XVII
SERMON
O N
Several Occafions
9
PARTICULARLY .-^^^
Of the Great Duty of Uni- Of the Original df Sin and
verfal Love and Charity.
Of the Government of PafTion.
Difcourfes upon Occafion of
the PLAGUE.
Of St PITER being the Rock
on which CHRIST built
his Church.
Of the Faith of ABRAHAM.
Of CHRIST being the Bread
of Life.
Miiery.
Of Eleftion and Reprobation
being a Paraphrafe on
ROM. ix.
The PRESENT Life a State of
PROBATION in order to a
Future Life.
That CHRIST'S Admonitions
to his Apoftles, belong
univerfally to allChriilians.
S A MU EL CLARKE, D. D. Rcdor of
St James's Weftmmfler.
LONDON:
Printed by J^il/iam Botkai», for J A. NIKS KM APT ON,
at the Cro-jjn in St Paul's Chare h-Yard. MDCCXXIV.
I t
CONTENTS.
S E R M. I. The Great Duty of univerfal
Love and Charity. Preached before
theQjJEEN, 1)ec. 30., 1705.
i JOHN IV, 21.
And this Commandment have we from
him, that he who loveth God, love
his Brother alfo.
Page i
S E R M. II. Preached at the Funeral of
Mary Lady Cooke. Off. n, 1709.
2 C O R. V, 8.
We are confident? I fay, and willing ra
ther to be abfentfrom the Body, and to
beprefent with the Lord. 5 1
S E R M. III. Preached on the Thankfgi-
ving-Day before the Honourable Houfe
of Commons. Nov. 22, 1709.
PSALM L, 23.
Whofo offer eth Traife, glorifes me ;. and
A i t9
CONTENTS.
to him that order eth his Converfation
aright y will I flew the Salvation of
God. 54
S E R M. IV. Preached before the
QJJ E E N, on the Anniverfary of her
Acceflion, Mar eh 8, 1709-10.
2CHRON. XXXI, 21.
And in every Work that he began in the
Service of the Houfe of God, and in
the Law, and in the Commandments
to feek his God, he did it 'with all his
Hearty and fr offer d. 85
S E R M. V. Preach'd on the Thankfgi-
ving-Day, at St James's Weftminfiery
Nov. 7, 1710.
P S A L. CXLV, 2.
Every day will I blefs thee, and I will
fraife thy Name for ever and ever.
S E R M. VI. The Government of
on. Preached before the Q^ u E E N,
January 7th, 1710-11.
EPHES IV, 26.
Be ye Angry, and, S'm not. 13$
SERM.
CONTENTS.
S E it M, VII. A Sermon preached on the
Faft-Day for befeeching God to prefervc
us from the ¥ /ague. ^Dec. 16, 1720.
ISAIAH XXVI, 9, latter part.
When thy Judgments are in the Earth*
the Inhabitants of the World will learn
Right eoufnefs. 156
S E R M. VIII. Preached on the Faft-Day
for befeeching God to preferve us from
^Dec. 8, 1721.
LUKE XIII 5 2, 3.
And Jefus anfwering faid unto them :
Suppofe ye that thefe Galileans 'were
Sinners above all the Galilaans, be-
caufe they fuffered fuch things ? I tell
youy Nay 5 but except ye repent, yeftall
all likeivife perift. 179
S E R M. IX. Preached on the Day of
Thankfgiving to God for preferving us
from the ^Plague. April 25,1723.
MATT. XXIV, 7.
For Nation flail rife againfl Nation, and
Kingdom againfl Kingdom : And there
fhall be Famine s^ and *Peftilences, and
Earthquakes in divers f I aces. 199
SERM.
CONTENTS.
S E R M. X. Of St 'Peter being the Rock
on which Chrift built his Church.
Preached March 31, 1717.
MATT. XVI. 18.
And I fay alfo unto thee, that Thou art
Teten and upon This Rock I will
build my Church, and the gates of
Hell flail not prevail againfl it. 219
S E R M. XL Of the Faith of Abraham.
Preached March 23, 1718.
GEN. XV. 6.
And he Believed in the Lord, and he
counted it to him for Right eoufnefs.
239
SERM. XII. Of Chrift's being the
Bread of Life. Preached May 3,
1719.
JO H. VI. 35-
Jefus faid unto them, I am the bread of
Life. He that cometh to Me, flail
never hunger-, and he that believeth
on Me, {ball never thirfl. 259
S E R M.
CONTENTS.
SERM. XIII, XIV. Of the Original of
Sin and Mifery. Preached *Dec. 15
& 22, 1723.
E C CL E S. VII i 29.
Lo, This only have I found, that God
hath made Man upright $ but They
have fought out many Inventions.
279, 301
SERM. XV. Of Ele&ion and Reproba
tion. Being a Paraphrafe on Rom. ix-
Preached *Dec. 29, 1723.
ROM. IX. 23, 24.
And that he might make known the
Riches of his Glory on the Veffels of
Mercy, which he had afore prepared
unto Glory : Even Us whom he hath
called, not of the Jews only, but alfo
of the Gentiles. 329
SERM. XVI. The Trefent Life, a State
of Probation in order to a future
Life. Preached Feb. 2, 1723-4.
LUKE. XVI, 12.
And if ye have not been Faithful in
That which is Another ^naris, who
{hall
CONTENTS,
jhall give you That which is your
own?
SERM. XVII. That Chrift's Admoniti
ons to his Apoftles, belong univerfally
to all Chriftians. Preached Feb. itf,
1723-4-
LUKE XVII, 37.
And they anjwered andfaid unto him:
Where, Lord? Andhefaidunto them,
Wkerefoever the Body is, thither will
the Eagles be gathered together. 377
S E R M-
The Great T>uty of Univerfal L O VE
and CHARITT.
SERMON
Preach'd before the
Q_U E E N,
A T
St J^MES's CHAPEL,
On Sunday ^Decemb. the 3 oth, 1705.
fuklifh'd by Her MAJESTIES Special Command.
i J O H N IV, 21.
And Ms Commandment have we front
him, that he who loveth God, love
his Brother alfo.
TH E true End and Defign of Serm.I
Religion, is manifeftly this 3
to make Men wifer and bet
ter 5 to improve, exalt, and
perfed their Nature ; to teach them to
B obey,.
2 The Great WTT of
Scrm.I. obey, and love, and imitate God ; to
caufe them to extend their Love and
Goodnefs and Charity to all their Fel
low-Creatures, each in their feveral Sta
tions, and according to the Meafure of
their fever al Abilities ; in like manner
as the univerfal Goodnefs of God, ex
tends it fclf over all his Works through
the whole Creation: And to oblige them
to govern the Paffions of their Mind, with
Moderation ; and the Appetites of their
Body, with Temperance. This is plain
ly the chief End and Defign of true Re
ligion. And whoever ads contrary to
all or any of thefe great Rules, by wil
fully difhonouring God, by hating his
Brother, or by abufing and corrupting
himlclf ; is cither a falfe and hypocriti
cal Profeilbur of the Truth, if he does
thefe things in Contradiction to the
plain Rules, and in Defiance of the Laws
of his Religion ; or elfe the Religion
which he profcfies, is itfelf a falfe and
corrupt Religion, if he does any of
thefe things in Compliance with the
Principles, and by Permiilion of the
Laws thereof. The Religion of the
Church of Rome, is therefore a falfe and
corrupt Religion 5 becaufe, as it difho-
nours God by mixing Idolatry with Di
vine Worfnip, and gives Men too much
Encou-
Univerfal LOVE and CHARITY. 3
Encouragement to corrupt Themfel-ves, Serm.I.
and to indulge their vicious Inclinations
and Habits, by allowing them, through
many Superftitious Rites, to reconcile a
wicked Life with the Hopes of Heaven 5
fo it particularly permits, nay and re
quires Men to hate and perfecute their
Brethren. And thofe whom, for want
of the Arguments of Reafon and Truth,
they are not able to convince and bring
over to their Party, they endeavour by
all the ways of Violence and Cruelty to
root out and extirpate from among Men :
As if the Religion of Chrift was intend
ed to deveft Men of common Humani
ty, and the Service and Glory of God
could in good earned be promoted by
the Deftrudion of Mankind. This is
one of the grcateft Corruptions of an
excellent Inftitution, that can be imagi
ned ; when Religion itfelf, inftead of
promoting the univerfal Peace and Hap-
pinefs and Welfare of Men, is made to
authorize fuch Praftifcs, the Prevention
whereof is manifeftly the chief and
greateft End for which Any Religion can
reafonably be fuppofed to have been in-
ftituted at all. Particular Perfons, un
der the Profellion of the beft and pureft
Religion in the World, may be led a-
way with fome Degrees of this Spirit of
B 2, Errour j
4 The Great T> UTT of
Serm.I. Errour ; through a falfe Zeal, and a mi-
ftakcn Judgment j as fome of the Apo-
files themfelves were for calling tor
Fire from Heaven upon the Samaritans
who refufed to entertain our Saviour :
But the Chriftian Religion it felf, the
pure and uncorrupted Dodrine of our
Saviour, is entirely oppofitc to this Spi
rit 5 and teaches us nothing but Love
and Peace, Mecknefs and Charity, Pati
ence and Forbearance one towards ano
ther. If a Man fay, I love God, and
hateth his Brother, he is a Liar ; For
this Commandment have we from him,
that he who loveth God, love his Bro
ther alfo.
In the following Difcourfe upon
which Words, I fhall endeavour, Fir ft,
to fhow briefly the great Obligation,
which lies upon all Men in general,
confidered as Equals, to praftife this ex
cellent Duty of Love and Mecknefs,
Patience and Forbearance one towards
another. And, Secondly, I fhall confi-
dcr fome of the principal and moft re
markable Variations of this Duty, ari-
fmg from the, different Relations and
Circumftances that Men ftand in, one
towards another.
I. As
Univerfat LOVE and CHARITY. 5
Serm.I.
I. As to the Obligation which lies up-
on all Men in general, confidcr'd as E-
quals7 to praftife this great Duty of uni-
verfal Love, Mceknefs and Charity ;
'tis evident
ijl. That, by the Original Order and
Confutation of Nature -, Men are fo
made and framed, that they neceflarily
want one another's Help and Ailiftance,
for their mutual Support and Prefer va-
tion in the World. They cannot fub-
fift, at leaft they cannot enjoy any Com
fort of Life, independently on each o-
ther; but are manifeftly fitted by the
very Frame of their Nature, to live in
Communities 5 and Society is abfolute-
ly neccflary for them 5 and the Bond of
all Society, is mutual Love, Charity
and Friendship. Now in this Refped,
all Men naturally ftand upon the fame
Level; they have All the fame natural
Wants and Defires ; they are All in the
fame Need of each other's Affiftance,
and are equally capable of enjoying the
Benefits and Advantages of Society.
Tis manifcft therefore that every Man,
as he is a Man, is bound by the Law of
his Nature, by common Humanity, to
look upon himfelf as a Part or Mem
ber of that one univcrfal Body or Com-
B 3 munity,
6 The Great T>UTT of
Serm.I.munity, which is made up of all Man-
kind 5 to think himfclf born and fent in
to the World on purpofe, to promote
the publick Good and Welfare of all his
Fellow-Creatures 5 and confequently ob
liged, as the necefifary and only effe&u-
al Means to that End, to embrace them
All with univerfal Love, Charity, and
Benevolence.
And as all Men are obliged to
this, by the necefiary Law and Con
dition of their Being, and by all the
outward Circumftances of the prefent
State, wherein God has placed them 5 io
they are alfo ftrongly prompted to it by
the natural Inclinations of their own
Minds, when not corrupted by the Pra-
ftife of Vice. For by Nature Men are
plainly dilpofed to be kind, and friend
ly, and willing to do good. Nothing
is naturally more agreeable and pleafant
to the Mind of Man, than being help
ful and beneficial one to another. And,
did they not tiiffer Covetoufnefs and
Revenge, and other foolifh and abfurd
Paffions, unreafonably to over-rule this
their natural Difpofitionj they would
univerfally enjoy the happy Fruits and
Effects of it. For even in the prefent
moft corrupt State of the World, as far
as their Vices will permit, Men ftill de-
- r*
iire
Univerfal LOVE and CHARITY. 7
fire to keep up a general Commerce and Serm.I.
Communication with each other ; they
love to increafe their Dependencies, by
multiplying Affinities 5 and to enlarge
their Friendfhips, by mutual good Offi
ces ; and to eftabliih Societies, by a
Communication of Arts and Labour and
Jnduftry. The only poilible Means of
preferving which Societies in any tole
rable and durable Manner, being the
PratUfe of mutual Love and univerfal
Charity and Benevolence 5 mows plain
ly what the Direction and Tendency of
uncorrupted Nature is.
No Man therefore can, without
tranfgrefTmg both the plain Law of his
Being, and alfo ading contrary to the
Reafon of his own Mind and the natu
ral Inclination of his uncorrupted Af-
fedtions, do willingly any Hurt or Mi£
chief to any Man : But every one is ob
liged for the publick Benefit, to endea
vour to do good to All, and to love all
Men even as himfelf. And, upon what
Occafion foever any Mifundcrftandings
or Provocations may happen to ariie, he
ought immediately to endeavour to ap-
peafe with Gentlenefs, rather than exal:
perate with Retaliations 5 and put an
End to all Differences, aftbon as poili-
bly he can. By this Means the VVorld
B 4 would
3 The Great VUTTof
Serm.I. would become as happy, as 'tis pofliblc
for Men in this prefent State of Imper-
fedion to be. And nothing hinders
Mankind from arriving actually at
this Degree of Happinefs, but moft
perverfe and moft unreafonable Ini
quity.
For, in order to bring about this great
and excellent End, viz. univerfal Love
and Friendfhip, and all the happy Effeds
and Confequences of itj nothing fur
ther is requifite, than that Men do to
Others in all Refpeds, what they would
reafonably defire that Others fhould in
like Circumftances do to Them. This
is all that is really meant by loving o-
thers as themfelves 5 And thus much
they are manifeftly obliged to, by the
plaineft Equity, and by the cleareft Rea-
fon in the World. Every Man is defi-
rous, and thinks it highly reafonable,
that Others fhould deal with Him, ac
cording to the Rules of Equity, Huma
nity, and Friendfhip 5 that they fhould
be tender of his Life, Eftate, and Repu
tation 5 that in Matters of Commerce,
they fhould treat him with Juftice, Fair-
neis and Truth 5 that in Things wherein
he (lands in Need of their Afliftance, and
has good Ground to exped it, they fhould
be willing to relieve him according to
Untverfal LOVE and CHARITY. 9
their Power ; that in cafe of Ignorance Serm. I,
or Miitake, they fliould be ready to inform
him ; and, where he has given any Of-
fenie, to ibrgive him upon his Defire
of Reconciliation. This every Man
thinks rea enable in his own Cafe^ And
therefore he is undeniably bound to
think it realbnable likewifc, when ever
it be another Mans Cafe to expeft the
like from Him. And if he docs not acl:
according to this Judgment ; he is ma-
nifeftly guilty of fuch Iniquity and Un-
righteoufnefs, as nothing but Cultom in
Wickednefs and the Number of evil Ex
amples could be able to fupport Men un
der, and harden them in the Pradife of
it, againft the Shame and Self-condem
nation of their own Minds. For, what
is in it felf fit and right to be done, eve
ry Man's own Conference plainly tells
him ; And, whenfoever he gives him felf
Time ferioufly to confider and review
his Adions, it accordingly either ap
plauds and commends him, and affords
him great Pleafure and Satisfaction,
from the Senfe of his having anfwered
the chief Ends of his Creation, and
complied with the higheft Obligations of
his Nature, in having endeavoured to
promote the univerfal Welfare and Hap-
pinefs of Mankind, by the Pratlifc of
Truth
io The Great T> UT T of
Scrm. I. Truth and Righteoufnefs, Meeknefs,
Goodnefs and charity 5 or elfe, on the
other Side, it cannot but fecretly re
proach and feverely condemn him, for
fcavingaded the contrary Part. Which
Judgment of Confcience, though Men
may indeed conceal from the World,
and diffcmble their Senfe of the Weight
of it upon their own Minds, in rcfpecl:
of their own AElions $ yet it always
difcovers it felf in the Cenfures they
pals upon the Attions of Others. For,
how much Wickednefs, and Uncharita-
blenefs, or Pride and Contentioufnefs
foever, Men can overlook in them-
fefoesi yet there is no Man, but in
judging of others, where his own In-
tereft and PafTions are not concerned,
will rightly enough diftinguifh concern
ing the Charaders of Perfons, and the
true Value of Mens Aftions ; will give
juft Applaufc and Commendation to
Men of meek and peaceable and quiet
Spirits, Lovers of Mankind, fuch as de
light to do good, and to make All about
them as eafy and happy as they can 3
and, on the contrary, will freely con
demn the Promoters of Hatred, Ani-
moftty, and Contention. All which
plainly fhows, both what the Law of
our Nature, and what the original In
clinations
Univerfal Lo v E and CHARITY. n
clinations of our Affections are, when Serm. I.
not corrupted with the Pradife of ^VNJ
Vice.
2. As all Men are obliged thus by
the ncceflary Circumftances and Con
dition of their Being, and alfo by the
original and natural Inclinations of their
own Minds, to love and to do Good
to each other, according to their feveral
Powers and Abilities : So they are ftill
further and more ftriftly obliged to the
Practife of the fame Duty, in Imitation
of the Nature, and in Obedience to the
Will and Law of God. God himfelf is i John iv,
Love, as the Apoftle ftiles him ; an in- 8*
finite and inexhauftible Fountain of ne
ver-failing Goodnefs : Who, being infi
nitely and eternally happy in the injoy-
ment of his own unfpcakable Perfecti
ons, could have no other Motive to cre
ate things at firft, but only that he
might communicate his Goodneis and
Happinefs to his Creatures ; and conti
nues to preferve them for no other
Rcafon, but that he may ftill continue
to do good to them. He maketh his Matt, v,
Sun to rife on the Evil and on the Good, 4>~-
and ftndeth Rain on the Jnft and on the
Unjuft : Giving us from Hvar^n fruit-
fill Seafons, arid filing our Hearts with '
pood and Gladntfs. Now for the lame
reafon
1 2 The Great <D UTT of
Serm. I. reafon that God does Himfelf continu-
ally delight in doing Good, and feems
always to take efpecial Pleafurc in de-
fcribing himfelf by that particular Attri
bute of Love and Goodnefs; for the
fame reafon it muft neceffarily be his
Will, that all reafbnable Creatures
fhould imitate him in that excellent
Perfection ; and, by the Praftife of mu
tual Love and Charity, permit and affift
each other to enjoy in particular thefeve-
ral Effedts and Bleflings of the Divine u-
nivcrfal Goodnefs. God cannot but be
pleafcd with Such, who endeavour to
conform themfelves to the Likenefs of
his Divine Nature, and make it their
Bufmcfs, according to the Extent of
their Power, and the Mcafurc of their
feveral Abilities, to promote the Welfare
and Happinefs of all their Fellow-crea
tures 5 in like manner as the Love and
Goodnefs and Mercy of God extends it-
felf univerfally over all his Works
through the Whole Creation. He has
given us noble Powers and Faculties on
Purpofe, to i nable us to imitate him in
the Excrcife of thefe excellent Attri
butes. He has endued us with Rcafon
and Underftanding for that very End,
that we might be able to difccrn be
tween Good and Evil, and learn to
choofe
Univerfal LOVE and CHARITY. 13
choofe the One and avoid the Other. Scrm. I*
He has implanted in our Minds fuch
Affe&ions and Di fpofitions, as naturally
incline us to be kind and friendly and
charitable one towards another. He has
fo framed and conftituted our Nature,
and fo ordered the Circumftanccs of our
prefent State, as to make Society and
Friendftnp neccflary to the Support and
Comfort of Life ; on Purpofe that Men
might be continually excrcifed in the
Praftife of thefe divine Vertucs. He has
interwoven the Interefts of Men, and
made the Happincfs of every particular
Pcrfon depend upon the Welfare of the
Publick 5 that each one, from the Senfe
of his own Wants and Exigencies,
might fee the Reafonablenefs and Ne-
ceflity of making it his principal .Eufi-
nefs to do good to others. In fine ^ he
has given us no other Way of expreilmg
fo acceptably our Love and Gratitude to
Himfelf, whom we have notfeen $ as by
Loving and doing good to our Brethren,
whom wehavefeen. For no Man hath
feen God at any Time-, But if we love
one another, hereby we know that God,
tho' invifible, yet really dwelleth in us,
and that his Love is perfected in us, and
that-x^ dwell in him and he inns, becaufe
we arc Imitators of his Nature and Parta
kers
14 The Great VUTTof
Serm.I. kers of his Spirit. And thus much is cleat
even from the bare Light of Nature it felf.
But then, $dfy, The Chriftian Religi
on carries our Obligation to the Pra&ife
of this Excellent Duty, (till much high
er. We are Now obliged to love and
to do good to one another, not only
by the Ties of common Humanity, as
we are Men, and Partakers of the fame
common Nature 5 but we are further to
look upon our felves as Brethren in a
more peculiar and eminent Manner, be
ing All the Children of God in Chrift,
all Members of the fame Body, all
Partakers of the fame Spirit, all Heirs
of the fame blefled Hope of Immortality.
iv, 4. There is one Body, and one Spirit, even
as ye are called in one Hope of your Cat-
ling*-> One Lord, One Faith, One Bap-
tifm, One God and Father of all, who
is above all, and through all, and in you
iv, i. all. Wherefore / befeech you, faith the
Apoftle, that ye 'walk worthy of the
Vocation wherewith ye are called ; fflith
all lowlinefs and meeknefs, with long-
fuffering, forbearing one another in
love -, Endeavouring to keep the Unity of
the Spirit in the Bond of *Peace.
Again : We Chriftians, have not on
ly the Example of God's Love and Good-
nefs in general propofcd to our Imita
tion,
Univerfal LOVE and C H A R i T v. 15
tion, as thefe excellent Attributes of the Serm. L
Divine Nature are made known to Us
by right Reafon, and by the Light of
Nature, and by our continual Experi
ence of that good Providence, which
prefidcs over all, and does good to all,
and manifefts it felf daily in all the
Works of God through the whole Cre^
ation : But we have moreover the Exam
ple of God's Goodnefs and Loving-kind^
nefs manifefted to us in a more particu
lar and extraordinary Manner, in that
fingular Inftance of the Redemption of
Mankind by the Death of his Son : Of
which exceeding great and undefcrved
Mercy, we being all Partakers, and ha
ving all our Hopes of Happinefs founded
upon it, are confequently under the
ftrongeft Obligation poffible, to be in
our proportion kind and merciful and
charitable to our Brethren? as God has
been infinitely good and merciful to
t/>. This Argument is ftrongly urged
by the Apoftle St ^Paul, Col. iii, 12.
Tut on therefore, as the eleff of God,
holy and beloved, bowels of mercy,
kindnefs, humblenefs of mind, meeknefs
long-fuffering -•> Forbearing one another,
and forgiving one another, if any Man
has a Quarrel againft any ; even as
Chrift forgave you, fo alfo do ye. And
above
16 The Great ^DUTT of
Scrm. I. above all thefe things, put on Charity +
xrv^ which is the bond of perfetJnefs ; and let
the Teaceof Godrule in yeur heart s, to
the which alfo ye are called in one Body.
Laftly 5 As we are Chriftians, we are
obliged to love and to do good to each
other ; not only by our knowing in ge
neral, from the consideration of the
Divine Nature and Attributes, that it
muft needs be agreeable to the Will of
God that we fhould do fo 5 but by ha
ving moreover received it, with fingular
Inforcement, as the peculiar Law and
Command of our Saviour, on which he
infifts particularly, and feems to recom
mend it above all others, as the moft
abfolutcly necefiary and indifpenfable
Qualification of a fmccre Chriftian.
A new Commandment, faith he, / give
unto you, that ye love one another*, as
I have loved you, that ye alfo love one
another; Job. xiii, 34- And he makes
it as it were the diftinguifhing Mark and
Badge of his Difciplcs : By this (ball
all Men know that ye are my ^Difci*
pies, if ye have love one towards ano
ther. He himielf, whilft he was here
upon Earth, went continually about,
doing good-, and in fo doing he has fet
us an Example, wherein he indifpenfa-
blv requires that we fhould follow his
Steps.
Univerfal LOVE and CHARITY. 17
Steps. And accordingly we find the A- SermJ*
poftles every where declaring, that uni- yT
verfal Love and Charity, if the End of
the Commandment, the principal Aim
and Defign of our whole Religion, i
Tim. i, 5 . That he that loveth his Neigh
bour, hath fulfilled the Law ; For that
all the Commandments are briefly compre
hended in this Saying, Thou fha/f love
thy Neighbour as thy felf, Rom. xiii, 8.
And again -, that all the Law is fulfil
led in one Word, even in this, Thou ft alt
love thy Neighbour as thy felf, Gal. v,
14. Infomuch that whofocver wants
this excellent Virtue 5 all his other Preten-
fes of Religion whatfoever, and of
Zeal for the Service of God, are decla
red to be vain and of no value. If a
Man fay, I love God, and hateth his
Brother, heisa Lyar, i Joh. iv, 20. And
St *Paul in like manner : Though I Jpeak?
faith he, with the Tongues of Men and
Angels, and have not Charity 5 / am
become as founding Brafs, or a tinkling
Cymbal -, That is, all my Prctenies to
Religion are falfe and empty. And
though I have the Gift of 'Prophecy, and
underftand all Myfteries and all Know
ledge ; and though 1 have all Faith, fa
that I could remove Mountains, and
have no Charity 3 / am nothing. And
C though
is The Great <DUTT of
Serm.I. though I beflow all my Goods to feed the
~~*r**** Toor^ and though I give my Body to
be burned > and have not Charity •> it
frofiteth me nothing ; i Cor. xiii, i.
And the Reafon why fo particular a
Strefs is laid upon the Pradifc of this
great Duty of univcrfal Love and Cha
rity, is plain. Namely, bccaufe it is
That Temper and Difpofition of Mind,
which is the higheft poflible Improve
ment and Perfection of our rational Na
ture. 'Tis that which makes our Souls
like unto God, who is Goodnefs itfelf.
Tis That which, in the Nature of the
thing itfelf, is of the Lift and utmoil Im
portance, as being naturally and necefla-
rily the Condition and Ground both of
our prefent Happinefs and of that which
is to come. Tis a Qualification of Mind
abfolutely neceflary, to make us capable
of the Sight of God, and of the Happi
nefs of Heaven. For we muft be like God,
if we will fee him as he is : And we muft
firft attain that Dirpofition of Mind,
wherein the Happinefs of Heaven ef-
lentially confifts 5 if we will hope to be
Partakers of that Happinefs. In a Word ;
That Frame of Mind which inclines us
to do good, and to take Delight in do
ing it, is itfelf the Temper and Difpo-
iitiou of Happinefs j And without this,
'tis
Univerfal LOVE and CHAR i T Y. 19
*tis no more poflible for a rational Serm.I.
Creature to be made Happy, than it is to
alter the Nature and Eflences, the ne-
ceflary and eternal ReaTon and Propor
tion of Things. This is the plain and
neceflary Reafon, why Love and Cha
rity and Goodnefs, are conftantly pre
ferred before all other Virtues j as being
*
the ultimate End and Defign of Religi
on, and themfelves a principal and necef
fary Ingredient of the Joys of Heaven*
Almoft all other Virtues, or Gifts and
Excellencies whatfoever, are but as
Means to this End ; and to be done a-
wayt when that which is perfett is
come* Hope, is but the prefent Expec
tation, and Faith the firm Belief, of
thofe Things which fhall be made mani-
feft hereafter. And when That comes to
pafs, then Thefe Virtues, and all other
Gifts which are in Order to thefe, muft
neceflarily and of Courfe ceafe. Whe- ±
ther there be Trophecies, they fhall fail -, 8-
whether there be Tongues, they {ball
ceafe i whether there be Knowledge, it
fhall vanifh away. But Charity and
Goodnefs, never fail. Thefe are Di£
pofitions of Mind which are begun in
the Virtues of this Life, and compleat-
cd in the Glory of the next ; Which will
grow up with the Improvements of our
C % Know-
30 The Great VUTT of
Serm.I. Knowledge and Virtue here, to a pef-
i^W* feel: and unfpeakable Happinefs in the
Enjoyments of the World to come.
And now, could any Man, who fe-
rioufly confidercd thefe Things, and
was unacquainted with the Practife of
the World, believe it poiYible, that Men
who profefled that holy Religion which
fo plainly teaches this Dodrine of Peace,
fhould yet, fo diredly contrary to the
whole End and Defign of the Reli
gion of Chrift, ( as is too plainly the
Pradife of the chief Propagators
of the Romifi Faith, ) indulge their
PafTions, their Pride, their Covetou£
ncfs, their Ambition fo far, as not only
to be the Caufe of Envyings, Strifes
and Contentions, but even to make
jam. iv, i . Ways md Fightings necefTary among
Chriftians ? to the infinite Scandal of
our moft holy Religion, in the fight of
yews and Turks and 'Pagans ; among
whom the Name of God is blafphemed
through Us, as it is written, Rom. if,
24. Could fuch a one believe it pof-
fiblc, if it was not too manifeft in Ex
perience 5 that Men who call themfelves
Chrifuans, fhould opprefs and bite and
devour one another, and not be afraid of
the Apoftles threatning, that they fhould
Ga!. v, if. be confimied one of another ? And is it no?
ftill
and CHARITY. zi
ftill much more abfurd, that Religion //Serm.I.
ft If, that the Religion of Chrifr, the Re- -OT^
ligion of Peace and Love, which was
intended to reconcile Men to God and
to each other, fhould it ielf 'be made
the Occafion of Hatred, Animofitics
and Contentions ; nay, of the greater!
Oppreillons and moft inhumane Cruel
ties ? In a Word, that Pretenfes of Reli
gion it J "elf, fhould produce in MenTjiat
Spirit, for the preventing whereof All
Religion was principally and ultimately
intended ? I mail conclude this Head
with thofe remarkable Words of the
Apoftle St James, Jam. iii, 13. Who is
a wife Man, and endued with Know
ledge amongft you ? Let him flew out
of a good conversation his Works with
meeknefs of Wifdom. But if ye have
bitter envyings and ftrife in your
hearts, glory not, and lie not againfl
the Truth. This Wifdom defccndeth
not from above, but is earthly, fenfual,
devilifht, For where envying and ftrife
is, there is confufion and every evil
work. But the Wtfdom that is from a-
bove, is fir ft pure, then peaceable, gentle,
and eafie to be intreated, full of mercy
and good fruits ; &c.
C 3 II. It
zi The Great 'DUTTof
Scrm.I.
II. It remains that I proceed in the
^d place to confider briefly fome of the
principal Variations of this great Duty,
arifmg from the different Relations and
Circumftanccs which Men ftand in One
towards another.
And here the Praftife of this Duty is
diverffied as many ways, as there are
different Stations, or different Circum-
ftances and Conditions of Men in the
World. I (hall only mention Thefe fol
lowing ; from which all the reft may
eafily be deduced.
ift. What this great Duty of Love
and Charity obliges us to, in refpeft
of our Behaviour towards Suferiours
and Inferiours.
idly. How it obliges us to behave our
felves towards our Enemies, or thofe
who have done us any particular Inju
ry. And
idly. How it obliges good Men to
behave themfelves towards Thofc, who
are cither neglefters or defpifers of
Religion in general, or fo unhappy as
to be involved in fome particular great
and pernicious Errors.
\ft< In Refpcd of our Behaviour to
wards Sup eri ours ; The Duty of universal
is to fhow forth it felf in J^ear-
Univerfal LOVE and CHARITY. 23
ty, willing and cheerful Obedience to Scrm.I.
the Commands of thofe whom God has
fet over us : In delighting to promote
their Honour, and to increafe amongft
Men That Duty and Refpccl, which is
due to Authority : In thinking Them
that Rule welt, worthy of double Ho
nour : And ( bccaufc all Government is
a Burden, as well as an Honour j there
fore) this Duty particularly obliges us
to endeavour to make That Burden as
light and eafy as we can, by a careful
and diligent and confcientious Dif-
charge of our feveral Duties, each in
our refpedive Stations j fo as unanimouf-
ly to promote all the Ends and Defigns
of good Government, the Execution of
wife and wholfome Laws, and the Peace
and Profperity of the Publick.
In reipecl: of our Behaviour towards
Inferiors 5 The Duty of Chriftian Lo-ve,
is to mow forth itfclf in juft and righte
ous and mercrful Dealings -, in readily re
lieving the Neccffitics of thofe that want ;
in delivering and vindicating the Oppref-
fed 5 in inftrudin^ the Ignorant and thofe
* C7 O
that are in Errour j in reproving the
Wicked, and, by good Example as well as
good Advice, pcrfwading and bringing
them to a better Mind : In a word, do
ing all the Good we can, both to the Souls
C 4 and
a~i The Great T> UTT of
Serm.I. and Bodies of Men 5 in imitation of out
Saviour, who went about doing good.
Now by how much the greater any
Man's Power or Riches, Intereft or
Authority is, and by how much the high
er his Station is in the World; by fo
much the greater is his Power of doing
good, and by fo much the more glorious
Is his exercifmg and imploying his Power
to that excellent and noble End. And
here is the true and immortal Glory of
wife and good Princes, that as they re-
prefent God in the Exercife of Power
and Authority in the World, fo they re-
femble him alfo in the application of
That Power to ferve the Ends of Virtue
and Goodnefs in promoting the publick
Happinefs of Mankind. Power, is not
defirable for its own fake, any more
than Wifdom and Knowledge; but only
for the fake of that greater Good,
which it enables Men to do in the
World. And to abufe Power to the
cnflaving and deftroying of Mankind,
and to the ferving fuch Purpofes, the
preventing whereof is indeed the ..only
good Reafon for which Power is truly
defirable ; is the greateft Weaknefs and
Abfurdity in the World. To employ
great Power and Riches, in conquering
and fubduing many Nations, in caufe-
Univerfal LOVE and CHARITY. 25
lefly opprefllng Multitudes of People, Serm. L
and fubverting the common Rights and VXVN-C
Liberties of Men ; is the greateft Folly,
as well as the greateft Wickednefs,
imaginable : And nothing can be more
weak and contrary to Reafon, than to
call That Ambition by the Name of
Glory and Greatnefs, which is really
the .moft inglorious and the moft
difhonourable thing in Nature. God is
the Supreme Governour of the World,
pofTeHed entirely of abfolute and uncon-
troulable Power : Yet he makes ufe of that
Power to no other End, but to prefervc
and fupport and do good to all his Crea
tures, according to their feveral Natures
and Capacities. TA&isgood, zxv\ does good \
and cfteems Goodnels his greateft Glory
and Perfection, the Title which he moft
delights to be defcribed by. True Great
nefs therefore, is to imitate God in this
noft glorious Perfection of Goodnefs. And
thofe whom he has endued with Power
and Authority to repreient him on Earth,
are then moft truely and illuftrioufly his
Vice-gerents, when they look upon a
large Extent of Power, to be only a great
er Compafs of doing Good ; when they
imitate God, in being Lovers and Prefer-
vers of Mankind, and making Govern
ment a Protection and Security to all
that
26 The Great <D UTT of
Serm. L that live under it. And if beyond this,
they be ftill further enabled to reftrain the
Fury of OppreiTors abroad, and to be
Vindicators of the common Rkhts and
O
Liberties of Nations; this is ftill a higher
degree of true Honour and Grcamefs,
and a becoming really the Praife and Glo
ry of the whole Earth. How unfpeak-
ably happy is that People, on whom God
ha:, vouchfafed to beftow fo ineftimablc
a BIcffing ! And how thankful ought we
to be, that the Defcription of fuch Feli
city, is at This Time the exad Defcripti
on of our own Cafe !
zdfy. In refped of our Behaviour
towards our Enemies, or thofe who
have done us any particular Injury ; the
Duty of univerfal Love and Charity, is
to {how forth itfel fin a willing and rea
dy Difpoiition to forgive them upon their
Repentance and defire of Reconcilation.
If thy Brother trefpafs againfl thee, re
buke htm; and if he repent •, forgive him:
And if he trefpafs againfl thee feven
times in a day, andfeven times in a day
turn again to thee^ faying^ I repent 5 thou
jhalt forgive him, Luk. xvii, 3. This, we
Chriftians are in a particular manner obli
ged to, by the Example of God's much
greater Goodnefs and Companion to
wards
Univerfal LOVE and CHARITY. 27
wards Us. Since God has forgiven us All, Serm. L
our ten thoufand Talents ; nothing can
be more reaibnable in the nature of the
thing itfelf, than that We fhould be moved
by that Example, to forgive one another
freely our hundred 'Pence ; and to have
companion each on our fellow- ferv ants ^
as God has had pity on Us. But befides
the reafonablenefs of the thing itfelf,
God has moreover made it the exprefs
Condition of our own enjoying the be
nefit of His gracious Pardon : For, fo
likewife, faith our Saviour, Jhall my
heavenly Father do alfo unto youy if ye
from your hearts forgive not every one
his Brother their Trefiaffes, Matt, xviii,
35. And accordingly we are directed
even in our daily Prayer, to ask Forgive-
nefs at the Hands of God ; only upon,
fuch Condition, and in fuch Manner, as
We forgive one another Our Trefpafies.
And This, is upon Suppofition of our
Enemies repenting : But if they do not
repent, yet even ftill we are obliged to
love and blefs them, to pray for them,
and take all Opportunities of doing good
to them 5 after the Example of our hea
venly Father, who doth good even to the
Evil and to the Unthankful. Neverthe-
., all that is faid upon this Head, is to
be
^8 The Great ^DUTT of
Serm.I.be underftood of private, not of the
t/VNj fublick Enemies 5 Againft whom neither
the Laws of Nature nor of Chriftianity,
have provided any other way of fecuring
our felves, than by endeavouring to de
prive them of the Tower of hurting Us.
Laftly, in rcfped of the behaviour of
Good Men towards thofe who are either
negleders and defpifers of Religion in
general, or fo unhappy as to be involved
in fome particular great and pernicious
Errors; The Duty of univerfal Love
and Charity, obliges us to endeavour by
all the ways of Gcntlenefs, Inftrudion
and Reproof, to bring them to Repen
tance and a better Mind. Magiftrates
indeed, and thofe who are placed in Au
thority, may and ought to make ufe of
Punifhment and Severity, towards thofe
who are guilty of fuch Crimes, as are
deftrudive of humane Society ; And the
ftrid Execution of Good Laws, is in That
Cafe an inftance of the greateft Love and
Charity to the Publick. But otherwife,
Tim. n, tis the Duty of a Servant of the Lord,
*• not to ftrive, but to be gentle unto all
Men, apt to teach, patient 5 In meeknefs
mfirutting thofe that oppofe themfelves,
if God per adventure i&ill give them Re-
fentance to the acknowledging of the
Truth,
Univerfal LOVE and CHARITY. 29
Truth. For, the Wrath of Man, ^ork- Serm. I.
eth not the Righteoufnefs of God : And ^^y^/
our Saviour himfelf fcverely condemns Janui' 20*
That Spirit, which fome of his Difciples
difcovered, when they defired to call for
Fire from Heaven, upon the Samaritans
who refufed to give him reception. Such
perfons as are not yet come to have a right
Senfe of Religion in general, 'tis our
Duty to perfwade by Reafon and Argu
ments ; to convince them of the Being,
Attributes and Providence of God } of
the neceflity and infinite importance of
Religion ; of the unalterable difference
of Good and Evil 5 of the rcafonablenefs
excellency, andpofitive Evidence of the
Chriftian Revelation. And thofe who
are fo unhappy as to be involved in any
particular pernicious Errors, 'tis our
Duty to inform, inftruft, reprove, and
by all Chriftian means endeavour to bring
them back to the acknowledgment of the
Truth : Taking care above all things, to
fhow them by our good Examples, and
by the influence of the Truth upon our
own Lives 5 that we have no other defign
in endeavouring to convince Them, but
theirs and our own Salvation. In pro
moting which Ends, we fhall do well to
have always imprinted on our Minds
thofe
so The Great T>UTTof &c.
Serm. I. thofe excellent Words, wherewith St
James concludes his Epiftle : Brethren*
if any of you do err from the truth, and
one convert him ; let him know, that he
itfhich converteth the Sinner from the
ierrour of his 'way, flail fa<ve a Soul from
death, and fhall hide a multitude of
Sins.
A SER-
SERMON
Preach'd at the F U N E R A L of
M ART Lady COOKE,
Late WIFE of
Sir John Cooke, of Dotfors-Com-
monsy London, Knight, Do-
dor of L A W S,
On Tuefday, Qttober n. 1709.
2 C O R. V. 8.
We are confident, I fa?, and willing
rather to be abfent from the Bodyy
and to be prefent with the Lord.
TH E Apoftle in the foregoing $crm
Chapter declares at large how the
Alfurance of a Refurredion froni
the Dead, not only enabled him to perform
cheerfully all the Duties of a Chriftian Life,
but fupportcd him alfo, fo as not to faint
under the fevereft Perfecutions, which
continually threatned him even with
Death
ji A Sermon Treach'd at the
Serm. Death it felf. Therefore as <we have re*
II. ceived Mercy, faith he, we faint not, ver. i .
We are troubled on every fide, yet not di-
Jlrefs'd; we are perplex d, but not in de-
fpair ; perfecuted, but not forfaken -, c aft
down, but not deftroyed ver. 8, 9. The
Ground of which Comfort and Support,
heexprefies, v. 10. Always bearing about
in the Body the dying of the Lord Jefus,
that the Life alfo of Jefus might be
made manifefl in our mortal Flefh ; for
we which live, are always delivered
unto T>eath for Jefus Jake, that the
Life alfo of Jefus might be made ma-
nifeft in our mortal Flefh. And more
clearly, v. 13* 14- Having the fame
Spirit of Faith , and knowing that
he which raifed up the Lord Jefus,
fballraifeupUs alfo by Jefus, and fhall
prefent us with you. After which, he
returns to the Inference he began with in
the firft Verfe; v. 16. For which Caufe
we faint not, but tho our outward Man
jperifh, yet the inward Man is renewed
day by day y For our light Afflicti
on which is but for a moment, work-
eth for us afar more exceeding and
eternal Wright of Glory-, while we look
not at the Things which are feen> but
at the Thingswhich are notfeen ; For the
Things which are feen, are Tempo
ral >
Funeral of M A R Y Lady COOKED 3 i
-y but the Things which are not feen, Serm.
are Eternal. II.
From this general Consideration of the
Certainty of a future Life, as a ground
of Support and Comfort under the Trou
bles of the prefent 5 he proceeds in the
beginning of the fifth Chapter, to confi-
der the particular Nature of that Body
we fhall be clothed withal at the Refur-
redion ; and of that intermediate State,
the Soul will find it felf in, between
Death and Judgment. As to the Nature
of our future Body, he tells us, tv. i.
that whereas our prefent Body is an earth
ly Houfe, a Building fram'd out of the
moft perifhable Materials, and of a Tex
ture moft frail and brittle ; a Tabernacle
tending perpetually in its own Nature
by a gradual decay towards a ^Diffolution*
and, during that fhort Period which it is
capable of continuing, being every mo
ment liable to be deftroy'd by fudden
Violence, by the Power of Men, and
by the Afifaults of acute Difeafes : the
Body we fhall have hereafter, mall on the
contrary be a Building of God, an Houfe
not made with Hands, eternal in the
Heavens } a Body, fram'd immediately
by God himfelf, made capable of indu-
ring for ever, and fitted to the Circum-
ftances and Injoyments of that Place,
D which
34 A Sermon f reach' d at the
Serm. which God has provided for it in the Hea-
II. yens.
The frequent Meditation upon which
happy State, caufes good Men to grone
earneflly, v. 2. dejiring to be clothed
upon with our Houfe which is from
Heaven -•> if fo be that being clothed, we
flail not be found naked. For we that
are in this Tabernacle do grone, being
burdened -, not for that we would be un
clothed, but clothed upon, that Mortality
might be fwallowed up of Life. This
Paflfage fome underftand to refer to what
the fame Apoftle informs us of, in the
i$th Chapter of his foregoing Epiftle,
concerning thofe who fhall be found a-
live at our Lord's fecond Coming 5 that
they fhall not die, but be changed \ not
be uncloth'd of this mortal Body? but
cloth' d upon with their heavenly Habita
tion ; And that the Apoftle here expreffes
a defire of efcaping Death, and of being
found among thofe, who, without be
coming naked, without being feparated
from the Body at all, fhall in a moment,
in the twinkling of an Eye, be changed,
or clothed upon with an immortal and
ineorruptable Body. But there is no
need of interpreting the Words to this
Senie. For when the Apoftle affirms
that we are defirous, not to be unclothed,
but
Funeral of y^ ARY Lady COOKE. 3$
but to be clothed upon •, not to be found Serrn.
naked, but to be clothed upon ivith our II.
Houfe 'which is from Hcaitn--, he does
indeed prefer our State after the Refur-
reffion, to the State of Separation 5 and
reprefents good Men wifhing to be de-
liver'd from the Burden of the Fieih, not
merely for the fake of being feparate
from the Body, but chiefly and princi
pally in hopes of being clothed with a
better and more glorious one. But yet
it does not therefore follow, that he
meant to extend this Delire fo far as to
the efcaping of Death wholly, and the a-
Voiding to enter into the feparate State at
all 5 or that he thought this peculiar
Circumftance of thofe who fhall be
found alive at the Lord's fecond Co
ming, could poflibly be the Cafe
of thofe who lived fo early as in his
own Time. Nay rather the contrary
feems clearly to follow from the 6th
Verfe, and from the Words of the
Text ; where he fpeaks of being abfent
from the Body, as of a thing that would
certainly happen to them, and which was
truly defirable to good Men ; and the
Expectation whereof was a Ground of
Confidence and Support under the Trou
bles of Life, and againft the Fears of
Death : Bccaufe though the State after
D 2, the
3 6 A Sermon Treach'd at the
Serm. the Refurredion, when we {hall b£
II. clothed with incorruptible and immor-
tal Bodies like unto our Saviour's glo
rious Body, fhall be much more happy
and defirablc, than the State of Separa
tion ; yet That State of Separation it felf,
that imperfed and incomplete Statey is
far fuperiour to our Condition in this
World, and more eligible than the Bur
den of the prefent Flefh. Therefore we
are always confident, fays he, knowing
that whilft we are at home in the
Body, we are abfent from the Lord-,
(for we walk by Faith, not by Sight , )
we are confident, I fay, and willing
rather to be abfent from the Body, and
to be prefent with the Lord.
The Words are not well rendred,
whilft we are at home in the Bo
dy. For this Body is not our propes
Hornet we are only Strangers and Ttt-
grims in the prefent World; and our
Life is by St Teter juftly call'd, The
Time of our fojourning here. But, whilft
we dwell in the Body, (fo the Words
ought rather to be rendred,) or ( as the
lame Word is tranflated in the follow
ing Verfe,) whilft we are prefent in the-
Body; whilft we continue in thisWoxldj
we are abfent from the Fountain of Life
and Happinefs : We are at a Diftancc
from
Funeral of M A R Y Lady C o o K E. 37
from the heavenly Jerufalemj which is Serrru
our proper Country ; we are abfent from II.
the Lord) and live by Faith only,
not by Sight. But, God having given
unto us the earnefl of his Holy Spirit,
we are confident and have full Aflfu-
rance .of the Truth of thefe Things :
We wean our .fclves therefore from the
fenfual Injoy merits of the prefent World >
We fupport and comfort our felvcs with
thefe Meditations, under the Troubles
of Life, and againft the Fears of Death >
We are willing rather to be abfent from
the Body, ( whcnibever it fhall pleaie
God to releafe us 5 ) and to be prefent
with the Lord, which is far better.
In the Words, and in the Context,
we may obferve the following Particur
lars plainly implied.
i/?, That we muft all fhortly be ah
fent or feparatc from this Body.
zdly, That this State of Separation,
is not a State of abfolute Infenfibi-
Ijty.
3^/7, That, to good Men, it is a State
of great Happineis, a being prefent with
the Lord.
tfhly, That the Confederation of that
intermediate Happinefs, is a great Com
fort and Support againft the Fear of
D 3 Death,
$8 A Sermon *Preach'd at the
Serm. Death. Jtfe fire confident, and willing
II. rather to be abfent from the Body.
<>thly and Laftfy, That this interme
diate State, tho* it may be a State of Hap-
pinefs, yet is by no means equal to that
Happinefs which good Men fhall be pof-
fels'd of alter the Refurreftion. For
we that are in this Tabernacle do groney
being burdened-^ not for that we would
be unclothed, but clothed upon, that
Mortality might be Jwallowed up of
Life.
ift, Tis fuppofed in the Words, that
we muft all fhortly be abfent or fepa-
rate from this Body. Tis evident there
45 no need to prove, and one would
think there fhould be no need to re
mind Men, that they muft all die 5
when they have every Day fiich mournful
Occafions as thcfe, to excite their Con-
ftderation. Yet fo it is, that even this
very Thing, the Frequency of other
Examples, and the indisputable Certain
ty of their own Mortality, makes them
ftand in need of the more earneft Ex
hortations, to perfuade them not to
forget or negled it. For, as the ftrong-
cft Ob j efts that make perpetually an e-
qual and continued Impreflion upon
our Senfes, are apt, by reafon of their
conftant Prefence, to affecl; us little more,
than
Funeral of MARY Lady COOKE. 39
than if they made no Impreffion upon Serm.
the Senfe at all 5 And as thofe great II.
'Phtenomena of Nature, which we ob-
ferve to return in the , conftant Courfe
of every Day, excite in us lefs Admira
tion, tho' in themfelves the moft won
derful of all the Works of God, than
things much lefs remarkable, which
appear but feldom : So the abfolute
Certainty of our own Mortality, which
leaves no Room for Inquiry or Debate,
makes Men almoft as much lay afide
the Thoughts of it, as if the Certainty
were on the other fide of the Quefti-
on 5 And the Frequency of Inftanccs
which ought perpetually to remind us
what we muft fpeedily exped, does by
a ftrange Careleflhefs and habitual Neg
lect, reconcile Men in fuch Manner
to the Sight of Mortality in others, as
if they themfelves were not concerned
in the Example. They fhake off the
Thought of it, as if there could be no Be
nefit in meditating upon what cannot be
prevented 5 and they look upon it as im
portune and troublefome to remind them
of that, which 'tis not poffible but they
muft already know. Yet That Know
ledge, without Meditation, is like unto
Ignorance 5 becaufe it has no E-ffed,
and makes no Impreffion. 'Tis like
D4 the
40 A Sermon Treach'd at the
Serm. the fpeculative Knowledge of a Truth,
II. which concerns us not ; or like the ha-
bitual Underftanding of a Demonftration,
never recollected. The Reafon of this
great Stupidity, feems to be the Uncer
tainty of the Time of every Man's
Death; which makes Men look upon
Life, as a long indefinite Period; and,
becaufe the Time of their Death is un
certain, 'tis to them as an Uncertainty
in the Thing it felf. To prevent this
Folly therefore, the Scripture is perpe
tually reminding us, and putting us upon
confidering, that our T>ays on Earth
are as a Shadow., and there is no abi
ding, i Chron. xxix, 15 ; That they are
fwifter than a Weaver's Shuttle, Job
vii, 6 ; that they are fwifter than a Toft ;
that they flee away as the fwift Ships,
as the Eagle that hafleth to the Trey,
Job iXj 26; that they are as A Jleep, as a,
Watch in the Night, as a Tale that is told,
Pf. xc; 5, 4, 9 ; That our Life is a Vapour,
that appear eth for a little time, and then
vanifheth away, Jam. iv, 14; that Man
Cometh forth like a Flower, and is cut
down ; he fleeth alfo as a Shadow, and
continueth not, Jobxiv, 2. In the Morn
ing it flour ifoetv and grow eth upj in the
Evening it is cut down and withereth,
ff, xc, <5, All which Similitudes are ele
gantly
funeral of M ARY Lady COOKE. 41
gantly fumm'd up together by the Author Serm.
of the Book of Wtfdom : Wifd. v, 9. H.
All thefe things are faffed away like a ^ >"W
Shadow, and as a ^Poft that hafted by j
and as a Ship that faffeth *over the
Waves of the Water, which when it is
gone by, the Trace thereof cannot be
found^ neither the ^Path-way of the Keel
in the Waves ; Or as when a Bird has
flown thro the Air, there is no Token
of her Way to be found- ; Or like as
when an Arrow is fhot at a Mark, it
farteth the Air., which immediately co
met h together again, fo that a Man can
not know where it went thro -, Evenfo
We in like manner, as foon as we were
born, began to draw to our End,
and have no jign of Virtue to ftew.
Thefe Defcriptions of the Vanity and
Tranfitorinefs of human Life, are too
evidently true, to ftand in need of any
Proof. Yet the Riches, and Honours,
the Pleafures and Allurements of the
World, hinder Men too ufually from
confidering them j And men ad, as if
they were to live here for ever. Provi
dence therefore is very kind to us, in
fending Afflictions upon us to awakch
us out of this Lethargy j And we fhould
be very Wife and Jult to our felves, if
We would fuflfer our felves to be brought
to
42 <A Sermon *Preach'd at the
Serm. to ferious Consideration by the Troubles
II. and Afflidions of Others. When we
fee others taken out of the World be
fore us, we know their Cafe muft in a
fhort Tkne of Necefllty be our own;
and the Concern we always fee dying
Pcrfons under, fhould make us endea
vour without Delay in the Time of our
Health and Strength, to lay the Founda
tion of a good Confcience againft the
Day of Tryal. We are fure Eternity
can never be very far diftant from any of
us ; and we are always uncertain, but it
may poiTibly be very near. And when
Death approaches, Sicknefs and Pain are
alone a Burden fufficient; and it will re
quire all the Helps of Reafon and Re
ligion, all the Strength of the Spirit of a
Man, to fuftain at that Time the Infir
mities of Nature. But if the Spirit it fclf
be wounded 5 if the Confcience be di-
flraded with too juft Fears; if the great
Work of Religion be then undone ', and
yet impoffible to be done; if the Spirit of
the Man, which fhould fapport him under
his Infirmity, does it fel'f much more ftand
in need of Comfort and Support ; who
can bear it ? This is the Time when all
falie Colours vanifh, and the great Dif
ference and Diftindion of Men begins
truly to appear. Now the Profane, the
Covetous,
Funeral of M A R Y Lady C o o K E. 43
Covetous, the Voluptuous, the Mocker Serm.
and Scoffer at Religion, begins to judge 11.
by other Meafures; and // God fhould
require fome great Thing of him, would
he not do it ? On the contrary, the fo-
ber and pious, the righteous and juft
Perfon, rcfleds then with unfpeakablc
Comfort upon his pad Life 5 when he re
members that he has either liv'd always
innocent from great Crimes ; or at leaft
that the Sins of his Youth have not been
fo great, as the Repentance and Obedi
ence of his wi'er Age. And when the
Vail is removed by Death, which tranf-
inits thefc different Perfons to that State,
where they are to wait for the final Sen
tence of the unerring Judgment of God ;
they themfclves will judge ftill more and
more clearly concerning the true Nature
of Things, and of their own Delerts.
For Death is not a total Extindion of
the Man, but a Separation only of the
Soul from the Body for a Time. Which
was the next particular I propofed to dif-
courfe of. And here, for Brevity fake,
I lliallputthe
Second and Third Particulars into
One : <vi&. that the ftatc of Separation,
is not a ftate of abfolutc Infenfibility, but,
to good Men, a ftate of great Happinefs,
a being prefent with the Lord. All the
Natural
44 d Sermon Treach'd at the
Serm. Natural Arguments, (tor the Moral Ar-
IL guments indeed prove only a future State
IXYNJ in general, by the Refurredion of the
Body, or otherwife 5) All the Natural
Arguments, I -fay, which prove to us by
Rcafon the Spirituality and Immortality
of the Soul, fcem to prove no lefs
ftrongly, that the feparate State is not a
ftate of Sleep or Infenfibility. For if it
is a good Argument to conclude with
Cicero-, JVhenlconjider, fays * he, 'with
'what fwiftnefs of Thought the Soul
is endued, 'with what a wonderful Me
mory of Things faft, and fore c aft of
Things to come •, how many Arts^ how
many Sciences, how many wonderful In
ventions it has found out -, I a.m per-
fuaded that That Nature, which is
Toffeffor of fuch Faculties, cannot be
Mortal: If this, I fay, be a good Argu
ment, (and a very excellent one it is 5)
it feems no lefs juft to infer with Cyrus in
Xenophon : I cannot imagine, faith f he
* Quid multa? Sic mihi perfuafi, fie fentio,- quum
tanta celentas animorum fit, tanta memoria prxterito-
rum, futurorum providentia, tot artcs, tantsc fcien-
?iae, tot inventa; non poife earn naturam, quse res cas
contipeat, ejTe morralem. Cie. de fent 'flute.
« wr
-- 'OiJi yi ^*5
that
Funeral of MARY Lad} COSKE.' 45
that the Soul, 'while it is in this mortal Serm.
Body, lives -, and that, when it is fe- II.
parated from it, then it fhould die: I
cannot perfuade my felf, that the Soul,
by being feparated from this Body
which is devoid of Senfe, fhould there
upon become it felf likewise devoid of
Senfe : On the contrary it feems to me
more reasonable to believe, that when
the Mind is feparated from the Body^
then it fiould become mofl of all fenfible
and intelligent . But theie were only the
reafonable Conjectures of wife and con-
iidering Men. The Scripture allures us
with more Certainty and Authority,
that bleffed are the *Dead which die in
the Lord, from henceforth, yea, faith
the Spirit, that they may reft from their
Labours, aud their Works do follow
them, Rev. xiv, 13. Which Reft, that
it is not the mere Reft of utter Infenfi-
bility, may be gathered from ch. vi, v. 9 5
where 'tis faid, If aw under the Altar the
Souls of them that were flain for the
Word of God, and for the Tefiimony
which they held* and they cried with a
loud Voice, &c. The fame thing is intima
ted to us by our Saviour, in the Parable
of the rich Man and Lazarus ; where
the Soul of Lazarus is reprefented as
carry'd by Angels into Abrahams Bofom,
and
4<5 A Sermon 'Preach' d at the
Serm. and that he was comforted in that Place,
II. Luke \\'n 22, 25. And more clearly
yet, in his Promife to the Penitent Thief,
Lukexxiii, 43 > Verily I fay unto thee, to
day fhalt thou be with me in Taradife.
To Ttay, that is, immediately, in the
date of Separation, before the Refur-
re&ion of Chrift, and his Afcenfion in
to his Kingdom. St. Taul had fuch a
Notion of the Happinefs of That State,
that tho' his abiding in the Flefh he knew
was better for the Church, yet he was
in a Jtrait betwixt two, having a dejire
to depart and to be with Chrift, which
was far better for himfelf, Phil. 15 23,
24. And in the Text he declares ; There
fore we are always confident, knowing
that whilft we are at home in the Body,
we are abfent from the Lord 5 for we
walk by Faith, not by Sight : We are
confident, 1 fay, and willing rather to
be abfent from the Body, and to be pre-
Cent with the Lord. The prefent Life he
calls, walking only by Faith ; the State
after Death, walking by Sight, or being
prefent with the Lord. And accord
ingly all the bcft Writers in the Primi
tive Times, when they have occafion
to mention the State of good Men
departed, always fpcak of them as be
ing
Funeral of MARY Lady C o o K E. 47
ing * in the Tlace appointed for them Serm.
'with the Lord ; as -f- beholding our Savi- n
our in Taradife, after fuch a manner as
they are worthy to behold him ; as beino-
in a Place of Reft, Refreshment, Com
fort, and Expectation of the Completion
of their Happiness at the Refurrettion.
Directly contrary to the Innovations ot
the Church of Rome, who, without
any Appearance of Reafon, and without
any Colour of Authority from Scrip
ture, teach that the Souls of good Men
are tormented in a Purgatory of imagi
nary Fire, very little differing from that
of Hell it felf. How much better does
even a Jewiih Writer exprcfs himielf
upon this Subjeft! Wifd. iii, i. The
Souls of the Righteous are in the Hand
of God, and there fball no Torment
touch them. In the Sight of the Un-
wife they feemed to die, and their 'Depar
ture is taken for Mifery ; and their going
from us, to be utter 1>eftruttion ; but
they are in Teace. For thd they be pu-
nifh'd in the Sight of Mm, yet is their
Hope full of Immortality.
^ tfhly, The Confederation of the
Soul's intermediate Happinefs in the fe-
parate
E(? r
Polycarpi Epfi.
^ j- n«>T*^0u ^ o S»Tup riTM, KOH «««
ff»»rts. Iren&ut, lib. 5,
4 s A Sermon Treach'd at the
Serm* parate State, is a great Comfort and Sup-i
II. port againft the Fear of Death : There-
fore iv e are confident, fays the Apoftle,
and willing rather to be abfent from the
Body, and to be prefent with the Lord.
Tis fome degree of Comfort againft
the Tear of Death, to confider that it is
the Neceflity of Nature, and the Ap
pointment of God to all Men 5 Heb. ix,
27, It is appointed unto Men once to
die. Tis fome further degree of Sup
port, to confider that Death is as it were
the Haven of Reft, from the Storms and
Troubles, the Calamities and Sorrows of
the World: Job\\\, 17? There the Wick
ed ceafefrom troubling, and there the
Weary be at Reft j there the Trifoners
reft together, they hear not the Voice of
the Oppreffor : The Small and Great are
there, and the Servant is free from his
Mafter. But after all the Arguments of
Comfort that can be drawn from Rcafon
and Philoibphy, Death is ftill the King of
Terrors to Nature, and is become much
morefo thro' Sin. But Chrift has now,
to all fuch as repent and truly amend, taken
away that Sting, and removed the Fear ;
hwwgdeftroyeahim that had the Tower
of T>eath, 'that is, the 'Devil-, and de
livered Them, who thro Fear of "Death
were all their Life-time fubj eft to Bond-
age.
Funeral of MARY Lady COOKED 40
age, Heb, ii, 15. 'Death is now dboliffi- Serin.
edy to all good Men, 2 7/>0. i, 105 II*
and become nothing elfe but a 'Paffage
to a glorious Immortality. And 'tis a
great Addition of Comfort and Support,
to confider that even That *Paffage it felf
is not a *Dark *Paffage thro' a ftate of1
utter Inftnjibility ; but a being prefent
with the Lord in fome degree of Com
munication, and Fore-tafte of a more
perfed Happinefs.
The pious Lady, whofe Death we now
lament, took particular Satisfaftion in me
ditating frequently upon this Subjed j and
in inquiring into the full Extent and Sig
nification of thofe Texts, which r'elate to
it. She made the Holy Scriptures her
daily Study and Delight, and was much
converfant in many other excellent
Books of Piety and Devotion : And the
Comfort fuch Studies admimfter againft
the Fear of Death, is then truly effectual,
When 'tis applied by fuch Perfohs, a$
are prepar'd to receive it by the pre
ceding Courfe of a Holy Life. For the
fpace of two Years, wherein Providence
allotted me to perform the Duties of my
Miniftry in the Parifh wherein fhe dwelt,
(and wherein I received fingular Favours,
particularly from that eminent So
ciety for the Profeilion and Pra&ifc of
£ the
50 A Sermon ^Preactid at the
Serm. the Civil-Law, which ought always
II. gratefully to be acknowledged ;) I was
my feif a Witnefs of her coitftant and
never- failing Attendance upon the pub-
lick Service of God, and the Admini-
ftration of the Sacrament, with the moft
exemplary Zeal and Devotion : And, in
all the Opportunities I had of obferving
it, her private Converfation appear'd per
fectly agreeable to her religious Behavi
our in publick. Which, in a Perfon in the
Strength and Vigour of her Age, very
little exceeding 30 Years at the time of
her Death, is an Example that may be
Recommended with Juftice and Ufeful-
jaefs. But to enlarge too far upon Chara-
ders even of fuch truly pious perfons, is
^either giving any real Advantage to the
Memory of the Dead, nor of fo much Be
nefit to the Living, as the exhorting them
upon thcfe Occafions to prepare them-
fclves for Death, which they are all haft-
ning to, by fetting before their Eyes
continually the moft perfect Example of
Chrift, and the Precepts of the Gofpel ;
in following of which, all good and
holy Men and Women who have gone
before us, have obtained a good Report.
tfhly and Laftfy, The intermediate
State of Separation, though it may be a
State of great Happinefs, yet is by no
means
Funeral of MARY Lady COOKED 51
means equal to That Happinefs, which Serm.
good Men (hall be poifefs'd of after the II.
Refurredion : For we that are in this
Tabernacle do grone, being bur den d ;
not for that we would be uncloth'd, but
cloth' d upon, that Mortality might be
fwallowd up of Life. St 'Paul, tho*
he knew, that when he was abfent from
the Body, he fhould be prefent with the
Lord, in a State of Reft and Security
and perfed AfTurance, in a State of great
Happinefs and Joy unfpeakable; yet tells
us, that the Crown of Righteoufncfs
was laid up for him, not to be given
him by the Righteous Judge before That
great 'Day. And our Saviour himfclf
bids the Charitable Perfon exped his final
Recompence, at the RefurreElion of the
Juft. And in the place before-cited,
the Souls of the Martyrs thcmfclves,
which St John faw in his Vifion
under the Altar, are reprefcnted as in a
State of Expectation only ; How long,
O Lord, Holy and True, &c. Rev.
ix, 7. And it was faid unto them,
that they fhould reft yet for a little Sea-
fon, until their Fellow -Servants alfb,
and their Brethren that fhould be killed
as They were, ftould be fulfilled. In a
word ; The Souls of the Righteous are
doubtlefs as happy, as they can be in
E 2 that
52 A Sermon freach'd at the
Serm. that imperfect State of Separation from
II. their Bodies: But 'tis after the Refur-
rcftion only, that their Happinefs fhall
be complete, and that they fhall fbine
forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their
Father : When our Ldrd fhall have chan
ged this vile Bodyy that it may be fa-
fhiorid like unto his glorious Body ; ac~
cording to the working, whereby he is
able even to fiibdue all Things unto him-
felf: That is, when This Body, which
has now in it liich manifeft Principles
of Mortality and Corruption 5 which
confifts now of fuch brittle and tender
Parts, that every the leaft Violence di-
flurbs and unfits them for their Operati
ons ; when This Body, which is now
fo weak and feeble, fo dull, heavy and
unadive, that it clogs the Soul, and re
tards and hinders its fpiritual Opera
tions ; when This Body, which is now
fubjccl: to fo many Cafualties, and has
its Continuance depending upon the fit
Difpofition of fo many little and eafily
difordcr'd Parts, that 'tis a greater won
der how we continue to live a Day,
than why we die after fo few Years
Space ; {ball be perfectly refin'd and
purged from all the Seeds of Mortality
and Corruption ; {ball ipring up into an
incorruptible and immortal Subftancc,
which
Funeral of M A R Y Lady C o o K E. 53
which fhall be fitted to endure as long Serm.
as the Soul to which it is to be united, II-
even to all Eternity -, fhall become fo
Strong and Powerful, fo Aftive and Vi
gorous, as even to be afMing to the
moft fpiritual Motions of the Soul, to
become every way a fit Organ and Inftru-
mcnt of its moft exalted Operations j
and flail continue in this perfect Health,
Strength and Vigour for ever. For God
fhall wife away all Tears from their
Eyes, and there fhall be no more "Death,
neithe r Sorrow nor Crying, neither fha II
there be any more Tain ; for the former
Things are pa/fed away.
To which happy State, that we
may all arrive, God of his in
finite Mercy grant, &c.
A S E R-
Preach'd before the Honourable
Houje of Commons* at the
Church of St Margaret Weft-
minfter: On Tucfaay9 Nov.
aa, 1709. Being the Day of
Thankfgiving for the Signal
and Glorious Viftory obtained
near Mons, and for the other
Great Succeffes of Her Ma-
jeftjes Arms, this laft Year,
under the Command of the
Duke of Malborough.
PSALM L, 23.
Wkofo offer eth Traife, glorifies me ; and
to him that ordereth his Converfati-
on aright, <will I flew the Salvation
of Cod.
Serm. r | ^ HERE is no Nation under
Heaven, fince the Times of
Jt God's governing the yews by
an immediate Theocracy, that has feen
more
A Thdnkjgwing Sermon before 5 >*
more and clearer inftances of the in- Serm.
terpofition of Providence on their be- III.
halt, or has had greater Bleffings and -~*>*^
Means of publick Profpcrity put into
their Hands > than we of this Nation
have had. As the Hills ftand about
Jerusalem, faid the Pfalmift, (Pfal.
cxxv. 2.) even fo ftandeth the Lord
round about his 'People : As the Seas
encomfafs our Land, may We no leis
juftly fay, even fo does the Protection
of 'Providence furround Us on all
Sides. We have enjoyed a long and
uninterrupted Succeiilon of the Blef-
iings of Heaven from above, and of
the Earth beneath 5 of fruitful Seafor^s,
and a large and plentiful Increafc. We
have lived under a fecure Eftablifhment
of all our private Rights and juft Liber
ties, in a wife and well-conftitutcd
Government, and in the regular Ex
ecution of good and wholfome Laws.
We have had the free Exercife of our
Religion continued almoft to Us aloncs
when fo many of thole about us have
been deprived of that ineftimable Liberty.
We have had Deliverances little lets
than miraculous, frequently vouchfafcd
usj and have iecn many vifible intcr-
pofitions of Providence, in cauftng
iuch Concurrences of Circumftances
E 4 for
f 6 A Thanksgiving Sermon befdrt
Scrm. for our Advantage, as no humane Wif-
III. dom could either forefee, direft, or
l/*V^> over-rule,
When, after a long Eftablifliment of
pur Peace and Profperity, we, like Jefhu-
Deut.- run, waxed fat and kicked $ When our
*XX1I, If. -n > : J J c
Proiperity made us wanton, and we for-
gat God who poured thefe Benefits upon
us$ When Corruption of Manners pre
vailed over the Purity of our Religion,
and we grew cool in our Zeal for the Ser
vice of God, and for the Honour of his
Laws; Then did it pleafe God to
threaten us with the Rod of arbitrary
Power, and with the Fears of Popifh.
Slavery j to awaken us out of our care-
lefs negled of Religion, and to compofe
our little Differences and unchriftian
Animofities among ourfelves. Yet did
he threaten us only with thefe Judg
ments, and flow us the Terrour of them
as it were at a diftance, but did not fufFer
^hem to prevail over us ; removing
them from us by an unparallelled De
liverance, almoft as foon as they ap
proached, and that we began to feel the
fmart of them. And from the Time of
that wonderful Deliverance, even unto
fhis Day, has God continued to blefs
iis with Succefs Abroad under victorious
Armies, and with Teace and Tlenty at
the Honblt Houfe of C o M M o N s. 57
Home, under pious and religious Princes. Scrm-
A great and almoft perpetual Series of 11L
Succeffes has attended our Arms, through
the various Events and Hazards of a
long, bloody, and expenfivc War; a-
gainft the deep Counfels, and formi
dable Strength, of a cunning, potent,
and formerly long-fuccefsful Enemy.
And at the fame time, we our felves
fit every Man under his Vine, and under
his Fig-treey in the fecure and peaceable
injoyment: of whatever each one has a
Right to poflfcfs. We enjoy almoft all
the Happinefs and Bleffings of ^Peace^
even in the midft of a vigorous and
bloody War\ while the Sword and Fire
confume round about us, and other fruit
ful Countries are ravaged and dcftroyed ;
while Thoufands fall befde us, and
Ten Thoufands at our Right-hand, and
yet Providence protects us, that it comes
not nigh us--> while Want and Famine
fpreads Defolation among our Neigh
bours, and Peftilcnce at a Diftancc
threatens dill fevercr J udgmcnts of God.
We arc not liable to be perpetually
fpoiled, by the Violence of Arbitrary
Power 5 and to be daily bereaved of our
neareft and moll valuable Rights, at
the mere Will and Pleafure of a lawlefs
ppprefibr: But ui^dcr the happy Influ
ences
58 <A Thank/giving Sermw before
Serm, cnces ot a mild and moft aufpicious
III. Government, and under the Protection
of wife and good Laws, we injoy as
much Liberty as can be defired by Any,
who aim not at the Confi'iions of unli-
mired Licei'tiouihcfs. And to com
plete this happinefs, we arc not only
allowed the, free Exercife of the Reiorm-
cd Religion, (which under fome Govern
ments, who call themfelves Chriftian,
is periecuted even unto Death 5 and
^which we all remember the time, when
-we had great reafon to apprehend we
fhonld have been deprived of it?) but the
*Profejfion of it is moreover incouraged
by Law, and the Traffic? of it re
commended not only by the Command,
but (which is of greater Influence) by
the hearty Example alfo, of our pious
and moil religious Queen 5 who in every
Work that She begins in the Service of
the Hottfe of God, and in the Law, and
in the Commandments, to feek her God,
She does it with all h«r Heart, and
frofpers, 2 Chron, xxxi, 21.
If thefc be things which are the pro
per Subjects of Praife and Thankfgiving,
and call for the heartieft Exprefllons of
our Gratitude to Him who redeemeth
our Life from ^eftru^tion, and crown-
eth us with Mercy and Loving-kind-
the Honble Houfe of COMMONS. 59
nefs 5 undoubtedly there is no Nation Serm.
under the Sun, that has more reafon III.
this Day> than we, to lay, What Jhall I
render unto the Lord for all his Bene- ^'i™
fts that he has done unto me? I will
offer to him the Sacrifice of Thankfgi-
*uing, and will call upon the Name of
the Lord. And O / that Men would Pfal- c
indeed, with their Mouths and from
their Hearts, by the Confeilion of their
Lips, and in the Actions of their Lives,
therefore praife the Lord for his Good-
nefsy and declare the Wonders that he
4oth for the Children of Men ! That -ver. 3».
they would exalt him alfo in the Con
gregation of the 'People, and praife him
in the Seat of the Elders ! That there
were in All of Us fuch a Heart ? that,
by making fuitable returns of Praife and
Obedience to God, for his pa ft and
frefent Benefits; we might fhow our
felves worthy of the Continuance of
his Favour, and fecure for the future
the fame Bleffings, to our felves and
our Pofterity ! Could we but prevail
with our felves, not to abufe that Plenty
wherewith God has blefled us, by In
temperance and Debauchery : Could
we in the midft of that Peace, which
we enjoy even while War lurrounds
us, forbear unrcafonable Contentions,
and
6o <A Thankfgwing Sermon before
Serm. an(* ky ^de our Unchriftian Heats
HI. and Animofities among our felves:
Could we but ufe that Liberty we moft
juftly value and boaft of, fo as not to
abufe it to Licentioufnefs and Wanton-
nefs: Could we but in any Meafure
perfwade our felves to practice the Re
ligion, we are fo zealous to frofefsy
and banifh from a Chriftian and a re
formed Nation, Infidelity, Profanenefs,
and Immorality : In a Word, could we
but find in our Hearts to glorifie God
worthily for his great Mercies, and offer
him ^Praifes fuitablc to the wonderful
Works which he has done for us ; that
is, *Praifes accompanied with the
Works of Righteoufnefs, fo as to honour
him indeed > This would be truly fuch
an ordering our Converfation aright,
that we might with good Grounds hope
to have the Promife in the Text ful
filled upon our felves ; and, by the Con
tinuance of the fame, and the Addition
of more Bleflings, might fee compleated
in us the Salvation of God. Whofo
offer eth *Praife^ glorifies me-y and to
him that ordereth his Converfation a-
righty will I fhew the Salvation of
God.
In the Words we may obferve thefc
Fpur Things.
i. That
the Honble Hotife ^/COMMONS. 6 1
i. That God is to be glorified or Serm.
honoured'^ All our A&ions. He glori* mt
fies me.
3. That, more particularly, upon
occafion of any great Mercy, any re
markable BleJJlng, or fignal inter"
fofition of 'Providence on our behalf 5
we ought to fhow forth his Glory by
the moft fublick Acknowledgments, by
the hcartieft ^Praifes and Thankfgivings
to him. IVhofo ojfereth Tratfe, glo
rifies me.
3. That He who will return Thanks
to God acceptably for faft Mercies, fo
as to glorifie him indeed ; muft for the
future live fuitably to the Trofejjion
he publickly makes, of his Senfe of
God's ^Providence governing the World,
and of his entire dependence upon it.
To him that ordereth his Conversation
aright.
4. That to Them who thus order
their Converfation aright, here is a
Promifc added, of ftill farther Bleflmgs.
I will {hew them the Salvation of God.
i . That God is to be glorified or ho*
mured in All our Actions. This is im
plied in thofe Words, he glorifies me.
For, the declaring in what Manner, or
by what A&ions God is moft glorified*
and who the Peribns are, that do moft
truly
62 A Thankfgming Sermon before
Serm. truly honour him 5 is prcfuppofing th«
III. Knowledge and Obligation of the
J Duty itfelf, that God is to be glorified
or honoured in All our Attions : That
is ; that we are at all Times, and in all
Places, to have a conflant Regard to
him, and Depcndance upon him; to
have a perpetual Senfe of him upon
our Minds, and to make continual Ac
knowledgments to him upon all proper
Occafions ; that he is the Author and
Prcfcrver of our Life and Being 5 that
on him we rely, for all the good
things we hope for; and by his Per-
miflion, by his Grace and Favour, in-
joy whatever Good we at prefent po£
fefs ; that to him all poifible Praife and
Thankfgiving is due, for the Prosperity
or Succcfs we at any time meet with,
either in our private, or in the publick
Affairs; that by Him Kings reign,
and Princes decree Jufticej that His
Blefling it is upon a Nation, when
ever pious Princes arc eftablifhed upon
the Throne, and their Affairs profpcr
under a wife Adrniniftration, and Suc-
cefs accompanies their Arms abroad,
and Peace and Plenty crowns their En
deavours at Home. On the contrary,
that ill Succcls in any of our Under
takings, the Mailing and defeating any
of
the Horfi1' Houfe ^COMMONS. <5 5
of our Defigns ; die Calamities and Af- Sernu
flictions, of whatever kind they be, III.
that at any time fall upon us, are ftill *^V^<
the Strokes of the fame Hand, the Ap
pointment of the fame wife Providence,
the Good Pleafure of the fame Supreme
Governour and Director of all Things ;
defigned for our Correction and Im
provement, to withdraw our Af
fections from Vanity and Truft in the
World, and to lead us to Repentance
and Amendment. This is, according
to the wife Man's Advice, Acknow
ledging God in all our Ways : This is
promoting a true Senfe of Religion
and Piety in the World: This is ho
nouring and glorifying God. For, the
Glory of God, is not any thing accru
ing to God himfelf--, 'tis not any Addi
tion to his Greatnefs or Happinefc, or
any Accefllon to the Perfections of his
Nature. But, as the true Glory of a
^Prince, is the Obedience and the Trof-
perity of his Subjects ; fo the true No
tion of the Glory of God, is nothing
elfe but the advancing and cftablifhmg
his Kingdom among Men. And the
Kingdom of God, faith St 'Paul, isy
Right eoufhe ft, Teace, and Joy in the
Holy Ghofl. Tis fomething within our
felves, as our Saviour affirms, St Luke
xvii, 21,
«,
64 A Thankfgiving Sermon before
Scrm. xvii, 21. Tis the Conformity of the
111. Creature to the Nature and Life of
God, to the Law and Happinefs of Hea
ven, by the Obedience of the Goipel,
and by the Reconciliation of their Na
ture to the eternal and unchangeable
Law of Righteoufncfs and Holinefs.
Promoting the Glory of God therefore,
is nothing elfe but advancing the In-
tereft of true Religion, and promoting
the Praftife of Virtue in the World,
For, as Irreligion and Negleft of God,
Profancncfs or any vitious Praftife
in thofe who pretend to believe 5 do
f, (as is faid in the Cafe of <Davzd) give
14- great occafion to the Enemies of God
to blafpheme -> and they who make
Rom. ii, their boaft in the Law, as St 'Paul
**' expreftes it, do, by tranfgrejjlng the
Law, difoonour God^ and the Name
of God is through them blafyhemed
among Unbelievers: So, on the con
trary, they who, by unfeigned Piety
and Regard to God in the whole Courfe
„ of their Lives, make their Lieht to
V IO ^
'Jbine before Men ; do, by letting others
fee their good Works y cauic Men to glo-
rife their Father which is in Heaven >
That is, they bring other Men over to
a true Senfe of Pveligion, and perfwadc
them to have a juft Value and Efteem
for
the Honble Houfe ^COMMONS. 6$
for it. This is the true Notion of the Glo- Serm.
ry of God: This is doing all Things for III.
his Honour and Glory. And in This '•^vx*
Senfe 'tis manifeft it is our indifpenfable
Duty, to honour and glorify God in Alt
our Attions*, by keeping up in our own
Minds a conftant Senfe of him, of his
Power and Greatnefs, of his Wifdom and
Providence in governing the World, and
difpofing of all Events ; and, as much as
in us lies, exciting the fame Senfe of him,
and dependence upon him, in the Minds
of Others likewife.
2. As God is in fome Meafure to be
honoured or glorified, by all our Actions
in general; fo more particularly? upon
occafion of any great Mercy or 'Delive
rance, upon occafion of any remarkable
BleJJlng or jignal Interpofition of 'Provi
dence on our behalf, we ought to fhow
forth his Glory by the moft publick Ac
knowledgment 'Sj by the higheft Expreflions
of our Gratitude, by the heartieft Trai-
fes and Thankfgivings to him. Whofo
offereth cPraife, glorifes me 5 Or, as it
is in the former Translation, Wbofo of
fereth me Thanks and Traife, he honour-
eth me. Tis All the Return, that weak
and dependent Creatures are capable of
making, to the fupreme Lord and Cover-
nour of all Things j And therefore he is
F graci-
66 A Thankfgiving Sermon before
Scrm. gracioufly pleafed to accept it, as a fuffict-
III. ent Reward for all the Benefits that he has
*^C* done unto us. Our Goodnefs extendeth
not to Him? Pfal. xvi, 2 ; neither can
Man be profitable to God, as he that if
wife may be profitable unto himfelf, Job
xxii, 12. But tho' we cannot make him
any Return for his Benefits, yet thankful
to him for them we can be; and mod
inexcufable are we, if we neglect to be
fo. All that we are able to do, is to
make humble Acknowledgments of the
Mercies we receive from him ; and there
fore we ought to do it in the gratefulleft,
and in the moft publick and hearty man
ner we can. Adverfity and Afflictions,
fuch Corrections and Chaftifements as
his Fatherly Hand thinks fit at any
time to lay upon us, it becomes us to
bear with patient Submiffion, and filent
Refignation to his Will 5 as being juft
Reproofs for our Sins, and Calls to Re
formation and Repentance : But Bleflings
andlnftances of Mercy, efpecially publick
and national BlelTmgs, call for Publick Ac
knowledgments in fuch Expreflions of
Praife and Gratitude, as may declare to the
World our being duly fenfible from what
Hand they come. Upon account of the
Works of Creation, all, even inanimate
Creatures, are in Scripture called upon
to
the Honblt Houfe of C o M M o tf s. 67
to praife the Lord ; that is, to contribute Serm.
Matter, and afford perpetual Occafion III.
by the Meditation of them, to all rational *^~\T**
Creatures to fing his Praifes ; Traife him
(that is, afford continual fubjed-matter
for his Praifes, ) O ye Sun and Moon -, Pf- c*Iviii'
fraife him all ye Stars of Light ? &c. The 3*
Works of 'Providence, are no lefs great
and confpicuous, than thofe of Creation ;
And for Thefe Works, Men, who are chief
ly and moft immediately concern'dinthem,
and who alone are able to difcern and judge
of them, are in Scripture required perpetu
ally to praife him : To Praife him perpe
tually 3 becaufe the Number and Variety of
them is fo great, that no Tongue can wor
thily or fufficiently extol them : Who can
exprefs the noble Affs of the Lord, or
flow forth all his 'Praife? Pfal. cvi. 2.
Tis the leaft that any reafonable Perfon
can do, in return for great Benefits ; to
make a thankful Acknowledgment of
them, to Him from whom he receiv'd
them. And yet becaufe 'tis All, ( as I be
fore obferv'd) that weak and dependent
Creatures can pay to Him who is abfo-
lute Lord of all things 5 therefore, when
it proceeds from a fincere Mind and
hearty Affeftion, 'tis accepted by him
as the moft valuable Sacrifice. Ver. p>
of this $oth Pfalm; / will take no Bui-
F 2 Iock9
6s A Thanksgiving Sermon before
Serm. lock, faith God, out of thy Houfe, nor
III. He-goats out of thy Fold ••> For all the
Beafts of the For eft are mine, and fo are
the Cattle upon a Thoufand Hills : Will
I eat the F/efh of Bulls, or drink the
Blood of Goats ? No : But offer unto God
Thankfgi'ving, and fay thy Vows unto
the moft High : And call upon me in
the T)ay of Trouble ; / will deliver
thee, and thou fbalt glorife me. Again,
<Pfal. cxvi, 12, 17. What fhatl I render
unto the Lord, for all the Benefits that
he has done unto me ? I will offer to
him the Sacrifice of Thankfgi'ving, and
will call upon the Name of the Lord.
And Tfal. Ixix ; 30, 315 / will praife
the Name of God with a Song, and
will magnify him with Thankfgi'ving ;
This alfo fhall pleafe the Lord, better
than a Bullock that has Horns and
Hoofs. The fame Notion is very elegantly
exprefied by the Prophet Hofea, ch. xiv,
vcr. 2. We will render the Calves of our
Lips 3 i. e. we will return to God fuch
hearty Thanks for his Mercies, as fhall
be more acceptable to him than the Sa-
criiices of Calves or Sheep. The Phrafe
is tranflatcd by the LXX, the Fruit of
our Lips ; And fo St 'Paul cites it, Heb.
xiii, T 5 •> Let us offer the Sacrifice of
'Praife to God continually ; that is, the
Fruit
the Honble Houfc ^COMMONS. 69
Fruit of our Lips, giving Thanks to Serm.
his Name. III.
Thfc Obligation to this Duty, is ib
evident and fo realbnable, that it is ibme-
times in Scripture put for the whole of
Religion ; and the Negiec't of it, marked
as a total Defection from God. Thus St
Taul, Rom. i, 21, deicribing the in-
excufable Corruption of the Heathen
World, puts it principally upon This; be-
caufe that when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were
Thankful, but became vain in their Ima
ginations, and their foolifh Heart was
darkned. They cou'd not but know God,
by his Works -, yet they were not Thank
ful, nor glorified him according to that
Knowledge; therefore, fays the Apoftle,
they are without Excufe. The plainer
and more obvious the Duty is, and the
more fully God has declared his Accept
ance of it, to Us who enjoy the Ad
vantage of Revelation 5 the more un
worthy ftill, and the more incxcuiablc,
is Unthankfulnefs and Ncgled of him.
'Tis the perpetual Complaint of the
Prophets in the Old Tcftament, that
after all the great things that God had
done for the Nation of the Jews, their
Ingratitude was moft provoking to him ;
He made them ride on the high places
F 3 of
?o A Thank/giving Sermon before
Scrm. of the Earth, that they might eat the
1H. increafe of the Fields, and fuck Hony
SY^ out of the Rock, and Qyl out of the flin
ty Rock :-—But Jefiurun waxed fat and
kicked -,— -he foon forfook the God which
wade htm, and lightly efteemed the Rock
of his Salvation, Deut. xxxii, 1 3 . And
'tis recorded of a great and good King ;
one, concerning whom the Scripture te£
Kings, rife8? tnat i*1 other things he did that
3,'^. which was right in the fight of the Lord,
fo that before him there was none e-
qual to him, neither after him arofe there
any like him 5 'tis noted of Him, even of
good King Hezekiah, as a very great
blemifh, as a thing very unnatural and
unbecoming him, and at which God was
highly difpleafed $ that, after the Lord
had deftroy'd his Enemies, by fending an
Angel which cut off all the mighty Men
of Valour, and the Leaders and Captains
in the Camp of the King of Affyria j
and after he had miraculoufly caufed him
to recover from a mortal Difeafe 5 yet he
rendred not again according to the Benefit
done unto him -, for his heart was lifted
up -, therefore there was Wrath upon him,
and upon Judah andjerufalem, 2 Chron.
xxxii 3 21, 25.
The many wonderful Victories that
Gpd has granted Us, over the Armies pf
a Prince
the Honble Houfe of COMMONS. 71
a Prince more Potent than the King of Serm.
Affyria-, and who has often thought to HI.
fwallow us up more eafily, than Sennache* *sv^s
rib did to deftroy Jerufalem, and over
run the Land of judda •> The many won
derful Victories, I fay, which God has giv
en Us, and particularly the great SuccelTes
wherewith he has blcflcd us this prefent
Year, and for which we are now met to
gether to return him Thanks ; are fuch as
will fet as great or greater a mark of In
gratitude upon Us, if our real Thankful-
nefs be not anfwerable to our outward
Expreflions of Joy, and pur confequent
Behaviour fuitable to both.
The Fatigue and Length of the fore
going Campaign, which had been drawn
out into the very midft of Winter > the
extreme Rigour of the enfuing Scafon,
and the Backwardnefs of the Spring, which
occasioned fuch a fcarcity of Forage, that
It was impoflible to open the Campaign
before the Summer was far fpent; and
at the fame time the Artifices made ufc
of by our Enemies to amufe us with
falfe Appearances and deceitful Infinuati-
ons of their Defire of Peace, and to try
if from thence Means might be found to
create any Divifions or Jealoufics among
the Allies ; gave fomc hopes to France,
that they (hould have been able to avoid
F 4 the
^^ A Thankfgwtng Sermon before
Serm. the Blow wherewith they were threatned 5
III. and that, by gaining Time, they might,
at kaft for this Summer, have efcaped
the Danger to which by their former
Lofies they feem'd to be expofed. But
the Providence of God, directing our
Counfels j the Unanimity and Steddinefs
of the Allies, the Prudence and Vigilance
of our Generals, and the Indefatiga-
blenefs of our Troops, entirely difap-
pointed the Enemies Expectation: And
the Campaign began with the taking of
one of rhe ftrongeft FortrefTes in Europe 5
in the Fortifying of which, no Pains,
no Coft had been fpared, for a Trial how
far it was poffible to increafe Strength
by the Perfection of Art. To prevent
further Loffes of this kind, the Enemy
refolved to hazard a Battle ; yet in fuch
Circumftances, that, according to the
ufual Meafure and Judgment of Events
in War, they thought themfelves to run
no hazard. But in the iflue it appeared,
that thro' the Courage and Condud
of our Generals, whofe Greatnefs as no
J-Mory can parallel, fo no Character
can do Juftice to; and thro' the Bravery
and Intrepidity of our Troops, which
as no Difficulties can withftand, fo no
Words can fufficiently exprefs i thofe
mighty Intrenchments, thofe double aud
treble
the Honblt Houfe 0/* C o M M o N s. 73
treble Defences, wherein the Enemies Serm.
thought themlelves fo fecure, ferved HI.
only to increafe the Glory of the Arms
of the Allies, and to convince the Enemy
how little hopes remained of their ever
gaining any Advantage over thofe Troops
upon equal Ground, againft whom they
could not defend themfelves upon the
moft unequal. Neverthelefs, according
to their ufual Vanity ', they boafted of
a Victory ; Unlefs we will rather afcribc
it to their beginning to put on fome de
gree of Modefty, when they declare they
efteem it the nobleft Achievement and
the greateft Height of their Glory, to have
been able to make a Retreat after being
beaten, withlefe Ijofs than ufual. But in a
Matter of this Nature, 'tis not of fomuch
Importance what Reprefentations, what
artful ^Descriptions may be made of the
Adionitfelf: Tis the2yf#£ the Confe-
quences of great Adions, that afford the
trueft Judgment of the Greatnefs of the
Succefs. And here it was fufficicntly evi
dent on which Side, and to ivhat 'Degree,
Victory declar'd itfelf 5 when the immedi
ate Confcqucnce of the Battle, was the
laying Siege to another ftrong Town, and
the taking it in a very fhort time, without
the Enemies being in a condition fo much
as to offer 4? any Attempt of coming to its
Relief. Por
74 X Thank/giving Sermon before
Serm. For thefe great and continued Succefles,
III. wherewith the Providence of God has
vouchfafed to Blefs us, let us make thank
ful Acknowledgment to his Divine Maje-
fty, in the Words ot 'David, i Chron. xxix,
ij. Thine, O Lord, is the Greatnefs, and
the Tower, and the Glory, and 'the ViEto-
ry, and the Majejty -, for all that is in the
{leaven, and in the Earth, is thine j
thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and thou
art exalted as Head above all. Both Rich
es and Honour come of thee, and thou,
reignefl over all-, find in thine Hand is
JPower and Might, and in thine Hand it
is to make Great, and to give Strength
unto all. Now therefore, our God,
ive thank thee, and fraife thy Glorious
J^ame.
To negleft acknowledging the Hand of
Providence in thefe great Events, would
be not only bafe Ingratitude and Unwor-
thinefs, but alfo the greateft and moft inex-
cu fable Inconfideratenefs. For iince the
Race is not always to the Swift, nor the
Battle to the Strong ; fmce the Wifeft
Counfels do not always profper, nor the
bed laid Defigns conftantly take Effect ; but
the Providence of God over-rules all E-
vents, by fecret and undifcern'd Springs;
Tis to his Ble fling wholly, we muft thank
fully acknowledge, that even the beft con
certed
the Honble Houfe ^COMMONS 75
certed Meafures owe their Succefs. Tis Serm.
by his Bleffing, that Unanimity is pre- III.
ferv'd among Allies, that Generals are ^V^*
infpir'd with Wifdom, and Troops with Un-
dauntednef sand Bravery, And 'tis by the
Continuance of the fame Bleffing, that
That Unanimity, Conduct and Courage,
are attended with Succefs. Unanimity has
been, with the greateft Advantage, on our
Enemies fide : Their Soldiers fometimes
have not been void of Bravery, nor their
Generals of Skill. Yet have they been de
feated in Battle after Battle, till the Strength
of the potenteft Monarch upon Earth has
been almoft entirely broken, and his Pow
er reduc'd to an Extremity of Diftrefs.
The King flail mourn, and the ^Prince Ezek. vH.
fhallbecloathed with'Defolation, and the *7'
Hands of the ^People of the Land flail
be troubled ; / will do unto them after their
•way, and according to their 'Defer ts will
I judge them\ That they may fee, and ifa.xii,10i
know, and conflder, and underftand
together, that the Hand of the Lord has
done this, and the Holy One of Ifrael has
createdit : That they may know that this
is thy Hand, and that tbou, Lord, haft
done it.
Nor ought it to be omitted, that,
next under God who is the firft Author of
all Victory, all due Honour and Acknow
ledgment
76 A Thank/giving Sermon before
Serm. ledgment is to be paid to the Inftruments,
III. by which our Succefles have been accom-
t/'VNJ plifh'd 5 the Wifdom and Conduct of the
Generals, and the Bravery of thofe who
executed their Commands. For, though
Providence has indeed, in the whole Courfe
of this War, very fignally interposed in our
behalf 5 yet not by immediate Miracle, as
in the Days of Jehofaphat King of Ju-
dahj when it was faid to them by the Pro
phet, 2 Chron. xx, 17, Te flail not needto
fght in this Battle ; fet y our f elves , Jiand
yeftill, and fee the Salvation of the Lord.
But the Bleflings of Providence are con-
vey'd to Us, thro' the Wifdom and Dili
gence of fecond Caufes. Por as, on the
one hand without the Blelfing of Provi
dence, the greateft Wifdom of Man is Fol
ly, and his Strength Weaknefs ; and a
Pf. xrxiii, Horfe is counted but a vain thing to fave
*7- A Man, neither flail it deliver any Man by
its great Strength : So neither on the other
hand have we Now any reafon to expect,
that Providence will work for us direct
Miracles, but only blefs the Endeavours of
fubordinate Caufes. Wherefore all due
Acknowledgments ought to be made to
the Inftrumcnts, by whofe Means we are
delivered from our Enemies, and by whofe
Hands is worked for Us the Salvation of
God. And 'tis noted in Scripture as a
great
the Honble Houfe of COMMONS. 77
great Reproach upon the Children of If- Serm.
raely that they were fometimes ungrateful III.
to the Perfons by whom God had work'd
their Deliverance, and that they remern-
ber'd 'em not according to all the Good-
nefs that they had fbew'd unto Hrael,
Judg. viii, 35-
3 . He that will return Thanks to God
acceptably for pad Mercies, fo as to Glo
rify him indeed ; muft for the future live
fuitably to that ProfciTion he pretends to
make, of his Scnfe of God's Providence
in governing the World, and of his entire
Dependence upon it. To him, that order*
eth his Confer fat ion aright. The Exprcl-
fions of our prefent Joy, muft be fuch as
become the Gofpcl of Chrift ; And the fol
lowing Part of our Lives muft fhow, that
our Praifes proceed not out of feigned Lips.
Publick Praifesand Thankfgivings are ac
ceptable to God, as Part of our Religi
ous Worfhip and Adoration of him ; But
'tis Then only fo, when the Declarations
of our Mouths arc the real Significations
of the Intentions of our Hearts, and our
Defigns are not to abufc thofc Mercies
fij
which we thank him for. We muft fo re
turn our Thanks for paft Mercies, as that,
by their having a due Influence upon us,
we may fhow our fclvcs worthy of the
Continuance of them, and of God's be-
ftowing
78 A Thankfgiving Sermon before
Serm. flowing ftill more upon us 5 and then our
III. Praife will be indeed an acceptable Sacrifice.
v^V^ Rejoice in the Lord, ye RIGHTEOUS,
faith the Pfalmift } for itbecometh well the
]\&tobe Thankful, Pfal. xxxi, i. But of
Pror. the Wicked it may truly be affirm'd, that as
' '9 their Trayer, fo their Traife alfo is an A-
bomination to the Lord.
4. To them who thus order their Con-
'verfation aright, here is a Promife added
of yet farther Bleflings : I will (hew them
the Salvation of God. They who wor*
thily exprefs their Thanks for pajl Mercies,
not by debauch'd and unfeemly Mirth, but
by truly honouring and fearing God, may
reafonably hope for more occafions of prai-
ifa. i, 19. fing him- If Ye be Willing and Obedient,
ye fhall eat the Fat of the Land-, and the
Lord will delight to do you good. Our
Praifes and Thankfgivings for paft Vi5to-
riesy if accompany 'd with Sincere Obedi-
Exocf. ence, will be, like the lifting up of Mo-
svn, a. j>es*s Hands upon the Mount, a certain E~
vidcnce of future Succefs. God has al
ready bleft the Endeavours of our Pious
Queen with fo great Profperity, that we
may juftly fay with the Pfalmift, ¥fal. xx, 6 j
Now know I that the Lord helpeth his
Anointed, and will hear him from his
Holy Heaven, even with the wholefome
Strength of his Right hand. Some put
their
the tiortble Houfe of C o M M o tt s.^ 79
their Truft in Chariots, and fame in Serm.
Horfes, blit we will remember the Name III.
of the Lord our God : They are brought
down and fallen y but we are rifen and
ft and upright. Nay, we have reafonable
Grounds to apply to our Enemies the Pro
phet Nahums Lamentation over the King
of Affyria, ch. iii, i;. 1 9. There is no heal
ing of thy Bruife, thy Wound is grievous $
All that hear the Bruit of thee, flail clap
their Hands over thee -, for upon whom
has not thy Wickednefspafs'd continually ?
Or That of the Prophet Ifaiah, ch. xiv,
*u. 1 6. They that fee thee, flail narrowly
look upon thee, and conjider thee, faying*
Is this the Man that made the Earth to
tremble ? That did flake Kingdoms ? That
made the World as a Wildernefs, and de-
ftroy'd the Cities thereof? That of end
not the Houfe of his Trifoners ? The iud-
den breaking of fo great a Power, fhows
how eafily Providence, if we prove un
grateful to him, can even yet difappoint
our moft probable Hopes, and, alter all
ourSuccefles, bringustoConfufion. But
the Example of Piety fet us from the
Throne, will, we hope, fo effectually dif-
courage all Immorality and Profanenefs,
and, by fpreading its Influence afar, excite
in the Nation fuch a Spirit of Virtue and
true Religion, that God may be intrcated
of
8o A Thank/giving Sermon before
Serm. of us to continue to blefs us with Succels,
III. till the prefent bloody and expenfive War
C-X~V>J terminates in fuchaPeace, as may eftablifh
upon a lafting Foot the Liberties of Eu*
Pf. xxxiv, r0j)e. The humble /hall fee this, and be
glad\ And their Heart {hall live, that
Pfal.ixix, j2efc Qod. por Godwill fave Sion, and
build the Cities of Judah, that Men may
dwell there, and have it inpoffefllon: The
Softer it y alfo of his Servants fhall inherit
it ; and they that love his Name, Jball
dwell therein.
I add only a Word of Exhortation, and
fo conclude.
The Ground of our rejoycing, and re
turning Thanks to God for the Succefies of
the prefent War, is, that thofe Succeffes
tendtofecure to us the Ends, for which
the War was at firft undertaken; viz. the
procuring a fafe and lafting *Peace, the
Support and Eft abli foment of the prefent
Constitution of our Government, the main
taining the Rights and Liberties of our
f elves and all Europe, and the Treferva-
tion of the ^Proteftant Religion among
us.
Firft therefore, if we will ihow our-
felves truly Thankful for the Succelfcs of
the War, let us endeavour to maintain
fuch Unanimity among ourfelves, as may
convince our Enemies they can have no
Hopes
the Honble Houfe ^COMMONS. 8 1
Hopes of putting an end to the War, but Serm.
by confenting to fuch a *Peace, as may be III.
fafe and lofting. And let us fo lay afidc
all unreasonable Divifions and private Ani-
mofitics, that whcnfoevcr it fhall pleafe
God to put a fucccfsful End to the War
abroad, we may enjoy the blefled Effedls
of *Peace and Charity, of mutual Confi
dence and Agreement at home.
Secondly ', Let us heartily endeavour to
promote the Intereft of that Government y
the Support and Eftablifhment whereof is
one principal Effed: of the Succcfles for
which we publickly return Thanks to God.
Let us contribute our utmoft, each in our
proper Stations, to fupport a Government
fo happily eftablifh'd j and to make the exe
cutive part of it as cafy, and as little bur-
dcnfome as poffiblc, in the Hands wherein
it is lodg'd. To Jeek the Teace of theltr-
City or Country wherein we dwell, and7'
in the Teace thereof to exped 'Peace, is
Men's Duty and Intereft even under bad
Governments : How much more, under
the bell and moft wifely conftitutcd Go
vernment in the World, under the eafieft
and gentlcft Adminiftration, under a Go
vernment wherein nothing clfe is deftsm'd
O O
but the preferving the Publick \\"clfarc and
Happinefs, the Security and Eftablifhment
of the Protcftant Religion, the maintain-
G ing
82 A Thankfgiving Sermon before
Serm. ing the Rights and Liberties both of Na-
IIL tions and of private Perfons againft Ty-
C/"VN; ranny and OppreiTion; How much more,
I fay, in This cafe, muft all fuch be
utterly incxcufabkj who, under any Pre
tences whatever, foment Diviftons and
Animofities, jealoufics and groundlcfs Su-
fpicions, to weaken the Hands of the Go
vernment, and prevent the perfecting and
fecuring upon a lading Foot the forc-men-
tion'd great and excellent Ends ! We have
been refcu'd by wonderful Deliverances,
from the Rod of Arbitrary Power, from
the Follies of Enthufiafm, and from the
Superftitions of Popery : Should ' ive again
grow weary of our own Happinefs, and
defpile the Liberty wherewith God has
blclVd us ; fhould we again defire to joyn
in Affinity ivith the 'People of thefe Abo-
m'mationsj would it not be juft with God
to fuffcr them ftill to become Thorns in
our Sides, and their Gods to be a Snare
unto US) and that he fhould be angry with
us till be had conjumed us ? Ezra, ix, 12.
Thirdly, Let us take great Heed, left by
running into lawlcfs and ungovernable Li-
centioufnefs, we abufe and deftroy thofe
Rights and Liberties, which have long
been fo earneftly and fo juftly contended
for ; and which the Succcfles we are no\f
rcturnina; Thanks for, are the Means of
fe-
the Honble Houfe ^COMMONS. S 3
fccuring to us upon a folid Foundation. Serm.
God has blefs'd us with great and glorious III.
Succefsagainft our Foreign Enemies ; which
we hope he will continue to us, till the
Liberties of Europe be eftablifh'd by a
firm and lading Peace. Let us not, after
That, become Enemies to Our/efoes, by
a Licentioufnefs impatient of the moft ne-
celfary Rcftraints ; Left by our own Un-
thankfulnefs and Inteftine Confufions, we
deprive ourfelvcs of the Benefit of a Blcf-
iing purchas'd with fo much Blood and
Treafure ; and provoke God to fuffcr us to
deftroy ourfelves, by lofmg our Liberty
wholly, while we aflfed more of it than
is juft and reafonable, or conftftent with
good Order and Government and the Pub-
lick Safety. For as, on the one hand, the
Abufc of Arbitrary Power in Governors,
has generally been the Occafion of putting
People upon recovering the Liberties they
had loft ; fo, on the other hand, Licenti
oufnefs or Abufe of Liberty in the ^People*
tends always to fuch confufions, as termi
nate ufually in Arbitrary Power again.
Fourthly, And above all, let us take
care to 'Praffife the Religion we *Profefs,
and for the Prefer vation whereof we are
fo highly concerned. One of the Principal
Benefits of all the glorious Succefles God
has blefs'd us with, is the fecuring the Re-
G z form'd
*4 d Thankfgi'ving Sermon before, flee.
Serm. form'd Religion amongft us, againft the
III. Attempts of Pop ifh Supcrftition. But what
V^VX/ will it profit us, to bear the Name and
Profeflion of a Reform d Religion, if in
our Pradice and in Reality we have no Re
ligion at all? Of what Ufe will it be to
us, to be fecur'd from the Vanities and
Supcrftitions of Popery; if on the con
trary we run into Atheifm, Irreligion and
Profanenefs ?
Chriftianity itfelf, our Saviour aflures
us, is of no Advantage to thofe who do
not obey the Will of his Father which is
in Heaven ; But their Portion will be a-
mong Unbelievers. In like manner rjiei-
ther can any particular Reformation of Re
ligion from the grofieft Corruptions that
have crept into it, be of any Benefit to
thofe, whofe Manners are not reformats-
gcther with their Profeflion.
a Cor. iv; God, who commandeth the Light to
** 6' fhine out ofDarknefe, grant that the Light
of the Glorious Gofpel of Chrift, who is
the Image of God, may fo fhine in our
Hearts, as that we may bring forth Fruit
worthy of that Light of the Knowledge
of the Glory of God, in the Face of Je~
fits Chrift.
A SER~
A
SERMON
Preach'd before the
Q_U E E N,
At St. James's Chapel, on Wed-
nefday the 8th of March,
1709*10. being the Anniverfa-
ry of Her Majefty's Happy Ac-
ceflion to the Throne.
Publijh'd by Her MAJESTIES Special Command.
2 CHRON. XXXI, 21.
And in every Work that he began in the
Service of the Houfe of God, and in
the Law, and in the Commandments
to feek his God, he did it with all his
Heart, and proffered,
THERE is fo neccftary a Con- Serm
nexion between the Happincfs ot IV.
Governors, and that of the Pco-
pic committed to their Charge ; that as
there lies an indifpcnfablc Obligation upon
G 3 Prince*
SS ASERMO N f reach: d
Serm. Princes and all that are in Authority, to
IV. govern in the Ways of Piety and Righte-
oumefs, in order to the Welfare and Pro-
fperity of the Publick, as well as upon ac
count of their own private Duty to God j
fo the People have always great Reafon to
be very thankful to God, when under the
Adminiftration of pious and religious
Princes, they enjoy both in the natural
courfe of things, the unfpeakable Advan
tages of Peace and good Government, and
have moreover a particular Title to the ex
traordinary Bleffings of Providence, and
to all the Promifes God has made in Scrip
ture to the Righteous, of national Pro-
fperity.
God, who is perfed Goodnefs, and who
communicates to all his Creatures fuch
proportions of Happinefs, as is fuitable to
the Original or improved Capacities of
their Natures j has fo framed and confti-
tuted the Nature of Man in this prefent
State, that as every particular 'Perfon, with
regard to the Temper of his own Mind,
is in great meafure either Happy or Mife-
rable within himfelf, in proportion as his
Paflions are more or lefs fubjed to the Di-
reclion and Government of right Reafon j
fo Numbers of Men in Societies likcwife,
do proportionably either promote or de-
ftroy each other's Happineis, as their Deal
ings
before the Q^u E E N. 87
ings One with Another arc cither juft and Serm.
righteous, equitable and charitable, ho- IV.
nourable and publick-fpirited ; or, on the
contrary, bale and malicious, deceitful
and unrighteous, violent and opprcilive.
The Happinefs which Mankind would en
joy even here upon Earth, if all mcns Paf-
Jtons were kept iiibjecT: to Rcafon, and
every private Intcrcft made fubfervi-
cnt to the publick; is greater than can
be exprcfled in Words, or than can eafily
be conceived in the Imagination. And to
prcferve that Happinefs conftant and per
petual, among Pcribns of fuch a Difpofi-
tion ; there would be wanting little other
Government, but that of Right Reaibn ;
and few other Laws, than only the Di-
clatcs of Confcience, which are the La\v
of the Moil High. But this being the
State, not of Earth, but of Heaven ;
not of the prefent World, but of the
New Heavenf and New Earth, wherein
is to dwell univerlal Rightcoufncfs ; That
which in the next place is moft defirable,
and which is the higheft degree of Happi-
ners that can in Fail be attained to by
Mankind here upon Earth; is, that the
Prattife of Righteoufnefs ^and true Virtue
may be eftablifhcd and incouraged by Hu
man Laws ; that the Execution of thole
Laws be intruitcd in Juft and Wife Hands ;
G 4 and
88 A S ERMO N freach'd
Serm. and that Governors, both Supreme and fub-
IV. ordinate, at the fame time that they im-
partially adminifter Juflice to others, be
themfelves Examples of that Virtue and
Goodnefs, which the Defign of all good
Laws is to promote the Pradife of. That
fo, thofe who fear not God> nor love Righ-
teoufnefs, may yet either thro* Shamey or
the Fear of Men, be in fome meafure re-
drained within the Bounds of their Duty ;
And, if they will not, out of a Senfe of
Religion, indeavour to do Good in the
World 5 yet at leaft, by the Coercion of
wife Laws, they may be prevented from
being able to do much Mifchief'm it.
As the greateft Calamity that can befal
Mankind, is to be left in a State of abfo-
lute Anarchy and Confufan, to devour
each other like wild Beafts ; in a State,
wherein Force gives Right to all manner
of Oppreilion, and Fraud and Violence
are pra&ifcd with all Impunity and with
out Rcftraint : And the Next to this ex
treme Calamity, is bad Government ;
wherein eitherLaws promote the Mifchiefs
they ought to prevent ; or Governor a-
gainft Law, incourage thofe very Pra&ifes
which 'tis the whole Intention of their Of
fice to rcitrain ; and Princes become Ter
rors to their Neighbours, and Deftroyers
of their own Subjects ; and the Oppreifcd
cry
before the Q^u E E N.
cry, and no Man delivers them ; and Vio
lence fits in the Seat of Judgment, and
Extortion and Rapine arc cftablifhed as it
were by a Law : As fuch bad Government,
I fay, is the Next great Calamity to having
no Government at allj So, on the con
trary, next to that Angelical State, that
State of 'Paradife, wherein there would
be little need of any other Laws or Autho
rity than the Fear of God ; the next great
EleJJing Mankind is capable of, is Good
Government : Government, which truly
anfwers the defign of its eftablifhment ;
which, in real Effects, reprcfcnts the Divine
Authority ; which, by the whole Exercifc
of its Power, promotes the Honour of
God in the World, and the publick Wel
fare and Happinefs of Mankind.
Accordingly, the principal Inftruments
which God generally makes ufe of, either
in conveying his greatcft Temporal Blei-
fingsto Mankind, or in infli&ing his feve-
rcft Punifhments on any Nation or People,
arc Good or Bad 'Princes.
Tis remarkable in the Hiftory of the
Jewifh Nation, that when they rejected
the Lord, that he flould not reign over
them, i Sam. viii, 7 ; the Thrcatning
wherewith the Prophet was commanded to
endeavour to deter them from their difo-
bedicnt Purpofc, was This; ver. 9. *Pro-
teft
90 A S E R M O N preach' d
Serm. tefl folemnly unto them, and fhow them
IV. the Manner of the King that flail reign
over them. — He 'will take your Sons, and
appoint them for himfelf, for his Chariots?
and to be his Horfemen*, and fome fhall
run before his Chariots: And he — will
fet them to ear his ground, and to reap
his Harvejt, and to make his inftruments
of War, and inftruments of his Chari
ots 5 And he will take your Fields and
your Vineyards and Qliveyards, even
the beft of them, and give them to
his Servants.— -And ye fhall cry out in
that day, and the Lord will not hear you.
There have been fome fo unreafonable, as
to interpret this PafTage, not as a threat-
ning of Punifhment exprefs'd in the Cha-
rader of a bad Government, but as a De
legation of that Power which God intend
ed All Governors fhould have a Right to
exercife. But the whole Scope and Con
nexion of the Words, evidently fhows the
contrary. And the Hiftories of the Ea-
ftern Nations of the World, who have
long lived under the Exercife of fuch ab-
folute Arbitrary Dominion, fhows how
incxpreflibly great a Calamity fuch Govern
ments are to Mankind. And the Experi
ence even of a neighbouring Nation alone,
which from one of the potenteft and
morl flourilhing Kingdoms upon Earth*
has
before the Q^u E E N. Pi
has been reduced even to the extremeft de- Serm.
gree of Mifery ; is a fufficient evidence of IV.
this Truth. Moft reafonably therefore,
and as a moft proper Argument to deter the
Jews from continuing in their wanton
Difpofition of rebelling againft God's Go
vernment, might the Prophet threaten
them with being made fubjed to fuch a
Dominion.
On the contrary, in thofe Paffages of
Scripture, wherein are promifed the great-
eft Temporal Bleflings that God ever be-
ftows on any Nation or People, fuch Pro-
mifes are frequently and moft emphatically
exprefs'd under defcriptions of mild and
gentle Governments ; of Governments
wherein Juftice is eftablifh'd by wife Laws,
or adminifter'd by the Will of Righteous
Princes. Inthelxxiid ^Pfalm, the Dcfcrip-
tion of a Prince, the Greatnefs and Profpe-
rity of whofc Government was to be a
Type of the Blcuednefs of the Kingdom
of the Mejfiah > is this. He flail judge
the 'People according unto Right \ and de
fend the ^Poor :- — He fhall keep thefimple
folk by their Right, defend the Children
of the 'Poor, andpunifh the Wrong 'Doer :
-—He fhall come down like the Rain into
a Fleece of Wool, even as the drops that
'water the Earth •, In his time flail the
Righteous flouriflj yea and abundance of
Teace
92 ^SERMON preach'd
Scrm. Teacefo long as the Moon endureth :
IV. He fowl deliver the To or when he crieth,
*s*Y~*' the Needy alfo, and him that hath no
Helper: He fhall be favourable to the
Simple and Needy, and fhall preferve the
Souls of the Toor. And in the Lx. Chap
ter of Ifaiah, the final reftoration of Je-
rufalem, which perhaps is no other than a
Defcriptionof theHappinefs of the Hea
venly State it felf; becaufe a nobler and
loftier Figure could not be borrow'd from
any thing to be found on Earth, is exprefs'd
by This Similitude : *ver. 17. Iwillmake
thy Officers *Peace, and thine Exaffors
Right eoufnefs : Violence fhall no more be
heard in thy Land, wafting nor deft rufl ion
within thy Borders ; but thou fhalt call
thy Walls Salvation, and thy Gates
"Praife : - - Thy people alfo fhall be all
righteous.
Sonic Proportions of this Bleiledncfs,
both by the natural Confequence of things,
and by the pofitive direction and intcrpoiT-
tion of Providence, do, even in this pre-
Icnt mixt and uncertain State of things,
always attend any Nation 5 when Unrigh-
tcouihcfs and Debauchery are in any mea-
iiire difcourag'd by the good Difpofition of
the People, or by the pious Indcavours of
a Wile and Religious Governor. We of
this Nation have (thanks be to God) cxpc-
ricnc'd
before the Qu E E N. 93
ricnc'd good and very great Effecls of this Serm.
Kind : And, was it not for our Unthank- IV.
fulnefsand Unworthy Returns for God's
Bleflings, we might have rcafon ftill to ex
peft more. The Jewifh Nation, whofe
Hiftory was written for our Example, was
always blefled with fmgular Profperity,
when under any pious Prince they lived in
remarkable Obedience to the Law of
Godj and never in a more confpicuous
manner, than in the days of that excellent
Perfon, of whom it is recorded in the
Words of the Text, that in every Work
that he began in the Service of the Houfe
of God, and in the Law, and in the Com
mandments tofeek his God, he did it with
all his Heart, and ^Pr offered.
The Words are part of the Character
of that pious Prince Hezekiah King of
Judah, of whom the Scripture tells us,
that he did that which was right in the
fight of the Lord, according to all that
'David his Father had done ; and that he
kept fuch a Paflbvcr, as had not been kept
before, from the days of ^David unto that
<Day -, and that he wrought that which
was good and right and truth, before the
Lord his God-, and in every work that he
began in the Service of the Houfe of God,
and in the Law, and in the Command-
went s tofeek his God, he did it with all
his
94 A SE RMO N f reach d
Serm. his Heart : And the Text adds, that he
IV. *Pr offer ed--> and that God bleffed him ac-
cording to his fmgular Piety. For when
Sennacharib King of Affyria came up a-
gainft him and againft Jerufalem with a
mighty Hoft to take it, the Lord Jent an
Angel) (2 Chr. xxxii, 2 1 .) which cut off
all the mighty Men of valour, and the
Leaders and Captains in the Camp of the
King of Affyria, fo that he returned with
fhame of face to his own Land-, And the
Lord fayed Hezekiah and guided him on
every fide, and he was magnified in the
fight of all Nations from thenceforth, v.
2 3 . We cannot in this profane and licen
tious Age, apply to our felves the Zeal
wherewith the Inhabitants of Jerufalem
aflifted their pious King in his carneft En
deavours to reftore among them the Reli
gion and Piety of their Anceftors : Nei
ther, if we could, had we any warrant to
expect fuch miraculous intcrpofttions of tho
immediate hand of God on our behalf, as
his peculiar People then experienc'd. But
the endeavours of that pious Princefs
whom God has now fet over us, to dif-
courageall Immorality, Debauchery and
Profanenefs, and to promote the pradife
of true Religion and Piety in this Nation ;
are not inferior to the good Difpofttions
of any of the pious Kings of Judah; Nor
are
before the Qy E E N. 95
are the Succefles wherewith the Providence Serm.
of God has blefs'd us in this Aufpicious IV.
Reign, againft the common Enemies of
our Religion and Liberties j much le s re
markable, than the Deliverances work'd
formerly by dircd Miracle for the Children
of Ifrael.
In the Words we may obferve,
i. That the fird and principal care of
good Princes, is to promote the interefl of
true Religion and Virtue among the 'Peo
ple committed to their charge. In every
work that he began in the Service of the
Houfe of God, and in the Law and in the
Commandment Sj to fiek his God $ he did it
with all his Heart. Princes are the Vice
gerents of God upon Earth; intruded with
Power from him for the Government of
Men in Societies, and for the maintenance
of Peace and Judice and good Order in the
World. This Power is veded in .different
Hands, and limited with different Regulati
ons, and exercifed indifferent Manners, ac
cording to the Laws and Cudoms of dif
ferent Nations ; But the Power itfelf is of
Divine Original and Appointment, being
the Ordinance and Conditution of God ;
For which reafon Governors, both Su
preme and Subordinate, are diled in Scrip
ture, GodSy and the immediate Minidcrs of
God. Having therefore this Power by
Di-
96 A S E RMO N freacVd
Serm. Divine Appointment, and reprefenting
IV. God in the Excrcite of it ; 'tis manifcft their
firft and chiefcft Care ought to be, to im-
ploy it in advancing his Honour and Glory,
from whom they received it. Power with
out Goodnefs, and Wifdom not imployed
in the promoting of Righteoufnefs, is the
jufteft Object of Mcns Fear and Averfion :
But when thofe who are the Minilters of
God in the excrcifc of Power, imitate
him alfo in that more lovely Perfection of
Goodnefs ; and make it their principal Bu-
fmefs to incouragc that univerfal Virtue,
theEftablifhment of which in the World,
is in the moft acceptable manner fulfilling
the Will of God, and promoting his Ho
nor and Glory ; then do they moft emi
nently verify that Character the Scripture
gives of them, I have faid ye are Gods.,
and ye are all the Children of the Mo ft
High. The lull ructions upon this Head,
given by 'David in his dying Words, are
very remarkable, 2 Sam. xxiii, i. Thefe
be the lafl Words of *David : 'David the
Son of Jejfefaid 5 and the Man isiho ivas
raifedup on high, the Anointed of the
God of Jacob^ and the fweet 'Pfalmift
of Ifrael faid ••> The Spirit of the Lord
fpake by me, and his Word 'was in my
Tongue 5 The God of Ifrael faid^ the Rock
of Ifrael fpake to me : He that ruleth
over
before the QUE £ N." 97
over Men muft be jufty ruling in the Fear Serm.
of God. He muft Himfelf rule in the IV.
Fear of God j and he muft make it his
chief and principal Care, to caufe Others
to fear him likcwife. Accordingly we
find the principal part of the Character of
all the good Kings of Judah, whofe Hi*
ftory is related in Scripture 5 taken from
their Zeal to promote the Service and
Worfhip of God, and the Eftablifhment of
true Religion in their Kingdom. Many
of the Methods they ufed, agreeable to>
the then prefent State and Circumftances
of Things, and to the extraordinary Com-
miffions they had ; are by no means indeed
to be imitated under the Gofpel-State, or
drawn into Example by the praftife of
Chriftian Princes, who have no fuch fpe-
cial and immediate Warrants from God :
But in general 'tis ftill their Duty, by all
wife and Chriftian Methods, by all Me
thods fuitable to the Nature and Dclign of
the Gofpel, to employ the Power and Au
thority God has given them, in promoting
the Intercft of true Religion, in incou-
raging Virtue and difcouraging Vice. It
is ftill true, that a 'wife King fcattereth
the Wicked, and bringeth the Wheel over
them, Prov. xx, 26. Tis ftill true, that
Rulers are not a Terror to good Works >
but to the Evil-, that the Magiftrate, fu-
H prems
PS A SE R MO N preactid
Serm. preme or fubordinate, beareth not the
IV. Sword in vain , for he is the Mini ft er of
God, a Revenger to execute Wrath upon
him that doth Evil, Rom. xiii, 4 5 that
he is fent of God for the 'Punifiment of
evil doer sy and for the Traife of them that
do well, i Pet. ii, 14.
The only Caution here necefiary to be
us'd, is j that true Religion, in the pro
moting whereof the principal Care of
good Princes is to be imployed, be always
underftood to confift ; not in Matters of
Notion, Speculation, andDifpute; not in
Queftions of Controverfie, and uncertain
Opinions ; not in Matters of mere Hij-
mane and Temporary Authority $ but in
Obedience to the plain Precepts of the
Gofpel of Chrift 5 in the great and Funda
mental Duties of Piety towards God,
Righteoulnefs towards Men, and Tempe
rance in the Government of ourfelvesj
on the Pradife of which, depends the Hap-
pinefs of this Life, and of that which is
to come : And that the things to be prin
cipally difcouraged by them, are Profane-
nefs and Impiety, Unrighteoufnefs and
Iniquity, Debauchery and all Immora
lity.
Now as the Nature and 'Derivation of
their Authority itfelf, fo likewife the End
and *DeJign of all Government, obliges
good
before the QJJ E E N» <p$>
good Princes to make the promoting of Serm.
Religion and Virtue among the People, IV.
their principal and greateft Care. For the
ultimate End and Defign of all Govern
ment, is the Peace and Safety, the Wel
fare and Profperity of the Pubiick, of the
Society or Community united under fuch
a Form of Government. Now 'tis mani-
feft that nothing promotes this great End,
fo much as the pratlife of Religion and
true Virtue. For Virtue and a tri^e fenfe
of Religion, obliges every Sub) eel:, every
Member of the Society, in whom it is
found i it obliges him beforehand, by a
much ftronger and fecurer Tie, to do all
the fame things freely andwillingly , hear
tily and fine erely y in publick and in pri*
<uate 5 which the bcft and wifeft Laws can
but compel thofe who want fuch a Senfe
of Religion, to do unwillingly, /lightly
and fuperf dally, in publick appearance
cnfy, and in the fight of Men. Religion
therefore and true Virtue, if they pre
vailed in the World, would obtain the
fame End fully and effectually ', which
the belt and wifeft Laws can do but in
fart i And Laws are made only to fupply,
in the bed manner they can, the want of
true Religion and Virtue among Men.
The Law is not made for a Righteous
Man, but for the Lawlefs and ^Difobedi-
H 2 tnt,
loo A S E R MO N fredctid
Setm. ent, for the Ungodly and for Sinners, for
IV* the Unholy and the ^Profane, i Tim. i, 9.
For the fame reafons therefore, that 'tis \e-
ry neceflary for the ellablifnmcnt of t ood
Government in the World, that Men
fhould be perpetually under the rcfiraint
of wife and wholfonie Laws 5 ior the
fame rearons 'tis much more defirable,
(and ought to be the great Aim and Defign,
the main and conftant Endeavour of thofe
in Power and Authority,) that Religion
And true Virtue fhould univerfally pre
vail 5 the want of which only it is, that
introduces the neceility of any coercive
Laws or Penalties at all.
The Mecns by which good Princes are
to promote the Practife of true Religion
in the World, is not (as was before ob-
fervcd,) by putting difficulties upon fuch
as are weak or erroneous, in matters of
Speculation and Difpute, or in the Exter
nals of Religion 5 but by fecuringthe Foun
dation of Virtue and good Manners, up
on which the Happinc's of a Nation does
moft immediately depend 5 by maintain
ing the Honour of God, and keeping up
a due fenfe and acknowledgment of his
Providence, in the Minds of Men; by
preferring Faithfulnefs and Truth, Inte
grity and Uncorruptnefs in the tranfafiing
and managing of all publick and private
Affairs j
before the Qy EEN. ror
Affairs j and by effectually difcouraging Serm.
all Immorality and Debauchery, which VJ.
enfeeble tne Spirits, and deftroy the Pow-
cr and Honour of a Nation.
This is principally done by good Exam
ple, and by countenancing fuch as are cleii-
rous to follow it. For as the Sun diifufcs
Heat and Vigor, together with its Rays of
Light, thro' the fpacious JJnivcrie ; and in-
fenfibly promotes in aH things,by its power
ful lnflucnce,both Life and Growth, Motion
and Action ; o the Example of a piousPrince,
gives far greater countenance to Religion,
than the mricteft Laws ; encourages well-
di poied Per ions, and gives Lite and Spi
rit to all pious Dcfigns ; makes Vice and
Immorality aQiam'd to fhow its Head; or
at leait gives a check to the more open Pro-
fancncis, of fuch as would publickly dcfpife
an.i throw contempt upon Religion:
Whereas, on the contrary, when the Su
preme Authority of a Nation, \vhen the
Light of the World, is it felf ^Darknefs 5
how great muft that Darknefs be ? When
the Head is flck and the whole Heart
faint y what Health and Soundneis can the
whole Body in joy ?
Further : The next Means, by which
good Princes may promote the intercft
qf Religion, and the pra£tife of Vir
tue in the World ; next to the incou*
H 3 ragement
loz A S E R MO N preach'H
Serm. ragcment afforded by their own good Ex-
IV. ample ; is by taking all fit care, that M en
be not corrupted in their firft Principles by-
Ignorance and grofs Negled, by Carelef-
nefs and want of due Inftrudion. Tis
recorded of Jehoftaphat King of Judah,
as a moft remarkable part of his good
Character, That he fent to his Trinces,
and appointed Levites and Triefts to
teach in the Cities of Judah 5 and they
had the Book of the Law of the Lord
with them, and went about throughout
all the Cities of Judah y and taught the
people ; 2 Chr. xvii, 7. And in this particu
lar, as her prefent Majefty has exceeded
the Piety even of the beft and moft reli
gious Princes among her Predecefifors, by
conftderably augmenting out of her own
Revenue the maintenance of thofe who
by Divine Appointment are fet apart to
the Office of teaching and inftruding Men
in matters of Religion ; fp, That charita
ble difpofition which feems daily to in-
ereafe and fpread in the Nation, of edu
cating and inftrudting poor Children in the
Principles of Religion, and in the Methods
of Induftry and honeft Labour, it may
reafonably be hoped will contribute in
due time to the accomplifhment of that
Prophecy, that^<? Earth fiall be full of
the Knowledge of the Lord> as the Wa
ters cover the Seas, z. Tis
before the QUEEN.
2. Tis obferved in the Text, that the Serm.
Effeft of Princes making it their chief IV.
care to promote the Intcrcft of true Reli-
gion and Virtue ; is, the 'Pro/per itj of
Themfelves and their 'People. In every
Work that he vegan, in the fervice of the^
Houfe of God, and in the Law, and in
the Commandments, to feek his God $ he
did it with all his Heart, and Trofperd.
In the parallel place, 2 Kings xviii, 7, the
word 'Profpercd is thus more largely ex-
preflcd 5 the Lord 'was with him, and he
frofpertttj wkithetfwver he went forth.
We ilnd in the Hiftories both of anci
ent and modern times, that it has fome-
tim. s indeed happened otherwife ; and
ti .~r good and pious Princes have, for the
Sins and Iniquities of their People, or for
other fecret and wife Reafons of Provi
dence, been very unfuccefsful in their Af*
fairs, and fallen under great Calamities.
But generally fpeaking, and in the ufual
cour e of Providence, good and religious
Princes have been blcfled with Succefs,
and great Profperity. And of this, there
are two obvious reafons. Firjl, the na
tural Tendency of the thing itfelf. When
Princes govern in the Fear of God, ac
cording to Law and Equity, being Mini-
fters of God to the People for good, and
having no other Intcreft but the Welfare
H4 of
104 ^SERMON freach'd
Serm. of the Publick ; Mercy and Truth will
IV. preferve their Perfons, and their Thrones
will be upholden by Mercy > Prov. xx, 28.
When Kings become nurjing Fathers,
and Queens nurjing Mother s\o the Church
of God ; and the Example of their Vir
tue and Piety, renders them as confpicu-
ous as their high Station : The Hearts of
the Subjects will naturally be filled with
Love and Affection, with Efteem and Ve
neration for them, as well as with a Senfe
of Duty towards them 5 and the Authori
ty they are vefted with, will be only fuch
a paternal Care, in the exercife of which
they will juftly be lookt upon and ho
noured as Benefactors. This is very ele
gantly expreis'd by 'David in the place
before-cited; where, after thofe Words of
Inftrudion, He that ruleth over Men
mufl be jufty ruling in the Fear of Gody
he immediately adds, And he fhall be as
the Light of the Morning? 'when the Sun
arifes, even a Morning without Clouds ;
as the tender Graft ff ringing out of the
Earthy by clear fining after Rain, 2 Sam.
xxiii, 4. When, in confequence of this,
the People obeys, not only for Fear, but
alto for Confcience-fake ; and not for
Confcience-fake only, but alfo out of
Love and Choice, in a Senfe of their
own Happinefs : When they become una
nimous
before tfre QjJ E E N. 105
nimous in their Counfels and Defigns; Scrm.
and every one, free from all Fear of any IV.
Incroachment upon their juft Rights, their
Liberties and Properties, difcharges his
Duty in his proper Station with Fidelity
and Cheerfulnefs : This, in the nature of
things, will eftabliHi a Government with
firmnefs and fecurity at home ; and fpread
Dread and Terror, upon its Enemies a-
broad. Right eoufnefs, in the natural Ten
dency of the thing itfelf, will exalt a Na
tion ; as, on the contrary, Sin will be a
Reproach to any 'People. But Secondly ;
the Providence of God, does moreover in
a peculiar manner moft frequently con
cern itfelf, in bleffing and profpering the
Defigns of pious Princes : The King that
faithfully judges the 'Poor, bis Throne
{hall be eftablifhed for ever, Prov, xxix, 14.
Notwithstanding the created natural Sccu-
C5 C?
rity from fecond Caufes, yet, except the
Lord keep the City, the Watch-man Sol
dier may awake in vain. Here therefore
is the cftablifhment of the Throne of the
Righteous 5 that it is under the fare pro-
tedion of him, whole Kingdom mleth
over all. We read, 2 Chron. xvii, 10,
(where is fet down the good Character
before-cited of Jehofbafhat King of Ju-
dah ;) that the Lord was with him, and
eftablifled the Kingdom in his Handy
and
io6 A SERMO N freach'd
Serm. and the fear of the Lord fell -upon all
IV. the Kingdoms of the Lands that 'were
round about Judah, (b that they made
no War againjt Jehofhaphat. And We
of this Nation enjoy at this Day the hap
py Effects of the Blcflings of Providence
upon the pious Princefs he has fet over us j
in giving Her fuch iignal Succefles againft
the common Enemy, as we may rcafona-
bly hope wjll foon terminate in a Safe,
Honourable, andLafdng Peace.
3. It remains in the Third and laft
place, by way of Application, to consider
briefly what the *Duty of Subjects is, who
have the Happinets of living under fuch
Governors, as follow the Example, and
anfwer the Character given of good King
Hezekiah in the Text.
And \ft. Tis their Duty to return
Thanks to God, for the Benefits they in-
joy under the happy Influence of a Pi
ous Example and a Wife Admi migration.
Tis St 'Paufs Exhortation, not only to
frayy but alfo togi^e thanks? for Kings,
and for all that are in Authority ••> as be-
ing thofe under whofc Protection we lead
a, quiet and peaceable Life, and by whofe
Care we are incouraged to live in all God-
line fs and Honefty. To be thankful to
God, whofe Inftruments and Vicegerents
pious Governors are 5 (and who isthereiore
before the Qu E E N. 107
in this vefpeff in a more cfpecial manner Serrn.
the Principal and Supreme Caufe of the IV.
Blefllngs conveyed to Us through Their ««^>rs$
Hands;) is rendring unto God the things
that are Gods, at the fame time that we
make juft acknowledgment to Ctefar of
\vhatis due to Ctefar.
And as we muft not be unthankful to
God, for Bleflings received ; fo we muft
take care, not to exprefs our Joy and
Gratitude in an improper manner. We
muft declare our Thankfulnefs, not by
unfeemly Mirth, not in Rioting and De
bauchery 5 but by the fmcere Practice of
That Religion, the Prefervation of which
is the Conclufionof all our Prayers; and
by Ads of fteddy Affedion to That Go
vernment, the Support of which is the
Foundation of all our Hopes.
idly. Tis the Duty of Subjefts under
pious Governors, not only to acknow
ledge, that, feeing by Them they injoy
great Quietnefs, and that very worthy
'Deeds are done unto the Nation by Their J& XXiv,
'Providence, therefore they accept it al »•
ways and in all places with all Thank^
fulnefs; But they muft fhow forth their
real Gratitude, by imitation of the Exam
ple let them from the Throne, and by a
ftrift Obfcrvation of the Laws againft Pro-
foncnefs, Debauchery and Immorality, fo
often
ios ^SERMON freach'd
erm. often recommended tothem from thence,
IV. as the only certain means of fecuring the
Continuance of the Favour and Blefling
of God, both upon Them and their Prince.
They muft fhow forth their Gratitude by
uniting all Hearts and Hands to promote,
each in their proper Station, with all Di
ligence and Faithtulnefs, the Safety and
Honour of the Government ; by laying
afide all private Animosities and Conten
tions among thcmfelves ; and by putting a
flop (as much as in them lies) to all ground-
lefs Jealoufies and unreaibnable Sufpi-
cions, which tend to abate Mens Afreclion
towards their Governors, and to bring
Difficulties upon the Adminiftration of
publick Affairs.
'idly. Tis the Duty of Subjects under
All, and much more under Pious and Re
ligious Governours, to offer up conftant-
ly for them, according to the Exhortation
of the Apoftle, Supplications, ^Prayers
(tnd Inter cejjlons : That God would be
plea fed to give them Understanding and
Knowledge, Strength and Ability, to g&
in and out before a great people ••> that he
would enable them to bear the areat
c/
Weight and Burden of Publick Bufinefs,
affift them to undergo the manifold Diffi
culties arifing from the Uncertainties of
all Hun^anc Affairs, andblefs them in all
their
before the Qu E
their Juft Undertakings, with Profperity Serm.
and Succefs. God has hitherto blclled \\ f
her prefent Majefty with unparallell'd
Success, againft the Common Enemy of
our Religion and Liberties : Tis Our Du-
t-^
ty to pray fora Continuation of the .amc
Succefs, till the War abroad fhall be
brought to its dciircd Conclusion j and
that, after 1 hat, we may be made a hap>-
py People at home, by Peace and Unity-
and mutual Confidence among our felves ;
by a firm Eftablifhmcnt of the wife Con-
ftitution of our Government, for a Sue-
ceffionof many Generations; by a iinccre
Reformation of Manners among all forts
and degrees of Menj and an univerfal
hearty Concern for the great and weigh
tier Matters of Religion, more than for
things of Controvcrfie and uncertain Di£
pute : That Humility, Love and Pcace-
ablenefs, Righteoufncfs and Equity, Di
ligence, Faithfulnefs and Truth, may
pofiefs the Hearts of Men of all Ranks
and Conditions among us : That God
would be pleafed to infpire Her Majefty
with a difcerning Heart, a wife and un-
derftanding Spirit ; to blcfs Her with A-
ble Counfellors, with Righteous and Juft
Officers in all Places of Truft j with a Du
tiful and Obedient People : That the Queen
v&yrejoiceinthy Strength^ O Lord* and
be
Serm.
IV.
A S E R MO N preactid
be exceeding glad of thy Salvation : That
thou may &gvue Her her Hearts ^Dejire^
and not deny Her the Requeft of Her
Lips : That thou may eft prevent Her with
the EleJJings of Goodnefs, and make Her
Honour great in thy Salvation, and
crown Her with Glory and great Wor-
Jhip: That thou may eft give Her a long
Life here, and a longer and happier here
after, even for ever and ever.
A SER;
t— - . . —
SERMON
Preach'd in the
Parifh- Church of St James's Weflmmftery
On Tuefday November 7, 1710,
Being the Day of Thankfgiving
for the Succeffes of the fore-go-
ing Campaign.
P S A L. CXLV, 2.
Every day will I blefs thee, and I wilt
jtraife thy Name for ever and ever.
THE particular Occafion, upon scrrn$
which this Pfalm was Compofed,
is not known : But in general^
that it was occafioned by fomc extraordi
nary Blefling, fuch as Succefs and Vi6tory
over powerful Enemies, or fome other
the like remarkable Interpofition of Pro
vidence ; is evident from the whole Courfe
of the Pfalm For the Author of it, be
ginning with high Expreflions of Joy and
Thankfulnefs, (v. i .) 7 will extoll thee,
OGod,
xii A SERMON preach'*
Serm. 0 God, my Kingy and will blefs thy Name*
IV. forever and ever--, eiery day will I blefs
thee^ andlwill fraife tky Name for e-
*ver and ever-, proceeds in the 4th Verfe
to declare, that the Ground of this his ]oy
andThankfulncfs, was fome mighty Att 5
fome publick and eminent intcrpofiticn of
^Providence in his behalf: One genera-
tion> lays he, Jkall fratfe tky Works to
another, and (ball declare thy migf.ty
Atts; I will f peak of tke glorious Ho
nour of tky Majefty, and of tky won
drous Works ••> and Menfiallfpeak of the
Might of thy terrible Affs, and I will
declare iky Greatnefs : And <ver. 1 1 , They
fhallfftakcf the Glory of thy Kingdom,
and talk of thy Tower ; to make known
to the SG-,?S of Men his mighty Aflsy
and the glorious Majefty of his Kingdom.
After which he goes on, from the confi-
deration of faft Mercies, to infer the
reafcnablcnefs of Mens depending upon
the fame Providence for the continuance
of his Protection in time to come j if by
a religious Behaviour they approve them-
felves worthy of his Care and Favour.
Ver. 1 8. The Lord is nigh tint o all t hem-
that call upon htm-, to all them that call
nfon him faithfully 5 he will fulfil the
defirt- of tmm tk at fear him, he alfb will
hear their Cry and will fave them : The
Lord
on the THANKSGIVING-DAY/ 113
Lord frefcrvtth all them that love him, Serm.
but all the wicked will he ^Deftroy. And V.
then he concludes in the lafl Verfe, with
Exprefllons of Joy and Tiiaiikfgiving, as
he began in the firfl ; My Mouth fball
Jpeak the Traife of the Lord, and
let all Flefh blefs his holy Name for ever
and ever.
The Application of this Difcourfe of
the Pfalmift, to our prefent Occafion ; is
very obvious. God has done for Us,
things no lefs wonderful and remarkable,
than for the yews of old 5 and it becomes
Us to praife him after the fame Pattern,
which the inipired Pfalmift drew up for
Their Ufe. It becomes Us every day to
give Thanks unto him, and to praife his
Name for ever and ever. It concerns us
to take heed that we behave ourfelves
worthily, upon the Mercies we have re
ceived 5 that we be found in the Number
of thofc that love him, and of thofe that
call upon him in Faithfulnefs and Truth.
And when this is our Cafe; then it will
become us with humble Confidence, to
depend upon his Promifc for further Pro
tection 5 that he who is righteous in all
his Ways, and holy in all his Works,
will continue to be nigh unto us ; to pre-
firveand fupport us 5 and be always ready,
I to
iM- A S E R MO N preach' d
Serin, to hear and fulfl the dejire of them that
V, fear and obey him.
The Words of the Text, confift of two.
Parts ;
\ft. A Declaration of That 'Difpojition
of Mind, which ought to be found in
iuch Perfons, as have received great Mer
cies from God ; And,
2dfy. An account of the outward Ef
fects of that pious Difpofition, in Ads of
publick Praife and Thankfgiving to God.
The former, is a grateful and due Senfe
of God's Goodnefs. The latter, is the
Fruit and Confequence of that juft Senfe
of things upon the Mind; fh owing forth
it felf in external Ads of Worfhip, and
in calling upon others to join with us in
publishing the Praifes of Him, whofe Pow
er is fo confpicuous in all great Events,
and whole tender Mercies are over all his
Works.
But there is no need to infift feparately
upon each Part of this Diftindion ; be-
caufe, though the things themfelves are
really diftinff, yet they muft always be
fuppofed to accompany each other. For'
where the Mind is inwardly and deeply
poflefled with a juft Senfe of the Goodnefs
of God, the external Behaviour cannot
but of neceffity be anfwerable to the /"»-
ward
on the THANKSGIVING-DAY. us
ward Stnfe and Difpofttion of the Mind : Serm.
And where the outward Actions are full V.
of proper Expreflions of Gratitude, and
profeffed Acknowledgments of the Divine
Goodnefs 5 though God only can know the
Heart, yet Men muft always charitably
fuppofe, that the inward Senfe and Difpo-
fition of the Mind, is agreeable to the
Character of ti\z outward Attion. There
is no need therefore for Us to diftinguifh,
between Thankfulnefs as 'tis a Habit and
Temper of the Mind, or as 'tis an Expref-
fan of That Temper in our Behaviour and
AEiions. For thefe things ought always
to go together, as in fincere Perfons they
really do : And in the unfmcere, where
they do not, yet to the Eye of the World,
which is all We can judge of, they muft
of neceflity appear to do fo. We can
not, therefore, but treat of thefe things
as Synonymous; and, when we exhort
Men to the Duty of Thankfulnefs, muft
always underftand thofe external A ft ions >
which are the proper ExpreJJions-> and ought
always to be the real Significations^ of a
grateful Mind. Wherefore, without di»
ftinguifhing between thefe two Branches,
we may look upon the Text as one fin-
gle Proportion ; and take the latter Part,
as only an Explication of the former. E-
verj day will I blefs thee 3 or, as it is in
I 2 the
ti6 A S E R MO N freactid,
Scrm. the Old Tranflation, Every day
V. give Thanks unto thee--> and praife thy
Name for ever and ever.
That which is more particularly remark
able in the Words $ is the Expreflion, E-
<very day. As if every day of our Lives,
were to be a day of Thankfgiving ; and
our ExprefTions of Gratitude, as uninter
rupted as our Breath. The meaning is ;
that, as we are directed by the Apoftle to
Tray without ceafing ; and, by our Lord,
to petition our Heavenly Father conftant-
ly for the continuance of our daily Food,
in acknowledgment of our perpetual De
pendence upon Providence, for the very
Breath we draw, and for the Bread we
daily eat : fo we ought to be no lefs con-
ftantly and habitually Thankful to God
for the Benefits we have received, than we
are importunate in our Petitions to him
for the Things we want. In every thing
giving Thanks, as St Taul cxpreflcs it,
i Thef. v, 1 8 ; and Eph. v, 20, Giving
Thanks always for all things unto God, e-
ven the Father, in the Name of our Lord
Jefus Chrift.
There are fome things, which we in-
joy in common with all the Creatures of
God 5 Life and Breath, and the common
Protection and Prefervation of Providence.
And for thefe, we are to join in that great
and
on the THANKSGIVING-DAY. 117
and univerfal Choir, which St John in Scrm.
his Vifion fo elegantly dcfcribcs, Rev. v, V.
133 and iv, 1 1 j Every Creature which
is in Heaven and on the Earthy and un
der the Earth, and fuch as are in the
Sea, and all that are in them? heard I,
faying 5 Thou art worthy, O Lord,
w receive Glory and Honour and Tower ;
for thou haft created all Things, and for
thy Tleafure they are, and were created.
There are other Gifts, peculiar to Men ;
Understanding and Knowledge, Reafon
and the Uic of Speech, a Capacity of
Searching out and Meditating upon the
Works of God. And for Thefc Faculties,
we are to exprefs our Gratitude, by im-
ploying them in his Service ; by pro
moting his Glory 3 and by fo behaving our
felves in the excrcife of our Dominion
over the inferior Creation, that all the
Works of God, over which he has made
Man the Lord, may with Our Tongues
fraife him, and magnify him for ever.
There are other Bleilings peculiar to
particular Nations : And for thcfc we are
to glorify GQJ, by a particular Thankful
Acknowledgment, and by the proper Ufe
of fuch refpcdivc Bleilings.
If the Providence of God has planted
us in a fruitful Country, and his Good-
nefs fucceiliycly crowns our Years with a
I 3
us ^SERMON preact>4
Serm. perpetual Increafe; we are then to exprefs
V. our Thankfulnefs by Temperance and So-
briety, by Charity and Works of Mercy
to the Poor, by taking great Care to pre
vent Luxury and Debauchery, Pride and
Vanity, Sloth and Forgetfulncfs of God ;
which are the Vices too apt to fpringup
out of Profperity and Plenty. When thou
haft eaten and art full, faid Mofes in his
laft and wife Exhortation to the Ifraelites ;
then thou {halt blefs the Lord thy God
for the good Land 'which he hath given
thee. Beware that thou forget not the
Lord thy God, in not keeping his Com-
mandments, and his Judgments and his
Statutes, which I command thee this
^Day-, Left when thou haft eat en and art
fully and haft built goodly Houfes, and
dwelt therein > and thy Silver and
thy Gold., and all that thou haft, is
mult if lied-, then thine Heart be lifted
up, and thou forget the Lord thy God>
&c. cDeut. viii, 10.
If God has indued us with Learning
and Wifdom, with Underftanding and
Knowledge, above other Nations of our
Fello w- creatures ^ whom we are too apt
todefpife under theNameofl&zr&zr/rfWJ.;
tyrannizing over their Weaknefs, and
infulting over their Ignorances not con-
fidering who it is that has taught Any of
on the THANKS G i v ING-DAY. 119
us more than the Eeafts of the Field, and Serm.
made us Wifer than the Fowls of Hea- V.
<ven : The proper way wherein our Gra- T
titude fhould fhow forth itfelf for thefe „.
things, is in applying Learning to the
Advantage of Religion, and to the pro
moting of the Glory of God in the
World ; by increafing real Knowledge,
and not perplexing it with imaginary
Subtilties 5 by difcovering Truth, and
not colouring over Errors j by propaga
ting what is Certain, and not contending
for difputable Opinions.
If God has vouchfefed us the glorious
Light of the Gofpel, and the Knowledge
of his Son our Saviour Jefus Chrifl ;
while many other Nations lie yet in the
Darknefs of Heathenifm, and have not
the Knowledge of the Laws of God :
The bed and moft acceptable Met od of
returning our Thanks for fo ineftimable
a Blefling j is, that we indeavour to pro
pagate the Chriftian Knowledge with Sim
plicity to Others ; and that we take care
above all things to obey the Truth our-
felves, in the Love and in the Purity
thereof.
If God has not only placed us under
the Light of the Gofpel, but blefled us
alib yet further with greater 'Purity of
Religion, by a Reformation from the
I 4
no A SERMO N preach' d
Serm. groffeft Errors and idolatrous Superfti-
V. tions, wherewith even the Chriftian
^V^w World itfelf had been almoft univerfally
overfpread, thro' the Corruption of that
Rev. xvii, Mother of Harlots and Abominations of
14. viii, fhe Eartfo which hath made all Na
tions to drink of the Wine of her For
nication j and in whom is found the
Blood of the 'Prophets and Saints and
of all that are flain upon the Earth :
If God, I lay, has bleffed us with a Re
formation from thefe groficft of Cor
ruptions ; the moft fuitable . Return of
Thankfulnefs for fuch an Advantage, is
to purfue the Spirit and *DeJign of that
Reformation ; and to take great Care,
that we be not deluded infenfibly to fall
Ezra i\-, 14- back again, and join in affinity with the
people of thefe Abominations ; but that
we ftedfaftly take more and more heed,
without regard to any Human Authority
iii, whatfoevcr, and without calling any Man
Father or Matter upon Earth., to adhere to
the Divine Authority of the Scriptures
only, as the Adequate Rule of Faith and
Manners j which is the fole Foundation
of the Troteflant Religion, and the only
effectual means of preventing all 'Diffe
rences among thofe who fincerely defire
|p undcrfland and pradife the Truth,
If
xx,
THANKSGIVING-DAY. 121
If God has preferveci unto Us our Serm.
Lawful Liberties and 'Properties, under V.
a mild and wcll-conftituted Government 5 v *"V*
when almoft all other Nations upon
Earth, are ftibjed to Arbitrary and illegal
Dominion 3 which is That Form of Go
vernment, wherewith God thrcatned to
punifh the Israelites for their Rebellion
againft him, when he declared unto them
by the Prophet Samite! the Manner of the I..Sam-
King that fiould reign over them : Our
Thankfulnefs for the continuance of fuch
a BlefTmg, can by no other way be fo
properly exprefled, as by making it our
chief Care to ufe that Liberty which we
fb juflly boaft of, and which we have
thought worth the defending almoft with
infinite Blood and Treafure, Jo as not to
abiife it to Licentioufnefs and Wanton-
neis : To life our Liberty fo, as not to run
into the contrary extreme of Lawlefnefs
and Conmfion ; To ufe it fo, as not to
break through the Obligations of regular
Government and legal Reftraints.
Laflly, If God has crowned all our
other Biellmgs, with that which is the Se
curity and Preservation of them all; a
conftant Series of unparalleird Succefs,
and V$ffiorte& beyond Example great and
complete, againft the Potentcft Enemy
fhat ever yet attempted to inflave the
World ;
122 A SER MON preach'd
Serin. World ; What {hall we render unto the
V. Lord for Thefe bis Benefits, and what
Returns fhall we make him for fuch a
BleflingasThis? The Anfwertothis Que-
ftion, is of great importance 5 And the fe-
rious Confideration of it, is That without
which our Religious Aflemblies would be
but mere Hypocriiie, and our Prayers no
better than a mocking of God.
i ft Therefore, if we will make wor
thy Returns to God, for thefe his Benefits,
in giving us fuch Victories and Succefs j
we muft in the firft place be careful to make
ourfelves truly fenfible, from what Hand
thefe Blcffings do really come. We muft be
fully perfwaded, that 'tis God that gives
Vidory in the Day of Battle, and that
Succefs is owing to the Protection of the
Almighty ; that 'tis He that breaketh the
Bow, and knafpeth the Spear in funder*
and burneth the Chariots in the Fire.
That which is apt to deceive Men in this
Matter, is their obferving things to depend
upon Second Caufes, and to be brought
about by the Operation of Natural A-
gents. But What are Second Caufes, and
What are Natural Agent s> but mere In-
jlruments in the Hand of him who ruleth
over All? All other things, excepting
Men only who are Free Agents, have no
prctenfe to be efteemed Caufes in Any
Senfe
on the TKANKSGIVING-DAY. 123
Senfe at all ; but are meerly as Inftru- Serm.
merits in the Hand of the Workman. V.
And by thefe things, the Counfels and
Deikns even of Men themfelves, of the
o
wifeft Men and of the ftrongeft Forces,
are perpetually over-ruled to quite diffe
rent Events, than They intended or could
poilibly forefee. So that the Iffues of all
great Adions, and the main Turns of all
worldly Affairs, depend intirely upon fuch
Accidents, as arc wholly in the Hand of God
todired. Which Accidents, tho' they be in
deed what we vulgarly call Natural Caufes,
yet this is really nothing elie but an impro
priety of Speech ; to call That a Caufe,
which, being Unintelligent, is in Truth no
thing more than an Inftrument'm the Hand
of him who is truly the efficient Cauie. And
this is evidently the Cafe, in all Unintel
ligent Natural Agents. Whatever They
feem to effed, is not in reality done by
Them, but by the ^Providence of God.
That the Sun runs its Courfe every 'Day,
is no lefs ftridly and properly the Hand
of: God, than that it flood (till one 'Day :
Nor is there any other Ground, why the
One is by all men readily afcribed to God,
and the other they vulgarly fancy is done
naturally without Him 5 but only This One
foolifh Rcafon, that What God does once,
they fee and acknowledge is done by
Him-, but what he does always, they
there.
124 A S E R M O N preach' d
Serm. therefore think 'tis not He does it at all.
V. The Scripture, (and Reafon alfo,) teaches
us morejuftly, to acknowledge God in all
our Ways-, and to be fenfible who it is,
that, being the Author and Director of
Nature, and of all thofe Accidents which
we can neither forcfee nor prevent, does
thereby difpofe and order, as he pleafes,
the Events of all Humane Affairs. There
are many 'Devices in Mans Heart ; but the
Counfel of the Lord, That fball ft and,
Prov. xix, 21.
idly. We muft not only in a meer
Speculative manner, be convinced that
'tis the Hand of God which bringeth a-
bout all great Events, and crowns us with
Victory and Succcfs ; but we muft fo con-
fider it and meditate upon it in a Tragi
cal manner, as to be truly Thankful to
him for the Advantages we reap thereby.
The Jews in. Mofes's time knew very well
'who it was, that made them ride on the
high places of the Earth ? and— —to fuck
Honey out of the Rock, and Qyl out of
the flinty Rock ; who it was, that led
them in the Wildernefs like Sheep, and
kept them as the Apple of his Eye ; that
fuffered no Man to do them wrong, but
reproved even Kings for their fake.
Yet even of the fe very Per fons, who knew
all thcfc things fo perfectly, and had feen
them
on the THANKSGIV ING-DAT. 125
them with their own Eyes ; did that ho- Serm.
lyMan complain, ^Deut. xxxii, 15, that V.
Jefhurun waxed fat and kicked $ that he
forfook the God which made him, and
lightly efteemed the Rock of his Salva
tion. King Hezekiah, knew very well
who it was that gave him a Sign, and re
covered him when he ^-s&fickunto T)eathy
and delivered him out of the hand of the
King of Babylon by a Miracle : Yet even
of Him, the Scripture complains, that he
rendered not again, according to the Be- .
nefit done unto him ; for his Heart was x
lifted lip -, therefore there was Wrath
upon him, and upon Judah and Jerufa-
lem. Even fo We alfo, how wctl fbcver
we apprehend in a Metaphyfcal and Spe
culative manner, that God is the Difpolcr
of the Events of all Human Affairs -, yet
What are we the better, if it does not
affcd us Morally, in filling our Hearts
with Gratitude, and our Mouths with
Traifes, and our Lives with Acts of O-
bedience to him, after all the great Things
that he has done for us ? This is the on
ly Return, that frail and dependent Crea
tures are capable of making, to the fu-
prcme Lord and Govcrnour of all things.
ForourGoodnefs cxtendeth not to Him--, jcbxxi
neither can Man be profitable unto God,
as he that is wife, may be profitable unto
him-
126 A SERMON preactid
Scrm. himfelf. But Thankful and Obedient to
V. him, we can be; and moft inexcufable
and bafe is our Ingratitude, if his Mercies
do not fo affed us. Yet moft prone is
our corrupt Nature, to become thus for
getful of our fupreme Bcnefador : And
the very Freqiiency of great and unexpect
ed Blcilmgs, isitfelf, tocarelefs and pro
fane Perfons, an occafion of neglecting
thofe things as common, which, if they
had more rarely happened, would have been
more carefully obfervcd. In the Courfe
of this great and bloody War, almoft e-
<very Campaign has afforded as much
matter of Thankfgiving, as at other times
the whole Scries even of a fuccefsful War
has been ufed to furnifh. And for this
veryrcafon, bccaufe we have been obliged
to return Thanks fo often, unthinking
and carelcfs perfons have little or no Dif-
pofition to be truly Thankful and De
vout at alL The proper Remedy againft
this Evil 5 is to confidcr fcrioufly and di-
flindly, what it is that we have hitherto
been delivered from, by thofe Succefles,
for which we have fo often and with fo
much rcafon been commanded to return
publick Thanks. The War, wherein we
arc now engaged, feems to be the laft
Struggle for the Two things, which alone
are valuable inhuman Life 5 Liberty, and
Re-
on the THANKSGIV ING-DAY. 127
Religion: Inoppofitionto^r^/Yrarx Tow- Serm.
er, which deftroys all Property ; and in V.
opposition to humane Authority and In-
fallibility fating in the Seat of God>
which is totally inconfiftcnt with all true
Religion. Had it pleafed God to permit
our Enemies to have been as fuccefsful
againft Us, as we have hitherto been vi
ctorious over Them ; we had long fmce
been Slaves, deprived of all legal Right
to our temporal PoflefTions > and, for our
Religion, had been worfhipping Stocks
and Stones, and Souls of Men departed,
inftead of Him that made the Heavens Revr-
and the Earth and the Sea, and all1'
things that are therein. Or, had Pro
vidence permitted us to have been de
luded, with the pretenfes of a falfe and
deceitful *Peace * the Effedsof fuch an
ill-grounded and infecure Agreement,
might poflibly have been much more fa
tal, than the continuance even of the
bloodieft and moft cxpcnfive War. And
the growing Miichiefs of one difadvanta-
geous Treaty r, might have been more diffi
cult to retrieve, than the tranfient Mile-
ries even of many unprofperous and un-
fuccefsful Campaigns. For we have to
deal with an Enemy, with whom no Peace
is to be had longer, than we have Power
to inforce it : An Enemy, whofe Cha
racter
Z28 ^SERMON preach'd
Serni. rafter is exaftly given by the Prophet
V. niel, ch. viii, eu. 23 ; y^ King of farce
countenance^- ivho flail deftroy won
derfully ; and through his policy alfo
he flail caufe Craft to proffer,— and he
flail magnife himfelf in his Heart 5 and
by Teace fhall he deflroy many.
idly. That our Thankfgiving may be
come truly acceptable 5 it muft be accom
panied with fuch CircumftanceSy and/0/-
fowedvfiih£u.chBe&aviour9 as may fhow
the Words of our Mouths to be real Ex-
preflions of the Thoughts of our Hearts,
and that our Praifes proceed not out of
feigned Lips. Our Joy muft exprefs it-
felf, not in Rioting and Drunkenncfs>
not in Frenzy and Debauchery 5 but in
Praifes and Thankfgivings accompanied
with Sobriety and Purity, with Modefty
and Humility ; fuch as becomes thofe
who mean to honour God with Piety and
Sincere Devotion in the praftife of that
Religion, the Prefcrvation of which from
being over-run with the Tyranny and Su-
perftition of Popery, is one of the prin
cipal Grounds of our rejoicing for that
Succefs wherewith God has hitherto blefled
us. For it becomes us Chriflians to re
joice, not in Ravage and Bloodfled, not
in the Mifery and 'Deftruttion even of
our Enemies themfelvcs : It becomes us
to
on the T H A N K s G i v i N c-D A Y. 1 29
to rejoice, not upon the Increafe of our Serm.
Tower for 'Dominion's Sake ; not upon V.
the inlarging our Territories, and aggran-
dizing the Honour of our Arms ; but in
being enabled to refcue the opprefs'd Li
berties of Nations ; to reftore the com
mon Rights of Human Nature ; and to
fecure That Freedom ef Religion, in the
denying of which confifts the very Ef-
fence of Antichriftian Iniquity . All Na
tions, after their Fafhion, return their
Thanks to the Almighty, for Victory and
Succefs over their Enemies 5 And the
greateft Tyrants and Oppreflbrs of Man
kind, pretend to praife God, whenever
their Arms, by the Pcrmiflion of Provi
dence, and for the Punifhment of the
World, prevail over the Weaknefs of their
neighbouring Nations : But Thefe their
Thankfgivings are *Profanenefs j And to
prefume to offer Praifcs to God, for the
Increafe of Tower for Power's fake, and
for the fetting up Arbitrary and Tyranni-
cafDominion, is no better than affronting
of God, and making a mockery of Re
ligion. Chriftians are to defire, and to
rejoice at the obtaining fuch Victories on
ly, as tend to eftablifh the Rights and
properties of Mankind, and the common
Liberties of Nations : And our Joy muft
exprcfs itfelf in fuch manner, and be at-
K tended
i3o A SE RMO N freactid
Serm. tended with fuch confequent Behaviour
V. as is becoming the Purity of the Gofpel
C/^WJ of Chrift. For, as the Wifdom which is
from above, fo the Joy alfo of thofe who
James are poflefs'd of that Wifdom, is frfl pure,
in, 17. fjQen p e ace able i gentle and eafy to be in-
treated? full of Mercy and good Fruits.
It becomes us to rejoice for Succefs in
War for no other Reafon, but becaufe 'tis
the neceflary and only Means of arriving
at a fafe and fecure *Peace. With which
BleiTmg when it fhall pleafe God to com
plete and crown all our paft SuccefTesi
then will it highly behove us to approve
our felves indeed the Children of ¥eace>
by laying afide all thofe unchriftian
'Divijions and Animosities among our
felves, which are kept up by mutual
Accufations, full (as we may reafonably
hope) of more Uncharitablenefs than
Truth. The means of caufing all which
to be forgotten, is rirft to unite heartily in
purfuing the Things wherein we all agree 5
and then to wait with Charity in thofe
wherein we differ, till even in thefe alfo
God fhall reveal the Truth unto us. Let
us consider, that Force and Violence, with
out regard to Right and Equity, are the
Means by which our Adruerfaries propa
gate their ^Power, and (as they are pleas'd
to call it) their Religion alfo : For which
Rea-
on the THANKSGIVING-DAY. 131
Reafon principally, their Tower is a Tub- Serm.
lick Enemy to Mankind, and their Reli- V.
gion properly Antichriftian. But We pro-
fefs to make War? not for the Sake of
Conqueft, but only to obtain to our felves
a fecure *Peace. And our Religion teaches
us, as to defae the publick, fo to maintain
(as far as poflible) private Peace alfo a-
mong ourfelves; by mutual Love, Cha
rity and Good- Will ; as becomes thofe
who profefsthe GofpelofTeace.
Let us therefore endeavour to under-
(land rightly, the full Nature and <DeJign
of the Religion we profefs. Which con-
rifts mainly in thefe Two Things, i/?, That
the Scripture (as I before obferv'd) is the
only Rule of our Faith. V/hich, if duly
attended to, would fpeedily put an End to
all 'Differences and Contentions., among
thofe who confider what they mean when
ichey make that 'Profejfion. And zdly,
That the Commandments of God are infi
nitely of more Importance, than any
Speculative Notions or Opinions of Men.
Which thing, if ferioufly confidcr'd, would
as effectually regulate our Traffife in the
Conduft of Life, as the adhering fted-
faftly to the only true Rule of Faith, would
it once cut off all *Difputes in the Matter
our Belief. Our Lufts and Folliesy
:>ur ^Debauchery and 'Profanenefs, our
K i un-
is* A S E R MO N preach' d, &c.
Serm. unreafonable and unchriftian Uncharita-
V. blenefs and 'Divifions among our fel<ves 5
are worfe and more dangerous Enemies,
than thofe we fight with abroad. And un-
lefs we fpeedily reform thefe Abufes, and
ceafe to provoke God by the continu'd
Corruption of our Manners ; the fame
Divine Providence, which has hitherto
wonderfully fought for us againft the po-
tenteft Monarch that ever yet aim'd at the
Empire of the World ; can as eafily, if
he plcafes, turn back our SuccefTes fpee
dily to our entire Dcftru&ion 5 and in a
Moment bring upon us, after all our Vi-
ftorics, the very fame Event as would
have been the Effcd of a continually unfuc-
cefsful J¥ar s at the time when we are
juft flattering ourfelves with the Hopes of
being put into fecure Poficfiion, of the
Bleffings of a fafe and lading Teace.
The Government of Paffion.
A
SERMON
Preach'd before the
E E N,
At St James's Chapel, on Sunday
the jthof January* 1710-11.
Publifid by Her MAJESTIES Special Command.
E P H E S. IV, 26.
Be ye Angry-, and Sin not.
SINCE in the ordinary Condud §crm
of Human Life? and in the Common
A fairs of the World, Natural
Wifdom teaches us, that the only fure and
effectual means of avoiding great Evils,
is the preventing of fmall ones 5 and that
the J?^/'»»/'»£Jof Mifchief arc much more
cafily prevented, than the Trogrefs of
K 3 them
134 'A SER MO N preach'd
Serm. them flopped, or the Conferences of them
VI. remedied :
Since under the improvements ot rht-
lofophy in the Heathen World, the prin
cipal and moft ufeful Precepts given men
for the Government of their Paffions,
was to watch continually, and guard them-
felves againft the firft Emotions of Paf-
fion rifing up in oppofition to Reafon ;
to flop the firft breaking out of a filent
Stream, which by Negled would fwell
into an overflowing Torrent ; to extin-
guifh the firft Spark of a fcarce difcernable
Fire, which by degrees would prevail into
a deftroying Conflagration :
Since by the ftill purer and more refined
Precepts of the <Dotfrine of Chrift, we
are obliged to govern even our very
Thoughts and ^Defires^ to pray againft
the Temptations and firft Occafans of
Sin 5 to lay the Ax to the Root of the
Tree, by fafprej/tng all corrupt Affections,
by refraining all inordinate Appetites,
by moderating and keeping even a ftrid
Hand over innocent Inclinations ; by
plucking out, if need be, even a right
Eye, and cutting off aright Hand:
Since thcfc things (I fay) are fo ; It
may well fccm ftrange, to any one that is
not verfed in the Jewiih manner of fpeak-
ing, how St Taul ftiould come toexprefs
him-
before the Qu E E N. 135
himfelf after fuch a fort, as if he intend- Scrm.
ed to indulge men in letting loofe the VI.
Reins to their Pafiions, as far as was con- w^y
fiftent with Innocency ; and thought it
fafe to permit Men to allow tiicmfeivcs in
the gratification of their Anger, provided
they did but juft keep themfelycs without
the Borders of Sin : Be ye Angry y and
Sin not. As if the Bounds between what
is excufable and criminal, were marked
with fo diftind a limit, that men might
be trufted to difcern with Eafe, when they
were at the utmoft extent of their lawful
Liberty j or that it could be fuppofcd Men
had fo perfed a Command of themfelves,
as to be able to flop fuddenly at an ap
pointed Mark in afwift Career, and fay
(when they pleafe) to their Paffion, hi
therto fhatt thougo^ and no further.
Our Saviour, in his Divine Sermon up
on the Mount, makes it in almoft every In-
ftance, his peculiar Improvement of Moral
Obligations under the Gotpel, to warn
men againft the Approaches and Tenden
cies towards thofe Sins, whereof only the
grofs Acts were forbidden under the Law.
Te have heard that it was faid by them Mat. v, 1
of old time^ Thou fhalt not commit A-
dultery \ But I fay unto you, that who-
fvever looketh en a Woman to luft after
her, has already committed Adult erj> with
K 4 her
T 36 A SE R MO N preach'd
Serm. her in his Heart. Te have heard it has
VI. been faid by them of old) Thou flalt not
forfwear thy felf> but I fay unto you.
Swear not at all. Te have heard it has
been faid, An Eye for an Eye, and a
Tooth for a Tooth: But I fay unto youy
that ye rejift not Evil. Te have heard
it has been faid, Thou fhalt love thy
Neighbour, and hate thine Enemy , But
I fay unto you, Love your Enemies. And
in the Cafe before us, of Wrath and An
ger: Te have heard, fays he, that it has
been faid by them of old time, Thou fhalt
not kill: But I fay unto you, that who-
foever is angry with his Brother without
d Caufe, flail be in danger of the Judg
ment ;- — and whofoever fhall Jay, Thou.
Fool, flail be in danger of Hell-Fire.
Nay, in fome of the antienteft Copies of
this Gofpel, thofe Words of Reftridion,
(without Caufe,} whofoever fhall be An
gry without Caufe, are omitted 5 and the
Declaration is made in the moft general
Terms, Whofoever is Angry with his
Brother, flail be in danger of the Judg
ment : Men being apt enough of them-
felves, to put in fuch rcftriftions as may
be equitably prcfumed ; and there being
no need, in the Body of the Law itfelf,
to exprefs fuch excepted Cafes or fuch
^imitations, to which in all reafon and
equity
before the Qu E E N 1 3 7
equity it may however be fuppofed the Serin.
Law cannot extend. This makes it ftill VI.
the more worthy of enquiry, whence it
might come to pafs, thatSt <P^/exprefTes
himfelf upon this Subjed in fuch a man
ner, as may feem to give fome Indulgence
to fuch ^Degrees of Paffion as are not di-
redly finful } (Be ye angry, and Sin not ;)
when yet both by Experience and the Rea-
fonof Things, and by our Saviour's ex-
prefs Caution in all matters of this Na
ture, 'tis evident that Paffions indulged to
the utmoft Bounds of Innoccncy, are
much harder to reftrain from entring into
finful degrees, than it was to prevent their
beginnings or their arifing at firft.
Now the True Account of this Matter,
feems plainly to be this. The Words, Be
ye Angry, are not a Permiflion, as they
may feern to be when taken alone ; but,
according to the Nature and Ufe of the
Jewifh Language, they are Part of a Sin
gle Proportion with thofe that follow.
Be ye Angry, and Sin not ••> that is, Take
heed and beware of fmful Anger. In
dulge not Anger, ' left ye fall into Sin.
Or, If at any time ye be provoked, then
take particular Care that ye fall not into
Sin. For fuch is the Idiom of the Jewifh
Language 5 to exprefs That in Two diftind
Proportions, which ought fo to be under-
ftood,
i38 'A SERMON freach'd
Scrm. ftood, as if they were put in One. There
VI. are many other Texts in Scripture, which
confirm this Interpretation ; And the
comparing them with this, will recipro
cally afford much Light, towards the True
Underftanding of feveral of thofe Paf-
fages.
In the Old Teftement; Mai. ij 2, 3.
Jacob have I loved, faith God, and Efau
have I hated. The Proportions are not
to be underftood afunder, but to be taken
together as One 5 Jacob have I loved,
more than Efau. For, God did not intend
to exprefs Hatred towards Efau , but on
ly to love Jacob comparatively, with a
great Love. Nahum iii, 14, Fortify
thy ftrong holds, — there— fhalt the Sword
cut thee off: The intention is not to ex
hort Nineveh to fortfy herfelf ; but to de
clare, how much foever me does fortify
her felf, yet mall the Sword cut her off.
And to I/at viii, 9. Gird yourfelves, and
ye fhall be broken in 'Pieces j i. e. how
much foever ye itrengthen your felves,
yet mail ye be broken. Again 5 Ecclus.
xxx, 9. Cocker thy Child, and he flail make
thee afraid ; flay with him, and he will
bring thee to Heaviness : The Proportion
is but One ; If thou indulge thy Child,
he will bring thee to Sorrow. Jer. vii, 22.
Jfpake Not unto your Fathers, nor com
manded
before the Qu E E N. 139
manded them in the day that I brought Serin.
them out of the land of Egypt, con- VI.
cerning Burnt-offerings or Sacrifices ; But v/"v^
this thing commanded I them, faying.
Obey my Voice : The two Parts of this
Sentence of the Prophet, are not to be
taken feparately, as if he affirmed that
God did not require Burnt-offerings at all--,
(for 'tis certain he did command them in
moft exprefs words in the Law 5) but the
whole is to be underftood together, that
God did not infift upon Burnt-offerings fb
much, as upon Obedience to the Com
mandments of the Moral Law. There
isalikcexprefllon, Hof. vi, 6; I dejtred
Mercy, and Not Sacrifice : The meaning
is not, that God did not require Sacrifice >
but that he defired Mercy, rather than. Sa
crifice 5 and (as it follows in the very next
Words) the knowledge of the Lord, more
than Burnt-offerings. And thus alfo muft
be underftood That paffage in Ezekiel,
chap, xx, 25; I gave them alfo ftatutes
that were NOT good, and judgments by
which they fbould not live : The meaning
is not, Evil Statutes ; God forbid : But
Statutes, which comparatively were not
good -, and Judgments which were not
Jo profitable, as moral ones, tocaufethem
to live.
In
140 A S E R M O N preach' d
Serm. In the New Teftament, the fame man-
VI. ner of expreffion, agreeable to the nature
of the Jewifh Language, is likewife fre
quently ufed ; and it is neceffary to be
taken notice of, in order to the true un-
derftanding of feveral Paifages. / am not
fent, faith our Saviour him fclf, difcoudtng
with the Woman of Canaan, but to the
lofl Sheep of the Houfe of IJrael -, St Mat.
xv, 24. His meaning is not abfolute, (as
might fee m from the firft part of the Sen
tence,) that he was not fent at all to any
others than the Jews only ; but that he
was not lent fo foon, to immediately, fo
principally ; his Million was not to be
made known fo early ', to any other Na
tion, as to the lofl Sheep of the Houfe of
IJrael. For that he was alfo, in proceis
of Time, to be a Light to lighten the Gen
tiles, as well as to be the Glory of his
People Ifraely the Scripture of the Pro
phets cxprcfly enough declared ; and our
Saviour himfelf in this very place fuffici-
ently intimates, when immediately after
that fecming refufal, yet he eflfedually
granted this Stranger's requeft, by healing
the Infirmity of her Daughter. And in his
Inftrudions to his Difciples, chap, x, 5,
he fpeaks with lefs obfcurity 3 Go not into
the way of the Gentiles-, but go rather
to the'loji Sheep of the Houfe of Ifrael.
Which
before the Qv E E N. 141
Which afterwards was ftill more clearly Scrm.
exprefled by the Apoftles, Afts xiii, 46 ; VI.
It was neceffary that the Word of God
fbould firft be fpoken to the Jews-, but
afterwards to the Gentiles. But, not to
mention any other places, there is one
Expreflion of St. Taul^ of this nature,
more remarkable to the prcfent purpofe,
than any other Paflage in the whole Scrip
ture. In the vi. Chapter of his Epiftle to
the Romans ', at the 1 7th Verfe $ God be
thanked, faith he, that ye 'were the Ser
vants of Sin : but ye have obeyed from
the Heart That Form of 'Dottrine, which
was delivered you. God be thanked, that
ye were the Servants of Sin : It may
feem a very ftrange and unufual Exprcl-
fion, according to the manner of fpeak-
ing in modern Languages : But in the
Jewifh Idiom it was very intelligible,
that the two parts ot the Sentence fhould
be taken as One ; God be thanked, for
that/^, who once were the Servants of
Sin, have fmce obeyed from the Heart
That Form of 'DotJrine, which was de-
liveredyou.
And thus likcwife in the Words of the
Text ; Be ye angry, and Sin not. That
is j Take heed and beware of finful An
ger-, Indulge not Anger, left ye fall into
Sin ; Or, If at any time ye be provoked,
then
i42 A S E R M 0 N preach 'd
Serin, then take particular care that ye fall not
VI. into Sin.
It is the fame Caution, as in the Go
vernment of all other Pailions or Deflres.
So ufe the World, as not abufing it ; So
rejoice, as though ye rejoiced not ; So
weep, as thofe that weft not ; So be an
gry, as that ye Sin not. The meaning of
the Words, being thus explain'd : That
which remains, is 5 \ft, that I indeavour,
in a pradical manner, to reprefent unto
you, what the Kinds* 'Degree o£ that
Anger is, which muft be charged as Sinful.
And idly, that I briefly fet before you
feme of the Mifchiefs and Incon'venien-
cies, of allowing our Paifion to arife to
fuch a finful Degree.
Before I enter upon which Heads, it
may be proper to premife two Things,
i/?, that What {hall be faid concerning
the Nature of Anger in particular, may
with little Variation be cafily applied in
general to the Government of all other
Paffions whatfocver. So that though the
prefent Subjedof myDifcourfe \>t parti
cular, yet, by ferious Meditation, it may
without Difficulty be made univerfally
ufeful, towards regulating the Conduft of
Humane Life. And -idly, that Thofe
things which Scholaftick Writers upon
this Subjcft, have made burdenfom to
the
before the Qy E E N. 143
the Memory, and intricate to the Under- Serm.
{landing, by numerous Definitions, and VI.
more nice than ncceflfary DifUnftions ; I
fhall indeavour to reduce under one fingle
Head , that, What to Perfons of all Capa
cities is their Duty to praffife, may,
without affording Matter for Difpute or
Subtilty, be by all Perfons equally under
flood,
I. Thefe things being premifcd ; I pro
ceed ift to inquire, what the Kind or
'Degree of that Anger is, which muft b£
charged as Sinful. And This will beft be
underftood, by confidering briefly what
the Nature and Ufe of our Paflions is, and
for what Intent they were implanted in us
by our All-wife Creator.
Where Reafon and Underftanding are
perfi&t there is no room for any Taffion
or Commotion. And therefore in the
moft perfect Being, there is no Paffion.
In God, there is, properly fpeaking, nei
ther Anger nor Complacency, neither
Love nor Hatred, neither Joy nor Sorrow.
In Him, there is no fuch Thing as Dclire
or Averfionj no fuch Commotion, as
either Hope or Fear. But his Adions arc
determined always by perfect and unmix
ed Reafon, by eternal and unchangeable
Equity; Which, in the Supreme Mind,
is an uninterrupted Calmnefs, like the
Se-
144 A S E RM O N preach 'd
Serm. -Serenity of the Higheft Heavens. For,
VI. though the Scripture does indeed repre-
fent to Us the Divine Adions, as pro
ceeding from Paflions like to Ours 5 yet
thisisw^reprefenting them what they are
really in Him, but only in Condcfcenfion
to the Weaknefs of our Apprehensions,
or with regard to their Effects upon Us.
And as, in the fame Scripture, Hands
and Feet and Eyes are figuratively afcribed
to Him, who, in reality, without Shape
or Figure, is in all places every where alike
prefent ; fo by the like Analogy only it is,
that to God are fometimes afcribed Taf-
fans, for which there is no Place in a
Mind where Reafon and Underftanding
are pcrfcd.
On the contrary, where there is no Rea
fon nor proper Underftanding at all'-, as
in Creatures inferiour to Us ; there, *Paf-
Jions and Appetites arc the only Springs
of Adion 5 and by Them are irrational
Creatures naturally and unavoidably di-
rcdcd.
Men, who (like Beafts] are formed out
of the 'Duft of the Earth, and yet (like
Angels] made after the Image of GW;
are of ^.middle Nature between thefetwo
States, between perfed Reafon and mere
irrational Appetites : Being indued with
Appetites and Tajfions, to excite and ftir
them
before the Qy E E N.
them up to Action, where their bare ab- Serin,
ftract Vnderflanding would leave them VI.
too remifs ; and at the fame time indued
with Reafon alfo, to govern and reftrain
themfelves, where mere Appetites and
Tajf/ions would hurry them on to things
exorbitant and unreafonable. Herein there
fore particularly lies the principal Duty of
Man ; in keeping his Paflions fubject to
Reafon, and in governing his Appetites
by That Underftanding, wherewith God
has diftinguifhed him from the inferior
Creation.
The Affections and Tajjions arc not in
themfelves Evil, ( as fome of the Antient
Philofophers vainly imagined j ) but were
implanted in us by the Wife Author of
all things, for excellent Ends and very
ufeful Purpofes : That We, whofe mixt
Nature of Body and Spirit, would other-
wife have made us too remifs, in purfuing
the Ends to which bare abftract Reafon di
rected us ; might by the Affections and
Paflions, under the regulation of Reafon,
and fubfervient to it, /. e. by reafonable
Fears and Hopes, by Love or Hatred, by
Anger or Complacency, be pufhed on
and excited to be more earneft and vigo
rous, more conftant and diligent in all
rhofe Actions of Life, which Reafon di-
and the Affections execute. -
L But
A S E R MO N preactid
Serm. But now, when the Paifions, inftead
VI. of obeying Reafon, over-rule and govern
it , when they prevail againfi Reafoii, ib
as to put Men upon doing things
which the Reatbn of their Minds at the
fame time forbids, or, (which is much
the fame thing,) when they become fo vi
olent as to abridge Men of their Liberty,
and put them bejtde their Reafon -, fo as
to leave them no room or time to judge,
whether the thing they are doing be re?>
fonable or no 5 Then it is, that the Paf-
fions become truly Sinful. And Man, who
when Reafon governs him, is the Image
of God--) degenerates, by the Dominion
of Taffion, even below the Nature of a
Beaft. For thofe inferior Creatures, when
they obey their Appetites, follow their
Nature : But the Nature of Man, is to
obey a higher Principle, even Reafon and
the Law of God--> to which, He who is
governed by ^Pajfion, is not Subject, neither
indeed can be ; and therefore degenerates
below his proper Nature. Which is a
Folly, whereof inferiour Beings ar-e not
guilty.
From hence it becomes very evident,
(which was the firft thing propofed,) what
the Kind or Degree of that Anger is.
which mutt be charged as Sinful: Namely
that it is Then fuch, when it either put!
r Mer
before the QJJE EN. 147
Men befides the Ufe of their Reafon, or Serm»
upon ading in any fort contrary to it. VI.
The Rule is One, and may without
Difficulty be univerfally undcrftood by All
Men ; But the Application is infinite? and
muft be made by every One for his own
^Particular. Every Perfon knows, when
he confiders ferioufly with himfclf 5 that
his Anger becomes Then a ftnful Paffion,
when it is ftirred up without jufl Caufe,
or upon any Caufe vents itfelf in undecent
Effects ; when it fpoils his Temper by fre
quent Returns, or by its Violence cxpofcs
him to unfeemly Transports, or by ']- its
Continuance degenerates into Hatred and
Malice 5 when its Height is difpropor-
tionate to the Occajion that raifcd it, or
unbecoming the Character of the Perfon
provoked ; or the Circumftances be in any
wife contrary to right Reafon and ^.eli-
' gion. Which Cafes though they are in*
I deed infinitely various, and therefore can-
| not be expreffed in any Methodical Di-
j redion 5 yet becaufe the Rule (as was faid)
i is but One and unchangeably the fame,
therefore the Application in Pradife is al
ways Eajy : Eajy (I mean) to be under-
flood, that a Man is then always to look
f Lft not the Sun go down upon your ffrath ; The Words
immediately following the Text.
143 ^SERMON preach 'd
Serm. upon his Pailion as Sinful, when it eithef
VI. puts him befide the Ufe of his Reafon,
or upon ading any thing contrary to it :
But not always fo Eafy tobc'PracJzfed:
Becaufe habitual Paflions, are very apt to
furprife Men / and will not be prevented,
but by a conftant Guard. Yet, becaufe
'tis a neceffary Tinty, fo to prevent and
guard againft them ; therefore in order to
perfwade Men to fet about the Practice of
what is fo indifpenfable and of fo great
importance, 'tis proper that I proceed
now in the
II. Second place, to confider fome of
the Mifchiefs and Inconveniencies, of al
lowing our Paflions to prevail, in any of
the forementioned Kinds or 'Degrees.
And here we cannot but take notice,
that even the Heathen Moralifts them-
felv^, have filled their Difcourfes with
Arguments againft irregular and diforder-
Jy Paflions ; drawn from the Indecency
and Unfeemlinefs, of the Thing itfelfs
from the Shame and Indignity? of a rea-
fonable Creature's being fubjeft to fuch
unreasonable Slavery : from the Uneafc
nefs of it, to Our f elves ; from the Inju*
rioitfnefs of it, to Others ; and from ma
ny other Confederations, which prove a:
Man, who is governed by his Paflion, to-
be incapable even of true TUhfifm
inca-
before the Qy E E N. 149
incapaple of coming up to fo much as the Serin.
Moral Improvements even of a Wile He a- VI.
then.
And the Scripture itfelf fometimes
makes ufe of fuch Natural Arguments.
From the Folly of the thing itfelf, Eccles.
vii, 9 j Be not hafly in thy Spirit to be
Angry ; For Anger refleth in the Bofom
of Fools. Prov. xii, 1 6 -, A Fools Wrath
is prefently known, but a prudent Man
cover eth Shame ; and chap, xiv, <ver. 1 7,
29, He that is flow to Wrath, is of
great Underflanding $ but he that is foon
Angry, dealeth Foolifhly ; and he that is
hajty of Spirit, exalteth Folly. Again ;
From the Contempt it draws upon Men,
who are obferved to be guilty of this
Weaknefs; Prov. xxv, 28, He that hath
no Rule over his own Spirit, is like a Ci
ty that is broken down, and without
. Walls. From the frequent Mifchicfs and
'Damages it brings upon them; ^Prov.
xix, 19, A Man of great Wrath, fhall
fuffer *Puni foment 5 For if thou deliver
him, yet thou muft do it again : And
Job v, 2, Wrath killeth the foolifi Man,
and Envy flaycth the filly One. Alfb,
from the natural Excellency of the con
trary Practice; Trov. xvi, 52, He that
is flow to Anger, is better than the Migh-
L 3 tj 5
150 ^SERMON freach'd
Serm. ty ; and he that ruleth his Spirit, than
VI. he that taketh a City.
But to Us Chriftians, there are ftill
higher Arguments to convince us of the
Mifchief of being governed by our Paf-
fions; and to perfwade us of the Necef-
fity, of reftrainingthem within due Bounds.
For Us, to indulge our Paflions 5 is to de
prive our felves wholly of that Temper,
that Frame and Difpofition of Mind,
which is the peculiar Charader and Obli
gation of a Chriftian. If a *Pbih(bpher9
if a Wife Heathen, upon the common
Principles of Reafon and Morality 5 If a
Man, upon the bare confideration of the
Dignity of his Nature above the Beafts
that perifh ; is under Obligation to fubdue
his Appetites and Paflions to Reafon : How
much more is a Chriftian bound, to keep
himfelf ftill under ftrider and more fevere
reftraints ?
Fqr when a Chriftian indulges his
Paflion, let him confider Who it is,
that ads fo unworthily, and behaves
himfelf fo unfeemly. A Man indued
with Reafon and Understanding : A Man,
whofe Reafon is improved, not by *Phi-
lofofhy only, but moreover by the Know
ledge of the revealed Will of God : A
Man, for whom Chrift eked; to whom
God has been freely reconciled, and., out
of
before the QJJ E E N. 151
of mere Mercy and undcferved Compaf- Serm,
fion, vouchfafed to turn away his Anger VI-
from him.
And againft Whom docs this perfon di-
red the Violence of his Pailion? Againft
a Man like himielf ; againft his Friend or
his Brother ', Bone of his Bone, and Flcfli
of his Flefh ; one for whom Chrift dyed
as well as for himfelf, and by his own
Blood redeem'd them Both from Death.
And What is it for, that one Chriftian
Man, is fiercely angry againft another?
Perhaps for a carelefs Word, for an undc-
figned 'Provocation, for a difference in
Opinion ; poflibly for retaining a good
Conference, and not daring to do what the
other expects of him 5 At moft, for fome
flight and trivial Offence ; for not being a-
ble to repay him his Hundred *Pence, when
God has forgiven them Both their Ten
Thoufand Talents.
Not that one Chriftian may not, in a
juft and legal manner, compel another to
do what is right and equitable : Much lefs,
that Superiors fhould not by their Autho
rity oblige Inferiors, to perform the pro
per Duties of their refpeftive Stations :
But that in thefe, and all other Cafes,
Religion and Equity be the Ground j and
Reajbn, not Taj]iony the Meafure of the
Compulfion.
L4 if
'A SERMO N freactid
Serrru If any thing in the World could make
VI. exorbitant Paffion excufable^ it fhould
feem to be when Vice is the Objeft of the
Difpleafure ; and Concern for the Honour
of God, the Caufe of the Commotion.
Neverthelefs, even in this Cafe, our Sa
viour himfelf, when he was not onlyr^-
viled, but was reviled alfo with Elafphemy
againft God himfelf 5 yet reviled not again.
And Michael the Archangel, 'when con
tending with the 'Devil, yet did not bring
againji him a railing Accufation, but f aid.
The Lord rebuke thee j Jude ix. And the
Scripture accordingly directs, that a Ser
vant of God muft not ftrive, but be gen
tle unto all Men, apt to teach, patient ;
In meeknefs inftruffing them that oppoje
themfelves, if God peradventure will
give them Repentance to the acknowledge
ing of the Truth. Por the Ivifdom that
is from above, is frft pure, then peace
able, gentle, and eafy to be intreated, full
of Mercy and good Fruits, St Jam. iii,
•17. And StTaitl exhorts, Eph.'w, 31,
Let all bitternefs and wrath and anger
and clamor and evil-fpeaking be put away
from you, with ail malice 5 And be ye
kind one to another, tender -hearted-, for
giving one another, even as God for
Chrift's fake has forgiven you.
There
before the QUEEN 15?
There is a remarkable Hiftory to this Serm.
purpofe in the Book of Jonah ; where, VI.
upon God's repenting to execute his ~
Threatnings upon Nineveh, Jonah <was
diff leafed at it exceedingly ', and he was
very Angry -•> and perfifted in it, that he did
<w ell to be Angry j evemmto T)eath. But
God reproved him by the fimilitudc of a
Gourd, at which Jonah was grieved when
it perifhed fuddenly ; And the Lord faid
unto him, Thou hadft pity on the Gourd,
•which came up in a Night, and periled
in a Night ; and fhould not I fpare Ni
neveh, that great City?
When once a Man, whatever the Oc-
cafionbe, gives him felf up to \\\scP affiant
he is then out of the Uie of his Reafon,
and he can never tell to what degree of
Unreafonablenefs he may be pufht on.
An angry Man ftirreth up flrife, and a
furious perfon will abound in Tranfgref-
jion, Prov. xxix, 22. As Cains caufelefs
Difpleafure againft his Brother, increafed
by degrees beyond limit, till it ended in
Murder ; fo Paflion let loofc even upon
thcmoftjuft 'Provocation, is like a Torrent
breaking thro' a Bank 5 which will hardly
be prevented from fwclling, till it leads us
into Sin. My beloved, faith Si James, let
every Man be-—jlorjj to Wrath 5 For the
Wrath of Man, (even though it be againft
what
154 'A SER MO N preach 'd
Serm. what it Evil,} yet works th not the righ-
VII. teoufnefs of God.
ThcCaufeof fuch diforderly Paflions,
is always Carelefnefs and want of Seriouf-
nefs : The Remedy is, Confederation, At-
tentionj and frequent Examination of a
Man's felf; fo as to keep a conftant Guard
and Watchfulnefs over his Spirit. To be
able perfectly to cure his Temper., to con
quer himfelf wholly., and change his Dif-
pofition 5 is what no One ought to expect
in this World 5 nor to be diiappointcd or
difcouraged, if he finds even the mode
rating it to be a Work of Difficulty and
Time. But to indea-vour to amend it dai
ly > is his indifpenfable Duty. And he
who considers how eafily and fuddenly he
can rcftrain himfelf, at the coming in of a
Superiour whom he reveres among Men ;
muft not pretend it impoilible for him to
govern his Paflions, with the Thoughts of
the perpetual Prefcnce of God.
There have been fome, who have al-
ledc;cd in Excufe for themfelves, That Paf-
o
fagc in Scripture, that the Apoftles Thcm-
ielvcs were Men of like TaJJions with usy
Ads xiv, 1 5 . But the intent of That paf-
fage is much mifunderftood, through an
improper Tranflation. For the intention
of St 'Paul and Barnabas fpeaking in
that manner to the Men of Lyftra, was
not
before the Qu E E N. 155
not to fay that they were Men of like Serm.
TaJJlonSy in the Senfe we now ufuaily VI.
underftand the Word ; but that they were
Men of like Infirmities, mortal Men like
themfelves, fubjed to Ttifeafes, Cafual-
ties and Death 5 and therefore, not to be
worshipped as Gods. So jam. v, 17,
E Hasinas a Manfubjeft to like Taffions
as we are : The meaning is not, that he
was a paffionate, but that he was a wor-
ta/Man like one of us, and yet inter
ceded effectually with God. But if the
meaning was literal, that the Apoftles and
Prophets had the fame ^PaJJlons with Us,
(as undoubtedly they naturally had,) yet
This is no excufe for Us, unlefs, like
Them, wcgovern them alfo by the rules
of Reafon and Religion. Be ye Angry y
' ^innot.
A S E R-
SERMON
Preach'd in the
Parifh-Churchof St James's Weft-
minfler, Decem. i<5, 1710. be
ing the Day of Facing and Hu~
initiation, for befeeching God
to preferve us from the Plague.
ISAIAH XXVI, 9, latter part.
thy Judgments are in the Earth,
the Inhabitants of the World will
learn Right eoufnefs.
E S I D E S the general Evidences of
^1C ^em§ ancl Providence of God,
which appear in the Fabrick of the
Univerfc, in the Contrivance and wife
Difpofition of all the Works of Nature,
and in the Great Providential Events which
to the feveral Nations of the Earth declare
in fome degree his Government over Man
kind : I fay, Befides thefe general Evi
dences of Providence, the Scripture has
moreover given us a particular and (land
ing Example of it, in the Hiftory of the
Jew-
A S E R M O N f reach' d, &c 157
Jewifh Nation. ThatTeople, in a fmgu- Serm.
lar manner,, did God deliver out of the VII.
Egyptian Bondage, by Signs and Wonders
and Mighty Works. Them did he lead
through the Wildernefs like a Flock of
£2
Sheep, and with an out-uretched Arm
brought them through innumerable Dai>
gcrs to the Borders of his Promifed Land.
Before Them did he drive out many Potent
People, and planted Them in the room
of thole idolatrous Nations. Upon Them,
when they corrupted themfclvcs and de
parted from his Ways, did he frequently
inflift very fevcre Judgments, by way
of exemplary Correction, raiftng them up
new Enemies round about them : And
when they returned unto him again, he
forgave their mifdeeds, and dcftroyed
them not, but delivered them again out
of the hands of their Enemies. The Ef-
y^jfothefe various difpenfations of Pro
vidence had upon particular Terfons a-
mong That people, were very different,
according to the Temper and Difpofition
of the Pcrlbns. Thole of them, who
were very corrupt ; who loved the idola
trous Rites of the Nations that furroundcd
them, and the Debaucheries that attended
thofc idolatrous Pradifes ; became more
and more corrupt in the times of 'Profpe-
and in the days of Adverjity they
Uar-
I5S A SERMON preactid
Serm. hardened their Hearts agamft God. When
VII. the Wrath of God came upon, them, and
^*y^ Jlew the wealthieft of them, and frnote
down the chofen men that were in Ifrael:
For all This they finned yet more, and
believed not his wondrous Works, Pfal.
Ixxviii, 32. And when God worked for
them miraculous ^Deliverances, {till they
kept not the Covenant of God? and would
not walk in his Law. But forgat what
he had done, and the wonderful Works
that he had fnewed for them, Ver. 12.
The mighty Signs and Wonders they con
tinually law, grew familiar unto thenij
and by degrees made no more imprejjion
upon them, than the Works of Nature,
which are indeed continual Miracles,
make Now upon Atheiftical and Profane
Minds. But Others amongft them, ob-
ferved the Works of God, andtheDifpen-
fationsof his Providence, and laid up all
thefe things in their Minds , and were in
fluenced thereby to obey his Command
ments, and to icrvc him with an upright
Heart. And Some, who in the days of
Prosperity forgat ^ thcmfelvcs, and were
carried away with the Stream of a dege
nerate and corrupt World j yet, when
the Judgments of God appeared, their
Heart was tender, and their Confcicnce
(mote them, and they returned and re
pented
at St JAMES'* WESTMINSTER. 15
pented of their Evil ways, and amended Serm.
their Lives, and gave glory to God who VII.
ruleth over all. Of This kind, were the
pcrfons whom the prophet introduces in
this Chapter, and in the words of the
Text, making their juft acknowledge
ments to God. Ver. 5, He bringeth down
them that dwell on High ; the lofty city
he layeth it low? even to the ground, he
bringeth it even to the dufl. In the
way of thy Judgments, O Lord, have
we waited for thee ; the T)ejire of our
Soul is to thy Name, and to the remem
brance of thee. With my Soul have I
de fired thee in the Night, yea, with my
Spirit within me will I feek thee early.
For when thy Judgments are in the
Earth, the Inhabitants of the World
will learn Right eoufhefs.
The cDoffrinalcPropoJitiony\zm\y con
tained in the words, and which will there
fore be the Subject of the following Dif-
courfc, is This : That the Dcfign and the
Proper Effect of the Judgments of God in
This World, is to awaken Sinners, and to
bring them by Repentance to the Pracliic
of Righteouihefs. When thy Judgments
are in the Earth, the Inhabitants of the
World will learn Right eoufnefs.
Right eoufnefs is the Practiic of that
•which is in itfclf Ridit and Fit to be done.
And
i6o A SE R M O N preach d
Serm. And, were there no Rewards or Punifh-
VII. ments annexed either by God or Man, other
than what encntially arife from the Good
or Evil Adions themfelves 5 yet That which
is Right, would ftill always be reasonable to
be done 5 and the nature of Wickednefs
would be ftill always what it is. Upon
This ground it is, that God, who is infi
nitely above all Hope or Fear } to whofe
Happinefs nothing can be added, and no
thing diminiilied from it ; yet effentially
loves Righteoufnefs and Truth, and fted-
dily and unalterably choofcs always to do
what is Juft and Good. Infer iour ratio
nal Beings, fo far as they are influenced
by Reafon, do the fame 5 and fee, and
eftcem, and judge of things, as they
really are. But all finite Beings are,
in their fevcral Proportions and degrees,
fallible. And the Reafon which is in
Men, is Weak ; liable to be darkened by
Ignorance, to be blinded by 'Prejudice*)
to be feduced by Appetites, to be over
ruled by ^PaJJions and unreafonable Af-
feffions. Thefe are the Springs of Wick
ednefs among Men. To prevent the ill
Effeds whereof, God has been pleafedto
add Weight on the ftde of Virtue and
Rightcoulhefs, by the Sandion of Re*
vards and Tunifbments. The Rewards
which God has annexed to the Pradife of
Vir-
at St JAMESV WESTMINSTER. 161
Virtue, either in This life or the next, are Serm.
of fuch a Nature 5 that the having Re- VII.
gardto thofe Rewards, does not deftroy
the intrinfick Excellency of Virtue, or
make the Pradife of it at all mercenary 5
Becaufe, the Idea of God being the No
tion of a Being infinitely Holy, Righteous
and Good ; the Love of Him, and the
Defire of continuing in His Favour and
of being Eleffed by Him, is either in effect
the fame thing, or at lead is coincident
with, the Love of Virtue and Goodnefs
itlelf. 'Punifhments likewifc, when con-
ftdered as coming from God, arc of fuch
a Nature, that Good Actions arifmg from
the Fear of His Difpleafure, do not lofe
the nature of True Virtue 5 Becaufe, God
being infinitely removed from all poilibi-
lity of Errour, Arbitrarincfs, or Any Evil
difpofition whatfoever; men cannot pof-
fibly by the Fear or Senfc of His Anger,
be excited or moved to do Any aftion,
but what at the fame time they muft of
neceffity be convinced in their Own
minds, is Fit and Right and Reafonablc for
them to do. And Punifhmcnts inflicted
by Men * were they always faithfully and
righteoufly applied, that is, were they
never, except in cafes of Ncceflary Self-
defence, made uic of to any other pur-
pole, than, upon the Foundation of the
M ac-
i6i ^SERMON f reach' d
Scrm. acknowledged Difference between Good
VII. and Evil, to compel men to do what
they themfclves well know is their 'Du
ty to do 5 Were This (I fay ) conftant-
ly the Caic, Punifhment from Men would
then be of the fame Nature, and have
proportionably the fame Effect, asPuniui-
ment from the Hand of 'Providence. But
the Errours and Pailions of Mankind, ha
ving too frequently brought great Confufi-
on into Their manner of dealing with each
other 5 the right Ufe therefore and Ap
plication of mens Hopes and Fear s to the
Purpofes of Religion, is to turn them to*
wards their moft proper Object, the Favour
or cDifpleafure of God. Now Fear being
the Jlronger and more powerful Affection,
than Hope ; hence the Judgments of God,
either feen or felt, either inflicted upon
ourfelves, or obfcrved on Others, are apt
to work upon men more effectually to
bring them to Repentance, than the Ob-
fervation of numerous Inftances of the
Divine Mercy and Goodnefs. In the words
immediately following my Text,* and as
a confirmation of the Truth of the Pro-
pofition therein contained, that When
Gods JUDGMENTS are in the
Earth the Inhabitants of the World will
learn Righteoufnefs : In confirmation of
This Truth, Let FAVO UR (fays the
Pro-
«/ $f JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 195
Prophet) be fhown to the Wicked, yet Serm*
•will he not learn Righteoufnefs ; in the VIL
land of uprightness will he deal unjuflly,
and will not behold the Majefly of the
Lord: Lord, when thy hand is lifted
up, they will not fee ; but they SHALL
fee, and be afhamed : The Terrours of
the Lord will force them to fee, and they
Shall be afoamed. The Greatefl of all the
Temporal Terrours of the Lord, is *Death :
Death, which puts an End to all Worldly
Confederations, and conftgns men over td
an unalterable Eternity. WhenT^/VMefTen-
ger of the Divine Judicature apparently ap
proaches ; there is no man fo void of Senfe*
as not to begin Then at leafl to be ferioufly
follicitous, what the Event of That Judg-«
ment will be, to which he perceives him-
felf going without delay. The reafon
why he mould be thus follicitous, is the
fame at all other times. For, near or fat
off, ftill Death is equally certain ; and af
ter That, the Judgment. And how di-
'ftant foever Death may at any time feem
'to be from any particular perfon, yet, e-
ven at that great eft feeming diftance, it
muft of necejfity be very near, it may be
!nearer than can be conceived. But men
are carelefs and flupid ; And the Heat of
Paflions corrupts their Senfe, the Deceit-
fulnefs of Riches blinds their Eyes, the
M * Pka-
T 64 A S E R MO N preactid
Scrm. Pleafures of Life fteal from them their
VII. Underftandings ; and they willingly fuf-
fer the thinneft Mift to hide from them
the cleareft Light, and the meaneft Trifle
to divert them from the Thoughts of
their Eternal Intcreft. This is the Lethar
gy, which, in time of Health and Profpe^
rity, is apt to ftifle the general Notices
which God has given men of Himfelf in-
the {landing Ufe both of Reafon and Re
velation. To awaken men therefore
from this ftatc of infenfibility, God is
pleafed fomet tines to ftrengthen theie^-
neral Notices, by more particular and
more immediately affecting Warnings $
by Threatnings of impending Judgments
upon QurfefoeS) or by Examples of his
infli&ing them upon Others. By Theie,
he excites mens confideration and atten
tion, quells the eagernefs of ungoverned
Pafiions, and lays open to them the Folly
of Ambition and Covetoufnefs. By Thefe,
as 'tis elegantly exprefied in the Book of
Job, ch. xxxiii, 1 6 ; by Thefe he openeth
the Ears of Men, and fealeth their in-
ftruttion ; That he may withdraw Man
from his Turpofe, and hide pride from
Man. And ch. xxxvi, 8, If they be
bound in Fetters, and held in cords oj
affliction ; then God fheweth them their
work, and their tranfgrejjion, that the}
haw
at St JAMES'/ WESTMINSTER. 165
have exceeded : He openeth alfo their Scrm.
Ear to difcipline, and fommandeth that VII.
they return from their iniquity. All
Temporal Judgments therefore whatfo-
ever, are properly of a medicinal Nature,
and mercifully intended for our Benefit :
All of them without exception, for the
Benefit of fuch as fhall take Warning
from them in Others 5 and All Thofe of
them which are fhort of Death, for the
Benefit even of the perfons Themfelves
on whom they fall. It is good for me,
fays the Pfalmift, that I have been of-
flit-ted'. For, before I was afflicted, I
went aflray 5 but Now I have learnt thy
^Precepts. The gentle Admonitions of
Afflictions fent upon particular perfons,
are the ftill Voice of the Divine Patience,
calling Sinners to Repentance : And the
fevereft Calamities even of publick and
national Defolations, Fire and Sword,
Dearths and Famines, Plagues and Pc-
ftilenccs, are yet of the fame nature ; be
ing the louder Calls, and' as it were the
Thunder of the Almighty's Thrcatnings,
neceffary ibmetimcs, and even Thefe not
always fufficient, to rowfe up the Senfes
of a hard and ftupid, of a vitious and de
bauched World. Tis No pleafure to the
Almighty, to grieve the children of Men :
And 'tis with the Higheft Eloquence of
M 3 *f~
i66 A S E R MO N preactid
Serm. affectionate exprefTions> that the Scrip-
VII. ture conftantly lets forth to us, how un-
v^V^ willing God is to execute his feverer
Threatnings, how ready always to re
move his Judgments upon mens true
Repentance, and how he fearches as it
were for every argument, and every Mo
tive of Companion : Shall I not fpare
Niniveh, that Great City, wherein are
more thanjixfcore thoufand perfons, that
know not their right hand from their
left ? Nay, fball I not fpare Sodom, does
the Scripture reprefent him faying within
himfelf 5 fnall I not fpare it for the fake
of Ten Righteous, if fo many can be
found therein ? But that the fevereft of
the divine Judgments, are fometimes
abfolutely Neceffary -, and that the cor
ruption of the World, were it to be al
ways in a continued and uninterrupted
'Prosperity, would be altogether intolera
ble 5 is apparent from hence, that even
thefe Judgments themfelves, feen inflid:-
cd upon Others, nay even felt inflided
upon mens fitoes, even Thefe very fre
quently prove ineffectual, How often,
when we fee Great Calamities befal our
Neighbours ; inftead of being warned
thereby to amend our own Lives, do we
tarn it only into an occafion of Uncha-
ritablenefs in cenfuring Others! Which
Sri.
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER*
Spirit, is very affectionately reproved by
our Saviour, Luke xiii, 2, Suppofe ye that
thffe Galileans , whofe BloodfPilate had
mingled with their Sacrifices, were Sin
ners above all the Galileans, becaufe
they fuffered fuch things ? I tell you^
nay 5 but except ye repent •, ye fball All
Ukewi/e perifb. Or thofe eighteen, upon
whqmthe To-wer in Silo am fe/t, and flew
them ; think ye that they were Sinners
above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem ?
I tell you, nay ; but except ye repent y ye
flail All likewife perifh. Nay, how fre
quently do the fcvereft of God's Judg
ments inflicted upon a Nation or People 5
the laft and loudcft Call to Repentance,
after which there remains no Remedy a-
gainft final excifion j how often do Thefe
prove ineffectual, to awaken even Thofe
very per fons upon whom they are inflict
ed , and leave them in an incorrigible
impenitency, hardened to deftru&ion !
Thus of King Ahaz we find it recorded,
i Chr. xxviii, 22, that in the time of his
'Diftrefs, he trefpaffed yet more againft
the Lord: This is That King Ahaz,
And of the whole people of Ifraely in a
moft eloquent complaint by the Prophet
Amos, ch. iv, 6 ; I have given YOU want
of bread in all your Cities ; -- - / have
fmitten you with Blafling and Mildew,
M 4 when
168 A S E R MO N preactid
Serm. when your Gardens and your Vineyards
VII. the 'Palmer-worm devoured -, yet have
ye not returned unto me, faith the Lord,
1 have fent among you the 'Peftilence
after the manner of Egypt, aud your
young men have I (lain with the Sword ^
yet have ye not returned unto Me, faith
the Lord. I have overthrown fome of
you, as God overthrew Sodom and Go-
morrha, and ye were as a Firebrand
phickt out of the Burning ; yet have ye
not returned unto Me, faith the Lord.
In like manner in the New Teflament,
fpeaking of the Punifhment of the Na
tions in the latter days, which call them-
ielves Chriftians 5 Rev. ix, 20, 2 1, The reft
of the men which were not killed by
thefe 'Plagues, yet repented not — of their
Murders, nor of their Sorceries, nor of
their Fornication, nor of their Thefts ;
Of their Sorceries 5 that is, of all their fu^
perftitious Methods of making men fancy
themfelves to be religious, by what Others
can do for or To them, or by what They
can do for themfelves, without the Pra-
ftife of Rightcoufncfs and true Virtue,
And Ch. xvi, 9, Men were fcarched with
great Heat, and blafphemed the Name
of God who hath 'Power over thefe
plagues } And they repented not, to give
him glory 5 — Bui blafphemed the God of
at St JAMES'* WESTMINSTER. 169
Heaven, becaufe of their ^Pains,- — and Serm.
repented not of their 'Deeds. In This VII.
Paflage, (men repented not, to give him
Glory 3) 'tis worthy of Obfcrvation, by the
way, Wherein confifts the true and Scrip
ture-Notion of the Glory of God. It con
fifts, in the Obedience of the rational and
moral World to the Laws of his King
dom. That is, it confifts in reafonable
Creatures living, (under a due and conftant
Senfe of the Divine Government,) ac
cording to the Rules of Reafon, of evcr-
lafting Righteoufnefs, Goodncfs and
Truth. And Sinners have no other po£
fible way of giving Glory to God, but
by repenting of their evil Deeds 5 that is,
amending their Lives, obeying the Ever-
lafting Gofpel, and forfaking thofe Vices
which are oppofite to God's Kingdom of
Virtue and Righteoufnefs. Which Obfcr
vation may be of good Ufe, for preventing
many wrong Notions concerning the Na
ture of true Religion, and of the Glory of
God. But to proceed. The Reafon vjhy
the Judgments, the fcvereft and moft awa
kening Judgments of God, even Thoic
which cannot fail to convince men of the
Tranfitorincfs, and Uncertainty, and Vani
ty of every thing here below 5 do yet
nevcrthelefs very often prove ineffectual
to caufe Sinners Thus to give Glory to
God, by bringing them to true Repen
tance
170 A SERMON preach'd
Serm. tance ; The Reafon (I fay) why even Thefe
VII. Judgments often fail of This Effect, is a
confufed, uncertain, inattentive fort of
Infidelity ; which, afcribing all Calami
ties tofecond Caufes, and lamenting them
only as unavoidable Natural Difafters,
looks not up to the Hand of the Firfl
Caufe, which fleers and directs the whole
Courfe of Nature. Wars and *Defola-
tions, we fee, arife from the Paflions of
Men. Famines, are owing to Accidents
of Wind and Weather. Blagues and
*Peftilences, thofe great deftroying Angels
poilibly are, or however may be imagined
to be, Vapours and Steams out of the Earth.
And, bccaufe the Grounds of thefe things
appear in Nature j therefore Weak and
Foplifh Men, intent upon the Weapon
only, and not upon Him who ftrikes
with it, regard not to give Glory to the
GWof Nature. Whereas in Truth and rea
lity, NATURE is nothing but an empty
Word ; And the Courfe of Nature (as
'tis vulgarly called,) excepting only the
Operations of Free Agents, is merely an
Abftratt Notion or Expreffion of the re*
gularity of His Operations, who made
and governs all things. Even the Coun-
fels "and Dcfigns of Men, arc, by Inci
dents unforeseen to Them, perpetually
over-ruled to quite different Events, than
They intended or could poffibly ima-
eine.
At St J AMESV WES TMINSTER. 171
gine. But as to UNINTELLIGENT Serm.
Natural Caufes ; whatever They fcem to VII.
effed, is not in reality done by Them at
all, but by the Providence of God. That
thtSun runs its courfc every day, is no
lefs ftridly and properly the hand of God,
than that it flood flill one day. Nor is
there any other Reafon, why fupernatu-
ral Miracles are by all men readily a-
fcribed to God, when the equally Great
Miracles of Nature are vulgarly fancied
to be done without him ; for This (I fay)
there is no other than This One foolifh rca-
fon, that What God does once, men fee and
acknowledge is done by Him; but What
he does Always ', they therefore think 'tis
not He does it at all. The Scripture
(andReafon alfo) teaches us more juftly,
to acknowledge God in All our Ways.
That 'tis He, who caufes HIS Sun to rifey
and fends us Rain and fruitful Seafons,
That 'tis He, who (in the Pfalmift's cx-
preflion) maketh the Grafs to grow upon
the Mountains ; giving even to theEEAST
his Food, and to the young Ravens which
call upon him. That, without Him,
not a Sparrow falls to the Ground, but
even the very Hairs of our Head are all
mtmbred. That 'tis He alone, \\hogives
us richly all things to injoy ; even all
thoft things, which, in a vulgar and care-
lefs
^SERMON {reach'd
Serm. lefs way of fpeaking, we ufually afcribe
VII. to natural and inanimate Caufes. Which
very fame Caufes, whenfoever he pleafes,
he can make to be the Inftruments of
our *Punift>ment as well as of our Sup-
fort. He can (as Mofes elegantly exprefles
it ;) make the Heavens o-ver our Heads,
to be Brafs ; and the Earth under our
Feet, Iron. He can puniih with the 'Pe-
ftilence that walketh in ^Darknefs, and
with the Sicknefs that dejlroyeth at the
Noon-day. He can fcorch with droughty
or drown with moifture, oxblaft with un-
wholfom Winds ; in order to dcftroy with
Famine, and make a fruitful Land bar
ren, for the Wickednefs of them that
dwell therein. Or, without removing
the Blejjlngs themfehes of Nature, he
can at any time withdraw the Benefit and
the Effeffs of them. When God with
Rebukes doth chaften Man for Sin, he
maketh his Beauty to confume away, as
it were a Moth fretting a Garment,
Pf, xxxix, 1 1 . So that, bcfides God's more
I'ifible Judgments upon a Nation or Peo
ple, they will fometimes by zfecret Curfe
inienfibly decay in their Riches and their
Strength. They will, they know not
how, be ftrangcly impoverished in the
very micUt of plenty, and weakncd even
by the Grcatcft Succeilcsj While they
ice
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER."
fee not by \frhat filent fteps and impercep- Serm.
tible degrees (like gray hairs and the in* VII.
firmitiesof old age,) Poverty and Weak-
nefs fteal in upon them. By thefe vari
ous Methods, does the Divine Patience a-
waken and call men to Repentance. Af
ter which, if (in the Prophet's expreffion)
the people turneth not unto Him that
fmiteth them, neither will they feek the
Lord of Hofts : If, when thou haft
ftricken them, they have not grieved }
when thou haft confumed them? they
have refufed to receive correction, they
have made their Faces harder than a
Rock, they have refufed to return : there
Then remains nothing, but That fevereft
of all Temporal Threatnings, Jer. ii, 1 9,
Thine OWN WICKEDNESS flail
correct thee, and thy Backflidings jball
reprove thee. Thus did God deal with
the Antient Jews, Pf. Ixxxi, n, My peo
ple would not hearken unto my Voice , and
Ifrael would not obey me--, So I gave
them up unto their own hearts Lufls, and
let them follow their own Imaginations :
And with the lame people in our Savi
our's time, Matt, xxiii, 37, O Jerufaletn>
Jerufalem, thou that killeft the 'Prophet sy
andftoneft them which are fent unto thee !
how often would I have gathered thy
children together, even as a Hen gat her -
eth
174 A SER MO N preach' d
Serm. etb her chickens under her Wings, and
VII ye wouldnot ! Behold, your Houfe is left
unto yon defolate.
It cannot be doubted but your Thoughts
have already all along prevented me, in
applying what has been faid unto Our-
femes ; For whofe Admonition thefe things
are<writteni and they were intended for
Examples unto Us, upon whom the Ends
of the World are come. There is no Na
tion upon Earth, that has had greater Ex
perience of the Divine Goodnefs, than
We have had. We have long in joyed the
ineftimable BlefTmg of a Free and Legal
Government, while Other Nations have
groaned under the Violence of Arbitrary
Oppreflions. We have had the Free Ufe
of our Reafon and of the Holy Scrip-
tur £f allowed us, which under Other Go
vernments, that yet call themfelves Chri-
Jtian, have, for many Ages together,
been perfecuted even unto Death. We
have injoyed all the Plenty and Happinefs
of *Peace, even in the midft of the moft
vigorous and bloody Wars : While the
Sword and Fire have confumed round a-
bout us, and Other fruitful Countries have
been ravaged and deftroycd : While Thou-
jands ha-ve fallen befide us, and ten thou-
fands at our right hand, and yet Pro
vidence
tt St JAMES'* WESTMINSTER? 175
Vidence has protected us, that it came Serm.
not nigh Us : While Want and Famine VIL
fpreadDefolation among our Neighbours,
and Peftilence at a diftance threatned ftill
feverer Judgments of God. What Re-
turns we have made to the Divine Good-
nefs for thefe Lengthnings of our Tran
quillity , appears too fadly in That Impie
ty and Profanenefs, That Loofenefs and
Debauchery, That Iniquity andUnchari-
tablencfs, That unrighteous and irreligi
ous Spirit of Heat, Violence and Fa&i-
oufnefs, which ftill abounds amongft us.
For Thefe things God has at feveral times
viftted this Nation, with fome fharp Re
membrances of his Difpleafure^ and has
at Other times threatned us with very near
Approaches, of a more Lading and De-
ftrudive Wrath. The Sword of his de-
ftroy ing Angel, is at this day unfhcathcd
before us ; and how far his Commiflion
may extend, God only knows. The on
ly certain way of deprecating God's
Wrath effectually, is to bring forth be
forehand thofe Fruits meet for Repen
tance, to which All the divine Judgments,
that are not finally deftru&ivc, arc intend
ed to excite us. The Firfl thing is, that
every private perfon would for himfclf
ferioufly examine, and amend (as Solomon
exprcflfes it, in That Solemn Prayer of
his,
176 ^SERMON preach'd
Scrm. his, i Kings viii, 38,) every man the
VII. ^Plague of his own Heart ; that is,
reform his private and perfonal Faults,
whatever they be. In the next place,
with regard to the Tublick : Since God
has been pleated to continue to us the
Knowledge of the Gofpel, in a more free
and unreftrained Ufe of the Scriptures
than nioft Other Nations injoy^ it be
hoves us, (leaft we provoke God to re
move our candleftick out of its place,)
to take due and conftant Care that
we bring every thing impartially to
the Teft of That facrcd Rule 5 and that
in our Pradife we continually fo behave
ourfelves, as becomes Thofe who have
always before their Eyes the uncorrupted
Dodrine and Precepts of Chrift. And
fince in the Civil Government likcwife,
it has hitherto pleafcd God, by Many even
miraculous Events, to continue to us our
Laws and Liberties; it imports us, (as we
would not draw down upon our Heads
That greatcft of All the temporal Plagues of
God, Arbitrary *Power ;) it imports us, e-
vcry man in his Station, to the utmoft of
his Ability, to fupport and maintain a Go
vernment fo conftitutcd. That the 'Peo
ple, under the uniform and fteddy Pro-
tedion of wife and equitable Laws, may
fcrve God quietly and with religious Fear.
And
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 177
And that the King may rejoice in thy Serm.
Strength j O Lord, and be exceeding glad VII.
of thy Salvation : That thou mayfl give
him his Hearts 'Defire, and not deny
him the Requeft of his Lips : That thou
mayft prevent him with the BleJJings of
Goodnejs, and make his Honour Great in
thy Salvation, and crown him with
Glory and great Worship : That thou may 'ft
give him a long Life herey and a longer
and happier hereafter, even for ever and
ever.
A SEE.-
Preach'd in the
Pariih-Church of St James 's Weft-
minfter, Decem. 8, 1711. be
ing the Day of Facing and Hu*
initiation, for befeeching God
to preferve us from the Plague.
LUKE XIII 5 2, 3.
And Jefus anfa'ering faid unto them*
Suppofe ye that thefe Galileans were
Sinners above all the Galilteans, be-
caufe they ftiffered fuch things ? I
tell you, Nay ; but except ye repent,
ye fiall all likewife ferifo.
>r"Tr^ I S the natural voice and judgment Serm."
of Reafon, in which all men
•*" who have Any Senfe of God up-
on their mind, in all Nations and in all
Ages, have agreed 5 that the Miferics and
Calamities which befal Mankind, are all
of them the Effetts and Confluences of
N 2 Sin.
f
1 8o A S E R M O N preach'd
Serm. Sin. Confidering the efTcntial Goodnefs
VIII. of God, who cannot take pleafure in the
necdlefs Afflictions of his Creatures; this
notion, in general, cannot but be right.
And, were there no other State but This ;
were This world the Whole of God's
creation, and took in the whole period
of our Being ; it could not but be more-
over true in particular, that the propor
tion of mifcry which befals every fingle
perfon, would be exactly correfpondent
to his Crimes. But here, there comes in a-
very great variety of different confidera-
tions. The prefent flate being a Time of
Tryal, and not of Retribution ; there
hence arife many wife Reafons, why God
fometimes permits the greateft of Af-
ftidions to fall upon the Beft of men, and
fometimes fuffers the wickedeft of men
to^go on in an uninterrupted courfe of
Prosperity ; and, in the execution of tem
poral judgments, very frequently involves
the righteous in the fame calamities which
he fends upon the ungodly. The on
ly Ufe therefore that can be made, and
which Providence mtcnds fiou/d be made,
of the Divine Judgments here upon Earth 5.
is to convince us of the Evil of Sin in
general, to awaken us from a carelels
and inconfidcratc temper, to wean us from
too
at Sf JAMESV WESTMINSTER. iSf
too great a Fondnefs for the uncertain In- Serm.
joyments of this prefent Life ; and to put VIII.
us continually upon mending our Own
manners, and improving Ourfelves more
and more in the pradife of virtue ; and
not at all to inable us to judge concern
ing Other 'Sy before the great day of Ac
count, what Their State and Condition
is, with regard to the Final Favour or
Difpkafure of God. This is a matter of
Curiofity, which concerns not US to
know 5 And every judgment we attempt
to make concerning it, has, in the pre
fent State of things, even a proper and
natural tendency to deceive us. Every
'Private perfon, in This way of judging,
whenever he compares himfelf with O-
thers 5 'tis odds but, according as his na
tural Temper be, whether melancholy, or
prefumptuous 5 he determines cither un
charitably of Others^ or with unreafona-
blz'Defpondency of Himfelf ; fromdifpen-
fations of Providence, which neither to
Him nor Them are at all the proper Rule
of judging in that matter. But 'Publick
Bodies of Men ; Nations, Seds, or Par
ties , whenever They take upon them to
judge of each other in This method, they
hardly ever fail to err on the 'Prefumptuoits
Side 5 and to turn every judgment of
N 3 God,
i8a A S E R MO N f reach' d
Serm. God, which falls upon men of Other dc-
VIII. nominations, into an Argument of Pride
and Favour towards Themfehes. This
is what our Saviour, in the Text, warns
us againft. Supfofi ye, fays he, that thofe
Galileans, who fell by ^Pilate's cruelty
in fo extraordinary a manner, as that their
own Blood was mingled with the blood
of their Sacrifices -3 fuppofe ye that thefe
men were Sinners above all the Gali
leans, becaufe they Buffered fuch things?
I tell you, Nay ; but, except ye repent,
ye flail all likewife perifl. The Perfons
who told our Lord of this extraordinary
calamity, <ver. i 5 feem to have done it
with an expedation of Curiofity, to fee
what Obfervations our Lord would make
concerning the Behaviour and Circunv
fiances and State of thofe men towards
God, upon whom this particular misfor
tune fell. But He in This, according to
his conftant method in all other cafes?
difappointed their unprofitable inquifitive-
nefs; and, inftead of fatisfy ing them about
Other mens affairs, turns their qucftion in
to an occafion of making fome ufeful
application to Themfefaes : I tell you,
fays he, except ye repent, ye flail all like-
to
183
Scrm.
In difcourfing upon which words, it VIII.
may be uieful for us to obferve : ift, '
our Saviour's General manner j That,
whenever men proposed to him any
curious Qucftion, or related to him any
particular Fad or Event, in expectation
of hearing his Obfervations upon it ; he
constantly turned the matter before him,
into an occafion of giving fome pratti-
cal inftrudion, to the perfons themfefaes
with whom he was converfmg. And
^dlyJ The 'Particular dodrine contained
in thefe words : That, though all God's
temporal Judgments are inflicted upon ac
count of Sin, yet they are not propor
tionable to the degrees of mens \deme-
rits 5 And that therefore the proper Ufe
to be made of them, is, never from
thence to form any uncharitable judg
ment concerning Others, but to interjftr
Our fellies the neceility of Repentance.
\ft. Nothing is more remarkable in the
whole hiftory of the Gofpel, than our Sa
viour's General Method : That, when
ever men propofcd to him any curious
Queftion, or related to him any particu
lar Fad or Event, in expedation of hear
ing his Obfervations upon it j he con-
N 4 (tantly
I84 A S E R M O N f reach d
Serm. ftantly turned the matter before him,
VIII. into an occafion of giving fome practical
inftruftion, to the perfons taemfelves
with whom he was converfing. He paffes
no judgment upon thofe unhappy Gali
leans, whofe extraordinary misfortune
was now reported to him. He makes no
obfervation upon the characters of the
perfons, nor gives any hint of the pecu
liar reafons for which Providence thus di-
ftinguifhed them from the Bulk of Sin
ners. But (what was of much more Ufe
to the perfons who made the inquiry, and
to all Chriftians in general, for whofe
inftrudion our Lord's Reply is recorded
in the Gofpel ;) he hence takes occafion
to inculcate upon All Sinners, the ne-
cellity of Repentance and Amendment
of Life, in order to efcape God's final
Wrath. And This was his conftant Me
thod, upon all other occafions. When
one asked him ver. 2 id of This chap
ter, Lord, are there Few that be fayed?
inftead of fatisfying the perfon's curiofity,
he exhorts both Him that asked the que-
ftion, and as many Others as were pre-
fent, to take care that They thewfefoes
fae found in the number, whatever that
Number be. Strive IE to enter, in at the
fir ait gate ; for Many, I fay unto you,
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. i$3
'will feek to enter in-, and flail not be Scrm.
able. When once the Mafter of the VIII.
houfe is rifen up, and hath flut to the
door, and ye begin to ft and without, and
to fay. Lord, — we have eaten and drunk
in thy prefence, and thou haft taught in
our Streets ; He flail fay, I tell you, I
know you not whence you are 5 depart
from Me, all ye Workers of iniquity.
Again : When his Difciplcs asked him,
Matt, xviii, i , Who is the Great eft in the
Kingdom of Heaven ? Inftead of naming,
according to their expectation, fomc a-
mong Themfelves, who had converfed
with him mod intimately here upon
Earth ; (which expectation fhowed forth
itfelf particularly in the Rcqueft of the
Mother of Zebedees children, that One
of her Sons might fet on his right hand,
and the Other on his left in his King
dom:) Inftead of This, I fay, he tells
them IVhich was the Only Way, whereby
they could attain to the Kingdom of Hea
ven at all. Setting a little Child in the
midft of them, he laid ; Verily I fay un
to you, except ye be converted, and be
come as little children, ye flail not enter
into the Kingdom of Heaven 5 Whofb-
ever therefore flail humble himfclf as
this littje child, the fame is great eft in
the
i86 A SERMON preach'd
Scrm. the Kingdom of Heaven. In like man-
VIII. ner, when the Difciples asked him,
w^V^i Matt, xxiv, 3 , When fhall thefe things
be ? and What fiall be the Sign of thy
Coming? and of the end of the World ?
ver. 4i» the Sum of his Anfwer is : Watch TE,
and be ye ready ; for in fuch an hour as
you think not, the Son of Man cometh.
And, Take heed toy ourfelves, left at any
time your hearts be overcharged with
Surfeiting and 'Drunkennefs and Cares
of this life 5 and fo That day come upon
you unawares. For as a Snare frail it
come on all them, that dwell on the face
of the whole Earth. Watch ye there forey
and fray always, that ye may be ac
count ed -worthy to efcape all thefe things >
and to ft and before the Son of Man.
And the fame Turn that he thus always
gave to curious Ghteftions put to him, the
fame he likewiic conftantly gave to inci
dental things laid to him, or to particu
lar FacJs and Events taken notice of in
his prefence. When One prefaced a
Qtieilion he was about to propotc to him,
\viththatrefpcdfulTitlc and Mark of E-
ftecm, Good Mafter 5 he thence takes oc-
cafion, even from fo feemingly fmall a
handle, to inftruct the pcribn in that great
and prime foundation of all Religion,
that
at St ] AMES'S WESTMINSTER.
thatGW, and God only, is perfectly and
cffcntially Good. Why calleft thou Me,
Good? There is none Good, but One-, that
is, God. Again j WhcnM#r£^z, cumbred
with much ferving, complained to him,
Lord, doft thou not care that my Sifter Luke x,
bath left me to ferve alone ? inftead 4°' 41i
oi fpeakingtoher Sifter to come and help
her, he takes a gentle occafion from her
own Complaint, to remind her of a more
important piece of Service: Martha,
Martha, Thou art careful and troubled
about many things -, But One thing is
needfttl ; and Mary has chofen that good
'Part, which flail not betaken from her.
At another time, when one of the com
pany he was difcourfing to, deiircd him
to (peak to his Brother to divide the in
heritance with him-, inftead of making
himfclf a '•fudge and T) wider between
+J C3
them, he choie rather to take That oc
cafion to preach to them All againft Co-
vetoufncfs : Take heed, and beware 0/*Luke»i
Covet oufhefs ; for a mans Life confifteih If-
not in the abundance of the things which
he poffeffcs. In another place, when a
pcrlbninthe Company to whom he was
preaching, aflonifhed at the Excellency of
his Doctrine, cried out, Bleffed is the
womb that bare thee, and the paps which
thoti
188 A SERMO N f reach' d
Serm. thou haft fucked, Lukcxi, 27; immedi-
VIII. atcly he turns their Thoughts from the
admiration of Himfelf, to that which
would moft effectually be profitable to
Them : Tea rather, fays he, Bleffed are
they that hear the word of God, and
keep /'(. Upon another occafion, when
his Difciples prayed him to eat, John
iv, 31: he lets not even That opportunity
flip, of reminding them how, to a ratio
nal and well-difpoied Mind, there is No
plcafure fo great, as that of doing what
is right : / have meat, fays he, to eaty
that ye know not of> My Meat is to
do the Will of him that fent me, and to
fnifh his Work. Twould be repeating
the Whole Gofpel, the Whole Hiftory of
our Saviour's life 5 to mention All the
Inftances of his turning every Incident
that came before him, into matter of in-
frniftion and admonition to thofe with
whom he converfed. When fome of the
Pharifecs advilcd him to retire out of
the reach of Herod, who, they informed
him, had a Defign to kill him, Luke
xiii, 3 1 ; Inftcad of being drawn, as pro
bably They expedted, by that feeming
Friendly and Officious Adivcc, to enter
with them into the Character of Herod
and his Government , he, in a very extra-
or-
At St JAMES'* WESTMIENTSR? 1891
ordinary and yet moft natural manner, Serm.
turns his Anfwer into a fever e Reproof of VIII.
their own incorrigiblenefs, and into an
oceafton of giving them Warning, how
near the final Wrath of God was impend
ing upon them : It cannot be, fays he,
that a 'Prophet per ifo out of Jerusalem :
O Jerufalem, Jerusalem, which killeft
the Trophets, and ft one fl them that are
fent unto thee 5 how often would I have
gathered thy children together, as a hen
doth gather her brood under her Wings ^
and ye would not ! Behold, your houfe
is left unto you defolate. In like man
ner, when his Difciples, as they were go
ing out of the Temple, obferved to him,
Mafter, fee what manner of Stones, and
what Buildings are here, Mark xiii, i $
Inftead of adding, as they feemed to ex-
ped, his own Obfervutions concerning
the Sumptuoufnefs and Magnificence of the
Building, and the Grandeur and Riches of
the Builder? he on the contrary turns
their Thoughts from all thefe confidera-
tions, to the View of that Final 'Deftru-
ftion which God intended to bring upon
the Whole Nation, for their continued
Perverfenefs and Diibbcdience : Seeft tbou
(fays he to the perlbn who defired him
to take Notice of the ftatelinefs of the
Fa-
190 A S E R M O N preach' A,
Serm. Fabrick ; See/I thou] the ft great Build-
VIII. ings ? There fhall not be left one Stone up-
on another, that fiall not be thrown down.
And Thus likcwifc, in the \vords of the
Text : When fome that were f relent, told
him of the Galileans, whofe Blood 5P/-
late had mingled with their Sacrifice s\
he did not, (as They, who mentioned
this matter to him, feemed to expert;
he did not) hereupon enter into a Dif-
couric concerning either the Cruelty of
Dilate who murdered thefe Galilxans, or
his Impiety and fProfanenefs in murder
ing; them at the Tlace and Time of God's
publick Wbrflrip, or concerning the un-
happinefs of thcferfins themfelves who
perifhcd by fo particular a misfortune, or
concerning ^K. peculiar Reafons why the
fDi-umecPro{vidence\ho\\^\\\. fit to diftin-
guifh thcic particular peribns by ^Jingular
Judgment-. But, inftcad of All This, he
immediately makes the Application to his
Auditors then prefent? and to thtferfonf
Them. fe foes who told him of the Faff j
warning them of the indifpcnfable Necef-
iity of effectual Repentance and Amend
ment of Life as the only pofllble Means
by which They Themfelves could cfcape
God's final Vengeance. Suppofe ye (fays
he) that thefe Galileans were Sinners a-
bovt
a$ St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER^ itfr
bow all the Galileans, becaufe they fitf- Serrru
fered fach things ? I tell you, Nay, but VIII.
except ye repent, yeftall All likewife pe-
rifh. Or thofe eighteen, upon 'whom the
Tower in Siloam fell, and flew them,
think ye that They were Sinners above all
men that dwelt in Jemfalem? I tell
you, Nay 5 but except ye repent, ye fhall
All tikewifeferifb.
idly. Having thus at large fet forth to
you our Saviour's General Method 5 that,
whenever men propofcd to him any
curious Qucmon, or related to him any-
particular Fad: or Event, in expectation of
hearing His Obfervations upon it ; he con-
ftantly turned the matter before him, in
to an occafion of giving fome practical
Inftruction, to the perfons themfelues with
whom he was converfing : It remains now
in \\\Q.fecond place, that I proceed to con-
ilder the ^Particular doftrinc, exprcfled
in the words of the Text 5 That, though
All God's Temporal judgments are in
flicted upon account of Sin, yet they arc
not proportionable to the degrees of mcns
Demerits; And that, therefore, the proper
Ufeto be made of them, is never from
thence to form any uncharitable Judg
ment concerning Others, but to ir^fer
for
i$>2 A S E R M O N yreactid
Serm. for Our f elves the Necefllty of Repentance .'
IX. That all the Temporal Judgments God at
any time inflids upon Mankind, are on
the account of Sin, cannot indeed pof-
fibly be denied j becaufe 'tis on the ac
count of Sin, that men are at all placed
in this State of Mifery and Mortality.
Had Sin never entred into the World,
man had never been excluded out of *Pa-
radife, and from the Tree of Life ; which
was, either literally or figuratively, a
Means or an Emblem of Immortality and
Happinefs. And at laft, when tranf-
greffion fhall be finished, and an end made
of Sin 5 the Fruit of the Tree of Life (as
the Prophetick language expreffcs it) fhall be
again reftored, and the Leaves of the Tree
fhall be for the Healing of the Nations.
To Sin therefore in general, 'tis evident,
all the Miferics of this mortal State are
wholly owing. Nevcrthelefs, fince this
prefent State is not a State of Retribution
in particular r, but only fuch a State of
Tryal or 'Probation, as God, in confe-
quence of Sin's entring into the World,
thought fit to appoint men to undergo*
a State, in which the righteous and the
wicked, without a perpetual miraculous
interpofition, cannot but be frequently
involved in the feme Calamities together 5
a
at Sf JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 193
a State, in which the beft and moft in- Serm.
nocent perfons very often luffer, even VIII.
the moft grievoiiftyy by and from the
Wicked; a State, wherein God himfelf
fometimes thinks fit, by afflictions of his
own more immediate appointing, ( by
Winds and Storms, by Floods and general
Devaftations, by Famines, Peftilences, and
the like univerfal Calamities, which fall
upon All promifcuoufly,) to try the Faith
and Patience and Refignation of his Ser
vants; and in which State we can never
judge with any certainty, whether even
thofe who are the moft iuddenly cut off,
are cut off in Judgment or in Mercy : For
thefe Reafons, whenever we fee any ex
traordinary Calamity befal any particular
Terfon, or any Body of men, or any one
Nation in particular ; we ought never
from thence to form any uncharitable
Judgment concerning the State of Others
with regard to God, but only to infer for
Ourfelves the neceflity of Repentance.
Tis a very natural piece of Pride, in
carelefs and corrupt Minds, to build an
opinion of their own Goodncfs, upon the
comparative Badnefs of Others ; and, in
judging of this comparative Badnefs of
Others, to deceive themfclves, by found
ing That Judgment cither upon what O-
O tbers
194 A S E RMO N preactid
Serm. thersfuffer at the hand of God, or per-
VIII. haps upon what Faults Others are guilty
of jn one particular manner, when pof-
fibly They themfehes are mfome Other
manner guilty of the very fame OfFenfes.
Thus, for inftance, Chriftians of the Re
formed Religion condemn, and very juft-
ly, thofe of the Church of Rome, as guil
ty of the Higheft Abfurdity and Irreligion,
who in a continual Circle look upon them-
felvcs as abfolved from their Sins, which
they confefs to a 'Prieft, and then return
to their Sins again : And yet among 'Pro*
teftants every one is really guilty of the
very fame Abfurdity and Irreligion, who
in a continual Circle looks upon himfelf
as abfolved from his Sins, which he con-
feffes to God Almighty, and then returns
to them again. Thus men are very apt
to deceive themfelves, in comparing O-
ther mens Actions with their Own. And
fo they are apt to do alfo, in comparing
their Sufferings. A falfe and deceitful
Heart, (eipecially in Cafes where Bodies
of men, where Nations or Setts or Tar-
ties are concerned,) is very ready to flat
ter itfelf with imaginations of being itfelf
more in Favour with God, when the fe-
vercr forts of the 'Divine Judgments in-
flided upon Others> fill it with unchari
table
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 195
table Sufpicions of the Grounds and Rea- Serm.
fans of thofe Judgments. In fome few VIII.
particular Cafes indeed, where the Judg- C
ment is the immediate Confiquence and
dired: Effeft of the Sin ; as, where the
'Difea/es are the immediate ^Produce of
the ^Debauchery ; or where either Jingle
*Per(bns or <whole Nations do tfomfefoffS
greatly fuffer, in the -i/^ry Attempt of
defpoiling Othersoi their manifeft Right 5
In theie cafes thtre is indeed no unchari-
tableneis, in afcribing the Judgment to
the i5V'#. But much ottner, and indeed
generally fpeakingt it ariies wholly from
mens 'Partiality towards themfehesy that
they are fo ready to throw upon Others
the Caufcs of the Judgments wherewith
God punifr.es mankind. Thus of old in
the Heathen Roman Empire, whenever
God was pleafed to fend among them
Plagues or Famines, or Devaluations by
the incurfion of barbarous Nations 5 the
Chriftians immediately, as if They were
the Caufes of the Calamity, were hur
ried to the Prifons, to the Racks, and
to the Wild Beads. Tis not eafy for
men to fee it in themfel-ves ; But
fomething of the fame Spirit there is in
every wicked man, when, inftead of be
ing moved by the Judgments of God to
O 2 ex-
1 96 A S E R M O N preach'd
Serm. examine and amend his own Heart> his
VIII. eyes are continually fearching after the
^"V^ r eat or imaginary Faults of Others. Who
art Thou that judge ft another man's Ser
vant ? To his own Mafter he flandeth or
falleth. But if we would obferve our
Saviour's direction in the Text, and form
our Notions of things according to That
Rule 5 herein we could never be deceived.
The Judgments of God, which we fee
abroad in the World, are a proper and
continual Warning to ^//Sinners, to bring
them to Repentance and effectual Amend
ment : Without which, they muft All
finally and inevitably perifh. The Jews,
to whom our Saviour gave the admoni
tion in the Text, did, at the deftrudion
of Jerufalem, perifh in great multitudes
literally by the very fame calamity, which
had before fallen upon the Galileans here
mentioned. And all Sinners mall Ages,
who fee the Judgments of God fall#/0ff
Others^ ought to confider, that they know
not how foon the very fame calamities
may fall upon themfelves. But whether
the Punifhment overtakes them at all
here, or no ; it will, without timely and
effcdual Amendment, certainly overtake
them hereafter. Which is a much more
terrible confideratipn. lor if thefe
things
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER.
things are done in the green Tree,
what fhall be done in the dry ? It judg
ment begin at the Houfe of God, what
fhall the End be of them that obey not
the Goffel .? If the temporal calamities
which fall upon mixt multitudes here, of
the righteous and wicked together, be fo
dreadful ; what fhall the eftate be of Thofe,
who fhall be punifhed with EVER
LASTING deftruttion from the pre-
fence of the Lord, and from the glory of
his Majeftyt
A SEK-
SERMON
Preach'd in the
Parifli-Church of St Jameis Wtfk-
minfter, Apr. 25*, 1713. being
the Day appointed by his Ma-
jefty for a Publick TToankfgwing
to God, for preferving His Ma-
jefty and His Subjeds from that
dreadful plaque with which the
Kingdom of France was lately
Vifited ; And for putting an
End to the fame.
MATT. XXIV, 7.
For Nation flail rife againft Nation, and
Kingdom againft Kingdom : And there
fhall be Famines, and ^Peftilences, and
Earthquakes in di-vers 'Places.
I^H E S E Words are Part of the Pro- Serm.
phctical defcription, which Our
Saviour gives his Difciples a little
before his Death, of the State of things
O 4 which
200 A S E R M 0 N preach' d
Serm. which fhould be between That Time
IX, and the final Deftrudion of the Jewifli
Temple and Nation ; and, under That
Type, the State of the World in general
during the larger Period, until his coming
to Judgment. The 'Principal thing, a-
bout which he moft diftinflly and parti
cularly admonifhes them, is the *Perfecu-
tions and 'Difficulties They and their
Followers muft expect to meet with, more
or lefs, in all Ages. They fhall deliver
you up to be ajflifled, and fhall kill you }
and ye fhall be hated of all Nations for
my Names Sake : And many fhall be of
fended, and fhall betray one another, and
fhall hate one another : And becaufe ini
quity fiall abound, the Love of Many
fhall wax cold : That is ; the general Cor
ruption and Wickednefs of the World,
fhall difcourage Many, and weary them
out, and make them lay afidc all Thoughts
of Religion, ancl give themfelves up to
be carried with the Stream of an unrigh
teous and debauched World. Fof there
fhall be great Tribulation, fuch as was not
Jince the Beginning of the World unto
This Time, no> nor ever fhall be. And
except thofe days fhould be fhortened, there
fhould no Flefh be fa-ved: (That is, The
Truth of Religion, if this State of things
were
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 201
were long to continue, would be totally Serm.
extinguished among Men, by the Uni- IX.
verfality of prevailing Corruptions :)
But, for the Elects fake, thofe days
fhall be fhortened. This (I fay) is the
jPj7#f^foz/Particular, upon which our Lord
here chiefly enlarges : That, in after- Ages,
men might not bcjurfrized, when they
fhould find that the ^Prince of *Peace
came not to fend *Peace upon Earth, but
aSiuord'-) and that the religion of Chrift,
a religion of the moft pcrfeft Simplicity
and Plainnefs, of the completed and moft
extenfive Chanty, ihould be over-run with
univerfal Confuftons and Iniquity. But
bejides this 'Principal and more efpecial
Aim of his Difcourfe, he intermixes more
over fome general Intimations of Other
Events which fhould happen in the World;
and particularly of the Judgments, where
with the Divine Providence would from
time to time puniih the unrighteous Na
tions of the Earth. Te fhall hear (fays
he) of Wars, and Rumors of Wars : See
that ye be not troubled: For all thefe
things mujl come to pafs : For Nation
fhall rife again/I nation, and kingdom
againft kingdom -, and there foall be Fa
mines, and'Teftilences, and Earthquakes
in divers places: All thefe are the J5e-
ginnings of Sorrows. Wkh
202 A SE R MO N preach'd
Serm.
EC. With regard to Each of thefe Particu-
lars, viz. the ^Persecutions wherewith
good men fhould be oppreffed by an un
righteous World? and the Judgments
wherewith the Ttivine ^Providence ihould
at any time punifh the Nations of the
EarPh $ the Advice our Lord gives his
Difciples, is, to T RAT conftantly
to God, that he would be pleafed
either to prevent thefe things co
ining upon them, or to deliver them
out of them, or to lighten the Burden of
them by Providential Supports. Tray yey
fays he, that your flight be not in the
Winter? neither on the Sabath-day.
And ; Watch ye therefore, and *Pray
alizays, that ye may be accounted wor
thy to efcape all thefe things that fhall
cometopafs? and to ft and before the Son
of Man. Now the fame reaibn that there
is, why we ought at any time to TRAT^
that God ivoiild cither prevent or remove
from us any Calamity 5 the very jame
reafon there is, to return him our
THANKS aad T RAISE, whenever
he has been pleafed either to withdraw
fromuszny fuch Calamity, or the appa
rent 'T) anger of it. The Ground of Both,
is the fame -, that God, who has Power
over
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 203
over All, is the Alone Difpofcr of all E- Serm.
vents 5 and that That Difpofition of IX.
mind, which leads men to apply to Him
for all the good things they want, and to
make Acknowledgment to Him for all
the Benefits they have received, is one of
the principal of thofe Qualifications which
recommend men to the Divine Favour,
and to the more immediate Care and Pro
tection of his good Providence. The
Meaning of which is, not that even the
Be/I of men can have any certain Security
that they fhall efcape the Calamities of
this prefent Life 5 nay, in Some cafes,
as in That of Perfecution particularly, they
are for That *very reafon the moft expofed,
becaufe they are the Beft men : But the
Meaning is, that God who created the ma
terial World for the Sake of the Moral
one, andgoverns the former always with
a View to the Latter 5 (For the unintelli
gent material World, how exquiftte fo-
ever the Fabrick of it be, is Nothing at
all any otherwife, than as it has relation
to Intelligent and Rational Beings that
inhabit it :) God, I fay, who created the
material World merely for the Sake of
the Moral one, and governs the former
always with a View to the Latter, will
certainly make tf//r/>/72£j(fooner or later)
work
504 ^SERMON preach'd
Serm. work together for Good to them that
IX. love him, Rom. viii, 28. Even thcfeve-
reft Judgments that he ever fends upon
the World, and which to incorrigible Sin-
nerszte the MefTengers of ^Deftruftiom
even Thefe, to well-difpofed Minds, arc
either at a diftance Warnings and Admo
nitions to amend : Or they are Chaftife-
ments infiifted for their correction ; which,
though at prefent they cannot but bo
grievous, yet afterwards they yield the
peaceable Fruit of Righteoufnefs unto
them which are exercifed thereby : Or
they are Trials of mens Faith and 'Pa
tience -, which being much more precious
than of gold that per iftes, though it be
tried with Fire, will be found unto
Traife and H§nour and Glory at the Ap
pearing of Jefus Chrift : Or, fometimes,
they are means of taking away the Righ
teous from greater Evt/s to come -, fo that
Though They feem to be punifted for a lit
tle while, yet is their Hope full of Im
mortality: Or, boweveritbe, ftill (as the
Apoftle expreflcs it) the Lord knoweth
kow to deliver the godly out of Tempta
tions, and to referee the unjuft unto the
day of judgment to be puni fie d : And the
Righteous have always This Security, that
God is Faithful, who will not fufferti&m.
to
at Sf JAMES'/ WESTMINSTER. 205
to be tempted above that they are able ? Serm.
but will with the Temptation alfo make IX.
a<waytoefcapey that they may be able to
bear it. Ncvcrthelefs, fmce God only
knows the Events of things, and no man
can be fure of his own Strength ; there
fore Reafon teaches, and our Lord exprefsly
direds us, to fPray7 that we may not be
led into Temptation. And for the fame
reafon, 'tis our duty to be Thankful
whenever Providence has prevented any
Temptation from coming upon us. And
the cafe is the fame, with regard to Every
fort of Affliction or Calamity in Life.
God is able, and will certainly caufe all
thefe things to work together for good, to
Thofe who are truly and ftncerely religi
ous. Yet, feniible of our own Unwor-
thinefs; and knowing that thefe things
are alfo fometimes Meffengcrs of Wrath,
and Inftrumcnts of 'Deftruftion--, 'tis there
fore our Duty to pray continually for the
Averting of them, and to return Thanks
for every Efcape of T> anger from them,
and to be always ready to make a reli
gious Ufe either of their being infixed
or prevented. See that ye be not trou
bled^ fays our Lord ; For all thefe things
MUST come to pafs : — For Nation foall
rife againji Nation, and Kingdom againji
King-
206 A S E R M O N preach'*
Serm. Kingdom--, and there ftali be Famines,
IX. and'Peftilences, and Earthquakes in di-
vers 'Places.
The 'Particulars of this Prophecy of our
Lord, we have feen literally and remark
ably fulfilled in our own Days: And yet
God has been gracioufly pleafed, not to
fuffer any One of thcfe Calamities to come
nigh Our Dwellings. We have feen Na
tion rife up again/I Nation, and King
dom againfl Kingdom : We have feen Fire
and Sword confume round about us, and
many Fruitful Countries ravaged and de-
ftroyed : Yet at the fame time, we have
fat every man under his Vine and under
his Fig-Tree ; injoying all the Blefllngs
and Happinefs of ^Peace, even in the
midft of the moft Bloody and deftru&ive
Wars. We have feen Want and Famine
fpread Dcfolation over different Coun
tries, whilft-u^ have been even luxurious
in the Abundance of overflowing ^Plenty.
We have known populous and flourifhing
Towns, overthrown in one day with a
Storm and Earthquake ; while Our Ha
bitation has been, as the Scripture fpeaks,
the Munition of Rocks: So that the
Pialmift's Ground of Praife, (Pf. cxxv, 2,
As the Hills ft and about Jerufalem, even
ft
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER.' 207
fo ftandeth the Lord round about his Serin.
'People,) may very properly be applied to
US : As the Seas encompafs our Land,
may we no lefs juftly fay, even fo has the
Protection of 'Providence furrounded us
on every fide. Laftly, (which is the more
immediate and particular occafion of our
meeting together at This Time to return
Thanks to God ;) we have feen That T)e-
ftrojing Angel, the ^Peflilence, executing
in particular Places the uniearchablc Judg
ments of God ; but holding forth to US
This Terror, at aremotecDiftanceonlj^ to
admonifh and warn us, (not to imagine that
thofe particular perfons, upon whom this
divine judgment /<?//, were Sinners above
all men that dwelt on the Earth ; but that
we might take notice,) that, unlefs we re
pent, we mall All likewife perift. This
is the Proper End and Dcfign of All God's
Temporal Judgments ; to warn men fro
amend : And the only valuable Expreflion
of Thankfulnefs, for his bavin? at any
J -J O *
time Averted from us impending Dan
gers ; is our being thereby led to a more
careful Obedience. There is no where in
the whole New Teftament a feverer cha-
rader given of incorrigible Sinners, than
in thole Pailagcs where they are defcribed
as not only over-looking all the general
Works
208 A S E R MO N preach'd
Scrm. Works of Nature and Providence, but as
IX. continuing moreover unmoved even at
the moft Exemplary Expreflions of the
Divine Wrath^ and unthankfully infenfi-
ble even of the moft remarkable ^Delive-
rances. Rev. ix, 20 ; xvi, 9, The reft of
the men which were not killed by thefe
'Plagues, yet repented not of the Works
of their hands ; but blafphemedthe Name
of God which has 'Tower over thefe
Blagues , and repented not to give him
Glory. To give Glory to God, is, to make
publick Acknowledgment of our Senfe of
God's continually Governing the World in
Wifdom and Righteoufnels ; To profefs
our conftant ^Dependance upon him, for
all the Good things we hope for in the
Courfe of Nature which He has appoint
ed, and under the direction of his All-
wife ^Providence ; To return him Thanks
for all the Benefits we at any time receive^
and for every Efcape or ^Deliverance
vouchsafed us from impending Dangers;
And to Teftify the Sincerity of Thefe Ac
knowledgments, by our Obedience to him
in the courfe of a virtuous and religious
Life ; that Others likewife, feting our
good Works, may glorify our Father which
is in Heaven, and promote His King
dom,
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER^ 109
which is the Praclife of Virtue and Serm.
Righteoufnefs in the World. IX,
The Things, for which it is our Duty
always to return Thanks to God, are, in
general, every good thing we injoy : Life,
Health, Teace, ^Plenty, Liberty, and
every Blejfing whatfoever, in which con-
fifts either the Happinefs of the prefent
World, or the Opportunities of laying a
Foundation for that which is to come*
But as thefe Bleifings never appear fo va
luable, when by a long uninterrupted in
joy ment we areaccuftomed to efteem them
only the common Effe&s of the Courfe of
Nature; as when at any time, either by the
attual Want of them, or by very appa
rent T^anger of lofing them, we are led
to a jufter and more confiderate eftima-
tion of things, and with a more attentive
View to behold the Hand from whence
they all proceed 5 hence it is, that either
after a Deliverance from the Weight of
any fevcre Judgment, or after any re
markable Ejcape from the Terrour of im
pending Danger, we feem to be in a more
Particular manner called unto Thankful-
nefs 5 though in reality the fame Acknow
ledgment is no lefs juftly due, for the con*
ftant and uniform Protection of Provi-
P dence,
210 A S E RMO N preach'd
Serm/ dence. The Blefling of Teace, gene-
IX. rally, is juftly efteemed and valued by
Thofe only, who have felt the Mifery and
Calamities of War ; And yet, without
qucftion, 'tis a greater Blejfing, to have
been always preferved from thofe Calami
ties. The ineftimable Benefit of Liberty ',
hardly ever meets with any juft Returns
of Thankfulncfs, bnt from fuch as have
lately groaned under the cruel Bondage
of Tyranny and Ofprejjlon ; And yet,
without all controverfy, in the true efti-
mation of things, a greater Acknowledg
ment is due from Thofe who have conti
nually enjoyed That uninterrupted Pro-
teaion. The Blefling of Health itfelf,
That Neceffary Foundation of all other
Injoyments whatfoever, very rarely meets
with any Juft Senfe of its real and intrin-
fick Value, except in Thofe who have long
been affliaed with the Want of it -, And
yet, without Difpute, the continual Tre-
fervation of it, is a greater Eleffing than
the moft unexpcaed Recovery. In like
manner, in the Inftance of the 'Particu
lar occajion upon which we are afTcm-
blcd at This Time : Had it pleafed God,
that the devouring Peftilence had nearly
approached our Dwellings ; Had it fwcpt
away our deareft Relations, or our moft
at Sf JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 211
'valuable Friends ; Or if even among Scrm.
Thofe only, for whom we had no further IX.
Concern than what arifes from the gene-
ral Ties of Humantfy and the natural
Sympathies of Neighbourhood, we had
feen thousands fall befide us, and ten
thousands at our right hand ; Who is
there, that does not fed within himfelf,
with what a profound Senfe of the Divine
Goodnefs, t'ic Survivors would have ex-
preifcd their Thankfidnefs for the mercy
of their own Deliverance. And yet, in
reality, how infenfible foever Many of
us may be of the real Value of the Blef-
fing, a Greater Bkjfing it is (unlcfs our
own Unthankfulnefs makes it to US
ceafe in event to be fo ; a Greater Blef-
Jing, I fay, it is, ) to have had fo fevere
a Judgment prevented from approaching
; us at all. For This Inflance therefore of
j the ^Divine Mercy towards us, it becomes
us to return in a particular manner our
moft folemn Thanks. And This Expref-
fion of our Duty, will Then be accepta
ble in the Sight of God ; if it leaves upon
; our minds ?„ lafting impreffion, that, ex
cept we repent i we fhall frill all perifh.
i If the Thankfulneff of our Mouths? be
not accompanied with the real Senfe ot
our Hearts, and a fuitable conlequent
P 2 Qbe-
212 A S E R M O N preach' d
Serm. Obedience in our Lives and 'Prattife ; God
IX. can (till at any time commiflion his dc-
ftroying Angel, to Imite us in a moment.
Or, if we continue to provoke him, he
can inflift Judgments upon us much more
fevere than the moft devouring Tefti-
lence 5 by delivering us into the Hands of
ME N, whofe Mercies are Cruel. He
ean deliver us up into the Lofting Tyran
ny of that Spiritual Babylon, in whom
for many fucceflive Ages has not only
been found the Blood ofProphets and of
Saints and of all that were flam upon
the Earth 3 but by whofe RELIGIOUS
Sorceries alfo, have all Nations been de
ceived: And whofe Cruelty has not been
more deftruftive to the Lives of men,
than pernicious to their Souls alfo, by
taking away the Key of Knowledge, and
eftabliftiing a Blind Implicit Ignorance,
utterly fubverftve of the very Foundations
of all rational Regard \& God, and of all
Truth, Juflice, and Righteoufnefs to
wards Men. Hitherto it has pleafed God,
to preferve us from This calamity alfo 5
from this fevereft of all the Divine Judg
ments; and which, of all Others, has the
moft nearly and moft continually threat-
ncd us. For This f reformation therefore,
ought we likewife continually to return
our
at St JAMESV WESTMINSTER. 213
our moft Solemn Thanks to the Divine Serm,
Majefty. And 'tis the more reafonable fo IX.
to do, becaufe the Calamity I am now
fpeakingof, is That 'very Tribulation, in
companion of which our Saviour tells us
that all the things mentioned by him in
the Text, (Nations rifng againfl Nation,
and Kingdom againfl Kingdom ; and Fa
mines ', and^Peflilences, and Earthquakes
in divers places ; all thefe, fays he,) are
but the BEGINNING of Sor
rows.
The Manner, in which alone we can
Acceptably return Thanks to God for all
his Mercies beftowed upon us, and for
averting Thefe and all Other his 'Judg
ments, whether they be fuch as are more
immediately of his Own inflicting, or
whether they be fuch as arc brought upon
men by the Wickedncfs and Pcrverfenefs
of Others : The only Manner -, I fay, in
which we can Acceptably return Thanks
to the Almighty for Any Blcfiing, is by
having our Minds fo influenced with a
real and Lafting Senfe of the Goodnefs
and Mercy of God in his Government of
the World, as that we be thereby led ef
fectually to Obey his Will in the courfc
of a virtuous and religious Life, bringing
P 3 forth
230 ^SERMON preach'd
Serm. forth Fruits meet for the AcknowleJg-
IX. went s we profefs to make to him. By
This, and This, only, can Our 'Praifes be
rendered an Acceptable Sacrifice 5 Pf. xxxi,
i, Re^::'.c; in the Lord, ye RIGHTE
OUS 5 for ^t becometh well the JUST
to he 'Thankful. But or" the Wicked it
may truly be affirmeu, that, as their
^Prayer, fo their Traife alib «• *z# Abomi
nation to the Lord.
But w0r? particularly : If we will be
have ourfeives worthily, as thofc who have
redly a Thankful Senfe of the Divine
Goodnefs in averting the "Judgments which
j <~>
have fometimes threatned us 5 we mult^
in the
\fl place, as Believers in God, feri-
oufly and iincerely make ule of our Rea-
fon, in baniihing from among us That
Atkeiflical Spirit prevailing among fome
men, who, whenever things are leen to
proceed from Natural Caufes, immedi
ately thereupon they indeavour to exclude
all consideration of God. As if the ab-
ftrad word, Nature, was a real intelli
gent Agsnt ; or meant any thing more,
than the ufual and ordinary Method of
God's governing the World. Which
Fooliih
at St ] A ME s's WESTMINSTER. 215
Foolifh Miftake arifes merely, from mens Serrn.
not diftinguifhing the NECESSART IX,
Nature of things, from That AT-
TO INTEND Courje or Order of Nature,
which is nothing but the Will of God and
the Law of his Creation. Forlnftance:
That Two and Two fhould make Four,
or that a Body fhould be only in One place
at once, is the RECESS ART Nature
of things ; and could not have been other-
wife. But when we fay, 'tis the Nature
of Corn, to grow ; or, 'tis the Nature of
Food, to Nourifl) ; or, 'tis the Nature of
Teflilential Vapours, \.o>deflroy: In Thefe
and the like Expreflions, Nature is No
thing but the voluntary Appointment of
God : And natural Caufes Here, do real
ly no more exclude consideration of God,
than any one's affirming that 'tis the Na
ture of a Sword to kill, would be a rea-
fonable and fatisfadory Ground to for
bear any further Inquiry by what hand
that Inftrument of Death was moved.
When the Inquiry is concerning the Effi
cient Agency, by what Tower Plants and
Animals are formed, by what Tower
Corn grows, or Food nourishes, and the
like : To anfwer in This cafe, that 'tis
-their NATURE, or that 'tis natural for
them, foto do; is exadly the fame thing,
P 4 as
216 rA SERMO N preactiA
Serm, as if a man being asked How and by
IX. what drchitett a Talace was built, fhould
WW anfwer, it was the Nature of it to be
built of fuch a Form and Bignefs*
idly. As Chriftians ; 'tis our Duty, not
only in general to attend to the Hand of
God'm all the Difpeniations of Providence,
but moreover to obferve diftinftly how all
the Great Events that happen in the World,
are the dccomplifhment of thofe things
whereof our Lord admonifhed his Difci-
ples from the Beginning ; when, in order
to wean them from the Vanities of this
prefent World, and to raife their Thoughts
to a Better, he foretold them of the
great Calamities which fhould fall upon
the Earth by the righteous Judgment of
Gody and the much greater Calamities
which fbould be brought upon THEM
in particular by the Malice of unrighte
ous Men. See (fays he) that ye be not
troubled, for all thefe things muft come
topafs7 — : For Nation fhall rife againft
Nation, and Kingdom againft Kingdom ;
and there fhall be Famines and 'Pefti-
lences and Earthquakes in diners places :
All thefe are the Beginning of Sorrows.
Then fhall they deliver you up to be af-
fifled, and fiall kill you j and ye fhall
at St JAMES^ WESTMINSTER. 217
be hated of all Nations for my Sake. Serm*
The Application he makes to them of IX.
the Whole, is, (Luke xxi, 34,) Watch ye
therefore, and pray always, that ye may
be accounted Worthy to efcape all thefe
things that fhall come to pafs, and to
ftand before the Son of Man.
If we look upon ourfelves ftill
more particularly, as Profeflfors of the Re
formed Religion; the Conftdcration of
every Blejfing we receive from the hand
of Providence, whether temporal or fpi-
ritual, will naturally remind us to exprefs
our Thankfulnefs to God, in ways fuita-
ble to the 'Purity of the Religion we pro-
fefs, and to the Knowledge he has been
pleafed to vouchfafe us of his Truth. We
muft exprefs our real Senfe of his Good-
nefs towards us, byfuicerely indeavouring
to obey his Will; by departing from eve
ry Kind, and from every ^Degree, of Sn-
perj-itiom by laying afide all unchriftian
If tats and Animojities among ourfelves .j
by promoting univerfal *Peace and Good
Will among Men ; In a word, by fhow-
ing that we place our Religion, not in
fantafticai Notions or in empty Forms,
but in a conuant rational Acknowledg
ment of God, in an impartial Love of
2i8 A SERMON preach 'd
Serm. Truth, and in the habitual Traffice of
X. true Virtue, of Sobriety, Righteoufnefs
and univerfal Charity. This if we do ;
the Prophecy in the 9 1/? Pfalm, we may
(not without reafon) hope, even in the
frfl and literal fenfe 5 but in the Jpiri-
tualand final fenfe Certainly, it fhall be
fulfilled to US. Whofo dwelleth under
the defence of the moft High, (hall abide
under the fhadow of the Almighty : He
fhall deliver thee from the Snare of the
Hunter, and from the noifom Teftilence :
Thou /halt not be afraid for any Terror
by Night, nor for the arrow that flieth
by day. For the Teflilence that <walketh
in darknefs, nor for the Sicknefs that de-
jlroyeth in the Noon-day ; A thoiifand
flail fall befide thee, and ten thoufand
at thy right hand, but it fhall not come
nigh Thee : There fhall no Evil hap fen
unto thee, neither fhall any plague come
nigh thy ^Dwelling.
A S E R-
SERMON
Preach'd in the
PARISH-CHURCH
O F
Stjamess Weftminjler,
On Sunday y March 31, 1717.
MATT. XVI, 18.
And I fay alfo unto theey that Thou art
*Peter j and upon This Rock I will
build my Church, and the gates of
Hell fball not prevail againft it.
THE Occafion and Connexion of Serm.
thefe Words, is This. Our Sa- X.
viour, examining his Difcipleshow
far they underflood the Doftrine they had
been taught 5 asks them, ver. 1 3 , Whom
do men fayy that /, the Son of Many
(im ? The very character he here and elfe-
whcre
220 ASERMO N f reach' d
Serrn. where gives himfelf, / the Son of Man,
X. was a fufficiently plain intimation Who he
was. For the phrafe, THE Son of man,
necelTarily fignifies one who is foftyled by
way of Eminence or Diftin&ion 5 And,
inDifcourfe with perfons who had been
educated Jews, it could not but be un-
derftood to refer to the Ufe of That Ti
tle or Character fomewhere in the Old
Teftament. Now the Paflfage where 'tis
mentioned in the moft remarkable and di-
ftinguiftiing manner, is in the Prophecy
of ^Daniel, ch. vii, 13, Behold, one like
the Son of Man, came with the Clouds
of Heaven; (The Son of Man, which is
in Heaven, as our Saviour ftiles himfelf
in the Goipel, John iii, 135) and came to
the Ant ient of 'Days, and they brought
him near before him: And there was
given him. 'Dominion and Glory and a
Kingdom, that all people, nations and
language sy fhould ferve him : His 'Do
minion is an everlajiing 'Dominion, which
(ball not pafs away -, and his Kingdom
that which fhall not be deflroyed. The
Jews all very well knew, that this was a
plain Prophecy and Character of the Mef-
jiah. And therefore our Saviour, by taking
upon himfelf That Title by way of Emi
nence, THE Son of Man ••> clearly enough
inti-
*t St JAMES'.? WESTMINSTER; 22?
intimated, Whom he profeffed himfelf to Serm.
be. However, in order to put his Dif- X.
ciples upon a more diftind declaration
how far they had hitherto underflood
him ; and thereby to introduce a new oc-
cafion of giving them further and more
particular inftrudions ; he asks them, <ver.
13, Whom do men fay that I am? The
Difciples anfwered ; Some fay that thou
art John the Baptift, fome Ritas ; and
Others Jeremias, or one of the *Prophets.
He faith unto them> But whom fay Te
that I am? Simon Teter anfweredy
Thou art Chrift the Son of the Living
God. Then faid Jefus unto him, Bleffed
art thou, Simon Barjona, for fefh and
blood hath not revealed it unto thee-> but
my Father which is in Heaven. That is ;
The Confetti on you have made, is not a
bare human conjecture or Opinion ; as
the Jews hadguefTed him to be either E-
lias, or John the Baptift, or one of the
old Prophets rifen from the Dead : but
Tour confcfTion (fays he,) is the Very
Truth-, which God has enabled you to
difcover. And I fay alfo unto theey
that thou art Tetery ver. 1 8 : Thou Si
mon the Son of Jonah, (halt for the fu
ture be known by the Name of Teter>
which fignifies a Rock-, a firm and con-
flam.
222 A SER MON preach'A,
Serm. ftant, an unfhaken and immoveable, Pro-'
X. feflbr of the Truth. Tis very Ufual in
Scripture, to give men in this manner Em-
•phatical and fignificant Names. Thus
Gen. xvii, 5 > Thy Name fhall be Abra
ham ; for a Father of many Nations
(fo the word Abraham ^m^s in the Ori
ginal,) a Father of many Nations have
I made thee. Again; Gen. xxxii, 28,
Thy name fhall be called Ifraelj for as a
Trince haft thou power with God and
with men, and haft prevailed. So here
likewife, Thou art Teter, that is, *Rock\
a firm and conftant, a faithful and un
fhaken Witncfs, Support, and Defender
of the Truth. And upon This Rock, up
on this Firmnefs and Steddinefs of yours
in profefling and preaching the great Truths
of the Gofpel, upon This will I build
my Church ; and the Gates of Hell fhall
not prevail againft it. And I will give
unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of
Heaven ; and whatsoever thou fhalt bind
on Earthy fhall be bound in Heaven ; and
whatsoever thou fhalt loofe on Earthy
fhall be loofed in Heaven.
In order to the fuller and clearer under-
ftanding of which whole Difcourfe of our
Saviour j it will be necefiary to explain
from
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 225
from the Beginning, the nature and mean- Serai,
ing, the ground andreafon, of that Me- X.
taphor or figure of fpeaking, which in
numberlefs other places of Scripture, as
well as in this Text, is ufed with great
Propriety and Elegance in the Defcription
of the Church of Chriir. Tis to be ob-
ferved therefore, that God having antient-
ly placed his Name in Jerufalem, that is,
having appointed it to be the Seat of his
Throne and Worfhip, the Place of con
fluence of the Worfhippers of the One
True God ; and thereby made it by way
of eminence The City of the Great King*
The Holy City } it from thence became,
in the prophetick Style and Language, a
Type of Heaven. From hence, in the
New Tcftament, the State of Heaven
is figuratively ftiled, Jerufalem which is
Above, Gal. iv, 26 : Mount Sion, the
heavenly Jerusalem, Heb. xii, 22. And
in the Revelation particularly, 'tis de-
fcribed at large, under the Notion of a
glorious and happy City 5 ch. xxi, i o, He
fhevjed me that great City, the Holy Je
rufalem, deft ending out of Heaven from
God--, Having the Glory of God, and
her Light was like unto a Stone mofl
precious:— -And the City ivas pure Go 14',
and the foundations were garnifbed
with
224 ^SERMON preach'd
Scrm. with all manner of precious Stones. 16
X. which defcription, the Apoftle plainly
^V^ Alludes, Heb. xi, 16, He hath prepared
for them a City : And again in the fame
ver. 16. Chapter, They dejire (fays he) a better
country ', that is ', an heavenly: And, A-
irer. 10. braham looked for a City which hath
Foundations, (in the original it is, THE
City which hath THE Foundations^)
whofe Builder and Maker is God. Hence
ftill further, in purfuance of the fame Si*
militude, the Church of God even here
upon EARTH, is ftiled The City, the
Temple, and the Houfe of God. The
Cityoi God: ^/ xlvi, 4, The Streams
thereof, fhall make glad the C ITT of God.
Hcb. xii, 22, Te are come unto — the CITTof
the living God,— the general Affemblyand
Church of the firft-born whofe Names
are written in Heaven. Alfo the Tem
ple of God : i Cor. iii, 1 6, Te are the
TEMPLE of God-, And 2 Cor. vi, i<5,
Te are the TEMPLE of the Living
God. Eph. ii, 1 9, Te are fellow-citizens
with the Saints, and of the houftold of
God-, And are built upon the Founda
tion of the Apoftles and ^Prophets, Je~
Jus Chrifl himfelf being the chief corner
ft one-, In whom the whole building fitly
framed together, eroweth into an Holy
TEM-
atSt JAMES'S WESTMINSTER." 225
TEMTLE in the Lord; In whom Serrru
Tou alfo are builded together •, for an habi- X.
tat ion of God through the Spirit. And
2 Thef. ii, 3, 2~/to Man of Sin, - — -/fr-
t ing in the TEMTLE of God > That is,
& general Apoftacy and Love of Worldly
Power, overfpreading the Vifible Church
Laftly, 'tis ftiled likcwifc The HOUSE
of God: i Tim. iii, 15, The HOUSE
of God, which is the Church. Heb. iii, 6,
whofe HOUSE are We. \ Cor. iii, 9,
Te are God's EVIUDING. i y<?f. ii, 5,
jfe alfo as Lively Stones, are built up a
Cpiritual HOUSE unto God. And ch.
[V> l7-> Judgment muft begin at the
HOUSE of God.
Now the Church of God being thus
afually, (upon the occafion and for the
•eafons already explained, ) reprefented in
kripture under the figurative Notion of
i Holy City, or Temple, or Houfe of
rod-, the fevcral Tarts of it likewife, in
airfuancc of the fame Metaphor, are de-
cribed proportionably under the like cha-
a&ers, and with the like figures of Speech,
s the Whole. Hence the word, Founda-
ion, as denoting the moft material part
nd Support of the whole Building, is cle-
antlymadeufe of to fignify either fueh-Afe
ox
226 A * S E RMO & preactid
Serm. Or Things, fuch Terfons or 'Doffrines,
X. upon which the whole of Religion main-
'^w^w ly relies, and by which it is principally
(upported.
Sometimes it is applied to *DoEtrines:
To denote thofe great, thofe primary,
thofe neceffary and effential dodrines of
religion; upon which, all other true do
ctrines ate built ; without which, religion
cannot fubfift ; and of which, no Chri-
ftian can innocently or excufably be ig
norant. Thefe are (tiled, Heb. v, 12,
Thefrft ^Principles of the Oracles of God-,
and Heb. vi, i, The ^Principles of the do-
flrine of Chrift, and The Foundation.
In modern language, they are ufually called
The Fundamentals of religion ; the Do-
d:rines, wherein Chriftianity itfelf con-
fiftsj in oppofttion to thofe, which di-
ftinguifh from each other the feveral Setts
or ^Parties of Chriftians. In the former,
confifts all true Virtue and Piety : The
Latter, are the Occailons of never-cea-
fing Contentions, Schifms and Uncharita-
blenefs. What thefe Fundamental Do-
drines in particular are, (though St Taul
has given us an exprefs Catalogue of
them, Heb. vi; i, 2,) feldom Any Sed or
Party of Chriftians are willing to define -,
be-
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 227
becaufe by fo doing they would plainly Serm.
difcovcr, that the things about which they X.
generally moft fiercely contend, are in-
deed no neceflary parts of religion at all.
But in the Scripture itfelfi thefe funda
mental Dodrines are perpetually infifted
on 5 and inculcated, as thofe on which
in reality the Whole of Religion depends.
And the teaching or preaching of thefe
Doctrines, is what St 'Paul calls Laying
the Foundation, (Heb. vi, i ; And i Cor.
; iii, i o, ) According to the grace of God
'which is given unto me, as a wife ma-
fter-builder I have laid the FOUNT) A-
TION. But let every man (fays he) take
heed how he buildeth thereupon : For o-
1 ther Foundation can no man la}1, than
That is laid, which is Jefus Chrift.
The meaning is 5 No man can make any
thing elfe to be fundamental in religion,
! befides what Chrift himielf has made to
i be fo. If any man build upon this Foun
dation, gold, filv&r, precious Stones -, if
he preaches the true dodrine of the Go-
fpel, and builds thereupon Virtuous Pra-
ftice 5 he fha/l receive a reward, ver. 1 4.
'If he corrupts the doctrine of Chrift in
;its cflentials, and teaches men any vitious
'Praftiie; he fhall be punifhedvery fcverc-
ly. If he builds wood, hay,ftubble> that
Q2 is,
228 A SE R MO N preach' d
Scrm. is, if he teaches ncedlcfs and ufelefs, tho'
X. not vitious dodrines ; he fhallfuffer Lofs,
he fhall in great part lofe his Reward :
Neverthclcfs, for the Sincerity of his In
tention, he himfelf foall be fayed, yet fo
as by Fire, vcr. 1 5 . The fenfe is, He fhall
be famed TUFFICULTLT, as it were
out of the Fire ; According to the like
exprefllon in St Jude, <ver. 22, Of fome
have compajfiorij making a difference 5 and
Others fave with Fear, fulling them out
of the Fire-
But further : The word, foundation,
as it is thus fometimes applied figura
tively to *Doffirines fundamental j fo, at
Other times, it is in a proportionable
Senfe, applied likewife to 'Perfons. Thus
(in the paflagc before-cited,) Eph. ii, 20,
Te are built upon the FOUNDATION
of the ATOSTLES and T RO-
<PHETS. From whence is derived
That elegant and lively defcription, Rev.
xx i, 14, The Wall of the City had twelve
Foundations •, and in Them the Names of
the twelve Apoflles of the Lamb. Je-
fus Chrift himfelf, is the Chief corner-
Jione : The Apoftles and *Profhetsy are
the Foundation : And the Church or en
tire Body of good Men through all Ages,
are
at St J A M E sV WESTMINSTER. 229
are the whole Building or fpiritual Tern- Scrm.
pie of God 5 in which Te alfb, faith the X.
Apoftle, (ye alfo, as living Stones, i Pet.
ii, 5,) dyv buiided together, for an habit a-
//0» 0/" G^ through the Spirit. And
Such perfons as, after the firft preaching
of the Gofpcl, were, in a more eminent
and illuftrious manner, Promoters of true
Religion ; are, by continuing the fame
Similitude, aptly called ^Pillars, Gal. ii,
19, James, Cephas and John, who feem-
ed to be 'PILLARS: And Rev. iii, 12,
Him that overcometh, will I make a
TILLAR in the Temple of my God.
Which PafTages, by the way, teach us to
rectify a Miftake in the vulgar interpreta
tion of that noted Text of St "Paul, i Tim.
iii, 1 5 , That thou may ft know how to be
have thyfelf in the Houfe of God, which
is the Church of the Living God, the
TILLAR and Ground of Truth. That
St 'Paul in one and the fame Sentence,
wherein he calls the Church the HOUSE
of God, fhould at the fame time ftile it
alfo a TILLAR, which is a Tart of
that houfe 5 is very hard to conceive.
From the fore-cited places therefore, and
others of the like import, where the fame
word is always applied to (ingle T E R-
SONS j it teem? very probable, that
( 3 Here
230 A S E R MO N preach' d
Scrm. Here alfo it ought to be underftood, not
X. of the whole Church, but of one ferfon
only, even of Timothy himfclf : That
thou mayft know how thou oughteft to be
have thy f elf in the houfe of God, which
is the Church of the Living God--, that
thou mayft know how to behave thyfelf
therein in fuch manner, (as being, or) as
that Thou mayft be a ^Pillar and an emi
nent Support of the Truth. The fenfe
is much more reafonable, and agreeable
to other places of Scripture ; and removes
a difficult expreflion, Jmuch abufed and
perverted by Popifti Writers to fupport
their abfurd Doctrine of the Infallibility
of the Church.
Having thus fully and at large explained
from its firft original, the nature and mean
ing, the ground and reafon, of that Meta
phor or Figure of fpeaking, which in num-
berlels other places of Scripture, as well as
in my Text, is ufed with great Propriety
and Elegance in the Defcription of the
Church of Chrift 5 It from hence be
comes very eafy to underftand the true
fenfe of thefe words of our Saviour, Thou
art Teter, Thou art (as thy Name figni-
fies ) a Rock j and upon this Rock will 1
build my Church. The Church, is the
Citf,
af Sf J AMES'S WESTMINSTER. 231
City, the Temple, the Houfe or Building Serm.
of God. In this fpiritual Temple of God, X.
Jefus Chrift himfelf is the chief corner- *-x"V~>-
ftone, in 'whom the whole Building is
fitly framed together. And the Apo-
ftles and Trophets, are the Foundation,
Among Thefe, St Teter having, with a
particular Forwardnefs and Zeal, made
confeflion of his believing Chrift to be
the Meflias 5 was accordingly approved
by his Mafter, and receives the following
Anfwer. Thou fhalt be, (fays our Lord,)
one principal Foundation-ftone in my
Building. By thy firmnefs and fteddinefs,
by thy Courage, Conftancy and Zeal in
this confeflion, thou fhalt become an Emi
nent Founder of my Church, a moft
fuccefsful Preacher of my Doctrine to
the World, in the firft Age of the Go-
fpel. Thou art Teter, Thou art a Rock ;
and up on this Rock I will build my Church.
It follows ; And the gates of Hell
fhall not prevail againfl it. That is;
Oppofition and Perfecution, even unto
'Death itfelf, fhall never be able to flop
the Progrefs of my Gofpcl. The word,
which we here render Hell, fignifics in"A^-
the Original, not The State of the damn
ed, (for That is always in the Greek ex-
Q^ 4 prcfled
232, A S E R MO N preach' d
Serm. prefled by a very different word 5) But
X. the word Here ufed, fignifies always That
invisible ftate in general only, to which
'Death is the Gate or Tajfage. So that
This Phrafe in the Text, is exaftly of the
fame import with thofe expreflions in the
Old Teftamcnt : The Gates of the Grave,
The Chambers of 'Death, and The Gates
of 'Death. If. xxxviii, 10, 1 fhallgotothe
Gates of the Grave. Prov. vii, 27, The way
to Hell, Going down to the Chambers of
'Death. Job xxxviii, 1 7, Have the Gates of
'Death been opened unto thee ? Pf. ix, 13,
Thou lifteft me up from the Gates of
*Death : And Pf. cvii, 1 8, They draw near
unto the Gates of 'Death. When therefore
our Saviour promifcs that thcGates of Hell y
that is, of 'Death -, (for the word Hell, as
I now obfervcd, when it means The State
of the 'Damned, is always in the origi
nal quite another Word :) When, I fay,
our Saviour promifes that the Gates of
Hell, that is, of Death, jhall not prevail
againft his Church 5 his Meaning plainly
is the fame, as in thofe other Promifes,
Matt, xxviii, 20, Lo, 1 am with you al
ways, even unto the End of the World ;
your mortality fhall not put an end to the
preaching of my Gofpel. And ch. xviii,
20, Where two or three, (wherefocver
or
At St JAMES'/ WESTMINSTER! 235
or whenfoever, in what place or at what Serm.
time foever in Any Age of the World, X.
two or three) are gathered together in
my Name ; there am I in the widft of
them.
Laftly, our Saviour adds in the next
words, immediately following the Text :
And I will give unto THEE the Keys
of the Kingdom of Heaven : And what-
foeverTHOU fbalt bind on Earth, fhall
be bound in Heaven, and whatfoever
THOU fhalt loofe on Earth, fhall be
loofed in Heaven.. The fenfc is ; Thou
fhalt firft open the Kingdom of the Mef-
ftas, and make the firft publication of the
Gofpelto the Gentiles ^ (which we read
was accordingly fulfilled, in the id, loth,
and i $th chapters of the Affs.} And by
the Terms of That cDo£tr'me which I
commiflionjw* to preach on Earth, fhall
'every man's Sentence be finally and judi
cially determined of God in Heaven,
And now, having diflinftly explained
the full meaning of our Saviour, in this
whole Difcourfe of his to St cPeter j it
will be very obvious to raife from thence
the following Obiervations,
i
Serm.
X. ift, I obferve, that according to the
true explication of the word, it makes no
real Difference at all in the Senfe, whe
ther by the Rock upon which our Sa
viour here promifes to build his Church,
be meant (as 'Proteftant Expofitors ge
nerally undcrftand it) the CO NFES-
SIO AT of St Teter, or (as the Romijk
Writers contend) the TERSON of St
*Peter. I fay, it makes no difference at
all, as to the true Senfe of the Words.
For, if this Rock be the CONFESSION
of St 'Peter--) yet the application of the
phrafe to Him in fo particular a manner,
muft needs be with regard to his 'Perfonal
Firmnefs and Steddinefs in that confeflion.
And if it be the TERSON of St Teter,
that is here ftiled a Rock j 'tis ftill with re
gard to his Firmnefs in That ConfeJJlon.
From whence nothing can be collected to
the Advantage of the caufeof the Church
of Rome. For
zdly7 I obferve, that the word Rock,
the Foundation- ft one of a Building, a
ftrongor well-laid Support, is not at all
(as the Church of Rome ridiculoufly fup-
pofcs) an Emblem of Authority y 'Power
or 'Dominion ', but it Signifies frm and
con-
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 235
conftant, effectual and fuccefsful, Preach- Serm.
ing of the Gofpel at the Beginning : X.
Which was the Foundation of the Church
of Chrift. Which Church, the Scripture
tells us, was built upon the Foundation of
the Apoftles and 'Prophets. And in That
Foundation, St *Peter was a Rock, or a
firm and eminent part of it.
idly. I obferve, that immediately after
the fpeaking of thefe great things to St
'Peter, our Lord, (as it were with a par
ticular View that it might be left upon
Record as a Guard againftthat extravagant
Opinion, which he foreknew future Ages,
for the Purpofes of Tyranny and worldly
Dominion, would entertain of St Peter's
Terfond Authority ;) our Lord, I fay,
takes occafton in his very next Difcourfe
with him, to rebuke him with a ftarper
jeverity than he ever ufed towards any
of the reft of his Difciples. Ver. 23, Get
thee behind me, Satan ; thou art an Of-
fenfe unto me ; For thou favoureft not
the things that [be of God, but thofe
that be of Men. And probably for the
'very fame reafon it is, that he was fuf-
feredto/iz//and to deny his Mafter, more
Biamcfully than any of the Other Difci
ples ; and that 'tis particularly recorded in
Scrip-
A S E R M 0 N preach'd
Serm. Scripture-hiftory, how St Taul afterwards
X. 'withfloodhim totheface^ becaufehe isoas
to be blamed, Gal. ii. 1 1 . Of the fame
Kind feems to be our Saviour's affeffing
as it were, to fpeak always with very fmall
Refped of the Eleffed Virgin : Woman,
what have I to do with thee ? And,
Tea RATHER Bleffed are they,
that hear the i&ord of God? and keep
it. And again 5 Who is my Mother,
#nd who are my Brethren! ......... Be
hold, whofoever flail do the Will of
my Father which is in Heaven, the
fame is my Brother and Sifter and Mo
ther.
. I obferve, that as the word Roc k
ftgnifies nothing of Authority or Ttomi-
nion, but a Stone or frm fart in the
FOUNDATION OK which the Church
is built 5 fo it is a Character, in which
StTeter could not poilibly have ANT
Succeffors^ in any other fenfe, than in
That wherein He himfelf applies it to
ALL Chriflians in general ' j in his firft
cpiftlc, ch. ii, 5, IE alfo (faith he) as Li
ving Stones, are built up a jpirittial
Hrufe unto God. And St Taut to the
Epbejians, chap, ii, 22, Ton alfb are build-
td together ', upon the foundation of the
Apo-
at St JAMES'* WESTMINSTER. 255
Apoftles and Prophets, into an Holy Tern- Serm.
pic, for an Habitation of God thro the X.
Spirit.
$thly. lobferve, that what is here faid
to St 'Peter, is elfewhere applied equally to
ALL the Apoftles. The City of God,
faith St John, had twelve Foundations,
and in them the Names of the twelve
Apoftles of the Lamb. The Church was
built equally upon them All. And our
Saviour with great expf cfihefs and earncft-
ncfs charges them, that there fhoilld be no
fuch thing as ^Dominion or 'Pr eh eminence
amongft them -3 but Whofoever (fays he)
will be great among you, let him be your
Servant, Matt, xx, 27. Further : That
which is here fpokcn to St 'Peter about ha
ving the Keys of the Kingdom of Hea
ven, is elfewere expremy dircdcd to
ALL the Apoftles \ Johnxx, 23, Who ft
foever Sins TE remit, they are remitted
unto them ; and whofe foever Sins
TE retain, they are retained. The
full meaning of which fublime cx-
preilions, is not, that even the Apoftles
themfelves, (much lets that any of their
Fallible Succeffors^ had a discretionary
Power of forgiving or retaining mcns
Sins ; But, that they were appointed
Preach-
ij* A SER MON preach'A
Serm. Preachers and MefTengers of That gra-
X. cious Covenant of Reconciliation, ac-
cording to the Terms and Conditions
whereof, God will either forgive mens
Sins or not. God will judge men ac-
cor 'ding to OUR Go/pel-, or by the Rule
of That Do&rine, which we are com
manded to preach to the World. St
^Paid exprefles the Scnfe of This Truft,
with the greateft exaftnefs of expreflion,
Rom. ii, 165 In the day, fays he, when
God fhall judge the fecrets of men by
Jefus Chrift, according to MTGoffel.
A SER-
SERMON
Preach'd in the
PARISH-CHURCH
O F
Stjamess Weftminfter,
On Sunday ', March 23, 1718.
GEN. XV, 6.
And he Believed in the Lord, and he
count edit to him for Right eoufnefs,
THESE words are Part of the Hi-
ftory of the Patriarch Abraham.
Who when, in his old age, be-
ing yet childlefs, he had a Promife made
to him, that his Pofterity Ihould be as the
Stars of Heaven for multitude; notwith-
ftanding the Natural Improbability of the
Thing, yet (the Text tells us) he Believed in
the
240 A S E R M O N preach' d
Scrm. the Lord, and the Lord counted it to hint
XI. for right eoufnefs. The Words are very
LXVV) remarkable : And they are in the New
Teflament cited, Three feveral times. By
the Apoftie St James , Once : And by St
'Paul twice $ in his epiftle to the Romans,
and again in his epiftle to the Galatians.
By St faul they are cited to prove, that
fince Abrahams Faith was here reckoned
to him for righteoufnefs, before the infti-
tution of Circumcifion 5 therefore Jufti-
fication, or the Favour and Acceptance
of God, is not confined and limited to
the Obfervers of the Works of the Jew-
ifl) law, but extends itfelfto^//men, of
Rom. iv, <Att Nations, who walk in the Steps of
12 • the Faith of Abraham. By St James
they are cited toprove at the fame time,
that fince the Faith of Abraham here
reckoned to him for Righteoufnefs, \vss
not a mere unactive Belief, but an effe
ctual ^Principle of real adive Obedience ;
therefore Juftification, or the Favour and
Acceptance of God, is confined and li
mited, though not to the Obfervers of
the Works of the Jewifo Law, yet cer
tainly to the Pradicers of the Virtue and
Righteoufnefs of the Gofpel. The Ap
plication of the Words to each of thefe
Purpofcs rcfpcdively, is as natural and
per-
at St JAMESV WESTMINSTER? 241
pertinent as poflible 5 And the Inference Serm.
drawn from them, in Each cafe, is moft
obvious and certain. My Defign is not,
at This time, to enlarge any further upon
the manner of reconciling St *Paul and
St James -, ( which has often been done
upon Other occafions, and is Jufficientlf
evident from the Jingle Obfervation I now
mentioned;) but to conftder i^to Matter
of InftrucJion may be drawn from the
words themfelves--, as they lie before us
in the Text ; Abraham believed in the
Lord, and he counted it to him for Righ-
teotifnefs.
Faith, or Belief in God, is the Foun
dation and Ground of virtuous 'Praffice*
And in proportion as this Foundation is
deeply and ftrongly laid, in the fame pro
portion will the Superstructure be durable
and permanent againft the Attacks of
Worldly Temptations. For though Vir
tue is Virtue, whether there were any
God or no ; and the doing of what is
Right, would be unqucftionably commen
dable, though there were no Reward or
Punifhment either here or hereafter : Yet,
in That cafe, the Nature of things would
be abfurd ,• and the Syftem of the Uni-
Verfe would be, in the Whole, an incon-
R fiftency*
'A S E R M O N preactid
Serm. fiftency. For, that That which is Right
XL in itfelf, and necefiarily fo judged to be
by every Right Underflanding^ and which
by confequence lays a necefiary and per
petual Obligation upon All--, fhould yet
not be finally and effectually fupported j
is really and truly as Great an Inconjiften-
cy in the Notion of the Moral Univerfe,
as if in the Natural World any of the
greateft and moft exquifite Operations,
were without any correfpondent final
Caufe. By This Argument therefore the
wifeft and moft rational men in the Hea
then World, who had no AfTiftance of
Revelation at all, yet worked themfelves
lip to a very ftrong Perfwafion, both of
the Being and of the Righteous Govern
ment of God. By the fame Argument
the 'Patriarchs, who had no exprefs Re
velation of a future State, yet reafoned
themfelves into fuch Ads of Obedience
towards God, as overcame the ftrongeft
Temptations in the World. Of Inftances
of This kind, the whole nth Chapter
of the epiille to the Hebrews is an af-
fedionate Colledion. And the Applica
tion of Thefe Examples, to Chriftians
who profefs to have a more explicit Know
ledge of a Life to come, is matter of very
juit
at tfojAMEsV WESTMINSTER.
juft and fevere Reproach. That which Serm.
Alone falls, at this Time., under our con- XI.
fidcration ; and is, more frequently than
Any, infifted upon in many Other Places
like wife of Holy Scripture ; is the Ex
ample of Abraham. Abraham believed
in the Lord, and he counted it to him
for Right eoufnefs.
Faith, is That Belief of a God ; of his
Exiftence, 'Perfections, Government and
*Pr0mifes 5 That Belief of things inviji-
ble, and of things future -, which is the
proper Af0/7i^,whereby Virtuous and Reli
gious Minds are fupforted in the Practice
of what is Juft and Right, in oppofition
to all the Allurements, and to all the
Threatnings, laid before them at any
time by an idolatrous, an unrighteous, or
a debauched World. In proportion to the
Strength or Weaknefs of This Faith,
Minds fenfible of the natural and intrin-
fick Excellency of Virtue, are enabled to
rejifl more and greater Temptations of all
kinds, and thereby to bear Teftimony to
the Excellency of Virtue, and to caufe
its Light to ftiine forth in the World :
Which is promoting the Glory of God,
and of His Government. Thefe Tempt a-
lions, are what the Scripture calls the
K 2 Trial
244 ^SERMON preach'd&c.
Serm. Trial of mcns Faith. And God, when
XII. in the Courfe of his Providence he per-
mits them to be laid before men, is in
Scripture reprefentcd as making Tryal of
them thereby. Not for his Own infor
mation, who knows perfectly the Hearts
of all men 5 But for Their Own Benefit,
whofe Minds are greatly improved there
by ; And for the Advantage of Others,
who are extremely encouraged by fiich
Examples. It has therefore been the Me
thod of Providence from the Beginning,
not only by the ^Precepts of Nature and
Reafon, confirmed by repeated Reve
lations of his Will, and ftrengthned with
the Sanction of Rewards and 'Punifh*
ments j but by Example alfo upon perpe
tual Record, of fome Nation? Family,
or very eminent ^Perfon, adhering fingly
to the Worfhip of the One True God,
and to the Religion built upon That On
ly Foundation 3 to enlighten the World,
as it were by a Light foining in a dark
place, and continually reminding them of
the Truth they have departed from : Call
ing upon them ( in the ^Prophets expref-
fion) by a Standard lift up unto the Na
tions, and by an Enftgn on a Hill\ or
(according to our Saviour's Similitude)
by a City built upon a Hill, which cannot
be
atSt]AMEs'f WESTMINSTER. 245
be hid--) and by a Light (et on a Candle- Scrm.
ftick, which giveth Light unto all that XI.
are in the Houfe. Of This kind, was a
Sttccejfion of Families Before the Flood;
and the Family of Noah, and of Melchi-
fedec and Job, and perhaps fome Others
alfo, and the 'Patriarchs After the Flood.
Of the lame fort, was the Nation of
the Jews, even notwithftanding all their
particular Corruptions, before the Coming
of Chrift : And fmce That Time, iiich
alfo has been the Chrift ian Church -3 in
which, notwithftanding the Greateft and
mod Univcrfal Corruptions, ftill the fPearl
of great Trice, the ^Principles of Truth
and Virtue ', have always more or Icfs
fhincd forth, mfeme particular Places at
lead, as a Light appearing through a very
thick Mift. But that which my prefent
Subjett confines me to, is the Jingle Ex
ample of Abraham : Abraham believed
in the Lord^ and he counted it to him
for Right eoufnefs.
If it be here inquired, with regard to
This Method in the Proceedings of Pro
vidence ; whence it comes to pafs that the
Light of 'Divine Truth, and the Mani-
feftations God has been pleated to make of
himielfto Mankind, have not been more
R 3 ge-
±40 A S E R MO N preactid
Serm. general and univerfal: The Anfwer is*
XI. that though in This, and indeed in all
Other Cafes whatfoever, we know not
in particular the manifold diftindReafons
of God's Manner of ading ; as indeed
'tis impoflible \ve fhould ; yet in general
'tis manifeft, that This Difpofition of things
is according to the Analogy of God's ufual
Method of acting in all Other Cafes.
It has feemed good to infinite Wifdom to
(how forth itfelf, as in forming an un-
fpeakable Variety of Other Beings of
All Kinds, fo in creating particularly a
great cDieverfity of Rational Creatures,
of Angels and Men j endowed with ve-
yy different Capacities, intruded in
numberlefs Inflances with very different
Talents, inftruded with very different
degrees of Light and Knowledge , fo as
to be Each of them capable of being
called to Account, of being judged ac
cording to their refpedive Abilities, ac
cording to the Meafure and *Degree of
their refpeclive Knowledge, according to
the Nature of their feveral Stations, and
of the Talents in innumerable different
Circumftanccs committed to their Truft.
The Cafe therefore here is the very fame,
even in refped: of Natural Reafon itfelf,
as of other more f 'articular Manifefla-
tions
at Sf JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 247
tions of the Divine Pleafurc. Both the Serm.
One and the Other have fhined forth, on- XI.
ly in particular 'P/aces, and at particular
Times, in different ^Degrees 5 as Lights
Jufficient to dire 51 fuch as were Jincerely
dejirous of finding out and following
the Truth 5 and to be a Teftimony againft
Other sy who neither liked to retain their
Natural Knowledge of God, nor cared
to be inftru&ed in his Will Revealed.
But This, by the way.
The Faith of Abraham, fo highly
magnified in Scripture, and which (the
Text tells us) was counted to him for
Right eoufnefSy evidenced itfelf princi
pally in Two remarkable Inftances. The
One was, his leaving his Native Country
at the Command of God, feparating him-
felf from the idolatrous Nations around
him, and going into a ft range Land 5
firmly believing that God was Faithfuly
who had promifed that his pofterity fhould
inherit That Land 5 and that from Him*
even when as good as dead, there fhould
fpring fo many as the Stars of the Sky
in multitude^ and as the Sand which is
by the Sea-foore innumerable y Heb. xi, 12.
The Other Inftance was, that when he neb.
was tried, he ojfered up his only Sony in «;•
R 4 whom
24* A S E R M 0 N f reach' d
[Serin, whom alone feemed to center All the
XI. Promifes God had made him 5 Thus even
Againft Hope ( as St ¥aul moft elegantly
expreffcs it,) believing IN Hope * and
being fully perfwaded, that what God
had promifed, who quickneth the 'Dead,
and calleth thofe things which be not
as though they were, he was able alfo to
perform, Rom. iv 5 17, 18, 21. The Ex
cellency of This Faith, in Both Thefe
Inftances, confifted in This ; that it was
a 'Principle of Virtue or Obedience to
God, built upon This Foundation; that
God who ruleth over All, can and will
certainly make good, either in the *Pre-
fent or in a Future State, all the Ex
pectations raifed in the Minds of Virtu
ous and Good men, either by the Natu
ral Knowledge of his Divine Attributes,
or by the Revealed 'Declarations of his
Will. And This the Apoftle, in Each
of the forcmentioned Cafes, exprefsly
declares. In the cafe of Abrahams of
fering up his Son, the ground he tells us
the Patriarch went upon, was his Perfwa-
fion, that Death irfelf puts not an end to
the Poflibilities of the Divine Favour;
but that God was able to make good the
Promifes given to Him and his Son, even
fcy a Rcfurre&ion from the Dead, Heb. xi,
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 249
19. In the Other cafe, That of the Pa- Serin,
triarchs feparating himfelf from the ido- XL
latrous Nations, and going into a ftrange
country; the Apoftle Thus expreffes the
Ground and Foundation, on which his
Faith was built. Heb. xi, 8, By Faith
Abraham, when he was called to go out
into a place which he Jhould after receive
for an inheritance, obeyed ; and he went
out, notknowingwhitherhewent. Andyfe
fojourned in the Land of 'Promife, as in
a ftrange Country j For he looked for
a City which hath Foundations, whofe
Builder and Maker is God. And what
That City was, the fame Apoftle diftinctly
explains, <uer. 14, fpeaking of Abraham
and his Pofterity .• They that fay fuch
things, (viz. confejjlng that they were
Strangers and ^Pilgrims on the Earth,}
declare plainly that they feek a Country:
And truly if they had been mindful of
That country from whence they came out,
they might have had opportunity to have re
turned: But Now they dejire a better
country, that is, an heavenly : Where
fore God is not afhamed to be called Their
God; for he hath prepared for them a<
City. 'Tis evident therefore that the Faith
of Abraham, was a Principle of Virtue
or Obedience to God, founded upon the
Ex-
fc5o ^SERMON preach'd
Serm. Exeptfation of a Future State. And
XL becaufe he Thus believed God, therefore
'twas counted to HIM-, And to All
Others likewife in All Generations, who
fhall be governed, as He was, by their
Belief in God-, to Them alfo it fhall be
counted for Right eoufnefs.
From This explication of the Nature
and Excellency of the Faith of Abra
ham, there may be drawn fome very con-
fiderablc general Obfervations, of great
Extent and Confequence in the Notion
and Pradife of true Religion. As
i ft. From hence we may obferve,
that True Faith is always founded upon
Reafon. Abraham believed, What ?
why, that God would certainly make good
to Him and his Tofterity, every thing
that he had promifed. And Why did he
believe This ? Why, becaufe Reafon told
him, that, whatever Improbabilities ap
peared at prefent ; yet God, who has
Power over the Future as well as the Tre-
fent State, was able to fulfil his Promifes
even by a Refur reft ion from the T)ead.
This the Apoftle exprefsly obferves,
upon That difficult Tryal of his offer
ing up his Son, Heb. xi, 19, He ac
counted,
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 251
counted, that God was able to raife him Serm.
#/>, even from the <Dead} from whence XL
alfo he had received him in a Figure. He
Accounted: The word in the Original is,
(Aoyiou/^evo?,) he Reafonedwith himtelf : His
Reafon fatisfied him, that the Power of
God could as eafily raife again his Son
from the 'Dead, as it had at frft caufed
him to be Born from one as good as 'Dead.
He had Before received him as it were
fromthe^Dead in a Figure, by his being
born to him in an extreme old ^ge -y And
Now he doubted not, but God could li
terally reftore him from the Dead again.
This was a Faith, truly founded upon
• Reafon. And no lefs Reafonable is it
1 in US to believe Now, that the fame
• Divine Power which at firft created men
into the prefent Life, can as eafily renew
1 them into a Life to come. In This, there
is nothing contrary to the Didatcs of
Right Reafon, or to the Analogy of Na
ture. How different from This, is the
Praftife of Thofe, who, under pretenfc
of the Divine Omnipotence, require men
to profefs their Belief of Contradictions ,
fuch as is Tranfubftantiation, and the like,
and all other Natural or Moral Impojji-
bilities. For, to afcribe to the ^Divine
Tower things that are not at all the Ob
jects
d S ER MO N preach' d
Scrm. jetts of 'Power, and to fuppofe that God
XI. makes things to be what at the fame he
does not make them to be 5 is not mag
nifying the Power of God, but profanely
making a Mockery of it. True Faith
therefore, is always founded upon Rea-
fon. And as, in all Other- Cafes, the
Strength of every SuperftruEture is pro
portionable to the Goodnefs of the Foun
dation on which it is built : So in matters
of Religion , the Steddinefs of every man's
Virtue is always proportionable to the
Firmnefs of his Belief of the Principles
he ads upon ; And the Stability of this
Belief, in oppofttion to a carelefs and neg
ligent Credulity, will always be found,
upon any difficult Tryal, to be in pro
portion as 'tis more or lefs Reafonably
grounded. For This caufe it is, tiiat our
Saviour fo highly commends the Faith of
the Centurion, who from the Analogy
of his own being a man under Authority,
and having Soldiers under him, rcafoned
himfelfinto a Perfwafiou that Jefus alfo
was able to heal his Servant, without
coming bimfelf in f.Perfon to vifit him :
Verily, fays our Lord, I have not found
fa great Faith , noy not in IJrael* Matt,
viii, 10. And in like manner concerning
the Canaartitifb woman, who from the
at St JAMES'.? WESTMINSTER. 253
Similitude of the dogs eating the Crumbs Serm.
that fall from their Mafters Table, ar- XL
gued reafonably that She, though a Stran-
ger from the common-wealth of Ifrael,
yet needed not wholly to defpair of our
Lord's Favour ; O woman, lays he, great
is thy Faith, Matt, xv, 28. Upon the
fame ground the Jews, who could judge
Well enough about Other things, and ar-
£uc reafonably about the Tokens of the
Sky and the Weather, and make proper
Obfervations in the courfeof the Natural
World 5 but had no difcernment at all,
in matters of Religion ••> arc thus reproved
3y our Lord, Lttkexii, 57, Why even of
vourfehes judge ye not what is right ?
On the contrary, thcBereans, whofearch-
td the Scriptures carefully, to lee what
feafon there might be for their embracing
:he Doclrine prcach'd by the Apoftles ;
ire commended thereupon, as being of a
nore noble and generous temper, Afts
cvii, n. And St 'Paul, arguing to the
Corinthians concerning a very important
?oint of Chriftian Doclrine ; / ffeak
fay she) as to Wife men, judge ye what
I fay, i Cor. x, 15. This therefore is the
ti'irjl Obfervation, naturally arifmg irom
he foregoing Difcourfe: viz. that True
Faith, is always founded upon Reafon.
254 'A S E R M 0 N {reach d
Serm.
XL idly. A fecond Obfervation is, that
True Faith in God, never leads men to
the Practice of any thing, that is efTcn-
tially and in its own nature Immoral. Of
This fort are the Idolatries praftifed in
the Church of Rome, fundamentally de-
ftruftivc of all both Natural and Reveal
ed Notions of God. Of the fame Kind
are the Cruelties and Barbarities perpe
tually pradiicd by them, fundamentally
deftructive of all Virtue towards Men, and
of the very effential, eternal, and unal
terable Differences of Good and Evil.
Things eftablifhed by the mere pofitivt
Command even of God himfelf, may.
without controvcrfy, be changed by th€
fame Authority that appointed them. Fur
ther : Things contrary to That part ever
of the Law of Nature it felf, which i:
founded originally in the Will of God
and not in the Neceffary and Ejfentia.
Nature of Things ; may be done, upor
particular and extraordinary occafions, b]
the immediate and exprefs Command o
God. But That part of the Law of Na
turc, which is founded, not on Will, bu
on the very Exifttnce of God, and 01
the effentially and eternally immutabl
Nature and Relation of Things-, This i
ii
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 25$
in No Circumftances capable of any Va- Serm.
riation. Forinftance: That the Life of an XL
Innocent perfon ihould be taken away by
the Authority of any Power upon Earth,
is contrary to the Law of Nature. Ne-
vertheleis, iince the Right which even,
an Innocent perfon has to his life, is not
founded in the effential Nature of Things*
but merely in the Will and Free Gift of
God 5 'tis plain He may as juftly appoint
it to be taken away by any Other means
I he pleafes, as by a Feve r or a Teftilence.
'But had God commanded Abraham to
1 forfake the Worfhip of Himfelf, and
turn to Idols ; Or had he commanded
:him to Hate his blamelefs Son, or to
i take 'Delight in Cruelty, Barbarity y and
Tyranny 5 the Command had been, in
its nature, impoffiblem&abfurd. Again:
The feven wicked Nations of Canaan
iinight, by a particular and immediate
Command of God, as juftly be extir
pated by the Sword of the Israelites, as
by an Earthquake, or (like Sodom and Go-
morrha] by Lightning from Heaven. But
;that, without any immediate and exprefs
Command, and under a general Prctenfe
of being Alone Pofleilbrs of the Truth,
a perpetual tyrannical Enmity fhould be
carried on againft virtuous men of All
Na-
256 A S E R M O N freach'd
Serm. Nations, andaPowereftablifhedof chang-^
XL ingeventhe Afo/w^of Virtue and Vices
This is a Wickednefs which never had an
Equal, and fubvcrts fundamentally even
That part of the Law of Nature,
which is founded, not on the Will, but
011 the very Being of God, and on the
neceffary, effential, and eternal 'Difference
of Good and Evil*
•$dly. The Third and Laft Obferva-
tion I would here make, is 5 that Faith
when fpoken of in Scripture as a Moral
Virtue, never iignifics mere Belief -^ but
always includes in it a Notion of Fidelity
or Faith fulnefs $ a Faithful and Stedfaft
Adherence to fuch 'Principles, even in
times of the greateft Danger and Diffi
culty, as are the Foundation or Ground of
Virtue and Obedience. Abraham be
lieved God -•) (he had Faith or Fidelity to
wards God; adhered firmly to his Prin
ciples ; and atted Jieddily upon them, in
matters even of the greateft Tryal and
Difficulty : He kept the Faith, as St Taul
fpcaks concerning Himfelfy or, as the
fame Apoftle elfewhere exprefifes it, he
kept That which was committed to His-
Charge :) And Therefore it was counted
%nto him for Right eoufhef s : It was
reckoned
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. ±57
reckoned to him, it was allowed to htm Serm.
in his Account, (fo the word is in the O- XI.
riginal 5 ) not, INSTEAD of Right e-
oufnefs, but as being itfelf real Righ-
teoufnefs* This matter is rightly repre-
fented by the Author of the Book of
Ecclus. ch, xliv, 1 9, Abraham was a great
Father of many people 5 in glory was there
None like unto him : Who kept the Law
of the mofl High, and was in Covenant
with him 5 and when he was framed,
he was found Faithful : Therefore he
affured him by an Oath, that he would
blefs the Nations in his Seed, and that
he would multiply him as the T>uft of the
Earth, and exalt his Seed as the Stars,
and caufe them to inherit from Sea to Sea,
and from the River unto the ut mofl part
of the Land. And from hence 'tis very
evident what the Writers of the New
Teftament intend, when they declare to
Us that Abraham, though he was not
juftifed by the Works of the Law, fuch
as circumcifon and the like, becaufe This
Tcftimony Was given of him before he
was circumcifcd 5 yet the Faith by which
he WAS juflified, was an aftive and fted-
dy 'Principle of Works of Right eoufnefs :
And by That Faith was he therefore jufti-
fied, becaufe it was a Faith which wrought jam. i
S with
XL
25 s A S E R MO N preactid &c.
Semi with his works, and by works was his
Faith made perfect. And the Appli-
cation they make of it to Us, is 5 that
They, and They only, who walk in the
fteps of the Faith of Abraham, are, in
the religious cftimation, Abraham's Seed.
That is; They only {hall finally be ac
cepted of God, whofe Faith is, like His,
a Real Principle of Virtue and Obedience.
Otherwife ; it matters little, whofe Name
we are called by, or whofe religion we
profefs. For, unlefs we bring forth Fruits
meet for Repentance j God is able even
of theft Stones, fooner than of impenitent
and incorrigible Sinners, to raife up Chil
dren unto Abraham ; and unto Chrift.
A S E R-
A
SERMON
Preach'd in the
PARISH-CHURCH
O F
Stjamess Weftminfter,
On Sunday, May 3, 1719.
J O H. VI. 35-
Jefus faid unto them, I am the bread of
Life. He that cometh to Me, flail
never hunger-, and he that believeth
on Me, fhall ne<ver thirft.
A S in All "Difcourfes whatfoever, Serm.
/-% there is no poffibility of under-
*• •*• ftanding the Senfe of what is fpo-
ken,without underftanding the Language in
which That Senfe is delivered 5 So in Scrip*
ture particularly, iinlefs men attend to the
Nature of the exprcflions therein ufed, and
S 2 con*
260 ^SERMON preach'd
Serm. confider the Figures of Speech, which at
XII. the time when thofe Books were written,
were as common and well-known, as mo
dern Forms of fpeaking are at this day :
Unlefs This ( I fay) be Gonfidercd, there
is no Dodrine fo abfurd, but may be
proved from the Words of Scripture,
without regard to the Senfe ; and No do
ctrine fo clear, but may be darkncd with
Scraps of Scripture- exprelTions, applied
contrary to the Deftgn and Connexion
of the whole Difcourfe. Thus, for In-
ftance, God's granting Repentance to Sin
ners, that is, granting them the Favour
of having their Repentance and Amend
ment accepted inftead of perfe& Obedi
ence 5 has fometimes been undcrftood in
fuch a manner, as if God worked Re
pentance in or upon them, as a Workman
operates upon a Machine. Thus, God's
declaring the Chrijiian Church, inftead
of the J'ewifh Church, to be for the future
his E/ecJ people 5 has been thought a
Proof of his having chofen particular
perfons abfolutely and unconditionately
to Salvation. Thus, the Promife of eter
nal Life to them that believe 3 though the
Scripture in numberlefs places declares,
that thereby is meant The Obedience
which proceeded! from Faith ; has yet
been
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 261
been perverted to fignify mere Credulity, Scrm.
a mere Trofejjion of Religion, mere Zeal XII .
for particular Parties, T^oftrines or O-
pinions. And the Hope of 'Pardon to
Them that truly Repent and reform their
manners., purchafed by the Blood of Chrift 5
has been turned into a Superflitious Re
liance upon the Merits of Chrift, to top-
ply the Want of Repentance and Amend
ment of Life. Again : The Power of
^Preaching the Gofpel, and the Command
to Teach all Nations upon What Terms
their Sins Ihould be forgiven them ; has
been made a Foundation for a Tretenfe
to a ^Power of forgi-ving Sins, upon Other
Terms than thofe of true Repentance and
Amendment of Life. And, to mention
but One Inftancc more ; Our Saviour's
ftiling himfelf the Bread of Life, giving
his Flefh for the Life of the World, and
faying concerning the Sacramental Me
morial of his Death, This is my Body ;
though the very fame Figure of Speech
is ufed in numberlefs other places of
Scripture ; and though our Savour him
felf exprefsly admonifhes us in the In-
ftance of This very Figure, ]oh. vi, 63,
It is the Spirit that quickneth, the ftefb
profit eth nothing ; the words that I (peak
unto you., they are Spirit and they are
S 3 Life;
i 90 A SERMO N preach' a*
Serm. Life ; yet how often have thefe paflages
XII. been alledged as Proofs of Tranjubftan-
tiation, of the Sacrifice of the Mafs, of
the Adoration of the Hoft, and of Other
monftrous Confujions in the Worfhip of
God ! Againft This Evil, there is No other
poflible Remedy, but ftudying the Scrip
ture iff elf carefully and fincerely ; in or
der to find out the real Senfe and Mean
ing, inftead of abuftng the Words of it.
Other Means of difcovering the Truth
in thefe cafes, there Can be None. Tra
dition, is but a Fiction and a Speflre.
Opinions of Men, are Nothing 5 being
infinitely contradictory to each other ;
mutable as the Succeflions of Ages, and
'various as the different Climates and Na
tions of the Earth. Only with this Dif
ference 5 that at Rome a tyrannical ^De-
fpite of Truth, and a Contempt of in*
quiring after it, is Greater than ever was
in any other place. Greater in Degree,
and Larger in Extent j more authorita
tive, more wicked, and more abliird.
But if men would ufe the Scripture as
they do other Books, ftudying it without
prejudice, looking for the Dodrine of
Chrift in it, and not bringing with them
their Opinions before they read it 5 the
Senfe of Scripture would be found within
itfclf,
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 263
itfelf. Search the Scripture, was our Sa- Scrm.
viour's Dire&ion to the Jews, Joh. v, 39. XII.
And the Reafon is given by St Taul,
2 Tim. iii, 1 6, 'Tis profitable for 'Do-
ttrine, for reproof, for correction, for in-
ftruftion in right e oufnefs -, that the man
of God may be perfect, thoroughly fur-
nifbed unto all good works.
The Difcourfe of our Saviour in this
Sixth chapter of St John, whereof my
Text is a part; is a moil remarkable In-
ftancc and Proof of what I have now
faid. Never was any thing more unrca-
fonable, than the Ufc which has fomctimes
been made of fuch of ourLord's cxprellions
as thefe which follow. Labour for That
MEAT, which endureth unto everlajling
life, v. 27. The ERE AT) of God, is
He which comet h down from heaven, and
giveth life unto the World, ¥.33. 1
am the Bread of Life -, He that comet h
to Me, {hall ne'ver hunger } and he that
betieveth on Me, fhall never thtrft, v. 3 5,
The Bread that I will give, is my Flefh
which I will give for the life of the
World, v. 51. Except ye eat the fiefo of
the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye
have no life in you, v. 53. And, v. 58,
he that eateth of this bread, fkall live
S 4 for
A S E R MO N freach'd
Serm. for ever. Nothing, I fay, can be more
XII. unreafonablc, than the Ufe which has
fometimes been made, and That by Great
Authorities too, of thefe Expreffions of
our Saviour. And yet, if we look over
the whole Scripture, and confider the
Phrafes of this kind, that frequently oc
cur in reading ; 'twill be furprizing to ob-
ferve, m how ujital and frequent, in how
exprejfive and elegant-, in how natural
and obvious a manner, the very fame fi
gure of Spheech is made ufe of, upon a
multitude of occafions. In the following
Difcourfe therefore upon thefe words of
our Lord, (/ am the Bread of Life : He
that cometh to me, fhall never hunger 5
and he that believeth on Mey fhall never
thirft : ) I fhall \fl indeavour, from the
whole Tenour and Phrafeology of Scrip
ture, to explain the Doftrine here laid
down 5 and to give an account of the par-
ticular Figure of Speech, in which it is ex-
prefTed. And idly, I fhall make fome
Observations thereupon, and Inferences
from it.
I. In order to explain the Doftrine here
laid down, and to give an account of the
particular Figure of Speech in which our
Lord has expreffed it ; 'tis to be obferved,
that
at St J A M E s's WESTMINSTER; 265
that as the Happinefs of Heaven, and the Serm.
Final Favour of God, is by the infpired XII.
Writers reprefented under the character
LIFE, and Ever loft ing Life -, fo, in the
frefenttimc here upon Earth, the State
or Habit of Virtue, is the HEALTH
of the Soul; And every degree of in-
ftruttion in the Knowledge of Truth, and
every Aff of right eoufnefs, every degree
of improvement in virtuous 'Praffiife, is
itsFOO<Dand NOURISHMENT.
On the contrary, Sin is in Scripture fpo-
ken of as a *Difeafe or Sicknefs ; If. i, 4,
Ah finful Nation, a people laden with
iniquity , the whole Head is SICK,
and the whole Heart faint. And a HA
BIT of Wickednefs, is elegantly fet forth
as being, in aj^/r/ftfcf/fenfe, thc^DEATH
of the Soul ; Eph. ii, i , 700 12;^^ ^-vr^1
^DEA^D in trefpaffes and Sins. A 7^-
formation or recovery from fuch a State,
is defcribcd as a Refurreffion from the
dead} Eph. 2, 4, Godwhoisrich inmer-
cy, even when we were 'Dead in Sins,
bath gUICKENET) us (that is, raifed
us to Life,) together with Chrifl. And
Every degree of Improvement in thcKnow-
ledge of Truth and Right, is, as it were the
Support, Nourishment, and Suflenance, of
a rational and virtuous Mind. Dcut. xxxii,
2, My
A S E R M O N preach' d
Serm. 2, My *Doftrine foall drop as the Rainy
XII. my Speech flail diftill as the 'Dew, as the
fmall rain npon the tender herb, and as
the powers upon the Grafs. And Job
xxix,22, Unto Me, men gave ear, and
my Speech dropped upon them: They
•waited for me, as for the rain , and they
opened their mouth wide as for the latter
rain. To One who confiders thefe and
the like expreflions, nothing can be more
natural and obvious than our Saviour's
way of fpeaking in the Gofpel after the
fame manner: Job. vii, 37, If any man
thirfl, let him come unto me, and drink;
If any man has probity of mind to receive
inftrudion, and is defirous to underftand
the Truth, let him attend to the Doctrine
of the Gofpel. The fame invitation is
repeated, Rev. xxi, 6j xxii, 17, / will
give unto him that is athirft, of the
fountain of the water of life freely. The
Spirit and the Bride fay, Come-, and let
him that heareth, fayy Come -, and let
him that is athirft, come -, And whofo-
ever will, let him take the Water of Life
freely. In the prophet Ifaiah, ch. lv, i,
the fame Figure is carried ftill further :
Ha, everyone that thirfleth, come ye to
the Waters ; come ye, buy and eat ;
jea, buy wine and milk without monys
WESTMINSTER. 267
and without price ; — Hearken diligent- Serm.
ly unto Me, and eat ye that 'which is XII.
good, and let your Soul delight itfelfin
Fatnefs : Incline your ear, and come un
to Me 5 hear, and your Soul flail live.
And Trov. ix, 3 $ Wifdom, (that is, the
Dodrine of Virtue and true religion, of
the Fear of God and the practice of Righ-
teoufnefs 5 This wifdom) crieth upon the
higheft places of the City : Whofo is fim-
ple, let him turn in hit her -, As for him
that want eth under ft anding, (he faith to
him, Come eat of my Bread, and drink
of the Wine which I have mingled , For-
fake the foolifh, and live -•> and go in the
way of underftanding. There was No
Jew in the days of the old Teftament,
lit perfectly underftood the Senfe of thefc
beautiful and expreflive Figures of Speech j
And they are Now as obvious and as plain
to be apprehended, (in all cafes where
Prejudice and Intereft do not interpofe,).
as the moft Modern Forms of fpcaking.
Hence a Jfincere Dcfire of knowing and
doing the Will of God, an unprejudiced
Love of Truth, and an uncorrupt purfu-
ing of what is Right ; is by our Saviour
called Hungring and'Thir fling after Righ-
teoufnefs, Matt, v, 6. And the perfection
pf his Own Pradiice, is moft emphatically
frt
268 rA S E R MO N preactid
Serm. fet forth in the follow ing expreffion, Job.
XII. iv, 34, My ME AT y faith he, is to do the
Will of him that fent me^ andtofnijh his
Work. Jn the Book of Job it is, ch. xxiii, 12,
I have not gone back from the commandment
of his Lips 5 / have ejieemedthe words of
his Mouthy more than my neceffary Food.
And in Jeremiah ^ thus 5 ch. xv, 16, Thy
'words were found, and 1 did EAT them ;
thy word was unto me the Joy and Re
joicing of mine heart. On the contrary, con
cerning thofe who delight in Wickednefs
and take pleafure in Unrighteoufnejs, 'tis
affirmed in Scripture, that the Soul of the
Tranfgreffor EATETH violence, and
*DRINKETHiip Scorning (or iniquity)
like water-, Jobxxxiv, 7 '•> xv, 165 Prov.
xiii, 2. And Any peculiar extraordinary
corruption in the T)offrine or general
fratfife of xs\y particular Tarty of men,
is ftilcd The Leaven of Thofe Men, or
of ThatF/a": Matt, xvi; n, \^,I fpake
not to you concerning BREA^D, that ye
fhould beware of the LEAVEN of the
Tharifees,— -but of the DOCTRINE
of the Tharifees, which (Euke xii, i ,)
is Hypocrijy. And i Cor. v, 8, Not with
the LEAVEN of Malice and Wicked-
nefs, but with the UNLEAVENED
BREAT> of Sincerity and Truth. By
the
itt St JAMES'* WESTMINSTER^ 269
the fame figure of Speech, the Elements Serm.
or the firft plain and fundamental *Prin- XII.
ciples or Inftruftions of Chriftianity, are
ftiled the Jtncere MI LK of the 'word,
i Pet. ii, 2 5 and i Cor. iii. 2. And a
more perfeffi or improved Knowledge in
theDoftrinesof thcGofpcl, is, according
to St Tauh defcription, ftrong MEAT,
belonging to them that are of full age,
even thofe who by reafon of Ufe have
their Senfesexercifed to difcern both Good
and Evil, Heb. v, 14. The imbibing,
digefling, z.\\<\prafti(ing thefe Precepts of
true Religion, is, in Our Saviour's lan
guage, the MEAT which indureth unto
ever loft ing Life, Joh. vi, 27. And ch.
iv, 14, 'tis the WATER, which whofo-
ever drinketh of, flail never thirfl -, but
itjhallbe in him a Well of Water, fpr 'ing-
ing up into everlafting Life. To per-
fons not converfant in the Scripture-lan
guage, 'tis no wonder that fuch Phrafes as
thefe, fecm ftrange and not eafy to be un-
derftood. But from the paffages before-
cited out of the Old Tcftament, 'tis ap
parent they were very common figures of
Speech among the Jews -, and confcquent-
ly ought to be interpreted according to That
Analogy. In the Book of Ecclejiafticus
particularly, there is a Paflage which gives
fin-
270 A S E R M O N preach'd
Serm. fmgular Light to the whole Difcourfe of
XII. our Saviour, whereof my Text is a part :
Ch. xxiv, 1 9, Wifdom is introduced, fay
ing, Come unto me i ally e that that be deji-
rousof me, and fill your felves with my
Fruits. For my Memorial is fweeter
than Hony, and mine inheritance than
the hony-Comb. They that EAT mey
frail yet be hungry -, and they that
TtRINK me, frail yet be thirjty. He
that obey eth me, fhall never be confounded \
and they that work by me, frail not do a-
mifs. All thefe things are the Book of
the covenant of the Mofl High God. The
Phrafes ; they that eat me, frail jet be hun
gry 5 and they that drink me, frail yet be
thirjly > %nify, in a lively and moft ele
gant manner of expreffion, that the Plea-
fure arifmg from the Knowledge of Truth
and from the 'Praflife of Virtue, is a
Pleafure always New, always fatisfying,
and of which a man can never be weary.
The Phrafe ufed by our Saviour in the
Text, (he that comet h to me, frail never
hunger -, and he that believeth on me, frail
never thirfl^} though it be very different
in the conftruttion, yet the Allujlon is
plainly the very fame, and the Senfe not
at all unlike : Whofoever embraceth My
doftrine, and obeys my inftruftions, frail
never
At St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 271
never WANT any thing neceffary to his Serm.
Eternal Happinefs ; feeing he has the XII.
Means which will more certainly fup~ cxWJ
fort him unto everlafting Life, than
Meat and 'Drink maintains and nourishes
the Body in this mortal State.
This being once carefully obfcrved,
there remains No further difficulty in un-
derftandins; our Saviour's Whole Difcourfe
w?
through this chapter. His calling himfelf
the Bread of Life in the Text, andin wr.
485 the Living Bread, ver. 51, and the
Bread which comet h down from Heaven,
ver. 50 & 5 8 -, plainly iignifies This on
ly; that the Belief and confcquent Pra-
ftifeof the Doclrine of the Gofpel, is the
Support and Preferver of the Soul unto
eternal life. His fay ing, ver. 57, He that
EATETH me, foallli'veby me-, is clear
ly explained by the words of Wifdom,
Ecclus. xxiv, 21, They that EAT
me, fha/l yet be hungry : And by our
Lord's own words in the Text, He that
COMETH to me, (ball never hunger $
and he that BELIEVE TH on mey
(hall never thirft : Where the words,
coming to him and believing on him, ap
pear evidently, by the words hunger and
thirft, with which they axe joined, to be
ex-
2?z A SER M ON preach k
Scrm. explicatory of what in the 57th verfe is
XIII. ftikd Eating. And his explaining him-
felf, ver. 29, 40, & 47, manifeftly ftiows
the fame thing: This (fays he) is the
work of God, that ye BELIEVE on
Him whom he has fent : This is the
Will 'of 'him that fent me, that every one
which feeth the Son and BELIEVE! H
on him, may have everlafting Life :—
Verily I fay unto you, He that BE-
LIEVETH on me, hath everlafting
Life $ / am That Bread of Life. There
remains only One phrafe more in this
chapter, wherein t\\z fame figure of Speech
is carried ftill further ; Our Lord in the
5 1 ft and 5 id and following Verfes, fet-
ting forth the fame thing under the ftill
higher figure of eating his Flefh and
drinking his Blood, which, in the Text,
and in fcveral other verfes of this Chap
ter, hehad^/^exprcffedby ftiling him-
felf The Bread of Life. But This alfo,
when that which has been already faid be
wellunderftood, will have no great difficul
ty in it. For as, in the i $th chapter of
this Gofpel, our Lord cxpreifes the fpiri*
tual Union between him and his difci-
ples in the following manner, ver. <>, I
am the Vine, and je are the Branches •>
He that abideth in Me, and I in Him 5
the
at Si JAMES'S WESTMINSTER." 275
the fame bringeth forth much Fruit : Serm,
And as St *Paul> without Any danger of XII.
being mifunderftood, fcts forth the Tame
notion ftill more fublimely Thus, Efh. v,
30, We are Members of his Body? of his
Flefi and of his Bones : So in the place
before us, after our Lord's ftiling himfelf
the Bread of Life, in the fame fenfe as
Wifdom in rhe Book of Ecclejiafticus
fays concerning herfelf, They that EAT
we, fhall yet be hungry ; there cannot,
without great perverfenefs, be put a wrong
Senfe upon what he adds, ver. 56, He
that eateth my fefb, and drinketh my
bloody dwelleth in me, and I in him.
For, Why fhould not what our Lord calls
eating his flefh and drinking his bloody
be as eafily underftood of our imbibing and
digefling his Dodrine, converting it by
way of fpiritual Nourishment into the ve
ry Habit of our Mind, and into the Pra-
ftife of our Lives j as St Taul is by All
men, even of the meaneft capacities, un
derftood without any difficulty to fpeak in
a fpiritual and figurative Senfe, when he
fays of all good Chriftians, that they are
Members of Chriftcs Body, of his Ftefh
and of his Bones ?
T II. Ha-
274 '£ SERMON preach'tt
XII. II. Having thus from the whole Tenour
and Phraicology of Scripture, explained
the doctrine laid down in the Text, and
given an account of the particular figure
of Speech wherein it is exprelfed : It re
mains in fatfecond place, that I briefly
make fome Obfervations thereupon, and
Inferences from it. And
i/. From what has been faid, it ap
pears, that in this whole Difcourfe of our
Saviour in this fixth chapter of St Johns
Gofpel, there is no mention at all made
of the Encharift or Sacrament of the
Lord's Supper. The Difcourfe was fpo-
£en by our Saviour, long before the infti-
tution of That Sacrament : And therefore
it could never have been applied by Any
to That Subjed, had they not thought the
Phrafes of eating his Flefh and drinking
his Blood, incapable of being explained
to any other Senfe. But from the many
Paflagcs both of the Old and New
Teftament, which I have now alledged
to This purpofe, 'tis evident that thofc
Phrafes, in the Jew ifh language and man
ner of fpcaking, do very eafily fignify,
the receiving and imbibing, the digefling
and
at St JAMESV WESTMINSTER^ 275
and prattifing a 'Doffrine : And that the S'erm.
only reafon why our Lord was mifunder- XII.
flood by many that heard him, was That
Dullnefs in Some, and That 'Perverfenefs
In Others, ariilng from unreasonable 'Pre
judices ', which we find him fo often com*
plaining of in the Gofpel.
zafy. If the Sacrament of the Lord's
Supper, is not at all fpoken of in this
chapter -, then much lefs can any Argu
ment be drawn from any expreflion there
in, in favour of the Romifti Dodrine of
Tranfubftantiation. Receiving and im
bibing, digefting and praftifmg his 2)0-
ffirine j is what our Lord here calls, eating
his fefi and drinking his Blood. And 'tis
called fo by the like figure of Speech,
(though without any Reference to each
Other in This place,) as is ufed indeed in
the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and
in That of Baptifm too. The Bread
and Wine, are not themfelves literally
the Body and Blood of Chrift 5 But the
inward thing jignifed by thofe outward
Symbols, is the Body and Blood of Chrift:
Juft as, in the Sacrament of Bap
tifm, the being immerfed in Water,
is not itfelf the *Death and Burial of
Chrift, but only an outward Sign j the
inward thing fgni fed whereby, is the being
T i buried
276} A S E R R M 0 N f reach 'd
Serm. buried with Chrift in his "Death. Anci
XII. the Body and Blood of Chrift, is verily
and indeed taken and received by the Faith
ful in the Lord's Supper; juftinthe fame
manner, as Perfons baptized do verily
and indeed ^Die and are Buried with
Chrift. No man ever was fo abfurd, as
to underftand the One literally ; and there
is no more Reafon to underftand the O-
ther fo : But by Both, men are intitl'd,
if they be worthy Receivers, to the fpi-
ritual Benefits purchafed by Chrift's Death.
From hence we may learn in ge
neral, how to underftand many Other
metaphorical expreflions in Scripture.
After the fame manner of fpeaking, as
Chrift is here ftiledThe£,R£^D of Life 5
he is elfewhere filled The WAT and the
Life, the RESURRECTION and the
Life, the *Door and the Vine. He is
called die Word, and the Wifdom, and
the Tower of GOT) ; and he is called
The Right eoufnefs (otjuftification] of
MEN. He and the Father, are affirm
ed to be One -, And of Taut and Af ol
ios 'tis faid, He that planteth, and he
that watereth, are One. The Eucharift
is fppkcn of, as a Sacrifice ; And Traife,
is cxprcfsly called a Sacrifice 5 And the Bo
dies
tit St JAMESV WESTMINSTER. 277
dies of Chriftians, arc filled holy and U- Serm.
•uing Sacrifices : for no other rcafon, but XII.
becaufe thefe things, in the Chriftian in-
ftitution, fncceeded in the place of the
Sacrifices which had been offered among
the Jews. And therefore when fome
antient Chriftian Writers ftile the Eucha-
rift an unbloody Sacrifice ; modern Wri
ters, who underftand this phrafe in a lite
ral fenfe, are juft as abfurd, as if they
fhould underftand St fPaul literally, when
he calls IChriftians The CIRCUMCI
SION without hands , By which He
plainly means nothing more, but that the
Chriftian Church fucccedcd in the place
of the Jewifh, who had in the literal
fcnfe been ftiled The Circumcifion. And
by the fame figure of Speech j becaufe
God, who had formerly chofcn Jerufa-
lem to place his Name there, has Now de
clared that he will be worfhipped in All
f laces alike 5 therefore the whole World
has fomctimes been elegantly ftiled, The
TEMPLE of God-, And Ever? Man,
and E-very Moral 'Duty, is a Sacrifice ac
ceptable to him,
4. Laftly : Since thefe and the like
fgurati've exprefiions, contain Always in
them a moral meaning and Signification,
T j
A S E R M O N preach'd
Serm. we ought carefully to obferve, that in
XII. this their Moral meaning only, canthey
*-*rv~ ever be of any Ufe to us. The flefh,
joh. vi, faith our Blefied Saviour, profiteth no
thing -, The words that I fpeak unto you,
they are Spirit and they are Life. The
Participation of the Sacrament, without
true Faith ; is Bread, without the Body
of Chrifl. Faith itfclf, without Obe
dience 5 is ( as St James expreffes it, ) a
Body without Soul or Life. Relying on
the Merits 0/C£r//?,without doing theWill
of his Father which is in Heaven -, can
be of no more Ufe to us, than the T>eath
of Chrifl would have been, if there had
never been any Refarreflion. All great
Corruptions of Religion in all Ages, have
arifen by feparating the Letter thus from
the Spirit ; And in amending This Fault,
lies the principal efficacy of true Virtue
and Goodnefs.
A SER,
A
SERMON
Preach'd in the
, PARISH-CHURCH
O F
Stjamess Weftminfler,
On Sunday, *Dec. 15, 1723.
ECCLE S, VII, 29.
JLoy This only have I found, that God
hath made Man upright 5 but They
have fought out many Inventions.
TI S, not only at this day, the greateft SeiW*
and moft difficult Queftion among XIII
Chriftians 5 but it was fo of old a-
mong the Jews under the Law ; and, be
yond That, even among the Wifer Hea
thens alfo, under the State of Nature ;
How Sin and Mifery came fr ft into the
T 4 WorU:
280 'A S E R MO N preach' d
Serm. World: How Man, whofe rational Facul-
XIII. tics feeni naturally to lead jhim to difcern
and choofe what is good, yet in Event for
the greater part has his Underftanding fo
blinded and apt to be deceived, his Will fo
biafifed and inclined to evil, his Appetites
fo corrupt and perpetually tempting him
to forbidden Objefts ; his Paffions fo ungo
vernable, and unwilling to fubmit to Rea-
fon 5 that if a judgment was to be made,
not from the Faculties of men, but from
their Actions only j if we were to take our
Eftimate, not from the Obligations of 0114:
Nature, but from the Experience of mens
^Practice ; it might be imagined that,
not Virtue, but Vice, was natural to
Mankind, and the proper Effed of their
Original Composition. For otherwifej
if originally God made men upright*
and Virtue was naturally moft agreea
ble to their Frame 5 how then was it
pojjible (will it be obvious to ask,) that
they could almoft univerfally feek out
fo many evil Inventions ? And if the In
ventions they have fought out, are fo
many and fo evil, that they can hardly be
conceived to arife but from fomething
faulty in their very Nature ; how then
can it be comprehended, that God never-
thejefs created them originally upright 3
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 281
If GW be perfectly GW, (as perfed Good- Serm.
ners is of neceifity included in the very XIII.
Notion of God ;) how is it poffible that
Any of the Works of His Hands, fhould
become fo evil? And if the Inventions of
men be fo evil, as Experience too mani-
fcftly declares them to be; how is This
reconcileable with a firm Belief, that yet
God> who made them, is pert eftly Good ?
When we begin with confulting our na
tural Notions of God, Reafon and De-
monftration reprefent him to us of nece£
iity fo intirely and abfolutely Good, that
we are apt to expect, whatever is the Pro-
duel: of fuch a Caufe, whatever is the
Workmanfhip of fuch an Author, fhould
have ImprefTed upon it no obfcure Image,
fhould carry with it no fmall Refemblance,
of the Perfections of its Maker. On
the other hand, when we begin with
confidering things as in fatt they are in
the World, and obferve the extreme
Wickednefs of the greater part of Man
kind 5 'tis then very hard to apprehend,
how fo very frail and finfitl a Creature,
f ould come out of the Hands of an All-
merciful and Good God. Too hard was
this Speculation, for the Philofophy of
the Heathen World ; and it drove many of
their Dilputauts to argue themfelves pinto
an
282 A SERMON preach d
Serm. an Imagination of an irrefiftible E<vit
XIII. Caufe, in perfed Oppofition to, and of
equal Power with, the Supreme Good.
But the Impofiibility of two Supreme
Caufes, being demonftrativcly apparent;
Others, with much greater and better Rea-
fon, refolved all the Evil and all the
Wickednefs in the World, into the Free
Choice and voluntary Corruption, of Men
\vhofe Nature God originally had created
Good. And yet even ftill a Difficulty re
mained, Whence it came to pafs, that tho*
the Nature of Man, as of God's creating,
had indeed nothing actually in it but
Good ; yet it Ihould be fo frail and fal
lible, fo prone to Evil, and fo apt to be
feduced, as by Experience it was found
to be. The true Occafion of This, is
briefly intimated tows in the facred Wri
tings, in the Hiftory of the Fall of Man.
And evidently there is nothing any way
inconfiftent with the Divine Goodnefs in
This, that God whofe inexhauflible Wif-
dom and Power fhows forth itfelf moft
properly in producing a never-failing va
riety of Creatures of different Natures,
Capacities,' and Faculties; fhould fuffer
the "Tofterity of Adam to be of a more
frail and fallible Nature, more fubjed to
Temptation and more prone to be de
ceived,
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 283
ceived, than they would otherwife have Serm
been 5 after their firft Parent had forfeited XIII.
thofe advantageous Circumftances of his
firft Creation, to which he had originally
no more Right, (but '.by the free Gift and
mere good pleafure of God,) th$n he had
to the Powers and Perfections of an An
gel. And Adam might with as juft Rea-
fbnhavc complained againft the Goodnefs
of Cod, becaufe he was not created an
Angel in Heaven ; as We can, for our
not being Born in 'Paradife. Nor is it
more inconftftent with the Divine Good-
ne£s, to fuffer Us9 in confequcnce of His
introducing Sin into the World, to be
come more frail and fallible, more pecca
ble and obnoxous to Temptation, than
He at firft was ; than it was inconfiftent
with the fame Goodnefs, to make Him,
by the original Condition of his Creation,
fubjedt to Temptation and to Sin at all.
In a Word : Either we mtift be to unrca-
fonable as to aflert, that the Goodnefs of
God cannot allow him to make Any Crea
ture at all 5 becaufe no Creature can be
originally and abfolutely incapable of Sin
ning : Or elfe, by the fame rcaibnhc may
likewife, rcconcileably with his Goodnefs,
make all Variety of Creatures, in all the
various degrees of Frailty and Liablcnefs
to
A S E RMO N preach'd
Serm. to Temptation : Always excepting That,
XIII. of being neceffarily and unavoidably Wick-
> ed and Miferable 5 and always fuppojing,
that God will finally judge with perfecl:
Equity thefe frail Beings, each of them
according to what he has, and not ac
cording /o what he has not. And ftill
much lefs inconfiftent will it be with the
fame Divine Goodnefs, to permit the Po-
fterity of a finful and depraved Creature,
to continue by natural confequence in a
lower and more obnoxious Rank of Be
ings, than poffibly they would have been
placed in, had no fuch Depravation been
introduced either by our Fir ft Tarent,
or by Any of bis Succeffors.
Some Writers have indeed, without fuf-
fkient Warrant from Scripture, carried
this Matter further; and have aflertcd
that, for the Sin of Adam, not only him-
fclf and his Pofterity were made fubjecl:
to *Death, and to all the Miferies of this
mortal Life, confequent upon the Earth's
being curfcd for his Sake ; and that they
became very weak and/hw7, expofed to
more Temptations, and more prone to Sin;
but that moreover all Mankind, for That
One Tranfgreffion of their Fore-Father,
vere actually liable to be condemned to
die
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER?
the 'Punifbment of eternal Torments^ Serm.
and were^x Nature fo Wicked and fo en- XIII.
tirely indifpofed to all Good, -that the Will
of Man had thenceforward no more Li
berty to choofe what was Right, than a
Dead Man has Power to reftore himfclf to
Life. But Thefe things, the Scripture
does not teach ; how great foever it repre-
fents the Depravity of Human Nature. And
indeed, to fuppofe that God himfelf fends
men into the World, under an Abfolute
Neceffitym their very Nature, of being
Wicked and Miferable > is not much bet
ter, than what fome Heathens imagined,
of their being made fo by the Power of
an Oppofite Supreme Evil 'Principle.
How much more Wife and Reafonable
is the Determination of Solomon in the
Text : Who in Matters of Difficulty and
deep Inquiry, in things wherein 'tis im-
poifible tor the narrow Underftanding of
Ihort-fighted Mortals to difcoverthe whole
Order and Method, the Occafion and
Reafon of many of the Divine Proceed
ings j advifes us tofefarate the Certain
from the Uncertain; to adhere to what
we certainly know to be True, and not
be moved from it by the Uncertainty of
what we cannot difcover! For fo he
con-
rA SERMON preach'*
Serm. concludes a difficult and profound
XIIL ryj Lo, This only have I found.
l*^VN>
He had been in vain fcarching into the
Depths of Providence, and attempting to
comprehend the Counfel of the Moft
High. And indeed, What Wonder is it,
that Man, who fees fofmall a Tortion
of the Works of God from the Beginning
to the End, fhouldnot be able to compre
hend the Wifdom of the Whole ? All
This, fays he, have I proved by Wifdom,
ver. 23 : I faid, I will be Wife, but it
was far from me : That which is far off,
and exceeding deep, whocanfndit out 2
And then he concludes in the Words of
the Text; Lo, This only have I found.
Among the things impofllble to be
difcovered by human Underftanding, there
is ftill zlwaysfomething certain and to be
depended upon; fomething, in which a
rational Perfon may acquicfce and reft
fatisfied $ fomething, on which he may
with Confidence fix his Foot. Lo, This
have I found.
The particular Inquiry, upon occafiort
of which the Wile man makes this Con-
clufton,
if St JAMES'* WESTMINSTER 287
clufion, was the Confideration of the Serin,
Difficulty I now mentioned 5 viz. What XIIL
might be the reafon of the exceeding great
Depravity and Corruption of Human Na
ture 5 ver. 25, I applied mine Heart to
know, and to fearch, and to feek out
Wifdom, and the Reafon of things, and
to know the WICKEDNESS of Folly,
even of Foolifbnefs and Madnefs. And
the Refult was: Loy This only have I
found, that God hath made Man upright*
but they have fought out many In
dentions.
In the Words, we may obferve thcfe
Two things, ift. A general Direction otf
Intimation, that in ail Queftions of 'Dif
ficulty whatfoever, we ought to feparate
what is Certain from that which is Un
certain : and never think it a fufficient
reafon to depart from One Truth, that
our Faculties have not enabled us to dif-
cover All. Lo, THIS ONLT have I
found, zdly, An Application of this ge
neral Direction, to That great Qucftion
in particular ; Whence the Corruption and
'Depravity o>i Humane Nature arifcs. This
have I foiindy that God has made man
upright, but they have fought out many
Inventions.
Firjt,
^SERMON:
6erm.
XIII. Firfly Here is a general Direction or
Intimation; that in all^ueftions of 'Dif
ficulty whatfoever, we ought tofeparat?
what is Certain, from that which is Un
certain ; and never think it a fufficient rea-
fon to depart from One Truth, that our
Faculties have not inabled us to difcover
All. Loy This only have I found. The
Works of God, are infinite and bound-
lefs; and the Underftanding of Man,
is limited and finite. We cannot there
fore comprehend the whole Works of
God, becaufe our Underftandings are
not infinite ; And yet, becaufe we have
Underftanding given us, therefore we
ought to endeavour to underftand them
tn part. The Scripture frequently de
clares the Incomprehenliblenefs of the
Works of God j And no where more em
phatically, than in this Book of Eccle~
Jtaftes. Ch. iii, <v. 1 1 , He has made eve
ry thing beautiful in his time ; alfo he
has fet the World in their Hearty fa
that no man can find out the Work that
God maketh, from the beginning to the
End. Again, ch. viii, 17, Then I beheld
all the Work of God, that a man cannot
find out the Work that is done under the
becaufe though a man labour to
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 289
feek it out, yet he fhall not find it ; yea Serm.
further, though a WISE man think to XIII.
know it, yet fhall he not be able to find
it. And ch. xi, 5, As thou know eft not
•wb'it is the way of the Spirit, nor how
the Bones do grow in the Womb of her
that is with Child} even fo thou knowefl
not the Works of God, who maketh alL
Ncverthelefs, both by Reafon and Scrip
ture we are directed toftttdy the Works
of God 5 That, by what we can difcover^
We may learn to admire and adore his
Wifdom in what we can not difcovcr j
and by what we are able to underftand,
be convinced of the Excellency of the
things that exceed Q\& Comprehenfion.
To inftance in ^Particulars. In what
banner this beautiful Fabrick of the
World was made, and how the feveral
•parts of it in particular were formed 5
the greateft Philofophers upon Earth have
by no means been able to difcover. This
only have they found, that thefe things
are evidently the Works of an Intel
ligent and ^Powerful Caufe, and cannot
poflibly be the Effeds either of Chance
or of NeceJJlty.
290 A S E R M O N f reach' d
Scrm. In what manner the fevcral Steps of
XIII. Providence in the Government of the
World, fhall finally be cleared, has been
a thin 2 too hard for the Wifcft of men to
C7
comprehend, and a Depth infcrutable to
the moft inlarged Undcrftandings. This
only-, are they well affured of; that the
Judge of all the Earthy 'will do what
is right ; will deal equitably with All
perfonsj according to their refpedivc Cir-
cumftanccs 5 and that, at laft, he will con-
fpicuoufly be juftified in his Saying^ and
be clear when he is judged.
In what particular manner God's
determination of Many Events, and his
Fore-knowledge of All? is reconcileable
with That Liberty of Human Adions,
without which there could be no Religion,
no Punifhmcnt, no Reward; is a Secret
which we fhall then prehaps clearly and
thoroughly underftand, when the Books
cf Providence fhall be laid open, and the
Secrets of all Hearts fhall be difclofed >
when the Lord ihall come with ten thou-
fands of his Saint ~s, not only to execute
Judgment upon men, but alfo to con*
vince (as St Jude expreffcs it,) that is, tofa-
tisfy, in their own tcaibn and confcienccs,
all
St JAMES'/ WEStMiNstER," 291
that are ungodly among them, of all Serm.
their ungodly deeds which they have XIIL
ungodly committed, and of all their hard
Speeches which ungodly Sinners have
fpoken againfl him. In the mean time,
This only do we know for certain, and
in This may we with aflurance acquiefce,
that God made not 'Death •, neither hath
he fleafnre in the T)eftruffion of the
Living 5 nor doth He, by any abfo-
lute Predetermination, bring Wickednefs
and Mifery neceflarily upon any man j but
ungodly men with their own Words and
Works call it unto them.
Again : Wherein the Nature and 'Dig
nity of the ^Perfon of Chrifl (beyond
what God in Scripture has thought fit to
reveal to us) precifely confifts, and in what
f articular 'manner thofe fupereminent At
tributes, which the Scripture afcribcs to
him, are communicated to him from the
Father ; is what neither Men nor Angels
can perfectly underftand. This only may
Chriftians of All capacities be anured of?
and may with confidence depend upon
it 5 that Whofoever imbraces the *Z>^-
Etrine which our Saviour taught, and o-
beys the Laws which he has delivered 3
•md, in order to obtain RcmiiTion of paft
U 2 Sins,
102 ^SERMON preactid
Serm. Sins, makes conftant Application to God.
XIII. in HIS Name and through His Inter-
ceflion, as being our Alone Mediatouf
with the Father ; and lives in conftant
expectation of his appearing finally as our
Saviour and Judge* to compleat our re
conciliation in the day of Redemption,
dnd to reward every man according as his
Work fhall be : Whofoever (I fay)
heartily profefles this Faith, and perfeveres
in this cPraffice by patient continuance
in well-doing ; though he enters into No
difficult Speculations, and confines his
Thoughts entiroly to what he clearly un-
derftands 5 yet This he may be allured of*
and abundantly fufficicnt it is, if but This
only he can fnd ; that (according to the
gracious Terms of the Gofpel-Covenant )
he fhall certainly be partaker of the Sal
vation purchafed by the Son of God, ma-
nifefted in the F/ejh.
Laftly ; To give but One Inftance
more, (which is That alluded to by So-
lomon in the Text:} How it comes to
pafs, that in a World created by infinite
Goodnefs, and governed by the Provi
dence of the fame Good God, yet Wick^
ednefs fhould abound fo univerfally as it
dpes 5 and our fM Parents introducing
Si*
«f Sf JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 295
Sin into the World, fhould be permitted Serm,
to have fo great and lafting an Effect, that XIII.
many Mcnfeem as it were originally and
almoft naturally to have ftrong Inclina
tions to Vice 5 though fomething has al
ready been offered, and More will be faid
in the following Part of this Difcourfe,
to explain this Difficulty in fome mea-
furc j yet, unlefs we knew thcivhole Series
of Providence from the Beginning to the
End, from the Creation of the Univerfe
to the final Confummation of all things j
'tis no great wonder we fhould not fully
underftand the Whole Counfel of God,
nor be able, in this 'very fhort and imper
fect State, to fearch out to the bottom
fo unfathomable a Depth. This only do
we find demonftrably certain ; as being
both clear in the Reafon of things, and
moft exprefsly moreover declared in Scrip
ture 5 ( and abundantly mfficient it is, for
our prcfent Satisfaction 5 ) that, whatever
Difficulties may now arife in this matter,
yet in the End it {hall appear to the Con
viction of Sinners, (fo that every Mouth
fhall be flopped before God •> flopped, not
by Tower, but by the reafon of the cafe 5
and every Tongue faz\\ confcfs his Jufticc,)
that God did make man upright ; only
They themfelves have fought out many
Inventions.
U? Jn
294 ASER MO N preach' d
Serm,
In Thefe andNumberlefs other Inftances,
appears the Reafonablcnefs of the gene
ral Direction or Intimation given us in
the Text 5 that, in all Queftions of ^Diffi-
culty whatfoever, we ought to fefarate
what is Certain from that which is Uncer
tain 5 and never think it afufficient rea-
fon to depart from One Truth, that our
Faculties have not inabled us to difcover
AIL Loy This only ha've I found.
In fnite Underftandings, which are
not capable of comprehending ^//Know
ledge, nor of difcovering All Truth 5 'tis
the higheft improvement they can arrive
to, and deferring the greateft Commen
dation, to be able rightly to diftinguifh
what they can, from what they cannot
difcover 5 and fo to reft fatisficd and ac-
quiefce in what they find, as not to en^
tertain any Doubt concerning the Certain
ty of One Truth, becaufe of the Un-
certainty they chance to meet with in
Another,
If we find by flrong and undeniable
Arguments, that the beautiful Order of
the feveral Parts of the World, could not
pp.ilibly arife from Chance , nor the in
finite
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 295
finite Variety of things therein, from Serm.
blind and Unintelligent NeceJJity ; nor XIII.
the Exquifite Fitnefs wherewith every
thing is adapted to its proper End, from
any other Caufe than the Will and Free
Operation of an All-Powerful and All-
Wife Being ; Is not This fufficiem Sa
tisfaction to a reafonable Mind, though he
cannot comprehend the Manner how each
particular was formed ? Or, bccaufe there
arc.fome things, which, for ivhat End
they were made, our narrow Underfrand-
ings cannot difcover ; is there therefore
from thence any Colour of Reafon to
doubt, whether any thing was made for
any End at all?
In like manner, if we find by evident
Demonstration, that He who in the Be
ginning made the World by his ^Ptrwer,
cannot but govern it unto the End
by his 'Providence ••> Is not This fufficient
to fatisfy a rational Per Ton, tho' he can
not at prcfcnt account for/*// its proceed
ings ? Or, is it in any degree reafonable,
becaufe the Counfels of a great Prince be*
fore they are entirely put in Execution,
are above the Comprehension of a Mean
Pcrlbn ; that therefore That mean Pcr-
fon fhould conclude the Counfels of the
Prince
296 A S E R M O N f reach* d
Serin. Prince to have no Wifdom in them, or
XIII. fhould doubt whether he had arty Coun-
I els or <Defignsx. all >
Again : If we are by Experience as
much afiured of the Liberty of our Wills,
as we are of the Truth of our Under-
ftandings, or the Reality of our Senfes
themiclves ; and have the fame thing more
over confirmed to us, by all the Tromifes
and all the Threatnings of God ; and that
the Divine Fore-knowledge is no Fore-
determination of our Actions, but only an
Unerring Judgment, or fuch a Kind of
Prefcience (whatever That be,) as is con
fident with Liberty ', and necefTarily fre-
fuppofes the Liberty of thofe Adions
+j j. J *J •• */
which are foreknown to be free 5 Have we
not abundantly wherein to acquiefce,
tho' we know not the particular Manner
pf the Divine Fore- know ledge ? Or, be-
caufe there is fome Uncertainty in the
particular manner of reconciling it with
Human Liberty, is there therefore any rea-
fon to call in queftion the Thing itfelf,
which of all others is the moft abfolutely
Certain ? and pretend to doubt whether
we have Any Liberty, that is, whether
there be any fuch thing as Religion, any
fuch thing as Reafon, any Underflanding
fit $t JAMES'/ WESTMINSTER. 297
in Man, or any power of ^ttfing at Serm.
all> XIII,
Further : If we are allured by a clear
and diftind Revelation, that God has fent
his Son into the World, to teach us our
Duty, and fet us an Example of pradifmg
it ; to die for the Sins, and rife again
for the Juftification, of All who fhall
effectually repent and reform their man
ners 3 to make intercefllon for us at pxe-
fent, and bring us hereafter unto Glory :
Is not This fufficient to all the Purpofes of
Religion and Happinefs, tho' we under-
ftand not the manner of his generation
from the Beginning, nor What the Par
ticulars of that Glory were, which he
had with the Father before the World
was ? Or, becaufe reafonablc men do
not take upon them to define? ( as the
Schoolmen have prefumptnoujty done,)
how and in what particular manner our
Lord was before all Ages the Brightnefs
of his Father's Glory and the exprefs
Image of hisTerfon--, is there therefore any
Rcafon to doubt, whether we have any
Saviour, any Religion, any Hopes of
Hapfinefs at all ?
Laftly^
29* A SE RMO N f reach W
Serm.
XIII. Laftly : If it be clearly demonftrable by
right Reafon, and moreover afferted in
exprefs Words of Scripture, that God has
made man upright ; but They Themfelves
have fought out many Inventions : Have
we not wherein to acquiefce, though
This only be all that we have found*
and we do not perhaps diftindly under-
ftand the Reafon, why the All-Wife Go-
vernour of the World, has thought fit
to permit men thus to corrupt themfelves*
And this brings me to the
Second Particular I propofcd to fpeak
to 5 namely, the Application of the gene
ral direction I have been hitherto dif-
courfing upon, to that great Queftion in
particular^ Whence the Corruption and
Depravity of Human Nature arifcs.
Lo, This only have I found, that God
has made man upright > but they have
fought out many Inventions. But the
Time not permitting to enter upon This,
I ihall conclude at prefcnt with Two
very brief Inferences from what has been
already laid.
The FIRST is 5 That the Rule laid
down in the foregoing Difcourfe, ex-
'At St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 299
tends only to the exprefs Revelations of Serrru
Gody and not to any Doctrines or Expli- XIII.
cations of Men. t/"V>J
The SECONT> is 5 That, from what
has been faid, we may fee the great
Unreafonablenefs of Scepticifm in mat
ters of Religion 5 and the Abfurdity
of Thofe, who, from the Uncertainty of
fome Queftions of great 'Difficulty and of
fmall Consequence, would draw reafons
for doubting in matters of the great eft
Certainty and of the utmoft Importance.
In Queftions of Natural cPhilofophy., men
do not fo ar<me : In the management of
C2 C7
floridly Affairs, they do not fo ad ; But
feparate always what is Certain, from
that which is Uncertain ; And the Uncer
tainty of One thing, docs not hinder
them from relying, in all the Bufincfs of
Life, upon the unqueftionablc Certainty of
Another. There is the fame, nay much
Wronger reafon, why they mould ad in
like manner in matters of Religion : Where
That which is of the greateft Importance^
is always of the greateft Certainty ; and
whatever is lefs Certain and more diffi
cult to be underftood, is alib always pro-
portionably of lefs moment. We have
upon This Head, the final Advice of Job^
and
Vco rA SERMON preach'd &c.
Serm. and the laft and moft confiderate Words
III. of Solomon. The Former of whom, con-
eludes his Difcourfe concerning the Un
certainty of all other Knowledge, with
this Admirable Reflexion, Job xxviii, 28,
/Ind unto man he faid> The Fear of the
Lord-, That is Wifdom j and to depart
from evilj is Underftanding. The Latter
having in a whole Book elegantly repre-
fented the Confufton and Uncertainty of
all Human Affairs, fums up his whole
Difcourfe in this Wife Admonition,£a'/<?/I
xii, 13, Let us hear the Conclujion of
the whole Matter : Fear God, and keep
his Commandments ; for This is the
Whole, the whole Duty and the whole
Happinefs, of Man.
A S ER-
SERMON
Preach'd in the
PARISH-CHURCH
O F
Stjamess Weftminfler,
On Sunday, 'Dec. 22. 1723*
ECCLES, VII, 29.
Lo, This only have I found, that God
hath made Man upright ; but They
have fought out many Inventions.
THE Book of Ecclefiaftes is a ~ , ,
Colle&ion of the genera! Conch-
Jions drawn by Solomon, from his
Obfervations iipon Human Nature, and
on the State of the World. He was a
Perfon, of whom the Scripture fays, that
God gave him Wifdom and Underftand-
ing
$02 A S E R M O N freach'd
Serm. ing exceeding much ; fuch as none of the
XIV. Kings had, that were before him--> nei
ther fhall there Any after him, have the
like 5 i Kings iv, 29 ; and 2 Chron. i, 12.
His own Experience of all the injoy-
ments of Life, and his High Station in
the World, gave him the greateft Opportu
nities, and the largeft Field, to improve .
hisUnderftanding by the moji GeneralOb-
fervations ; and to make the trucft Judg
ment of the real Value, of every thing
in the World. / the ^Preacher was
King over Ifrael in Jerufalem -, And I
gave my Heart to feek and fear ch out by
Wifdom, concerning all things that are
done under Heaven, ch. i, ver. 12. / com-
ftiunedwith mine own Heart, faying, Ld,
lam come to great eft ate, and have got
ten more Wifdom than all they that have
been before me in Jerufalem $ yea, my
Heart had great Experience of Wifdom
and Knowledges And I gave my Heart
to know Wifdom, and to know Madnefs
and Folly, ver. 16. The Refult of all,
was 5 that he found every thing to be Va
nity, and Vex at ion of Spirit. That, even
in Wifdom itfelf, is much grief-, and he
that increafeth Knowledge, increafeth
Sorrow. That laughter and joy, is Mad-
nefs\ and Mirth, what Benefit is there
<tf ifr JAMES'* WESTMINSTER.'
in it * Thaf , when Goods increafe, They
are increafed that eat them -, and What XIV
good is there to the Owners thereof, fa-
•ving the beholding of them with their
Eyes ? That h.t conjidered all the Oppref-
fions that are done under the Sun ; and
behold, the Tears of fuch as were op-
prejfed, and they had no Comforter, and
on thejide of their Oppreffbrs was 'Pow
er, but They had no Comforter. That,
with refpcd to the Shortnefs and Uncer
tainty of Life, MAN alfo knoweth not
his Time; But as the Fifhes that are
taken in an evil Net, and as the Birds
that are caught in the Snare, fo are the
Sons of Men fnared in an evil Time>
when it falleth fuddenly upon them.
That, notwithstanding This, yet the
Hearts of the Sons of men \vere/#// of
evil-, and madnefs is in their Heart
while they live ; and after That, they go
to the *Dead. That he applied his Heart
to know find to fearch out the REASON
of Thefe things ; and to know the JVick-
ednefs of Folly, even of Fooliflmefs and
Madnefs. That All thefe things \\cproved
by Wifdom, zn&faid he would be wife,
but it was far from him j For, That
'which is far off, and exceeding deepy
•jc* 'A SER MON
Serm. who can fnd it out ? The
XIV. were impoflible even for His Underftand-
ing to difcover. But, in general. This
he was fure of, that God was true, tho'
every Man was a Liar* that God was
righteous in all his Waysy and Holy in
all his Works ; and Man, the Caufe of
all his own Mifery. Lo, This only have
I found, that God has made Man up-
right, but they have fought out many In*
Mentions.
In the Words, I have obferved thefc
Two Particulars. \fl. A general Dire-
&ion, or Intimation 5 that in all Queftions
of Difficulty what foe ver, we ought al-
fyays to feparate what is Certain^ from
that which is Uncertain ; and never look
upon it as a fufficient reafon to depart
from One Truth, that our Faculties do
not inable us to difcover AIL L0, This
only have I found, idly. Ah Applica
tion of this general Direction, to That
great Queftion in particular. Whence the
Corruption and Depravity of Human
Nature arifes. This only have I found1,
that God has made Man upright, but
they have fought out many Inventions.
at St ] AMES'S WESTMINSTER." 305
Serm.
The \fl of thefe, I have already dif- XIV.
eourfed upon. It remains that I conftder
at This time, (idfy) the Application the
Wife man makes of this general Dire-
ftion, to That great Queftion in particu
lar, Whence the Corruption and Depra
vity of Human Nature arifes. This only
have I found, that God has made Man
U fright, but they have fought out many
Inventions. Now there is in this, as in
moft other Queftions, fomething that is
Uncertain and Difficult to be explained ;
fomething, that the Underftanding even
of Solomon himfelf could not attain to ;
fomething, that 'tis not poffible for us to
find out, nor needful for us to defire to
know 5 fomething, that is to be refolved
perhaps into the mere good pleafure of
God j or rather into Reafons (for God
does nothing without reafon,) which We
at prefent are not at all capable of judg
ing of 5 why God in his infinite Wifdom
thought fit, among that immenfe and
boundlefs Variety of his Works, to make
Some Creatures of fuch ^particular degree
of Capacity and Underftanding, fo frail, lo
fallible, fo liable to be feduced and cor
rupted, as Mankind is. To this part ot
the Queftion 'tis fufficient to reply with
X the
A S E &MO N pteactij
Serrn. theApoftlc; Shall the Thing formed, fay
XIV. unto him that formed it, Why haft thou
made me thus ? Hath not the Totter
power over the clay, of the fame lump
to make one vejfel unto honour, and ano
ther unto dishonour ? That is, Hath not
God a Right to make what Variety of
Creatures, and of what different Capaci
ties, he pleafes? But then there is alfo on
the other hand fomething in the Same
Queftion that is very Certain, fomething
that is infallibly true and may be depended
upon, ibmething in which a reaibnable
Mind may acquiefce and reft fatisfied 5
viz,, that though God has indeed made us
.frail and fallible, yet he has not made us
neceffarily Wicked ; He has made us fub-
jed and liable to Temptation, but not of
neceflity Slaves to Sin. That we are Ca
fable of Corrupting ourfelves, is indeed
the Confcquence of that Nature which
God has given us i But all Actual Corrup
tions, are the Effeds of our Free Choice,
and the Fruit of our Own Inventions. God
has made man upright, but They have
fought out many Inventions.
Of This Declaration of the Wife marir
there are two parts. \ft. A juftification
of God, from all poflibility of being charg
ed
At St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 307
ed with the Sins of Men : God has made Serm*
Man upright, zdly. A confeflion, that XIV.
the Sin and Mifery of Men, is wholly
owing to themfelves : But they have
fought out many Inventions.
I. Here is a j unification of God, from
all poflibility of being charged with the
Sins of Men : God has made man Upright.
Could wicked Men with any truth affirm,-
that Wickcdnefs was the Fault of thei*
Nature, and not merely the Corruption
of their Will:, it would be a juft Excufe
both in the Sight of Men and before the
Tribunal of God, to alledge that they
Were only \vhat God made them, and
what they could not but of Neceflity be.
There is nothing therefore more conftant-
ly and follicitoufly inculcated in Scripture
upon all Occafions, than that Men's de-
ftrudion is of themfelves, and not the
Appointment of Him that made them.
And upon this are grounded all the 'Pro-
mifes, and the realbnablcnefs of all the
Threatnings of God. But though Wick-
ednefs is not Mens Nature 5 yet Weaknefs
and Temptation, and Liablenefs to Sin,
is. And the very Nature of a Probation-
State, the Promifes of Reward to Obe
dience, and the Thr'eatnings of Punifh-
X a menc
A SE R R MO N freach'd
ment to them that fhall comply with
Temptations ; fttppofes men to be Capa
ble of being corrupted, and to be always
in danger of being feduced into Sin.
Tis evident therefore i/?, that God's
having made Man upright, does not fig-
nify his having made him incapable of
Sin, or exempt from all Temptation.
No : This is perhaps a State that no Crea
ture ever was, or can be, created in. Por
he chargeth even his Angels with Folly,
and the Heavens are not pure in his Sight.
Not only the Angels that/?//, and incurred
irrecoverably the final Wrath of God, ap
pear evidently to have been created capa
ble of Sinning: But the good Angels
thcmfelves, who kept their firft Eftate, and
never forfeited their Title to the Divine
Favour ; even Thefe the incomprehen-
fible Purity of the Holy One charges with
Folly. And nothing is perfectly faultlefs
in the All- feeing Eyes, of Him who alone
is Goodnefs and Holinefs itfelf. And in
deed, could any Creature be made origi
nally and abfolutely incapable of finning ;
there would be no Room for Trial, there
could be no Probation, there could be no
Obedience, and no Reward : But the Hap-
pinefs which fuch a Creature would in-
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 309
. joy, would be by Nature complete and Serm.
indefedible, like to the Happinefs of God XIV. '
Himfelf. Which is inconfiftent with the
Nature of a Created Bcin^.
o
•idly, therefore 5 Neither from This
expreilion of God's having made Man
upright, ought it to be imagined, diat
God originally created Man in That Ex
cellency of Nature, which Angels, who
yet w.cre liable to Sin, were at rirft indued
with. There is a proper Excellency, pe
culiar to every Species or Kind of things.
And as, in the Natural World, God cre
ated every thing perfect in its kind ; and
beheld, when he had finifh'd it, that it was
very good 5 And yet One thing, though
pcrfed in its Order and Degree, is never.
thelefs very far from equalling the Pcr-
fedions or Another, that belongs to the
more exalted Rank of a nobler Species :
So, in the Moral World of rational and
intelligent Creatures, there are Capacities
and Faculties, there arc Perfedions and
Excellencies, peculiar to every Sort of
Beings, and apportionatc to their proper
Subject. And as we always undcrftand,
when we fay God has given to fuch orfuch
a perfon, Wifdom, Undcrftanding, and
Knowledge 5 As we always (I fay) tmdei>
-X 3 (land
3io A S E R M O N preach* d
Serm. ftand thereby, that he has indued That
XIV. Perfon in a remarkable manner with the
Knowledge and Wifdom of a Man, not
with That of a Superior and more Power
ful Spirit : So, when the Preacher declares
in the Text, that God did make Man lip-
right ; 'tis manifeft it muft be underftood,
that he created him with the Uprightnefs,
not of an Angel, but of a Man , with
fuch an Uprightnefs, as is compatible to
a frail, mortal, and fallible Creature.
idly. Further yet ; Neither can the
Words of the Text be fo interpreted, as
if Solomon meant to fpeak of That
particular Uprightnefs, wherein our
firft Parent was created in Taradife ; in
oppofition to that general State of Cor
ruption, which has ever fince prevailed in
the World. For he does not infift upon
This, that God created our firft ^Parent
upright \ but upon This, that, notwith-
ftanding all that canbefaidot the Mean-
nefs and Frailnefs of our Nature, not»
withftanding all the difadvantages
alledge ourfelves to lie under in con-
fequence of Sin having been brought into
the World 5 yet ftill God has made Man
upright. Man j That is, the Species or
>vhole Race of Men : All thofe particular
'at «S> JAMES'/ WESTMINSTER. 311
Men, who in the following Words are Serm.
faid to have fought out many Inventions. XIV.
The Uprightnefs therefore here fpoken
of, cannot be That original Uprightnefs,
which was forfeited by the Sin of our firft
Parent ; but That continued Uprightnefs,
with which every man Now comes into
the World, notwithftanding the Fall ;
That Uprightnefs, which every wicked
man, in his own proper Pcrfon, is juftly
condemned for voluntarily departing
from, by feeking out and following his
own evil Inventions. And This Upright-
nefs, which belongs even to Fallen Man,
and which is necefiary to difcharge God
from the Sins of Men, confifts in This ;
That, notwithftanding all the Weaknefs
and Infirmity of our Nature, which God,
who considers that we are but Duft, rea
dily allows for ; and, notwithftanding all
the Confequences of the Fall of Adam,
which are abundantly provided againft by
the Death of Chrtft -, and notwithftanding
all our Temptations, and all our prone-
nefs to Sin : Yet no man is under a Ne-
cejjity of being Wicked : No man can
fay 'tis the Fault of God's Creation, no,
not even of that frail Nature which he
receives from Adam, but the Wicked
Choice of his own unreafonablc Will,
X 4 that
3i2 A S E R MO N preach' d
Serm. that makes him live vitioufty, and com-
XVI. ply with thofe Temptations which in this
frail State naturally and perpetually fur-
round him. That we are perpetually lia
ble to Temptation ; is indeed the weak
Condition of our Nature, and the Un«
happinefs of our prefent State. But Temp
tation is not Sin ; And being tempted7 is
not inconiiftcnt with Uprightnefs: That
is, 'tis not inconfiflent with fuck Upright
nefs, as God expeds of us in this very
frail, fallible and imperfed State. Did
God now require of us the Uprightnefs of
Angels, or even the Uprightnefs which
our Firfl Tarents ought to have maintain
ed in Paradife j we might perhaps have
had reafon to complain, that the Abili
ties of our Nature were not anfwerable
to what was expeded from us. But fince
the Obedience and Holinefs required of
us, is only of the fame Kind and 'Propor
tion, with that Uprightnefs our Nature
ftill retains even fmce the Fall 5 'tis evi
dently not the Fault of God, nor of that
Nature he even Now gives us, but the
wicked Inventions only of our own
Hearts, that make us wicked and mifera-
ble. God has given us Eyes to difcern
the Light, Uuderflanding to diftinguifh be-
|wcen Good and Evil, a Will whereby we
arc
At St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER.
are inabled to choofe the One and refufe Serm,
the other. And in the Truth or Reality XIV.
of thefe Faculties, not in the 'Perfection
of them j that is, not in their being fuch
as CANNOT be deceived or impofed up
on, but in their being fuch as do not ne~
ceffarily deceive US without our own
Negligence and great Fault ; in this con-
fifts the Uprightnefs wherewith God Now
fends men into the World, even fince the
Fall.
There is only One great Objection, a-
gainft what has been hitherto offered up
on this Head. And That is, that the Do-
ftrine of Original Sin has by Divines
fometimes been fo explained, as if Man,
fince the Fall, had no remains left of thofe
Powers and Faculties, which Alone cli-
ftinguifh him to be a free and rational A-
gent. Which Explication if it were true,
'tis evident the Sins of Men would in
deed immediately become chargeable up
on God. And, far from making Man
upright y as Solomon affirms ; it would on
the contrary be true, that he Now makes
men not fo much as capable of any Re
ligion at all. For the clearing of This
Prejudice therefore ; we need only here,
as in all other Difficulties, feparate the
r*
Ler-
A SE R MO N preach 'd
Serm. Certain Dodrine of Scripture, from the
XIV. Uncertain Explications of men : And
then the whole Ground of the Objection,
will be taken away. Now All that the
Scripture teaches concerning this matter,
is contained in what it affirms, i/?, con
cerning the TranfgreJJion itfelf of our
firft Parents ; and idly? concerning the
Confluences of that Tranfgreflion, to
them and their Pofterity.
i/?. The Hiftory of the TranfgreJJion
itjelf of our firft Parents, is related very
briefly in the Third chapter of Genejis.
And though neither there, nor elfewhere
in Scripture, is it called by that Name 5
yet it may very properly be called The
Original Sin of Men 3 becaufe it was the
firft introducing of Sin into this World ;
and, before it, there was no fuch thing
as Sin upon Earth. This Original Sin of
Men therefore, was the Affual Sin of
our firft Parent ; But it could not be the
Attual Sin of any other Pcrfon, becaufe
it was committed before any Other had a
Being. To affirm that the firfl aftual
Sin of Adam-, was Imputed to all Man
kind as well as to Him ; is to affirm what
the Scripture does not teach. And be-
fides ; if, to impute to Other Terfons
the
fit St J A M E S'S WE S T M I N S T E R. 3 I $
the actual Sin of Ow?, be to account it Serm,
Theirs as well as His ; 'tis evident This is XIV,
, impoflible with God, who cannot account
Sin, or any thing elfe, to be what it is
• not.
But idly* Though the Actual Tranf-
greflion of our firft Parent, was His only,
and not Oars ; yet there are the Confe-
quences of thus introducing Sin into the
World, which are common to Him and
his^Pofterity. AndTheie are, Mortality ^
Exclufan out of 'Paradife, the Miferies
of the prefent Life, and a greater Lia-
pleneft and flronger Temptation to Sin,
in their corrupt Affections. God threat-
ned Adam, that in the day he eat of the
forbidden Fruit ; that is, whenfoever he
ihould knowingly frefume to do what
God had thought fit to forbid -•> he fhould
furely die. And had That Threat been
immediately executed, 'tis plain his Pofte-
rity could have had no Being at all 5 and
$s plain, that no Injuftice could thereby
have been done to them, who never
Were. But the Mercy of God granted
Adam a Reprieve 5 And, inftead of dying
immediately, he only became Subject to
Mortality 'by his Sin. That is; Being now
excluded from the Benefit of the Tree of
Life,
3i6 A S E R MO N preachj
Serm. Life, (which was a Means or an Emblem
XIV. of Immortality ',) confcqucntly his natural
Mortality muft of neceflity actually take
place upon him. And fo it muft like wife
upon all his Pofterity. In which matter ;
fmce it was merely the Effect of God's
Mercy towards Adam, to permit us a pof-
fibility of beginning to live ; it cannot
be thought unjuft, that he fhould appoint
us to die. Especially fince That T>eath
which was introduced by Adam, (and
whatever would have been the Confe-
quences of it in the future State,) was as
univerfally removed by the fecond Adam,
(who is the Lord from Heaven,) as it
fpread univerfally after the Tranfgreifion.
of the frft. For as in Adam all die, (all
rnen are made mortal 5 ) even fo in Chrifl
flail all be made alive, (lhall be rcftored
from that natural Mortality,) Rom, v, 22.
And as, by the offenfe of One, *Death
came upon all men to Condemnation 5 even
fo by the right eoufnefs of One, the free
Gift is come upon all men to juftifcation
of Life, ver. 1 8 5 that is, to a Poflibility
again of obtaining eternal Life.
As to the Exclujion out of Taradife,
and the Miferies of the prefent Life con-
ftquent upon God's curling the Earth ;
they
at ifr JAMES'^ WESTMINSTER.
:hcy are, with regard to the Tofterity of Serm.
Adam^ only natural and neceffary Con- XIV*
fequences of his Lofmg thofe Free Gifts s^v^
and Favours of God, which neither They
nor He ever had any Claim of Right to
injoy. And, after all ; the miferies men
bring upon themfelves in This World by
their own Sins, arc much greater than
thofe they fuffer in confequence of the
Tranfgreflion of Adam. For, notwith-
,ftanding God's Curfe upon the Earth, the
.condition of men would be in many de*
grees better than it is 5 nay, even very
tolerable 5 did it not perpetually happen,
that One man's Sin makes him a Tyrant to
.Others, and an Enemy to himfelf. And
that Men, who have their Beings through
'Mercy, fhould undergo the Natural Ca
lamities of this Mortal State 5 cannot be
mnjuft with God, any more than that they
fhould at all be born Mortal. Nor can
Any Reafon be given, why God might
not have made men at fir ft to live but
fuch a certain number of Years as they
Now do, if he had fo pleafed 5 nor why
he might not originally have put them into
the World with only fuch a 'Proportion
of Good to be in joyed by them, as virtuous
and good men may Now injoy in This
World,
3i8 A SER MO tt freacfa
Serm. World, if all men were truly virtuoui
XIV. ancl religious.
Laftly ; As to the Temptations and Li*
ablenefs to Sin, which are greater and
flronger fmce the Fall, through mens cor
rupt Affedions ; they are by no means in-*
confiftent with That Uprightnefs, which
I am now fpeaking of. For Temptation
is not Sin, but the Tryal and the Occa-
fion of Virtue. And God, who knows
how to make juft Allowances for every
one's cafe, with the moft exad Proportion
and Equity ; may prove the Sincere Obe
dience of his Creatures, by what Tryals
and Temptations he himfelf, in his All-
wife Government, thinks fit to permit.
In all which, 'tis certain that God makes
no man Wicked by Nature ; but every
man then finneth, when he is drawn a-
way of his own Lufl and inticed. For>
when Lufl has conceived, it bringeth
forth Sin ; and Sin, when 'tis fnifhed,
bringeth forth 'Death. Jam. i, 15. And
This may fuffice for Explication of the
frfl part of the Wife man's Aflertion in
the Text, in j unification of God from all
poflibility of being charged with the Sins
of Men 5 that God has made Man upright.
II. Here
At St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER^ 31:9
Serin*
II. Here is in the id place a Confeflion, XIV.
that the Sin and Mifery of Men, is wholly
owing to themfelves : But THET have
fought out many Inventions. And con*
, cerning This, there needs not much to
be adddd. For when it has once been.
, made appear, that God made Man up-
i right -> that is, that notwithstanding all
the Infirmities of their Nature, he has
; yet indued them with proper Faculties fo£
their prefent State, to enable them to per-
form the Duty that is expeded of them*
according to the Proportions of a Man*
; in this very Imperfed State j It follows in
-courfe, that the Corruptions wherewith
they deprave themfelvcs, are not the Fault
tof that Nature which God has given
them, but the perverfe Inventions of
their own Wills. And indeed, whoever
i looks into the World, cannot but obfcrve,
•that much the greater part of the Vices
of Men, arifc plainly from bad Educa
tion and ill Example, from the Allure
ments of the World and the Temptations
of ill Company, from the Violence of
ungoverned Paillons and the perverfcnefs
of unreafonable Defires : None of which
things do belong properly to the Nature
of a Rcafonable Creature, but are unrea
fonable
A S E R M 0 N preach' d
Serm. fonablc and violent and therefore unna-
XV. tural Corruptions of the Faculties where
with God has indued us.
To enter into the ^Particulars of All
vitious Habits, would be impoffible, as j
well as difagreeable. But, to mention I
briefly the Three great Heads or Inftances
of Corruption,
i/?. With refpeft to our Duty towards
God. Is it not evidently agreeable to the
nature of rational Creatures, to adore
and worfhip, to love and to obey, the
Supreme Author and Preferver of their
Being ? And is it not an unnatural Inven
tion, fought out by the moil brutifh dege
neracy 5 to forfake the Worfhip of Him
that Made the Heavens and the Earth and
the Seas and all that in them is, to wor^
fhip Wood and Stones graven by Art and
Man's Device 5 and to change the Glory
of the incorruptible God, into Images
made like to corruptible Man, and to
Birds, and four-footed Beafts, and creep
ing things ? Of even in the Service and
Worihip of the True God, to forfake
That Method of Worfhip which he him-
felf has appointed ^ and fet up any In
ventions of their own, in the Place
of
at St JAMESV WESTMINSTER. 321
of what God has exprefsly command- Serm.
cd. XIV.
^dly, With regard to our Duty towards
Men : Does not Nature plainly lead us to
Righteoufriefs and Truth, to Juftice and
Fquity, to univeffal Charity and Good-
Will towards each other ? And is it not
apparently the Bafe Invention of a Heart
which has laid afide all Humanity, that is,
all true humane Nature > to inrich itfelf
by Fraud and Unrighteoufnefs, by op-
preilmg the innocent and the poor; or
to exalt itfelf by Violence and Cruelty,
and infulting over the Miferies of its fel^
low-Creatures ?
Laftly, With regard to our Duty to
wards Ourfelves: Are not the Appetites of
Nature, reafonable and modeft, regular
and fober, peaceable and contented with
in their proper limits * And is it not plain
ly the Invention of an evil Heart, and ot
a wilfully degenerate and corrupted Spi
rit i to hcigthen unnatural Appetites by
Art, to' blow up difordefly Pafficms by
bbftinate Self- Will, and to indulge unrea-
fonable Defires by habitual oppofition to*
right Reafon and Religion?
322 A SE RRMON preach 'd
Serm*
XIV. In All thefe Cafes therefore 'tis mani-
feftly true, that God has made Man up
right, but They thcmfelves have fought
out many Inventions. Inventions, to
corrupt by indired Practices the Simpli
city of Nature : And, when they have fo
done, Inventions to deceive themfelves,
by giving the Name of Nature to the un
natural Effeds of evil Cuftoms and Ha
bits 5 and Inventions to lay themfelves
afleep in their Error and Deceit, by find
ing out numberlefs ways of reconciling a
Wicked Life with the Hopes and with the
Pretenfes of Religion*
The Application of what has been faid,
may be very brief. And
i/?. From what has been faid, we may
obferve, that the Difficulty of obeying
the Commandments of God, does not fo
much arife, generally {peaking, from the
Nature of our 'Duty, or from the Nature
of Man ; as from the Temptations of
the World, and from the Cuflom of Sin
ning. To Idolatry, Profanenefs and Irre-
ligion, there is no Temptation in Nature $
but from the Wickedncfs of Men, wil
fully deceiving one another, and being de
ceived.
at $t JAMES'S WESTMINSTER." 32$
Ceived. To Iniquity, Cruelty and Inju- Serm.
;ftice, there is nothing in human Nature XIV*
that prompts us ; But the Vices are inhu-
mane as much as unchriftian, and the ef
fects only of unreasonable indulged evil
Habits. To Intemperance and Debauche
ry, there are indeed in many perfons
ftrong Inclinations, that may feem more
natural, and to be more immediate Effects
of man's Original corruption 5 being a
Law in the Members, warring againft the
Law of the Mind, and bringing men
into Cafti<vity to the Law of Sin and
Death. But even Thefe inclinations, are
Temptations only, and not Sins $ unlefs
they be confented to and indulged, in
unreafonable and unlawful Inftances 5
which God has given us the Ufe of Rea-
fon, and the Obligations of Religion, on
purpofe to reftrain. If therefore it be Na
tural to Man to be a reafonable Creature,
'tis natural to him alfo to be Religious j
Religion being nothing elfe but the high-
eft Reafon, and the keeping our Paffions
fubjecl: and obedient to its Laws. Where
fore when St Taul affirms, Eph. ii, 3,
that we all were by NATURE children
of wrath ; 'tis a very great Abufe of Scrip
ture, to underftand him as if he had faid?
Y 2 tha?
324 A S E R MO N f reach' d
Serin, that we were CREATET) children of
XIV. wrath. For the Nature the Apoftk there
fpeaks of, is not That nature wherein
God created us, but That fecond Nature
of evil Habits, which wicked men bring
upon themfelves by Cuflom in Sinning 5
That Nature, which we ufually mean e-
ven in common Speech, when we fay
'tis the Nature of a profane or vitious
man, to ad profanely or vitioufly. For
fo arc the Apoftle's exprefs Words : We
were by Nature, faith he, the children of
wrath, even as Others •, becaufe among
them WE alfo had our con'verfation in
times paft, in the Lufls of our Flefh,
fulfilling the defires of the Ftefh and of
the Mind : Speaking of Chriftians, con
verted from Heathen Wickednefs and I-
dolatry.
And This (hows, in what manner alfo
are to be underftood fuch Texts as thefe
which follow. Behold, I was SHAKEN
in iniquity, and in Sin did my Mother
CONCEIVE me, Pf. li, 5- The wicked
are eftranged from the WOMB, they go
ajlray aff'oon as they are BORN, Jpeak-
ing lies, Pi*. Iviii, 3 . / knew that thou
would/I .deal very treacheroujly, and waft
called
at 5V JAMES'/ WESTMINSTER. 325
called a tranfgreffor from the WOMB? Scrm.
If. xlviii, 8. They were a naughty genera- XIV.
tion, and their malice was BRET> in ^v^~
them, and their cogitation would NE-
VER be changed, Wifd. xii, 10. The
Meaning of all thefe Texts is, not that
men were really wicked by ncceflity of
Nature .; but 'tis a complaint of them,
that they were fo wicked and corrupt, as
if, fpeaking by way of Similitude, it had
been bred even in .their very nature. But
that it is not fo meant liter ally y appears
from hence, that, on the contrary, the
fame manner of fpeaking is ufed concern
ing Good men alfo. Job xxxi, 18, de-
fcribing his own charitablcncfs to the Poor,
he faith 5 From my TOUTH, he (the Poor)
was brought up with me j and I ha've
guided her ( the Widow ) from my Mo
ther's WOMB. AndEfcluf. i, 14, dc-
fcribing very Righteous men, he faith ;
To fear the Lord, is the beginning of
Wifdom 5 and it was created with the
Faithful in the WOMB. The Meaning
is; Suchpcrfons arc as juft and righteous,
as if Virtue (comparatively fpeaking) had
not been a matter of Choice, but as if it
had really been a Part; even of their Na
ture itfelf.
V 3
$2(5
Serm.
XIV. idly. From what has been faid, we may
fee the Reafon of the Manner of our
Saviour's admonition to his Difciples ;
when, taking up a young child in his
arms, and recommending its natural Sim
plicity, humility and innocence 5 he told
them, that except they were converted
and became as little children, they jhould
not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven ;
for that of Such 'was the Kingdom of
God. And St Taul makes ufe of the
fame Similitude, i Cor. xiv, 20, In Un~
derflanding, faith he, be Men, but in
Malice be ye children > that is, be ye
like to thofe who have not yet fought
out any evil Inventions.
. We may from hence obferve,
how great the Sin of Thofe is, who by
ill Advice, or bad Example, corrupt the
Minds of Children, or of Men. This
is, in the higheft degree, being like un
to Satan, the great Tempter and De-
ftroyer of Mankind. And if They
fhall feverely be punifhed, who comply
with thofe Temptations which rob them
of their Own Innocency, and deftroy
tfiat Uprightnefs wherein God had cre
ated
lut St JAMES'/ WESTMINSTER. 327
ated them ; of how much forer Punifh- Scrm.
ment fhall Thofe be thought worthy, XIV.
who induftrioufly labour in teaching
Others alfo to feek out evil Inven
tions !
A SER-
SERMON
Preach'd in the
PARISH-CHURCH
O F
St Jam 'ess Weftmin
On Sunday r, 'Dec. 29. 1723.
ROM. IX. 23, 24.
And that he might make known the
Riches ofhisGlory on theVeffels of Mer
cy > which he had afore prepared unto
Glory : Even Us whom he hath called,
not of the Jews only, but alfo of the
Gentiles.
THERE is no part of the whole Serm.
New Tcftament, of greater dif- XV.
ficulty to be undcrftood 5 or which
has been more mifapplied by the ignorant,
more
330 A SERMO
Serm more wrefted by the learned, and more
XV. falfely interpreted by the melancholy pi-
Y^ ous perfon ; than this gth chapter of St.
Caul's Epiftle to the Romans. In which
Chapter, whilft Some have greatly per
plexed themfelves by picking out fome of
the middle verfes of it ; concerning God's
cleding the children 'which were yet un
born, and had neither done good nor evil $
concerning his loving Jacob) and hating
Efau j concerning his hardning 'Pharaoh 5
and ftewing Mercy on whom he will have
Mercy ', and having Companion on whom
he will have CompaJJion ; and concerning
his having the fame Power over Mankind,
as the 'Potter has over the Clay, to make
one Vefiel to Honour, and another to
Difhonour : Whilft fome, I fay, have great
ly perplexed themfelves by picking out
fome of thefe particulars fingly ; 'tis yet
neverthelefs very evident, both from the
Apoftie's Introduction of his Difcourfe at
the Beginning of the chapter, and from
his Conclufwn and fumming up of his
Argument at the End ; that the defigno/-
the Whole., is not at all to fpeak concern
ing any Decree of God, with refpeft to
the fnal and eternal ftate of particular
ferfons ; but only to declare both the
Sovereign Power and the Juftice ]of God,
in
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 331
in diftributing to different Nations in di- Serm.
vers Ages what different Advantages he XV.
plcales 5 and revealing his Will to them at
'what Times and in what manner he thinks
fit. As, in that great inftance of his re
jecting the Jews, and calling in the Gen
tiles. Which, at the Beginning of the
chapter, the Apoftle expreisly declares to
be the Aim and Intention of his Dif-
courfe : And at the End he fums it up,
as the Conclusion defigned : And all the
intermediate parts of it, and the Exam
ples therein alledged, arc plainly nothing
but Similitudes and Illuftrations of this
Argument.
The Words of the Text itfelf, are as
clear a Declaration of this whole matter,
as can be defired. That he might make
known the Riches of his Glory on the
Veffels of Mercy, which he had afore
prepared unto Glory ; even US whom he
has called, not of the Jews only, but alfo
of the Gentiles. Here the Apoftle clear
ly and cxprefsly declares, that by the Vef-
fels of Mercy, prepared afore of God unto
Glory, (of whom he had been treating in
the fore-going part of the Chapter,) he docs
not mca.nparttcular'Perfons chofcn uncon-
ditionatcly to eternal Salvation ; but the
whole
331 A S E R M O N preach 'd
Serm. whole Body of Chriftians, even Us whom
XV. he has called, (and who have obeyed That
Call by believing in Chrift, ) not from a-
mong the Jews only, but alfo of the
Gentiles : Called, to receive that Grace
and Mercy, and to embrace thofe Advan
tages of the Gofpel--, by re jetting of which,
the Jews became Veflels of Wrath fitted
to deurutlion. And We in like manner,
notwithstanding our being at prefent the
Veflels of Mercy, yet, if we live unwor
thy of the fame Advantages, the Apoftle
bids us beware, leaft, fince God fpared
not the Jews, the natural branches ; much
more he alfo fpare not Us, who were but
inrafted after Their Fall.
But, to enter into a more full and
ticular Explication of the Apoftle's whole
Difcourfe. In the foregoing part of this
Epiftle, he had Hiown at large, that the
Gentiles, by corrupting themfelves con
trary to the Law of Nature, (ch. i 5 ) and
die Jews by difobeying the Law given
them from Heaven, (ch. ii j ) were Both
cf them become equally liable to the
wrath of God : For that, God being no
Refpeder of Perfons, as many as have
fnned without the Law, flail per i(b with
out the Law $ and as many as have jin-
ned
WESTMINSTER. 333
ned in the Law, fhall be judged by the Serm,
Law, ch. ii, ver. 12. XV.
That therefore the infufEciency of
Both thefe Laws, either to preferve men
from Sin, or to furnifh them with fuffi-
cient means of reconciliation after Sin 5
I fay, the infufficiency of Both thefe Laws
evidently appearing : confequently both
Jews and Gentiles were obliged to be
lieve in Chrift -, embracing and obeying
the grace or gracious Terms of the Go-
fpel, as the only Means of ] unification
for the future, (ch. iii.) For fine e all have
finned, and come fhort of the glory
of God, they can only be htftified
freely by his Grace, through the Redemp
tion that is in Jefus Chrift, v. 2,4. That
is 5 All being Sinners, they can none of
them claim Salvation by the merit of theii-
obedience, but merely through the gra
cious pardon of Sin freely granted to pe
nitents thro' Faith in Chrift.
That this ] unification by Faith with-<
out Works, (that is, by the Obedience of
the Gofpel alone, without the Ceremonies
of the Law,] IVas abundantly Sufficient *,
becaufe it was the fame, by which Abra
ham himfelf, the Father of the faithful,
had been juftified, (ch. iv -,) For the ^Pro-
mife was not to Abraham or to his Seed
through
$34 ^SERMON freach'd
Serm* through the Law (the Mofaick Law,)
X v . but through the right eoufnefs of Faith)
ver. 1 3 .
7*>to This Juftification by the Faith and
Obedience of the Gofpel, affords much
greater afTurance of prefent peace and re
conciliation with God, and of eternal
Life and Glory hereafter, than the Law
could do, (ch. v. ) For if (faith he) when
we were Enemies, we were reconciled to
God by the 'Death of his Son? much more
being now jtiftifed by his Bloody we fhall
be Caved from Wrath thro him, ver. 9.
That this free Juftification by Grace
through the Faith of the Goffel, without
the Ceremonies of the Mofaick inftitu-
tion, obliges men to a ftrider Obedience,
to greater Purity and Holinefs of Life,
than the Law itfelf had done, (ch.
vi; ) Chriftians being now made free
from Sin, and become the Servants of
tight eoufnefs ; being dead unto Sin, but
alive unto God, through Jefus Chrifl
our Lord, ver. 1 1 and i 8.
That the Law of Mofes, was by no
means able to deliver men from the bon
dage and flavery of Sin 5 from forbearing
to do the good they would, and from do
ing the evil they would not ; from the
Law in their Body, warring againfl the
Law
at St JAMESV WESTMINSTRR.; ^" 335
Law of their Mind, and bringing them Serin.
into Captivity to the Law of Sin and XV.
; Death, (ch. vii.) But that the Gofpel, ha-
ving deliver edmv& from the Body of this
'Death, from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious Liberty of the children
of God 5 enabled them to prevail, not on
ly over the Temptations of Sin within
themfelves, but alfo over all the Perfecu-
tions and all the Powers of the World,
( ch. viii. ) For the Law of the Spi
rit of Life in Chrift Jefus, hath
made me free from the Law of Sin and
<Death. And Now, Who {hall feparate
us from the Love of Chrift ? Shall tri
bulation, or diflrefs, or persecution, of
famine, or nakednefs, or peril, or Sword ?
Nay, in all thefe things we are more
than conquer or s^ through him that loved
us, ver. 2 and 35.
The Apoftle, I fay, having largely
proved thefe fcveral Particulars in the
firft Eight Chapters of this Epiftle ; pro
ceeds in this Ninth Chapter to anfwcr a
great 'Prejudice and ftrong ObjetJion,
which he forefaw would be raifed by the
unbelieving Jews, againft what he had
hitherto been pleading for. For, if
his doctrine delivered in this Epiftle was
true,
336 A S E R MO N preach' 3
Serm. true, the confequencc was plain, that, who-
XV. foever of the Jews rejecled the Gofpel j
it would follow, notwithstanding their
being defcended from the Patriarchs ', to
whom all the 'Promifes were made 5 not-
withftanding their being the peculiar peo
ple of God ; notwithftandihg that to Them
were committed t he ^Prophecies and Ora
cles of God > notwithstanding that to Them
pertained the adoption, and the glory, and
the Covenants, and the giving of the
Law, and the Service of God, and the
Tromifes , It would follow, that they
were ftill neverthelefs out of the Way of
Salvation, in their moft zealous Obfer-
vance of the ceremonial righteoufnefs of
the Law $ unlefs they believed in Chrifly
and obeyed the Gofpel, which is the Righ
teoufnefs of Faith. This the Jews
thought to be an impoffible Doctrine, and
contrary to the Promifes of God made
to their Fathers the Patriarchs ; and that
therefore it was only an effed of the Apo-
flle's zeal and Trejtidice againft them,
Jince his forfaking Them, and being con
verted to Chriftianity. To this Obje
ction therefore he replies at large, rn this
Ninth chapter 5 by Ihowing that there
was no injuftice in God, no breach of
Promife, no change of his Will, in r&J
Jefting
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 337
j efting the unbelieving Jews, and receiving Serin."
in the Gentiles ; fince even originally the XV.
Promife was not made to All the chil-
dren of Abraham, but to Ijaac only.;
and not to Both the Sons of Ifaac, but
to Jacob only : And, of the Pofterity of
Jacob7 All were not Ifrael, which were
of Ifrael ; but, in Elijah's days, feven
thoufand only were the true Ifrael ; and, in
the time of Ifaiah, though the number of
the children of Ifrael was as the fand
of the Sea, yet a remnant only was
to be fayed ; And, during the Whole pe
riod Of the Law, God had mercy on
whom he would have Mercy, and Conv-
paffion on whom he would have Com-
pafllon j That is, not on the whole peo
ple promifcuoufly, but on whom he him-
felf pleafed, who was the Alone compe
tent Judge, and who Alone could infal
libly diftinguifh luch as were truly ftedfaft
in their Faith or Fidelity towards him :
And whom he would, he hardened--) that
is, out of obftinate and incorrigible Of
fenders, he chofe whom he pleafed, to
make remarkable examples of his wrath
and vengeance. Since this, faith the A-
poftlc, was the Cafe Originally, and the
method of God's proceeding all along:
Much more at the coming of the Meffiar
Z into
338 A S E R MO N preach' d
Serm. inte the World, who was the End of the
XV. Law ; might God juftly reject and caft off
the Unbelievers ; and reckon Thofe only
the true children of Abraham, who imi
tated the Faith and Obedience of that
great Father of the Faithful : Making
\nown the riches of his glory, as the
Text exprcflcs it, on the vejfels of mercy y
which he had afore prepared unto glory ;
Even US whom he has called, not of
the Jews only, but alfo of the Gen
tiles.
This being premifed in general? and
the principal force of the Apoftle's Argu
ment explained ; the feveral 'Particulars
of his diicourfe in this chapter, which
have often been fo widely miftaken and fo
ftrangely mifapplied, may without much
difficulty be underftood. In the fir ft five
<verfes he begins with an Apology for him-
felf, that, in this whole doctrine concern
ing the rejection of the Jews, he was
not at all influenced by any 'Prejudice or
Hatred\\^ had contracted againft his coun
try-men fuicc his converfton to Chriftiani-
ty. So far from that, that on the con
trary he calls God to witnefs in the moft
folcmn manner, that his grief and trou
ble of Mind for their Impenitency and
In-
at St JAMESV WESTMINSTER. 339
Incredulity, and for their confequent re- Serm.
;edion, and the judgments God would XV.
fend upon them ; was much greater and N~^VVi
more uneafy to him, than all the other
afflictions and calamities he met with in
the World. I fay the Truth in Chrift
( fays he, ) I lie not, my conference alfo
bearing me witnefs in the Holy Ghoft?
that 1 have great heavinefs and conti
nual forrow in my Heart ; For I could
*wifl) that MT SELF were ac cur fid from
Chrift, for my brethren my kinfmen ac
cording to the fefh. The exprefiion is
highly figurative and affectionate. And
melancholy pious perfons have fometimcs
been difturbed at it 5 as if St Taul's Wifti
was an inimitable flight of Affedion :
Whofe example herein, if a Chriftian can
in no cafe follow, he may be apt to ac-
cufe himfelf of want of Charity ; and
yet to follow it in any cafe, fecms terri
ble even to the ftrongeft affedtion, and
mocking even to the moft fervent Zeal.
For tho' for a good man> as the fame Apo-
ftle el fe where exprefles himfelf, one would
even dare to die* yet for a man, upon
any pofllble account whatfocver, to be
content to become fubjcct to the C-urfe of
God, and to his final difpleafure 3 this
fccms beyond the utmoft bounds even of
Chri-
340 ^SERMON freach'd
Serm. Chriftian Chanty itfelf, cither to defire,
XV. or to be ever capable of being prevailed
with to fubmit to. Tis certain therefore,
that the Meaning of the Apoftle has been
mifunderftood 5 and that his intention in
this paflage, was not to wifh himfelf fub-
jeft to the eternal wrath of God, (which
is abfurd and impoffible 5 ) But, the wifh-
ing hinfelf accurfed from Chrift for the
fake of his own Nation and People, is to
wifh, that, if it were poflible, he, by
bearing himfelf 'thofe temporal judgments,
which he faw were coming upon Them
on account of their being accurfed from
Chrift through their obftinacy and incre
dulity, might reftore them again to the
Favour of God, and reinftate them in the
Privileges of his peculiar people. I could
wifh that MT SELF were accurfed from
Chrift ', for my brethren my kinfmen ac
cording to the Flefh. So far ( fays he, )
am I from bearing any hatred or ill-will
to my own Nation the Jewsy that on
the contrary I could willingly fuffer all
the Calamities in the World in their ftead,
if thereby I could prevent their rejection,
and their being accurfed from Chrift.
And this high cxprefllon of his zeal and
concern for his own Nation in the Begin
ning of his Difcourfe, is an undeniable
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 341
'Demonftration, that the whole Argument Scrm.
itfelf, which follows in this chapter, does XV.
not at all relate to any imaginary Predcfti-
nation of 'Particular pcrfons to eternal
Happinefs or Mifery ; but that it wholly
belongs to the rejection of the NATION
of the JewSy for their infidelity ; and the
calling in of the Gentiles, by the Gofpel.
For, in This Senfe, his Apology for him-
felf is very pertinent and appofite, and
neceffary to be premifed in the Introdu-
ftion of aDifcourfe, which he fore fa w muft
needs be fo extremely ungrateful to the
whole Jcwifh Nation. But according to
the Other Interpretation of the Apoftie's
Argument, there can no Senfe at all be
made of this Apology. For fince prede-
ftinate or reprobate pcrfons, if of fuch he
were fpeaking, were fclcded irrefyefli've*
ly both from among Jews and Gentiles ;
and, who the particular perfons fo fcledcd
were, could not at all be known in this life ;
it could not fcrve any imaginable purpofe
in fuch an Argument, to prcmife an A-
pology concerning his great hcavincfs and
continual forrow of Heart for the reje-
ftion of his own Nation and Country
men, the whole people ot the Jews.
Z 3 This
A SERMO N freach'd
This latter therefore, being plainly his
true Scope and Dcftgn j he proceeds at
the 6th verfe to fhow, that there was no
injuftice, no breach of promife in God,
in rejecting the unbelieving Jews, and
receiving in the Gentiles in theiic
room j forafmuch as the very original Pro
mife to their Father Abraham, by which
they were firft intitled to become God's
peculiar people, was not made promifcu-
oufly to all his Pofterity, but to the chil
dren of the promife, the feed of Ifaac
only. Which was from the Beginning a
Type and plain procuration, that God
did not principally intend his promife, to
take place in Abrahams Defcendants ac
cording to the Flefh ; but in thofc who
by a Faith or Fidelity like his, were in
a truer and higher Senfe the children and
Followers, of that great Father of the
Faithful. The Promife of God therefore
is not at all made void by this new Dif-
penfation : Nor can I in any wife be
charged, fays he, as though I fuppofed
the Word of God had taken none effett ;
For they are not All Ifrael, which are Of
Ifraeli Neither becaufe they are the feed of
Abraham, are they all children -•> But in I-
faac
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 343
faac {hall thy feed be called j That is, Serm.
They which are the children of the Flefh, XV.
thefe are not the children of God? but
the children of the fromife^ are counted
for the Seedy ver. 8 . So that, even accord
ing to the Original Intent of the promife
made to Abraham^ ChriftiansoftheG^w-
tiles who imitated the Faith and moral
Obedience of that Patriarch, were more
truly his children, than his unbelieving ^Po-
flerity according to the Flefh.
The fame Argument the Apoftle fur
ther illuftrates in the i oth verfe, by a ftill
more eminent Example. For, if, faith
he, not only among the children of A-
brahaniy but even among the Pofte-
rity of Ifaac himfelf, (that Child of
the Promife 3 ) God was pleafed to con
tinue to make fuch a diftin&ion, as to
confine the Promife to Jacob in exclusion
of EfaUy even before Either of them was
born into the World : Much more may
God NoWy without injufticc, confine his
promife to fuch only, who, after the Ex
ample of Jacob y believe in God, and o-
bey his Will in what manner foevcr it be
made known to them 5 Exclufivc of thofe,
who continue in their Unbelief, and ob-
flinatcly rejed that only means of Salva
tion which God hath propofcd to them :
Z 4 Ex-
344 A S E R MO N preach'd
Serm. Exclufive ( I fay ) of thefe, notwithftand-
XV. ing that they be by dcfcent the Pofterity of
Jacob, and in Other Refpefts equal to
them that Believe. And this is the full
meaning of the following Words, tv. 1 1 .
The children being not yet born, neither
having done any good or evil 5 that the
furpofe of God according to election might
ftandy not of works, but of him that
calleth ; It was faid unto Rebekah, The
elder Jhall ferve the younger 5 As it is
written, Jacob have I loved, l?ut Efau
have I hated.
That the Turpofe of God, according to
election, might ft and. The only difficul
ty in this paffage is, What Turpofe of God
the Apoftle is here fp caking of. Many
have ftrongly imagined, that it is his Pur-
pofe of choofing fome particular perfons
unconditionately to eternal Life, and o-
thers to eternal Deftrudion. But the A-
poftle gives not the leaft Hint of any
fuch thing. On the contrary, he explains
himfelf in exprefs Words, that he means
God's 'Purpofe of appointing the elder
of Ifaacs Sonstoferve the younger j And
This, not fo much in their 'Perfons, as
in their nat tonal T oft erity : And therefore
jio Wonder, that God made This Ap
pointment before they were yet born. And
the
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 345
the Ufe or Application the Apoftle makes Serm.
of this Inftance, is, to prevent an Ob- XV,
jedion of the unbelieving Jews ; Who ^VN^
ilnce they could not deny but, notwith-
ftanding all the Promifes made to Abra
ham and Ifaac, yet God might in This
Senfe, without any injuftice, hate and re-
jeft Efau 5 confequently they could not
reafonably charge God with any unrighte-
oufnefs, in reje&ing in like manner the
unbelieving Jews alfo themfefaes. What
fljall we fay then ? Is there unrighte-
oufnefswith God? God forbid, ver. 14.
And to the fame Purpofe he urges, in
the following verfes, the Inftances of
what God declared to Mofes, and what
he did to ^Pharaoh. If of old God de
clared to Mofes, that he would have mer
cy on whom he would have mercy, and
would have companion on whom he
would have companion 5 that is, would
have compallion on men in what man
ner and upon what conditions he himfelf
judged fit, who is certainly the moft pro
per and the Only unerring judge : For the
fame reafon Now alib, lays the Apoftle,
neither is it of him that willeth nor of
him that runneth, to choofc for himfelf
in what Method God fhall bring men to
Sal-
346 A S E RM O N f reach W
Serm. Salvation 5 (zs\h.zunbelieevingJee
XV. do, by adhering obftinately to the ceremo-
#/Wrighteoufnefs of the Mofaick Law :)
But 'tis of God only, that fheweth Mer
cy 5 'tis His part only, to appoint in what
manner, to whom, and on what co nditions,
he will fhow it. Even in Humane Judi
catures, mould xt\ unskilful Spectator take
upon him to find fault with the Sentence
of an Able and Upright Judge ; might
not the Judge i^W/exprefs him! elf in this
manner : I will acquit? whom I fee ft
to acquit -, and I will condemn, whom I
fee fit to condemn? Meaning, not that he
would do It arbitrarily -, but that, as ha
ving Alone the moft perfed Knowledge of
the Law and of the Faff, his Sentence
ought not to be queftioned by unskilful
Spectators.
Again : If of old God always referved
to him! elf a Liberty of choofing like wife
out of incorrigible offenders, whom he
thought fit, to make publick and emi
nent examples of his wrath and vengeance ;
as in the inftance of Tharaoh, whom
God hardncd, (juft in the fame fenfe as
He is faid to have tempted ^David, when
by his permiffion Satan tempted him,
2 Sam: xxiv, i 5 and i Chron. xxi, i.
God
at St JAMES'* WESTMINSTER. 347
God* hardned Tharaoh, I fay,) not by ma- Serm
king or decreeing him to be wicked, (God XV.
forbid 5) but, being wicked and incorrigibly */^W
obftinate, God raifed him up or fupported
him in his Fewer, and deferred deftroying
him, and by many tryals made both his
obftinacy and his puni foment remarkable
and confpicuous to the World, that he
might fhew his ^Power in him, and that
his Name might be declared throughout
all the Earth. If thus in all Former
times, fays the Apoftle, God always re-
ferved to himfelf this Power of choofing
from among incorrigible offenders, whom
he pleafed, to make publick examples of
his wrath 5 as in this inftance of Pharaoh :
for the fame rcafon Now alfo, fays he,
neither is there any injuftice in God, in
choofing to make the impenitent and un
believing Jews, (whom all his judgments
hitherto, and all his merciful and graci
ous invitations to embrace the Gofpcl,
* Thus Dent, xxix, 4, When Mofes intended to expo~
flulcite with the Israelites, and to reprove them in the fe-
•vereft manner, for their Wilful obftinacy and ingratitude -t
he thus exprefles it : Ye have feen all that the Lord did
_ ; Yet the Lord hath not Given you an Heart to per
ceive, and Eye i to fee, and Ears to hear, unto This day. Tha
Senfe of thefe words of Mofes, is exa£lly what at This day
J5 vulgarly expreflcd by the term, Grucelefs.
have
34* A SE RMON preach 'a
Serm. have only hardned, inftead of bringing
XV. them to Repentance ;) there is no inju-
VOT*" ftice in God in making Them Examples
of his Severity and Wrath, notwithftand-
ing their being the Pofterity of Abraham
according to the Flefh ; at the fame time
that he refolves to have mercy upon as
many of the Gentiles, as (hall obey the
Call by which he invites them to receive
the Gofpel.
Having thus cleared his main Argument,
the Apoftle proceeds in the igtb verfe,
to propofe an Objection, which he fore-
faw the unbelieving Jews would make a-
gamft the Dodrine he had been hitherto
eftablifhing. Thou wilt fay then unto
me, Why doth he yet find fault ? for
Who hath reffled his mil? If God re
folves to caft us off and deftroy us, as he
did ^Pharaoh j why doth he yet blame us,
for being fo rejected ? for, how can his
Will be rcfiftcd ? To this, He makes a two
fold Anfwer. F'trft, by way of general
Caution, <ver. 20, 215 And fecondly, by
a particular and dircft Reply, ver. 22, and
in the Words of the Text. Firft, by
way of general Caution, he reproves the
rafhnefs of replying prefumptuoufly againft
God,
'fit St JAMES'* WESTMINSTER.' 349
God, *uer. 20; Nay but, O man, Who Serm.
art thou that replieft againft God? Shall XV,
the thing formed? fay to him that formed
it, why haft thou made me thus ? Hath
not the Totter power over the Clay, of
the fame lump to make one Veffel to ho
nour, and another to difkonour? That is;
not that God could originally create one
man unconditionatcly to eternal Life, and
another on purpofe for eternal Mifcry ;
For this, if it were fojjible (as 'tis infinite
ly impojfible} to be true, would yet be
nothing at all to the Apoftlc's Argument
concerning the Whole Nation of the
Jews: But the plain meaning is (as ap
pears frome the exprefs application of thcfe
paflagesin the 45 th of Ifaiah and the i itb
of Jeremiah, from whence they are ci
ted ,) that God has as much 'Power and
as much Right, to punifh or reject one
Nation or people, and receive or exalt
another, upon what terms he himfcdf
judges to be moft fit and reafonable ; as
the Potter has, to form and mould his
clay, firft into one Shape, and 'then into
another. But Secondly, the Apoillc an-
fwers further to the fore-mentioned Ob
jection, by a particular and direct Reply;
that the rcjcded Jews had no rcafon at
all
A SERMON preach'd
all to murmur againft the Power and Will
of God ; for that though it was indeed his
abfolute Will and uncontrolable Power,
to punifh them when and in what man
ner he thought fit 3 yet it was Their own
obftinacy and impenitency only, that made
them liable to be fo rejcded and punifh-
cdat all. Vcr. 22, What if God, wil
ling to fljew his wrath, and to make his
Tower known, endured WITH MUCH
LONG-SUFFERING the Veffels of
wrath fitted to deftrutfion ? The words,
with much long- fuffer ing, prove very
clearly, that even the rcjeded Veffels of
Wrath themfclvcs were not dcftroyed,
till God had firft long waited even for
Their Repentance and Amendment j which
evidently {hows, it was not before deter
mined to be impoflible. And then he
adds in the words of the Text: And
that he might make known the Riches of
his Glory on the Veffels of Mercy, which
he had afore prepared unto Glory ; Even
US whom he has called, not of the Jews
only, but alfo of the Gentiles. The
Veffels of Mercy therefore, are not par
ticular per fans chofen irrcfpc&ively ; but
Us whom he has called, that is, \h.z whole
Body of ChriftianSj in oppofition to the
whole
at St ] AMES'S WESTMINSTER. 351
whole Nation of the rejcfted unbelieving Serm.
Jews. Which is alfo further evident XV.
from the Application he makes in the fol- C
lowing verie, of the words of the Pro
phet : As he faith alfo in Ofee, I will
call them my people, which were not my
people, and her beloved-, which was not
beloved: And it fball come to pafs, that
in the place where it was f aid unto themy
Te are not my people, there fhall they be
called the children of the Living God.
And ftill more clearly, if poilible, from
the manner of his Summing up the whole
Argument, ver. 3 o ; What fhall we fay
then ? that the Gentiles which followed
not 'after Right eoufnefs, have attained to
Right eoufnefs, even the Righteoufnefs
which is of Faith -, But Ifrael which
followed after the law of Right eoufnefs,
hath not attained to the Law of Righte
oufnefs : Wherefore ? Because they fought
it not by Faith, (that is, by embracing
theGofpel,) but as it were by the Works
of the Mofaick Law. All which, he
goes on yet further to explain and illu-
ftrate, in the whole i oth and 1 1 th Chap
ters following. Which arc fo plain, that
they need no Interpretation.
From
352 A SER MON preach'^
Serm.
XV. From what has been faid, we may
draw the two following practical Obfer-
fervations,
iy?, Such pious Perfbns, as are apt t6
be difturbcd with melancholy apprehen-
ftons concerning their own State ; fear
ing, that after all their fmcereft and moft
earncft indeavours to obey the Will ot
God by a life of Virtue and true Holinefs,
they may yet pofllbly not be of the num
ber of thofe Veffels of Mercy ? whom he
has afore prepared unto Glory -, Such Per-
fons, I fay, may have their Doubts re
moved, by confidering, that all thofe paf-
fagcs of Scripture, from which Some have
earneftly indcavour'd to eftablifh the
Doctrine of abiblute and unconditionate
decrees, do upon a careful confidcration
appear to have been greatly mifintcrpre-
tcd ; and that by the Veffels of Mercy y
'whom God had afore prepared unto Glo
ry ', St Taut plainly means, not particu
lar Terfons chofen irrefpcctively out of the
bulk of Mankind 5 but the whole Body
of Chriftians, the univerfal Church of
Chrift, in oppofition to the whole ^People
or Nation of the Jews. The Election
(the
at St JAMESV WESTMINSTER^ 353
(the chofen people] have obtained it, and Serm.
the reft were blinded. XV.
^ On the other hand, fuch as are
apt to be Prefumptuous, and think them-
felves fecure in the bare Profeffion of
Chriftianity ; upon account of the 'whole
Body of Chriftians being ftiled in Scrip
ture, the eleffiy the election, Veffels of
Mercy j and the like : Thefe ought to take
Notice, that in like manner as St Taul,
out of the prophet Ifaiah, obferves that
\vhen the whole Nation of the Jews were
the chofen and peculiar people of God,
yet out of Them a Remnant only were
to be finally faved ; So Now alfo, though
the whole Body of Chriftians, upon ac
count of God's gracious Offers of Mer
cy to them in Chrift, are {tiled in Scrip
ture the election of grace ; yet Thofe on
ly who live worthy of fo excellent a
Profeflion, by the Pradife of true Vir
tue, Righteoufncfs and Holincfs, {hall fi
nally be made partakers of the Benefit
thereof. For, as Chrift chofe, (the word
in the Original is, elected] twelve difci-
ples, and yet one of them proved a De
vil and the Son of Perdition , fo, not-
withftanding that all Chriftians are the
Veffels of Mercy, prepared of God a-
A a fore
354 A S E R MO N preactid
Scrm. fore unto Glory > yet if any man draws
XV. back, he fhall lofe the Benefit of that
,r~v~ Preparation 5 and God will no longer
have any Tleafure in him ; that is, he
fhall finally berejefted, and not be made
partaker of the Salvation of the Go-
fpel
A SER-
A
SERMON
Preach'd in the
PARISH-CHURCH
O F
Stjamess Weftminfter,
On Sunday i Feb. 2, 1723.
LUKE XVI, 12.
And if ye have not been Faithful in
That which is Another man's, who
fhall give you That which is your
own?
THESE words are the Conclufton of Serm.
a Parable 5 in which ourLord ihows XVI.
us, that the Men of This world
are generally more diligent, more skil
ful, and more true to their Own Intcreft,
A a 2 in
356 A S E R MO N preach'd
Serm. in the purfuit of their worldly Defigns* j
XVI. than men who have the Knowledge of
the True Religion, and of the Happincfs
of the Life to come, are in fecuring to
themfelVes a Portion in That eternal
State. And thence he exhorts his Dif-
ciplcs, to learn Wifdorn in this ^Parti-
cular, even from vitious and corrupt
men ; to learn, even from Their Beha
viour, to make the belt Improvement of
the Advantages they have in their Hands }
and be as diligent in making Provifion for
the time to come, in Matters of Eternal
Concern, as Others are in Temporal.
The cafe he puts by way of Similitude,
is that of a Stewards who having em-
bezzeled his Lord's Goods, and finding
he fhould thereupon be removed from his
Place,deliberates with himfelf whatCourfe
he had beft to take for his future Subii-
ftence. To dig, or earn his Bread by the
Labour of his Hands, was what he had
never been brought up to ; To Beg, he
was afhamed. What he at laft rciblv'd
upon, was to do at prefent fomc conii-
dcrable Ads of Gcnerofity to feveral of
his Lord's Debtors •, that afterwards, when
he came to be difcharged from his Place,
he might find Some Support in the Re
turns of Their . Gratitude ; Ver. 4, 1 am
refol*
af Sf JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 357
r e folded what to do •> that, when I am put Scrm.
out of the Stewardship, they may receive XVI.
me into their Houfes. Accordingly, WV"N*
fending for his Lord's Debtors, he imme
diately remits to each of them a confide-
rable Proportion of their Debt. Whe
ther we are to iiippofe he did this frau
dulently, in further Wrong to his Lord ; ]
or whether he did it with Juftice, out
of his own prefcnt Subftancc ; is not ma
terial to the Intent of the Parable. What
our Saviour obferves upon it, is This on
ly ; that his Lord commended him, ver.
8, becauft he had done wifely : He com
mended his Worldly Wifdom, in fecuring
to himfelf Friends againft the day of Ad-
verfity. And the Application our Lord
makes of it, is This : That, what All men,
both juft and unjuft, acknowledge to be
the great Inftance of Wifdom in Tempo
ral Affairs j the making provifton before
hand againft a time of NccelTity : is re
ally much mere fo, with regard to things
Eternal. But in fad, 'tis in this latter
cafe much more rarely put in 'Praffife :
For the children of This World, fays he,
are in their generation wifer than the
children of Light. This Obfervation
contains an affectionate Reproof of the
RemiJJnefs of Chriftians, in not being
A a 3 fut-
3 5 s ASER MO N freach'd
Serm. Sufficiently follicitous about their future
XVI. and final Intereft : And there is inclu-
V^ ded in it an earned Admonition to them,
to learn from the example even of an un
righteous World, to be true to their
Principles ; and to be as Wife in attending
to their own Advantages, as worldly men
are to Theirs. Learn, fays he, even
from the Similitude of the Uujuft Stew
ard, to lay up for yourfelves a Treafure
againft the time to come, to fecure to
yourfelves a Refuge againft the day of
Trial. Make to yourfelves Friends of
the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs -, that
when ye fail, they may receive you into
everlafling Habitations. He that is
Faithful in that which is leafl, is faith
ful alfo in much ; and he that is unjufl
in the leafl, is unjufl alfo in much. If
therefore you have not been faithful in the
unrighteous mammon-, who will commit
to your Trufl the True Riches ? And
if ye have not been faithful in That
which is Another mans, who fhallgive
you that which is your own ? There is
fome little Obfcurity in the Words, ari-
ftng from the manner of exprejfion^ efpe-
ciaily in that latter part of them, which
are the words of my Text. But if we
carefully confidcr their True Senfe -, they
will
at St J A M E S'S W E S T M I N S T E R. 359
will appear to contain the clear eft Rea- Serm.
fining, and the ftrongeft and moft noble XVI.
Argument in the World*
In the firft place 'tis to be obferved,
that the words, unrighteous mammon,
with which cmr Lord here exhorts his
Diiciples to make to thcmfelves Friends,
do not fignify Riches UNJUSTLT
gotten. Riches which men have no
RIGHT at all to pofTefs -, but
/ jj */
which they have no Lofting, no certain,
no Secure and Permanent Right to 5 no
Right of perpetuity of Enjoyment. For
they are exprefly oppofed, not as unjujl
or ill-gotten, tojuft or well-gotten Riches ;
but as Falfe and 'Deceitful, they are here
oppofcd to the True Riches ; and as in-
fecure tranfltory Poffcflions, to Ever la-
fting Habitations.
In the Next place 'tis to be obferved,
that the words, He that is Faithful in
that which is LEAST, is Faithful alfo
in MUCH , are a companion between
the 'Prefent Life, and the Future. He,
and He only, who, in the State of Tryai
Here, (hows his Fidelity in a Small Truft ;
(hall Hereafter have intruded to him an
unfpeakably Larger and more permanent
'Poffejfion. Thus our Lord explains him-
felf in the Parable of the Talents, Matt.
A a 4 25,
36o A S E R M O N preach* d
Serm. 25, 2 1 -3 Well done, thon good and Faith-
XVI. ful Servant -, Thou haft been Faithful
over a Few things, I will make thee
Ruler over Many things ; Enter thou
into the Joy of thy Lord. Or, as he ex-
prefTcs it in Luke 19, 1 7 -, Well, thou good
Servant -, becaufe thou haft been Faith-
ful in a very Little, have thou Autho
rity over Ten Cities.
Laftly, 'tis to be obferv'd (which in
deed is the principal difficulty in the
Text ; ) that the words, Who fhall give
you That which is your Own ? do not
fignify, That which is Already your own>
but that which is to be ; that which,
when once given you, WILL be your
own for a 'Perpetual and Unalienable
PofTeilion. If ye have not been Faith'
ful in that which is Another man's,
in that which you knew was only a
Truft committed to you, and commit
ted to you only for avery fiort time;
how then can you be fit to be intruded
with a ToffeJJlonfor Terpetuity > If in a
matter wherein you knew you muft be
called to account, and knew not every
day but the very next might be the day
oj accounting, you have ftill ventured
prefumptuoufly to be Unfaithful 5 how
ye fit to be intrufled with Towe*
and
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 361
and a KING*DOM, with Power my our Serm.
'Own 'Property, with a Poflfeflion fecure XVL
and of unchangeable 'Duration ?
Thus the *$V»/£ of our Lord in this
whole Difcourfe, is exceeding clear > and
the Argument on which he builds his
Admonition, ftrong and affectionate.
Learn, fays he, one fart of true Wifdom,
even from worldly , even from unrigh
teous men. The unjuft Steward in the
^Parable -, forefeeing he fhould not long
poflefs his Stewardfhip, had Wifdom
enough to make fome fort of iProtvifion
for himfelf, againit the Day of Adverfity.
Te alfo , fays our Lord , are Stewards 3
entrufted with a fmall treafure, for a ve
ry uncertain, but certainly very fhoit,
Time. This Treafure , to which you
have no lofting Right, no continuing Ti
tle ; make to yourfelves Friends with it,
Now. Employ it in fuch a manner, in
things innocent and virtuous , in ways
juft and righteous, in works ufeful and
charitable ; that hereafter, when this tran-
ftory life fhall fail, ye may be found wor
thy to be received into e-verlaftmg Habi
tations. To obtain a Portion in thofc
everlafting Habitations, there is no other
polliblc way, but by being found faith
ful in this Temporary Trial. For He
that
562 A S E R M 0 N preachd
Serm. that is Faithful in Little, may reafona-
XVI. bly be depended upon, that he will be
Faithful alfo in Much ; But He that is
Unjuft in the Leaft thing, can with no
reafon exped to be trufted with what is
Greater. If therefore, fays our Lord,/^ be
not faithful m a Truft of fo fhort continu
ance, as thcfirefent time is ; how are ye fit
to have committed to you the True and E-
ternal Riches ? And if ye be not faithful in
That which is Another's, and for which
ye are accountable every moment 5 how is
it fit ye mould be trufted with a permanent
Treafure, a Treafure to continue in your
own Tower, in your own proper anduna-
lienabk ToffeJJlon ?
Having thus at large explained the
words, and ill unrated the Argument ufed
by our Lord in the Text 5 it remains that
I deduce from thence fome 'Doftrinal Ob-
fcrvations, which may be of Ufe to us in
brattice. And
i/?. Tis obvious to obfcrve, that What
our Lord here argues, both in the Parable
and in the Application of it, with regard
to the ufc of Riches in particular j is e-
qually applicable, and intended to be ap
plied, to every other Advantage or Abi
lity whatfoevcr. Authority, Honour,
'Power, Knowledge j every Opportunity
in
at St JAMES'.? WESTMINSTER. 36*
in Life, of having Influence upon Men ; Serm.
may, as well as Riches ', be either made ufe XVI.
of to the Glory of God, and the promoting
of Virtue 5 or may be abufed to Other,
and Contrary Purpofes. The Ground of
our Lord's Exhortation in the Text, is the
Same with regard to ^//thefe things 5 and
may, with equal Reafon? be applied to
them AIL They are All of them., in the
prefent Life, of very fhort 5 all of them,
of equally uncertain continuance. They
are all of them committed to us , as to
Stewards during pleafure -3 all of them,
what we are accountable for ', every mo
ment. What have we then to do, accor
ding to Any meafurcs of Wijdom and'Pru-
dence -y but to employ all thefe things
faithfully to Such Purpofes here in this
transitory life, as may hereafter be a Foun
dation for our being received into everlaft^
ing Habitations ? For if, in the ufe of A-
ny of thefe Abilities, we be not at prefent
Faithful in That which is Another's ; in
That which Now for a fhort time only, is
committed to us upon Truft, and upon
Account, from Another : How can we
reafonably exped to have them hereafter
given to us for Our Own, for an unalic-
nable and cvcrlafting PoflTcflion ?
A S E R MO N f reach 'a
2ttfy, A Second dodrinal Obfervation
arifmg from our Saviour's Argument in
the Text, is j that the prefent life is a
Tryal of mens Fidelity, a ^Probation of
their Fitnefs for a future and more lofting
State. He that is faithful in that which
is Leaft, is Faithful alfo in Much $ and
He that is unjujt in the Leaft, is tin-
juft alfo in Much, If therefore, (fays he)
ye be not Faithful in a Temporary Truft,
Who fhall think fit to give you an Eter
nal Inheritance ? What Mofes faid to the
Ifraelites concerning their PafTage thro'
the Wildernefs to the Promifed Land,
^Deut. viii, 2 ; is cxaftly parallel to the
prefent cafe. Thou fbalt remember all the
way which the Lord thy God led thee
thefe forty years in the Wildernefs, to
humble thee, and to TROVE thee, to
KNOW what was in thine heart, whe
ther thou would'fl keep his Command
ments, or 710. The meaning is ; not, that
God wants information, or tries men with
regard to Himfelf, who knowcth all
things : But with regard to Them, he proves
and cxerciies their Virtue 5 the Habits of
which, effentially and in the Nature of
things, are produced and improved no
otherwise than by A&s. In the Fabrick
of the Natural and Material World, cvc-
at St JAMES* WESTMINSTER^ 365
ry thing is, by the NeceJJlty of its Nature, Serm.
cxadly and invariably what the Creator XVL
made it : Nor can any of Thefe things v^y^.
poffibly, by Any Power of Nature, ei
ther improve or deftroy their own origi
nally implanted Perfections. But in the
Moral world, of intelligent and rational
Creatures 5 the Cafe is juft the Reverfe.
The very EJJence of Virtue coniifts, in
being freely chofen. And had not God fo
conftitutcd Moral Agents, as to make
Their Goodnefs or Badncfs depend upon
the Habits they fhould acquire by their
own free Afts ; he had in the very Ad of
Creation deftroycd his own Defign, and
had not made them at all Moral Agents.
Confequcntly, (which is the Noblefl Part
of the Idea of God,) he had neither been
King nor Judge nor Governour of the
World, but merely as an Artificer of a
Great Machine. A Machine 5 in the
Fabrick" of which, he has indeed difplay-
ed, by an infinite variety of the moft fur-
prizing Effects, Wifdom unfathomable,
and Tower inexhauftible. But 'tis all
merely for the fake of the Inhabitants?
whom he has placed therein, capable of
contemplating this divine Workmanship.
For otherwilc, the whole Fabrick of the
Earth and Heavens j beautiful, great, and
366 A S E R MO ft preach' d
Serm. glorious as it is 5 is yet in itfelf, ( being
XVI. lifelefs, void of all Senfe and Knowledge,
and not fo much as Confcious of its own
Exiftence,) lets valuable than the meaneft
fingle Animal in the Univerfe. And to
gether with an infinite variety of creatures
indued merely with life, fenfe, and mo
tion 5 'tis ftill comparatively as Nothing ;
'tis ftill really of lefs Value, than One Ra
tional, Intelligent, Free, Moral Agent,
capable of Knowing, capable of Contem
plating and Acknowledging, capable of
Imitating, in its degree and meafure, the
Perfections of its Great Creator. For
the Sake of Thefe therefore, the World
was created. And Thefe God cannot
but govern in ways fuitable to There na
ture, as he governs the material World
in a way fuitable to Its nature. Thefe
he cannot but difpofe into different Sta
tions, proportionable to their Moral Ca*
pacities and Improvements j in like man
ner as, in the Natural World, he has ad-*
jufted every thing in Weight and Mea^
Jure. In the One, appears the - Skill and
Wifdom of an All-powerful Artificer ;
In the Other alone, appears the Glory
and Majefty of a Supreme King, and the
Bjghteoufnefs of an All-feeing and un
erring Judge. This is the manifeft Voice
of
at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER, 367
of Nature and Reafon ; and This is the Serrru
cxprefs and conftant Declaration of Serif- XVL
ture . All forts of Abilities, ^Powers,
and Capacities whatfocvcr, wherewith
God has at prefent indued men ? Riches,
Honour, Authority, Wifdom, Knowledge,
and the like 5 arc by our Saviour, in his
Parable of the Talents, reprefented as fo
many particular Tr lifts, committed to
mcns Charge in This World 5 as Trials of
their Fidelity, in way of 'Probation of
their Fitnefs for a Better and more Laf-
ting State. They who employ not thefe
Abilities to Virtuous Purpoies, in promo-
ting Truth and Right eoiifnefs in the
World 5 are the ivicked and flothful Ser
vant, to whom his Lord faid, Thou ought-
eft to have put my Money to the Exchan*
ge r s, and then at my coming I fhouldJoave
received mine o\L'n with Ufitry : Take
therefore the Talent from him 5 and
c aft ye the unprofitable Servant into outer
darknefs ; there fha/t be weeping and gna-
fhi?tg of Teeth, Matt. 25, 27. On the
contrary : They who, according to their
refpedive Abilities, employ the different
'Powers (^hatfoever they be) wherewith
God has intruded them, in promoting the
Glory of God, and the TracJife of Vir
tue in the WoiJd ; Thcie arc the Ser
vants,
A SER MO N preach'd
Scrm. vants, who, in. trading with five talent^
XVI. having gained five more ; and with two
talents, having gained Other two ; their
Lord faid to each of them in his Propor~
tion 5 Well done, thou good and faithful
Servant ; Thou haft been Faithful over
a Few things, I will make thee Ruler
over Many things : Enter thou into the
Joy of thy Lord. In the language of my
Text : Thou haft been Faithful in That
which is Another mans, in That fmall
and fliort Trnft which I committed to
thy Charge ; I will Now therefore give
thec a Pofleffion, which fhall be in Pro
perty thy Own, thy Own for an unalie-
nable and cvcrlafling Inheritance. In
the 24/^7 ch. of St. Matthew ', v. 42.
our Lord exprefics the fame thing ftill
more firongly : Watch therefore^ fays he,
and — be Te alfo ready ; for in fuch an
bour as you think not, the Son of man
cometh. Who then is a faithful and
wife Servant, whom his Lord has made
Ruler over his Houfiold, to give them
Meat in due Seafon ? Bleffed is That
Servant, whom his Lord, when he com
et h, fball find fo doing : Verify I fay tin-
to yon, that he fha/l make him Ruler
over All his Goods. 'Tis in allufion to
This Notion, of thcfrefenf life beine: a
Tyal
<s/ St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 369
Tryal of mens Fidelity, or of their .F/V- Serm.
0<?/J for a &#w «y^^ 5 that St ?W, XVI.
when the End of his days drew near, de- ^V\l
clares concerning himfelf, 2 Tim. iv, 7,
I have fought a good fight? — I have kept
the Faith ; (I have preierved my Fidelity ',
or (hown my felf Faithful in my Truft :)
Henceforth there is laid up for me a,
Crown of Right eoufnefs. And in the
former Part of his Life, defcribing his
Care in the Government of himfelf and
of his own Paflions, i Cor. ix, 27, I keep
under my Body, fays he, and bring it in
to Subjection ; leaft that by any means,
when I have preached to Others, I my-
felf fbould be a Cafl-away : in the Ori
ginal it is, I my felf foould be [«uJoxjp$3
found Not proof , not proof againft
the Temptations of the prejent World >
not meet for the USE, for the Employ
ment, for the Station intended me in
the Life to come. For, (as he in ano
ther place exprefles this matter by a moil
apt fimilitude j) in a great Houfe, there * Tim- "•
are, fays he, not only l^effeh of Gold and
of Silver, but alfo of Wood and of
Earth ; and fome to Honour, and fome
to 'Difhonvur. If a man therefore purge
himfelf from Thefe, (from ungodly Works
and Doctrines mentioned in the former
B b pare
370 A S E R M O N preach' d
Scrm« part of the chapter;) he fha/l be a Veffeluntti
XVI. Honour Janet ified and meet for theMafter's
Ufe, and prepared unto every good Work.
The ^Principal method, in which the
unfearchable Wifdom of God has moft
frequently been plcafed to Try the Fide-
lity of his Beft and moft eminent Ser
vants, has been by Afflictions and 'Per-
fe cut ions of various kinds : T roving them,
whether, in cafe of Competition, they
would ftedfaftly prefer the Intereft of
Truth and Virtue, in oppofition to all
the Advantages, and to all the Suf
ferings too, of this prefent Life. Who-
foever (lays our Lord) does not bear his
Crofs, and come after me 5 cannot be
mj 'Diftiple, Luke xiv, 27. And hence
it is, that in Scripture we fo frequently
find the Tryal of mcns Fidelity, compa
red to the purifying and Trying of Metals
• by Fire. Many {hall be purified and made
white, and tried, Dan. xii, 10. And
they that underftand among the Teopley
fh all inft ruff many ; yet they fhall fall by
the Sword and by Flame, by Captivity
and by Spoil: And Some of Them
of Under/landing fball fall, to Try themy
and to purge, and to make them white,
Thus again, If. Ixviii, i o. Behold, I have
refined
sit <5V JAMESV WESTMINSTER. 371
n * fined 'thee, but not with Silver } I have Serrrh
chofen, thee in the Furnace of Affliction. XVI.
I will refine them, as Silver is refined ^
and will try them, as Gold is tryed.
And Job xxiii, i o 5 He knoweth the way
that I take : When he has tried me, I
{hall come forth as Gold. The Later
Writers, of the Books of Wifdom and
Ecclejiafticus, apply the fame fimilitude
with great juftnefs of Thought, and elo
quence of Expreflion. Gold is tried in
the Fire, and Ac ce ft able men in the Fur- '
nace of Adverjlty. The Souls of the
Righteous are in the Hand of God, and^'fl' ul*
there fhall no Torment touch them. Ha- f'
wing been a little chaftifed, they jhall be
greatly rewarded; for GodTROVR<T>
them, and found them worthy for Him-
felf. As Gold in the Furnace has he
Tried them, and received them as a Burnt-
Offering. In the New Teflament, the
fame figure of ffeaking, is continued in
the fame Senfe. Our Saviour, in his
Exhortation to the Chriftian Church in
That Period of time, which is reprefen-
ted by the Church of Smyrna : Behold,
(fays he,) the 'Devil (the Spirit of Falfe
Accufation) fhall caft fame of you into
prifon, that ye may be TRIET) :
Be thou faithful unto 'Death, and I will
B b 2
372 A S E R MQ N preactid
Serni. give thee a Crown of Life, Rev. ii, 1 0*
XVI. And at another time : tiecaufe (fays he)
-^~~ thou haft kept the word of my Tatience?
°' I alfo will keep Thee from (or carry thee
fafely through) the Hour of Temptation,
which fhall come upon all the World, to
TRTthem that dwell upon the Earth.- —
Him that overcometh, (that is, who fhall
be found Faithful in that Hour of Tryal,
r^otwithftanding all the Allurements and
all the Terrors of an unrighteous Wot Id j
Him) will I make a TILLAR in the
Temple of my God : A TILLAR, or
Eminent Part, of That Living Temple of
God, of which the Twelve Afoftlesttt
(by a nioft beautiful and expremve meta
phor) reprefented as being the* twelve
*R^.xxi, Foundation- Stones, or * Rocks on which
xvi, 1 8. it is built 5 and Jefus Chrifl himfelf the
chief corner -ftone, by which the Whole
Building is compact together. With a
View to Thefe and the like Promifes it
jWi,u. is, that St James declares : Blejfed is the
man that endureth Temptation -, for when
he is TRTET) , he jball receive the
IP**.!, 7- Crown of life. And St *Peter : That
the TRIAL (faith he) of your Faith,
(of ^GUZ Fidelity or Faithfulnefs,) being
much more precious than of Gold that
perijbeth, though it be tried with Fire,
might
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 373
might be found unto praife and honour Serm
and glory, at the appearing of Jefus XVI.
Chrift.
A Third, doftrinal Obfervation,
obvioufly arifing from the fore-going, and
of great Ufc in Pradice j is This. If
the prefent life is a Tryal of mens Fide
lity > a 'Probation of their Fitnefs for a
Future and more Lafting State j then eve
ry erroneous Notion^ which is of fuch a
nature, as leads men to rely upon Any
Equivalent \vhatfoever, inftead of em
ploy ing faithfully thofc Talents, where
with God has intruded them, in promo
ting his Kingdom of Truth and Righte-
oufnefs ; muft needs be a Fatal 'Deceit.
If men content themfelvcs barely with a
zealous ^ProfeJJion of the true Religion y and
a diligent avoiding of all falfe opinions
in Speculation : If they rely entirely up
on a regular Obfcrvance of thofe merely
External Duties of Religion, which were
appointed of God as Obligations and Af-
f flames to True Virtue : If they fatisfy
themfelvcs with that Sorrow for Siny and
fear of Tuni foment upon the Approach
of Eternity, which is vulgarly called a
^Death-bed- Repent once : If they depend
upon any abfolute 'Decree of God, or
B b 3 upon
574 A SERMON
Scrm. upon any application of the Merits of
XVI. Chrijl, to fave them, not from, but in
their Sins : If they expeft to be faved by
their Faith, meaning thereby mere Cre
dulity, inftead of Fidelity or aEting
Faithfully upon the Principles they pro-
fefs : In thefe and all other Cafes whatfo-
cver, which can poffibly be reconciled
with <vitious and immoral Pradife; our
Saviour will fay unto them, ^Def art from
me, all ye workers of iniquity. For if
ye have not been Faithful in a fmall and
temporary Trufl, how is it fit I fhould
give you a Kingdom to be your Own for
ever ?
tfhly and Laflly : From what has
been faid, it appears, that the principal
^Difference of men, in God's eftimation,
conififts not fo much in the Number of the
Talents committed to them, as in the
^Degree of their Fidelity, or the Good
Ufe they make of them. For, Many
that are Firfl fhall be Lafl, and the
Laft Firft. And to Him who wLh two.
Talents gained two more, as well as to
Him who with Tett, Talents gained other
Ten, our Lord fays ; " Well done, thou
" good and faithful Servant, Enter thou
fe into the Joy of thy Lord : For he that
is
<?/ JV JA M E S'S W E S T M I NS T E R.
<( is Faithful m Little, is Faithful alfo in
*' Much : Wherefore fmcc thou haft been
" Faithful in that which is Another man's,
" in That fhort and fmall Truft which I
l< committed to thy charge; I will there-
" fore give thcc a Treaiure and Inheri-
" tance which (hall be thine O-wn, thine
" Own for an unalicnable and everlafl-
" ing PolleiTion."
Bb 4 A SER-
SERMON
Preach'd in the
PARISH-CHURCH
O F
Stjamess Weftminfter,
On Sundry > Feb. 16, 1723.
LUKE XVII, 37.
And they anfwered and faid unto him :
Where ) Lord? * And he faid unto them,
Wherefoever the Body is, thither will
the Eagles be gathered together.
THESE words are a Proverbial $erm
Saying, ufed by our Lord upon *
two different Occasions. Once
in This place, upon occafion of the Pha-
rifees demanding of him, ver. *o,PPHEN
the
378 A SER MO N preach'd
Serm. the Kingdom of God fhould come. And
XVII. again in the ztfh of St Matthew, upon
v^v^ occailon of his Difciples asking him,
WHEN frail thefe Things be ? and
What {ball be the Sign of thy coming and
of the End of the World ? In this Latter
place, our Lord, in anfwer to the Quef-
tion put to him by his Difciples, gives
them a large Prophetick Defcription of
the deftruftion of the City and Nation
of the Jews, by the Power of the Ro
mans ; and along Series of Other Events,
which were^ to be accomplished before
his coming to judgment. And bccaufe
he is very particular and diftindr, in That
fart of the Prophecy, which relates to
the destruction of Jerufalem by the Ro
mans, whofe Armies carried an Eagle
for their Enfign 5 therefore the Genera
lity of Expositors have underload the
Meaning of the words of my Text to be,
that where foever the ]cws were, thither
would the Roman Armies be gathered
together to deftroy them. But This Senfe
of the words feems low ; and the Allujlon
to be far-fetched-^ and the Application of
them, too much confned ; and their
Connexion in the whole Difcourfe, very
difficult to be made out. For our Lord,
in the 'Place where thefe words come in,
in
'at St JAMESV WESTMINSTER^ 379
in St Matthew's Gofpel, as well as in That Serin,
of St Luke, is not fpcaking of the Ro- XVII.
mans deftroying the Jews ; (for, That ^s*y^
*Part of his 'Prophecy he had finished, fe-
vcral Verfes before : ) But he is fpeaking,
in One of thefe places, concerning the
unreafonablenefs of looking for Chrifl's
Coming in Any particular Tart of the
World, in the 'Defert, or in the Secret
Chambers, or in Any One Tlace rather
than another. And in the Other place,
he is fpeaking concerning the righteous
Judgment of God, dijiinguifbing perfons
from each other in the Higheft degree,
between whom in all Worldly Appear
ance there was No 'Diftinffiion. The
true Senfe therefore of the words of the
Text, muft be gathered, not from any
remote Allufion in the fingle word, Ea
gles ; but from the immediate Connexion
of the intire Sentence, in the Dilcourfe
wherein it is joined ; and from the na
tural Signification of the whole 'Prover-
bial Saying, confidcred as 'Proverbial.
There are feveral Inftances in Scrip
ture, of Other Proverbial Sayings, infcr-
ted in like manner as This in the Text 5
very uiiial at the Time, and in the Lan
guage, wherein they were fpoken ; ib as
to
38o A S E R M O N preach' d
Serm. to be as eaftly and as perfectly underftood
XVII. by the Vulgar, as the mod literal Ex-
preflions whatfoever. Thus Ezek. xviii,
2, The Fathers have eaten Sowre Grapes,
and the Children* Teeth arefet on Edge :
There was no man among the Jews, even
of the meaneft capacity, but at firft Hear
ing underftood trhofe words to mean, that
the Children were pumped for the Tranf-
greffions of their Fore-Fathers. Thus
when St ^Paul tells us, that Whatsoever
a man foweth, That fhall he alfo reap,
Gal. vi, 7 : Every even the loweft Under-
ftanding immediately apprehends them to
mean, that, according to mens behaviour
Here, whether virtuous or vitious, fo
fhall their Reward be, or their Punifh-
ment, hereafter. Again : When our
Lord fays, Matt, vii, 1 6, Men do not
gather Grapes of Thorns, or Figs of
Thiftles > his Scnfe is no lefs obvious,
and his Words even more cxprcflive, than
if he had laid diredly, that Virtuous Ac
tions cannot reafonably be expected to
flow from Corrupt Principles, or from
vitious and debauched Minds. The Tra-
verbial Exprejfion in my Text, being
founded upon a Similitude lefs Common
in our Modern language, then Thefe be
fore-mentioned j the Scnfe of it, for
That
x at St JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 381
That reafon, does not to an Engliih Rea- Serm.
der, at firft Sight, appear fo obvious. But XVII.
with a little Attention to the general
Nature of ^Proverbial Sayings, it is very
cafy to be underftood. The Nature of a
'Proverb is, to contain in one Jingle Sen
tence a Similitude ', or Comparison of Two
things with each other ; and, under the
Inftance of fome one particular Ex ample *
to conclude fome more general 'or Univer-
fal Truth. This is evidently the Cafe,
in the Other Inftances I produced : And
fo it is likewife in This Exprcflion in
my Text. Wheresoever the Body is,
thither will the Eagles be gathered to-
gether. Wheresoever the Trey is, thither
will the BIRT>S of Trey flock towards
it. Wherefoever the Cafe is the fame*
(whatfoevcr be the Subjed fpoken of ;)
there alfo the general Obfervation upon
the Cafe, (whatsoever That Obfervation
be,) will have the fame Juftnefs and
Truth. Wherefoever the State of things
is the fame, and the Circumftances alike ;
there alfo will the Event, in Any Tlace,
or at Any Time, be proportionally a-
like,
This
3 8* A S E R MO N preach' d
Serm.
XVII. This is plainly the Senfe of the words'^
as it arifes from the Confideration of the"
General nature of a Troverbial Expref-
lion. And from the confideration of the
^Particular connexion of the words
with thofe immediately foregoing, in
Each of the Paffages in the Two Go/pels
where the fame words occur 5 it ftill more
evidently appears to be the True Senfe of
them. In the 2^th chapter of St Mat
thew's Gofpel, (and the fame thing is re
corded likewife in the i^th of St Mark,
and in the 2 \ft of St Luke -, ) the difciples
had asked our Lord, WHEN, {hall thefe
things be ? When fhall all thefe things
come to pafs, which thou haft fo often
foretold to us ? And What fhall be the
Sign of thy Coming, and of the End of
the World ? The Ground of their Que-
ftfon, was 5 that, upon the diflblution of
the Jewifh State and Government, which
he had told them was approaching 5 they
expcded the Kingdom of Chrifl fhould
immediately be fet up, in fome remark
able manner ', in fomc particular Tlace.
In Anfwer to their Queftion, and in or
der to rectify this their miftake 5 our Lord
tells them, that not only the City and
Temple of J cmfalem fhould be deftroyed,
and-
at St JAMES'S WE SI-MINSTER. 383
and the Jewifh Nation difperfed ; but Serrrh
that, after This, there fhould flill fuccecd XVII.
a long Train of Calamities, and the End t^VNJ
fhould not be yet. For Jerufalem fhould ™"r' xiii'
be trodden down of the Gentiles, till the Luke xxi,
Times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And, 24>*
during That long Period of time, in Other
parts of the World like wife, Nation fhould
rife againft Nation, and Kingdom againfl MAt.
Kingdom ; and there fhould be Famines 7-
and ^Peflilences and Earthquakes in divers
places. And that even all Thefe calami
ties, comparatively fpeaking, fhould be
but the Beginning of Sorrows. For, a
Deluge of Corruption and Iniquity fhould ver, u
overfpread the World. And there fhould
be very great and very long ^P erfe cut ions \ ver.9,
And a time of Tribulation, fuch as had
not been Jince the Beginning of the-ver.ii
World. And that, during This time, th?
Go/pel 'fhould be f reached in all the World, v#. 14
for a Witnefs unto all Nations. And
his Conclufion of the Whole, is : that
therefore his Difciples ought not to look
for the Kingdom of Chrift, as a Domini
on to be let up at any particular Time
or ^Place : But in all times^ and at all
places alike, isuherefoever and ivhenfoever
die Doftrine of Chrift is received and
pradifed, wherefoever and ivhenfoever any
number
A S E R MO N freach'd
Serm. number of lincere Believers (whether Ma-
XVII. ny or Few) be gathered together in His
Name, There (fays he) is the Kingdom
of Chrift. Ver. 23, If any man foall fay
unto you, Lo, Here is Chrift '; or There ;
believe it not. For there fhall arife Falfe
Chrifts and Falfe ^Prophets^ and fhatl
foew great Signs and Wonders. Be
hold, I have told you before. Where
fore, if they flail fay unto you, Behold,
he is in the 'Defart, go not forth : Be
hold, he is in the fecret chambers j believe
it not. For as the Lightning cometh
out of the Eaft, and fbineth even unto
the Weft} fo fhall alfb the Coming of the
Son of Man be. tor wherefoever the
Car cafe is, there will the Eagles be ga
thered together. The Scnfe evidently is
This. As, in all ^Places equally, and at
all Times, wherefoever the Lightning is,
There does the Light of it fhine forth -9
and wherefoever the *Prey is, thither do
the Birds of Trey refort : So, at what
Time or IPlace foever the ^Dottrine of
Chrift is received, and pradifcd according
to His Directions, There is the Kingdom
of Chrift.
In the Other pafTage, where the fame
words are again repeated, ( which is,
Luke
at St JA M E s's WESTMINSTER. 385
Luke xvii, 3 7, the words of my Text j ) Serm.
there likewife their connexion in the XVII.
Thread of our Lord's Difcourfe, clearly vrv>^
fhows them to have the Like iignification.
The Manner in which they are There intro
duced, is This. Ver. 20 ; And when he
'was demanded of the Tharifees, WHEN
the Kingdom of God Should come ; he an-
fweredthem, andfaid: The Kingdom of
God cometh not with Qbfervation. Nei
ther flail they fay, Lo Here, or Lo
There : For, behold, the Kingdom of God
is Within (or Among} you. And he f aid
unto the ^Difciples > The days will come,
when they flail fay unto you , See
here, or fee there 5 Go not after them,
nor follow them. That is : Think not that
the Kingdom of Chrift is to be diftin-
guifhed under the character of any parti
cular Time or Tlace, or to be known by
any External Notes or Marks •-, But un-
derftand, that it is in all ^Places and at
all Times the fame ; diftinguifhed, al
ways and every where alike, by its own
intrinjick effence only ; juft as the Shining
of Lightning is one and the fame, from
one end of Heaven to the other. After
which, he proceeds to warn them, 'ver.
26-, that as, in the days of Noah, and
in the days of Lot, men were negligent
C c and
3 S<> ^SERMON preach'd
Serm. and fccurc, having their Thoughts cntirc-
XVII. ly taken up with their prefent Bufmefs,
their Ambition, their Covetoufnefs, and
their Pleafures; till, on a fudden, the
'Deluge of Water fwept them all away
in the one cafe 5 and Lightning from
Heaven , joined with an Earthquake,
dcftroyed and confumed them in the o-
ther cafe : Even thus (fays he) fhall it
be in the day when the Son of man is re
pealed. And then he concludes, in the
words preceding my Text, ver. 34, 1
tell you, in That Night there fhall be two
men in One Bed -, the One fhall be ta
ken, and the other left. Two women
fhall be grinding together ; the one fhall
be taken, and the other left. Two men
fhall be in the Field-, the one fhall be
taken, and the other left. The Mean
ing is : In the righteous and unerring
Judgment of God the Searcher of
Hearts, many perions fhall finally be di-
ftinguifocd from each other in the High-
eft "Degree, between whom in all World
ly Appearance there was No dijlinffion.
37- And they faid unto him, Wti'ere, Lord?
And he faid unto them, Wherefoever the
Body is, thither will the Ragles be ga
thered together. That is to lay : Your
Queftion is of No moment : 'Tis all one,
where-
at St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER." 387
fr and whenfoever the fame Serm.
thing comes to pafs. Difference of Time XVII.
and Place, makes no difference at all in
God's account and eftimation, either of
Things or Perfons. Where- ever the
Cafe is the fame, and the Circumftances
alike ; there alfo will the Event be pro-
portionably the Same. At what Times
and in what Places foever, the Perfons
to be judged fhall be found endued with
the like diverfity of Qualifications 5 there
alfo (hall the impartial and unerring Judg
ment of God the Searcher of Hearts, di-
ftinguifh them with the like Diftindion.
Watch ye therefore (fays our Lord) and fray Luke
always ', that ye may be accounted worthy 36-
to efcape all theje things that fhall come
to pafs, and to ftand before the Son of
Man. And what I fay unto Ton, I fay
unto All-, Watch, 37
Having thus fully and at large ex-
•flamed the true Signification of the
words of the Text : The Obfervations
I fhall draw from thence, are briefly as
follows.
i^?. That, generally fpeaking, All the
Admonitions and Inflruffions given by
our Saviour to his'Dffe'fpks at different
C c 2 Times
388 A S E R M O N preach' d
Scrm. Times and upon different Occafions, were
XVII. intended by him to be applied (allowing
^^T^ for particular differences of Circumftan-
ccs) to All Chriftians at all times and
in all places. Concerning things re
corded in the Old Teflament even from
the remoteft times, St 'Paul declares, that
Whatsoever things were written afore-
time, were written for Our learning ;
that We, through patience and comfort
of the Scriptures, might have Hopey
Rom. xv, 4. When the Scripture tells
us, that Abrahams Faith was imputed to
him for Right eoufnefs, Gen. xv, 6 5 Rom.
iv, 22, It was not written (fays the A-
poftle) for His fake alone, that it was
imputed to him j but for Us alfo, to
whom it flail be imputed, if we believe on
Him that raifed up Jefus our Lord from
the dead : That is, if We ad with the
fame Fidelity upon the Principles of
Our Profcflion, as He did upon His.
On the other hand, when we find re
corded in Scripture the fevere Timijh-
ments inflided upon the Children of If-
rael in the Wildernefs, for their repeat
ed Ads of Difobcdiencc ; All thefe
things (fays he) happened unto Them for
Examples, i Cor. x, 1 1 ; and they are
written for Our Admonition, upon whom
the
at Sf JAMES'J WESTMINSTER. 389
the Ends of the World are come. Now Scrm.
if This be fo * much more may our Sa- XVII.
*viours Inftruttions and Admonitions to
his 'Difcifles, be generally underftood
to be applicable, in proportion, to All
Chriftians. His ^Prophetical Warnings
do all of them extend even unto the End
of the World : And his 'Directions to his
immediate Followers are ufually couched
under fuch Expreflions, as were mani-
feftly intended for the Ufe and Inftrufti-
on of all intervening Ages, until his co
ming to Judgment. Where ever two or
three (fays he) are gathered together in
my Name, Matt, xviii, 20 5 there am I
in the midfl of them. Wherefoevcr and
whenfoever the Doftrine of Chrift is re
ceived, and pradifed according to his di-
redions, in the love of Truth, Righteoui-
nefs and Peace ; be it in one 'Place, in one
Age of the world, or vs\ Another ; be it by
Many perfons, or by Few : There is the
Church of Chrift : To Them belong all
the glorious ^Promifes, which he has ever
made to his Church ; and to Them be
long all the Warnings which he has gi
ven, of 'Perfecutions to be expedcd from
an unrighteous and corrupt World. For
This reafon, whoever at any time asked
him JVhen the Kingdom fhould be refto-
C c 3 red
390 ^SERMON preach' d
Serm. red to Ifrael, or When the Kingdom of
XVII. God fhould come 5 and When (hall all
thefe things come to pafs 5 and What fhall
be the Sign of thy Coming, and of the
End of the World \ inftead of mentioning
any particular time, he conftantly warned
them to watch and to be ready at all times.
And at the Conclusion of the Prophecy,
whereof my Text is a part 5 he in exprefs
words declares, (as 'tis recorded by St
Mark, ch. xiii, 37,) What I fay unto Ton,
I Jay unto ALL? Watch. And at ano
ther time, when his Difciples direftly
asked him, whether he intended his Di£
courle in particular to Them, or in general
to All men, Luke xii, 415 his Anfwer
is to the very fame Purpofe. He had been
exhorting them, *uer. 35; Let your loyns
be girded about, and your Lights burn
ing •> And ye yourfelves like unto men
that wait for their Lord. Eleffed
are thofe Servants, whom the Lord,
when he cometh, fhall find watching.
And this know, that if the good man of
the houfe had known what hour the Thief
would come, he would have watched, and
not have Jiijfered his houfe to be broken
through. Be IE therefore ready aljo-^
for the Son of man cometh at an hour
when ye think not. Then *Peter faid un
to
at Sf] AMES'S WESTMINSTER. 39*
to him, Lord, fpeakeft thou this *P arable Serm.
unto Us, or even to All ? And the Lord xVII.
faid, Who then is that faithful and wife
Steward, whom his Lord jhall make Ru
ler over his Houfehold, to give them
their portion of Meat in due Sea/on ?
Bleffed is That Servant-, whofoever he be,
whom his Lord, when he cometh, flail
fnd Jo doing.
^dly. A Second Obfervation arifing
from what our Lord declares in the
Text, is 5 that the Salvation of Men does
not depend upon Any Differences of Ex
ternal Circumftances in the prcicnt Life,
but intirely upon the Inward Qualificati
ons of their Minds, and upon their Beha
viour under the Circumftances wherein
the Providence of God has placed them,
whatsoever thole Circumftances be. /
tell you, fays he, in That Night there
fhall be two men in One Bed; the One
ffjall be taken, and the Other left. And
when the Difciples asked him, Where,
Lord? he anfwers in the Text, under a
known 'Proverbial Expreflion 5 JVhere
ever the Cafe is alike, the Event will be
the Same : Wherefoever the Body is, thi
ther will the Eagles be gathered together.
Not only to thofe who fhall be living at
C c 4 the
392 A S E R MO N freactid
Serm. the Time and Place of our Lord's coming
XVII. to Judgment, but to All Others likewife,
at all Times and in all Places, fhall This
declaration of His be verified : Two men
fhall be in One Bed-, the One fhall be ta
ken, and the Other left : By no vifible or
appearing differences of worldly Circum-
fiances, but merely according to their in
ward moral Qualifications, fhall men fi
nally be diftinguifhed. Not to Thofe in
particular, who fhall be found alive at
our Lord's Second Coming, does he fay,
Bleffed is That Servant whom his Lord,
when he cometh, fhall find fo doing :
But his Meaning is, to All in general, in
all Times and Places ; Bleffed is That Ser
vant whom his Lord, when he cometh,
fhall find to have fo done. Thus when
the Prophet T>aniel fays, ch. xii, 12,
Bleffed is he that waiteth, and cometh
to- - the time of the End : The Mean
ing is not, Bleffed is he that fhall happen
to live at the time of the end ••> but, Blef
fed is he who by Waiting, that is, by
patient continuance in Well- doing, by
being conftantly upon his Guard againfl
the Temptations of an unrighteous and
corrupt World, by Keeping Himfelf (as
edOne toucheth him not') blcffed is He
who
At St JAMES'S WESTMINSTER. 393
who by thus Waiting , fhall be found Serm.
•worthy to attain That life which fhall XVII.
be revealed at the End of the days^ and *^V^<
\.o> jland before the Son of Man. Many
are very apt to imagine, if they had lived
in fome Other *Place or Age of the
World, if they had been placed under
fome Other Circumftanccs than they
Are^ if they had lived in Our Saviour's
days and at a time when one rofe from Luke xvi.
the dead-, the Principles of religion31*
would have had a very different Effect
upon them, from what they Now have.
But all This, is a very great Fallacy:
And Experience has fhown, that not up
on Differences of Time and ^Place^ but up
on the Moral^Difpofition of men's Hearts
and Minds j docs the Influence of reli
gion entirely depend. The Jews in the
Wildernefs were not at all reformed, even
by the Sight of numerous Miracles. And
the Phanlecs in our Saviour s time., who
faid, If we had been in the days of onr
Fathers y we would not ha-ve been par
takers with them in the Blood of the
Trophets ; did yet, by their T)eeds, fho\v
rhemfclvcs to be the Genuine Sons, and
Inheritours of the Temper, of thole who
killed the Prophets.
394 A SER MO N preach'd
Serm.
XVII. idly and Laftfy. The Lafl Obferva-
WOTV tion I fhall draw from this Difcourfe of
our Saviour, of which my Text is the
Conclufion ,- is, that all the Marks or
Notes, which Thole of the Church of
Rome pretend to give us, of the True
Church of God; are fuch as our Lord
here warns his Diiciples not to be de
ceived by. Chrifl, they tell us, is no
where to be found but among Them:
And the Dodrincs and Benefits of the Go-
fpel, can no other way poflibly be con
veyed to Mankind, than through the par
ticular Channel of Rome. What is This,
but the very thing our Lord here admo-
itatt. nifhes us to beware of? If any man fiall
~£*"f*y unto you, Lo, Here is Chrtft, or There $
/.«**xviii believe it not. For there fhall arife
^•37- falfe Chrtft s, and falfe Trophets. .
Wherefore ', if they fhall fay unto you.
Behold^ he is in the ^Defert } go not
forth : Behold, he is in the fecret Cham
bers, believe it not. For as, where-ever
the Body is, thither will the Eagles be
gathered together ; And as, where ever
the Lightning is, there will the Shining
of it be the Same, from the one part un
der Heaven, even unto the Other : So
alfo
at St JAMES'.? WESTMINSTER. 395
alfo is the Light ot the e-verlafting Gofpel, Serm.
and o( the Scripture of Truth. XVII.
Thus again: Pretended Miracles, in
order to eftablifh their New 'Doffrines,
and introduce New Tratfifes $ What
are theie, but accomplifhments of That
prediction of our Lord $ The re fhall a- Matt.
rife Falfe Chrifts and Falfe Trophets, Xxiv>z4-
and fhall fhow great Signs and Wonder 's,
infomuch that (if it were pojfible}
they fhall deceive the 'very Eleff !
Again : Visibility , or Worldly 'Pomp,
Grandeur and Authority, which they make
to be Another Note or Mark of the True
Church of God ; is dtre&ly the Reverfe
of what our Saviour declared to His
Difciples. They fhall deliver you up to ver.Q, iz.
be affliffed, and fhall kill you 5 and ye
fhall be hated of all nations for my
Name's Sake. And, becaufe iniquity
fhall abound, the Love of many fhall
wax cold. And, when the Son of man Luke xviii>
cometh i fhall he find Faith on the%.
Earth ?
Marks therefore or Notes of the True
Church of Chrift, in the nature of things,
there can be None, but That One effen-
tial
zo.
396 ^SERMON preach 'd
Serm- tial one, which makes it to be the True
XVII. Church j viz. the Trofeffion and Traff-
ife of the Truth ; the *ProfeJfion and
'Prattife of !Tto T>ottrine7 which our
Lord himfelf taught, and which his A-
foflles preached and delivered down in
Writing to all fucceeding generations.
With This 5 'where ever Two or Three
are gathered together in the name of
chnfl, There is Chrift in the midft of
them ; that is to fay, There is the true
Church of God. Without This; how
Many, and how Great Nations foever,
conffire together ; how numerous foever
the Multitudes be, which follow each o-
tjlcr /<? ^ Evit-, 'tis ftill ^w/y a Seft or
Schifm, 'tis but a Herefy or Worldly
Faffion.
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