men converfe familiarly with the wicked, and it is ne- ceflary for them to do fo, yet without a participation in their crimes. On the con- trary, it is their delign and afliduous endea- vour to convince the unrighteous of their errors, and reclaim them from their follies. Thus our .Saviour converfed with publicans 3 an4
a Means of attaining to Wifdom. 297
and finners, though he was holy, harmlefs, S e r m, tmdefikd, and feparate from finners. This XII. was indeed imputed unto him as a fault by the Pharifees, who placed religion wholly in external forms, and valued themfelves upon an appearance of fandlity, whereby they were diflinguifhed from others, whom they fupercilioully defpifed i but our Lord vindicateth his condudt upon the very beft principles, the moft perfedl zeal for virtue, and charity to men. After him, the apo- ftles, imitating his example, and infpired with his fpirit, laboured inceflantly for the con- verfion of an ignorant and a corrupt world ; and inftead of being infeded with the folly of thofe they converfed with, they were the fuccefsful inftruments of making many wife and turning them to righteoufnefs.
Befides that noble defign which religion, far from difallowing, urgeth us earneflly to, as the very beft we can purfue, I mean, to endeavour by wholfome counfels, as well as a good example, the converfion of finners from the error of their way ; befides this, I fay, the prefent ftate of human affairs requireth that we affociate with men of all characters. Civil communities, fo ne- cefTary for the prefervation of order and peace in the world, are made up of good
and
29S Walking with Wife Men,
S E R M. and bad 5 good offices of fellow citizens, and XII. a corefpondence for the pupofes of fociety, are not appropriated to the wife, though it is certain they are the mofl ufeful members, in proportion to the meafare of their wifdom or virtue.
Nay, in nearer relations, fcarce is there any fo happy as to be free from the company oi fools \ even families are feldom fo well conftituted but that the virtuous are joined in thern with the froward and vicious j yet in fuch cafes it doth not become immediately our duty to difcharge ourfelves with violence from the obligation, and break off all oc- cafions of fuch correfpondence ; on the con- trary, the fcripture, in fuch a cafe, prefcribeth patience, meeknefs, and compaffion to the evil. The apoftle diredleth chriftians to carry it fo to their fellow profeiTors of the gofpel, whofe immoral lives difhonour it, as to teftify an abhorrence of wicked prac- tices, and to preferve themfelves from in- fedtion by ill example, i Cor. v. 1 1 . I have written to yoti, not to keep company^ if any man that is called a brother (that is a chrif- tian) be a fornicator, or covetous, or an ido-. later, or a drunkard, or an extortio7ier, with fuch an one no not to eat : He carrieth fo far as to the avoiding, v/hen it can be
donCj
i
a Means of attaining to Wifdom. 299
done, the offices of civil friendfliip withSERM. fcandalous chriflians 3 not that we (hould XII. imphcitly follow the decrees of the church, and fliun the company of thofe flie excom- municateth ; but every man judging for himfelf, purfuant to the rule in my text, is for his own fake to avoid the intimate conversation of thofe whom he plainly feeth to be wicked, that fo he may efcape the contagion of fin : And yet when the apoftle diredteth chriflians to fhun the company of the vicious, that mufl not proceed from ill will, nor fhould be attended with bitter wrathful reproaches, and marks of contempt, which are very oppofite to the fpirit of chri- ftianity ; it fhould rather flow from a cha- ritable defign to reclaim the offender, for thus he elfe where direcfteth, 2 7/6^ iii. 14.. If any man obey not our ivordby this epiflle (that is, the moral precepts of the gofpel which he had recommended) note that man and have no company with him^ that he may be ajhamedy yet count him 7iot as an enemy, but admonijh him as a brother. But in the place before referred to, i Cor, v. the apoftle plainly flieweth, that he did not mean to forbid all kind of correfpondence with, or denying the offices of humanity to bad men, only that we fliould for the honour of our pro-
2 feffion
300 Walking with Wife Men,
Serm. fefHon difcountenance vice in profefled chri- XII. flians j for faith he, at the loth verfe, not altogether (to abilain from the company of) the fornicators of this worid, or the covet- ouSy or extortioners, or idolaters, for then muft ye needs go out of the world.
On the other hand, it is not to be fup- pofed that the mere advantage of any man's providential fituation will entitle him to the benefit of walking with wife men. His lot may be with the bcft and moft virtuous J without any good defign on his part, or I without any other views than to his fecular intereft, and therefore without any advantage to his obtaining wifdom. The queen o^ Sheba celebrateth the felicity of Solomon's fervants, becaiife they flood before him, and heard his \ wifdom ; but if any of them was not in- duced to make that happy ftation his choice, from a defire and profped of in- ftrudlion in virtue, but merely for the ho^ nour and outward emolument which attend- ed his place, there was nothing praife- worthy in his being fo near that wifeft of men, nor did it fhew any difpofition to be wifer and better.
Upon the whole, to underftand what it is to walk with the wife, we muft return to what I faid at firfl 3 it is voluntarily to
aflbciate.
a Means of attaining to Wijdom, 301
aflbciate, and of choice enter into intimacies S e r m. of friendfhip with them. The general in- XII. clination of mankind df -ermineth them to fociety, and this natural inclination exerteth itfelf not only in forming particular aflbci- ations, fuch as civil communities larger and lefler, and families, for fpecial ends in life ; it engageth us to converfe together for mu- tual fatisfadion. Thus we find, univerfally, men of all capacities and conditions fliew a defire of converfation, though very different, according to the diverfity of their tafles, occafioned by education, degrees of under- ftanding, prevailing affecStions, and outward circumftances. There is none even in the loweft ftation, and of the weakeft under- ftanding, and whofe difpofition to fociety hath been the leail improved, but incline to company of feme fort or other j none of fuch a contemplative genius, or that can befb entertain himfelf in folitude with his own meditations, and even the higheft plea- fures of felf-refledion and devotion, but that he needeth converiation both for his im- provement and pleafure. There is no man fo full of himfelf, and who hath fuch a high conceit of his own fufficiency, and contempt of others in comparifon with him- felf, but he will find himfelf obliged, fo
flrong
302 Walking with Wife Meriy
Serm. flrong is this propenfity of human nature, -^^■*-' to defcend fometimes from his heights of pride and vanity, to a friendly communica- tion with his fellows.
But this general inclination, or inftindt I may call it, exerteth itfelf freely, and, as I obferved before, with a great difference ^ and it is the agreeablenefs of character and difpolition which diredeth our choice. The fenfual, the men of bufincfs, the curious triflers, the learned, and the pious, join with one another, and take pleafure in con- verfing together. To walk with wife men, then, or with the virtuous and good, is to iingle out perfons of that character, in pre- ference to all others, for our intimate com- panions.
And, in the next place, it mufl: import the improvement of converfation for the purpofes of wifdom. If men of that cha- radler, in any inftances depart from it, and converfe fooHflily, fpending their time in trifling vanity, or much of it in an indiffe- rent manner, about the affairs and innocent amufements of life, as often they do, in fo far they do not walk together as wife men, or to the purpofes of wifdom ; though I do not fay that, in all the cafes mentioned, they ad: inconliflently with their general
character ;
a Me am of attaining to Wifdont^ 303
character i and, no doubt, the flridtefl vir- Serm. tue alloweth them, at proper times, to con- -^^I* verfe together about worldly affairs and law- ful recreation ; but what 1 think the text chiefly importcth is, that wifdom and virtue fliould be the principal fubjed, and the main delign of their focial communications.
Farther, it follows, that in all our volun- tary aflociations, even thofe which are en* tered into for the purpofes of this life, our choice fliould be determined with a regard to virtue, and fuch perfons taken into our company as are wife, fo far as the ties of nature and providential circumflances wiU allow. A good man may have his lot afiigned him by providence among the wicked, and in that cafe it muft be his endeavour to pre- ferve his integrity j but he would make it his choice rather to be in a place where he fliould be lefs expofed to temptations, and where the pradlice of virtue is not difcouraged, but promoted rather, by well-difpofed fociety. A wife man may have domeftic alfociates of a contrary character, as parents or chil- dren ; but in voluntary relations he fliould be careful to enquire into the difpofitions of the perfons he joineth with, and his care in this fliould be proportioned to the intimacies of the friendfliip to be contra<5ted. Sokmon
himfelf
'^04 Walking with Wife Men,
Serm. himfelf was not wife enough in the affinities
XII. he made, by fome of which he was en-
fnared and drawn away from the paths of
wifdom. His pious father made an excellent
refolution, Ffal. ci. 4, 6. Afrowdrd heart
Jhall depart from me, I will not know a wicked
per f on. Mine eyes f mil be upon the faithful
of the land, that they may dwell with me.
Thus I have endeavoured to (hew you what
it is to walk with wife men in the fenfe of
this text ', I come, in the
Second place, To confider the influence and efficacy of it as a means for our attain- ing wifdom. It is certain that company hath a great (hare in forming the tempers and manners of men, experience abundantly demonftrateth it. Any one who is acquainted with the world, and hath made it his bu- iinefs to ftudy mankind, will fee that their way of behaviour, even their likings and averfions, depend in a great meafure on the fociety they have been the moft converfant with J and this goeth fo far as to their moral difpofitions j I do not fay neceffarily and uni- verfally, for there are fome io obftinately wicked and perverfc, as to defeat the efficacy of the beft converfation and example, as well as all Other means for reforming them ; and
fome
a Means of attaining to Wifdom. 305
fome rare examples of virtue, who haveSERAt. made a fuccefsful ftand againft the ftrongeft XII. temptations, and maintained their unrpotted innocence againft the infe(5tion of the worll: company, the prevailing corruption and im- piety of the worfl times and places wherein they have hved. But, generally fpeaking, it is not fo 'j which is fufficient to our purpofe, that is, to Ihew that walking with wife men is one ufeful means of acquiring wifdom, and to keep company with fools is the way to be corrupted.
But to explain the nature of this influence more particularly, I think it muft be attri- buted to two caufes j iirft, a defire to be agreeable to thofe we familiarly converfe with J and, fecondly, the force of example. Firft, a defire to be agreeable to thofe we converfe with 5 and this we find to* be very powerful in human nature. Who is there of mankind that doth not love approbation ? A great part of our adtions are thus only to be accounted for, without any profpecfh of advantage to ourfelves ; nay, when we are fure of difadvantage to our private interefi:s, and when the bed principles of adlion are very weak and little regarded, we do a great many things merely to pleafe others, and gain their efleem. Intereft is denied, even
Vol. III. X life
3o6 Walking with Wije Men,
S E R M. life facrificed, and confcience proftituted for XII. this end. Very often the defire operateth ilrongly in fecret, and when we ourfelves do not attend to it ; but if we narrowly exa- mine a great part of our condudl, we fhall find there is no other reafon to be given for it. In the modes of living and outward de- portment, which take up a great deal of our thoughts and cares, what other view is purfued than conforming to cuflom ? what other rule than fafliion, which has really no other flandard than the general approbation, or the judgment, it may be, the humour and caprice of perfons who are more emi- nent, and therefore efleemed. The original defire itfelf was planted in the human nature for excellent purpofes, and, if duly regula- ted, is very ufeful to engage us to one an- other fpr our common advantage, and to direct and flrengthen us in the pradlice of the focial virtues. The defire of approba- tion rifeth yet higher in ferious and thought- ful minds, who have a jufl fenfe of the di- vine majefly, believing that he feeth them, and is perfe(5lly acquainted with all their ways, even the moft fecret motions of their hearts, and therefore form their difpofitions and condudt to pleafe him. This is what the fcripture calleth 'walking with God, and
walking
a Means of attaining to Wifdom, 3 07
^walking before him-, and in proportion asSERM.' this inftind of nature exciteth itfelf towards XII, all intelligent beings with whom we are converfant, and in whofe prefence we arc, their afFedtions and characters mufl have a great influence in the forming of ours, whe- ther they be good or bad. And thus it ap- pearcth that the choice of our intimate friends, to whofe obfervation we lay our- felves and our manner of life moft open, mufl very much contribute to the forming of our difpolltions, and regulating our whole be- haviour.
But, 2dly, this is to be attributed to the force of example. As the pronenefs of man- kind to imitation is very well known, good examples are propofed to us in fcripture as an help to the practice of religion. The apoftles call upon chriftians to be the fol- lowers of them, whofe lives are indeed bright patterns of every thing that is pure, and true, andjuft, and honeft, and lovely; and they fet before us fhining precedents in the lives of the ancient faints, that being compared about with fo great a cloud of wit ^ nejfes^ we may lay afide every weighty and the fm which doth eafily befet us^ and run the race fet before us. If we confult experience, we may fee the force of example in others, X 2 and
jqS Walking whb Wife Men,
Se Ri^. and feel it in ourfelves ; the things to whiel^ ^JI« we were merely indifferent, perhaps difin- clined, or thought them fcarcely pradicable, when we fee them done before our eyes, we are immediately inflamed with a deiire of doing them ourfelves. As to the pradice of virtue, in particular, the influence of exam- ple may be thus accounted fory it is ren- dered familiar to us, and appeareth very amiable when fet before us in fuch a lively and affedlng manner. As a good pidture ftriketh the mind v/ith a greater force, and giveth a more hvely idea of the obje(5l x^ prefented by it,, than any defcription by words can do ; fo to reprefent religion in pre* cepts, doth not fo powerfully move the af- fections as when we fee it delineated in life. The beauty of holinefs mufl: appear very great to any one who underftandeth it, and power- fully attract the de fires j but in the pre- fentimperfedlion of human nature, and whenv we have fo many contrary inclinations, this prejudice lieth againfl it, that it feemeth extremely difficult,, which prejudice is re- moved by example j for we are thereby convinced, that it is not a lovely phantom, made to entertain a curious imagination, but that there is a reality in it, and that it is pradlcable in human life. The example of
God.
/7 Memts of aitatning to Wijdom, 3*c^
God is propofed to US' in fcripture as theSERWt. moft unexceptionably worthy of our imita- ^-ff • tion J be ye hol)\ faith the Lord^ as I am holy ; and the example of Jefus Chrift, which Cometh nearer our cafe, for it fheweth us virtue pratftifed to perfedlion in the human nature j and all that humility, meeknefs, pa- tience, refignation, zeal, and charity, which he recommendeth to ils, fhewn to us in life, under the greateft trials and moil grievous fufferings : But ftill it feemeth to be a kind of excufe for our coming far fhort of that perfedl pattern, that we have many frailties, irregular defires and pafTions, from which he was alto2;ether free. And therefore to cut off all handle of that fort, all pretence whereby we might imagine ourfelves dif- charged of the obligation, we i fee the rules of religious virtue reduced to pradice in meri of like paffions, who alfo were compaJJ'ed about 'with injirmities. Though their ex- ample is but imperfe(ft, yet it is very worthy of our imitation, and moft fenfibly reproach- eth our failures. Muft it not carry ftrong" convidliion to fee men, naturally weak as we* are, liable to the fame temptations, to va-' nity, fenfual affedtions, pride, fear, and wrath J to fee thenri conquer their moft ve-' hement felfi/h defires, and their ftrongeft paf- X 3 fions ?
310 Walking with Wife Men,
S E R M. fions ? What pretence can there be for our
XII, defedts ? they had as exquifite a fenfe of pleafure, of pain, of profit, and lofs, of ho- nour and difhonour, as we; yet have over- come their mofl violent corrupt inclinations, and overcome the world by their faith, and through the influence of the gofpel motives. Had they the afliftance of divine grace ? the fame affiftance is offered us. Did they know kow to be abafedy and how to abound \ and were inftru^ed to be fully and to be hungry ; to abound y and to fuffer need; in every fiat e to be content y as St. Faul fpeaketh of him- felf, mi. iv. 12. who faith expreflly, at the 33 th verfe, he could do all this through Chrifi flrengthening him ? The fame Lord is able and willing to ftrengthen other of his fer- vants J he is rich unto all who call upon hinjy his grace is fu^cient for theiiiy and his flrength made ferfeB in their weaknefs.
It is farther to be obferved, to the pur- pofe of the text, that flill the nearer the ex- ample is, the greater force it hath. The diftant report of confeffors and martyrs, their heroic atchievements and fufferings, the mofl grievous perfecutions for the caufe of pure religion ; and rather than make fhipwreck of faith and a good confcience, though they are much more illuHrious, yet
may
a Means of at tattling to Wijaom, ^ 1 1
may not affed: us fo fenlibly, nor can be S e R m. fuch conftant remembrancers to us of our X^^- duty, as the lefs celebrated inftances of piety and virtue in our own familiar acquaintances : Their good converfation every day upbraid- eth our faults j and befides their words, which it may be expeftcd will convey in- ftrudion to us, and tend to recommend re- ligion, and be, as the apoftle faith, fuch as may be to the ufe of edifying, and minijier grace to the hearers: Befides this, I fay, their practice itfelf is a friendly admonition to walk, as they do, circumfpecftly, blame- lefs J and harmlefsy in the midji of a perverfe generation.
Thus the advantage of walking with wife men is very evident, in order to our be- coming wife and virtuous ; as on the other hand, the pernicious tendency of chuling the company of fools, will appear to any one who conlidereth it. As the good works of iincere chriflians fhining before men, induce them to glorify God, to acknowledge the reality of religion, and fo fall into the prac- tice of it ; the evil works of bad men, efpe- cially who make a religious profefTion, have the diredly oppofite tendency, namely, to perfuade carelefs unattentive men, that virtue is but an empty fhadow, for which it is not
X 4 rea*-
312 Walking with Wife Men,
S E R M. reafonable to forego what they think the XII. fubftantial, that is, the fenfual enjoyments of Hfe 5 and that a vicious is more eligible than a religious courfe. How many are there who have at firil fome good fenti- ments, and feeble virtuous inclinations, who flartle at ill adions, and are afraid to venture upon them, and yet by feeing the wicked practices of others, which by degrees be- come familiar to them, they overcome their fears, and at laft get an impious courage to commit the greateil iniquities ? Thus it is that milled finners haften to their ruin, and ijeing the companions of fools are defiroyed.
I ihall now, in conclufion, make fome practical reflections on what hath been faid. And, firfl^ we may obferve that wife, that is, virtuous and good men, are a great blef? iing to the world, though they are frequently defpifed in it 5 their condition often expo- feth them to neglect and contempt, becaufe they are poor j thus Solomon obferveth, Eccl. ix, 16. T^he poor man's wifdom is defpifed, and his words are not heard -, their virtue it- felf is hated by the ungodly, becaufe it gall- eth them by condemning their own follies ; and yet really they are the moft ufeful to mankind. It is on their account provi- dence regardeth the places where they live,
over-
a Mentis of attaining to Wifdotn. ^15
overfpread with wickednefs ^ and God de- S e r m. ferreth his anger, fo that tranfgrefTors are XII. not cut off. But efpecially, becaufe by their good lives they are the moft efFedual preach- ers of righteoufnefsj and continually folicit men to reform. If religion be the greateft good to the world if it did generally obtain, then they who, efpecially, and in the moll effedhial manner, promote it, are the mofl beneficial to mankind j and ftill it is to be hoped, that when providence continueth fuch means of reformation, it is with a gra^ cious defign to make them fuccefsful, and do fome great good by them -, but, indeed, when they are taken away, it is a fatal prog- noftic. The holy Pfalmift, therefore, re- gretteth this as a moft deplorable cafe, which none could remedy but God himfelf, Pfal, xii. I . Helpy Lord^ for the godly man ccafeth, the faithful fail Jrotn among the children of men : And it may well be feared that it hath a difmal portendency of worfe times, if fuch perfons are taken away ; Jfa. Ivii. i . 'The righteous perifeth, and no man layeth it to h$art^ and merciful men are taken away, none confidering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. But when vile men are exalted, when they grow in power 5 and
oj^ Walking with Wife Metty
S ER M. and Influence, the world then groweth quick- XII. ly woife, and all things tend to ruin : For, 2dly, I infer that bad men are not only ufelefs to the greatefl purpofes of life, but mifchievous in fociety. There cannot be a character more juftly abhorred by mankind, than that of a perfon who is publickly hurt- ful ; our benevolence to fociety, to one's country, or other communities, fill the heart with indignation againft him, as thofe ex- cellent principles claim a peculiar eftcem for the good patriot, and the lover of mankind. Now, certainly, he is a public nuifance, who by an open profligate life, debaucheth the world as far as he can, and draweth multi- tudes with him to ruin 5 and the more exalted his ftation, and confequently, the greater his influence is, flill he is the more pernicious. Outward appearances dazzle the multitude j magnificent titles, a fplen- dld equipage, and fuch like glaring things, procure a great deal of refped: ; but ftrip him of thofe falfe ornaments, and what a poor charadler, how defpicable, nay, a com- mon peft, is a wicked great man, hafting to his own.deftrucSion, and hurrying thou- fands along with him ? And let this be ap- plied by others of foolifh and irregular lives, thQ influence of whofe example is propor-
tionably
a Meam of attaviing to Wifdom. 3 1 5
tionably hurtful in lefler affociations. How S e r M, deeply fhould it afFcd the hearts of finners, XII. that inftead of being ferviceable, they have' -~^ been mifchievous to families and other fo- cieties in which they were joined, efpecially thofe in fuperior relations, whofe inftruaions and good examples might be very profitable ? How many parents, and others in ftations of authority, who by living well, and by care in the management of children, and fuch as are committed to their truft and in- fpedion, might be the happy inftruments of forming them to virtue, on the contrary lead them" headlong to all manner of wick- ednefs, and to deftrudion at lafl ? I will , only add, in the
Lajl place, That we ought to be very careful in the choice of our friends and in- timate companions. Friendfhip is certainly ©ne of the greateft and nobleft plcafurcs of life ; they who are utter ftrangers to it have, indeed, but a low tafte of life, and have not experienced its bed enjoyments: But it is not every kind of familiarity among men, that is worthy the leered name of friend- fliip J when it is abufed to mean and un- worthy purpofes, or is founded on felfifli corrupt affections and pafnons, it is then not only vicious, but humouiTome, precarious,
3 ''""^
^i6 Walking with Wife Men^ Sec.
Serm. and unconftant, yielding no folid and abid- XII. ing pleaiure. Friendfhip founded in wif- dom, and improved to the purpofes of vir- tue, carrieth in it the beft fentiments and afFedions, and the truefl; and higheft plea- fures that the human nature is capable of, and which will lafl to the utmoft duration of our beings, even to perpetuity. If then we be fenfible of our own frailty, and our danger of declining from the right way, fliould we not avoid the intimacies which may betray our integrity, and expofe us to many temptations j and, on the contrary, chufe thofe which may be the means of correcting bad difpofitions, and ilrengthen- ing good ones, and by which we may rea- fonably hope for daily good inftrud:ions, and an example to be fet before us, which fhall tend to our furtherance in every chri- flian virtue ?
3 ER-
f 317 ]
SERMON XIII.
The Foundation of Confidence towards GOD, explained.
I JO HN III. 19, 20, 21.
A?id hereby ive bioiv that we are of the truth, andfiall ajjiire our hearts before him. For if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our hearts condemn us not^ thm have ive confidence towards God.
NOTHING can poffibly be of greater 5 e r w. importance to men, than to know XIII. how they may obtain the divine approba- tion, and upon what grounds they may hope for it; confequences of the lail moment to our happinefs cr mifery depend upon it -, if God juftifieth, who is he that condemn- eth ? There is no fuperior tribunal to reverfe his decrees, nothing to be dreaded from any adverfe power ; if he condemneth there is no defence againft his wrath, and who knoweth its power ? It can reach to the
whole
3i8 ^he Foundation of
Serm. whole of our being, and to a length of dd-
XIII. ration beyond what the jealous felf-con- demning mind can imagine. Now, feeing God, as the governor of mankind, hath given them a law (he was written it in their hearts, and at fundry times, and in divers manners revealed his will to them) we juftly infer from his moral perfedlions, that he will judge them according to that law, re- warding the obedient, and punifliing the difobedient. But the queftion is, whether there be any rule whereby we may judge beforehand what fentence we are to exped: ? And if there be any fuch rule, and a poflibi- iity of arriving at certainty in this judgment concerning ourfelves, here is the proper fub- jed: of our mofi; folicitous inquiry. Who would not employ all the powers of his mind in a matter of fuch concernment, pofl- poning all other affiiirs as trifles in compari- fon ? Who would not apply himfelf with the greatell: earneilnefs to the trial of this one point, if it is to be known, what fen- tence he is to exped: from the righteous and moft awful tribunal of God, and upon what terms he is with the judge of the world ? What inward confidence and fecurity of mind, what comfortable enjoyment even of his prefent exiitence mull the man poilefs,
who
Conjidence towards God, explained, 3 1 9
who hath the foHd hope of being acquitted S e r m. by his fupremc ruler, perfedly wife, power- ^l*^* ful, and juft, in whofe favour is Hfe ? On the contrary, what horror, trembhng, and con- fuiion, muft feize the heart which is even fufpicious of being difapproved by him, and hath the foreboding apprehenfions of a fu- ture condemnation ?
The apoftle hath preremptorily deter- mined this matter in my text, fhewing us upon what grounds we may aflure our hearty, before God, as he fpeaketh, that is, fatif- fy ourfelves that we are entitled to his ac- ceptance, as knowing that we are of the truths or have fulfilled the obligations to obedience we are under, according to the true intent and meaning of 1 h law : and then he explaineth himfelf more fully by laying down this general docflrine, that the teftimony of our own confciences is the only juft meafure of our expectations from God ; if they condemn us, as wilfully and wickedly tranfgreffing his law, and coming (hort of that duty which he requireth, we have nothing to look for but his difpleafure 5 for he is greater than our hearts, which are immediately fubjed: to his judgment, more impartial than they -, and he knoweth all things, all the fecret infincei^ity which is in
them.
320 The Foundation of
Serm. them, and every aggravating circumllancc XIII. which atendeth our offences. On the other hand, if our hearts do not condemn, but acquit us, then we have confidence towards God J we may enjoy inward ferenity, and can look to the fuperior divine tribunal without terror ^ we are perfuaded that the fervices we now perform are acceptable to him, which feemeth to be the apoftle's immediate defign,^ for he addeth, ver. 22. and whatever we ajk, we receive of him, becaufe we keep his commandments^ and do the things that are pleafmg to him -, not that he will grant us every thing we defire, which may not be befl for us -, but that he will accept our dutiful addrefl'es, and beftow thofe bleffings, which his infinite wifdom ieeth fitteft for us ; and upon the fame foun- dation, v^e fhall have boldnefs in the day of judgment, as this facred writer elfewhere fpeaketh, we fhall not be afraid of Chriil's coming, in the glory of his Father, to pro- nounce the lafl decifive fentence, which fliall finally determine the condition of every man. It is true, the preceding context re- iateth particularly to charity, which St. *fohn^ after the example of his great mafler, earneftly recomraendeth in all his writings; he layeth a mighty ilrefs on the love of the
brethren j
Cofifidt'jiCe towards God^ explained. 321
brethren ; by it we know that we arepaj]cdfrofn% r. r ^!f . death to life 'j and while the oppofite difpofition XIII. ruleth in the hearts of men, they abide in death 5 that is, in a ftate of fervitude to fin, and liable to the wrath of God as tlie punifh- ment of it : By charity we imitate God, who is love ; and when it is warm and vigorous in the heart, exprefTing itfelf in a<£ls of be- neficence, we {hew a j-uft lenfe of that love which he hath fo glorioufly manifefted to us, in fending his Son to die for our redemp- tion ! But all this is not to be underflood as if charity, were the whole of religion, and our hope towards God were founded on it iii exclufion of other virtues : Charity doth not hide a multitude of fins in this fehfe, that it maketh amends for them, and, by its nierit in God's fight, procureth the forgivenefs of them. There is an abfolute neceflity, in or- der to be approved of God, that we be jull, and temperate^ and patient^ and godly, as well as charitable; and our Saviour's dodrine, which his beloved difciple did not intend to contradict iSj Johnxiv. 2^. He that hath 'my commandments and keepeth them^ not one or fome, but all of them, and they enjoin uni- verfal righteoufi:iefs, he it is that loveth me^ end he Jhall he 'loved of ??iy Father^ and I will love hi?n; without that we cannot Vol, III. Y ailurc
222 ^h^ Foundation of
Serm. allure our hearts before God; and orrr XIII. knowledge of k is juft the fame thing as knowing we are of the truth. The plain meaning,, therefore, of the text is, that if our hearts witnefs for us, that we are iincere in doing the will of God, or keeping his commandments, then we have confidence towards him ; but if they witnefs the con- trary, that we wilfully -and wickedly break his laws, then the conclufion concerning our- felvcs is alfb diredtly contrary, namely, that we have no reafon to hope for his approba- tion, but to expedt his difpleafure. This is the dodrine which I ihall endeavour in the following difcourfe to explain and eftablilh ^ and then I fhall draw fome inferences from it, which, I think, are of great importancf and ufefulnefs.
I am fenlibk this doctrine needeth expli- cation, when we apply it to the prefent ftate of human nature 5 a ilate of infirmity and imperfection, and to minds ignorant and weak, prejudiced and unattentive ; and yet> I believe it may, notwithftanding all thcfc difadvantages, be reduced to fuch a cer- tainty, that every man who is truly difpofed to do it, may be able to pafs a right judg- ment upon his own ftate, his own temper and
adions^ whether they are approved of God
or
Confidence towards God^ explained. 323
or not J in order to which, I (hall lay down Serm.' the following propofitions. XIII.
Firjly That the approbation and the con- demnation of our own confciences, upon which our hope towards God and the fear of his difpleafure depend, do not relate to abfolute innocence, and to every thing which, ftridly fpeaking, may be called finful. If the queftion were concerning finlefs perfec- tion, and concerning every kind and degree of moral evil, no man's heart could acquit him ; for there is not a jufi man that Ui)eth upon the earthy and fmneth noti The fame apoftle in this very epiille teacheth us, that if lue fay we have no fin^ we deceive our- feheSy and the truth is not in us. So far , from knowing that we are of the truth, and alTuring our hearts before God, by pretend- ing to an unfinning obedience, men making fuch a prefumptuous claim, fhew only their ignorance of themfelves and of the truth, not their innocence 3 for the very beft, who are always jealous over themfelves with a godly jealoufy, and look the moft ftri<5tly into their own hearts and lives, are always fenfible of their own frailties, and that they could not abide a trial by God's all-fearching eye, if he fhould mark every one of their Y 2 infirmi-
324 ^^^ Fotindafion of
Serm. infirmities, and therefore are ready to fay, XIII. in the words of the Pfalmift, If thou Jl^ouldfi mark iniquity^ O Lord, who fiall fatid? Enter not into judgment with thy fervanf, for in thy fight fiall no mmi living bejtifti- fied. We mufl therefore diftingaifh, and the fcriptare hath taught us to do fo, be- tween finning, and committing fin or work- ing iniquity ; that is, between unallowed failings, and wilful deliberate difobedience to the laws of God againll the convidion of our own minds ; a confeioufnefs of the lat- ter deftroyeth our confidence towards God, and fiUeth our hearts with foreboding fears of his wrath 5 but notwitflanding the for- mer, we afTure our hearts before him.
Nor is this the peculiar dodtrine of chri-
ftianity, tho* more fully and folemnly afcer-
tained by it. No man who hath worthy itn-
timents of the fupreme Being, as the juft,
and wife, and merciful ruler of his reafon-
able creatures, can doubt that he maketh a
difference between the obftinately wicked,
who do not like to retain him in their know-
kdge, and who, with an high hand, pre-
uimptuoufly violate his laws which they
' know ; between them, I fay, and upright
^J>erfons who are iincerely difpofed to do his
will as far as they can underftand itj who
I . ■ are
Confidence towards God, explained. 3^5 -
are diligent to know their duty, and heartily S e rM' inclined to pradtife it, though they have XIII. ilill fome involuntary errors, and are charge- able with fins of infirmity. Can we fuffer ourfelves to believe that the good God, who hath written the work of his law on the hearts of all men, and given them con- fciences to bear witnefs to it, in purfuance of which, he exercifeth a conflant care over them, by his goodnefs inviting finners to repentence, and obferving the difpofitions and behaviour of every one ; can we fuffer ourfelves to believe that he doth not diflin- guifh between them who defire to fear him, and in the general tenor of their lives, {hew a prevailing regard to virtue, though with fome imperfed:ions, and the incorrigible of- fenders, who are cont ait ions and obey not the the truth made known to them, but take pleafure in unrighteoufnefs ? And that he doth not approve the former, and difap- prove the other ? To imagine that this mer- ciful indulgence to the infirmities of the fmcere, which they bewail, are daily ftriving againft, and endeavouring to amend, is a fpecial grace of the gofpel to them who ai'e under tliat difpenlation from which others equally fiacere are excluded, is to ni^jke the gofpel an inftrument of partiality, y 3 and
•p-.l*-
I
5fe **'
-«!?-
■«4^*^
226 ^he Foundation of
S E R M. and is a very unbecoming notion concern-
XIII. ing the mofl equitable and gracious admi- niftration of divine Providence.
But indeed the gofpel itfelf hath taught us to think otherwrife, and to beheve that God obferveth impartially the fame meafures of judgment towards all Men. To this pur- pofe the inftance of Cornelius is very re- markable j he v^as a Gentile, thereby fepa- rated in the judgment of the 'Je'ws from the people of God fo far, that St. Feter^ not yet fully underftanding the extent of Chrill's kingdom, and the generous maxims upon which it is founded, was unwilling to go into his houfe, that is, to converfe with him about religious matters, imagining himfelf to be under a prohibition by the Mofaic law, till God by a vifion taught hin% to call no man common or unclean. This Gentile was a devout worfhipper of the true God, and his character in other refpedls fuitable to his devotion, though he was not free from thofe infirmities which are com- mon to men ; and his fincere fervices were accepted by the impartial and gracious judge of them, of which he not only had the good hope which is founded on the teflimony of an approving confcience, common to good
men.
Confidence toivards GoJ, explauieJ. 327
men, but by fpecial favour, an extraordi- S e R M« nary meflenger was Cent from heaven to XIII. aiTure him of it, A^s x. 3. An angel of the Lord fa'id unto him, thy -prayer i and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God; and as a farther token of the divine appro- bation, telleth him how he (hould be fur- ther inftru<5led in his duty: Whereupon the apoftle Peter, taught by the fpirit of God, and having a very clear example before him, maketh this excellent declaration, ver. 34, 35. Of a truth I perceive that God is no re- fpcBer of perfons ; but in every nation, he that fear eth him and worketh righteoufnefs (fo far as human infirmity can attain, that is, not without fome failings) is accepted with him.
Secondly, Not only is there fiich a merci- ful allowance for fins of infirmity properly fo called, failings into which fincere perfons fall through ignorance, or inadvertency and furprize, which in the whole are unavoid- able, fo that they do not deftroy our hope towards God; but God is alfo gracioufly pleafed to accept of repentance, that is, a thorough and fincere converfion from evil difpofitions, vicious habits, and wicked pcac- tices, to good j from impiety, to godlinefs ; Y 4 from
32S The Foundation of
S E R M. from fuperftltion, to pure worfhip ; from _ _ ^ immorality, to every kind of virtue. Now efpecially, fince he hath given all men aflli- rance of the future judgment by raifing Jefus Chrifl from the dead, whom he hath ordained to be the judge, he commandeth them all every where to repejit^ and hath annexed the bleffing of a free and gracious remiflion of all their fins to repentance ; having promifed to them who truly repent and are converted, that their iniquities Jloall be blotted out. Acts. iii. 1 9. When we confider the univerfal bounty of providence, and that great goodnefs which God manifefteth par- ticularly to mankind, guilty as they muft acknowledge themfelves to be 3 he beareth long with finners, unwilling that they fliould perifh, and is kind to the iinthankjid and the evil', . we have the greatefl reafon to believe he will have a compaffionate regard to the penitent, and that if men forfake their evil ways, and unrighteous doings, and turn to the fincere love and pradlice of virtue, he will not feverely mark their renounced wickednefs, but approve of, and reward their change of heart and life. But to chri- ftians the cafe is exceeding plain, by the ex- prefs allurance God hath given pf an entire forgivenefsj and of eternal falvation to all ; who
Confidence ioivat'ds God, explained, 329
who break off their finfal courfes by righte- S e r M, oufnefs, and a thorough and effectual refor- XIII. mation. This is the profeffed defign of the gofpel, the great dod:rine taught by John Baptifi, and afterwards by our Saviour him- felf. We muft therefore underftand the de- claration in the text according to it ; for fee- ing the judgment we pronounce upon our- felves hath a neceffary reference to the judg- ment of God, and our hearts condemn or acquit us as we beheve he will, his rule of judging muft be ours 5 if, notwithftanding many and heinous tranfgreffions, nay, a long continued wicked courfe of life, God will abfolve the penitent, fo that upon his turning from all his Ji?is, that he hath committed J to do that which is lawful and right, and to keep all thefiatutes of the Lord^ he f}:aU furely live ; his tranfgrejjions fhall not he mentioned to him, in the righteoufnefs of his latter amended life, he fl:all live, EzeL xviii. 21. or, be faved by the divine mercy: If it be fo, the man whofe heart witneffeth for him that he hath fo fincerely repented, that he hath fubmitted to the righteoufnefs that is by faith, that is, to the terms of chriftianity, that he hath brought forth fruits meetJbr amendment of life, ceafcdto do evil and learned to do well -, that man hath
con^
330 ^he Foundation of
Serm. confidence towards God, or a well grounded XIII. hope of his gracious acceptance.
But, the greateft difficulty attending this fubjeft remaineth yet to be confidered; which arifeth from mens liablenefs to mif- takc in the judgment they make of them- felves, even of their own moral characters and actions. The fcripture teacheth us, and experience confirmeth it, that there are many errors of this fort. On the one hand, the ways of finners are often pure in their own EyeSy when God, who pondereth the hearty judgeth quite other wife concerning them. What multitudes are there, who not only in outward profeffion but in their own deceived minds, make confident claims to the favour of God, which have no foun- dation at all ? And, particularly, fome through the deceitfulnefs of fin, and an habitual courfe of obflinate abandoned wickednefs, are hardened into an utter infenfibility, fo as to be paft feeling of their own guilt, and paft fear of the divine wrath ; their con- fciences, as the apoflle fpeaketh, feared as 'with an hot iron^ ceafe to do their office in reproaching them for their crimes, and de- nouncing the judgments of God againft them. Is it to be thought that becaufe their own hearts do not condemn them, there- 5 fore
Confidence towards God, explaiticd. 331
fore God will juftify them ? No certainly ; for S e r m, then the more obdurate and flupid any finner XIII. is, the better would his condition be ; but our moll obvious notions of the holinefs and juftijce qf God will not fuffer us to entertain fuch a thought. On the other hand, there are fome too ready to condemn themfelvesj melancholy religious perfons, through a prefent violent diftemper of mind, or rather perhaps a diftemper of body affecft- ing the mind, and caufing vehement per- turbation, pronounce a hafty and unjuft (cn- tence againft themfelves. Far be it from us to think, that fuch a rafti and wrong judg- ment hath any connexion with the judg- ment of God, Surely the judge of the ivhole world will do right ; he is not unrighteous to forget his fer'vants work of faith and labour of love, which they have fiewed towards his name, although under a cloud, and in the prefent confufion of their thoughts, they may not be able to fee their own integrity. But this whole cafe of mens erroneous judg- ments concerning themfelves gives occafion to thefe farther obfervations for explaining thrS point now under conlideration.
3^/y, Then, that hope towards God which is laid on any other foundation than the
teftimony
332 The foundation of
S E R M. teftimony of confcience concerning our fin- XIII. cerity in obeying the law which we are un- der, hath nothing to do with the prefent fubje<5i:. The apoflle doth not fay in the text, or mean, that whenever men have con- fident hope of the divine approbation and acceptance, however they came by it, and upon whatever ground, they fhall be accord- ingly approved or accepted -, but that if their hearts do not condemn them for infincerity, or wilful tranfgreffion, impenitently conti- nued in, they have well grounded confi- dence. The reafon why I obferve this is, becaufe very often prefumptuous finners have ilrong expecftations of the mercy of God 5 but their hope is built on quite an- other bottom than their hearts approving their moral difpolitions and behaviour, nay, in direct oppofition to the judgment of their confciences concerning them. Some lay great ftrefs on their religious profeffion, and the foundnefs of their faith j others rely on their exadl obfervance of rites and ceremo- nies ; the hope of the Pharifees was founded upon their fafting often, making long pray- ers, their ceremonial wafhings, their punc- tual tything of mint, annife, and cummin, and fuch like things. In like manner fome chriflians depend on their baptifm., their
receiving
Confidence toivardi God y explained. 333
receiving the ikcrament of the Lord's fupper, S e r m, their being members of the pureft primitive XIII. and apoftolic churches ; not to mention the grofler fuperflition of thofe who place their confidence in penances, pilgrimages, the merits of the faints, the abfolutions, indul- gencies, prayers, and facrifices of the church. Others, again, groflly miftake the true no- tion of repentance, which confifteth in an univerfal change of heart and converfation from evil to good, fubftituting in the room of it, forrows, confefiions, humiliations, and good difpofitions, which produce no real .amendment of life. And, laftly, fome pre- fumptuoufly truft in the merits of Chrift, even when their confciences accufe them of continuing to live in obflinate difobedience to his laws. Now, all thefe dangerous er- rors and falfe hopes are fo far from receiv- ing any countenance from the text, that, on the contrary, it is the apollle's intention to call us off from them, and diredt us to a quite different way of trying our claim to the divine approbation, namely, by a diligent inquiry into our tempers and moral condud:, which I iliall afterwards endeavour to {hew you is much more jufi:, and founded in in- variable truth. By a parity of reafon, the felf-condemnings of diflempered good minds
arc
^24- ^^^^ Foundation of
SERM.are not, according to the true defign of the' XIII. text, to be looked upon as any evidence that God will condemn them ; becaufe fo far as they have any appearance of a rational ground (for the moftpart, indeed, they pro- ceed in a great meafure from a difordered imagination) they are founded on a miftake, either of the terms of acceptance U'ith God, or the nature of the offences w^ith w^hich the heart chargeth itfelf. If we imagine that God will be fo inexorably fevere, as to punifh every the leaft deviation from his law, even though not allowed, or fineerely repented of; or if we magnify fuch infir- mities, as the beft are not altogether free from in this imperfedt flate, into heinous unpardonable crimes; if the want of vehe-' ment emotions of mind be accounted want of love to God, though they are only acci- dental, depending on other caufes, and the love of God doth not confifl in them, but in a calm deliberate efleem, with a fincere difpofition to keep his commandments ; if blafphemous thoughts arifing in the mind, utterly abhorred, and earneftly refilled, are reckoned its heinous tranfgreffions, though really they are not imputed to it as its faults in any degree j in thefe, and fuch like cafes, the judgment of condemnation, which by
miilake
Confidence towards God, explained. 335
miftake the heart paffeth againft itfelf, God S e r M. will not confirm j and the cure of the mif- XIII. takes, fo far as they arc curable in a rational way, is by better information concerning the nature of God, his infinite goodnefs and righteoufnefs, and concerning the terms of the gofpel. Our prefent inquiry relateth to the calm judgment of the confcience or heart upon its own prevailing diipofitions, its de- liberate purpofes, and the general tenor of its adions.
/^thfyj As the judgment of our hearts con- cerning ourfelves is of the laft moment, and the mofl important confequences depend upon it ; for it is plainly the defign of the text to teach us that the approbation or dif- approbation of Almighty God is to be ex- pe6ted according as the heart doth or doth not condemn us j and therefore miftakes in this matter are infinitely dangerous ; fo, if we are not wanting to ourfelves, they may be avoided. Fallibility is univerfally the charadler of the human underftanding ; no man who attendeth to what paffeth in his own mind, but muft be convinced he hath in many inftances made a wrong judgment 5 and we have all reafon to believe that many errors remain with us. But errors are not
all
• 336 ^he Foundation of
Se R M. all alike hurtful 5 fome of them are peffedly
XIII. innocent, and produce no bad effed:s at all : What is any man the worfe for his judging amifs concerning the magnitude and diftance of the heavenly bodies ? The correfting his miftakc may give him pleafure, but without that, he might have been as good a man, and in the main as happy. But in the affair we are now confidering, a miftake cannot be harmlefs -, at leaft on the one fide, which is the moft dangerous, it cndeth . in a mife- rable difappointment. For a man to flatter himfelf that he is entitled ' to the favour of God, and to find at laft that wrath abideth up- on him, I conclude, then, we are not under a fatal neceffity of being deceived, elfe I fhould not at all know how this text is to be under- flood, or, indeed, how the juflice of God could be vindicated to the full conviction of men. Let us confider how our minds are affedied upon the difcovery of error, how it mufi: appear to our own refled:ing thoughts, and what confequences we can think may, and ought to follow it, from the judgment of others, particularly a fuperior. If the miftake was' abfolutely invincible, that is, the perfon falling into it was not furnifhed with a capacity, or had no means whereby he could poffibly fnun it, then it was certainly
excu-
Confidence towards Gody explained. 337
cxcufablej a man's heart cannot condemn Serm. him for it j he may confider it as proceed- XIII. ing from a natural impcrfedion, or as infe- licity, but cannot impute it to himfelf, and therefore he cannot think the fentence jufl whereby he fliould incur any penal confe- quences on that account. But if, upon a re* view of our errors, it appeareth to us that they proceeded not from a total impotence in ourfelves, or from the want of fufficient means to have prevented them, but from a criminal difpofition in the mind, the cafe is quite different; the heart then chargeth it felf as guilty ; the anions done in the pur- fuance of the miflake appear to be our faults, the penalties incurred by it to be jufl:, and the oppofite condemning fentence of a higher tribunal is vindicated in our own thoughts. In the prefent cafe, if our hearts do not condemn when they might and ought to have condemned us, that is, if we are led into the erroneous judgment by our own fault, and we had it in our own power to have prevented it by a due ufe of the means and opportunies we enjoyed, it doth not fol- low that God will acquit us, or that we have any jufl: ground of confidence towards him, nor is the declaration in the text fo to be underfl:ood.
Vol. III. Z 5/%
"The Eoundation of
^thlyy therefore, the judgment we pafs upon ourfelves, or upon our own temper and courfe of acftions, ought not to be rafh and indeliberate. The leafl confideration of the frame and the powers of our minds muft convince us, that attention, in order to prevent miftakes, and to judge rightly in matters of importance, is one of the firft duties incumbent on fuch creatures as we are. Seeing the human underftanding is fo imperfed, far from a comprehenfive intui- tion of things, even many truths, which may be clearly known, do not appear to its firft view; what can be more rcafonable and becoming us, than that we fhould not run haftily into a conclufion upon points which nearly concern our duty and our happinefs, but that we (hould apply ourfelves to a di- ligent examination of the evidence upon which a judgment is to be formed, which every man is confcious to himfelf he hath It in his own power to do, and for neglecft- ing it his heart will reproach him ? We know by experience, that many errors have been thus prevented, and many corrected ; and, furely, we mufl acknowledge there is 'no affair which more juftly calleth for our deliberation and careful inquiry, than the
judgment
Confidence towards God, explained. ^^9
judgment we make of ourfelves, upon which Se rm. W6 are to found our expectations from God XI 11. tour fupreme judge.
6tbfyy There is another foutce of error which it will require our utmofl: care to guard againft, that is, prejudices and pre- poffefTionSj the influence of evil habits, and Corrupt felfifh affedtions byafing the mind. Thfey mufl: be ftrangers to the Weaknefs of the human nature, who do not know how much the private inclinations and averfions of men fway their judgment. How eafily do wc go into opinions which are agreeable to us ? how difficultly are we perfuaded to aflent to what muft give us uneafinefs ? Into that moft pernicious of all errors, the heart's not condemning for heinous crimes, men do not fall but by an habitual coiirfe of wickednefs, and through the influence of the moft corrupt afFed:ions. So flrong is the fenfe of moral differences naturally in the minds of all mankind, that no man ever yet arrived to fuch a height of ilupidity as to call evil good,' or to be eafy and con- fident in a vicious courfe of life, till after a flrong reluctance he hath violently conquered his reafon, and after many ineffecflual re- monftrances fo baffled confcience, that it ceafeth to reprove j and then the judgment Z 2 of
540 ^^^ Foundation of
S E R M. of God condemning, contrary to the pre-
XIII. fent judgment, or rather infenfibUity of the heart not condemning, will appear mani- feftly righteous, and the confcience of the criminal, when deUvered from the vehe- mently prevailing and hardening prejudices, muft acknowledge it. But there are other cafes more difficult than this, namely, when men ftill retain a regard for confcience, fo that they have never habitually and wilfully acted againft its admonitions, and yet through prejudice have been milled into thofe opi- nions, and practices purfuant to them, which are really evil, and which upon farther illu- mination, and a more diligent inquiry, they themfelves have condemned. The moft re- markable example of this kind is that of the apoftle Paul, who before his converfion to the chriilian faith, by the account he giveth of himfelf, and we are fure it is true, was a confcientious man j he was, touching the righteoufnefs of the law, blamelefs j he had lived in all good confcience, even while he was a pharifee j and faith that he had ferved God with a pure confcience ; and yet after- wards, being better inftrudted by chriftia- nity, reflecting on that former period of his life, he reprefenteth his own anions as very criminal i he calleth himfelf the chief of
finners,
Conjide nee towards God J explained. 341
finners, and a blafphemer, aperfecutor, and Serm. injurious. What judgment is to be made of XIII. fuch an heart not condemning^ it is hard for us precifely to determine. We are fure that God will make all the favourable allowances for the weaknefs of his creatures, that the moft perfecfl equity and goodnefs require; but the cafe particularly referred to, leads us to this farther obfervation.
Laftly, That there are different degrees of fincerity, which is the only objedl of the heart, or the confcience's approbation, and that only which God will accept. It not only implieth that we do not adl againft the prefent convidtion of our minds, but that they are not chargeable with grofs care- leffnefs, or wilful, obftinate prejudices, mifleading the judgment. It is true, that as fincerity may well be called the whole of religion, it is imperfect in this life. There is no man fo happy as to be wholly and uni- verfally free from the leafl degree of faulty inattention, or any bias upon his mind drawing him into failings. But this is not to be carried fo far as that we may not have fufficient affurance of our own fincerity to be a jufl: ground of confidence towards God. That which the mind mufl approve, which will afford it true fatisfadion in itfelf, Z 3 and
3'42 ^he Foundation of
S E R M. and which God will accept, is, the habi- Xlll. tiial prevalence of good difpofitions againfl the contrary, though infirmities Hill remain. And this is what every man may difcern concerning himfelf who carefully attendeth to what pafTeth in his own mind. May not one who is accuftomed to felf reflection, know what are the affedlions that rule the general tenor of his condud ? And in par^ ticular inftances, Avhich have been the fub- je(5t of deliberation, wherein there are fen- ^ble oppofite tendencies in the heart, may he not be able to judge which of them pre- vaileth, whether prejudice, paflion, and felfifh defire, fhunning a diligent inquiry ; or if the voice of confcience be heard againfl their clamour, and that judgment followed which is the refult of an attentive and im- partial examination ?
I cannot in this difcourfe finifli what I in^ tended to fay from the text, and therefore I {hall for the prefent conclude with this re- flecflion, that as flncerity admitteth of vari- ous degrees, we fhould always endeavour to grow in it. By a vigorous attention of mind, and the diligent ufe of proper means, efpecially a careful improvement of the gofpel grace, our conquefl over paffions and lufts which darken and miflead the
mind.
Confidence towards GoJj explained, 343
mind, will advance gradually; they thatSERM, have pure hearts , and clean hands ^ fi:allwax ^^^A* firongcr and flronger in holinefs and virtue, that is, become more and more fincere ^ and as fincerity increafeth, fo will the evi- dences of it to the mind itfelf ; the path of the j lift is like the ftiining lights which ft Aneth more and more unto the perfedl day\ ftill more apparent by its genuine fruits before men, and in a more fenfible manner in- wardly perceived by its own confpicuous luftre, fo as to leave no room for hefita- tion concerning its reality, nor any remain- ing doubts of the divine approbation, con- fid ering the merciful terms ©f the gofpel.
Z A SER-
[ 344 1
SERMON XIV.
The Foundation of Confidence towards GOD, explained.
W I ■ I I III — i - T ■ I.. ■ I .
1 JOHN III. 19, 20, 21.
'jind hereby we know that we are of the truths andfiall ajjure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.
SeRM. ' I '' H E defign of this text is to teach us XIV. X upon what grounds we may hope for the divine approbation, or have juft reafon to fear his difpleafure, namely, the teilimony of our confciences concerning our obedience or difobedience to his law, either that which he hath engraved on our hearts, zndjhewed us to he good by the light of nature, or which he hath given us by a pofitive and exprefs revelation, As this dodrine is liable to be mifapprehended, I explained it in a former difcourfe in feveral propofitions -, the
furn
The Foimdatioji of, &c. 345
^m of which is, that the fubjed of the S e r m. heart's teftimony upon which it acquitteth XIV. men, is not perfect innocence 3 and that for which it condemneth them, is not every the leafl failure which ftridtly may be called a fin ; if that were the meafure of the divine judgment, no man living could hope to be juftified in the fight of God. But as he will accept of fincere obedience, tho* not without fome infirmities, and will only condemn for wilful tranfgrefilons ; this fliew- cth upon what tefi:imony of confcience we have rcafon to hope for his favour, or dread his indignation ; That as unallowed failures will not be imputed, fo God will be mer- ciful to the unrighteoufiiefs of the penitent, and remember their fins no more, as the gofpel exprefily aiTureth us ; and therefore the man whofe heart witnefiTeth for him that he hath forfakcn his wicked ways, hath ceafed to do evil, and learned to do well ; that he hath not only purpofed to amend, but brought forth, and continues to bring forth, fruits meet for repentance and amend- ment of life, hath a jufi: foundation for con- fidence towards God : That as this confi-i- dence is appropriated to the judgment of the heart already mentioned, the hope of divine acceptance, which is formed upon
any
346 ^he Foundation of
Serm. any other grounds, fuch as religious pro-i- XI^» feffion, obfervance of pofitive inflitutions, faith, or whatever ehe is, or may be fepa- rated from fincere obedience and true re- pentance, all fuch hope is deceitful: That men are liable to miftakes in this important affair, they fometimes fpeak peace to them- felves, or their hearts do not condemn them, when yet God doth not fpeak peace to them } but yet fuch miftakes may be avoided, and we are not under a fatal neceffity of be- ing deceived, if, as the prophet fpeaketh, we •will fie w curjelves men^ or ad: a part bcr coming rational creatures ; that therefore the judgment of the heart concerning itfelf, up- on which ftrefs may be laid, muft not be rafli and indeliberate, but the refult of a diligent examination 5 and, farther, the mind muft be diverted of ftrong mifleading pre- judices and prepofleffions, efpecially a vehe- ment love of fin, producing an infenfibility of the excellence and the motives of virtue -, which is fo far from being inevitable, that no man can arrive to it till after a long con- tinued courfe of obftinate wickednefs, and violently refifting the remonftrances of his confcience. In fine, what the true decifion of this important point turneth upon, is fin- cerity, which being the \vhole of true reli- gion.
Confidence towards God, explained, 347
gion, is imperfed: in this life, but that which S e r M. )God will accept, being the habitual pre- -^Iv* valence of good difpofitions againft the con- trary j and in the deliberate purpofes of the heart cleaving to that which is good, and chufing to do what we know or believe to be right, even in oppofition to paflions, felfifh inclinations, and wordly intereft: Of this every man who is truly difpofed may be able to judge concerning himfelf, with fuf- ficient certainty ; however, the fureft way to make the teftimony of approving con- science fo clear, that it may be fafely relied on and leave no room to doubt, is, to en* deavour to grow always in fincerity, that is, in all goodnefs, and in the love and pradtic^ of every virtue. I proceed now.
Secondly, To illuftrate and confirm the truth of the dodlrine thus explained, namely, that the judgment of the heart concerning itfelf, either acquitting or condemning it of infincerity, is the only juft ground upon which we can expedt the divine approbation or dif* approbation. The authority of the apoftle is fufficient to determine the point to chriftians, and, I think, his meaning is fo plain that there can be no hefitation concerning it. We may pbferve, however, that what St. John here 3 teacheth
34^ 5"/'^ Foundation of
S E R M. teacheth us is fupported by the concurring X^^' teftimony of other facred writers. The apoflle Paul faith, Gal. vi. 4. Let every man prove his own work (examine his own actions, tracing them to their fecret fprings, that he may be approved to his confcience) and then hejhall have rejoicing in himfelf which no chriftian can or ought to have without hope of the divine approbation. It was upon the fame foundation St. Paul buiJt his own in- ward fatisflidion and peace, implying a per- fualion that God accepted him, 2 Cor. i. 12. Our rejoicing is this, the teftimony of our confcienceSy that in fimplicity and godly fm^ cerity, not infeJJ^ly wifdom, hut by the grace cf God, we have had our converfation in the world. In like manner Hezekiah^ when put to the fevereft trial, having an immediate warning of death, comforted himfelf and had confidence towards God, upon which he offered up his acceptable prayers, appeal- ing to God himfelf. Remember, Lord, how 1 have walked before thee in truth and with a perfeSl heart, 2 Kings xx. 3 .
But I may appeal to the experience of
■ every man who will carefully look into his
own heart, whether, upon an accurate felf-
infpedion, there doth not arife, not only an
inward ferenity and pleafure from a con-
fcioufnefs
Co?ifidcnce towards God, explained. 349
fcioufnefs of integrity or uniformly good S e r M. afte(5tions, and a regular virtuous courfe of XIV. adion, but alfo confidence towards God j indeed, towards all moral agents, fo far as our integrity and our works are known to them ; efpecially towards him who is thoroughly acquainted with all our ways and thoughts, and whom we acknowledge to be the purefl and mofl perfect of all beings? And whether, on the other hand, the felf- reproaches of the heart for vicious inclina- tions and wicked adiions be not accompanied with a fecret confufion, arifing from the confideration of an awful prefence, to which moral turpitude is difagreeable ; and, if fenfible of its own ill defervings, it hath not a fecret dread of fuitable returns, efpe- cially from the righteous judge of the world? The minds which are afraid of looking into themfelves, which is the cafe of many, feem to give a tacit confent to this, there be- ing no imaginable reafon why they fliould decline fuch an inquiry, which they cannot but be fenfible is fo becoming them, and which to an honeft heart yields fo great fatisfadlion \ no reafon, I fay, but a fecret mifgiving fear of the confequences, and that they fee where it muft end, either in aban- doning their vices, which they are obfli-
nately
^ ^o 'The Foundation of
S ERM. itately refolved not to part with',' of the Cof?-
XI V. founding apprehensions of the divine dif- 'pleafure, which they cannot bearj and therefore betake themfelves to the poor urt- manly refuge of an afFeded and refolved ig- norance : Yet even in that they are not fafe ; for a multitude of occafions there ate, not to be avoided, which lay them open to them- felves, and, in fpite 6i all their ftudied amufements to ttirn away their attentio/j, give them a frightful view of their own de- formed tempers and a(5lions, filling them with terror. He^ faith our Saviour, John iii. 20. that doth evil, habitually and incorrigibly, hateth the lights neither cometh to the light , left bis deeds JJjouid be reproved-y fo flrong is the impreflion naturally upon the minds of men, that wilful wickednefs and depraved afFed:i- ons render them obnoxious to fuperior intelli- gent natures, above all, to the Supreme.
What can be the reafon of this, which we find fo univerfal among mankind ? Thie good and the bad are agreed in a perfuafion that purity of heart and life is pleafing to the Deity, and that corrupt difpofitions and immoral adions are difpleafing to him'; therefore the felf-approving mind hath con- fidence towards him, and the reproaches of the heart, for its difhonefty and unreformed
beloved
Confidence towards God^ explained. ^^t
beloved fin, are necefTarily accompanied S e r m. with diffidence and fear 5 and the finners XIV. fhunning induilrioully the light of his own fpirit or confcience, which Solomon calleth ibe candle of the Lord, fearching the inward parts 5 this, I fay, mufl be attributed to the fame caufe : Shall it be faid that all this proceedeth only from human weaknefs; that the felf applauding joy and confidence of a virtuous mind is but enthuafiafm, the efFed: of a deluded warm imagination ; and that the diftruftful dread of a vicious one arifeth wholly from a fuperflitious fear- fulnefs, imbibed by the prejudices of edu- cation, and cherifhed by the often- inculcated inftrudions of weak or defigning men ? I know nothing in the power of human na- ture in order to our being affured of truth or being delivered from error, but a fair im- partial enquiry, and to that we appeal in the prefent cafe. The generality of harden- ed finners muft according to this rule be ac- knowledged to have prejudged the caufe, and therefore to be unqualified for deter- mining it, for their hearts will tell them they defignedly avoid a trial : But if any one will pretend to argue upon it, let it be obferved, that there are certain principles, in which the mind muft necefTarily reft,
without
35^ *I'he Foundation of
S E R M. without being able to proceed any farther XIV. ^ lY^ fearching the grounds of its perfuafion. A clear and diftindl perception of the agree- ment or difagreement of our own ideas is the certain diftinguifliing mark of truth or falfhood in points of fpeculation 5 according- ly there are fome proportions felf-evident, as we commonly fpeak, or the truth of which the underflanding necefTarily per- ceiveth as foon as they are intelligibly pro- pofed to it, fo that it would be a ridiculous attempt to prove them : Again, we find ourfelves obliged to acquiefce in the tefti- mony of the external fenfes concerning the qualities of material objecfls, together with the immediate effects they produce in us, fuch as pleafure and pain : If, now, there is an internal fenfe by which we as necefiarily perceive the difference between right and wrong, or moral good and evil in affections and a6tions ; and if, with an application to ourfelves, this conflantly and uniformly pro- duceth the diredly oppofite effeds of felf- approbationand difapprobation, independent- ly on our own choice, together w^ith a con- fidence and a fear towards other intelligent moral agents, efpecially the Supreme j and, laflly, if all this appeareth to us whenever we attend to it, ftill the more evidently, A the
Cofifidence towards God^ expldiiied. 5 r-j
the more clofely we examine it and the Icfs Serm, confafed and difluibevl our thoughts are ; XIV. whether it be fo or not, let every one judge for himfelf J if, I fay, it be fo, we may then, I think, conclude it is the voice of na- ture necellarily refulting from our conilitu- tion, and the dodlrine of the appfile in my text is the dodrine of immutable reafon, fuppofing only the being of God and his moral character. .\'.lX
There is nothing I believe gceth ^o fir to* wards erafing thofe fentiments out of the hu* man mind, at leafl hindering their proper ef- fect, as falfe notions of the Deity and of reli- gion. If men can once be perfuadcd that God is not a perfectly holy, righteous, and good being, or that he doth not exercife thefe per- fedicns in the government of his reafonable creatures j but that he dealeth with them in a way of arbitraiy dominion, in confequence of which the immediate neceflary condition of their acceptance with him is not an imitation of his moral attributes, and obeying his precepts of eternal righteoufnefs to which their confci- ences bear witnefs, but fomcthing elfe fubfli- tuted in the room of that, which it is pretend- ed he hath revealed, or which men havein-* vented; fuchaperluafionmuftgoagreatlength in unhinging the true foundations of hope to-
Vo L. III. A a wards
354 ^'^^ Foundation of
Serm. wards him and fear of his difpleafure, which XIV. I have endeavoured to fhew both fcripture and reafon eftabliflii and, indeed, a great way in defeating the work of the law which is written in our hearts. The tradi- tions of men concerning rites and ceremo- nies which they fondly imagine will pleafe God, as our Saviour teacheth, tend to make void his moral precepts : And yet even thefe falfe notions of the Deity, and of religion, have not altogether extinguifhed this light which the Author of nature hath put into our minds, or fubverted the foundations of hope and fear arifing from the teftimony of con- fcience which are fo deep laid in our hearts. When a man hath brought himfelf to that pernicious opinion concerning the validity and fufficiency of external ads to pleafe God, the merit of others, good but ineffec- tual inclinations, or any fuch like things which may be feparated from doing fincerely i]\t will of our heavenly Father^ ftill he dares not altogether truft himfelf on that bottom ; fufpicions will arife of felf- deceit, and a con- fcience acculing for crimes unrepented of and unreformed, will break in upon his peace, threatening him with the divine difpleafure. On the other hand, the righte- ous is bold as a lion^ he pofleflcth undifturbed
tran-
Confidence towards God, Explained. 355
tranquillity, is free from the foreboding ap- SeRM. prehenfions of vengeance which haunt the XIV. guilty heart j nay, maintaineth his integrity in the deepcft diiirelTes, and amidfl the re- proaches of men j if even all the world ihould join in condemning him, fince he aequitteth himfelf, his confidence towards God remaineth unfhaken.
As thefc fentiments are indelibly im- printed on the human mind, and necellarily refult from our conftitution, of which God is the author, we muft afcribe them to him. His will is declared in the nature of things, and they all ferve his purpofes. Inanimate beinss in their conftant motions, and the ferieb of their operations, fulfil the law of their natures j and fenfitive creatures, di- redted by their inftinds, always anfwer the ends of their being which he hath ap- pointed ; fo it is impoffible for us to doubt but that the fundamental laws of the rational nature are his will ; and that, in judging and ading according to them, we judge and aft agreeably to his mind. Therefore, feeing the author of our being hath endued us with that power which we call confcience, a power of felf- reflexion, of comparing our own difpofitions and actions with a rule en- graven en our hearts, whence necefiarily A a 2 arifeth
■356 ^be Foundation of
Serm. arifeth pleafure and pain j and this natural- XIV. ly leadeth us to the prefaging expediations of the divine judgment, according to the judgment we pafs upon ourfelves 5 we can- not help concluding that thus God fpeaketh to us, and maketh known his pleafure ; that in ad:ing and judging according to the plain unalterable didates of our nature and reafon, we pleafe him, and in counteracting them we rebel againft his will, which he difapproveth. The original ideas of mora- lity, which we find in our own minds, it is not in our power to change; nor can we think otherwife, than that they are agree- able to the fentiments of all other moral agents > it is by them we form our notions of the divine moral attributes, only remov- ing from our idea of God the imperfed:ions we find in ourfelves; and, therefore, we inuil iudge that what we neceffarily approve upon a calm and deliberate reflection, he will approve; and what we condemn, he will condemn alfo. And,
Lajily^ Let it be obferved, that the judg- ment of God is of a very peculiar kind, al- together unparallelled in human judicature ; for reafon teacheth, and the fcripture very expreiHy, that not only external actions will come under its cognizance, nor will it pro- ceed
Confiilcnce towards God^ explnified. ^cy
ceed oniy according to external evidence, Serm. but that it reaclieth to the moft private and XIV. latent fprings of adlion, and the inward af- fedtions and dilpofitions of the mind, undif- cernable by any human, or, indeed, any created eye, and knov^^n only to the fearcher of hearts, and to the fpirit of a man which is within him. Every work^ and every Je^. cret thing, 'whether it be good, or whether it be evil, fhall be brought before the divine tribunal i and when the Lord cometh, he will bring to light the hidden things of dark- nefs, and make manifejl the counfels of the heart; and then every man fiall have that praife, that due eftimate put upon him and his works, which is according to truth. It followeth that the mind itfelf, being the principal fcene wherein the works to be tried were tranfacfled, the equity of the fen- tence to be pronounced on mpn will be ma- nifeft to themfelves, which it cannot be un- iefs their confcience witneffeth the linceritv or infmccrity of their works upon whith the fentence is founded ; and not only that it giveth this teftimony at the time of judg- ment, but that it judged the fame way when the works were done j at leafl:, would have judged the fame way but for its own fault, that is, its inattention and prejudices ; for A a 3 without
^j8 ^he Foundation of
Serm. without this it feemeth utterly inconceiv- XIV. able, that the heart can juftify God. Upon the whole, then, it appeareth that if the heart, confcious of its own inclinations, pur- pofes, and actions, condemneth itfelf, it is the fureft evidence we can have of God's condemning -, and if the heart divefted of prejudice, not confcious of the prevailing love of darknefs and evil deeds, and careful in its inquiry, doth not condemn, it is the greateft certainty we can attain to of the divine approbation.
I proceed now to draw forne ufeful infe- rences from what hath been faid. Firft, it is a dangerous miftake to place the hope of men's acceptance with God, not upon the goodnefs of their affedions, and the inte- grity of their hearts, but upon the truth of their opinions, and the reditude of their external ad:ions in themfelves, and abftraftly conlidered. It is the former of thefe which is the proper objed of the mind's teftimony and judgment concerning itfelf, not the lat- ter, of which we have not in many cafes a fufficient certainty. Upon a review of what pafieth in our minds, our inclinations, de- figns, our motives of adion, and our whole condudl, they who are impartially fo difpo- fed, can well diftinguifh between what is 2 right
Confidence to'wards Gody explained. 359
right and wrong in a moral fenfe, that is, S e r m. between fincerity and infincerity j and as XIV. fincerity is the thing we moft approve, and the very beft which we can call our own, it muft appear to us equitable, that by it, or the contrary, we fhould be juftified or condemned : But by the mere knowledge of truth and right, no man can aflure his heart before God ; it doth not give him any fatisfadion in himfelf, as integrity doth, nor confidence towards God j fo far from it, that our knowledge of the will of God, if it hath not a proper influence in forming the temper of our minds, and directing our be- haviour, will aggravate our guilt, and render us the more obnoyious to his difpleafure. Thus the apoflle James faith to fome who valued themfelves upon the found nefs of their belief, as that which would recom- mend to the favour of God, chap. ii. 19. Thou believeth there is one God^ thou doji well; fo far it is right, but utterly infuffi- cient to eftablifh any hope of acceptance upon, for this plain reafon, the devils alfo believe and tretnble, Thofe creatures who, above all others, are irrecoverably loft to goodn^fs and to hope, being referved in chains unto the laft judgment, they believe rightly concerning that great articl? of reli- A a 4 gion,
:>
6o The Foundation of
.Seum, gion, the unity of God, and other articles a1 V . ^ likewife, for probably they have a more ex- tenlive knowledge than any of mankind ; but what is the effe6l of their knowledge and their faith ? inflead of giving them con- lidence towards God, it maketh them trem- ble under the apprehenlions of his wrath ; and fo, in proportion, it mufl do in all minds which detain the truth in unrightc- oufnefs.
Shall it be faid that the principles of re-. ligion which God hath manifefled, whether by the light of nature or pofitive revelation, with a clearnefs fufficient to render ignorance inexcufable, and his laws injoining our duty, have a precife determined meaning, how then can we be accepted with him, if we come fliort of that meaning, either in our belief or our pradice ; if our fentiments are not conformable to the truth which he hath declared, and if we do not really and effec- tually fulfil the true intent of his law, by doing the very actions it requireth ? I an- fwer, this reafoaing is founded on a miflake concerning the nature of the obligations which God hath laid us under as reafonable creatures ; which obligations do not imme- diately terminate in the affent of our under- ftanding?, not properly fubjedt to a law,
nor
Confidence towards God, explamed. 361
nor in the fabftance of outward actions, as S e r M. that whereby they are fatisfied : But the XIV. lawgiver, to whom all things are naked and manifeft, and who hath endued us with felf-refled:ing powers, and a fenfe of good and evil, he demandeth our hearts, the pro- per exercife of our afFed:ions, and of our ad:ive felf-determining powers : Our opi- nions are neither morally good or evil, other- wiie than in confequence of this primary obligation ; all the virtue which is in them, is derived from integrity of good affediions, and a diligent application of our minds to the difcovery of truth ; and for external ads, as the intention of the divine law is not completely fulfilled in tliem, they are no farther neceifary to our acceptance, nor doth the confcience itfelf lay the flrefs of its con- fidence upon them any farther, than as they are the certain evidences and infeparable fruits of good inward difpofitions.
But though wrong opinions in religion and morals, are only fo far criminal as they proceed from depraved affetTtion or negli- gence ; when they are embraced, they tend to increafe that depravity of heart and cor- ruption of manners. This is the cafe of fuperftition, which hath produced very mif- chievous effeds in the world. When men
have
5 62 ^he Foundation of
S E R M. have imbibed falfe notions of the Deity, and XIV. the way of pleafing him, their minds are corrupted from the limphcity of a rational devotion j inftead of which, they run into empty forms and idle ceremonies, nay, into barbarous and unnatural crimes. But fuch falfe notions do not at all excufe the crimes which they produce, becaufe, as I have al- ready obferved, they are themfelves faulty in the foundation of them, proceeding from inattention, and efpecially from a defei' : of good difpofitions, or the prevalence of c il ones J and becaufe the wicked courfe of adions to which they lead, is diredtly con- trary to that fenfe of good and evil fo deeply engraven on .the minds of men, as to con- demn their vices in fpight of all pretences to juflify themfelves. This the apoftle Faul^ in the ifl to the Romans^ illuftrateth in the inftance of the Gentile idolatry introducing a deluge of vice ; he faith, they went into mod abfurd opinions concerning* the divine nature, changing ihz glory of God into ima- ges-, and the confequence was, that they were abandoned to vile afFedions, and to the mofl heinous unnatural wickednefs in pradice. But then he iheweth wherein the real malignity of their errors, and the un- happy fruits of them confifted 3 their erro- neous
Confidence tcivards God, explained. 363
ncous opinions did not proceed from weak- Serm. nefs, but they held the truth in unrighteouf- XIV. nefs J they knew God, but perverfely would not glorify him, nor were thankful -, they became vain in their imaginations; and ver. 28, Becaufe they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, they were given up to a reprobate mind 5 and the progrefs of their vices he doth not impute merely to their erroneous opinions, but to their lulls rebelling againfl the voice of reafon and con- fcience.
I have infifted fo much on this fubjedt, not merely becaufe the miftaken notion I propofed to refute is an error in fpeculation, but efpecially becaufe it has a very bad in- fluence on pradice. When men have once got into this perfualion, that their true reli- gious belief, and the regular conformity of their external ads to the letter of God's law^ will recommend them to his favour, their attention is diverted from the goodnefs of their affedions, and the uprightnefs of their hearts, which is the only juft foundation of confidence ; and thus their religion degene- rateth into hypocrify. Thus the Jenvijh zealots, whofe falfe pretences are largely re- futed by St. James in his epiftle, imagined that their faith would fave them, while
they
064 ^'^''' Foundation of
3 E R M. they 'were contentious ^ and obeyed not the XIV, truths but obeyed iinrighteoufnefsy and prac- tifed cruelty. And the Pharifees placed their hope of acceptance on the exadl ob- fervance of pofitive inflitutions, and the out- ward appearance of fandity in their lives, while they indulged themfelves in pride and covetoufnefs : But our Saviour fheweth their infincerity, comparing them to whited fe- fidchreSy which appear outwardly beautiful^ but within are full of dead inens bones and all uncle annefs ', fo they appeared righteous be-- fore men^ but within were full of hypocrify and iniquity ; and in proportion, ftill fo far as this dangerous notion prevaileth, finccrity is neglected, which only can ixnder us ac- ceptable to God,
Not only fo, but men judge the fame way of others as they do concerning them- felves, and imagining they have got poffef- lion of the orthodox faith, and what they call the true religion, that is, the right modes of woriLip, and other outward performan- ces, they pronounce damnation on all who differ from them. Hence arife mutual ha- treds, contentions, and animoiities, about religion, whilfl real religion, that is, fince- rity, is not at all attended to -, hence perfe- cution for cgnfcience fa^e, and under the 2 pretence
Confidence iorcards God, explained. '3^5
pretence of charity. Tvlethinks it flioulJ be Serm. a flrong prejudice pgainft the opinion I am XIV. now coniidering, that it produceth fo much mifchlef among men ; but at the fame time it is founded on a grofs error concerning God, and his way of proceeding in judging men, and concerning the nature of religion. What can induce men to impofe on the confciences of others, and punifh them for not complying vvith their rehgious decrees ? The moil charitable account is, that they think in thefe things religion confifleth, and by them men will be acceptable to God : But feeing human authority is ufed, and force, it is evident there is an oppofition of judgment, and the compliance of the per- fecuted mufl be againft the light of their confciences, for which, according to the doftrine of this text, they are felf-condem- ned, and the only juft foundation of their confidence towards God is dcflroyed. Thus it is apparent that perfecution, in all its kinds and degrees, and in the befl light in which it can be fet, inftead of promoting religion, it can only be defended and prac- tifed on the ruins of fincerity, in which true religion confifteth ; and inftead of tend- ing charitably to render men acceptable to God, the natural tendency of it is to fubvert
the
366 The Foundation of
Serm. the only juft ground upon which they can XIV. have hope towards him.
2^/y, It is to be regretted that fome arti- cles of chriflianity itfelf have been perverted to purpofcs contrary to their true defign, particularly contrary to the dodrinc of this text } efpecially what the gofpel hath taught concerning the mediation of Chrift, his fa- crifice, and our jufliiication by faith in him, hath been fo mifapplied. It is the principle of the jintinomians, that chriflians are fo only juftified by faith in his imputed righte- oufnefs, that they are difcharged from all obligation to obey the divine moral precepts, as necefTary to their acceptance with God. This opinion hath by fome been carried into pradice, who theifeupon have aban- doned themfelves to licentious immorality with confidence; though, indeed, good men, who have contended for it in fpeculation, have, through the flrength of their virtuous afFedions, efcaped its pernicious influence. But many there are who, without examin- ing carefully the principle, place their hope towards God on the merits of Jefus Chrift, while their hearts condemn them 5 at leaft, if they confidered, would condemn them for wilful tranfgreffion unrepented of and un- reformed. If any fuch dodtrine were taught
in
Confidence towards God, explained. 367
In the New Teftament, it would be a ftrong S e r m. prejudice againft it j for what man, atten- XIV. tively confidering the conftitution of his own mind, will believe that there is, or can be, any juft ground of hope towards God, while his heart doth not acquit him of hypocrify and iniquity ? or who that underflandeth and is perfuaded of the divine moral attri- butes, without which religion is loft, both natural and revealed, can think that God would require men to receive a principle which diredly tendeth to overturn the obli- gations of morality, which our Saviour ex- preflly difowneth, for he, near the beginning of his miniftry, telleth a great afTembly, that He came not to deftroy the lau^ but to fulfil it. But that this is not the dodrine of the facred writers, my text is a plain proof, and fo are many other of their declarations. Muft not every one who dealeth fairly by the gofpel, and coniidereth it impartially, be convinced that the dtCign of it is what St. Paul faith it is, namely, to teach us, that de?iying u?igodlinefs, and ivorldly lufis, we Jhould live foberly, righteoufiy, and godly ^ in this prcjent world ; and upon that founda- tion only look with confidence /^r the blefed hope. Is not the favour of God conftantly promifed to the virtuous and good, and his
wrath
36S 'The Foundation of
Serm. wrath denounced againft the impiety and XIV. unrighteoufnefs of men ? It is true that, in the gofpel, great virtue is attributed to the blood of Chriil, it cleanfcth us from all fin ^ it purgeth our confciences from dead works to ferve the Having God; and by it God hath reconciled the world to himfelf, 7iot imputing their trefpajjes : But all this is not intended to fuperfede the necejffity of repentance and new fincere obedience ; for the fins which we truly forfake, bringing forth fruits meet for amendment of life, and unallowed infir- mities, we have the higheft aflurance that they fhall not be imputed ; and the mercy of God, manifefted in the death of Chriil, is the great confirmation of our hopes : But to carry our confidence further, and to expert the forgivenefs of the fins in which we ob- ftinately perfift, becaufe he died for usy and gave full fatisfaBion for our offences^ is to make him the miniller of fin.
I conclude with an exhortation, always to preferve a facred regard to confcience : See- ing its approbation is of fo vaft moment, ,the only ground upon which we can affure our hearts before God, we fhould pay a fubmif- five refped to its dilates, and maintain its rights inviolable, for they are the rights of its 2:reat and fole Lord. We fhould always
hear
Cojifidence io'wardsGDdj explained. 369
hear, its voice againll: any thing that maySERM» come in competition with it, whether the XIV. perfuafion or authority of men^ or our own paffions, worldly interefls, and felfilli trfiec- tions : If we do not follow its.diredio!i in our conduct, we cannot hops for its' approving teftimony upon a review of it. It is true you will be even in this method liable to miftakes, and fo you will in every method you can take, for infallibility is not the pri- vilege of the human underflanding * but al- ways fludy fincerity, that is, be diligent and unprejudiced in your inquiry, that you may know your duty, and impartially follow the beft judgment you can make. This will fupply the want of infallibility to the pur- pofe of our acceptance with ttiat, equitable judge,' who hath himfelf fo framed our na- ture, that it is the very beft way we can ad:.
The doiftrines of the gofpel canccrnrng the free Grace of God and the dea.th of Chrill, may then be improved to our ponfolation ; we have entrance with boldnefs into the divine prejence by the blood p/.J-eJ us ^ if we draw near with a true hearty in the a'ffura?ice of faith ^ having our hearts (pri?ik!ed frojfi an evil cmfciencc^ and our bodies wajhed with pure water ^ Heb. x. 22.
Vol. III. Bb S E R-
[ 370 ]
SERMON XV.
Walking by Faith, not by Sight, explained and recommended.
, . , . , , . . . .— — ^— — —
2 CORINTHIANS V. 7.
For we walk by faith not by fight,
THERE is nothing more becoming fuch reafonable creatures as we are, than upon mature deliberation to fix fome certain principle as a general rule whereby to govern our lives, and conflantly to adhere to it. The leaft attention to what pafTeth in our own minds, will convince us that there are various fprings of aflion in them ; we have afFedtions, appetites, and paflions, of different tendencies, and which deter- mine us to the purfuit of different obje<fls, as much fo as heaven and earth, as fpirit and body, as the improvement of know- ledge and the gratification of fenfe, as the mental pleafures which arife fi'om moral good, and the low enjoyments which are common to men and brutes. But every
man,
Walking by Faith ^ not by Sight, &c. 371
man, who thinketh at all, muft fee that the Serk. true perfe<i.tion of his nature doth not con- XV. Jfift in, and his higheft happinefs doth not depend upon, the gratifying without any controul or reftraint every inclination or dc* fire which happeneth to arife in him. There is an order eftablifhed by the Author of our being, that the true ends of it may be ob-* tained ; there muft be harmony, otherwife the human conflitution is an unfinifhed piece, not like the other works of God> which hive all of them the plain charaders of wife dellgn appearing in their beautiful union, the parts, howevcrvario us, being m\i~ tually related to each other, and all agree-* ing in one common end. Now, if there is order and harmony intended originally in the frame of our minds, and if it be neceflary to the defign of our being and the higheft enjoyment we were made for,- there muft be government; a fiibordination of fomc afFedlion-s to others, fo as the former fliall be gratified only by the permifTion of the latter; all the atflive powers muft be under a law to exert themfelves only in fuch a manner, atid to fuch a degree, as one go~ verning principle direcfteth. Of this we hav<^ a plain and fufficient evidence in ourfelves, namely, that we cannot allow an unreftrain- Bb2 c<i
372 Walking hy Faith ^ not by Sight ^
S E R M. ed indulgence of every inclination or appetite
XV. with the approbation of our own minds. We can never be happy in any thing while we are uneafy in ourfelves, I mean, while pain and difcontent arife from a review of our own actions; but this is unavoidable when we ad: contrary to our fenfe of moral good and evil : Now, it is the firft law of our nature,, that we fliould be juftified to ourfelves, which we can never be, without fubjecfting all our defires and adive powers to con- fcience.
Still it is to be remembered that we are voluntary Agents, and as fuch muil purfue the ends of our being -, our happinefs and the perfe(Stion of our nature refult from the actions which we chufe to do, indeed, they alone are properly our adions j ive are not like maay other creatures, which necelTarily, and without any adivity of theirs, fulfil what is called the law of their nature, but fuch is our conftitution, that the ends of it can only be attained by the exercife of our liberty, and by an adive obedience to the laws which God hath given us. We are not under a necelfity of ading according to the diredion of every inftind in our na- ture, but find in ourfelves a power of fufpend- ing the execution of v/hat we are prompt- ed
exphi lied and recommended. 373
ed to, and of deliberating, that we may S e r m. freely do what to our own underllandings XV. appeareth in the whole to be bcft. Thij (lieweth the advantage of what I mentioned at firft, fome certain principle fixed as a ge- neral rule whereby to govern our lives : To run haftily into every adion or courfe of a(5tion to which we are prompted, is un- worthy of intelligent beings, for the reafons already inlinuated j to go through the pro- grefs of a laborious inquiry upon every- par- ticular cafe, without having any fettled maxim, to which we may appeal and be determined by it, would embarrafs our un- derftandings, and involve them in perplex- ing difficulties ; whereas to have an invari- able rule ready at hand with which we can compare every point we are confidering^ leads to a juft and eafy decifion: la fadt, it may be truly faid in fome fenfe> that every man doth fo condudl himfelf, whether he attendeth to it or not ; he hath either a, principle, or fome prejudice that hath the force of a principle, which guldeth his whole courfe. What multitudes of man- kind are there, who being accuftomed to an uncontrouled gratification of their appe- tites and pafhons, or having learned from their childhood, and merely from the exr B b 3 smpk
374 Walking by Faith ^ not by Sights
'S E R M. ample of others, a certain manner of ading, XV. go on in the fame beaten track without ever enquiring into the grounds of it ; and thefe habits and prejudices are as a law which con- tinually diredeth them. Others more wifer ly confider the reafons of their condudt, and have certain principles upon careful exr amination approved to their own minds, to which they refer their meafures as to a fettled rule which conftantly determinet^ them.
The apoflle in the text mentioneth two principles of operation in the human mind, diredly oppofite to each other ; the one he rejedeth, the other he declareth to be the eftablillied rule by which he conduced his own life, and indeed, the common rule of chrifiians ; we walk by faithy itot by fight. In the preceding part of this chapter he treateth of the glorious hopes in a future flate which we have by Jefus Chrift, which he carrieth io far as to a full afliirance that whcfi the earthly houfe of thh taberfiacle^ that is, this frail mortal body, JImll he dif- fohedy we fhall have a building of God^ an hoife not made with hands ^ eternal in the heavens. The efFedl which this expectation produced was a mofl: earneft and folicitous defire of that eternal happinefs which was
to.
explamcd and recommended. 27 S
to be confummated at the refurre(5tion of Serm. the dead j and a confidence, as he calleth XV. it, or a firm and fteady refolution of ad- hering inviolably to his duty, whatever temp- tations or difficulties he might be expofed to. St. P^t^l for himfelf was refolved though be knew that bojids and afflidlions did abide him, to perfevere in propagating chriftianity, and endeavouring to make converts to it ; and other chriflians are, at all hazards, to be jledfafi and umnoveable, abounding in the work of the Lord, making it their chief fludy, while they are in the body, and when they depart from it, to be accepted of the Lord. The animating fpring of this fleady refolution and uniform tenor of con- verfation i^ faith, or a firm afFedlionate per- fuafion concerning the great principles of religion, the being, the attributes, and pro- vidence, of the invifible God, the reality and excellence of piety and virtue, and the truth of the gofpel motives, particularly the future flate of rewards and punifhments ; I fay, it is t\\\s faith, as in oppofition to fight ^ which hath a quite contrary tendency, or the rafti and hafly judgment of the mind con- fining its views to fenfible obie(5ts, and the prefent vifible appearance of things.
Bb 4.
I ihaU
376 Walking by Faithy not by Sight,
Serm. I fhall in the following difcourfe diilin<fl- XV. ly confider thcfc tvyo cpjitrary principles of . adion, fight anci faiths by which, I hope, we fliall fei; tlje reafonabknefs and excel- lency of the religious, or the chriftian, life conduced by the latter principle, and be de- termined to chufe it ', at the fame time we may be able to form a true judgment con- cerning the character of our own converfa° tion.
Firfty Let us confider what it is to walk by fight : As walking in the proper and li- teral fenfe is a voluntary motion, it fignifieth here, and in the ufual flile of the fcriptures, ordering the courfe of our voliintary and de- liberate adtions. As we are confcious of our being free agents, whofe works depend up- on our. own choice, the quellion is, what guide we ihall follow in them? That which is the moft obvious, and firfl occurreth tQ our minds, tbe apoftle here calieth Jight, the knowledge conveyed to us by our fenfes, and the views we Jiave of the external ilate of things in this world. Every man knoweth his prefent conflitution to be fuch, that a multitude of outward fenfible objeds make ftrong imprefiions on his mind : The ideas of them are conveyed by various ave-
nues_,
explained and recommmded. 377
npcs, and defires and averfions are excited S e R M. by them, which prompt him to a(5tion, lie X^» hath appetites which inchne him without any refledion at all, to eat, and drink, and enjoy other fcnfual plcafures j he hath pain- ful fcnfations, which determine him to avoid fome things as hurtful ; and the uneafy ap- prehenlions of danger whereby he is excited to lliun it and provide for his fafety. Thefe and fuch hke inftinds or determinations of nature belonging to the animal life, are the firil: fprings of adion which we perceive in purfelves, and they continue to have an in^ iluence on us through the whole of our pre- fent flate J not as principal or the governing part of our conftitution, for the attentive mind will difcern in itfelf higher capacities and affedions, which juftly claim the domi- nion over its adive powers; but fome of degenerate mankind are fo far loft to a fenfe of the dignity and privileges of their beings as to fubjed themfelves to the aifedions of the animal nature, as if there were nothlns: more noble in them than the brutes : In this criminal, which the brutes are not, that they voluntarily difhonour their fuperior con- dition, and degrade thofe excellent powers with which God has diftinguiftied them. J'his is what God pronounced concerning
^he
378 , Walking by Faith, not by Sight,
Serm. thegrofHy corrupted human race, whom he ^^' therefore deftroyed with a flood, Ge?t. vi. 3. that they were flefi ', their minds fo carnal, and thereby their manners fo depraved, that they were become unfit for that rank in his creation, which he had appointed for them. This is the very lowed fenfe of walking by light, and yet fo prevalent it is in fome men, and fo governeth their difpofitions, as to form their temper and true charader. The Epicurean philofophy, ignorant of God, and deftroying all the principles of religion, placed the chief good of man in pleafure ; and to a vicious tafte, the pleafures of the external fenfes are the highefl : But it pre- vaileth more in the affections of many men than in their fpeculations, and the language of their hearts is truly expreffed by the apoflle, I Cor. xv. 32. Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. Let us prefer ve our- felves as long as we can in the free enjoy- ment of all the pleafures of the animal life, for when we die there is an end of us and all our enjoyments for ever ; In like manner Solomon reprefenteth EccL xi. 9. the fpirit and fixed ruling inclination of the licentious youth, to walk in the way of his hearty and the fight of his eyes, without con- sidering that for all this God will bring him
intQ
explahied and recommended. 379
into judgment. Nay, the fame author feems, S e r M. by way of penitential confeflion, to fpeak XV. of himfelf as far gone in the fame profligate temper, chap. ii. 10. Whatfoever mine eyes defiredy I kept not from them : I with-held not my heart frojn any joy : What can this mean but that he did not check any of his inclinations ? He had no rule over his own fpirit^ his appetites and paflions j but grati- fied every defire which was excited by his fcnfes, which is to walk by fight in the "worft manner, as the moll voluptuous men do 3 who, as the apofile faith, Titus m. 3. Are foolijh^ difobedienty and deceived^ Jerv- ing divers lufls and pleafures.
2.dlyy Another fort of converfatlon, not io grofily fenfual, may be comprehended in walking by fight : Every one knows that the human life is diftino-uifhcd from that of all other living things, with great advantages and ornaments, befides thofe which arife di- rectly from the purely intelle6lual and moral capacities ; tho' thefe capacities themfelves, joined as they arc in man to the fenfitive life, raife it to a perfection which it could never rife to without them : It is eafy to dif- cern what an addition both of beauty v^nd happinefs, reafon, and the focial virtues
bring
380 Walking by Faiths not. by Sights
Serm. bring to our prefent ftate of being, which
XV. othervvife it could not be capable of^ but, I fay, abflrading from the higheft ufes of feafon and moiuiity, which make the mofl important difference between man and the reft of the animal kinds, there are other powers in the human nature which fet our condition far above all the brutal fpecies. Men have large comprehenfive imaginations, which afford them a vafl variety of agree- able entertainment ; a fenfe of natural beauty in the contemplation of objeds which conti-- nually occur to them, and whence they leara to divcrfify the pleafures of life by producflions of their own art in imitation of nature : Aa ability of communicating their fentiments, and thereby mutual aid and comfort to one another by fpeech ; 4 fenfe and a defire of honour and; approbation from each other, which, not to mention any relation it hath to virtue, the highefl perfection and im^. provement of human nature, and thegreateft; ornament of human life^ yieldeth a delight to the mind, far fuperior to any we have by external fenfes, and produceth eiFedls very ad^ vantageous tq fociety. : In thefe refpedls the life of man hath a great pre-eminence above die beafts; it is rendered much more ele-* gant as well. as. hiippy > and its fphere both 2 cf
explaified and recommended. . . ''^%i of adlion and enjoyment greatly enlarged, Serm. though ftlll far (hort of the excellence which XV. might be attained by -the d'ueufe of our high- eft capacities. Now, how many are there of mankind who form their fchemes For life, and take the meafures of .'their condud:, by no higher principle ? Solomon is an eminent example, who giveth this account of him- felf in the days of Jiis vanity, ILccJef, ii. froni the 4th verfe, I made me'greai/uborhy Ihuild* ed houfeSy I plttnted 'vineyardsy 1 made gar deiis and orchards,' Md planted trees in them of all kinds of frtii'ts. . X made po'oh-of water to water therewith the wood that bring^th' forth trees, I got jfie fer'vdnts and ?naldem, and had fer- va?2ts born in my houfe ; alfo I had great P^JPJpo?is of great and fmall cattle, I ga^ thered me cilfo flher and gold, and the pe^ culiar treafiire of kings and of the proijinces : I got me men fngcrs and women fingers, and the delights of the fins oj inen, as mufical 'iti* firuments of all Jorts, How many would think themfelves happy, snd their enjc>y- ments of life complete, in fach a fituati'on ? But that wife king, reflecting maturely upon it, pronounces all to be vanity and vexation of fpirit ; furely we may iay, that being wholly confined to the prefent ftatc, and
abftraa:-
382 Walking hy Faith, not hy Sighi^
S E R M. abflrading from all regard to religion, and XV. all profpeds in another world, it is walk* ing not by faith, but by fight.
'^dly^ Befides the defires originally plant- ed in our nature, which have been already mentioned, to objeds introduced by the ex- ternal or internal fenfes, and which are a very powerful principle of operation in our minds ; befides thefe, I fay, there are fecondary in- clinations to thofe things, which are con- iidered as the means of obtaining the grati- fication of our primary defires ; and the converfation or courfe of deliberate adion, which is formed or diredled by them, is alfo comprehended in walking by fight. One who hath lived any time in the world muft have obferved, that riches and power are ordinarily neceffary to acquire and fecure the poffeflion of worldly enjoyments ; therefore proportionably to the degree in which thofe enjoyments are valued, and the earneflnefs with which they are purfued, the means of them are alfo fought after. Every one mud be fenfible with what eagernefs men labour for riches and power, and how great a fhare the acqiiifition of them hath in the bufinefs of life 5 it is for this they rife early
and
exphi'med and rccG?mn ended, 383
and fit up late, and eat the bread of forrows j S e r M. for this they fubmit to incefTant toil, and, XV. generally fpeaklng, the more fuccefsful they are, ftill they become the more folicitous, and the more diligent. And it is as plain that thefe lufts ruling in the human mind corrupt it, and direding the general tenor of a man's life they form a charadler con- trary to what St. Paul^ in the text, claimeth for himfelf and his fellow difciples of Chrift, rejoicing in it, and to what he elfewhere calleth a converfation in heaven. The ten- dency and the effed: of them rifeth no high- er than ,this prefent world, and they termi- nate not in the rational and virtuous, but in the merely animal life ; as the apoftle John in other words explaineth the fame doc- trine, the lujl of the eyes, and the pride of life, that is, the prevailing defire of wealth, and of power, and honour, is the love of the worldy inconfiftent with the love of the fa- ther, or pure and lincere religion. Not but wealth and power may be improved to the purpofes of piety and virtue, and for that end, may be lawfully, if they be mode- rately, delircd and purfued -, indeed it is from this capacity that they derive their beft ap- pearance, and the chief pretence by which the profecution of them is juftified to the
mind
3 §4 Walking by Paifhy not by Sights
S ERM. mind itfelf. But when religion is made little
XV. more than a pretence, and the heart is con* fcioos to itfelf that the other ufes of worlds ly emoluments are principal in its view, and the ruling motives to its defigns, and its di- ligence are taken from them, fuch a walk may be juftly faid, to be by fight^ and not by faith 3 and this is the true character of all our defigns aftd endeavours, whether for ourfelves or others, which ukimately termi- nate in jthe prefent fl.ate»
I come now, in tht fecond-^iAct^ to cdn- fider the diredlly oppofite principlcj that is^ Jaith, which giveth a quite diiferent turn to the temper and converfation of men, and v/hlch the apoflle reprefenteth as the ani- mating and governing principle of his own life, and the lives of all fincere chriftians j ive "walk by faith, not by fght. No one that readeth the New Teflament can be ignorant of its laying great flrefs on believ- ing as abfolutely Kf-cefTary to our accep- tance with God, and as the great principle of religion. Chriflianity itfelf, or the gofpel ' fcheme, as in oppofition to the law of Mofes, IS called faith, by the obedience of which men are juftified 3 plainly intimating, that not the -'performance of external rites' and
cere-
explained dfid recommended. 3 S ^
ceremonies will recommend them to the fa- Se rm. vour of God, but an afFeftionate pcrfuafion Jj^ concerning the fundamental dodrines after godlinefs, producing fuitable difpofitions of mind, and a fuitable praftice. But it is not merely to the truth contained in the chriftiafi revelation, or the light in which it fetteth religious doctrines, that thefe great effeds are attributed : Abraham Was juftified by faith, as well as we are ; he believed God, and it 'was counted to him for right eoufnefi ; he had a deep affeaing impreffion of the being, the per- fedion, the providence and the promifes of almighty God j and he walked before him, making his faith perfeSl by good works. And, in general, the apoftle teacheth us, Heb. xi. that without faith it is impofibk to pleafe God', for he that cometh to God, or would en- ter into a religious courfe of life, muf believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of all them who diligently feek him ; which are doc- trines not peculiar to chriftianity, but the ef- fential principles of natural religion. For un- derftanding this the better, let it be obferved,
Firft, That nothing can be more abfurd than oppofing faith to reafon ; as if it Were a blind credulity or an aflent to propofitions as true, without confidering or inquiring
Vol. III. Cc into
386 Walking by Faith, not by Sight ,
Serm. into the evidence upon which it is founded. XV. So the mind of man is fram'd, that fome ideas and perceptions do neceflarily arife in it from external objects, or by an attention to its own powers and operations. There are alfo felf- cvident truths, which we cannot help alTenting to as foon as they are intelligibly propofed. But the principles of Religion are not of this fort ; the exiftence of God himfelf^ the firfl: of them all, we have not fuch an intimate know- ledge of as we have of our own exiftence, but muft by fearching find it out, that is, colled; it by reafoning, or infer it from the exiftence of other beings, and from other truths firfl difcerned and acknowledged 5 upon this foundation the underflanding pro- ceedeth to difcover the divine attributes and works, and by confidering the relations we and other creatures fland in to God and to each other, attending at the fame time to the fcnfe of good and evil indelibly written in our hearts, we are convinced of moral obligations, and are enabled to form a fyftem of duty which is the proper guide of life. In like manner chriftianity is fo propofed to us that we may have a rational perfuafion of its truth 5 the divine Author of it and his apoftles addrelTed their dodrines to the underhand in gs of men, fapporting them
with
explained and recommended. 387
with proper arguments to induce an intelli- Serm, gent belief J fuch as the figns, wonders, and XV. divers aiiracles, which were worked for con- firming them i the evident accompllfhment of ancient prophecies in the principal fads recorded in the gofpel, which are the main articles of our faith, befides the intrinlic good- nefs of its precepts, and their perfedl agree- ablenefs to the beft fentiments oftheliuman mind : Thus God as a law-giver dealeth with us according to that conftitution of our nature, of which himfelf is the Author. Our minds are capable of no other obliga- tion with refpeft to points of belief, than to examine impartially, and without prejudice, that we may affent upon rational grounds \ and this is all he requireth. Some indeed have advanced and endeavoured to impofe upon others a quite different notion of faith, as if it were a confident perfuafion founded upon mere authority, not only without, but di- redly contrary to, reafon^ this hath had very unhappy efFecSls. The tendency of it is to turn religion into nonfenfe and abfurdity, and to prejudice men againil: it as an affront to their underflandings, only calculated for fools J and in the believers themfelves it hath produced nothing but fuperflition and enthufiafm inf^ead of a reafonable fervice. C c 2 But
388 Walking by Faith ^ not hy Sight ,
S E R M. But as the mind of man was not made for
-^V- fuch a faith, indeed duly exercifing its in- telledual powers, is not capable of it, how- ever fome, by llrong prejudices and ftupid thoughtlefFnefs, may get into a confufed no- tion which they call believing ; fo let us never imagine that it is countenanced by the fcriptures, which are written for ivife meriy and able to judge what is f aid. Particularly, the faith which the apoftle fpeaketh of in the text, and by which he and other chri- ftians walked, is oppofed to fight or fenfe, hot to reafon, of which it is the noblefl ufe and improvement j and the obedience of faith is refignation, not of our underftand- ings, but of prejudices and corrupt affec- tions,
2dly^ It is abfolutely neceffary that the great effential principles of religion, both natural and revealed, be duly attended to, and maturely confidered, that they may have their proper effed. It is not enough that we have been once fully fatisfied con- cerning the truth of them, and given our affent even upon the moft juft and rational foundation ; they muft be frequently re- viewed, and made the fubjedt of our de- figned and deliberate meditation, in order to their having a fuitable influence on our
temper
/)
explabied and rccomnwided. 389
temper and pradllce ; for they do not ope- S e r m. rate like the ideas of feniible objedls, which XV. immediately and neceillirily excite defire, and prompt to ad:ion, but by calm and attentive refled:ion they enter into the heart, and cap- tivate the aiFcdions. Experience fheweth, that the mofl important truths, even known and believed, often lie dormant in the mind like points of ufelefs fpeculatidn, without producing any fuch difpofitions, or fuch a converfation as they tend to j which is the cafe of the mofl abandoned and profligate finners, whofe crimes are highly aggravated by their being committed againfl: convidlion. One caufe of this furprizing appearance, fo difagreeable one would think to the confti- tution of the human nature, is flupid inat-r tention, which in many cafes, and particu-r larly in religion, hath the fame eifed that ignorance hath. As there can be no affec-^ tion to that which is altogether unknown, and confequently it cannot ingage us in any profecution j the objedt which is not attended to, is in this refpect as if it were unknown ; no deiires are excited, the mind feeth no importance in it, feeleth no attradive force. This feemeth to be the cafe of the unfruit- ful hearers of the gofpel, defcribed by our Saviour in his parable of the fower : They C c 3 hear^
390 Walking by Faith j not by Sight y
Se KM. bear, but they do 7iot underfiand y which XV. doth not proceed from an incapacity, for then it could not be imputed as a fault, but from carelefs inattention j the caufe whereof generally is, that vicious inclinations, by habitual indulgence, have got the afcendant in the heart, rendering it infenfible of the beauty and the great advantages of rehgion ; but whatever the caufe be, negledling to apply its thinking powers to the conlidera- tion of important fubje<5ls intelligibly pro- pofed, is properly the guilt and the reproach of a reafonable creature 3 and the prophet Jfaiah had reafon to call upon tranfgreflbrs X.ojlde'm themfelves men, by bringing to mind or ferioufly attending to the proper motives of action J for that is an obligation from which rational and moral agents can never difcharge themfelves. And this I take to be an elTential ingredient in the crime of unbelief, which is reprefented in the gofpel as fo heinous, and whereby fo many linners come fhort of falvation.
3 J/)', That faith may be the governing tDrinciple of our lives, it muft be rooted in the affedions as well as the underftanding, and the objects of it have the full approba- tion and confent of the mind. The leafl reflexion will enable us to diflinguifli be- tween
explaiiicd C7ict recommended. 3 9 1
tween a naked afTent to truth, and a deep Serm. afFeding imprefTion of the fubjed:, as of the XV. higheft dignity and worth, or of the utmoft confequence to ourfelves ^ the former, be it ever fo firm, frequently reviewed, and care- ililly attended to, hath no influence at all on the fprings of adion : Thus we know there are many fpeculative truths difcovered by dihgent obfervation and abftrad reafon- ing, mofl certainly believed, and very en- tertaining to the mind, which yet have no relation to, nor any effect on practice j but there are certain inftindlis or determinations in cur nature, which fet all its adive powers a-work, and without firft moving them, no objedt can have any fliare in determining our condudl, or can engage our purfuit, what- ever light it may appear in to the under- flanding. There is a determination in the human mind to approve of moral excellence, and affections to it are a part of our confti- tution i felf-love alfo is infeparable from our nature; but neither of thefe operateth ne- ceflarily in the bell manner, and to their producing their proper and regular cffed?. The objects mull be fet in a juft light, which is the province of faith : We cannot help approving moral rectitude and goodnefs when it is fairly reprefcnted 3 but it is in C c 4 our
392 Walking by Faith , not by Sight ^
Serm. our power, by inveterate prejudices, to vi-
JCV". tiate our tafte, and even harden our hearts into ari jnfenfibility of the beauty ofholinefs. In like manner it is impoflible to extinguifti the defire of happinefs ; but jt is pofHble, and indeed too ufual, to pervert and mif- apply it, fo as to prefer trifles to things of the greateft moment, and, inftead of a wife at- tention to our true jnterelt, to purfue low and tranfitory enjoyments, as if the whole of man, the all of his happinefs, confifled in them j which proceedeth not from want of felf-love, but mifplacing it j and through 'the influence of corrupt partial afl^ed:ion misjudging the means whereby our true hap- pinefs is to be attained. Upon the whole, then, the true notion of faith, as a principle to walk by, is compleated in thefe three articles, a right undcrflanding of religious truths, thofe, I mean, which are efl^ential and diredly tend to a good life, an attentive confideration of them, and receiving them in love. This faith is a moral virtue, in- deed the root of all moral virtues 3 fo it is always reprefented in fcripture, and fo it is properly injoined as the refult of all our mo- ral obligations : For as the due exercife of our rational powers will directly lead us to the knowledge and belief of the great fun-
dam.ental
cxplai7ted and recommended, 395
damcntal principles of religion, and nothing Serm. can be more apparently our duty, as men, XV. than to apply our minds to the ferious con- fideration of them, fo the affedtions planted in our hearts will even naturally terminate on them, as excellent in thcmfelves, and of the greateft importance to our happinefs, if the courfe of thcfe affe(5tions be not wilfully and obftinately obftrudted by violent con- traded prejudices and prepofTeflions.
Having nov/ finilhed the explication which I propofed of thefe two diredtly oppofite principles, faith and fight, I leave it to yourfelves to judge which is the more reafonable and becoming you. In govern- ing ourfelves, and taking the meafures of our condudl by the one, that is, fight, we only provide for the lower part of our na- ture, and for a very ihort duration j all our cares are employed about the enjoyments of the body, of the fenfes, and the imagina- tion, of a tranfitory life which is but the in- fancy of our being j the fuperior powers of our minds are negleded, or not exercifed in a proper manner, and to anfwer the ends they were defjgned for. What a difparage- ment is it to reafon, capable of difcerning fubllme truths, and entertaining the mind with high pleafure, to be ufed wholly in :^ the
394 Walking by Faiths not by Sights
SERM.the fervice of this animal life and its inte-
XV. refls ? And how deplorable is the condition of the human heart, when its beft affedlions, capable of yielding the nobleft enjoyment, are altogether uncultivated and unexercifed ? How unworthy of an immortal fpirit are the views of the men who walk by fight ? the men whofe profpeds do not reach be- yond the limits of this fliort and uncertain life ? One would think a regard to the dig- nity of our nature, and the rank it holdeth in the creation, fhould raife a refentment againft fuch difhonour done to it. Hath God allied us to the world of fpirits, and made us capable of contemplating the no- bleft objed:s, even himfelf, and of being like him, which the fcripture calls partak- ing of a divine nature ; and fhall we chufe to confine our views to this earth, and to have our portion in it ? Let us at leaft wifely confider where our true interefl lieth, and what is the courfe of life in which we may expedl the greateft happinefs. It is impof- fible, if we would, to extinguilL the powers of reafon and confcience altogether -, if we do not fuffer them to reign, they will at leaft reproach us for the indignity done them, fo feverely, as to pall the pleafures of life, and make us feel the moft bitter and 2 inward
explained and recommended, 39^
inward pains, which Solomon calleth wounds Serm. of the jpirit^ and faith, 7io man can bear XV. them. And as we cannot help having anxi- ous foreboding thoughts of futurity, no man can fatisfy his mind, upon rational evidence, that he fliall not fubfiil in another flate after this life is ended j what defence is there againfl: the difmal apprehenfions of unhap- pinefs in it ? So that our condition in walk- ing by fight, is both mean and mifcrable. But faith exalteth the human nature, and raifeth it to the divine likenefs ; it enlargeth the intellectual powers, entertaining them with obje<fls which, though unfeen, are cer- tain, and of the moft tranfcendent excel- lence, fuch as God himfelf, the beauty of holinefs, and the glories of another world ; it is the fubftance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not feen 3 maketh the invifible Deity, with all his amiable per- fe(5lions, intimately prefent to the mind, the fubjedl of its mofl affed:ionate and delightful contemplations ; and it is fully convinced, not in the way of an enthufiaftic wilful per- fuaflon, or fuperftitious bigottry, but by a calm attentive confideration of rational evi- dence ; the mind, I fay, is fully convinced that there is an important reality in the hap- pinefs of good men in a future ftate 5 upon
this
396 Walking by Faith, not by Sight,
Serm. this foundation faith elevateth the affedtions
XV. to divine things, it exciteth fervent defires to the perfedion of virtue, producing an in- violable refolution to purfue it conftantly as the greatell good of man j it fupporteth the mind under all difficulties, and enableth it to refift and to conquer temptations, and giveth an heavenly turn to the temper and the whole converfation, v^^hich is formed upon the motives of religious virtue, parti- cularly the hope of feeing God hereafter more perfed:ly than he can be feen now, and being fully fatisfied with his likenefs.
If there be fuch aa excellence in faith, if it fo improveth the powers of the believing mind, and exalteth its condition, how much are we indebted to the mercy of God for the chriftian revelation ? The principal ob- jecfls of faith are the being, the perfecflions, and counfels of God towards men, and that he Is a rewarder of them who diligently feek him. Thefe points are clearly difcovered in the gofpel : A^^ man hath feen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bofom of the Father, he hath declared him, John i. 18. And he hatb brought life and immortality to light through the gofpel. If therefore we have embraced this revelation upon a full convidion of its truth and divine
authority.
eicplaitied and recommended. ^ 97
authority, it may be reafonably expeded we S e R m* fhould do 7nore than others ; that our affec- XV. tionsjlmdd be fet on things above ^ that being renewed i?i the fpirit of our minds, ivefioidd prove ivhat is the good, and acceptable, and perfect ivill of God, and that we fhould live, as the apoftle faith he did, Gal. ii. 20. by the faith of the fon of God, that is, order our whole converfation conformably to his do(5lrine.
In concluiion, let us every one for our- felves judge whether we walk by faith or fight, or what is the true charadler of our temper and converfation. One would think it fhoi>ld not be very difficult for men to know the governing principle of their own adlions ; what are the motives which ge- nerally influence them, and the views they habitually and uniformly purfue ; yet fo it is, that many deceive themfclves in this im- portant matter j they are confcious of be- lieving the truths of religion, and pay fome re- gard to it in practice, at leaft, fo far as to attend its pofitive inftitutions, and abflain from grofs a6ts of impiety, at the fame time their affec- tions to things on earth are very ftrong, and they have a principal fhare in their purfuit. I hope what hath been faid may affift us in determining this point, if we are difpofcd
to
39^ Walking by Faith y not by Sight, &c.
Serm. to examine impartially. Do the objeds of XV. faith engage our attention, and have they the afcendant in our hearts above all others ? Are the things of the world, the pleafures of fenfe, riches, and honours, purfued in fubordination to them ? Are virtue know- ledge, temperance, patience, godlinefs, and charity added to our faith ? And doth it produce the works of righteoufnefs habitu- ally in our lives ? For by them it is that faith is made perfedl ? If it be fo, we are in Chrifi Jefus^ and Jh all be accepted as lieirs according to the hope of eternal life*
^he End of the Third Volu me.
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I. 'nr^ H Y, Works of the Learned Ifdnc BarroWy J[ 1^- I^« late Mafter of rrinity-College, Cajn- bricl^e ; being all his Evglijh Works. The 5th Edit, In 3 vol. Containing, in Vol. I. thirty two Sermons preached upon fe\ oral Occafions j a brief Expolition of the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, Decalogue, and the J)odrinc of the Sacraments 5 a lYeatife of the Pope's Supremacy ; and a Difcourfe on the Unity of the Church. Vol. IL Thirty-four Sermons, and Expo- fitions upon all the Articles in the Apoftles Creed. Vol. in. Fcrty-five Sermons upon feveral Occafions ; with Tables of Contents to each Volume. The Whole publiflied by his Grace Dr. John Tilktfon^ late Archbifliop of Canterbury. To which is prelixed fome Account of the Life of the Author.
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III. Matho : or, The Ccfmotheoria Puerilis. A Dia- logue. In which the tirit Principles of Philofophy and Aftronomy are accommodated to the Capacity of young Perfons ; or fuch as have yet no Tincfture of thefe Sciences. Hence the Principles of Natural Religion are deduced. In 2 vols. The 2d Edition. To which is added an Index.
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, • V. An yippendix 16 the Firft Part of the Enqulr)'
0^ into the Nature of the Human Soul, wherein the
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VI. The Hijiory of the Propagation of Chrijlianityy and the Overthrow of Paganifm. Wherein the Chrijlian Religion is confirmed ; the Rife and Progrefs of Heathenilh Idolatry is confidered ; the Overthrow of Paganifm, and the fpreading of Chriftianity, in the feveral Ages of the Church, is explained ; the prefent State of the Heathens is enquired into ; and Methods for their Converfion propofed. In 2 vols. The Third Edition correded, with Editions. By Robert Millar, A. yi.^-The BiJJ)Op of London, in his Pajio- ral Letters, p. 133. recommends this Book as written by a faithful and judicious Hand.
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