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55
i
LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
PRINCETON, N. J.
Presented by
Section .y '
^
SERI
ON SEVERAL
Subjects and Occasions^
By the moil Reverend
Dr. John tillotsok
LATE
Lord ArchbifLop of Canterbu?y.
VOLUME the SECOND.
^"^ ^^^S^^ ^"
LONDON:
Printed for R. Ware, A. Ward, J, and P. Knapton, T. Lo}7g?nan^
R. Hat, C. Hitch, J. Hodges, S. Juften, J. and R. ^r.fon,
y. and H. P ember ton, and J . Ri'vington,
M DCC XLII.
A
SERMON
Preached at the
Firft General Meeting
O F T H E
Gentlemen and others born within
the county of TorL
Vol, IL A 2
I.
To my Honoured
Friends and Countrymen,
'Hugh Frankland, "
Leonard Robinfon,
f-Gervas Wilcocks,
George Pickering,
,^ , Abrah. Fothergil, . ;i^ J Edward DufHeld,
'^^•^. William Fairfax, C^'''] John Topham,
I Thomas Johnfon, j I James Longbotham,
LJohn Hardefly, J LNathan. Holroyd,
Stewards of the Yorkshire Feaft.
Gentlemen,
^"Y^ H I S fermon, w/jk& was jirfi
^ preached^ aitd is 7tow puhlijhed
at your defires^ I dedicate to your
names, to whofe prudence and care
the dirc8ito?t and 7na72agement of this
jirji general meeting of our country-
men was committed'^ heartily wifhing
that it may be fome way ferviceahle
to
6 Epistle Dedicatory.
to the healing of our unhappy dif-
ferences^ and the refloring of mtity
and charity among chrifiians^ efpeci-
ally thofe of the proteflant reform d re-
ligion. I amy
Gentlemen,
Your affcdtionate Countryman
and humble Servant^
Jo. TiLLOTSON*
[7]
S E R M O N XX.
Preached at the firft general meeting
of the gentlemen and others, in and
near London^ born within the county
of York.
JOHN xiii. 24, o,S*
A new commandment I give unto you^ that ye love one
another % as I have loved you^ that ye alfo love on:
another: By this Jhall all men know that ye are my
difciples^ if ye love one another,
AS the chriftian religion in general, is the befl: 3 E R M.
philofophy and mod perfedl inflitution of, '^^'
life, containing in it the rnoft entire and
complete fyftem of moral rules and precepts that was
ever yet extant in the world : lb it peculiarly excels
in the dodrine of love and charity; earneflly recom-
mending, flridly injoining, and vehemendy and al-
moft perpetually prefTing and inculcating the excel-
lency and neceflity of this beft of graces and virtues \
and propounding to us for our imitation and encou-
ragement, the mod lively and heroical example of
kindnefs and charity, that ever was, in the life and
death of the great founder of our religion, " the au-
« thor and finifher of our faith," Jesus the Sore
of God,
So
8 At the yorkpire feajl
S E R M. So that the gofpcl, as it hath in all other parts of
our duty cleared the dimnefs and obfcurity of natural
light, and fupplied the imperfedions of former re-
velations, fo doth it mod eminently reign and tri-
umph in this great and blefled virtue of charity;
in which all the philofophy and religions that had
been before in the world, whether jewifh or pagan,
were fo remarkably defcdive.
With great reafon then doth our blefled Saviour
call this " a new commandment,'* and aflTert it to
himfelf as a thing peculiar to his do6trine and reli-
gion j confldering how imperfedly it had been taught
and how little it had been pradcifed in the world be-
fore : " A new commandment I give unto you, that
*' ye love one another •, as I have loved you, that yc
" alfo love one another : By this ihall all men know
" that ye are my difciples, if ye love one another."
I fhall reduce my difcourfe upon thefe words under
thefe fix heads.
Firfl-, to inquire in what fenfc our Saviour calls
this commandment of loving one another " a new
" commandment."
Secondly, to declare to you the nature of this
commandment, by inftancing in the chief adts and
properrics of love.
Thirdly, to confider the degrees and meafures of
our charity with regard to the feveral objecl^ about
which it is exercifed.
Fourthly, our obligation to this duty not only from
our S Aviouii's authority, but likewife from our own
nature, ar.d from the reafonablenefs and excellency of
the thing commanded.
Fifthly,
in London^ Dec, 3, 1678. 9
Fifthly, the great example which is here propound- S E R M.
cd to our imitation , " as I have loved you, that ye
" alfo Jove one another.'*
Sixthly and laftly, the place and rank which this
precept holds in the chriftian religion. Our Sa-
viour makes it the proper badge of a difciple, the
diflindlive mark and character of our profeiTion ; '' by
" this fhall all men know that ye are my difciples, if
" ye love one another."
I. In v/hat fenfe our Saviour calls this command-
ment of loving one another, " a new comm.and-
" ment;" not that it is abfolutely and altogether
new, but upon fome fpecial accounts. For it is a
branch of the ancient and primitive law of nature.
Ariilotle truly obferves that upon grounds of natural
kindred and likenefs all men are friends, and kindly
difpofed towards one another. And it is a known
precept of the jewiih religion, to love our neighbour
as ourfelves.
In fome fenfe then, it is no new commandment;
and fo St. John, who was mofl likely to underiland
our Saviour's meaning in this particular, (all his
preaching and v/riting being almoil nothing dit but
an inculcating of this one precept) explains this mat-
ter, telling us that in feveral relpeds it was, and it
was not a new commandment, i John ii. 7, 8. " bre-
'' thren, I write no new commandment unto you,
" but that which ye had from the beginning ; " that
is, from ancient times : but then he correds himfelf ;
" Again," -[raXfy, but ytt^ " a new commandment
" I write unto you." So that though it was not ab-
folutely new, yet upon divers confiderable accounts
it was fo, and in a peculiar manner proper to the
Vol. II. B evangelical
10 ^t the yorkfJ:ire ffaji
S E R M. evangelical inftitution ; and is in io exprefs and partl-
^l'J_, ciilar a manner afcribed to the teaching of the Holy
Ghost, which was conferred upon chriflians by the
faith of the gofpel, as if there hardly needed any
outward inftruclion and exhortation to that purpofe,
T ThefT. iv. 9. '' But as touching brotherly love, yc
" need not that I write unto you, for ye yourfelves
*' are .^^ooWayJlot, divinely taught and infpired to
" love one another."
This commandment then of loving one another is
by our Lord and Saviour fo much enlarged as to
the object of it, beyond what either the Jews or hea-
thens did underfland it to be, extending to all man-
kind, and even to our grcateft enemies •, fo greatly
advanced and heightned as to the degree of it, even
to the laying down of our lives for one another \ fo
effe6lually taught, fo mightily encouraged, fo very
much urged and infilled upon, that it may very well
be called "a new commandment:" for though it
was not altogether unknown to mankind before, yet
it was never fo taught, fo encouraged ; never was fuch
an illuftrious example given of it, never fo'much
Weight and ftrefs laid upon it by any philofophy or
religion that was before in the world.
II. I fhall endeavour to declare to you the nature
of this commandment, or the duty required by it.
And that will beft be done, by inflancing in the
chief a6ls and properties of love and chanty. As,
humanity and kindnefs in all our carriage and beha-
viour towards one another ; for love fmooths the dil-
pofitions of men fo that they are not apt to grate up-
on one another : next, to rejoice in the good and
happincfs of one another, and to grjeye at their evjls
and
in London^ Dec. 3, 1678. 11
and fufferings-, for love unites the interefts of men fo S E R M,
as to make them affeded with what happens to ano-
ther as if it were in fome fort their own cafe : then,
to contribute as much as in us lies to the happinefs of
one another, by relieving one another's wants and re-
dreffing their misfortunes : again, tendernefs of their
good name and reputation ; a pronenefs to interpret
all the words and aclions of men to the befl fenfe ;
patience and forbearance towards one another ; and
when differences happen, to manage them with all
polTible calmnefs and kindnefs, and to be ready to
forgive and to be reconciled to one another ; to pray
one for another; and if occafion be, at lead if the
publick good of chriftianity require it, to be ready to
lay down our lives for our brethren, and to facrifice
ourfelves for the furtherance of their falvation.
III. We will confider the degrees and meafures of
our charity, with regard to the various objeds about
which it is exercifed.
And as to the negative part of this duty, it is to
be extended equally towards all. We are not to hate
or bear ill-will to any man, or to do him^ any harm or
mifchief ; love worketh no evil to his neighbour.
Thus much charity we are to exercife towards all with-
out any exception, without any difference.
And as to the pofitive part of this duty, we Hiould
bear an univerfal good-will to all men, wifliing every
man's happinefs, and praying for it as heartily as for
our own : and if we be fmcerc herein, we fhall be
ready upon all occafions to procure and promote the
welfare of all men. But the outward adls and tefli-
monies of our charity neither can be adlually extend-
ed to all, nor ought to be to all alike. We do not
B i know
12 At the yorkJl:ire feajl
S E R M. know the wants of all, and therefore our knowledsfc
of perfons, and of their eonditions, doth necefTarily
Jimit the effedls of our charity within a certain com-
pafs ; and of thofe we do know, we can but relieve
a fmall part for want of ability. Whence it becomes
necefTary, that we fet fome rules to ourfelvcs for the
more difcreet ordering of our charity ; fuch as thefe :
cafes of extremity ought to take place of all other.
Obligations of nature, and nearnefs of relation, feem
to challenge the next place. Obligations of kind-
nefs, and upon the account of benefits received,
may well lay the next claim. And then the houfhold
of faith is to be peculiarly confidered. And after
thefe, the merit of the perfons, and all circumftances
belonging to them, are to be weighed and valued ;
thofe who labour in an honed calling, but are op-
prefs'd with their charge ; thofe who are fallen from
a plentiful condition, efpecially by misfortune and
the providence of God, without their own fault;
thofe who have relieved others, and have been emi-
nently charitable and beneficial to mankind \ and laft-
ly, thofe whofe vifible necefTities and infirmities of
body or mind, whether by age or by accident, do
plead for them: all thefe do challenge our more
cfpecial regard and confideration.
IV. We will confider our obligations to this duty,
not only from our Saviour's authority, but likewife
from our own nature, and from the reafonablcnels
and excellency of the thing commanded. This is the
commandment of the Son of God, who came
down from heaven with full authority to declare the
will of God to us. And this is peculiarly " hiscom-
*' mandment," which he urgeth upon his^ifciplcs fo
earneftly.
in Lofidon^ Dec, 3, 1678. 13
carneflly, and fo as if he almofl required no- S E R Mj
thing elfe in comparifon of this. John xv. 12. " This '
" is my commandment, that ye love one another ;'*
and ver. 17. " Thefe things I command you, that
'' ye love one another." As if this were the end of
all his precepts, and of his whole doftrine, to bring
us to the pradlice of this duty. And fo St, John,
the loving and beloved difciple, fpeaks of it as the
great meflage which the Son of God was to deliver
to mankind, i John iii. 11. " This is the mefiagc
" which ye have heard from the beginning, that yc
" fhould love one another.'' And ver. 23. " This
*' is his commandment, that we fhould believe on the
" name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one
" another, as he gave us commandment." And
chap. iv. ver, 21. " This commandment have we
*' from him, that he who loveth God, love his bro-
" theralfo."
But befides the authority of our Saviour, wc
have a precedent obligation to" it from our ov/n na-
ture, and from the reafonablenefs and excellency of
the thing itfelf. The frame of our nature difpofeth
us to it, and our inclination to fociety, in which
there can be no pleafure, no advantage, without mu-
tual love and kindnefs. And equity alio calls for it,
for that Vv^e ourfelves wilh and exped kindnefs from
others is conviction enough to us that we owe it to
others. The fulfilling of this law is the great per-
fedlion of our natures, the advancement and enlarge-
ment of our fouls, the chief ornament and beauty
of a great mind. It makes us like to God, the beft
and mofl perfect and happiefl being, in that which is
the prime excellency and happinefs and glory of the
divine nature. And
14 At the yorkjlnre feajl
S E R M. And the advantages of this temper are unfpeakable
^^ i and innumerable. It freeth our fouls from thofe un-
ruly and troublefom and difquieting pafTions which
are the great torment of our Ipirits •, from anger and
envy, from mahcc and revenge, from jealoufy and
difcontent. It makes our minds calm and chearful,
and puts our fouls into an eafy pofture, and into good
humour, and maintains us in the pofleflion and en-
joyment of ourfejves : it preferves men from many
mifchiefs and inconveniences, to which enmity and
ill-will do perpetually cxpofe them : it is apt to make
friends^ and to gain enemies, and to render every
condition either pleafant, or eafy, or tolerable to us.
So that to love others, is the trued love to ourfelves,
and doth redound to our own unfpeakable benefit and
advantage in all relpefts.
It is a very confiderable part of our duty, and al-
moft equalled by our Saviour with the firfl: and
great commandment of the law. It is highly accept-
able to God, mofl beneficial to others, and very
comfortable to ourfelves. It is the cafieft of all du-
ties, and it makes all others eafy ; the pleafure of it
makes the pains to fignify nothing, and the delight-
ful reflexion upon it afterwards is a mofl ample re-
ward of it. It is a duty in every man's power to
perform, how flrait and indigent foever his fortune
and condition be. The poorefl man may be as cha-
ritable as a prince \ he may have as much kindnefs in
his heart, though his hand cannot be fo bountiful and
munificent. Our Saviour inflanceth in the sivin^
of a cup of cold water, as a charity that will be
highly accepted and rewarded by God. And one of
the mofl celebrated charities that ever was, how
fmall
in Londoriy Dec, 3, 1678. ir
fmall was it for the matter of it, and yet how great S E R M.
in regard of the mind that gave it ? I mean the wi- ^^'
dow's two mites, which fhc caft into the treafury :
one could hardly give h^s^ and yet none can give
piore, for ihe gave 'all that ihe had. All thefe ex-
cellencies and advantages of love and charity, which
I have briefly recounted, are fo many arguments, fb
many obligations to the pradice of this duty.
V. We will confider the great infl:ance and exam-
ple which is here propounded to our imitation ; " as
" I have loved you, that ye alfo love one another.'*
The Son of God's becoming man, his whole life,
his bitter death and palTion, all that he did and all
that he fuffered, was one great and continued proof
and evidence of his mighty love to mankind. The
greateft inllance of love among men, and that too
but very rare, is for a man to lay down his life for
another, for his friend; but the Son of God died
for all mankind, and we were all his enemies. And
fhould we not chearfuUy imitate the example of that
great love and charity, the effecfts whereof are fo
comfortable, fo beneficial, fo happy to every one of
us. Had he not loved us, and died for us, we had
certainly perifh'd, we had been miferable and undone
to all eternity.
And to perpetuate this great example of charity,
and that it might be always frefh in our memories,
the great facrament of our religion was on purpofe
inftituted for the commemoration of this great love
of ths Son of God, in laying down his life, and
fhedding his precious blood for the wicked and rebel-
lious race of mankind. But I have not time to en-
large upon this noble argument as it deferves.
VI. The
1 6 At the yorkjhirc feajl
S E R M. VI. The lad thing to be confidered is the place
and rank which this precept and duty holds in the
chriftian religion. Our blefled Saviour here makes
it the proper badge and cognifancc of our profef-
fion : " by this fhall all men know that ye are my
" difciples, if ye love one another." The different
fedts among the Jews had fome peculiar charader to
diflinguifli them from one another : the fcholars of
the feveral great rabbi's among them had fome pe-
culiar fayings and opinions, fome cuftoms and tra-
ditions whereby they were feverally known ; and fo
likewife the difciples of John the baptift were parti-
cularly remarkable for their great aufterities. In al-
lufion to thefe diftindlions of feds and fchools among
the Jews, our Saviour fixeth upon this mark and
charader whereby his difciples fhould be known
from the difciples of any other Inftitution, a mighty
love and affedion to one another.
Other feds were diflinguifh'd by little opinions,
or by fome external rites and obfervances in reli-
gion; but our Saviour pitcheth upon that which
is the mod real and fubftantial, the mod large and
extenfive, the mod ufeful and beneficial, the mod
humane and the mod divine quality of which we are
capable.
This was his great commandment to his difciples,
before he left the world : this was the legacy he left
them, and the effed of his lad prayers for them :
and for this end, among others, he indituted the fa-
crament of his blefled body and blood, to be a lively
remembrance of his great charity to mankind, and a
perpetual bond of love and union amongd his fol-
lowers.
And
in London, Dec, 3, 1678. 17
And the apoftles of our Lord and Saviour do^ E r m.
upon all occafions recommend this to us, as a princi-
pal duty and part of our religion ; telling us, that in
Christ Jesus, that is, in the chriftian religion>
nothing will avail, no not faith itfelf, unlefs it be en-
livened and infpired by charity ; that love is the end
of the commandment, ts>.©^ -f r^'^^yiKias^ the end
of the evangelical declaration, the firfl: fruit of the
Spirit, the fpring and root of all thofe graces and
virtues which concern our duty tov/ards one another:
that it is the fum and abridgement, the accomplifh-
ment and fulfilling of the whole law : that without
this, whatever we pretend to in chriftianity, we arc
nothing, and our religion is vain : that this is the
greateft of all graces and virtues, greater than faith
and hope ; and of perpetual ufe and duration, charity
never fails.
And therefore they exhort us above all things to
endeavour after it, as the crown of all other virtues :
" Above all things have fervent charity among your
" felves," faith St. Peter : and St. Paul, having enu-
merated moll other chrittian virtues, exhorts us above
all to ftrive after this, " and above all thefe things
*' put on charity, which is the bond of perfedlion.**
This Si, John makes one of the moft certain figns
of our love to God, and the want of it an undenia-
ble argument of the contrary : " If a man fay I
*' love God, and hateth his brother, he is a lyar;
" for he who loveth not his brother whom he hath
** feen, how can he love God whom he hath not
** feen ? " This he declares to be one of the beft evi-
dences that we are in a ftate of grace and falvation.
Vol. IL C '' Hens-
I
i8 At the yorkjlnre feajl
S E R M. « Hereby wc know that we are paiTed from death to
" life, becaufe we love the brethren."
So that v/ell might our bleffed Saviour choofe
this for the badge of his difciples, and make it the
great precept of the beft and mod perfedl infiitution.
Other things might have ferved better for pomp and
oftentation, and have more gratilied the curiofity, •
or enthufiafm, or fuperflition of mankind, but there
is no quality in the world which, upon a fober and
impartial confideration, is of a more folid and intrin-
fi ck value.
And in the firft ages of chriflianity, the chri-
ftians were very eminent for this virtue, and parti-
cularly noted for it ; Nobis notam inurit apud quof-
daiiiy " it is a mark and brand fet upon us by fome,'*
faith Tertullian ; and he tells us, that it was proverbi-
ally faid among the heathen, " Behold how thefe
«' chriilians love one another." Lucian, that great
fcofter at all religion, acknowledgeth in behalf of
chriilians, that this was the great principle which
their matter had inflill'd into them : And Julian, the
bittereft enemy that chriflianity ever had, could not
forbear to propound to the heathen for an example
the charity of the Galileans, for fo, by way of re-
proach, he calls the chriftians, " who (fays he) gave
" up themfelves to humanity and kindnefs-," which
he acknowledgeth to have been very much to the
advantage and reputation of our religion: and in
the fame letter to Arfacius, the heathen high-priefl
of Galatia, he gives this memorable teftimony of
the chriftians, that their charity was not limited and
confin'd only to themfelves, but extended even to
their
in London, Dec. 3, 1678. 19
their enemies; which could not be fald either of the S E R M,
jews or heathens: his words are thefe, " It is a^^
" fhame, that when the Jews fufFer none of theirs '
« to beg, and the impious Gahleans relieve not on-
« Jy their own, hut thofe aJfo of our rehgion, that
" we only /hould be defedlive in fo neceOary a duty."
By all which it is evident that Jove and charity is
not only the great precept of our Saviour, bun
was in thofe firf: and befl times the general pra6lice
of his dilbiples, and acknowledged by the heathens
as a very peculiar and remarkable quality in them.
The application I iliall make of this difcourfe fhaJl
be threefold.
1. With relation to the church of Rome.
2. With regard to ourfelves wht) profefs the pro-
teftant reform'd religion.
3. With a more particular refpecfl to the occailon
of this meeting.
I. Firll, with relation to the church of Rome;
which we cannot choofe but think of, whenever we
fpeak of charity and loving one another; efpecialiy
having had fo late a difcovery of their affedion to
us, and fo confiderable a teftimony of the kindnefs
and charity which they defign'd towards us ; fjch as
mayjudly make the ears of all that hear it to tingle,
and render popery execrable and infamous, a fright-
ful and hateful thing to th^ end of the world.
It is now but too vifible how groHy this great
commandment of our Saviour is contradidled,
not only by the practices of thofe in that commu-
raon, from the pope down to the meaneft frier ; but
by the very docSrines and principles, by the genius
and fpirit of that religion, which is wholly calcula-
C 2 ted
20 At the yorkJlAre feajl
S E R M. ted for cruelty and perfecution. Where now is that
^^^^^^, mark of a difciplc, fo much infifled upon by our
Lord and Master, to be found in that church?
And yet what is the chriftian church but the fociety
and community of Christ's difciples? Surely in all
reafon, that which our Lord made the diftin6live
mark and chara6ter of his difciples, Ihould be die
principal mark of a true church. Bellarmine reckons
up no lefs than fifteen marks of the true church, all
which the church of Rome arrogates to herfclf
alone : but he wifely forgot that which is worth all
the red, and which our Saviour infifls upon as the
chief of all other, a fincere love and charity to all
chrlilians : this he knew would by no means agree to
his own church.
But for all tliat, it is very reafonable that churches
as well as particular chriilians fliould be judged by
their charity. The church of Rome would engrofs
all faith to herfclf: faith in its utmoft perfedion, to
the degree and pitch of infallibility ; and they allow
no body in the world, befides themfclves, no though
they believe all the articles of the apoftles creed, to
have one grain of true faith ; becaufe they do
not believe upon the authority of their church, which
they pretend to be the only foundation of true faith.
This is a mod arrogant and vain pretence ; but ad-
mit it were true, yet in the judgment of St. Paul,
*' Though they had all faith, if they have not cha-
*' rity, they are nothing."
The greateft wonder of all is this, that they who
hate and perfecute chriftians mod, do all this while,
the mod confidently of all others, pretend to be the
difciples of Christ, and will allow none to be fo
but
in London^ Dec. 3, 1678. 21
but themfelves. That church which cxcommuni- S E R M.
cates all other chridian churches in the world, and if ^^'
Hie could, would extirpate them out of the world,
will yet needs afTume to herfelf to be the only chri-
ftian church: as if our Saviour had faid, " Here-
" by fhall all men know that ye are my difciples, if
" ye hate, and excommunicfe, and kill one ano-
" ther. What fhall be done unto thee, thou falfe
" tongue ?" thou empty and impudent pretence of
chriflianity !
II. Secondly, with relation to ourfelves, who pro-
fefs the proteftant reformed religion. How is this
great precept of our Saviour not only ihamefully
negle6led, but plainly violated by us? and that not
only by private hatred and ill-will, quarrels and con-
tentions in our civil converfation and intercourfe with
one another ; but by moft unchridian divifions and
animofities in that common relation wherein we
fland to one another, as brethren, as chriilians, as
proteflants.
Have we not all one father ? hath not one God
created us ? and are we not in a more peculiar and
eminent manner brethren, being " all the children
*' of God by faith in Jesus Christ ? " are Vv^e not
all members of the fame body, and partakers of the
fame fpirit, and heirs of the fame blefied hopes of
eternal life ?
So that being brethren upon fo many accounts,
and by {o many bonds and endearments all united
one to another, and all travelling towards the fame
heavenly country, why do we fall out by the way,
fince we be brethren ? why do we not, as becomes
brethren, dwell together in unity ,? but are fo apt to
quarrel
XX.
.22 ^t the yorhfklre feaji
S E R M. quarrel and break out into heats, to crumble into feds
and parties, to divide and feparate from one anodier
upon every flight and trifling occafion.
Give me leave a little more fully to expofl:ulate
this matter, but very calmly and in the fpirit of
meeknefs, and in the name of our dear Lord who
loved us at fuch a rate as to die for us, to recom-
mend to you this new commandment of his, " that
*' ye love one another : " v^hich is almofl: a new com-
mandment flill, and hardly the worfe for wearing ;
fo feldom is it put on, and fo litde hath it been prac-
tifed among chriflians for feveral ages.
Confider ferioufly with yourfelves ; ought not the
great matters wherein we are agreed, our union in
the dodlrines of the chrifliian religion, and in all the
necefl^ary articles of that faith which was once deli-
vered to the faints, in the fame facraments, and in
all the fubfl:antial parts of God's worfliip, and in the
great duties and virtues of the chrifl:ian life, to be of
greater force to unite us, than ditference in doubtful
opinions, and in little rites and circumfl:ances of wor-
fhip to divide and break us ?
Are not the things about which we differ, in their
nature indifl^erent, that is, things about which there
ought to be no difi^erence among wife men ? Are they
not at a great difl:ance from the life and eflfence of
religion, and rather good or bad as they tend to the
peace and unity of the church, or are made ufe of to
fchifm and fadlion, than either necefllliry or evil in
themfelves? and fliafl little fcruples weigh fo far with
us, as, by breaking the peace of the church about
them, to endanger our whole religion ? Shall we take
one another by the throat for a hundred pence,
when
in London, Dec. 3, 1678. 23
when our common adverfary {lands ready to clap S E R M.
upon us an adlion of ten thoufand talents ? can we ^^*
in good earned be contented that rather than the
furplice fhould not be thrown out, popery Ihould
come in ? and rather than receive the facrament in
the humble, but indifferent, pofture of kneeling, to
fwallow the camel of tranfubllantiation^ and adore
the elements of bread and wine for our God and Sa-
viour ? and rather than to fubmit to a fet form of
prayer, to have the fervice of God perform'd in an
unknown tongue ?
Are we not yet made fenfible, at leaft in this our
day, by fo clear a demonftration as the providence of
God hath lately given us: and had net he been in-
finitely merciful to us, naight have proved the dear-
eft and moft dangerous experiment that ever was : I
fay, are we not yet convinced, what mighty advan-
tages our enemies have made of our divifions, and
what a plentiful harveft they ha^^ had among us,
during our differences, and upon occafion of them ;
and how near their religion was to have enter'd in
upon us at once, at thofe wide breaches which wc
had made- for it ? And will we ftill take counfel of
our enemies, and choofe to follow that courfe to
which, of all other, they who hate us and feek ^our
ruin would moft certainly advife and diredl us ? Will
we freely offer them that advantage which they would
be contented to purchale at any rate ?
Let us, after all our fad experience, at laft take
warning to keep a ftedfaft eye upon our chief enemy,
and not fuffer ourfelves to be diverted from the con-
fideration and regard of our greateft danger by the
petty provocations of our friends j fo I choofe to call
/ thofc
XX.
24 ^t the yorkJJ:ire feaji
S E R M. thofe who dlflent from us in lefier matters, becaufe I
would fain have them fo, and they ought in all rea-
fon to be fo : but however they behave themfelves,
wc ought not much to mind thofe who only fling dirt
at us, whilft we are fure there are others who fly at
our throats, and flrike at our very hearts.
Let us learn this wifdom of our enemies, who,
though they have many great difirrenccs among
themfelves, yet they have made a fhift at this time to
unite together to defl:roy us : and fliall not we do as
much to fave ourfelves ?
■ fas eft i^ ah hofte doceri.
It was a principle among the ancient Romans, a
brave and wife people, donare mmicitias Reipubliccd^
to give up and facrifice their private enmities and quar-
rels to the publick good and the fafety of the com-
monwealth. And is it not to every confiderate man
as clear as the fun at noonday, that nothing can main-
tain and fupport the protefl:ant religion amongfl: us,
and found our church upon a rock, fo that '' when
*' the rain falls, and the winds blow, and the floods
" beat upon it, it fliall fl:and firm and unfliaken : "
That nothing can be a bulwark of fufficient force to
refifl: all the arts and attempts of popery, but an
cfl:ablifli'd national religion, firmly united and com-
pared in all the parts of it ? is it not plain to every
eye, that little fe6ts and feparate congregations can
never do it? but will be like a foundation of find to
a weighty building, which whatever fliew it may
make, cannot fland long, becaufe it wants union at
the foundation, and for that rcafon muft neceiTarily
want ilrength and firmnels.
It
in London^ Dec. 3, 1678. 25
It is not for private perfons to undertake in mat- SE RM.
ters of public eoncernmcnt-, but I think we have no v.,..-,^..^
caufe to doubt but the governors of our church
(notwithftanding .ail the advantages of authority,
and we think of reafon too on our fide) are perfons
of that piety and prudence, that for peace fake, and
in order to a firm union among proteflants, they
would be content, if that would do it, not to infift
upon litde things j but to yield them up, v;hether to
the infirmity or importunity, or, perhaps in fome
very few things, to the plauiible exceptions of thofe
who differ from us.
But then furely, on the other fide, men ought to
bring along with them a peaceable difpofition, and
a mind ready to comply with the church in v/hich
they were born and baptized, in all reafonable and
lawful things \ and defirous upon any terms that are
tolerable to return to the communion of it : a mind
free from pafilon and prejudice, from peevifh excep-
tions, and groundlefs and endlcfs fcruples ; not apt to
infift upon little cavils and objedlions, to which the
very beft things, and the greatefl and cleared truths
in the world are and always will be liable : and
whatever they have been heretofore, ro be " hence-
" forth no more children, toiTed to and fro, and car-
" ried about with every wind of dodrine, by the
" flight of men, and cunning craftinefi of thofe who
" lie in wait to deceive."
And if we were thus affected on all hands, wc
might yet be a happy church and nation *, if we
would govern ourfelves by thefe rules, and walk ac-
cording to them, " peace would be upon us, and
*' mercy, and on the Ifrael of God."
Vol. II. D III. Thirdly,
J.
26 At the yorkJl:ire feajl
S E R M. III. Thirdly, I lliall conclude all with a few words
in relation to the pccafion of this prefent meeting. 1
have all this while been recommending to you, from
the authority and example of our blefied Saviour,
and from the nature and reafon of the thing itfelf,
this moll excellent grace and virtue of charity, in the
moft proper ads and indances of it : but befides par-
ticular a6ls of charity to be exercifed upon emergent
occafions, there are likewife charitable cufjoms which
are highly commendable, becaufe they are more cer-
tain and conflant, of a larger extent, and of a longer
continuance : as the meeting of the fons of the cler-
gy, which is now form'd and eftablifh'd into a cha-
ritable corporation : and the anniverfary meetings of
thofe of the feveral counties of England, who refide,
or happen to be in London ; for two of the beft and
nobleft ends that can be, the maintaining of friend-
ihip, and the promoting of charity. Thefe, and
others of the like kind, I call charitable culloms,
which of late years have very much obtained in this
great and famous city. And it cannot but be a great
pleafure and fatisfaclion to all good men, to fee fo
generous, fo humane, fo chrillian a dilpofition to
prevail and reign fo much amongft us.
The ftrange overflowing of vice and wickednefs
in our land, and the prodigious increafe and impu-
dence of infidelity and impiety, hath of late years
boded very ill to us, and brought terrible judgments
upon this city and nation, and feems flill to threa-
ten us with more and greater : and the greatell com-
fort I have had under thefe fad apprehenfions of
God's difpleafure hath been this, that though bad
men were perhaps never worfe in any age, yet the
good.
in London^ Dec, 3, 1678. 27
good, who I hope are not a few, were never more SERM.
truly and fubilarAially good : I do verily believe there ^^*
never vvxre, in any time, greater and more real ef-
fedls of charity ; not from a blind fuperilition, and
an ignorant zeal, and a mercenary and arrogant and
prefumptuous principle of merit, but from a found
knowledge, and a fmcere love and obedience to
God, or, as the apoflle exprcfles it, " out of a pure
" heart, and of a good confcience, and of faith un-
" feigned.'*
And who, that loves God and religion, can
choofe but take great contentment to fee ^o general
and forward an inclination in people this v/ay ?
which hath been very much cherilhed of late years
by this ibrt of meetings : and that to very good
purpofe and effect, in many charitable contributions
difpofed in the bed and wifeft ways: and which
likewife hath tended very much to the reconciling of
the minds of men, and the allaying of thofe fierce
heats and animofities which have been caufed by our
civil confufions and religious diflradions. For there
is nothing many times v/anting to take away preju-
dice, and to exuinguifh hatred and ill-will, but an
opportunity for men to fee and underfland one Ano-
ther ; by which they will quickly perceive, that they
are not fuch monfters as thty have been reprefented
one to another at a diflance.
We are, I think, one of the lad counties of Eng-
land that have entred into this friendly and charita-
ble kind of fociety ; let us make amends for our late
fetting out by quickning our pace, fo that we may
overtake and outflrip thofe v/ho are gone before us :
let not our charity partake of the coldnefs of our
D 2 climate.
2i At the yorkjlnrc feajl^ &c.
S E R M. climate, but let us endeavour that it may be equal to
the extent of our country •, and as we arc incompara-
bly the greatefl: county of England, let it appear
that wc are fo by the largcnefs and extent of our cha-
rity.
'' O Lord, who hail taught us that all our do-
•*' ings without charity are nothing, fend thy Holy
" Ghost, and pour into our hearts that mofl excel-
" lent gift of charity, the very bond of peace, and
" of all virtues : without which whofoever liveth, 13
" counted dead before thee. Grant this for thy only
" Son Jesus Christ's fake.'*
" Now the God of peace, who brought again
" from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the
" great fhepherd of the fheep, through the blood
" of the everlafting covenant, make you perfect in
" every good work to do his will, working in you
'' that which is well-pleafing in his fight, through
" Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and
*^ even Amen.
SERMON
*9
SERMON XXI.
Preached at Whitehall^ April 4, 1679.
I JOHN iv. I.
Beloved^ believe not every fpirity but try the fpirits whe- '
ther they are of God ; becaufe many falfe prophets
are gone out into the world,
THIS caution and counfel was given upon s E R M.
occafion of the falfe prophets and teachers ^^\'
that were rifen up in the beginning of the
chriflian church, who endeavoured to feduce men
from the true dod:rine of the gofpel dehvered by the
apoflles of our Lord and Saviour. And theie
teaching contrary things, could not both be from
God ; and therefore St. John calls upon chriftians to
examine the dodrines and pretences of thofe new-
teachers, whether they were from God or nor. " Bs-
" lieve not every fpirit ;" that is, not every one that
takes upon him to be infpired, and to be a teacher
come from God: " But try the fpirits;" that is,
examine thofe that make this pretence, whether it be
real or not \ and examine the dodrines which they
bring, becaufe there are many impoftors abroad in the
world.
This is the plain fenfe of the words: in which
there are contained thefe four propofitions.
jFiru, that men may, and often do, flilfly pretend
to infpiration. And this is the reafon upon which
the apollle grounds this exhortation : " becaufe many
« falfe
20 Of the trial of the fpirits.
S E R M. " falfc prophets are gone out into the world," thcrc-
^^^- fore we fhould try who are true, and who are falfe.
Secondly, we are not to believe every one that
pretends to be infpired, and to teach a divine doc-
trine: this follows upon the former 5 becaufe men
may falfiy pretend to infpiration, therefore we arc not
*'to believe every one that makes this pretence. For
any man that hath but confidence enough, and con-
fcience little enough, may pretend to come from
God. And if we admit all pretences of this kind,
we lie at the mercy of every crafty and confident m.an,
to be led by him into what delufions he pleafeth.
Thirdly, neither are we to reje£t all that pretend
to come from God. This is fufHciently implied in
the text ; for when the apoftle fays, " believe not
*' every ipirit," he fuppofeth we are to believe fome;
and when he faith, " try the fpirits whether they
*' be of God," he fuppofeth fome to be of God,
and that thofe which are fo are to be believed. Thefe
three obfervations are fo plain, that I need only to
name them to make way for the
Fourth, which I principally defigned to infifl upon
from thefe words. And that is this, " that there is
*' fome vv/ay to difcern mere pretenders to infpiration,
•' from thofe who are truly and divinely infpired : '*
and this is neceflarily implied in the apoftle's bidding
us to " try the fpirits whether they are of God."
For it were in vain to make any trial, if there be
no way to difcern betv/een pretended and real in-
fpiration.
Now the handling of this will give occafion to two
very material enquiries, and ufeful to be refolved.
I. How
Of the trial of the fpirits. 3 1
I. How we may difcern between true and coun- S E R M.
tcrfeit dodrines : thofe which really are from God,
and thofe which only pretend to be fo ?
II. To whom this judgment of difcerning doth
appertain ?
I. How we may difcern between true and coun-
terfeit doctrines and revelations ? for the clearing of
this I fhall lay down thefe following proportions.
1. That reafon is the faculty whereby revelations
arc to be difcerned -, or to ufe the phrafc in the text,
it is that v/hereby v/e are to judge what fpirits are
of God, and what not. For all revelation from
God fuppofeth us to be men, and to be endued
with reafon, and therefore it does not create new
faculties in us, but propounds new objects to that fa-
culty v^^hich was in us before. Whatever dodtrines
God reveals to men are propounded to their under-
ftandings, and by this faculty we are to examine all
dodlrines which pretend to be from God, and upon
examination to judge v/hether there be reafon to re-
ceive them as divine, or to rejefl them as impoflures.
2. All fupernatural revelation fuppofeth the truth
of the principles of natural religion. We muft firft
be afliired that there is a God, before we can know
that he hath made any revelation of himfelf : and
we muft know that his words are true, otherwife
there were no fufticient reafon to believe the revela-
tions which he makes to us : and we muft believe
his authority over us, and that he will reward our
obedience to his laws, and punifh our breach of
them; otherwife there would neither be fufiacient
obligation nor encouragement to obedience. Thefe
<tnd many other things are fuppofed to be true,
and
J 2 Of the trial of the fpirits.
SE R M. and naturally known to us, antecedently to all fupcr-
^■^^' .natural revelation ; otherwife the revelations of God
would fignify nothing to us, nor be of any force
with us.
3. All reafonings about divine revelations muft ne-
cellirily be governed by the principles of natural re-
ligion : that is, by thofe apprehenfions which men
naturally have of the divine perfections, and the
clear notions of good and evil which arc imprinted
upon our natures. Bccaufe we have no other way
to judge what is worthy of God, and credible to be
revealed by him, and what not, but by the natural
notions which we have of God and of his efiential -
perfections : which, becaufe we know him to be im-
mutable, we have realbn to believe he will never con-
tradict. And by thefe principles likewife, we are
to interpret what God hath revealed; and when any
doubt arifeth concerning the meaning of any divine
revelation (as that of the holy fcriptures) we are to
govern ourfclves in the interpretation of it by what
is mod agreeable to thofe natural notions which
we have of God, and we have all the reafon in V\\t.
world to rejedl that fenfe which is contrary thereto.
For inftancc, when God is reprefented in fcripturc
as having a human fhape, eyes, ears and hands, the
notions which men naturally have of the divine na-
ture and perfections do fufficiently direct us to inter-
pret thefe expreflions in a fenfe worthy of God, and
agreeable to his perfections : and therefore it is rea-
fonable to underhand them as rather fpoken to our
capacity, and in a figure, than to be literally intend-
ed. And this will proportionably hold in many other
cafes.
4. Nothing
Of the trial of the fpirifs. 3 3
4. Nothino; ought to be received as a revelation S E R M.
from God which plainly contradids ih^ principles ._^X^X1^
of natural religion, or overrlirows the certainty of
them. For inftance, it v/ere in vain to pretend a
revelation from God, *' that tiiere is no God," be-
caufe this is a con trad 161: ion in terms. So likev/ife to
pretend a command from God, '* That we are to
" hate and defpife him j" becauie.it is not credible
that God fhould require any thing of reafonalile
creatures fo unfuitable to their natures, and to their
obligations to him ; befides that fjch a law as this
does tacidy involve a contradidicn j becaufe upon
fuch a fuppofidon, to deipife God would be to obey
him J and yet to obey him is certainly to honour
him. So that in this cafe to honour God, and to
defpife him, would be the fame thing, and equal
contempts of him. In like manner it would be vain
to pretend any revelation from God, " that there is
" no life after this, nor rev/ards and punilliments
" in another world:" becaufe this is contrary to
thofe natural apprehenfions which have generally
pofTeil mankind, and would take away the m.ain
force and fandiion of the divine laws. The like may
be faid concerning any pretended revelation from
God, v/hich evidently contradidls thofe natural no-
tions which men have of good and evil ; as, " that
" God Ihould command or allov/ fedition and rebel-
" lion, perfidioufnefs and perjury i" becaufe the prac-
tice of thefe would be apparently defiruflive of the
peace and happinefs of mankind, and would natu-
rally bring confufion into the v/orld : but " God is
" not the God of confuHon, but of order," which
St. Paul appeals to as a principle naturally known.
VOL. II. E ^ Upon
24. Of the trial of the fpirits.
iRiM. Upon the fame account nothing ought to be enter-
tained as a divine revelation which overthrows the
certainty of the principles of natural religion \ be-
caufe that v/ould take away the certainty of divine re-
velation itfelf, which fuppofeth the truth of thofe
principles. For inflance, whoever pretends any re-
velation that brings the providence of God into que-
flion, does by that very thing make fuch a revelation
quell lonable. For if God take no care of the world,
have no concernment for humane affairs, v/hy fhould
we believe that he makes any revelation of his will to
men? And by this principle Mofes will have falfe
prophets to be tried : Deut. xiii. i. "If there arife
** among you a prophet, and giveth thee a fign or
'' wonder, and the fign or the wonder come to pafs,
*' whereof he Ipake unto thee, faying, \tt us go after
*' other gods, and let us ferve them ; thou fhalt not
*' hearken unto the words of that prophet ; " and he
gives the reafon of this, ver. 5. " becaufe he hath
*' fpoken unto you to turn you away from the Lord
*' your God, Vw-hich brought you out of the land of
'* Egypt." Here is a cafe wherein a falfe prophet is
fuppofed to work a true miracle to give credit to his
dodrine (which in other cales the fcripture makes the
fign of a true prophet) but yet in this cafe he is to be
rejefled as an impoftor : becaufe the do6lrine he
teacheth would draw men off from the v/orfhip of
the true God who is naturally known, and had ma-
nifefted himfejf to the people of Ifrael in fo mira-
culous a manner, by bringing them out of the
jatid of Egypt. So that a miracle is not enough
to give credit to a prophet who teacheth any thing
contrary to that natural notion which men have,
" That
Of the trial of the fpirlts. 3 5
*' That there is but one God, who only ought to be S E R M.
*' worfhipped."
5. Nothing ought to be received as a divine doc-
trine and revelation, without good evidence that it is
fo : that is, without fome argument fufEcient to fa-
tisfy a prudent and confiderate man. Now (fuppo-
fing there be nothing in the matter of the revelation
that is evidently contrary to the principles of natural
rehgion, nor to any former revelation which hath
already received a greater and more folemn attefta-
tion from God) miracles are owned by all mankind
to be a fufEcient teilimony to any perfon, or doflrlne^
that they are from God. This was the teflimony
which God gave to Moles to fatisfy the people of
Ifracl that he had fent him ; Exod. iv. 1,2. " Mofes
" faid, they will not believe mc, nor hearken unto
*' my voice; for they will fay, the Lord hath not
*' appeared unto thee." Upon this God endues him
with a power of miracles, to be an evidence to them,
" that they may believe that the God of their fa-
" thers, Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob, hath appeared
*' unto thee.'* And all along in the old teftament,
v/hen God fent his prophets to make a new revela^
tion, or upon any flrange and extraordinary meilage,
he always gave credit to them by fome fign or wonder
which they foretold or wrought. And when he fent
his Son into the v/orld, he gave teflimony to him by
innumerable great and unqueftionabie miracles, more
and greater than Mofes and all the prophets had
wrought. And there was great reafon for this : be-
caufeour Saviour came not only to publifh a new
religion to the v/orld, but to put an end to that reli-
gion which God had infiituted before. And now
E 2 that
36 Of the trial of the fplrits.
S R R M. that the gofpel hath had the confirmation of fuch
^ '^ ^_\_, miracles as never were wrought upon any other oc-
cafion, no evidence inftrior to this can in reafon con-
trol this revelation, or give credit to any thing con-
trary to it. And therefore though the falfe pro-
phets and Antichrifts, foretold by our Saviour,
did really Vv^ork miracles, yet they were fo inconfi-
derable in comparifon of our Saviour's, that they
defer ve no credit in cppofition to that revelation
which had fo clear a teflimony given to it from
heaven by miracles, befides all other concurring ar-
guments to confirm it.
6. And laltly, no argument is fufficient to prove
a dodlrine or revelation to be from God, which is
not clearer and f!:ron2;er than the difficulties and ob-
je6lions againfl: it : becaufe all afient is grounded up-
on evidence, and the ftrongefl: and cleared evidence
alv/ays carries it : but where the evidence is equal on
both fides, that can produce nothing but a fufpenfe
and doubt in the mind whether the thing be true or
not. If Mofes had not confuted Pharaoh's Magici-
ans by working miracles which they could not work,
they might reafonably have difputed it with him
who had been the true prophet: but when he did
works plainly above the power of their magick and
the devil to do, then they fubmitted and acknow-
ledged that there was the finger of God. So like-
wife, though a perfon work a miracle (which ordi-
narily is a good evidence that he is Cent by God) yet
if the dodrine he brings be plainly contrary to thofc
natural notions which we have of God, this is a
better objection againft the truth of this dodlrine
than the other is a proof of it j as is plain in the
cafe
XX
Of the trial of the fpirits. 37
cafe which Mofes puts, Deut. xiii. which I mention- S E r m-
ed before.
Upon the fame account no man can reafonably
believe the dodrine of tranfubftantiation to be re-
vealed by God; becaufe every man hath as great
evidence that tranfubfcantiation is falfe, as any laan
can pretend to have that God hath revealed any
fuch thing. Suppofe tranfubftantiation to be pare
of the chriftian dodrine, it mufl: have the fame con-
firmation with the whole, and that is miracles : but
of all dodrines in the world it is peculiarly incapa-
ble of being proved by a miracle. For if a miracle
were wrought for the proof of it, the very fame af-
furance which a man hath of the truth of the mira-
cle, he hath of the falfhood of the do6lrine, that is,
the clear evidence of his fenfes for both. For that
there is a miracle wrought to prove, that what he
fees in the facrament is not bread but the. body
of Christ, he hath only the evidence of his
fenfes ; and he hath the very fame evidence to prove,
that what he fees in the facrament is not the body
of Christ, but bread. So that here arifeth a new
controverfy, whether a man fhould believe his fenfes
giving teftimony againft the dodrine of tranfub-
ftantiation, or bearing tellimony to the miracle
which is wrought to confirm that dodtrine : for
there is juft the fame evidence againfl: the truth of
the dodlrine, which there is for the truth of the mira-
cle. So that the argument for tranfubftantiation, and
the objection againf!: it, do jufl balance one another j
and where the weights in both fcales are equal, it is
impofiiblc that the ona fliould weigh down the ci-
ther j and confequently tranfubftantiation is not to
be
38 0/ the trial of the fpirits,
S E R M. be proved by a miracle ; for that would be, to prove
to a man by fomething that he fees, that he docs
not fee what he fees.
And thus I have endeavoured, as briefly and clear-
ly as I could, to give fatisfa6lion to the firft enqui-
ry I propounded, viz. how we may difcern between
true and counterfeit revelations and dodlrines : 1 pro-
ceed now to the
II. To whom this judgment of difcerning does
appertain. V/hethcr to chriflians in general, or to
feme particular perfon or perfons, authorifed by God
to judge for the refc of mankind, by v/hofe judg-
ment all men are concluded and bound up. And
this is an enquiry of no fmall importance j becaufe it
is one of the mod fundamental points in difference
between us and the church of Rome. And how-
ever in many particular controverfies, as concern-
ing tranfubftantiation, the communion in one kind,
the fervice of God in an unknov/n tongue; the bu-
fincfs of indulgences, the invocation of faints, the
worihip of images, they are not able to offer any
thing that is fit to move a reafonablc and confideratc
man ; yet in this controverfy, concerning the judge
of controverfies, they are not deftitute of fome fpe-
cious appearance of reafon which deferves to be
weighed and confidered. Therefore that we may
examine this matter to the bottom, I fhall do thefc
three things.
I. Lay down fome cautions and limitations
whereby we may underfland how far the generality
of chriflians are allov/ed to judge in matters of re-
ligion.
I fnall reprefent the grounds of this Principle.
3. Endea-
Of the trial of the fpirits, 3 9
2. Endeavour to fatisfy the main objecllons of our 3 E R M.
adverfaries againft it: and likewlfe to fnew, that^^_
there is no fuch reafon and neceflity for an univerfal
infallible judge as they pretend.
I. I fhall lay down feme cautions and limitations,
by which we may underftand how far the generality
of chriilians are allowed to judge in matters of reli-
gion.
Firll, private perfons are only to judge for them-
felves, and not to impofe their judgment upon o-
thcrs, as if they had any authority over them. And
this is reafonable, becaufe if it were otherwife, a
man would deprive others of that liberty which he
aflumes to himfelf, and which he can claim upon no
other account, but becaufe it belongs to others e-
qually with himfelf.
Secondly, this liberty of judging is not fo to be
underflood as to take away the necefnty and ufe of
guides and teachers in religion. Nor can this be
denied to be a reafonable limitation -, becaufe the
knowledge of revealed religion is not a thing born
with us, nor ordinarily fupernaturally infufed into
men ; but is to be learned as other things are. And
if it be to be learned, there mull be fome to teach
and inflru61: others : And they that will learn muft
be modeil and humble ; and in thofe things, of
which they are no competent judges, they muft give
credit to their teachers, and truil their skill : for
inftance, every unlearned man is to take it upon
the credit of thofe who are skilful, that the fcrip-
tures are truly and faithfully tranflated ; and for the
underftanding of obfcure texts of fcripture, and more
difficult points in religion, he is to rely upon thofe,
whofe
xxr.
40 Of the trial of the fptrits,
SERM. wliofe proper bufinefs and employment it is to ap-
ply themfelvcs to the underflanding of thefe things.
For in thefe cafes every man is not capable of judg-
ing himfelf, and therefore he mufl necelTarily traft
others : and in all other things he ought to be mo-
deft i and unlefs it be in plain matters, which every
man can judge of, he ought rather to diftruft him-
felf than his teacher.
And this refpeift may be given to a teacher with-
out either fuppofing him to be infallible, or making
an abfolute refignation of my judgment to him. A
man may be a very able teacher (fuppofe of the ma-
thematicks) and fit to have the refped; which is due
to a teacher, tho' he be not infallible in thofe Sci-
ences : and becaufe infallibility is not necefifary to
fuch a teacher, it is neither necefiary nor conveni-
ent 'that I fhould abfolutely refign up my judgment
to him. For though I have reafon to credit him,
widiin the compafs of his art, in things which I do
not know, I am not therefore bound to believe him
in things plainly contrary to what I and all man-
kind do certainly know. For example, if upon pre-
tence of his skill in arithmenck, which I am learn-
ing of him, he fhould tell me, that twice two do
not make four, but five •, though I believed him
to be the beft mathematician in the world, yet
I cannot believe him in this thing : nor is there
reafon I fliould ; becaufe I did not come to learn
this of him, but knew as much of that before as
he or any man t\^c could tell me. The cafe is
the fame in matters of religion ; in which there
are fome things h plain, and lie fo level to all ca-
pacities, that every man is almoft equally judge
of
Of the trial of the fpirits. 4 1
of them: As I fhall have cccafion farther to fnew ^ ^^}^'
by and by.
Thirdly, neither doth this liberty of judging ex-
empt men from a due fubmiffion and obedience to
their teachers and governors. Every man is bound
to obey the lawful commands of his governors -, and
what by publick confent and authority is determi-
ned and efiablifhed, ought not to be gainfaid by
private perfons, but upon very clear evidence of the
the faUhood or unlawfulnefs of it. And this is eve-
ry man's duty, for the maintaining of order, and
out of regard to the peace and unity of the church ;
which is not to be violated upon every fcruple and
frivolous pretence : and when men are perverfe and
difobedient, authority is judge^ and may refrrain and
punilh them.
Fourthly, nor do I fo far extend this liberty of
judging in religion, as to think every man fit to dif-
pute the controverfies of religion, A great part of
people are ignorant, and of fo mean a capacity as
not to be able to judge of the force of a very good
argument, much lefs of the iiTue of a k)ng difputc ;
and fuch perfons ought not to engage in difputes of
religion 5 but to beg God's direction, and to rely
upon their teachers ♦, and above all to live up to the
plain didates of natural light, and the clear com-
mands of GoD*s word, and this will be their bed
fecurity. And if the providence of God hath placed
them under fuch guides as do feduce them into er-
ror, their ignorance is invincible, and God will not
condemn them for it^ fo long as they fincerely en-
deavour to do the will of God fo far as they know it.
And this being the cafe of many, elpeciaily in the
Vol. II. F - church
42 Of the trial of the fpirits.
S F R ?vf. church of Rome, where ignorance is fo induflrioufly
u...^^..^; cherilhed, I have fo much charity as to hope well
concerning many of them : and feeing that church
teaches and injoins the people to woribip images,
it is in feme fenfe charitably done of them, not to
let them know the fecond commandment, that they
may not be guilty of finning againft fo plain a law.
Having premifed thcfe cautions, I proceed in the
II. Place, to repi-efent to you the grounds of this
principle of our religion, viz. that we allow private
perfons to judge for themfelves in matters of reli-
gion.
Firfl-, becaufe many things in religion, efpccially
thofc which are molt neccffary to be believed and
pradlifed, are fo plain, that every man of ordinary
capacity, after competent inftrudlion in matters of
religion (which is always to be fuppofed) can as well
judge of them for himfelf, as any man, or compa-
ny of men in the world can judge for him ; be-
caufe in thefe he hath a plain rule to go by, natural
light and clear revelation of fcripture. And this is
no new principle of the proteftants, but moft ex-
prefly owned by the ancient fathers. " Whatever
** things are neceflluy, are plain," faith St. Chry-
fbftom. " All things are plainly contained m fcrip-
" ture which concern fliith and a good life, " faith
St. Auftin. And nothing can be more reafonable,
than that thofe things which are plain to every man
ihould be left to every man*s judgment. For every
man can judge of what is plain ; of evident truth
and falfhood, virtue and vice, of dcdlrines and Jaws
plainly delivered in fcripture, if we belicv^e any thing
to be fo^ which is next to madnefs to deiiy. I will
refer
Of the trial of the fpirlU. * 43
refer it to no man's judgment upon earth to determine S E^R^M-
for me " Whether there be a God or not ? whether
« murder and perjury be fins ? " Whether it be not
plain in fcripture, that " Jesus Christ is the
'' Son of God, " that " he became man, and died
« for us, and rofe again ? '* fo that there is no need
of a judge in thefe cafes. Nor can 1 poflibly beUeve
any man to be fo abfolutely infaUible, as not to call
his infalhbihty into queftion, if he determines any
thing contrary to what is plain and evident to all
mankind. For if he ihould determine '' that there is
« no God, " or " that he is not to be wcrPnipped,'*
or " or that he will not punifh and reward men,"
or, which is the cafe that Eeiiarmine puts, " that
« virtue is vice, and vice virtue, " he would hereby
take away the very foundation of religion •, and
how can I look upon him any longer as a judge in
matters of reUgion, when there can be no fjch thing
as religion if he have judged and determined right ?
Secondly, the fcripture plainly allows this liberty
to particular and private perfons to judge for them-
felves. And for this I need go no farther than my
text, which bids men " try the fpirirs whether they
« be of God. " I do not think this is fpoken on-
ly to the pope or a general council, but to chriftians
in general : for to thefe the apoftlc writes. Now if
St. John had believed that God had confdtuted an
infallible judge in his church, to whofe fentence and
determination all chriftians are bound to iubmit, he
ought in all reafon to have referred chriftians to
him for the trial of fpirits, and not to have left it to
every man's private judgment to examine and to de-
termine thefe things. But it feems St. Paul was Hke-
F - 2 wif«
A- ,1
Qf the trial of the fplrits,
wife of the fame mind ; and though he was guldad
)y an infallible fpirit, yet he did not expedl that men
fhould blindly Tjbmit to his dodlrine: nay. To far is
he from that, that he commends the Bercans for that
very thing for which, I dare fay, the church of
Rome would have check' i them molt feverely, name-
ly, f.T fearchirg the fcrip-iures, to fee whether thofe
things v.hich the apoUIes dehvered were fo or not:
this Jibertv Sr. Paul allowed; and though he was in-
fpired by God, yec he (.reated thofe whom he taught
like men. And indeed, it were a hard cafe that a
neceflity of believing d.vii'ie revelations, and rejefting
impofcures, ihould b:- impofcd upon chriflians-, and
yet the liberty of judging, whether a do6lrine be from
God or not, fhould be taken away from them.
Ti.:rdiy, our adverfaries themfelves are forced to
grant that which in effefl is as much as we con-
tend for. For though they deny a liberty of judg-
ing in particular points of religion, yet they arc
forced to grant men a liberty of judging upon the
whole. When they of the church of Rome would
perfuade a jew or a heathen, to become a chriilian;
or a herctick (as they are pleafed to call us) to come
over to the communion of their church, and offer
arguments to induce them thereunto ; they do by this
very thing, whether they will or no, make that man
judge which is the true church, and the true reli-
gion : becaufe it would be ridiculous to perlliade a
man to turn to their religion, and to urge him with
feafons to do fo, and yet to deny him the ufe of his
own judgment whether their reafons be fufficient to
move him to make luch a change. Now, as the
fpoflle reafons in another cafe, if men be fit to judge
for
Of the trial of the fpirifs. 4^
for then)felves in fo great and important a matter as S E R M
the choice of their religion, why fliould they be ^J^
thought unworthy to judge in lefifer matters? They
tell us indeed that a man may ufe his judgment in.
the choice of his religion ; but when he hath once
chofen, he is then forever to refign up his judgment
to their church : but v/hat tolerable reafon can any
man give, v/hy a man fhould be fit to judge upon
the Y/hoIe, and yet unfit to judge upon particular
points ? eipecially if it be confidered, that no mian
can make a dil'creet judgment of any religion, before
he hath examined the pardcular doctiines of it, and
made a judgment concerning them. Is it credible,
that God fhould give a man judgment in the moil:
fundamental and important matter of all, viz. to
difcern the true religion, and the true church, from
thefalie; for no other end, but to enaWe him to
choofe once for all to whom he iliould refign and in-
flave his judgment for ever? which is juil as reafon-
able as if one fhould fay, that God hath given a man
,eyes for no other end, but to look out once for all,
and to pitch upon a difcrect perfon to lead him about
blindfold ail the days of his life. I come now
to the
III. Thing I propounded, v/hich Is, to anfv/er the
main objedion of our adverfaries againft this princi-
ple j and likewife to fhew that there is no fucii rea-
fon and^hecefiity for an univerfil infallible judge, as
they pretend. Now their great objedion is this. If
every man may judge for himfelf, there will be no-
thing but confufion in religion, there will be no encj
of controverfies : fo that an univerfal infallible judge
is neceOIiry, and without this God had not made fuf.
ficient
46 Of the trial of the fpirits.
S E R M. ficient provifion for the alTurance of mens faith,
and for the peace and unity of his church : or, as it
is expreffed in the canon law, aliter Dominiis non vi-
deretur fuijjc difcretus^ " otherwife our Lord had
" not fecm'd to be difcreet." How plaufible foever
this objedlion may appear, I do not defpair, but if
men will lay afide prejudice and impartially confider
things, to make it abundantly evident, that this
gro'jnd is not fufficient to found an infallible judge
upon. And therefore in anfwer to it, I defire thefe
following particulars may be confidered.
Firfb, that this which they fay, rather proves what
God fhould have done according to their fancy, than
what he hath really and actually done. My text ex-
prefly bids chriltians to try the fpirits, which to any
man's fenle does imply, that they may judge of thefe
matters: but the church of Rome fays they may
notj becaufe if this liberty were permitted, God
had not ordered things wifely, and for the beft, for
the peace and unity of his church. But, as the apo-
flle fays in another cafe, " What art thou, O man,
" that objedled againft God ?"
Secondly, if this reafoning be good, we may as ;
well conclude that there is an univerfal infallible J
judge fet over the whole world in all temporal mat- ^
ters, to whofc authority all mankind is bound to fub-
mit. Becaufe this is as neceflary to the peace of the
world, as the other is to the peace of the church.
And men furely are every v/hit as apt to be obilinate
and perverfe about matters of temporal right, as
about matters of faith. But it is evident in fad and
experience that there is no fuch univerfal judge ap-
pointed by God over the whole world, to decide all
cafes
Of the trial of the fpirits. 47
cafes of temporal right -, and for want of him the S E R M.
world is fain to fhift as well as it can. But now a
very acute and fcholaftical man, that would argue
that God muft needs have done whatever he fancies
convenient for the world fhould be done, might by
the very fame way of reafoning conclude the necei^
i\iY of an univerfal infallible judge in civil matters,
as well as in matters of religion : and their aliter Do-
minus non videretur fuijje difcretus^ " otherwife God
" had not feem'd to be difcreet," is every whit as co-
gent and as civil, in the one cafe as the other.
Thirdly, there is no need of fuch a judge, to aflure
men in matters of religion ; becaufe men may be fuf-
ficiently certain without him. I hope it may be cer-
tain and clear enough, that there is a God ; and
that his providence governs the world ; and that
there is another life after this, though neither pope
nor council had ever declared any thing about
thefe matters. And for revealed dodrines, we may
be certain enough of all that is neceifary, if it be true
which the fathers tell us, " that all things neceflary
*' are plainly revealed in the holy fcriptures.'*
Fourthly, an infallible judge, if there were one,
is no certain way to end controverfies, and to pre-
ferve the unity of the church ; unlefs it were likewile
infallibly certain, that there is fuch a judge, and
who he is. For 'till men were fure of both thele,
there v/ould ftiil be a controverfy whether there be an
infallible judge, and who he is. And if it be true
which they tell us, " that without an infallible judge
'' controverfies cannot be ended ,"" then a controverfy
concerning an infallible judge can never be ended.
And there ^re tvvo controverfies adually on foot about
an
XXI.
48 Of the trial cf the Jpirits.
^E RM. an infallible judge; one, " whcthei' there be an in-
" fallible judge, or not?" which is a controvcrfy be-
tween us and the church of Rome : and the other,
'' who this infallible judge isr" which is a contro-
verfy among themfelves, v/hich could never yet be
decided : and yet 'till it be decided, inlallibility, if
they had it, would be of no ufe to them for the end-
ing of controverfies.
Fifthly, there is no fuch abfolute need, as is pre-
tended, of determining all controverfies in religion.
If men would dived themfelves of prejudice and in-
terefb, as they ought, in matters of religion, the ne-
celTary things of religion are plain enough, and men
would generally agree well enough about them : but
if men will fufFer themfelves to be biafied by thefe,-
they would not hearken to an infallible judge, if
there were one ; or they would find out fome way or
other to call his infallibility into queftion. And as
for doubtful and lefTer matters in religion, charity,-
and mutual forbearance among chriifians, would
make the church as peaceable and happy, as perhaps
it was ever defign'd to be in this world, without ab-
folute unity in opinion.
Sixthly and lallly, whatever may be the inconve-
niences of mens judging for themfelves in religion,
yet, taking this principle with the cautions I have
given, I doubt not to make it appear, that the in-
conveniences are fiir the lead on that fide. The pre-
fent condition of humane nature doth not admit of
any conftitution of things, whether in religion, or
civil matters, which is free from all kind of excep-
tion and inconvenience : that is the bed date of
things which is liable to the lead and fewed. If
men
Of the trial of the fpirks, 49
meri be moded, and humble, and willino; to learn, S E R M.
God hath done that which is fufficient for the aiTu- '^' '
ranee of our faith, and for the peace of his church,
without an infallible judge : and I'i men will not be
fo, I .cannot tell what would be fufRcient. I am furc
there were herefies and fchifms in the apoftles times,
when thofe who governed the church were certainly
guided by an infallible fpirit. God hath appointed
guides and teachers for us in matters of religion,
and if we will be contented to be intruded by them
in thofe necefiary articles and duties of religion,
which are plainly contained in fcripture; and to be
counfelled and direded by them in things that are
mere doubtful and difficult, I do not fee why we
might not do well enough without any infallible judge
or guide.
But Hill it will be faid, " who fhall judge what
*' things are plain, and what doubtful?" The anfwer
to this, in my opinion, is not difficult. For if there
be any thing plain in religion, every man that hath
been duly intruded in the principles of religion can
judge of it, or elfe it is not plain. But there are
fome things in religion fo very plain, that no guide
or judge can in reafon claim that authority over men,
as to oblige them to believe or do the contrary ; no,
though he precer.d to infallibility; no, though he
were an apodle, though he were an angel from hea-
ven. St. Paul purs the cafe fo high, Gal. i. 8.
" Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any
" other gofpel unto you, than what you have receiv-
" ed, let him be accurfed:" vvrhich plainly fuppo-
feth that chritlians may and can judge when goc-
trines are contrary to the gofpel. What ^ not be-
VoL. II, G lieve
I.
50 Of the trial of the fpirifs.
SERM. Jieve an apoftic, nor an .angel from heaven, if he
Ihould teach any thing evidently contrary to the plain
doftrinc of the gofpel? If he iliould determine vir-
tue to be vice, and vice to be virtue ? no ; not an
apoftle, nor an angcU bccaufe fuch a dodlrine as this
would confound and overturn all things in religion.
And yet Bellarmine puts this very cafe, and fays, if
the pope fhould fo determine, we were bound to be-
lieve him, unlcfs we would fin againfl confcience.
I will conclude this difcourfe by putting a very
plain and familiar C2ik'y by which it will appear what
credit and authority is fit to be given to i guide, and
what not. Suppofc I came a ftranger into England,
and landing at Dover took a guide there to con-
duft me in my way to York, which I knew before
by the map to lie north of Dover : having commit-
ted myfelf to him, if he lead me for two or three
days together out of any 'plain road, and many times
over hedge and ditch, I cannot but think it llrange,
that in a civil and well-inhabited country there
fhould be no highways from one part of it to ano-
ther : yet thus far I fubmit to him, though not with-
out fome regret and impatience. But then if after
this, for two or three days more he lead me dired-
ly fouth, and with my face full upon the fun at noon-
day, and at lad bring me back again to Dover Peer,
and ftill bids me follow him \ then certainly no
modefty docs oblige a man not to difpute with his
guide, and to tell him furely that can be no way, be-
caufc it is fca. Now though he fct never fo bold a
face upon the matter, and tell me with all the gra-
vity and authority in the world, that it is not the fea
but dry land under the fpecies and appearance of wa-
ter;
Of the trial of the fpirits. 5 1
tcr; and that whatever my eyes tell me, having SERM.
once committed myfclf to his guidance, I m.uft not
trufl my own fenfes in the cafe ; it being one of the
mofl dangerous forts of infidelity for a man to be-
lieve his own eyes rather than his faithful and infal-
lible guide : all this moves me not ; but I begin to
expoftulate roundly with him, and to let him under-
fland that if 1 mufl not believe what I fee, he is
like to be of no farther ufe to me ; becaufe i fhall
not be able, at this rate, to know whether I have a
guide, and whether I follow him or not. In fhorr, I
tell him plainly, that when I took him for my
guide, I did not take him to tell me the difference
between north and fouth, betv/een a hedge and a
highway, between fca and dry land ; all this I knew
before, as well as he or any man clfe could tell me;
but I took him to conduct and dire(5l me the nearcft
way to York. And therefore after all his imperdnent
talk, after all his motives of credibility to perfuade
me to believe him, and all his confident fayings,
which he gravely calls demonftrations, I ftand ftifly
upon the fhore, and leave my learned and reverend
guide to take his own courle, and to difpofe of him-
felf as he pleafeth \ but firmly refolve not to follow
him. And is any man to be blamed that breaks with
his guide upon thefe Terms ?
And this is truly the cafe, when a man commits
himfelf to the guidance of any perfon or church : if
by virtue of this authority they will needs perfuade
me out of my fenfes, and not to believe what I fee,
but what they fay ; that virtue is vice, and vice vir-
tue, if they declare them to be fo : and that, becaufe
they fay they are infallible, I am to receive all their
G 2 didatct
Of the trial of the fpirits,
didates for oracles, tho' never fo evidently falfe and
ablurd in the judgment of all mankind : in this cafe
there is no way to be rid of thefe unreafonable peo-
ple, but to defire of them, fince one kindnefs de-
ferves another, and all contradictions are alike eafy to
be believed, that they would be pleafed to believe
that infidelity is faith, and that when I abfolutely
renounce their authority, I do yield a mofl perfed
fubmiffion and obedience to it.
Upon the whole matter, all the revelations of God,
as well as the laws of men, go upon this prefump-
tion, that men are not ftark fools; but that they will
confider their intereft, and have fome regard to the
great concernment of their eternal falvation. And
this is as much to fecure men from miftake in mat-
ters of belief, as God hath afforded to keep men
from fin in matters of pradtice. He hath made no
efFe&ual and infallible provifion that men fliall not
fni; and yet it would puzzle any man to give a
good reafon, why God fhould take more care to fe--
cure men againft errors in belief, than againft fin and*
wickedncfs in' their lives.
I fhall now only draw three or four Inferences
from this difcourfe which I have made, and fo con-
clude.
I. That it is every m.an's duty, who hath ability
and capacity for it, to endeavour to underlland the
grounds of his religion. For to try dodlrines, is to
inquire into the grounds and reafons of them; which
the better any man underftands, the more firmly he
will be cdabliflied in lat truth, and be' the more
refolure in the day of trial, and the better able to
^vithftand the arts and afiauits of cunning adverfa-
ries.
Xx\.
Of the trial of the fpirifs, |j
rks, and the fierce florms of perfecution. And on S T[ R M.
the contrary, that man will foon be moved from his
fledfaftnefs who never examined the grounds and
reafons of his belief When it comes to the trial,
he that hath but little to lay for his religion, will pro-
bu]bly neither do nor fuffer much for ir.
2. That all dodrines are vehemently to be ^^-;ry6l«»
ed which decline trial, and are fo loth to be brou^ ht
into the light j whicii will not endure a fiir exami-
nation, but magiflerially require an irnplicite faith:
whereas truth is bold and full of courage, and loves
to appear openly ; and is fo fecure and confident of
her own ftrength as to offer herfelf to the fevereft
trial and examination. But to deny all liberty of
enquiry and judgment in matters of religion, is the
greateft injury and difparagemcnt to truth that can
be, and a tacit acknowledgment that fhe lies under
fome difad vantage, and that there is lefs to be faid
for her than for error.
I have often wonder'd why the people in the
church of Rome do not fufpecl their teachers and
guides to have fome ill defign upon them, when they
do fo induftriouQy debar them of the means of
knowledge, and are fo very loth to let them under-
hand what it is that we have to lay againft their re-
ligion. For can any thing in the world be more
fufpicious, than to perfuade men to put out their
eyes, upon promife that they v/ill help them to a
much better and more faithful guide ^ If any church,
any profelTion of men, be unwilling their doctrines
fhould be expofed to trial, it is a certain fign they
know fomething by them that is fiuky, and which
will not endure the light. This is the account which
our
54 Of the trial of the fpirits.
SERM. our Saviour gives us in a like cafe, it was " bc-
XXI
" caufe mens deeds were evil, that they loved dark-
*' nefs rather than light." For " every one that doth
** evil hateth the liglit, neither cometh he to the
** light, left his deeds fhoald be reproved : but he
*' that doth the truth cometh to the light, that his
** deeds may be made manifefl that they are wrought
« in God."
3. Since reafbn and chriflianity allow this liberty
to private pcrfons to judge for themfclves in matters
of religion, we fhould ufe this privilege with much
modefty and humility, with great fubmiflion and de-
ference to our fpiritual rulers and guides, whom
God hath appointed in his church. And there is
very great need of this caution, fmce by experience
we find this liberty fo much abufed by many to the
nourifhing of pride and felf-conceit, of divifion and
fadtlon ; and thofe who arc leaft able to judge, to be
frequently the moft forward and confident, the mod
peremptory and perverfe : and inftead of demeaning
themfclves with the fubmiflion of learners, to aflume
to themfclves the authority of judges, even in the mofl
doubtful and dilpu table matters.
The tyranny of the Roman church over the minds
and confciences of men, is not to be juflified upon any
account ; but nothing puts io plaufible a colour upon
it, as the ill ufe that is too frequently made of this
natural privilege of mens judging for themfclves in a
matter of fo infinite concernment, as that of their
eternal happinefs. But then it is to be confider'd,
that the proper remedy in this cafe, is not to deprive
men of this privilege, but to ufe the beft means to
prevent the abufc of it. For though the inconve-
niences
Of the trial of the fpirits. 55
niences arifmg from the ill ufe of it may be very S E R M.
great, yet the mifchief on the other hand is into- ,
Jerablc. Religion itfelf is liable to be abufed to very
bad purpofes, and frequently is fo; but it is not
therefore bed that there fhould be no religion : and
yet this objed:ion, if it be of any force and be pur-
fued home, is every whit as ftrong againft religion
itfelf, as againft mens liberty of judging in matters
of religion. Nay I add further, that no man can
judiciouily embrace the true religion, unlels he be per-
mitted to judge, whether that which he embraces be
the true religion or not.
4. When upon due trial and examination we are
well fettled and eftablifh'd in our religion, " let us
" hold faft the profefTion of our faith without wa-
" vcring ;" and not be " like children, tofled to and
*' fro, and carried about with every wind of doc-
" trine, through the Height of men, and the cun-
*' ning craftinefs of thofe who lie in wait to deceive."
And above all, let us rcfolve to live according to the
excellent rules and precepts of our holy religion ; Jet
us heartily obey that dodlrine which we profefs to
believe. We, who enjoy the proteftant religion,
have all the means and advantages of underftanding
the will of God, free liberty and full fcopc of in-
quiring into it ', and informing ourfelvcs concerning
it: we have all the opportunities we can wifh of
coming to the knowledge of our duty : the oracles
of God lie open to us, and his law is continually be-
fore our eyes ^ " his word is nigh unto us in our
" mouths, and in our hearts i'* (chat is, we may
read it and meditate upon it) ^' that we may
*' do it:" the key of knowledge is put into our
hands.
:;;6 Of the trial of the fpirits.
SF RM. hands, fo that if we do not enter into the kingdom
l^i^^jOf heaven, it is we ourfclves that Hiut ourfelves ou?.
And where there is nothing to hinder us from the
knowledge of our duty, there certainly nothing can
excufe us from the pra6lice of it. For the end of
all knowledge is to dired: men in their duty, and ef-
fedlually to engage them to the performance of it:
the great bufinefs of religion is, to make men truly
good, and to teach them to live well. And, if re-
ligion have not this effecl, it matters not of what
church any man lifts and enters himfelf ; for moft
certainly, a bad man can be faved in none. Tho' a
man know the right way to heaven never fo well,
and be entred into it, yet if he will not walk there-
in, he fliall never come thither : nay, it will be an
aggravation of this man's unhappinefs, that he was
loft in the way to heaven, and perifh'd in the very
road to filvation. But if we will in good earneft
apply ourielves to the pradice of religion, and the
obedience of God's holy laws, his grace will never
be wanting to us to fo good a purpofe.
I have not time to recommend Religion to you
at large, with all its advantages, I will comprife
v/hat I have to fay in a few words, and mind them
at your peril. Let that which is our great concern-
ment be our great care, " to know the truth and ta
" do it, to fear God and keep his commandments.'*
Confidering the reafonablenefs and the reward of
piety and virtue, nothing can be wifer ; confidering
the mighty aftiftance of God's grace, which he is
ready to afford us, and the unfpeakable fatisfa6lion and
delight which is to be had in the doing of our duty,
^ nothing can be eafier : nothing will give us that plea-
fure,
Of the trial of the fpinfs. 57
furC) while we live ; nothing can minifter that true S E R M.
and folid comfort to us, when we come to die : ^—^
there is probably no fuch way for a man to be happy
in this world ; to be fure, there is no way but this
to efcape the intolerable and endlefs miferies of ano-
ther world.
" Now God grant that we may all know and do
" in this our day, the things that belong to our
*' peace, for his mercies fake in Jesus Christ:
•' to whom with the Father and the HolyGhost,
" be all honour and glory now and for ever. Amen.
Vol. 11. H SERMON
A.
SERMON
Preached at the
ASSIZES
HELD AT
KINGSrONnpon THAMES,
July 21, 1681.
H 2
To the right worlhipful, and my honoured friend,
Joseph reeve, Efq;
High-SherlfF of the County of
SURREY.
Sir,
T T 7 /? £ TV / had perform d the fer-
vice which you were pleafed to
call me to in the preaching of this fer-
mon^ I had no thoughts of making it
more publick ; and yet in this alfo I was
the more eafly induced to comply with
your defere^ becaufe of the fuitahlenefs
of the argument to the age in which we
live\ wherein as men have run into the
wildejl extremities in other thi?7gSy fo
particularly in the matter of oat^:^ :^
fome
Epistle Dedicatory.
fome making co7tfcience of taking any
oaths at all^ and too many none at all of
breaking them*
To convince the great miftake of the
one extreme^ and to check the growing
evil artd mifchief of the other ^ is the
chief defign of this difcotirfe. To which
I fhall be very glad if by GodV blef
fing^ it may prove any ways ferviceable^
I amy
S I R,
Your very faithful and
humble Servant,
Jo. TiLLOTSON,
[ 63 ]
SERMON XXII.
The lawfulnefs and obligation of oaths.
H E B. vi. i6.
An oath for confirmation is to them an end of
all ftrife.
THE necefTity of religion to the fupport of SERM.
humane fociety, in nothing appears more evi- , ^3i^'
dently than in this, that the obligation of
an oath, which is fo neceflary for the maintenance
of peace and juflice among men, depends wholly
upon the fenfe and belief of a deity. For no rea-
fon can be imagined why any man that doth not
believe a God, fhould make the leaft confcience of
an oath, which is nothing t\{t but a Iblemn appeal
to God as a witnefs of the truth of what we fay.
So that whoever promotes atheifm and infidelity,
doth the mod deftruftive thing imaginable to hu-
mane fociety, becaufe he takes away the reverence
and obligation of oaths: and whenever that is ge-
nerally caft off, humane fociety muft disband, and
all things run into diforder. The jull fenfe whereof
made Davjd cry out to God with fo much earnefl-
nefs, as if the world had been cracking, and the
frame of it ready to break in pieces, Pfal. xii.
*'* Flelp, Lord, for the righteous man ceafeth, and
" the faithful fail from among the children of men : '*
intimating, that when faith fails from among men,
nothing but a Darticular and immediate interpofition
of
The lawfiilnefs and
of the divine providence can preferve the world from
falling into confufion. And our bk^fled Saviour
gives this as a fign of the end of the world, and the
approaching diflblution of all things, when faith and
trjLii fhall hardly be found among men, Luke xviii.
8. " When the So\^ of man comes, Ihall he find
*' faith on the earth ? " This (late of things doth
Joudly call for his coming to deftroy the world,
v^hich is even ready to difTolve and iail in pieces of
it {q\^^ when thefe hands and pillars of humane fo-
ciety do break and fail. And furely never in any
age was this fign of the coming of the Son of man
more glaring and terrible than in this degenerate
age wherein we live, when almoil all forts of men
feem to have broke loofe from all obligations to
faith and truth.
And therefore I do not know any argument
more proper and ufeful to be treated of upon this
occafion than of the nature and obligation of an oath,
which is the utmofl fecurity that one man can give
to another of the truth of what he fays •, the ftrong-
eft tie of fidelity, the fureft ground of judicial pro-
ceedings, ^nd the moft firm and facred bond that
can be laid upon all that are concerned in the ad-
miniftration of publick juflice j upon judge, and jury,
and witnefles.
And for this reafon I have pitched upon thefe
words : in which the apoftle declares to us the great
ufe and nccefTity of oaths among men •, " an oath
*' for confirmation is to them an end of all ftrife '\
He had faid before, that tor our greater alTurance
and comfort God hath confirmed his promifes to us
by an oath \ condeicending herein to deal with us
after
Migation of oath. 65
after the manner of men, who when they would eiveS E R M.
credit to a doubtful matter, confirm what they fay by
an oath. And generally when any doubt or contro-
verfy arifeth between parties concerning a matter of
fadl, one fide affirming and the other denying, an
end is put to this contefl by an oath ; " An oath for
*' confirmation being to them an end of all flrife : "
An oath for confirmation, «$• /BsCa'ojjiy, for the
greater afiiirance and eflabliihment of a thing : not
that an oath is always a certain and infallible deci-
fion of things according to truth and right, but that
this is the utmoft credit that we can give to any
thing, and the laft t^ioxx. of truth and confidence
among men : after this we can go no farther, for
if the religion of an oath will not oblige men to
fpeak truth, nothing will. This is the utmoft fecu-
rity that men can give, and muft therefore be the
final decifion of all contefts ; " An oath for confir-
*' mation is to them an end of all ftrife ".
Now from this aiTertion of the apoftle concerning
the great ufe and end of Oaths among men, I ihall
take occafion,
1. To confider the nature of an oath, and the
kinds of it.
2. To Ihew the great ufe and even neceffity of
oaths, in many cafes.
3. To vindicate the lawfulnels of them where they
are necefTary.
4. To fhew the facred obligation of an oath.
I fl^all be as brief in thefe as the juft handling of
them will bear.
I. For the nature of an oath, and the kinds of it.
An oath is an invocation of God, or an appeal to
Vol. IL I him
2.
65 ^he lawfulnefs and
\^U. him as a witnefs of the truth of what we fay. So
that an oath is a facred thing, as being an a6l of re-
Jigion and an invocation of the name of God : and
this, whether the name of God be exprefly men-
tioned in it or not. If a man only fay, I fwear, or
I take my oath, that a thing is, or is not, fo or fo ;
or that I will, or will not, do fuch a thing : or if
a man anfwer upon his oath, being adjured and
required fo to do : or if a man fwear by heaven, or
by earth, or by any ot'.ier thing that hath relation
to God ; in all th-fe Cjc\t> a mm do:h virtually call
God to witnefs •, xwA in lb doi g lie doth by con-
fequence invoke him as a judge and an avenger, in
cafe what he fwears be not true : and if this be ex-
preil, the oath is a formal imprecation •, but whe-
ther it be, or not, a curfe upon our felves is always
implied in cafe of perjury.
There are two lorts of oaths, aflertory, and pro-
mifibry. An aiTertory oath is when a man affirms
or denies upon oath a matter of fail, pad, or pre-
fent : when he fwears that a thing was, or is fo, or
not fo. A promifiTory oath is a promife confirmed
by an oath, which always refpedls fomething that is
future : and if the promife be made diredly and im-
mediately to God, then it is called a vow; if to
men, an oath. I proceed to the
II. Tning, which is to fhew the great ufe and
even neceffity of oaths, in many cafes ; which is fo
great, that humane fociety can very hardly, if ac
all, fjbfiri: long without them. Government would
many times be very infecure, and for the fiithful dif-
charge of offices of great truil, in which the wel-
fare of the publick is nearly concerned, it is not
poffiblc
obligation of oaths, 67
poffible to find any fecurity equal to that of ^^iSERM,
oath •, becaufe the obHgation of that reacheth to the v.
moft fecret and hidden pradices of men, and takes
hold of them in many cafes where the penalty of no
humane law can have any awe or force upon them :
and efpecially, it is (as the civil law exprelTeth it)
maximum expediendarum litium remedium^ the beft
means of ending controverfies. And where mens
eflates or lives are concerned, no evidence but what
is alTured by an oath will be thought fufficient to de-
cide the matter, fo as to give full and general fatii^
fadion to mankind. For in matters of fo great
concernment, when men have all the afiurance that
can be had, and not till then, they are contented to
fit down, and reft fatisfied with it. And among all
nations an oath hath always been thought the only-
peremptory and fatisfadory way of deciding fuch
controverfies.
III. The third thing I propofed was, to vindicate
the lawfulnefs of oaths, whei^e they are neceffary.
And it is a very ftrong inducement to believe the
lawfulnefs of them, that the unavoidable condition
of humane affairs hath made them fo neceil^ry. The
apoftle takes it for granted, that an oath is not only
of great ufe in humane affairs, but in many cafes
of great neceffity, to confirm a doubtful thing,
and to put an end to controverfies which cannot
otherwife be decided to the flitisfadion of the Parties
contending •, " An oath for confirmation is to them
'' an end of all ftrife. '' And indeed it is hardly
imaginable that God iliould^not have left thut law-
fal,^which is fo evidently necciliry to the peace and
fecurity of mankind.
68 The lawful nefs and
^^ M. But becanfe there is a fe£i:, fprung up in our me-
mory, which hath called in queftion the lawfuJnefs
of all oaths, to the great mifchief and difturbancc of
humane fociety, I fhall endeavour to fearch this
mattter to the bottom, and to manifefl how unrea-
fonablc and groundlefs this opinion is. And to this
end, I fhall,
Firft, prove the lawfulnefs of oaths from the au-
thority of this text, and from the reafons plainly
contained, or firongly implied in it.
Secondly, I fhall fhew the weaknefs and infufEci-
ency of the grounds of the contrary opinion •, whe-
ther from reafon, or from fcripture, which lad they
principally rely upon ; and if it could be made out
from thence would determine the cafe.
I. I fhall prove the lawfulnefs of oaths from the
authority of this text, and the reafons plainly con-
tained, or flrongly implied in it. Becaufe the apo-
flle doth not only fpeak of the ufe of oaths among
men without any manner of cenfure and reproof,
but as a commendable cuftom and pradlice, and in
many cafes ncceflary for the confirmation of doubt-
ful matters, and in order to the final decifion of
controverfies and differences among men. For,
Firfl, he fpeaks of it as the general pradice of
mankind, to confirm things by an oath in order to
the ending of differences. And indeed there is no-
thing that hath more univerfally obtained in all ages
and nations of the world ; than which there is not a
more certain indication that a thing is agreeable to
the law of nature and the beft reafon of mankind.
And that this was no degenerate practice of man-
kind, like that of idolatry, is from hence evident •,
that
obligation of oaths, 69
that when God feparated a people to himfelf, it SERAi.
was pradlifed among them, by the holy patriarchs,
Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob •, and was afterwards not
only allowed, but in many cafes commanded by the
law of Mofes ; which, had it been a thing evil in it
felf, and forbidden by the law of nature, would not
have been done.
Secondly, another undeniable argument from the
ttxt of the lawfulnefs of oaths is, that God himfelf,
in condefcenfion to the cuftom of men who ufe to
confirm and give credit to what they fay by an
oath, is reprefented by the apoftle as confirming his
promife to us by an oath, ver. 13. " When God
" made the promife to Abraham, becaufe he could
" fwear by none greater, he fwears by himfelf. For
" men verily fwear by the greater ; and an oath for
" confirmation is to them an end of all ftrife.
" Wherein God, willing more abundantly to fliew
*' unto the heirs of promife the immutability of his
*' counfel, confirmed it by an oath " : v/hich he
certainly would not have done, had an oath been
unlawful in it i^t\^. For that had been to comply
with men in an evil practice, and by his own ex-
ample to give countenance to it in the highefl man-
ner : but though God condefcend to reprefent him-
felf to us after the manner of men, he never does
it in any thing that is in its own nature evil and
finful.
Thirdly, from the great ufefulnefs of oaths in
humane affairs, to give credit and confirmation to
our word, and to put an end to conteftations. Now
that which ferves to fuch excellent purpofes, and is
fo convenient for humane fociety, and for mutual
fecurity
jyo ne lawfulnefs and
S E R M. fecurity and confidence among men, ought not eafily
^^^^' to be prefumed unlawful, 'till it be plainly proved to
be fo. And if we confider the nature of an oath,
and every thing belonging to it, there is nothing
that hath the Icalt appearance of evil in it. There
is furely no evil in ir, as it is an a6l of religion •, nor
as it is an appeal to God as a witncfs and avenger
in cafe we fwear falfly j nor as it is a confirmation of
a doubtful matter ; nor as it puts an end to ftrife and
controverfy. And thefe are all the effential ingre-
dients of an, oath, and the ends of it ; and they
are all fo good, that they rather commend it, than
give the lead colour of ground to condemn it. I pro-
ceed in the
Second place, to fliew the weaknefs and infuffi^
ciency of the grounds of the contrary opinion ; whe-
ther from reafon or from fcripture.
Firft, from reafon. They fay the necefllty of an
oath is occafioned by the want of truth and fidelity
among men : And that every man ought to demean
himfelf with that faithfulnefs and integrity as may
give credit and confirmation to his word ; and then
oaths will be needlefs. This pretence will be fully an^
fwered if we confider thefe two things.
I. That in matters of great importance no other
obligation, befides that of an oath, hath been thought
fufficient amongft the beft and wifeft of men, to afliert
their fidelity to one another. '' Even the beft of men
*' (to ufe the words of a great author) have not
" trufted the beft men without it." As we fee in
very remarkable inftances, where oaths have pafiTcd
between thof^ v,ho mis:ht be thought to have the
grcatcft confidence in one another : as between Abra-
ham
obligation of oaths, y i
ham and his old faithful fervant Eliczer, conccrnintr S E R M".
XXfT
the choice of a wite for his fon : between father and ,
fon, Jacob and Jofeph, concerning the burial of his
father in the land of Canaan : between two of the
deareft and mod intimate friends, David and Jona-
than, to afTure their friend (hip to one another ; and it
had its efFed: long after Jonathan's death, in the fay-
ing of Mephibofheth, when reafon of ftate and the
fecurity of his throne feem'd to move David flrong-
ly to the contrary •, for it is expreQy faid, 2 Sam. xxi.
7. that *' David fpared Mephibofheth, Jonathan's
" fon, beciufe of the oath of the Lord that was
^' between them ," implying, that had it not been
for his oath, other confiderations might probably
have prevailed with him to have permitted him to
have been cut oft with the reft of Saul's Children,
2. This reafon, whxh is alledged againft oaths
among men, is much ftronger againft God's con-
firming his promifes to us by an oath. For he, who
is truth itfelf, is furely of all other moft to be credit-
ed upon his bare word, and his oath needlefs to give
confirmation to it •, and yet he condefcends to add
his oath to his word -, and therefore that reafon is
evidently of no force.
Secondly, from fcripture. Our Saviour feems
altogether to forbid fwearing in any cafe, Matth. v.
33 y 34- ''Ye have heard that it hath been faid to
*' them of old time, thou Ihalt not forfwear thyfelf:
^' but I fay unto you, fwear not at all -, neither by
*' heaven, 6cc. but let your communication be yea,
*' yea, and nay, nay, for whatfoever is more tha**!
" thefe, Cometh of evil." And this law St. James
recitesj chap. v. ver, 12. as that which chriftians
ought
The lawfulnefs and
ought to have a particular and principal regard to ;
" above all things, my brethren, fwear not : " and
he makes the breach of this law a damning fin,
" left ye fall into condemnation." But the autho-
rity of our Saviour alone is fufHcient, and there-
fore I fhall only confider that text.
And, becaufe here lies the main ftrength of this
opinion of the unlaw fulnefs of oaths, it is very fit
that this text be fully confider'd ', and that it be made
very evident, that it was not our Saviour's mean-
ing by this prohibition wholly to forbid the ufe of
oaths.
But before I enter upon this matter, I will readi-
ly grant, that there is fcarce any error whatfoever
that hath a more plaufible colour from fcripture,
than this ; which makes the cafe of thofe who are
feduced into it the more pitiable : but then it ought
to be confider'd, how much this do6i:rine of the un-
lawfulnefs of oaths refledls upon the chriftian reli-
gion : fince it is fo evidently prejudicial both to hu-
mane fociety in general, and particularly to thofe per-
fons that entertain it : neither of which ought rallily
to be fuppofed and taken for granted, concerning
any law delivered by our Saviour : becaufe upon
thefe terms it will be very hard for us to vindicate
the divine wifdom of our Saviour's dodlrine, and
the reafonablenefs of the chriftian religion. Of the
inconvenience of this Doflrine to humane fociety, I
have fpoken already. But befides this, it is very pre-
judicial to them that hold it. It renders them
fufpeded to government, and in many cafes incapa.-
blc of the common benefits of juftice and other pri-
vileges of humane fociety, and expofeth them to
greac
obligation of oaths, 73
great penalties as the conllitucion of all laws and go- SE RAl.
vernments at prefent is, and it is not eafy to ima-
gine how they fhould be otherwife. And, which is
very confiderable in this matter, it fets thofe who re-
fufe oaths upon very unequal terms with the reft of
mankind, if where the eftaces and lives of men are
equally concern'd, their bare teftimonies fhall be ad-
mitted without an oath, and others fhall be obliged
to fpeak upon oath : nothing being more certain in
experience, than that many men will lye for their in-
tereft v/hen they will not be perjured, God having
planted in the natural confciences of men a fecret
dread of perjury above moft other fins. And this
inconvenience is fo £^reat, as to render thofe who re-
fufe oaths in all cafes almoft intolerable to humane
fociety. I fpeak not this either to bring them into
trouble, or to perfuade them to mcafure truth by
their interefl : but on the other hand I maft needs
fay, that it is no argument either of a wife or good
man to take up any opinion, efpecially fuch a one as
is greatly to his prejudice, upon (light grounds. And
this very connderation, that it is fo much to their in-
convenience, may juftly move them to be very care-
ful in the examination of it.
This being premised, I come now to explain this
prohibition of our Saviour ; and to this purpofe, I
dcfire thefe three things may be well confider'd.
Firft, that feveral circumftances of thefe words of
our Saviour do manifeftly fhew that they ought to
be interpreted in a limited {^vS^^ as only forbidding
fwearing in common converfation ; needlefs and heed-
lefs oaths (as one expreffeth it) and in general all
voluntary f //earing, unlels upon fome great and
Vol. II. K weighty
74 ^!^^ lawfulnefs ani
SERAI, weighty caufc, in which the glory of God and the
^___^,__^ good of the fouls of men is concerned. For that in
fuch cafes a voluntary oath may be lawful, I am in-
duced to believe from the example of St. Paul,
who ufeth it more than once upon fuch occa-
fions j of which I fliall hereafter give particular In-
flanccs.
And this was the fcnfe cf wife men among the
heathen, that men fhould not fwear but upon necef-
fity and great occafion. Thus Eufebius, the philo-
fopher in Scobasus, counfels men. *' Some (fays he)
" advife men to be careful to fwear the truth; but I
" advife principally that men do not eafily fwear at
*' all," that is, not upon any flight but only upon
v>/eighty occafions: to the fam.c purpofe Epiftetus,
«' Shun oaths wholly, if it be pofTible ; if not, hov/-
*' ever as much as thou canfl: :" and fo likewife Sim-
plicius in his comment upon him., " We ought
" wholly to fhun fwearing, except upon occafions of
" great nccefTity." And Quintilian among the Ro-
mans, In totiim jurarSy nift ubi necejfe eft^ gravi viro
far urn convenit ; *^ to fwear at all, except where it is
*' necelTary, does not well fuit with a wife man."
And that this prohibition of our Saviour's
ought to be underflood of oaths in ordinary conver-
fation, appears from the oppofition which our Sa-
viour makes, " Swear not at all; but let your
" communication be yea, yea;" that is, in your or-
dinary commerce and affairs do not interpofe oaths,
but fay and do. And this is very much confirmed,
in that our Saviour does not under this general
prohibition inftance in fuch oaths as arc cxprefly by
$hc name of God : the reafon whereof is this; the
^ws
obligation of oaths. 75
jews thought it unlav/ful in ordinary communication 5 E R M.
to Iwear exprciiy by the name of God, but lawful ^^'^ "'
to fwear by the creatures, as by heaven and earth,
&c. So that our Saviour's meaning is as if he
had faid, " You think you may fwcar in common
" converfation, provided you do not fwear by the
'' nam.e of God ; but I fay unto you, let your com-
*' munication be without oaths of any kind : you
" fhall not (o much as fwear by heaven or by e^rih,
*' becaufe God is virtually invoked in every oath.'*
And unlefs we fuppofe this to be our Saviour's
meaning, I do not fee vrhat good reafon can be
given why our Saviour fhould only forbid them to
fwear by the creatures, and not much rather by the
name of God ; fuch oaths being; furelv of all others
moft to be avoided, as being the moll dired: abufe
and orofanation of the nam.e of God.
L.
Secondly, it is very confiderable to the explaining
of this prohibition, that there are the like general ex-
preffions in other jewifh authors coja^nung this very
matter, which yet mufh of necedity be thus limit-
ed. Maimonides, from the ancient rA)bies, gives
this rule, that " it is befl not to f,vear at'all." And
Philo ufeth almoft the fame words. And Rabbi Jo-
nathan comes very near our Saviour's exprefllon,
when he fays, " the juft man will not fwear at all j
" not fo much as by the common names of God,
*' nor by his attributes, nor by his works, as by
*' heaven, or the angels, or by the law." Now it is
not imaginable, that thefe learned jev/s fhoukl con-
demn oaths in all cafes, when the law of JVIofes did
in many cafes expredy require them. And therefore
they are to be underftood of voluntary oaths in or-
K 2 dinary
^he lawfulnefs and
dfnary converfation. And that the jews meant this
by not fwearing at all, feems to be very plain from
a paflage in Jofephus, who fays that the feet of the
ElTenes forbad their difciplcs to fwear at all j and yet
he tells us at thfe lame time, that they who were ad-
mitted into that feet took an oath to obf^rve the laws
and rules of it. So that they who forbad to fwear
at all, allowed of oaths impofed by the authority of
fuperiors.
Thirdly, which will peremptorily decide this mat-
ter, this prohibition of our Saviour's cannot be
underflood to forbid all oaths, without a plain con-
tradidlion to the undoubted pradice of the primi-
tive chriftians, and of the apoiUes, and even of our
Lord himfelf. Origen and Tertullian tell us, that
the chriilians refufed to fwear by the emperor's ge-
nius ; not becaufe it was an oath, but becaufe they
thought it to be idolatrous •, but the fame Tertullian
fays, that the chriilians were willing to fwear per fa-
hitem imperatoris^ " by the health and fafety of the
" emperor." Athanafius being accufed to Conftantius,
purged himfelf by oath, and defired that his accufer
might be put to his oath fuh attefiationc vcriiatis^
*' by calling the truth to witncls ; by which form
«' (fays he) wc chriilians are wont to fwear." Bat
which is more than this, St. Paul, upon weighty oc-
cafions, doesfeveral times in his epifllcs call God to
witnefs for the truth of what he lays •, which is the
very formality of an oath. " God is my witnels,"
Rom. i. 9. " As God is true, our word was not
^' yea and nay," 2 Cor. i. 18. and ver. 23. " I call
•' God for a record upon my foul. Before God I
«* ly(: not," Gal. i. 20. " God is rny record,'*
Phil.
ohligation of oaths. yj
Phil. i. 8. " God is my vvitnefs," i Thef. il. 5.SER^f.
Thefe are all unqueftionable oaths; which we cannot ^ '"
imagine St. Paul would have ufed, had they been di-
rectly contrary to our Saviour's law. And
whereas fome defend this upon account of his extra-
ordinary infpiration, I cannot po.T.bly fee hov/ this
mends the matter. For certainly it is very inconve-
nient to fay, that they who were to teach the precepts
of Christ toothers, did themfelves break them by
infpiration.
But I go yet further, and fhall urge an example be-
yond all exception.
Our Saviour himfelf (who fu rely would not be
the lirH example of breaking his own laws) did not
refufe to anfvver upon oath, being called thereto at
his trial. So we find Matth, xxvi. 6 2- " The high
" priefl faid unto him, I adjure thee by the living
" God, that thou tell us whether thou be the
" Christ the Son of God " that is, he required
him to anfwer this queftion upon oath. For among
the jew^s, the form of giving an oath to witnefTes
and others was not by tendring a formal oath to
them, as the cuftom is among us, but by adjuring
them, that is, requiring them to anfwer upon oath:
as is plain from Levit. v. i. " If a man hear the
*' voice of fvvearing, and is a wltnefs, whether he hath
" feen or known of fuch a thing, if he do not utter
" it, then he iliall bear his iniquity." If he have
heard the voice of fvvearing, that is, if being adju-
red or demanded to anfwer upon oath concerning
what he hath feen or heard, he do not utter the truth,
he is perjured. Now to this adjuration of the high
prieft our Saviour anfwered, " thou haft faid:"
which
yS T/je lawfulnefs end
S E R M. which words arc not an avoiding; to anfwcr (as fomc
^^^_^j have thought) but a direct anfvver, as if he had faid,
" it is as thou fayeft, it is even fo, I am the Son of
" God." For upon this anfwer the high prieft faid,
*' he hath fpoken blafphcniy." But to put the mat-
ter beyond all doubt, St. Mark tells us, Mark xiv. 6i.
that he being asked by the high prieft, " Art thou
" the Christ, the Son of the Blessed ? he an-
*' fwcred, I am.'* So that unlefs we will interpret
our Saviour's doflrinc contrary to his own pradicc,
we cannot underftand him to forbid all oaths, and
confequently they are not unlav/ful.
I have been the longer upon this, that I might give
clear fatisfadlion in this matter to thofc that are wil-
ling to receive it.
As for the ceremonies in ufe among us in the taking
of oaths, it is no juft exception againft them, that
they are not found in fcripture. For this was always
matter of liberty \ and feveral nations have ufed fe-
veral rites and ceremonies in their oaths. It was the
cuftom of the Grecians, to fwear laying their hands
upon the altar, quod fan^ijfiraum jmjurandiim eft habi-
tiim^ (faith A. Gellius) " which v;as looked upon as
" the moft facred form of fwearing." The Romans
were wont Jovem lapidem jiirare j that is, he that
fworc by Jupiter held a flint ftone in his hand, and
flung it violently from him with thefe words, Si
fciens fallo^ iia me Jup'iier bonis ofimlbus ejiciat^ ut ego
hunc lapidem: " If I knowingly falfify, God fo
" throw me out of all my polfelTions as I do this
« ftone."
In fcripture there are two ceremonies mentioned
of fwearing. One, of putting the hand under the
thigh
cbligation of oaths, 79
thigh of him to whom the oath was made. Thus S E iv M.
Eliezer fvvoi-e to Abraham, Gen. xxiv. and Joleph
to Jacob, Gen. xlvii. The other was by hfting up
the hand to heaven : Thus Abraham expreficth the
manner of an oath. Gen. xiv. 22. "I have lift up
** my hand to the moil high God." And thus
God, condefcending to the manner of men, exprel^
feth himfelf, Deut. xxxii. 40. " If I Hft up my hand
•' to heaven, and fwear." In alJufion to this cailom
the pfalmift defcribes the perjured perfon, Pfal cxliv. 8.
" whofe mouth fpeaketh vanity; and whofe right
*' hand is a right hand of falfhood." And there is
not the lead intimation in fcripture that either of
thefe ceremonies were prefcribed and appointed by
God, but voluntarily inftituted and taken up by
men. And thus among us the ceremony of fwear-
ing is by laying the hand on the holy gofpel, and
kiffing the book; which is both very folemn and
fignifiCant. And this is the reafon why this Iblemn
kind of oath is called a corporal oath, and was an-
ciently fo called ; becaufc the fign or ceremony of it
is performed by fome part of the body. And this
folemnity is an aggravation of the perjury, becaule
it makes it both more deliberate, and more fcan-
dalous.
I fliall fpeak but briefly to the
IV. And lafl particular, viz. the facred obligation
of an oath : becaufe it is a folemn appeal to God as a
witnefs of the truth of v/hat we fay : to God, I fay,
from whofe piercing and all-feeing eye, from whole
perfe(5L and infinite knowledge nothing is or can be
hid ', fo that there is not a thought in our heart but
be fees it, nor a word in our tongue but he difcerns
thg
8o Th<^ lazvfuhcfs and
S E R M. the truth or falfhood of ir. Whenever we fwear, we
appeal to his knowledge, and refer ourfclves to his
jull judgment who is the powerful patron and pro-
te6lor of right, and the ahiiighty judge and avenger
of all filfhood and unrighteoufnefs. So that it is not
poffible for men to lay a more ficred and folemn ob-
ligation upon their confciences, than by the religion
of an oath. Mofes very well exprefTeth it, by
binding our fouls with a bond, Numb. xxx. 2. " if
*' a man fwear an oath, to bind liis foul with a bond \*
intimating that he that fwears lays the ftrongeft ob-
ligation upon himfelf, and puts his foul in pawn for
the truth of what he fays. And this obligation no
man can violate, but at the utmod peril of the judg-
ment and vengeance of God. For every oath im-
plies a curfe upon ourfelves in cafe of perjury, as
Plutarch obferve:. And this was always the fenfe of
mankind concerning the obligation of oaths. Nullum
vinculujn ad aftringendam fidtm majores ncft/'i jtirejuran-
do ar5ihis ejfe voluerimt^ faith Tully; " Our fore-
" fathers had no flrifler bond whereby to oblige the
" faith of men to one another, than that of an
*' oath." To the fame purpofe is that in the come-
dian, Aliudfi fcirem^ quo jinnare meam apiid vcs pjfcm
Jidem^ fanElius qiiam jurjurandum^ id polliccrer tihu
" If I knew any thing more lacred than an oath,
*' whereby to confirm to you the truth of what I
" fay, 1 would make ufe of \\.'*
I will crave your patience a litdc longer, whilft
by way of inference from this difcourfe, I reprefent
to you the great fin of fwearing in common con-
verfation, upon trivial and needleis occafions, and the
heinoufnefs of the ^in of perjury.
I. Firft,
''obtig^fton of oathu 8i
1. Fird, the great fin of fwearino;, upon trivial S E R iM.
and ne^dlefs occafions, in common con ver fa tion. Be-v--^-— Ij
caufe an oath is a folemn thing, and referved for
great occafions, to give confirmation to our Vv^ord in
fome weighty matter, and to put an end to contro-
verfies which cannot otherwife be peremptorily and
fatisfadorily decided. And therefore to ufe oaths
upon light occafions argues great profanenefs and ir-
reverence of almighty God. So Ulpian the great
Roman lawyer obferves, Nonnullos ejfe facile s ad ju*
randum contemptu religionis i " that mens pronenels to
" fwearing comes from a contempt of religion ;"
than which nothing difpofeth men more to atheifni
and infidelity. Befidcs that it doth many times flir-
prife men unav/ares into perjury : and how can it be
otherwife, when men ufe to interlard all their care-
lefs talk with oaths, but that they muft often be per-
jured .? And which is worfe, it prepares men for de-
liberate perjury ; for with thofe who are accuitomed
to fwear upon light occafions, an oath will go off
with them more roundly about weightier matters.
" From a common cuftom of fwearing (faith Pliero-
" cles) men eafily Aide into perjury : therefore (fays
" he) if thou wouldft not be perjured, do not ufe to
'' fwear." And this perhaps is the meaning of-
St. James, when he cautions chriftians fo vehement- •■■
ly againft commoii fwearing, hct /an eU xi^x^o-jy,
Ttrso-y)Tf, (for fo fome of the bell ancient copies read
it) " left 7e fall into hypocrify," diat is, left ye lye
and be penur<:d, by ufing yourfelves to rafti and in-
confiderate fwearing.
And men expofe themfelves to this danger to no
purpofej oaths in common difcourfe being fo fir
Vol. II. L from
z.
82 ^he lawfulnefs and
S E R M. from confirming a man's word, that with wife men
^^^^' they much weaken it : for common fwearing (if it
have any ferious meaning at alJ) argues in a man a
perpetual diftruft of his own reputation, and is an
acknowledgment that he thinks his bare word not
to be worthy of credit. And it is fo far from adorn-
ing and filling a man's difcourfe, that it makes it
look fwoln and bloated, and more bold and bluftring,.
than becomes perfons of gentle and good breeding.
Befides that it is a great incivility, becaufe it highly
offends and grates upon all fober and confiderate per-
fons ; who cannot be prefumed with any manner of
eafe and patience to hear God affronted, and his great
and glorious name fo irreverently toil upon every
flight occafion.
And it is no excufc to men that many times they
do it ignorantly, and not obferving and knov/ing
what they do. For certainly it is no extenuation of
a fault, that a man hath got the habit of it fo per-
fedl that he commits it when he does not think of
it. Which confideration fhould make men oppofe
the beginnings of this vice, left it grow into a habit
very hard to be left. Nemo novit^ niji qui expertus ejl^
mam fit difficile confuetudinem jurandi extinguere^ faith
St. Auftin j " no man knows, but he that hath tried,
*« how hard it is to get rid of this cuftom of fwear-
*' ing :" but yet it is certain men may do it, by re-
folution and great care of themfelves : for he that
can choofe whether he will fpeak or not, can choofe
whether he will fwear or not when he fpeaks. Ma^
jor conflict udo majorem intentionem fiagitat \ " the more
" inveterate a cuftom is, the greater care lliould be
*' ufed to break ourfelves of it."
In
obligation of oaths. 83
In fhort, this pradlice is {q contrary to fo plain a S E R M.
precept of our Saviour, and by the breach where-
of we incur fo great a danger (as St. James aflfures
usj that it muft be a great charity that can find out
a way to reconcile a common cuftom of fwearing
with a ferious belief of the chriftian religion : which
I would to God thofe who are concerned would fe-
rioufly lay to heart ; efpecially, fince this fin, of all
others, hath the leafl of temptation to it. Profit or
pleafure there is none in it, nor any thing in mens
natural tempers to incite them to it. For tho' fbme
men pour out oaths fo freely, as if they came natural-
ly from them, yet furely no man is born of a fwear-
ing conflitution.
All that can be pretended for it, is cuftom and
fafhion : but to fhew that this is no excufe, it is very
obfervable that it is particularly in the matter of oaths
and perjury that the Holy Ghost gives that caution,
*' Thou flialt not follow a multitude to do evil."
And laflly, it deferves to be confidcred, that this
fin is fo much the greater becaufe of the frequent re-
turns of it in thofe that are accuflomed to ii. So that
altho' it were but fmall in itfelf (as it is not) yet the
frequent pradlice of this fin would quickly mount it
up to a great fcore.
2. Secondly, to rcprefent the heinoufnefs of the
fin of perjury. But before I aggravate this crime,
it is fit to let men know how many ways they may-
be guilty of it.
ifl. When a man afferts upon oath what lie knows
to be other wife : or promifeth what he does not in-
tend to perform. In both thefe cafes the very ad
of fwearing is perjury. And fo likewife when a man
L 2 promiiexh
84 ^'W 'lawfidnefs and
S E R M. promlfeth upon oath to do that which is unlawful
^^^^' for him to do, becaufe this oath is contrary to a former
obligation.
2dly, When a man is uncertain whether what he
fwear to, be true. This likewife is perjury, in the
a6t \ though not of the fame degree of guilt with
the former, becaufe it is not fo fully and diredly
againfl his knowledge and confcience. For men
oui^-ht to be certain of the truth of what they aflert
upon oath, and not to Rvear at a venture And there-
fore no man ought pofidvely to fwear to the truth of
any thing but what he himfelf hath fcen or heard :
this being the highed alTarance men are capable of
in this world. In like manner, he is guilty of per-
iury in the fame degree, who promifeth upon oath
what he is not morally and reafonably certain he fhall
be able to perform.
3dly, They are likewife guilty of perjury, who
do not ufe great plamnefs and fimplicity m oaths;
but anfwer equivocally and doubtfully, or with re-
fcrvation of fomething in their minds, thinking
thereby to falve the truth of what they fay. And
we all know who they are that make ufe of thefe
arts, and maintain them to be lawful ; to the infi-
nite fcandal of the chriilian religion and prejudice of
humane fociety, by doing what in them lies to de-
ftroy all faith and mutual confidence among men.
For what can be a greater afiront to God, than to
ufe his name to deceive men } And what can more
dircclly overthrow the great end and ufe of oaths,
which are for confirmation, and to put an end to
flrife.f* whereas by thefe arts tlie thing is \^{i in the
fame uncertainty it v^as before, and there is no de-
cifion
ohligation of oaths, 85*
cifion of it. For there is hardly any form of words SERM.
XXII
can be dcvifed {o plain, as not to be liable to equi-
vocation : to be fure a man when he fwears may al-
ways refcrve ibmething in his mind which will quite
alter the fenfe of whatever he can fay or promife up-
on oath. And this m^ay be laid down for a certain
rule, that all departure from the fimpHcity of an
oath is a degree of perjury, and a 'man is never a
whit the lefs forfworn becaufe his perjury is a little
finer and more artificial than ordinary. And though
men think by this device to fave themfelves harm-
lefs from the guilt of fo great a fin, they do really
increafe \t^ by adding to their iniquity the impudent
folly of mocking God and deceiving themfelves.
And v/hereas it is pleaded in the favour of mental
refervation, that the whole proportion, as made up
of what is expred in v/ords, and of that v/hich is re-
ferved in the mind, is true ; for inllance, if a man
being ask'd upon oath whether he be a priefb, fhall
anfwer he is not, referving in his mind that he is
not a pried of Bacchus, or fome fuch thing, the
whole propofition is true, and then they fay a man
may fwear to that v^hicli is true, v/ithout danger of
perjury : this is of no force, becaufe, though the
v/hole propofition be true, it is deceitful, and con-
trary to that fmcerity which ought to be in an
oath : and the end of an oath is hereby likewife de-
feated, v/hich is to afcertain the truth of what we
fay : but if a m.an referve fomething in his mind
which alters the truth of what he fays, the thing is
dill as doubtful and uncertain as it was before. Be-
fides, if this be a good reafon, a man may fwear
with refervation in all cafes j becaufe the reafon e-
qualljr
86 ' 7he lawfuhtefs and'
S E R M. qually txttnds to ail cafes ; for if the truth of the
propofitlon, as made up of what is exprefs'd in
words and referv'd in the mind, v/ill «xcufe a man
from perjury, then no man can be perjur'd that
fwears with refervation : but this the cafuifts of the
Roman church do not allow, but only in fomc par*
ticular cafes, as before an incompetent judge, or the
like ; for they fee well enough that if this were al-
lowed in all cafes, it would deftroy all faith among
men. And therefore fince the reafon extends alike
to all cafes, it is plain that it is to be allow'd in
none.
4th ly, He is guilty of perjury after the afl, who
having a real intention when he fwears, to perform
what he promifeth, yet afterwards negledls to do it :
not for want of power (for fo long as that continues
the obligation ceafethj but for want of will, and due
regard to his oath.
Now that perjury is a mod heinous fin,' is evi-
dent, becaufe it is contrary to fo plain and great a
Jaw of God ; one of the ten words or precepts of
the moral law, " Thou fhalt not take the name of
*' the Lord thy God in vain"j thou fhalt not
bring or apply the name of God to a falfhood :
or, as Jofephus renders it, " Thou fhalt not adjure
*' God to a falfe thing: " which our Saviour ren-
ders yet more plainly, Matth. v. 0,3- " Thou fhalt
*^' not forfwear thy felf '*. For he feems to refer to
the third commandment when he fays, " Ye have
*^ heard that it was faid to them of old time, thou
*' fhalt not forfwear thy felf," as he had done before
to the 6th and 7th, when he fays, " It was faid to
*' them of old time, thou fhalt not kill, thou fhalt
'' not
obligation of oaths, 87
" not commit adultery *'. So that the primary, if SERi\f.
not the fole intention of this Law, " Thou fhalt not
" take the name of the Lord thy God in vain ",
is to forbid the great fin of perjury. And I do not
remember that in fcripture the phrafe of taking
God's name in vain, is ufed in any other fenfe.
And thus it is certainly ufed, Prov. xxx. 9. " Left
" I be poor and fteal, and take the name of the
" Lord my God in vain ", i. e. left poverty fhould
tempt me to fteal, and ftealth ftiould engage me
in perjury. For among the jews an oath was
tendered to him that was fufpedled of theft, as ap-
pears from Levit. vi. 2. where it is faid, " If any
" one be guilty of theft, and lyeth concerning it,
" or fweareth falfly ; he fhall reftore all that about
*' which he hath fworn falfly. Left I fteal, and
*' take the name of the Lord my God in vain; **
that is, be perjured, being examined upon oath con-
cerning a thing ftoln. And for this reafon the
thief and the perjured perfon are put together,
Zech. V. 4. where it is faid, that " a curfe fhall en-
•' ter into the houfe of the thief, and of him that
*' fweareth falfly by the name of God/' From all
which it is very probable, that the whole intention
of the third commandment is to forbid this great
fin of perjury. To deter men from which, a feverc
threatning is there added ; " for the Lord will
*' not hold him guildefs that taketh his name m
" vain ; " that is, he will moft feverely punifh fuch
a one. And 'tis very obfervable, that there is no
threatning added to any other commandment, but
to this and the fecond, intimating to us that, next
to idolatry and the worlliip of a fulfe God, perjury
is
88 T^he la'wfulnefs and
S E R M. is one of the greatefb affronts that can be offered to
^?^^' ;the divine majelly. This is one of thofe fins that
cries fo loud to heaven, and quickens tht pace of
God's judgments, Mai. iii. 9. " I will come near
" to you in judgment, and be a fwift witnefs a-
" gainft the fwearer : " for this God threatens ut-
ter deftruclion to the man and his houfe, Zcch. v. 4.
fpeaking of the " curfe that goeth over the face of
" the whole earth ; God (fays he) will bring it
'' forth, and it fhall enter into the houfe of him
" that fweareth falfly by the name of God, and fhall
" remain in the midft of his houfe, and fhall con-
" fume it with the timber thereof and the ftones
" thereof. It fhall remain in the midft of his houfe,
" and fhall confume it." This fin by the fecret
judgment of God undermines eftates and families
to the utter ruin of them. And among the hea-
then it was always reckoned one of the greateft
crimes, and which they did believe God did not
only punilh upon the guilty perfon himfelf, but up-
on his family and pofterity ; and many times upon
whole nations, as the prophet alfo tells us» that " be-
" caufe of oaths the land mourns. "
I need not ufe many words to aggravate this fin 5
it is certainly a crime of the higheft nature. Deli-
berate perjury being directly againft a man's know-
ledge, fo that no man can commit it without fta-
ring his confcience in the face ; which is one of the
greateft aggravations of any crime. And it is equal-
ly a fin againft both tables -, being the higheft af-
front to God, and of moft injurious confequence to
men. It is an horrible abufe of the name of God,
^n open contempt of his judgment, and an infolent
defiance
obligation of caths, 89
defiance of his vengeance : and in refped of men, it ^^^^j^^'
is not only a wrong to this or that particular perfon
who fufFers by it, but treafon againft humane focie-
ty; fubverting at once the foundations of publick
peace and juftice, and the private fecurlty of every
man's life and fortune. It is a defeating of the bell
and lad way that the wifdom of men could devife
for the decifion of doubtful matters. Solomon very
fully and elegantly expreffeth the deftruclive nature
of this fm, Prov. XXV. 18. "A talfe witnefs againft
" his neighbour is a maul, and a fword, and a fharp
" arrow : " intimating, that amongft all the inftru-
inents of ruine and mifchief that have been devifed
by mankind, none is of more pernicious confequence
to humane fociety than perjury, and breach of faith.
It is a peftilence that ufually walketh in darknefs,
and a fecret ilab and blow, againft which, many
times, there is no pofTibility of defence.
And therefore it highly concerns thofe who upoa
thefe and the like occafions are called upon their
oath, whether as jurors or witnefles, to fct God be-
fore their eyes, and to have his fear in their hearts
whenever they come to take an oath. And to go-
vern and diicharge their coniciences in this matter
by known and approved rules, and by the refolu-
tions of pious and wafe men, and not by the loofe
reafonings and refolutions of pamphlets, fent abroad
to ferve the turns of unpeaceable and ill- minded
men (whether atheifts, or papifts, or others) on pur-
pofe to debauch the confciences of men by teach-
ing them to play faft and loofe with oaths. And it
is a very fad iign of the decay of chriftian religion
_ among us, to fee fo many who call themfeives chri-
VoL. IL M ftians.
The lawfulnefs and^ &c.
ftians, to make fo little confcience of fo great a
fin, as even the light of nature would blufli and
tremble at.
I will conclude all with thofe excellent fayings of
the fon of Sirach concerning thefe two fins (1 have
been fpeaking of) profane fwearirig and perjury,
Eccl. xxiii. 9, 10, &:c. " Accuflom not thy mouth
" to fwearing •, neither ule thy lelf to the naming of
** the holy one. A man that ufeth much fwearing
*' fhall be filled with iniquity, and the plague fhall
*' never depart from his houfe. If he fhall offend,
«' his fin fhall be upon him ; and if he acknow-
i« ledo-e not his fin, he maketh a double offence.
« And if he fwear falfly, he Ihall not be innocent,
" but his houfe fnall be full of calamities. " And
to reprefent to us the dreadful nature of this fin of
perjury, " There is (faith he) a word that is cloth-
'' cd about with death, '* meaning a rafh and falie
oath •, " There is a w^ord that is clothed about
" with death. God grant it be not found in the
<' heritage of Jacob ; for all fuch things fhall be far
*' from the godly ; and they will not wallow in thefe
" fins." From which God prelerve all good men,
and make them caiefai to preferve themlelvesj as
they value the prefent peace of their own confciences,
and the favour of almighty God in this world and
the other, for his mercies fake in Jesus Christ,
To whom, ^c.
A SER.
SERMON
Preached at the
FUNERAL
Of the Reverend
Ur.THOMAS GOVGE,
the 4^^ of November^ 168 x.
At St. Anne's Black-friers;
With a brief account of his L i f e.
M 2
93
To the right worfliipful the
PRESIDENT,
THE
TREASURER,
AND
^^he reft of the worthy Governors
of the hofpital of Chrtji-Church in
London.
^"^^j^ HEN upon the requeft of fome
of the relations a?td friends of
the revere?id Mr. Gouge, deceajedy
ajtd to fpeak the truths in cofupliai^ce
mtb
04 Epistle Dedicatory.
with 7nine ow?i inclination to do right
to the 7nemory of fo good a man^ and
to fet Jo great an example i?t the view
of all men^ I had determined to make
this difcourfe publicky I hiew not
where more fitly to addrefs it tha?t to
yourfelves who are the living pattern
of the fame virtue^ and the faithful
difpenfers a7td managers of o?te of the
hefi and greatejl charities in the worlds
efpecially fiitce he had a particular
relation to you^ and was pleafed for
fome years laft pafiy without any other
confederation^ hut that of charity y to
employ his confiant pains in catechifing
the poor children of your hofpital\
wifely confidering of how great confe-
que?tce it was to this city, to have
the foundations of religion well laid in
the tender years of fo ma?ty perfons
as
Epistle Dedicatory. 95
as were afterwards to be plai^ted there,
in fever al profeffwis ; and from a true
humility of mt7td^ beifig ready to fioop
to the 7neanefl office and fervice to do
good.
I have heard from an intimate
frie?id of his^ that he would fometimes
with great pleafure fay^ that he had
two livings which he would not ex-
change for two of the greatefl in Eng-
land, meaning Wales a72d ChriftV hoA
pital : contrary to conwton account he
efleemed every advantage of being ufe-
ful a?id fe?^viceable to God and men
a rich benefice, and thofe his befl pa-
trons and benefactors, not who did him
good^ but who gave him the opportu-
7ttty and means of doing it. To you
therefore as his patrons this fermon
doth
96 Epistle Dedicatory.
doth of right belongs and to you I
humbly dedicate it ; heartily befeeching
almighty God, to raife up many by his
example that inay ferve their genera-
tion according to the will of God, as
he did. I am
Your faithful
and humble Servant,
Jo. TiLLOTSON.
[ 97 ]
SERMON XXIII.
Preached at the funeral of Mr. Thomas
Gouge : With a fhort account of his
life.
LUKE XX. '^j, 3S.
Now that the dead are raifed^ even Mofes Jbewedat the
hujh^ when he calleth the Lord the Govt of Abra^
ham^ and the God cf Ifaac^ and the God of Jacob,
For he is not a God of the dead^ but of the livings
for ail live to him.
1
■^H E occafion of thefe words of our blefTed SERM,
Saviour was an objedion which the lad- *
ducees made againft the refurreftion, ground-
ed upon a cafe which had fometimes happened among
them, of a woman that had i^w^xi brethren iuc-
ceflively to her husbands. Upon which cafe they
put this queflion to our Saviour •, " whofe wife of
*' the feven (hall this woman be at the refurredion ?'*
that is, if men live in another world, how (hall the
controverfy between thefe feven brethren be decided ?
for they all feem to have an equal claim to this wo-
man, each of them having had her to wife.
This captious queftion was not eafy to be anfwer-
ed by the pharifees, who fancied the enjoyments of
the next life to be of the fame kind with die fenfual
pleafures of this wc.rld, only greater and more dura-
ble. From which tradition of the jews concerning
Vo L. II, N a fenfual
a.
9 8 u4t the fimeral of the
S E R Af. a fenfual paradife, Mahomet feems to have taken the
^_^_^ pattern of his: as he did likewife many other things
from the jewifh traditions. Now upon this fuppofi-
tion, that in the next life there will be marrying and
giving in marriage, it was a queflion not eafily Huis-
fied, " whofe wife of the feven this woman fhould
« then be?"
But our Saviour clearly avoids the whole force
of it, by fhewing the different ftate of men in this
world, and in the other. " The children of this
'' world (fays he) marry, and are given in mar-
*' riage j but they who fhall be accounted worthy to
*' obtam that world, and the refurrection from the
«' dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage."
And he does not barely and magifterialjy aflert this
dodrine, but gives a plain and iubflantial reafon for
it j becaufe they cannot die any more. After men
have lived a while in this world they are taken away
by dcatti, and therefore marriage is neceiTary to main-
tain a fdCceiTion of mankind \ but in the other world
men fhall become immortal and live for ever, and
then the reafon of marriage will wholly ceafe : for
'wlien men can die no more, there will then be no need
of any new fupplies of m.inkind.
Our SavjouPv having thus cleared himfelf of this
objection by taking away the ground and foundation
of it, he produceth an argument for the proof of
the refurredlion, in the words of my text; " Now
*' that the dead are raifed, Mofes even fliewed at
*' the bufli, when he calleth the Lord the God of
" Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of
" Jacob." That is, when in one of his books God
is brought in fpeaking to him out of the bufh, and
calling
reverend Mr. Tho. Gouge. 99
callino; himfelf by the title of the God of Abraham, SE R M.
the God of Ilaac, and the God of Jacob. From "^ " '
whence our Saviour infers the refurreclion, becaule
" God is not the God of the dead, but of the hv-
'' ing : for all live to him."
My defign from thefe v/ords is, to fliew the force
and lirength of this argument which our Saviour
urgeth for the proof of the refurredlion. In order
whereunto I fliall,
Firil, confider it as an argument ad hominem^ and
fhew the fitnefs and force of it to convince thofc with
whom our Saviour difputed.
Secondly, I fliall inquire, whether it be more than
an argument ad bominem. And if it be, wherein the
real and abfolute force of it doth confiil ^
And then, I fliall apply this dodlrinc of the refur-
reclion to the prefent occafion.
I. Firil, we will confider it as an argument ad bo-
minem^ and fhew the fitnefs and force of it to convince
thofe with whom our Saviour difputed. And this
v/ill appear if we carefully confider thefe four things.
1. What our Saviour intended diredtly and im-
mediately to prove by this argument.
2. The extraordinary veneration which the jews in
general had for th^ writings of Mofes above any
other books of the old teflament.
3. The peculiar notion which tht jews had con-
cerning the ufe of this phrafe or expreiTion of God's
being any one's God.
4. The great refpedl which the jev/s had for thefe
three fathers of their nation, Abraham, Ifaac and
Jacob. For each of thefe make our Saviour's ar-
gument more forcible againft thofe with whom he
difputed, N z Firtf,
loo At the funeral of the
Eji M. Fird, we will confider what our Saviour intend-
ed diredlly and immediately to prove by this argu-
ment. And that was this, that there is another flate
after this hfe, wherein men fhall be happy or mifer-
able according as they have liveJ in this world. And
this doth not only fuppofe the immortality of the
foul, but forafmuch as the body is an efiential part
of man, doth by confequence infer the refurredion
of the body, becauTe othervvife the man v.'ould not
be happy or miferable in the other world. But I
cannot Ice any fufficient ground to believe that our
Saviour intended by this argument diredlly and
immediately to prove the refurredion of the body,
but only by confequence, and as it follows from the
admifTion of a future tlate wherein men fhall be re-
warded or punifhed. For that reafon of our Sa-
viour, that " God is not a God of the dead, but
« of the living," if it did diredlly prove the refur-
redion of the body, it would prove that the bodies
of Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob were raifed to life
ao-ain, at or before that time when God fpake to
Mofes and called himfelf the God of Abraham,
Ifaac and Jacob: but we do not believe this; and
therefore ought not to fuppofe that it was the inten-
tion of our Saviour d^cclly and immediately to
prove the refurredlion of the body, but only (as I
iliid before) a future ftate. And that this was all our
Saviour inrended will more plainly appear, if we
confider what that error of the fidducees was which
our Saviour here confutes. And Jofephus, who
very well underftood the difference of the it^^ among
the jews, and gives a particular account of them,
makes not the leafl: mention of any controverfy be-
tween
reverend Mr. Tho. Gouge. loi
tween the pharifees and the fadducees about the refur- SE RM.
redlion of the body. All tlut he lays, is this, that ^^
the pharifees hold the immortaUty of the foul, and
that there are rewards and punifhments in another
world : but the fadducees denied all this, and that
there was any other flare after this life. And this is
the very fame account with that which is given of
them in the new teftament, ver. 27. of this chapter,
^' The Sadducees who deny that there is any refurrec-
*' tion." The meaning of which is more fully declared.
Act, xxiii. 8. " The iadducees fay that there is no refur-
" redion, neither angel nor fpirit ; but the pharifees
" confefs both." That is, the fadducees denied that
there was any, other (late of men after this hfe, and that
there was any fuch thing as an immortal fpirit, either
angels, or the fouls of men furviving their bodies.
A>)d, as Dr. Hammond hath judicioufly obferved,
this is the true importance of the word dvasacri^^ viz,
a future or another ftate ; unlefs in fuch texts where
tat coiitext does retrain it to the raifing again of the
body, or where fome word that denotes the body, as
c'J^lxar©^ or cra^xcr, is added to it.
Secondly, the force of this argument againft thofc
with whom our Saviour difpuied will farther ap-
pear, if we confider the great veneration which the
jews in general had for the writings of Mofes above
any other books ot the old teftament ; which they
(efpecially the fadducees) looked upon only as expli-
cations and comments upon the law of Mofes : But
they edeemed nothing as a neceffary article of faith
which had not fome foundation in the writings of
Mofes. And this feems to me to be tiie true reafon
why our Saviour chofe to confute them out of
Mofesj
102 -^^ the funeral of the
SERxVI. Mofes, rather than any other part of the old teda-
^^^ nienc : and not, as many learned men have imagined,
becaufe the iadducees did not receive any part of the
old tedament, but only the five books of Mofes; fo
that it was in vain to argue againft them out of ai^iy
other. This I know hath been a general opinion,
grounded I think upon the miftake of a palT.ige in
Jofephus, who fays the fadducees only receive the
written law. But if we carefully confider that paf^
fage, we fhall find that Jtjfephus doth not there op.
pofe the law to the other books of the old tefla-
mcnt, whicn were alfo written •, but to oral tradition.
For he fays exprcfly, that " the Iadducees only receive
<* the written law, but the pharifees, over and
" bcfides what was written, receive the oral which
" they call tradition.
I deny not but that in the later prophets there are
more exprefs texts for the proof or a future ftate,
than any are to be found in the books of Mofes.
As Daniel xii. 2. " And many of tiitm that fleep
" in the dud of \\\z earth fhall awake, feme to ever-
*' lafling life, and fome to fliame and evcrlafdng
" contempt.'* And indeed it feems very plain that
holy men among the jews, towards the expiration of
the legal difpeniation, had ftiil clearer and more ex-
prefs apprchenfions concerning a future flate than are
to be met with in the writings of Mofes, or of any
of the prophets.
The law given by Mofes did fuppofc the immor-
tality of the fouls of men, and the expedation of
another life after this, as principles of religion in
fome degree naturally known \ but made no new and
exprefs revelation of thefe things. Nor was "there
any
reverend Mr. Tho. Gouge. 103
any occafion for it, the law of Mofes being a politi- S E R M.
cal law, not intended for the government of man-
kind, but of one particular nation j and therefore
was eflablifh'd, as polkical laws are, upon temporal
promifes and threatnings; promifing temporal pro-
fperity to the obfervation of its precepts, and threat-
ning the breach of them with temporal judgments
and calamities.
And this I take to be the true reafon why argu-
ments fetch'd from another world are fo obfcurely in-
fifted upon under that difpenfation •, not but that ano-
ther life after this was always fuppos'd, and was un-
doubtedly the hope and expedation of good men
under the law, but the clear difcovery of it ^was re-
ferv'd for the tim.es of the Messias. And there-
fore as thofe times drew on, and the Sun of righte-
oufnefs was near his rifi'ng, the lliadows of the
night began to be chafed away, and mens apprehen-
lions of a future tlate to clear up ; fo that in the time
of the Maccabees good men fpake with more confi-
dence and aiTurance of thefe things.
It is likewife to be confider'd, that the temporal
calamities and fafFerings with which the jews were
almoft continually harafs'd from the time of their
captivity, had very much wean'd good men from the
confideration of temporal promifes, and awaken'd
their minds to the more ferious thoughts of another
world. It being natural to men when they are de-
ftitute of prefent comfort, to fupport themfelves v/ith
the expedation of better things for the future, and
as the apofile to the Hebrews exprefTeth it, chap. vi.
ver. 10. " to fly for refuge to lay hold upon the
«' hope that is before them," and to employ their rea-
foa
At the funeral of the
fon to fortify themfelves as well as they can in that
perfuafion.
And this I doubt not was the true occafion of
thofe clearer and riper apprehcnfions of good men
concerning a future ftate, in thofe times of diftrefs
and perfecution : it being very agreeable to the wif-
dom and goodnefs of the divine providence not to
leave his pev)p'e deiutute of fu.licienc fupport under
great trials and fufferings : and nothing but the hopes
of a better life could have born up the Ipirits of men
under fuch cruel tortures. And of this we have a
mod remarkable infiance in the hiftory of the feven
brethren in the Maccabees, who being cruelly tortur-
ed and put to death by Antiochus, do moft exprefly
declare their confident expeflation of a refurredlion to
a better life. To which hiftory the apoftle certainly
refers, Heb. xi. o^^. when he fays, " others were
*' tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they
'' might obtain a better refurreclion :'* where the
word, which we render were tortui'd, is £ru,a7ra-
v/cr^nc-av, which is the very word ufed in the Macca-
bees to exprefs the particular kind of torture us'd
upon them ♦, befides that being otfei 'd deliverance
they mod refolutely refus'd to accept of ir, with this
exprefs declaration thit they hop'd for a refurreclion
to a better life.
But to return to my purpofe, notwithflanding
there might be more clcur and exprefs texts to this
purpofe in the ancient propiiets, yet our Saviour
knowing how great a regard not or.ly the fadducees,
but all the jews had to the authority of Mofes, he
thought fit to bring his proof of the refurre6i::o:-: out of
his writings, as that which was the mofl likely to con-
vince them. Thirdly,
reverend Mr. Tho. Gouge. 105
Thirdly, if we confider farther the peculiar no-SERM.
tion which the jews had concerning the ufe of this
phrafe or expreflion of God's being any one's God.
And that was this. That God is no where in fcrip-
ture fciid to be any one's God v/hile he was ahve.
And therefore they tell us that while Ifaac lived, God
is not called the God of Ifaac, but the fear of Ifaac.
As Gen. xxxi. 42. " Except the God of Abraham,
" and the fear of Ifaac had been with me;" and
ver. 53. when Laban made a covenant with Jacob,
*tis faid that *' Laban did fwear by the God of
" Abraham, and the God of Nahor, and the God
" of their fathers, but Jacob fwore by the fear of
" his father Ifaac." I will not warrant this obferva-
tion to be good, becaufe I certainly know it is not
true. For God doth expreHy call himfelf the God
of Ifaac, v/hile Ifaac was yet alive. Gen. xxviii. 13.
" I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and
*' the God of Ifaac." It is fufEcient to my purpofe,
that this was a notion anciently current among the
jews. And therefore our Saviour's argument from
this expreflion muft be fo much the flronger againd
them : for if the fouls of men be extinguilhed by
death (as the fadducees believed) what did it fignify
to Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob to have God called
their God after they were dead ? but farely, for God
to be any one's God, doth fignify fomc great benefit
and advantage; which yet (according to the notion
which the jews had of this phrafe) could not refpect
this life, becaufe, according to them, God is not
faid to be any one's God 'till after he is dead : but it
is thus faid of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob after their
death, and therefore our Saviour infers veryflrong-
VoL. IL O ly
io6 ^t the funeral of the
SERM. ly agalnfi: them, that Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob
xxni. ^gj.g j^Qj. extinguifhed by deadi, but do Itill live
fomewhere: for " God is not the God of the dead,
" but of the living." And then he adds by way of
fartlicr explication, " for all hve to him." That is,
though thofe good men who are departed this life,
do not flill live to us, here in this world, yet " they
*' live to God," and are with him.
Fourthly, if v/e confidcr the great refpedl Vv^hich
the jews had for thofe three fathers of their nation,
Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob. They had an extraor-
dinary opinion of them, and elleemed nothing too
great to be thought or faid of them. And therefore
we iind that they looked upon it as a great arrogance
for any man to aflame any thing to himfelf that
might feem to kt him above Abraham, Ifaac, or Ja-
cob. With what indignation did they fly upon our
Saviour on this account ,? John iv. 12. " Art thou
*' greater than our father Jacob?" and chap. viii.
ver. ^^. " Art thou greater than our father Abra-
*' ham? whom m.akell thou thyfelf ?" Now they
who had fo fuperititious a. veneration for them, would
cafily believe any thing of privilege to belong to
them: fo that our Saviour doth with great advan-
tage inftance in them, in favour of whom they
would be inclined to extend the meaning of any pro-
mifc to the utmod, and allow it to flgnify as much as
the words could pofilbly bear. So tiiat it is no won-
der that the text tells us that this argument put the
fadducees to filcnce. They durfl not attempt a thing
fo odious, as to go about to take away any thing of
privilege from Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob.
And
reverend Mr, Tho. Gouge. 107
And thus I have, as briefly as the matter would S Erm.
bear, endeavoured to fhcw the fitnels and force of, ^'^^'^"
this argument to convince chofe with whom our Sa-
viour difputed. I come now, in the
II. Second place, to inquire, whether this be any-
more than an argument cd hominem -, and if it be,
wherein the real and abiblute force of it doth con-
fill?
I do not think it necelTary to believe that every ar-
gument ufed by our Saviour or his apoilles, is ab-
folutely and in itfelf conclufive of the matter in de-
bate. For an argument which doth hot really prove
the thing in queftion, may yet be a very good argu-
ment ad hominem -, and in fome cafes more convincing
to him with whom we difpute than that v/hkh is a
better argument in itfelf. Now it is pofTibJe, that
our Saviour's intention might not be to bring a
conclufive proof of the refurredion, but only to con-
fute thofe who would needs be difputing with him.
And to that purpofe an argument ad hominem^ which
proceeded upon grounds which they themfelves could
not deny, might be very proper and effedlual. But
although it be not neceflary to believe, that this was
more than an argument ad hominem % yet it is the bet-
ter to us, if it be abfolutcly and in it^t\^ conclu-
five of the thing in queftion. And this I hope
will fufficiently appear, if we confider thefe four
things.
1. That for God to be any one's God doth fignify
fome very extraordinary blelTing and happinefs to
thofe perfons of whom this is faid.
2. If we confider the eminent faith and obedience
of the perfons to whom this promife is made.
O 2 3. Their
io3 At tie funeral of the
I R M. 2. Their condition in this world.
- V f T T '^
4. The general importance of this promife, ab-
flrading from the perfons particularly fpecified and
named in it, Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob.
Firft, if we confider that for God to be any one's
God doth fignify fome very extraordinary blelTing
and happincfs to thofe perfons of whom this is faid.
It is a big word for God to declare himfelf to be
any one's God : and the kail we can imagine to be
meant by it, is that God wilJ in an extraordinary
manner employ his power and wifdom to do him
good : that he will concern himfelf more for the
happinefs of thofc whofe God he declares himfelf to
be, than for others.
Secondly, if we confider the eminent faith and
obedience of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob. Abraham
left his country in obedience to God, not knowing
whither he was to go. And which is one of the
mofl unparallel'd and flrange inflances of faith and
obedience that can almoll be imagined, he was will-
ing to have facrificed his only fon at the command
of God. Ifaac and Jacob were alfo very good men,
and devout worfhippers of the true God, v/hen al-
moft the whole world was funk into idolatry and all
manner of impiety. Now what can we imagine,
but that trie good God did defign fome extraordinary
reward to fuch faithful fervants of his .? efpecially if
we confider, that he intended this gracious declara-
tion of his concerning them, for a ftanding encou-
ragement to aiJ thofe who in after ages fhould fol-
low the faith and tread in the fleps of Abraham,
Ifaac, and Jacob.
Thirdly,
reverend Mr. Tho. Gouge. loo
Thirdly, if we confidcr the condition of Abra^ S E R M.
ham, Ifaac, and Jacob in this world. The fcrip- ■^^^^^•
ture tells us, that '^ they were pilgrims and foan-
" gers upon the earth ; '* had no fixed and fettled ha-
bitation, but were forced to wander from one kino--
o
dom and country to another ; that they v/ere expo-
fed to many hazards and difficulties, to great trou-
bles and afflidions in this world ; {6 that there was
no fuch peculiar happinefs befel them in this lift a-
bove the common rate of men, as may feem to fill
up the big words of this promife, that " God would
" be their God ". For fo far as the fcripturc hif-
tory informs us, and farther we cannot know of this
matter, Elau was as prolperous as Jacob ; and Jacob
had a great many more troubles and affiidions in
this life than Efau had. But furely when God calls
himfelf the God of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, this
fignifies that God intended fome very peculiar blef.
fing and advantage to them above others : which
feeing they did not enjoy in this world, it is very
reafonable to believe that one time or other this gra-
cious declaration and promife of God was made
good to them.
And therefore the apofllc to the Hebrews, chap. xi.
from this very expreffion of God's being laid to be
the God of Abraham and others, argues that fome
extraordinary happinefs was referved for them in a-
nother world ; and that upon this very ground I am
now fpeaking of, namely, becaufe the condition of
Abraham and Ibme others, was not fuch in this
world as might feem to anfwer the fulnefs of this
promife. " All thefe (fays he) died in the faith,
" not having received the promifes, but having ^^tn
" thenj
no ^t the funeral of the
S E R M. " them afar off, and were perfuaded of them, and
li^!-lij " embraced them , and confefled that they were
• ftrangers and pilgrims upon the earth." From
whence he reafons very flrongly, that thefe good
men might reafonably expe6l fomething better than
any thing that had befallen them in this world.
*' For they (fays he) that fay fuch things, declare
*' plainly that they feek a country ; " which at the
1 6M verfe he calls " a better country, that is a hea-
" venly. They that fay fuch things : " that is, they
who acknowledge themfelves to be ftrangers and
pilgrims in the earth, and yet pretend that God had
promifed to be their God, declare plainly that they
expe6l Ibme reward beyond this life. From all which
he concludes, " Wherefore God is not afhamed to
" be called their God, becaufe he hath prepared
" for them a city," intimating that if no happi-
nels had remained for thefe good men in another
world, this promife of God*s being their God,
would fliamefully have fallen (hort of v/hat it feem-
cd to import, viz. fome extraordinary reward and
blelTing worthy of God to befrow ; fomething more
certain and lafting than any of the enjoyments of
this world; which fince God hath abundandy per-
formed to them in the happinefs of another life, his
promife to them was made good to the full, and
he needed not be afhamed to be called their God.
But if nothing beyond this life had been referved for
them, that faying of old Jacob towards the conclu-
fion of his hfe, " few and evil have the days of the
*' years of my life been, " would have been an eter-
nal refledcion upon the truth and faithfulnefs of him
who had fo often called himfelf the God of Jacob.
Bat
reverend Mr, Tho. Gouge. 1 1 1
But now, becaufe to all this it may be faid, that S E R M.
this promife feems to have been made good to Abra- ''■^^^*
ham, Ifaac, and Jacob, in this world : for was not
God the God of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, when
* he took fuch a particular and extraordinary care of
them, and protected them from the manifold dan-
gers they were expofed to by Hich a fpecial and im-
mediate providence, " fuffering no one to do them
*' harm, but rebuking even kings for their fake ? "
Was not he Abraham's God, when he bled him fo
miraculoufiy with a fon in his old age, and with fo
confiderable an eflate to leave to him ? was not that
faying of Jacob a great acknowledgment of the graci-
ous providence o\ God tov/ards him, " With my flaff
" palTed I over this Jordan, and now I am become
" two bands ? " and though it needs mufl be a very
cutting afflicflion to him to lofe his fon Jofeph,
as he thought he had done, yet that was more than
recompenfed to him in Jofeph's ftrange advance-
ment m Egypt, whereby God put into his hands
the opportunity of faving his father and his whole
family alive. And was not God the God of Abra-
ham, Ifaac, and Jacob, in making them fathers of fo
numerous an offspring, as afterwards became a great:
nation : and in giving them a fruitful land ; and
bringing them to the quiet poiTeffion of it by fuch a
feries of wonderful miracles ? what need then is there
of extending this promife to another world ? doth it
not feem abundantly made good in thofe great blef-
fings which God beuowed upon them whilfc they
lived, and afterwards upon their pofterity, in this
world ? And does not this agree well enough with
the firfl and mod obvious knic of thefe words^ " I
am
xkiir.
112 At the funeral of the
SE RM. « am the God of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob," that
h^ I am he that was their God while they were
alive, and am ilill the God of their pofterity for
their fakes ; I fay, becaufc the three former con fide-
rations are liable to this objedlion, which feems
wholly to take off the force of this argument*,
therefore for the full clearing of this matter, I will
add one confideration more.
Fourthly then, we will confider the general im-
portance of this promife, abflrading from the parti-
cular perfons fpccified and named in it, viz. Abra-
ham, Ifaac and Jacob; and that is, that God will
make a wide and plain difference between good and
bad men \ he will be fo the God of good men as he
is not of the wicked : and fome time or other put
every good man into a better and happier condition
than any wicked man : fo that the general impor-
tance of this promife is finally refolv^ed into the equi-
ty and juftice of the divine providence.
And unlefs we fuppofe another life after this, it
will certainly be very hard, and I think impofTible,
to reconcile the hiflory of the old teilament, and the
common appearances of things in this world, with
the juflice and goodnefs of God's providence.
It cannot be denied, but that Abraham, Ifaac,
and Jacob, and feveral good men in the old tefta-
mcnt, had many fignal teftimonies of the divine fa-
vour vouchfifcd to them in this world : but we read
likcwife of fcvcral v/icked men that had as large a
fnare of temporal blefnngs. It is very true that
Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob had great eftates, and
were petty princes : but Pharaoh was a mighty prince
in comparifon of them j and the kingdom of Egypt,
which
reverend Mr, Tho. Gouge. 113
■which probably was the firft and chief feat of Ido- SERM.
latry, was at the fame time one of the moft potent
and flourifhing kingdoms in the world: and was
bleft with a prodigious plenty, whereby they were
furnifhed with ftore of corn when good Jacob and
his family had like to have periilied by famine. 'Tis
true, Jofeph was advanced to great power in Egypt>
and thereby had the opportunity of faving his fa-
ther's houfe, by fettling and feeding them in Egypt :
but then it is to be confidercd again, that this cofl:
them very dear, and their coming thither was the
occafion of a long and cruel bondage to Jacob's po-
llerity, fo that we fee that thefe good men had no
fuch bleflings, but what were common with them
to many others that were wicked ; and the bleflings
which God beftowed upon them, had great abate-
ments by the intermixture of many and fore afflidli-
ons.
It fecms then upon the whole matter, to be very
plain, that the Providences of God in this world
towards good men are fo contrived, that it may fuf-
ficiently appear, to thofe who wifely confidcr the
works of God, that they are not negledled by him ;
and yet that thefe outward bleflings are fo prom.if-
cuoufly difpenfed, that no man can certainly be con-
ccluded to be a good man from any happinefs he
enjoys in this life : and the profperity of good men
is ufually on purpofe fo fhadowed and mixed with
affli61:ions, as may juftly raife their hopes to the ex-
pectation of a more perfe6l happinefs and better re-
ward than any they meet with in this world.
And if fo, then the general importance of this
promife, that God v/ill be the God of good men^
Vol. II, P mult
3'
XXIII.
11^ At the funeral of the
S E R M. muft neccflarily fignify fomething beyond this world :
becaufe in this world there is not that clear diffe-
rence univerfally made between good and bad men
which the juftice of the divine providence doth re-
quire, and which feems to be intended, in the ge-
neral fenfe of this promife. For if this promife
(though perfonally made to Abraham, Ifaac, and Ja-
cob) be intended, as the fcripturc tells us it was for
a {landing encouragement to good men in all ages,
then it muft contain in it this general truth, " that
«' God will fome time or other plentifully reward
** every good man \ " that is, he will do fomething
far better for him than for any wicked man : but if
there be no life after this, it is impofTible to recon-
cile this fenfe of it with the courfe of God's provi-
dence, and with the hiftory of the bible.
And to make this out fully, and at once, I will
only produce that fingle inftance of Abel and Cain.
'' Abel offered to Goo a more excellent facriiice than
«' Cain, and he had this teftimony, that he pleafed
<* God i " which was in effe(fl to declare, that
God was the God of Abel, and not of Cain ; fo
that by virtue of i\\Q general importance of this pro-
mife, it might judly be expelled that Abel's condi-
tion fhould have been much better than Cain's : but
if there be no happinefs after this life, Abel's v;as
evidently much vv'orfe. For upon this very account,
that he pleafed God better, he was killed by Cain,
who had offered to God a flight and contemptuous
offering. And Cain lived a long time after, and grew
great, and built cities. Now fuppofing there Vv'ere
no other life after this, this mull have been a mod
horrible example to all ages, from tlie beginning
of
reverend Mr. Tho. Gouge. ii^
of the world to the end of it, and have made men S E R M
for ever afraid to pleafe God upon fuch hard terms j '"^
when they were fure of no other reward for fo do-
ing, but to be opprefs'd and flain by the hands of
the wicked. So that if this were really the cafe, it
would puzzle all tho, wit and reafon of mankind to
vindicate the equity and juflice of the divine provi-
dence, and to refcue it out of the hands of this ter-
rible objedion.
And thus have I, as briefly as I could, endeavour-
ed to clear to you the force of this argument ufed
by our Saviour for the proof of the refurredion;
And have the longer infifled upon it, becaufe at firft
appearance it feems to be but a very obfcurc and re-
mote argument : and yet fo much the more necefla-
ry to be cleared, becaufe this in all probability was
that very text upon which the jews in our Saviour's
time grounded their belief of a future ftate, in op-
pofition to the error of the fadducees; and which
they call'd by way of eminency " the promife made
*' of God unto the fathers." As will plainly ap-
pear, if we confider what St. Paul fays to this
purpofe •, when he appeals fo often to the pharifees
for his agreement with them in this article of the re-
furreclion, and likewife in the ground of it from
" the promife made of God unto the fathers. "
Adlsxxiv. 14, 15. " But this I confefs unto thee,
*' that after the way v/hich they call herely, fb
*' v/orlhip I the God of my fathers, believing
*' all things v/hich are v/ritten in the Law and
*' the prophets; and have hope towards God, which
" they themfelves alfo allow, that there Ihall be a
*' refurredion of the dead.*' From whence it is clear,
P 2 that
ii5 At the funeral of the
S E R M. that they both grounded their hope of the rcfur-
s^^^^^^^^i redion upon fomething written in the Jaw and the
prophets : and what that was, he exprefTeth more
particular, chap. xxvi. ver. 6^ ']. " And now I ftand,
*' and am judged for the hope of the promife made
** of God unto our fathers \ unto which promife our
" twelve tribes, inftantly ferving God day and
" night, hope to come." By the promife made of
God unto the fathers, he means fome promife made
by God to Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob; for fo
St. Luke more than once, in his hiftory of the Ads,
explains this phrafe of the God of their fathers,
A6ls iii. 13. " The God of Abraham, and of Ifaac,
«' and of Jacob, the God of our fathers;" and
chap. vii. ver. 32. " I am the God of thy fathers,
** the God of Abraham, and the God of Ifaac, and
*' the God of Jacob." Now what was the great
and famous promife which God made to Abraham,
Ifaac, and Jacob? was it not this of being their God ?
So that it was this very promife upon which St. Paul
tells us the jews grounded their hope of a future Rate,
becaufc they underftood it neccflarily to fignify fome
blelTing and happinefs beyond this life.
And now having, I hope, fufficiently clear'd this
matter, I flialJ make fome improvement of this doc-
trine of a future ftate, and that to thefe three pur-
pofes.
I. To raife our minds above this world and the
enjoyments of this prefent life. Were but men tho-
roughly convinced of this plain and certain truth,
that there is a vafl difference between time and eter-
nity, between a few years and evcrlafting ages:
would we but rcprefcnt to ourfelves what thoughts
and
reverend Mr, Tho. Gouge. 117
and apprehenfions dying perfons have of this world ; S E RM.
how vain and empty a thing it appears to them, how
Jike a pageant and a fhadow it looks as it pafleth
away from them, mcthinks none of thefe things
could be a fufficicnt temptation to any man to forget
God and his foul-, but, notwithftanding all the de-
lights and pleafures of fenfe, we ihould be llrangely
intent upon the concernments of another world, and
almofk wholly taken up with the thoughts of that
vaft eternity which we are ready to lanch into. For
what is there in this world, this wade and howling
wildernefs, this rude and barbarous country which
we arc but to pafs through, which fhould detain our
afPcclions here, and take off our thoughts from our
everlafting habitation -, from that better and that hea-
venly country, where we hope to live and be happy
for ever ?
If we fettle our affedions upon the enjoyments of
this prefent lile, fo as to be extremely pleas'd and
tranfported with them, and to fay in our hearts, it
is good for us to be here •, if we be excefTively griev'd
or difcontentcd for the want or lols of them, and if
we look upon our prefent (late in this world any
otherwife than as a preparation and pafiage to a bet-
ter life, it h a fign that our faith and hope of the
happinefs of another life is but very weak and faint,
and that we do not heartily and in good earned be-
lieve what we pretend to do concerning thefe things.
For did we Itedfaftly believe and were thoroughly
perfuaded of what our religion fo plainly declares to
us concerning the unfpeakable and endlefs happinefs
of good men in another world, our afFedlions would
fit more loofe to this world, and our hopes would
raift
1 1 8 At the funeral of the
S E R M. raife our hearts as much above thefe prelenC and
"^'^^ ■ fenfible things as the heavens are high above the
earth •, we fhould value nothing here below, but as
it ferves for our prefcnt fupport and palTagc, or may
be made a means to fccure and increafe our future fe-
licity.
2. The confideration of another life fhould quicken
our preparation for that bleffed flate which remains
for us in the other world. This life is a flatc of pro-
bation and trial. This world is God's fchool, where
immortal fpirits clothed with flelh arc trained and
bred up for eternity. And then certainly it is not
an indifferent thing and a matter of flight concern-
ment to us, how we live and demean ourfelves in
this world : whether we indulge ourfelves in ungod-
iinefs and worldly lufls, or live foberly, and righte-
oufly, and godly in this prefent world : no, it is %
matter of infinite moment, as much as our fouls and
all eternity are worth. Let us not deceive ourfelves ;
*' for as we fow, fo fhall we reap : if we fov/ to the
" flefh, we fliall of the flefh reap corruption j but if
" we fov/ to the fpirit, we fhall of the fpirit reap
" everlafling life. Light is fbwn for the righteous,
*' and gladnefs for the upright in heart. The righ-
« teous hath hopes in his death. Mark the perfefl
*' man, and behold the upright, for the end of that
" man is peace."
But the ungodly are not lb : whoever hath lived a
wicked and vicious life, feels flrange throws and
pangs in his confcience when he comes to be caft up-
on a fick bed. " The wicked is like the troubled
*' fea (faith the prophet) when it cannot rcftj " full
of trouble and confufjon, cfpecially in a dyirg hour.
It
reverend Mr, Tho. Gouge. I19
It is death to fuch a man to look back upon his life, S E R Inl-
and a hell to him to think of eternity. When his .J^^'j^
guilty and trembling foul is ready to leave his body,
and juft flepping into the other world, what horror
and amazement do then feize upon him ? what a rage
doth fjch a man feel in his breail, when he feriouOy
confiders, that he hath been fo great a fool as for the
falfe and imperfed pleafure of a few days to make
himfelf miferable for ever ?
3. Let the confideration of that unfpeakable re-
ward which God hath promifed to good men at the
refurreftion, encourage us to obedience and a holy
life. We ferve a great prince who is able to pro-
mote us to honour J a moft gracious mailer who will
not let the leafl: fei vice we do for him pals unreward-
ed. This is the inference which the apollle makes
from his large difccurfe of the dodrine of the re-
furredlion, i Cor. xv. 58. " Wherefore, my be-
*' loved brethren, be ye fledfad and unmoveablc,
" always abounding in the work of the Lord, for-
*' afmuch as ye know that your labour fhall not be m
" vain in the Lord.'' Nothing will make death
more welcome to us, than a conftant courfe of fer-
vice and obedience to God. " Sleep (iaith Solomon)
" is fweet to the labouring man:" fo after a great
diligence and induilry in " working out cur own
*' falvation," and (as it is faid of David) " ferving
" our generation according to the will of God,"
how pleafant will it be to fall aileep ^ And as an use-
ful and well-fpent life will make our death to be
fweet, fo our refurreflion to be glorious. Whatever
ads of piety we do to God, or of charity to men ;
whatever we lay out upon the poor and affiiclcd and
riecefiicous.
120 At the funeral of the
S ^J^.^- neceflitous, will all be confidered by God in the
day of recompeiices, and moft plentifully rewarded
to us.
And furely no confideratlon ought to be more
prevalent to perfuade us to alms-deeds and charity to
the poor, than that of a refurredion to another life.
Befides the promifes of this life which are made to
works of charity, and there is not any grace or vir-
tue whatfoever, which hath fo many and fo great
promifes of temporal bleflings made to it in fcripture
as this grace of charity ; I fay, befides the promifes
of this life, the great promife of eternal life is in
fcripture in a more efpecial manner entail'd upon it.
Luke xii. ^'^. " Give alms, (faith our Saviour)
'' provide your felves bags which wax not old, a
" treafure in the heavens that faileth notj" and
chap. xvi. ver. 9. " Make to your felves friends of
*' the mammon of unrighteoufncfs, that when ye
'' fhall fail, they may receive you into everlafting
*' habitations." And i Tim. vi. 17, 18, 19.
*' Charge them that are rich in this world, that
" they be not high-minded, ^<r. that they do good,
*' that they be rich in good works, ready to diftri-
" bute, willing to communicate, laying up in flore
*' for themfclves a good foundation againft the time
*' to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life;"
the word ^5/jt?>.iov, which our tranilation renders
foundation according to the common ufe of it,
feems in this place to have a more peculiar notion,
and to fignify the fccurity that is given by a pledge,
or by an inflrument or obligation of contracfl for the
performance of covenants. For befides that the
phrafe of " laying up in (lore, or treafuring up a
" foun-
reverend Mr, Tho. Gouge. 12 1
*^ foundation *' feems to be a very odd jumbling; of SE RM,
XXIII
metaphors j this very word ^j/^sXt©^ ahnoft necefTa-
riJy requires this notion as it is ufed by the fame apo-
flle, in his fecond epiftle to Timothy, chap. 2.
ver. 19. where it is faid, " the foundation of God
" flands fure, having this feal," ^c, a feal being
very improper to ftrengthen a foundation, but very
fit to confirm a covenant. And then furely it ought
to be render'd, " the covenant of God remains firmj
" having this feal." And fo likewife in the fore-
mention*d text, the fenfe will be much more ealy
and current if we render it thus, '* treafuring up, or
" providing foe themfelves a good fecurity or pledge
" againft the time to come " I add pledge, becaufs
that anciently was the common way of fecurity for
things lent: befides'that the apoftle feems plainly to
allude to that pafTage, Tobit iv. 8, 9. " If thou haft
*' abundance, give alms accordingly, i^c, for thou
*' lay eft up a good treafure for thy felf againft the
" day of neceiTity, S^s/aa '^^ dyaVov 3^yicr^.vp/^«r, for
*' thou treafureft up for thy felf a good pledge j" to
which this of the apoftle exadlly anfwers, iumhyouu'
p'^ovlas- ItjjtoI^ ^iiAXiov y.cCKoM^ treafuring up, or pro-
viding for themfelves a good pledge or fecurity, (^c.
the fenfe however is plain, that the charity of alms
is one of the beft ways of fecuring our future hap-
pinefs.
And yet further to encourage us to abound in
works of charity, the fcripture tells us that propor-
tionably to the degrees of our charity fhali be the de-
grees of our reward; upon this confideration the
apoftle exhorts the Corinthians to be libei-al in their
charity, 2 Cor. ix. 6. " he that fowech fparingly
Vol. 11. Q^ " ihall
3'
122 At the funeral of the
S E R IM. " fhall reap fparingly, but he that foweth bountifully
^^^^^' tc fj^all reap bountifully." So that whatever we lay
out in this kind is to the greateH advantage, and up-
on the beft fecurity; two confiderations which ufe
to be very prevalent with rich men to lay out their
money.
We certainly do it to the greateft advantage -, bc-
caufe God will confider the very fmalleft thing that
any of us do in this kind. He that fhall give fo
much as " a cup of cold water to a difciple, in the
" name of a difciple, fhall not lofe his reward ;"
thefe laft words, fliall not lofc his reward, are a
ju?:&ja-i<-9 and fignify much more than they feem to
fpeak, viz. that he fliall have a very great reward,
infinitely beyond the value of what he hath done.
And wc do it iikev/ife upon the befl fecurity ; fo So-
lomon afTures us, Prov. xix. 17. " He that hath pity
" upon the poor lendeth to the lord, and that which
" he hath given v/ill he pay him again :" and we
may be confident of our fecurity where God is fure-
ty j nay, he tells us that in this cafe he looks upon
himfelf as principal, and that whatever we do in
ways of mercy and charity to the poor he takes as
done to himfelf So our Lord hath told us, Matth.
XXV. 40. and wc fliall hear the fame from him again
out of his own mouth when he fliall appear in his
majelly to judge the world, " then the king fliall
*' anfwer, and fay unto them, verily I fay unto you,
" inafmuch as ye have done it unto one of the leafl
*' of thefe my brethren, ye have done it unto me.'*
And on the other fide, the fcripture no where paf-
feth a more fevere doom upon any fort of perfons,
than upon thofe who have no bowels of compafTion
towards
reverejid Mr. Tho. Gouge. 123
towards their brethren in diftrefs. That is a fearful 5 R R M.
fcntence indeed, which the apoftle pronounceth up- ' '
on luch perfons, Jam. ii. 13. " He fhall have judg-
*' ment without mercy that hath fhewed no mercy."
And this our Saviour reprefents to us in a mofi:
foJemn manner, in that lively defcription v/hich he
makes of the judgment of the great day, Matth. xxv.
31. 6cc. " When the Son of man iliall come in his
" glory, and all the holy angels with him, then fliall
" he fit upon the throne of his glory: and before
" him fhall be gathered all nations, and he fliail fe-
*' parate them one from another, as a fhepherd di-
*' videth the fheep from the goats. And he fhall
" {tt the fheep on his right hand, but the goats on
" the left. Then fhall the king fay unto them on
" his right hand. Come, ye bleffed of my father, in-
" herit t\\t kingdom prepared for you before the
'^ foundation of the world. For I was an hungred,
*' and ye gave me meat ; I was thirfly, and ye gave
" me drink ; I was a ftranger, and ye took me in ;
" naked, and ye clothed me; I was fick, and ye
" vifited me; I was in prifon, and ye came unto
" me. Then fhall he fay alfo unto them on the left
" hand, Depart from me, ye curfed, into everlafling
" fire, prepared for the devil and his angels : For I
*' was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat, bzc,
" And thefe fhall go away into everlafling punifli-
« ment; but the righteous into life eternal." And
if this be, as mofl certainly it is, a true and pro-
per reprefentation of the procefs of that day, then
the great matter of enquiry will be, what works
of charity and mercy have been dono, or negledled
by us, and accordingly a fentence of eternal happi-
0^2 n^fs
124 -^^ ik^ funeral of the
S E R M. nefs or mifery will be pafs'd upon us : I was hun-
^ g^y? ^^^ y^ f*^^^ "^^> ^^ ^^^ y^ "°^ -^ ^ ^^^ naked,
did ye clothe me, or did ye not ? I was fick and in
prifoDj did ye vifit me, or did ye not? Not but that
all the good or evil of our lives, in what kind fo-
cver, UmIi then be brought to account j but that our
Saviour did chcofe to indance particularly, and
only in things of this nature, fhould mcthinks make
a mighty irnprefTion upon us, and be a powerful
confideration to oblige us to have a very peculiar re-
gard to works of mercy and charity, and to make
flirc to abound in this grace ; that when we fhall ap-
pear before the great judge of the world, we may
find that mercy from him, which we have fliew'd to
others, and which we Ihall all undoubtedly ftand in
need of in that day.
And among all our afls of charity, thofe which
are done upon lead probability and forefight of their
meeting with any recompenfe in this world, either
by way of real requital or of fame and reputation, as
they are of all other moft acceptable to God, fo they
will certainly have the moft ample reward in another
world. So our Lord hath affur'd us, and accord-
ingly adviieth us, Luke xiv. 12, 13, 14. " When
*' taou makeft a feail, invite not the rich, becaufe
" cney will recompenfe thee again : but call the poor,
" the maimed, the lame and the blind, for they
^* cannot recompenfe thee, but thou ihait be recom-
*' penfed at the refurredion of the juft." If we be
religious for worldly ends, and ferve God, and do
good to men, only in contemplation of fome tempo-
ral advantage, we take up with prefent payment,
and cut ourfelves iliort of our future reward : of fuch,
faith
reverend Mr. Tho. Gouge. 12 r
faith our Lo rd, " verily I fay unto you, they have S E R M.
" their reward j" they are their own fecurity, and^^^*^^
have taken care to fatisfy themfelves, and therefore
are to expect nothing from God. But let us who
call ourfelves chriftians do fomcthing for God, for
which we have no hopes to be recompenfed in this
world; that we may lliew that we truft God, and take
his v/ord, and dare venture upon the fecurity of the
next world, and that recompenfe which fhall be made
at the refurredtion of the juft.
And how great and glorious that fhall be, our Sa-
viour tells us immediately before my text. " They
*' that fhall be accounted worthy to obtain that
•* world, and the refurredion from the dead, they
*' can die no rnore, but they are equal to the angels,
" and are the children of God, being the children
'' of the refurredlion.**
If then we be heirs of fiich glorious hopes, and
beheve that he who is the God of Abraham, Ifaac,
and Jacob, will alfo be our God : let us \iyq as it
becomes the candidates of heaven, and the children
of the refurredion, and fuch as verily believe ano-
ther life after this, and hope one day to fit down
with Abraham^ Ifaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of
God.
And now that I have reprefented to you what en-
couragement there is to well-doing, and particularly
to works of charity, from the confideration of the
bleiTed reward we fhall certainly meet with at the
refurredlion of the juft ; I fhall crave your patience a
little longer, whilil I propofe to you one of the
faireft examples of this kind which either this, or
perhaps any other age, could eafily prefent us withal :
I mean
126 At the funeral of the
SERM. I mean our deceafed brother to whom we are nov/
^J^ paying our lafl: folcmn refpccls, the reverend
Mr. T H O M A S GOUGE; the worthy fon of
a reverend and learned divine of this city, Dr. Wil-
liam Gouge; who was miniller of this parifh of
Black-Friers fix and forty years ; he died in 1 6^1^ and
flill lives in the memory of many here prefent.
I mult confefs that I am no friend to funeral
panegy ricks, where there is nothing of extraordinary
worth and merit in the party commended to give oc-
cafion and foundation for them : in fuch cafes, as
praifes are not due to the dead, fo they may be of ill
confequence to the living : not only by bringing thofe
of our profelTion that make a pradlicc of it, under
the fufpicion of officious and mercenary flattery, but
likewiie by encouraging men to hope that they alfb
may be well fpoken of, and even fainted when they
are dead, though they (hould have done little or no
good in their life: but yet on the other hand, to
commend thofe excellent perfons the virtues of whofe
lives have been bright and exemplary, is net only a
piece of juftice due to the dead, but an a6t of great
charity to the living, fetting a pattern of well-doing
before our eyes, very apt and powerful to incite and
encourage us to go and do likewife.
Upon both thefe confiderations, firft to do right to
the memory of fo good a man, and then in hopes
that the example may prove fruitful and have a con-
fiderable effedt upon others to beget the like goodnefs
and charity in them, I fliall endeavour, in as narrow
a compafs as may be, to give you the juft charadler
of this truly pious and charitable man, and by fetting
liis life in a true liffht to recommend with all the adr
vantage
reverend Mr. Tho. Gouge. 127
vantage I can fo excellent a pattern to your imita- S E R M.
tion. ^X"I-
He was born at Bow near Stratford in the county
of Middlefex the 19th day of September 1605. He
was bred at Eaton fchool, and from thence chofcn to
King's college in Cambridge, being about 20 years
of age, in the year 1626. After he had finiih'd the
courfe of his fludies, and taken his degrees, he left
the univerfity and his fellowfliip, being prefented to
the living of Colfden near Croyden in Surrey, where
he continued about two or three years ; and from
thence was remov'd to St. Sepulchres in London, in
the year 1638, and the year after thinking fit to
change his condition match'd into a very worthy and
ancient family, marrying one of the daughters of
Sir Robert Darcy.
Being thus fettled in this large and populous parifh,
he did with great folicitude and pains difcharge all
the parts of a vigilant and faithful minifter, for about
the fpace of twenty-four years. For befides his con-
flant and weekly labour of preaching, he was very
diligent and charitable in vifiting the fick, and ml-
niflring not only fpiritual counfel and comfort to
them, but likewife liberal relief to the wants and
neceiTities of thofe that were poor and deftitute of
means to help themfelves in that condition. He did
alfo every morning throughout the year catechife in
the church, efpecially the poorer fort who were gene-
rally mofb ignorant \ and to encourage them to come
thither to be intruded by him, he did once a week
diftnbute money among them, not upon a certain
day, but changing it on purpofe as he thought good,
that he might thereby oblige them to be conflantly
prefent^
128 At the funtral of the
SERM. prefent; thefe were chiefly the more aged poor,
who being pafl: labour had leifure enough to attend
upon this exercife. As for the other fort of poor
who were able to work for their living, he fet them
at work upon his own charge, buying flax and
hemp for them to fpin, and what they fpun he took
Oif their hands, paying them for their work, and
then goc it wrought into cloth, and fold it as he
could, chiefly among his friends, himfelf bearing the
whole lofs. And this was a very wife and well
chofen way of charity, and in the good eff^edl of it
a much greater charity than li he had given thefe
very perfons freely and for nothing fo much as they
earned by their work ; becaufe by this means he
took many off from begging, and thereby refcued
them at once from two of the mod dangerous temp-
tations of this world, idlenefs and poverty ; and by
degrees reclaimed them to a virtuous and induftri-
ous courfe of life, which enabled them afterwards
to live without being beholden to the charity of
others.
And this courle fo happily dcvis'd and begun by
Mr. Gouge in his own parifh was I think that
which gave the firft hint to that worthy and ufeful
citizen Mr. Thomas Firmin of a much larger defign,
which hath been profecuted by him for fome years
with that vigour and good fucccfs in this city, that
many hundreds of poor children, and others who
liv'd idle before, unprofitafeje both to themfelves and
the publick, are continually maintained at work, and
taught to earn their own livelihood much in the
fame way : he being, by the generous afliftance and
charity of many worthy and well-difpofed Perfons of
all
reverend Mr. Tho. Gouge. 129
, all ranks, enabled to bear the unavoidable lofs and S E R M"
charge of fo vaft an undertaking •, and by his own
forward inclination to charity, and his unwearied di-
ligence and adlivity, extraordinarily fitted to Hiftain
and go through the incredible pains of it.
But to return to our dcceafed friend ; concerning
whom I mud content my felf to pafs over many
things worthy to be remembred of him, and to
Ipeak only of thofe virtues of his which were more
eminent and remarkable.
Of his piety towards God, which is the neceflary
foundation of all other graces and virtues, I fhall
only fay this, that it was great and exemplary, but
yet very ftill and quiet, without ftir and noife, and
much more in fubftance and reality, than in fliew
and oftentation ; and did not confifl in cenfuring and
finding fiult with others, but in the due care and go-
vernment of his own life and adlions, and in " cxerci-
" finghimfelf continually to have a confcience void of
*' ofiTence toward God and toward men;" in which
he was fuch a proficient, that even after a long ac-
quaintance and familiar converfation with him, it
was not eafy to obferve any thing that might deferve
blame.
He particularly excell'd in the more peculiar vir-
tues of converfation, in modefcy, humility, meek-
nefs, cheerfulnefs, and m kindntls and charity to-
wards all men.
So great was his modedy, that it never appeared
either by word or adion, that he put any value up-
on himfelf. This I have often ob'erved in him,
that the charities which were procured chiefly by his
application and iaduflry, when he had occafion to
Vol. 11. R give
3*
xxrn.
130 At the funeral of the
SER.\T give an account of them, he would rather impute to
any one who had but the leaft hand and part in the
obtaining of them, than aflume any thing of it to
himfelf. Another inftance of his modefty was, that
when he had quitted his living of St. Sepulchre's up-
on ibme diflatisfadtion about the terms of conformi-
ty, he willingly forbore preaching, faying there was
no need of him here in London where there were
fo many worthy minifters, and that he thought he
might do as much or more good in another way
which could give no offence. Only in the latter
years of his life, being better fatisfied in fome things
he had doubted or before, he had licence from fome
of the bifhops to preach in Wales in his progrefs ;
which he was the more willing to do, becaufe in
fome places he faw great need of it, and he thought
he might do it with greater advantage among the
poor people, who were the more likely to regard his
inftrudions, being recommended by his great cha-
rity fo well known to them, and of which they had
fo long had the experience and benefit. But where
there was no fuch need, he was very well contented
to hear others perfuade men to goodnefs, and to prac-
tife it himfelf.
He was clothed with humility, and had in a mofl:
eminent degree that " ornament of a meek and quiet
*' fpirit, (which St. Peter fays) is in the fight of
" God of fo great price : " fo that there was not the
leaft appearance either of pride or paflion in any of his
words or a6lions. He was not only free from anger
and bitternefs, but from all affected gravity and mo-
rofenefs. His converfation was affable and pleafint;
he had a v/ondcrful ferenity of mind and evennefs
of
reverend Mr. Tho. Gouge. 131
_ of temper, vifible in his very countenance ; he was S E K M.
hardly ever merry, but never melancholy or fad \ i^^l^^ilj
and for any thing i could difcern, after a long and
intimate acquaintance with him, he was upon all
occafions and accidents perpetually the fame ; always
cheerful, and always kmd ; of a difpofition ready to
embrace and oblige all m.en ; allowing others to dif-
fer fr^wn him, even in opinions that were very dear to
him i and provided men did but fear God and work
righteoufnefs, he lov'd them heartily, how diilant
foever from him in judgment about things lefs neceA
iary ; in all which he is very worthy to be a pattern
for men of all perfuafions whatfoever.
But that virtue which of all other flione bricrhtefl
o
in him, and was his mod proper and peculiar cha-
racter, was his cheerful and unwearied diligence in
a6ls of pious charity. In this he left far behind him
all that ever I knew, and, as I faid before, had a
fingular fagacity and prudence in devifing the motl
effectual ways of doing good, and in managing and
difpofmg his charity to the bed purpofes, and to the
greated extent ; always, if it v^ ere pofTible, making
it to ferve fome end of piety and religion ; as the in-
flru6lions of poor children m the principles of re-
ligion, and furnifliing grown perfons that were ig-
norant with the bible and other good books ; flridl-
ly obliging thofe to whom he gave them to a dili-
gent reading of them, and when he had opportunity
exacting of them an account how they had profited
by them.
In his occafional alms to the poor, in which he
was very free and bountiful, the relief he gave them
was always mingled with good counfel, and as great
R 2. a
132 At the funeral of the
S E R M. a tendernefs and compafTion for their fouls as bodies ;
XXI I .
which very often attained the good effedl it was Jike-
Jy to have, the one making way for the other with
fo much advantage, and men being very apt to fol*
low the good advice of thofe, who gave them in
hand fo fenfible a pledge and teftimony of their good-
will to them.
This kind of charity muft needs be very expen-
five to him, but he had a plentiful eftate fettled up-
on him, and \t{\. him by his father, and he laid it
out as liberally in the moft prudent and effectual ways
of charity he could think of, and upon fuch perfons
as, all circumftances confidered, he judged to be the
fitted and mofc proper objecls of it.
Fot* about nine or ten years laft pad he did, as is
well known to many here prefent, almofl wholly
apply his charity to Wales, becaufe there he judged
was mod occcifion for it : And becaufe this was a
very great u ork, he did not only lay out upon it
whatever he could fpare out of his own edate, but
emp-oy'd his whole time and pains to excite and
engag:: the charity of others tor his afTidance in it.
And in this he had two excellent defigns. One,
to liave poor children brought up to read and write,
and to be carefully indrucled in the principles of
religion : the other, to furnifh perfons of grown
ai^e, the poor efpecially, with the neccffiry helps
and means of knowledge, as the bible, and other
books of piety and devotion, in their own language ;
to which end he procured the church catechilm, the
pradtice of piety, and that bed of books the whole
duty of man, befides feveral other pious and ufeful
tieatifes, fome of tiicm to be trandated into ^i\t
Welch
reverend Mr. Tho. Gouge. 133
Welch tongue, and great numbers of all of them to be S E R M-
printed, and fent down to the chief towns in Wales, ^^^^^*
to be fold at eafy rates to thole that were able to
buy them, and to be freely given to thofe that were
not.
And in both thefe defigns, through the blefling
of God upon his unwearied endeavours, he found
very great luccefs. For by the large and bountiful
contributions which chiefly by his induflry and pru-
dent application were obtained . from charitable per-
fons of all ranks and conditions, from the nobility
and gentry of Wales and the neighbouring coun-
ties, and feveral of that quality in and about Lon-
don \ from divers of the right reverend billiops, and
of the clergy ; and from that perpetual fountain of
charity- the city of London, led on and encouraged
by the mod bountiful example of the right honou-
rable the lord mayor and the court of aldermen -, to
all v/hich he conllandy added two thirds of his own
efrate, which as I have been credibly informed was
two hundred pounds a year; I fay, by all thefe to-
gether there Vv'ere every year eight hundred, fbme-
times a thoufand poor children educated as I faid be-
fore ; and by this example feveral of the mofl confi-
derable towns ot Wales were excited to bring up at
their own charge the like number of poor chil-
dren, in the like manner, and under his infpedion
and care.
He likewife gave very great numbers of the books a-
bove-mentioned both in theWelch and Englifn tongues
to the poorer fort, fo many as were unable to buy
them and willing to read them. But which w^as the
greatefl work of all, and amounted indeed to a
mighty
134 -^^ the funeral of the
SERAI, mighty charge, he procured a new and very fair
imprelTion of x\\^ bible and liturgy of the church of
Er.gland in the Welch tongue (the former impref-
fion being fpenr, and hardly twenty of them to be
had in all London) to the number of eight thou-
fand 5 one thoufand whereof were freely given to the
poor, and the reft fcnt to the principal cities and
towns in Wales to be fold to the rich at very rea-
fonable and low rates, viz. at four fhillings apiece
well bound and clafped \ which was much cheaper
than any Englifh Bible was ever fold that was of (b
fair a print and paper: a work of that charge, that
it was not likely to have been done any other way \
and for which this age, and perhaps the next, will
have great caufe to thank God on his behalf.
In thcfc good works he employed all his time and
care and pains, and his who!e heart was in them ; fo
that he was very \\i\\^ aflecied with any thi-g elfe,
and feldom either minded or knew any thin-^g of the
ftrangc occurrences of this troublefome and bufy age,
fuch as I think are hardly to be parallel'd in any o-
ther. Or if he did mind them, he fcarce ever fpoke
any thing about them. For this was the bufinefs he
laid to heart, and knowing it to be fo much and fo
certainly the will of his heavenly father, it was his
meat and drink to be doing of it : and the good
fuccefs he had in it was a continual feafl to him, and
gave him a perpetual ferenity both of mind and
countenance. His great love and zeal for this work
made all the pains and difficulties of it fecm no-
thing to him : he "would rife early and fit up late,
and continued the fame diligence and induflry to the
laR-, though he was in the threefcore and {tvtn-
teenth
reverend Mr, Tho. Gouge. 135
teenth year of his age. And that he might manage S E R M.
.XIII.
the diftribution of this great charity with his own
hands, and fee the good efFe6c of it with his own eyes,
he always once, but ufually twice a year, at his own
charge travelled over a great part of Wales, none of
the beft countries to travel in : but for the love of
God and men he endured all that, together with the
extremity of heat and cold (which in their feveral
feafons are both very great there) not only with pa-
tience, but with pleafure. So that all things conli-
dered there have not, fince the primitive times of
Chriilianity, been many among the fbns of men to
whom that glorious charader of the Son of God
might be better applied, that he went about doing
good. And Wales may as worthily boaft of this
truly apoftolical man as of their famous St. David ;
who was alfo very probably a good man, as thofe
times of ignorance and fuperflition went. Bat his
goodnefs is fo difguifed by their fabulous legends and
flories which give us the account of him, that it is
not eafy to difcover it. Indeed ridiculous miracles
in abundance are reported of him ; as, that upon oc-
cafion of a great number of people reforting from
all parts to hear him preach, for the greater advan-
tage of his being heard, a mountain all on a fad-
den rofe up miraculouOy under his ^ttt^ and his
voice was extended to that degree that he might be q[-
flincliy heard for two or three miles round about. Sach
phantaftical miracles as thefe make up a great pare
of his hiliory. And admitting all thele to be true
(which a wile man would be loili to do) our depart-
ed friend had that which is much greater and more
excellent than all thefe, a fervent charity to God
and
2:^6 At the fimeral of the
S E R M. and men ; which is more than to fpeak (as they
■"^^^-Lj would make us believe St. David did) with the
tongue of men and angels, more than to raile or re-
move mountains. ... . .
And now methinks it' is pity fo good a defign {o
happily profecuted fhould fall and die with this good
man. And it is now under deliberation, if pofiible,
fl:ill to continue and carry it on, and a very worthy and
- charitable peribn pitclied upon for that purpofe, who
is willing to undertake that part which he that is
gone performed fo well : But this will depend upon
the continuance of the former charities and the con-
currence of thofe worthy and v/ell-difpofed perfons
in Wales to contribute their part as form.erly ;
which I perfuade miy felf they will cheerfully do.
I will add but one thing more concernir.g our de-
ceafed brother, that though he meddled not at all
in our prefent heats and differences as a party, hav-
ing much better things to mind •, yet as a looker-
on he did very {2s\\^ lament them, and for feveral
of the lad years of his life he continued in the com-
munion of our church, and, as he himlelf told me,
thought him felf obliged in confcience fo to do.
He died in the 77th year of Lis age, October 29,
1681. It fo plcaitd God that hij> death was very
fuddcn \ and lb fudden ; that in all probability he
himfeh\ hardly perceived it when it happened, for
he died in his fleep ; fo that we may fay of him as
it is faid of David, '' after he had ferved his gene-
*' radon according to the will of God, he fell aQcep."
1 confefs that a fudden death is generally unde-
firable, and therefore with reafon we pray againfb it^
becaufe fo very few are fuiiiciently prepared for it :
bun
reverend Mr. Tho. Gouge.' 137
but to him, the conftant employment of whole life S E R M.
was the bed preparation for death that was pofTible, ^ ' '
no death could be fudden ; nay, it was rather a fa-
vour and blefTing to him, becaufe by how much
the more fudden fo much the more eafy : as if God
had defigned to begin the reward of the great pains
of his hfe in an eafy death. And indeed it was ra«
ther a tranOation than a death -, and, faving that his
body was left behind, what was faid of Enoch ma/
not unfitly be applied to this pious and good man
with refpedl to the fuddennefs of his change ; " he
*' walked with God, and was not, for God took
« him."
And God grant that we v/ho furvlve may all of
us fincerely endeavour to tread in the fleps of his
exemplary piety and charity ; of his labour of love,
his unwearied diligence and patient continuance in
doing good, that we may meet with that encourag-
ing commendation which he hath already received
from the mouth of our Lord, " Well done, good
" and faithful fervant, enter thou into the joy ot thy
" Lord."
" Now the God of peace that brought again from
" the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great
" fhepherd of the flieep, througli the blood or the
" everlafting covenant, make you perfedt in every
*' good work to do his will, working in you al-
" ways that which is pleafing in his fight, through
" Jesus Christ j to whom be glory for ever.
Amen.
Vol. IL S SERMON
3.
[ 138 ]
SERMON XXIV.
Preached at the funeral of the reverend
Benjami7i Whichcoty D. D. May 24,
1683.
2 C O R. V. 6.
Whirefore we are always confident^ knowing that
whilji we are at home in the body^ we are abfent from
the Lord.
xxi vr I
? •?A^^• ^" ■' "^ H E S E words contain one of the chief
grounds of encouragement which the chri-
flian religion gives us againd the fear of
death. For our clearer underflanding of them it
will be requifite to confider the context, looking
back as far as the beginning of the chapter, where
the apoftle purfues the argument of the foregoing
chapter ; which was to comfort and encourage chri-
llians under their affli6lions and fuffcrings from this
confideration, that thefe did but prepare the way
for a greater and more glorious reward ♦, " Ojr
" light affliftion, which is but for a moment, work-
*' eth for us a far more exceeding and eternal
" weight of glory. " And fuppofe the worll, that
thefe fuffcrings fhould extend to death, there is com-
fort for us likewifc in this cafe, ver. i. of this
chapter, *' For we know that if our earthly houfe
" of this tabernacle were diflblved, we have a build-
" ing of God, (^c. If our earthly houfe of this ta-
^ • bernacle j
\
At the funeral of the^ &cc. $39
*' bernacle-," he calls our body an earthly houfe, SER^^.
and that we may not look upon it as a certain a- ,^^|^
bode and fixed habitation, he doth by way of cor-
recftion of himfelf add, that it is but a tabernacle
or tent which muft fhortly be taken down : and
when it is, " we lliall have a building of God, a
" houfe not made v/ith hands, eternal in the hea-
" vens. " This is a defcription of our heavenly ha-
bitation, in oppofition to our earthly houfe or ta-
bernacle: it is a building of God, not like thofc
houfes or tabernacles which men build, and which
are liable to decay and diflblution, to be taken down,
or to fall down of themfelves, for fuch are thofe
houfes of clay which we dwell in, " whofe founda-
" tions are in the duft," but an habitation prepa-
red by God himfelf, " a houfe not made with
« hands;" that which is the immediate work of
God, being in fcripture oppofed to that which is
made with hands, and efFecled by humane concur-
rence, and by natural means : and being the imme-
diate work of God, as it is excellent, fo it is lading
and durable, which no earthly thing is ; " eternal
'' in the heavens," that is eternal and heavenly.
" For in this we groan earnedly ; " that is, while
we are in this body we groan by reafon of the pref-
fures and afflidions of it. '' Defiring to be clothed
♦' upon with our houfe which is from heaven : if fb
" be that being clothed wc fhall not be found na-
« ked. Defiring to be clothed upon, " that is, we
could wifh not to put off thefe bodies, not to be
ftripp'd of them by death, but to be of the number
of thofc who at the coming of our Lord without
the patting off thefe bodies fhall be changed and
S 2 clothed
XXIV
140 -^^ t^-^ funeral of the
S E R VI. clothed upon with their houfe which is from hea-
ven, and without dying be inveflcd with thofe fpiritual
and glorious and heavenly bodies which men (hall
have at the refurrcdlion.
This I doubt not is the apoRle's meaning in thefe
words ; in which he fpcaks according to a common
opinion among the difciples, grounded (as St. John
tells us) upon a miflake ot our Saviour's words
concerning Inm, " If I will that he tarry till I
*' come : '* upon which St. John tells us that " there
*' went a faying among the brethren that that dif-
*' ciple Ihould not die \ " that is, that he fhould live
till Christ's coming to judgment, and then be
changed; and coiiequently that Christ would
come to judgment before the end of that age. Suit-
able to this common opinion among chriftians the
apodle here iays, '• in this we groan earneftly, de-
*' firing to be clothed upon with our houfe which is
*' from heaven, if fo be that being clothed we fhall
*' not be found naked. " It hath puzzled interpre-
ters what to make of this pafTage, and well it might ;
for whatever be meant by being clothed, how can
they that are clothed be found naked ? but I think
it is very clear that our tranflators have not attained
the true fenfe of this paflage, Et'ys k^ c/^o'^vc-d^^.vci, a
ywijivcl <i)p£3^63-oa?Ga, which is mofl naturally ren-
dred thus, " if fo be we fhall be found clothed, and
*' not naked:" That is, if the coming of Christ
fhall find us in the body and not divefled of it ; if
at Christ's coming to judgment we fhall be found
alive and not dead. And then the fenfe of the whole
is very clear and current; we are defirous to be
clothed upon with our houfe from heaven (that is,
^ with
reverend Dr. Whichcot. i%i
with our fpiritual and immortal bodies) if fo be it S E R M.
Ihali fo hapj^en that at tne coming of Christ we *
fhall be foand alive in thefe bodies, and not llrippM
of them before by death. And then it follows,
" For we that are in this tabernacle do groan being
*' burdened:" (tnat is, with the afflidions and prel^
fures of this hfe) " not that we would be unclothed,"
(tnat is, not tnat we defire by death to be divefted of
thefe bodies) *' but clothed upon" (that is, i^ God
fee it good we had rather be found alive, and
changed, and without putting otf thefe bodies have
immortality as it v/ere luperinduced) " that fo mor-
" tality might be fwallowed up of life." The plain
feme is, that he rather defires ^if it may be) to be of
the number of thofe who fhall be found alive at the
coming of Christ, and have this mortal and cor-
ruptible body, while they are clothed with it,
changed into a fpiritual a id incorruptible body,
without the pain and terror of dying: of which im-
mediate traj illation into heaven without the painful
divorce of foul and body by death, Enoch and Elias
were examples in the old teftament.
It follows, ver. 5. " Now he that hath wrought
<^ us tor the felf iame thing is God:" that is, it is
he who hath htt^d and prepared us for this glorious
change : " who alio hath given .us the earnefl of the
" Spirit." The Spirit is frequently in fcripture
called the witnefs, and feal, and earnefl of our future
happinefs, and bleiled refurreclion or change of thefe
vile and earthly bodies into fpiritual and heavenly
bodies. For as the refurredion of Christ from
the dead by the power of the Holy Ghost is the
great proof and evidence of immortality j fo the Spi-
rit
J4^ At the funeral of the
S ^^y^' RiT of him that raifed up Jesus from the dead dvvel-
C^ — 1 ling in us, is the pledge and carnell of our rcfurrec-
tiO.; to an immortal life.
From all which the apoftld concludes in the words
of tiic texr, " Therefore we are always confident,"
that is, we are always ol good courage again fl: the
fear of ueath, " knowing that whilil we are at
" hc-me in the body, we are ablent from the Lord,"
o'j(fr,!J,cuvTi^ ov'nE (jbiixari^ which m-y better be ren-
dred " whilft we converfe or lojourn in the body,"
than ' wnilft we are at home \ " becaufe the defign of
the apo'le is to fhew that tne body is not our houfe
but our tabernacle ; and that whilft we are in the
b Jy we are not at home, but pilgrims and ftran-
gc! s. And this notion t[\^ neathens nad o^ our pre-
fent life and condition in this world. Ex viia difcedo
(faith Tully) tanqtiam ex kofpiiio nontanquam ex domoy
commcrandi enim natura divtrforium nobis ^ non habit an-
di locum dedit, " We go out of this life as it were
*' from an inn, and not from our home -, nature hav-
'' ing dengned it to us as a place to fojourn but not
" to dwell in."
*' We are abfent from the Lord •," that is, we are
detained from the bleffed fight and enjoyment of God,
and kept out of the pofTcHlon of that happinefs
which makes heaven.
So that the apoftle makes an immediate oppofition
between our continuance in the body, and our bliis-
ful enjoyment of God ; md lays it down for a cer-
tain truth, that whilft we remain in the body we are
detained from our happinefs, and that fo foon as
ever we leave the body we fhall be admitted into it,
♦* knowing ^hat while we converfe in the body we
" are
reverend Dr. Whichcot. . 143
^^ are abfent from the Lord." And ver. 8, *« we s E R.Vf.
" are willing rather to be abfent from the body and ^'^^^'•
" prefent with the Lo rd ;" intimating that io foon
as we quit thefe bodies we fhall be admitted to the
blefTed fight and enjoyment of God.
My defign from this text is to draw fome ufeful
corollaries or conclufions from this afleriion of the
apoftle. That whilft we are in thefe bodies we are
detained from our happinefs ; and that fo loon as
ever we depart out of them we fhall be admitted
to the poffefTion and enjoyment of it. And they
are thefe,
I . The afTcrtlon fbews us the vanity and falfhood
of that opinion, or rather dream, concerning the
flcep of the foul from the time of death 'till the ge-
neral refurrediion. This is chiefly grounded upon that
frequent metaphor in fcripture by which death is re-
fembled to fleep, and thofe that are dead are faid to
be fallen aflecp. But this metaphor is no where in
fcripture, that I know of, applied to the fou^, but to
the body refting in the grave in order to its being
awakened and raifcd up at the refurredlion. And
thus it is frequendy ufed with exprefs reference to
the body, Dan. xii. 2. " Many of them that deep
" in the dufl of the earth fhall awake.'* Matth. xxvii,
52. " And the graves were opened, and many bo-
*' dies of faints which vflept arofe," Ads xiii. 36,
" David, after he had ferved his ov/n generation by
*' the will of God, fell on fleep, and was laid unto
" his fathers, and faw corruption i" which furely can
no othcrwife be underflood than of his body, i Cor.
XV. 20. " Now is Ch,rist rifen from the dead, and
''become the firftrfruits of them th^tflepti" that
is^
^
\/if the funeral cf the
is, the refurredion of his body is the earnefl: and af.
furance that oars alio (hall be raifed. And ver. 51.
" We fhall not all deep, but fhall all be changed;'*
where the apoftle certainly fpeaks both of the death
and change of thele corrupcible bodies. 1 Thcfll iv.
14. *"- If we believe that Jesus died and n fe again,
*' even ]o them alio that deep in Jesus fhc^li God
" bring with himi" that is, the bodies of thole that
died in the Lord fhall be raifcd, and accompany
him at his coming. So that it is the body which is
faid in fcripture to flecp, and not the foul. For that
is utterly inconfiiient v/ith the apoflle's aflertion here
in the text, that " while we are in the body we are
*' abfent from the Lord,'* and that fo foon as we
depart out of the body we fnall be prefent with the
Lord. For furely to be with the Lord mud fig-
nify a (late of happinefs, which fleep is not, but only
of inadlivity: befides, that the apoflle's argument
would be very f5at, and it would be but a cold en-
couragement againd the fear of death, that fo foon
as we are dead we fhall fall afleep and become infen-
fible. But the apoRle ufeth it as an argument why
we fhould be willing to die as foon as God pleafeth,
and the fooner the better, becaufe fo foon as we quit
thefe bodies we fliall be prefent with the Lord,
that is, admitted to the blifsful fight and enjoyment
of him •, and while w^e abide in the body we are de-
tained from our happinefs : but if our fouls fhall
fleep as well as our bodies 'till the general refurreclion,
it is all one whether we continue in the body or not,
as to any happinefs we fhall enjoy in the mean time ;
which is diredly contrary to the main fcope of the
apoflle's argument.
reverend Dr. Whichcoc. 145
t. This afTertion of the apoflle's doth perfcdUy S E R M.
conclude againft the feigned purgatory of the church
of Rome -, which fuppofeth the far greater number of
true and faithful chriftians, of thofe who die in the
Lord, and have obtained eternal redemption by him
from hell not to pafs immediately into a ftate of hap-
pinefs, but to be detained in the fuburbs of hell in
extremity of torment (equal to that of hell for de-
gree, though not for duration) 'till their fouls be
purged, and the guilt of temporal punifhments,
which they arc liable to, be fome way or other paid
off and difcharged. They fuppofe indeed fome very
few holy perfons (efpccially thofe who fufFer martyr-
dom) to be fo perfedl at their departure out of the
body as to pafs immediately into heaven, becaufe
they need no purgation : but mofl chriftians they fup-
pofe to die fo imperfedl that they fland in need of be-
ing purged ; and according to the degree of their
imperfedion are to be detain'd a ihorter or a longer
time in purgatory.
But now, bcfides that there is no text in fcripture
from whence any fuch ftate can probably be con-
cluded (as is acknowledged by many learned men of
the church of Rome) and even that text which they
have moft infifted upon ( " they fiiall be faved, yet ^o
as by fire") is given up by them as infufncient to con-
clude the thing. Eftius is very glad to get off it,
by faying there is nothing in it againft purgatory ;
why ? no body pretends that, but we might reafon-
ably expedt that there fhould be fomething for it
in a text which hath been fo often produced and
urged by them for the proof of it. 1 fay, befides
that there is nothing in fcripture for purgatory, there
Vol. II, T are
5-
146 At the funeral of the
^^^}'}- are a great many things againfl it, and utterly in-
confident with it. In the parable of the rich man
and Lazarus, which was defigned to reprefent to us
the different ftates of good and bad men in another
world, there is not the leall intimation of purgatory,
but that good men pafs immediately into a ftate of
happinels, and bad men into a place of torment.
And '^i. John, Rev. xiv. 13. pronounceth all that
die in the Lord happy, becaufe " they reft from
" their labours i" which they cannot be faid to do
who are in a ftate of great anguifh and torment, as
thofe arc fuppofed to be who are in purgatory.
Bat above all, this reafoning of ^i, Paul is utterly
inconfiftcnt with any imagination of fuch a ftate.
For he encourageth all chriftians in general againft
the fear of death from the confideration of that
happy ftate they Ihould immediately pafs into, by
being admitted into the prcfence of God •, which
furely is not purgatory. " " We are of good courage
*' (fays he) and willing rather to be abfent from the
" body :" and great reafon we ihould be fo, if fo
foon as we leave the body we are prefent with the
Lord. Bat no man fure would be glad to leave
the body to go into a place of exquifite and extreme
torment, which they tell us is the cafe of moft chri-
ftians when they die. And what can be more un-
reafonable, than to make the apoftle to ufc an argu-
ment to comfort all chriftians againft the fear of
death which concerns but very few in comparifon ?
So that if the apoftle'a reafoning be good, that
while we arc in this life we arc detained from our
happinefs, and fo foon as we depart this life we pals
immediately into it, and therefore death is defira-
blc
reverend Dr. Whlchcot. 147
bic to all good men : I fay, if this reafonlng be S E R M.
good, it is very clear that St. Paul knew nothing of ^^'^^•
the dodlrine now taught in the church of Rome con-
cerning purgatory ; becaufe that is utterly incon-
fill ent with what he exprefly afTerts in this chapter,
and quite takes away the force of his whole argu-
ment.
3. To encourage us againfl the fear of death. And
this is the conclufion v/hich the apoftle makes from
this confideration. " Therefore (fays he) we are of
*' good courage, knowing that whilfl we converfe
*' in the body we are abfent from the Lord." There
is in u%a natural love of life, and a natural horrour
and dread of death ; fb that our fpirits are apt to
fhrink at the thoughts of the approach of it. But
this fear may very much be mitigated and even over-
ruled by reafon and the confiderations of Religion.
For death is not fo dreadful in itfelf, as with regard
to the confequences of it : and thofe will be as we
are, comfortable and happy to the good, but difmal
and miferabie to the wicked. So that the only true
antidote againfl the fear of death is the hopes of a
better life j and the only firm ground of thefe hopes
is the mercy of God in Jesus Christ, upon our
due preparation for another world by repentance and
a holy life. For the fting of death is fm ; and when
that is taken away the terrour and bitternefs of death
is pafl : and then death is fb far from being dread-
ful, that in reafon it is extremely defirable j becaufa
it lets us into a better flate, fuch as only deferves the
name of life. Hi vivunt qui ex corportm vinculis tan-
^uam e car cere cvclaverunt : vejlra vero quce dicitur vi-
ta^ mors eft, " They truly live (could a heathen fay)
T 2 " who
14S At the funeral of the
S E R M. «« who have made their efcape out of this prifon of
" the body \ but that which men commonly call life
" is rather death than life." To hve indeed, is to
be well, and to be happy ; and that we ihall never be
*£ill we are got beyond the grave.
4. This confideration fliould comfort us under the
lofs and death of friends, which certainly is one of
the greatefl grievances and troubles of humane hfe.
For if they be fit for God, and go to him when they
die, they are infinitely happier than it was pofTiblc
for them to have been in this world -, and the trouble
of their abfencc from us is fully balanced by their
being prefent with the Lord. For why fliould wc
lament the end cf that life which we are affured is
the beginning of immortality? One rcafon of our
trouble for the lofj of friends is becaufe we loved
them : but it is no fi^n of our love to them to grudge
and repine at their hrppinefs. But we hoped to have
enjoyed them longer: be it foj yet why fhould wc
be troubled that they are happy fooner than we ex-
pected? Bjt they are parted from us, and the
thouorht of this is grievous ; but yet the confideration
of their being parted for a while is not near fo fad,
as the hopes of a happy meedng again, never to be
parted any more, is comfortable and joyful. So that
the greater our love to them was, the lefs fhould be
our grief for them, v/hcn we confider that they are
happy, and thac they are fafe 5 paft all florms, all the
troubles and temptations of this life, and out of the
reach of all harm and danger for ever. But though
the reafon of our duty in this cafe be very plain, yet
the pradtice of it is very difficult; and when all \%
iaidj natural affedion will have its courfe ; and even
after
reverend Dr. Whichcot.
149
after our judgment is fatisfied, it will require fomc S P; R M.
time to ftill and quiet our pafTions.
5. This confideration ifhould wean us from the Jove
of life ; and make us not only contented, but wil-
ling and glad to leave this world, whenever it fhall
pleafe God to call us out of it. This inference the
apoftle makes, vcr. 8. " We are confident, I fay,
" and willing rather to be abfcnt from the body,
" and prefent with the Lo rd." Though there were
no Hate of immortality after this life, yet methinks
we fliould not defire to live always in this world.
Hahet natura (fays Tully) tit altar iim rerum^ ftc Vi-
vendi modum : '* As nature hath fet bounds and mea-
" fures to other things, fo iikewife to life;" of which
men fhould know when tliey have enough, and not
covet fo much of it 'till they be tired and cloyed
with it. If there w^cre no other inconvenience in
long life, this is a great one, that in a long courfe of
time we unavoidably fee a great many things which
we would not; our own misfortunes and the calami-
ties of others ; publick confuHons and diilradtions ;
the lofs of friends and relations ; or which is worfe,
their mifery 5 or which is worll of all, their mifcar-
riage : efpecially, a very innrm and tedious old age
is very undefirable : for who would defire to live long
uneafy to himfelf and troublefome to others ? It is
time for us to be v/illing to die, when we cannot live
with the good-will even of our friends ; when thole
who ought to love us befl: think much that we live
fo long, and can hardly forbear to give us broad figns
that they are weary of our company. In fuch a cafe
a man would almoft be contented to die out of civi-
lity '3 and not choofe to make any long ftay where
he
At the funeral of the
he fees that his company is not acceptable. If wc
think we can be welcome to a better place, and to
a more dehghtful fociety, why Ihould we defire to
thruft ourfelves any longer upon an ill-natured world,
upon thofe who have much ado to refrain from telling
us that our room is better than our company ?
Some indeed have a very happy and vigorous old
age, and the taper of life burns clear in them to the
lad: their underflandings are good, their memories
and fenfes tolerable, their humour pleafant, and their
converfation acceptable, and their relations kind and
refpe(5lful to them. But this is a rare felicity, and
which feldom happens but to thofe who have lived
wifely and virtuouHy, and by a religious and regular
courfe of life have preferved fome of their beft fpi-
rits to the lad, and have not by vice and extravagance
drawn off life to the dregs, and left nothing to be
enjoyed but infirmities and ill humours, guilt and re-
pentance : but on the contrary have prudently laid
up fome confiderable comforts and fupports for them-
felves againft this gloomy day; having flored their
rninds with wifdom and knowledge, and taken care
to fecure to themfelves the comfortable reflexions of
an uleful and well-fpent life, and the favour and
loving-kindnefs of God which is better than life it
felf But generally the extremities of old age are
very peevifh and querulous, and a declining and fal-
ling back to the weak and helplefs condition of in-
fancy and childhood. And yet lefs care is common-
ly taken to pleafe aged perfons, and lefs kindnefs
Ihewed to them (unlefs it be in expedlation of re-
ceiving greater from them; than to children : becaufe
thefe are cherifhed in hopes, the others in defpair of
their
reverend Dr. Whichcoc. i^f
their growing better. So that if God fee it good SERM,
it is not defirable to live to try nature, and the ^^^^•
kindnefs and good-will of our relations to the utmoft,
Nay there is reafon enough why we ihould be con-
tented to die in any age of our life. If we are
young, we have tafted the bed of it: if in our mid-
d\t age, we have not only enjoyed all that is defirable
of life, but almofl all that is tolerable : if we are old,
we are come to the dregs of it, and do but fee the
fame things over and over again, and continually with
lefs pleafure.
Efpecially if we confider the happinefs from which
we are all this while detained. This life is but our
infancy and childhood in comparifon of the manly
pleafures and enjoyments of the other fete. And
why fhould we defire to be always children ; and to
linger here below to play the fools yet a little
longer .? In this kh{^ that high exprelTion cf the poet
is true,
— Dii celant homines^ ut vivere durent^ \
Sluamjit duke mori ■
*' The gods conceal from men the fweetnefs of
dying, to make them patient and contented to
«« live."
This life is wholly in order to the other. Do but
make fure to live well, and there is no need of living
long. To the purpofe of preparation for another
world, the bed life is the longc .t. Some \\Yt a great
pace, and by continual diligence and indullry in
ferving God and doing good, do really dispatch
more of the bufmefs of hfe in a few years, than
others do in a whole age 5 who go fuch a fanter-
ing pace towards heaven, as if they were in no haftc
to
XXIV,
1^2 At the funeral of the
S p: R M- to get thither. Bat if we were always prepared wc
ihould rejoice at the profpedl of our end j as thofc
who have been long toft at fea are overjoyed at the
fight of land.
I have now done with my text, but have another
fubjecSl to fpeak of^ that excellent man in whofc
place I now iland \ whom we all knew, and whom
all that knew him well did highly efteem and reve-
rence. He was born in Shropfhire of a worthy and
ancient family, the iidi of March, 1609, was the
fixth fon of his father : and being bred up to learn-
ing, and very capable of it, was fent to the univcr-
fity of Cambridge, and planted there in Emanuel-
college, where he was chofen fellow, and was an ex-
cellent tutor and inftrudlor of youth, and bred
up many perfons of quality, and others, who af-
terwards proved ufeful and eminent; as many per-
haps as any tutor of that time.
About the age of four or five and thirty he was
made provoft of King's-college ; where he was a
moft vigilant and prudent governor, a great encou-
rager of learning and good order, and by his care-
ful and wife management of the eftate of the col-
lege, brought it into a very fiourifhing condidon, and
left it fo.
It cannot be denied (nor am I much concerned to
diffemble it) that here he pofTefs'd another man's
place, who by x}i\Q, iniquity of the times was wrong-
fally eje&di I mean Dr. Collins the famous and
learned divinity-profexTor of that univerfity. During
whofc lile (and he hved many years after) by the free
conilnt of the college there were two fhares out of
the common dividaid allotted to the provoft, one
whereof
reverend Dr. WhichcCt. 153
whereof was conflantly paid to Dr. Collins, as if he SE RAI.
had been ftill provoft. To tliis Dr. Whichcot didj^^
not only give his confcnt (without which the thing
could not have been done) but was very forward for
the doing of it, tho' hereby he did not only confide-
rably Jeffen his own profit, but hkewife incur no fmall
cenfure and hazard, as the times then were. And left
this had not been kindnefs enough to that worthy
perfon whofe place he polTefied, in his laft will he left
his Ion, Sir John Collins, a legacy of one hundred
pounds.
And as he was not wanting either in refpeft or real
kindnefs to the rightful ov/ner, fo neither did he
iloop to do any thing unworthy to obtain that place;
for he never took the covenant: and not only fo, but
by the particular friendfhip and intereft v/hich he
had in fome of the chief vifitors, he prevailed to
have the greatefl part of the fellows of that college
exempted from that impofition -, and preferved them
in their places by that means. And to the fellows
that were ejeded by the vifitors, he likewife freely
confented that their full dividend for that year lliould
be paid them, even after they were ejected. Among
thefe was the reverend and ingenious Dr. Charles Ma-
fon •, upon whom after he was ejedled, the college
did confer a good living which then fell in their gift,
with the conient of the provoil, who, knowing him
to be a worthy man, was content to run the hazard
of the difpleafure of thofe times.
So that I hope none will be hard upon him, that
he was contented upon fuch terms to be in a capacity
to do good in bad times,
Vol. II. U For,
3-
At the^ funeral of the
For, befides his care of the college, he had a very
great and good influence upon the univerfity in ge-
neral. Every Lord's day in the afternoon, for al-
moft twenty years together, he preached in Trinity-
church, where he had a great number not only of
the young fcholars, but of thofe of greater (landing
and befl repute for learning in the univerfity, his con-
llant and attentive auditors : and in thofe wild and
unfettled times contributed more to the forming of
the ftudents of that univerfity to a fober fenfe of re-
ligion than any man in that age.
After he left Cambridge he came to London, and
was chofen minlfler of Black- Friers, where he con-
tinued *till the dreadful fire, and then retired him-
felf to a donative he had at Milton near Cambridge ;
where he preached conftantly, and relieved the poor,
and had their children taught to read at his own
charge ; and made up diiFerences among the neigh-
bours. Here he flayed 'till, by the promotion of the
reverend Dr. Wilkins, his predecefibr in this place,
to the bifhoprick of Chefter,' he was by his intereft
and recommendation prefented to this church. But
during the building of it, upon the invitation of the
court of aldermen, in the mayoralty of Sir William
Turner, he preached before that honourable audience
at Guildhall chapel every funday in the afternoon
with great acceptance and approbation, for about the
fpacc of feven years.
When his church was built, he bellowed his pains
here twice a week, where he had the general love and
rcfpect of his parifh; and a very connderable and ju-
dicious auditory, though not very numerous by reafon
of the wcaknefs of his voice in his declining age.
It
reverend Dr, Whichcoc. 15^
Itplcafed God to blefs him, as with a plentiful S E R JVf,
cftate, fo with a charitable mind: which yet wasj^i^
not fo well known to many, becaufe in the difpofal
of his charity he very much afFedied fecrecy. ^ He
frequently beflowed his alms (as I am informed by
thofewho beft knew) on poor houfe-keepers difa-
bled by age or ficknefs to fupport themfelves, think-
ing thofe to be the moft proper objeds of it. He
was rather frugal in expence upon himfelf, that
fo he might have v/herev/ithal to relieve the necef-
fities of others.
And he was not only charitable in his life, but in
a very bountiful manner at his death ; bequeathing
in pious and charitable legacies to the value of a
thoufand pounds. To the library of the univ.erfity
of Cambridge fifty pounds : and of King's College
one hundred pounds: and of Emanuel Colleo-e
twenty pounds : to which college he had been a con-
fiderable benefador before; having founded there fe-
•veral fcholarfhips to the value of a thoufand pounds,
out of a charity with the difpofal whereof he was
intruded, and which not without great difficulty
and pains he at lad recovered.
To the poor of the feveral places where his ellate
lay, and where he had been minifler, he gave above
one hundred pounds.
Among thofe who had been his fervants, or \yqyq
fo at his death, he difpofed in annuities and lega-
cies in money to the value of above three hundred
pounds.
^ To other charitable ufes and among the poorer of
ills relations, above three hundi-ed pounds.
U 2 To
156 At the funeral of the
S E R M. To every one of his tenants he Jeft a legacy ac-
cording to the proportion of the efcate they held,
by way of remembrance of him ^ and to one of them
that was gone much behind he remitted in his will
feventy pounds. And as became his great goodnels,
he was ever a remarkably kind landlord, forgiving
his tenants, and always making abatements to them
for hard years or any other accidental lofTcs that
happened to them.
I muft not omit the wife provifion he made in his
will to prevent law-fuits among the legatees, by ap-
pointing two or three perfons of greatefl: prudence
and authority amiOng his relations final arbitrators of
all differences that fliould arife.
Having given this account of his lafl: will, I
come now to the fad part of all : fad I mean to
us, but happieil to him. A litde before Eafter laft
he went dov/n to Cambridge : where, upon taking
a great cold, he fell into a diftemper which in a
fev/ days put a period to his life. He died in the
houfe of his ancient and moil: learned friend, Dr. Cud-
worth, mafier of Chrifl's College. During his fick-
nefs he had a conftant calmnefs and ferenity of mind :
and under all his bodily weaknefs poffeft his foul in
great patience. After the prayers for the vifitation
of the fick (which he faid were excellent prayers)
had been ufed, he was put in mind of receiving the
facrament -, to which he anfwered, that he moil rea-
dily embraced the propofal: and after he had re-
ceived it, fiid to Dr. Cudworth, I heartily thank
you for this moft chriftian office : 1 thank you for
putting me in mind of receiving this facrament :
adding this pious ejaculation. The Lord fulfil all
hi3
reverend Dr. Whichcot. i
57
his declarations and promifes, and. pardon all mv SERM.
weakneflfes and imperfections. He difclaimed all
merit in himfelf; and declared that whatever he
was, he was through the grace and goodnels of God
in Jesus Christ. He exprefled hkev/ife great dif-
like of the principles of feparation ; and faid he was
the more defirous to receive the facrament that he
might declare his full communion with the church
of Christ all the world over. He difclaimed po-
pery, and, as things of near affinity with it, or ra-
ther parts of it, all fjperflition, and ufurpation upon
the confciences of men.
He thanked God, that he had no pain in his body,
nor difqiiiet in his mind.
Towards his laft he feemed rather unwilling to be
detained any longer in this Irate ; not for any pains
he Ml in himfelf, but for the trouble he gave his
friends : faying to one of them who had with great
care attended him. all along in his fickneis, my
dear friend, thou haft taken a great deal of pains to
uphold a crazy body, but it will not do : I pray
thee give me no more cordials ; for why fhouldfc
thou keep me any longer out of that happy flate to
which 1 am going ? I thank God I hope in his mer-
cy, that it fhall be well with me.
And herein God was pleafed particularly to an-
fwer thofe devout and well-weighed petitions of his,
which he frequently ufed in his prayer before fer-
mon, which 1 fhall i^ci down in his own words, and I
doubt not thofe that v/ere his conflant hearers do
well remember them j '^ and fuperadd this, O Lord,
*' to all the grace and favour v/hich thou hafl iliewn
^' us all along in life, not to remove us hence but
" with
XXIV.
I j8 At the funeral of the
s E R M. " with all advantage for eternity, when we fhall be in
" a due preparation of mind, in a holy conftitution
" of foul, in a perfect renunciation of the guife of this
" mad and finful world, when we Ihall be intirely re-
" figned up to thee, when we fliall have clear adls of
«' faith in God by Jesus Chrit, high and reveren-
" tial thoughts of thee in our minds, enlarged and in-
*' flamed afredions towards thee, i£c. And whcnfo-
'* ever we fhall come to leave this world, which will
" be when thou fhalt appoint (for the ifTues of life and
*' death are in thy hands) afford us fuch a mighty
" power and prefence of thy good fpirit, that we may
*' have folid confolatioh in believing, and avoid all
" confternation of mind, all doubtfulnefs and uncer-
^' tainty concerning our everlafting condition, and
" at length depart in the faith of God's eled, tfr.'*
^* Mark the perfedl man, and behold the upright,
" for the the end of that man is peace.''
Thus you have the fhort hiftory of the life and
death of this eminent perfon ; whofe juft charader
cannot be given in few words, and time will not al-
low me to ufe many. To be able to defcribe him
aright it v/ere neceflary one fhould be like him ; for
which reafon I muft content my felf with a very im-
perfedl draught of him.
I fhall not infifb upon his exemplary piety and de-
votion towards God, of which his whole Mt was
one continued teflimony. Nor will 1 praife his pro-
found learning, for wliich he was juftly had in fo
great reputation. The moral improvements of his
mind, a god-like temper and dilpofuion (as he was
wont to call \\.) he chiefly valued and afpired after ;
that univerfal charity and goodnefs, which he did con-
tinually preach and pradife. His
reverend Dr, Whichcot. 1^9
His converfation was exceeding kind and affable, S E R M,
grave and winning, prudent and profitable. HeJ^^
was flow to declare his judgment, and modefl in
delivering it. Never pafTionate, never peremptory :
fo far from impofing upon others, that he was ra-
ther apt to yield. And though he had a moil pro-
found and well-poifed judgment, yet was he of all
men I ever knew the mofl patient to hear others
differ from him, and the mofl eafy to be convinced
when good reafon was offered; and, which is fel-
dom feen, more apt to be favourable to another
man's reafon than his own.
Studious and inquifitive men commonly at fuch
an age (at forty or fifty at the utmofl) have fixed
and fettled their judgments in mofl points, and as it
were made their lafl underflanding ; fuppofing they
have thought, or read, or heard what can be faid on
all fides of things ; and after that, they grow pofi-
tive and impatient of contradidion, thinking it a
difparagement to them to alter their judgment : but
our deceafed friend was fo wife, as to be willino- to
learn to the lafl ; knowing that no man can grow
wifer without fome change of his mind, without
gaining fome knowledge which he had not, or cor-
reding fome error which he had before.
He had attained fo perfect a maflery of his paf-
fions, that for the latter and greateil part of his life
he was hardly ever feen to be tranfported with an-
ger : and as he was extremely careful not to pro-
voke any man, fo not to be provoked by any;
ufing to fay, if I provoke a man he is the v/orfe for
my company, and if I fuffer my felf to be provoked
by him I fhall be the worfe for his.
lie
XXIV
i6o , At the funeral of the
SERM. He very fcldom reproved any perfon in company
otherwife than by fiience, or fome fign of uneafi-
nefs, or Ibme very foft and gentle word -, which yet
•From the refpedl men generally bore to him did of-
ten prove efte^tual : for he underflood iiumane nature
very well, and how to apply himfelf to it in the moft
eafy and efFcdtual ways.
He was a great encourager and kind director of
young divines : and one of the mod candid hearers
of fermons, I think, that ever was : fo that though
all men did mightily reverence his judgment, yet no
man had reafon to fear his cenfure. He never fpake
well of himfelf, nor ill of others : making good that
faying of Panfa in Tully, Neminem alterhis^ qui fiue
conjideret virtiitiy mvidere\ " that no man is apt to
" envy the worth and virtues of another, that hath
" any of his own to trufl to."
In a word, he had all thofe virtues, and in a high
degree, which an excellent temper, great confidera-
tion, long care and watchfulnels over himfelf, toge-
ther with the aflircance of God's grace (which he
continually implored, and mightily relied upon) are
apt to produce. Particularly he excelled in the vir-
tues of converfation, humanity, and gentlenefs, and
humihty, a prudent and peaceable and reconciling
temper. And God knows v/e could very ill at this
time have Ipared fuch a man; and have loft from
among us as it v/ere fo much balm for the healing of
the nation, whiclf is now fo miferably rent and torn
by thofe wound's which we madly give ourfelves. But
fince God hath thought good to deprive us of him,
let his virtues live in our memory, and his example
in our lives. Let us endeavour to be vvhat he -was,
and
reverend Dr. Whichcot. i6i
and we fliall one day be what he now is, of blefrt:d S E R M-
memory on earth, and happy for ever in heaven.
And now methinks the confideration of the argu-
ment I have been upon, and of that great example
that is before us, fhould raife our minds above this,
world, and fix them upon the glory and happinefs of
the other. Let us then then begin heaven here, in
the frame and temper of our minds, in our heavenly
affedlions and converfation ; in a due preparation for^
and in earned defires and breathings after that blel-
fed flate which we firmly believe and afllircdiy hope to
be one day poflefTed of: when we fhall be removed
out of this fink of fin and forrows into the regions of
blifs and immortality : where we fhall meet all thofe
worthy and excellent perfons who are gone before us,
and whofe converfation was fo delightful to us in this
world ; and will be much more fo to us in the other,
when the fpirits of jufl men fhall be made perfect,
and fhall be quit of all thofe infirmities which did
attend and It^Qn them in this mortal flate ; when we
Ihall meet again with our dear brother, and all thofe
good men whom we knew in this world, and with
the faints and excellent perfons of all ages, to enjoy
their bleffed friendfhip and fociety for ever, in the
prefence of the blefifed God, where is " fulnefs of
*' joy, at whofe right hand are plcafures for ever-
*' more."
In a firm perfuafion of this happy flate let us every
one of us fay with David, and with the fame ardency
of affedtion that he did, " As the hart panteth after
.*' the water-brooks, fo panteth my foul after thee
♦' O God ; my foul thirfleth for God, for the living
•' God •, O when fliall I come and appear before
Vol. II. X God J
3.
1 62 At the funeral^ &oc,
SERM. " God j" that fo the Jife which we now live in this
xxrv
world may be " a patient continuance in well-doing
" in a joyful expectation of the blefTed hope and the
" glorious appearance of the greut God and our
*' Saviour Jesus Christ " to whom with the
Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and
glory, now and for ever.
*' Now the God of peace who brought again from
" the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great
" fliepherd of the fheep, through the blood of the
*' everlafting covenant, make us perfe6t in every
" good work to do his will •, working in us always
*' that which is well-pleafing in his fight, through
" Jesus Christ j to whom be glory for ever.
" Amen."
SERMON^
[ i63 ]
SERMON XXV.
A perfuafive to frequent communion.
I COR. xi. 26, 27, 28.
For ^^ often as ye eat this hread^ and drink this cup^ ye
doffjew the Lo rd's death ''till he come.
Wherefore whofoever fhall eat this breads and drink this
cup of the Lord unworthily^ is guilty of the body
and blood of the Lord.
But let a man exa?nine himfelf^ and fo let him eat of that
breads and drink of that cup.
Y defign In this argument is, from the con-s E R M.
fideration of the nature of this facrament. ^^^'
of the Lord's fupper, and of the perpe-
tual ufe of it to the end of the world, to awaken
men to a {^Ti{<t of their duty, and the great obliga-
tion that lies upon them to the more frequent re-
ceiving of it. And there is the greater need to
make men fenfible of their duty in this particular,
becaufe in this lail age by the unwary difcourfe of
fome concerning the nature of this facrament and
the danger of receiving it unworthily, fuch doubts
and fears have been raifed in the minds of men, as
utterly to deter mahy, and in a great meafure to dif-
courage almofl the generality of chriflians from the
ufe of it •, to the great prejudice and danger of mens
fouls, and the vifible abatement of piety, by the grols
negledl of fo excellent a means of our growth and*
X 2 improve-
164 -^ perjuafive to
SE R M. improvement in it; and to the mighty fcandal of our
religion, by the general difufe and contempt of fo
plain and folemn an inftitution of our blefTed Lord
and Saviour.
Therefore I fliall take occafion, as briefly and clear-
ly as I can, to treat of thcfe four points.
Firft, of the perpetuity of this inflitution ; this
the apoftle fignifies when he faith, that " by eating
" this bread, and drinking this cup, we do fhevv the
*' Lord's death 'till he come.'*
Secondly, of the obligation that lies upon all chri-
flians to a frequent obfervance of this inflitution ;
this is fignified in that exprelTion of the apoRle, " as
*' often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup : "
which exprefTion confidered and compared together
with the pradlicc of the primitive church, does im-
ply an obligation upon chriliians to the frequent re-
ceiving of this facrament.
Thirdly, I fhall endeavour to fitisfy the obje6lions
and fcruples v/hich have been raifcd in the minds of
men, and particularly of many devout and fincere
chrifcians, to their great difcouragcment from their
receiving this facrament, at lead fo frequently as they
ought : which obje<5lions are chiefly grounded upon
what the apoftle fays, " Wherefore whofoever fliail
" eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord
*' unworthily, is guilty of the body and blood of
*' the Lord : and doth eat and drink damnation to
** himfeir."
Fourthly, what preparation of ourfelves is necef-
fary in order to our worthy receiving of this facra-
ment; which will give me occafion to explain the
apoftle's meaning in thofe words, " But X^tl a man exa-
*' mine
frequent communion, 165
If, and fo let him eat of that bread,
Df that cup."
I. For the perpetuity of this inftitution, implied
" mine himfelf, and fo let him eat of that bread, S ERM.
" and drink of that cup." ^^^•
in thofe words, " For as often as ye eat this bread,
" and drink this cup, ye do fhew forth the Lord's
" death 'till he come j" or the words may be read
imperatively and by way of precept, " fhew ye forth
" the Lord's death 'till he come.'* In the three
verfes immediately before, the apoftle particularly
declares the inftitution of this facrament, with the
manner and circumftances of it, as he had received
it not only by the hands of the apoltles, but as the
words feem rather to intimate, by immediate reve-
lation from our Lord himfelf, ver. 23. " For I have
" received of the Lord that which I alfo delivered
" unto you : that the Lord Jesus in the fame night
*' that he was betrayed took bread : and when he had
'' given thanks he brake it, and faid, take, cat, this
*' is my body v/hich is broken for you ; this do in re-
" membrance of me. After the \z.\v,t manner alio
" he took the cup when he had fupped, faying,
" this cup is the new teflament in my blood : this
" do as often as ye fhall drink it in remembrance of
" me." So that the inftitution is in thefe v/ords,
" this do in remembrance of me." In which words
our Lord commands his difciples after his death to
repeat thefe occafions of taking, and breaking, and
eating the bread, and of drinking of the cup, by
way of folemn commemoration of him. Now whe-
ther this was to be done by them once only, or
ottner; and whether by the difciples only during
their lives, or by all chriftians afterwards in all fuccef-
five ages of the church, is not fo certain merely
from
1 66 A perfuafive to
SERM. from the force of thefe words, " do this in remem-
XXV
" brancc of me:" but what the apoflJe adds puts
the matter out of all doubt, that the inditution of
this facrament was intended, not only for the apo-
fl:les, and for that age, but for all chriftians, and for
all ages of the chriftian church •, " For as often as ye
*' eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do fhew the
" Lord's death 'till he come:" that is, until the
time of his fecond coming, which will be at the end
of the world. So that this facrament was defigned
to be a {landing commemoration of the death and
pafTion of our Lord 'till he fhould come to judg-
ment ; and confequently the obligation that lies upon
chriflians to the obfervation of it is perpetual, and
Ihall never ceafe to the end of the world.
So that it is a vain conceit and mere dream of the
enthufiafts concerning the feculum Spritus fan^ti^
'' the age and difpenfation of the Holy Ghost,"
when, as they fuppofe, all humane teaching fhall
ceafe, and all external ordinances and infcitutions in
religion lliall vanifli, and there fhall be no farther
ufe of them. Whereas it is very plain from the new
tedament, that prayer, and outward teaching, and
the ufe of the two ficraments, were intended to con-
tinue among chriflians in all ages. As for prayer,
(befides our natural obligation to this duty, if there
were no revealed religion) we are by our Saviour
particularly exhorted to watch and pray with regard
to the day of judgment, and in confideration of the
uncertainty of the time when it fhall be : and there-
fore this will always be a duty incumbent upon chri-
flians 'till the day of judgment, becaufe it is pre-
fcribcd as one of the befl ways of preparation for it.
That
frequent communion. 167
That outward teaching likewife and baptifm were in- S E RM.
x^ X \/
tended to be perpetual is no lefs plain, becaufe ^..^^ ^.^
Christ hath exprefly promifed to be with the
teachers of his church in the ufe of thefe ordinances
to the end of the world, Matth. xxviii. 19, 20.
" Go and difciple all nations, baptizing them in the
" name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
" the Holy Ghost : and lo I am with you always
*' to n\Q end of the world." Not only to the end
of that particular age, but to the end of the gofpel-
age, and the confummation of all ages, as the phrafe
clearly imports. And it is plain from this text,
that the facrament of the Lord's fupper was in-
tended for a perpetual inflitution in the chriftian
church, *dll the fecond coming of Christ, viz.
his coming to judgment: becaufe St. Paul tells us,
that by thefe facramental figns the death of Christ
is to be reprefented and commemorated *dll he comes.
" Do this in remembrance of me : for as often as ye
" eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do ihew the
" Lord's death 'dll he come.'*
And if this be the end and ufe of this facram.ent,
to be a folemn remembrance of the death and fuf-
ferings of our Lord during his abfence from us,
that is, 'dll his coming to judgment, then this facra-
ment will never be out of date 'nil the fecond com-
ing of our Lord. The confideration whereof
fhould mightily flrengthen and encourage our faith
in the hope of eternal life fo often as we partake of
this facrament : fmce our Lord hath Idi it to us as
a memorlil of himfelf 'till he came to tranflate-his
church into leaven, and as a fure pledge that he v/ill
come again at the end of the world, and invefl: us
in
i68 A perfuajive to
S ER M- in that glory which he is now gone before to pre-
pare for us. So that as often as we approach the ta-
ble of the Lord, we ihould comfort ourfelves with
the thoughts of that bleflcd time when we fhall eat
and drink with him in his kingdom, and (hall be
admitted to the great feafc of the lamb, and to eter-
nal communion with God the judge of all, and with
our blefled and glorified redeemer, and the holy an-
gels, and the fpirits of jufl men made perfed:.
And the fame confideration fliould likewife make
us afraid to receive this facrament unworthily, with-
out due preparation for it, and without worthy effcdls
of it upon our hearts and lives ; bccaufe of that
dreadful fentence of condemnation which at the fe-
cond coming of our Lord fhall be pad upon thofe,
who by the profanation of this folemn inftitution
trample under foot the Son of God, and contemn
the blood of the covenant; that covenant of grace
and mercy which God hath ratified with mankind by
the blood of his Son. The apoftle tells us that
*' he that eateth and drinketh unworthily is guilty of
*' the body and blood of the Lord, and eateth and
*' drinketh damnation to himfelf." This indeed is
fpoken of temporal judgment (as I fhall fhew in the
latter part of this difcourfe,) but the apoftle likewife
fuppofeth, that if thefe temporal judgments had not
their etfed to bring men to repentance, but they ftill
perfifted in the profanadon of this holy facrament,
they fhould at laft " be condemned with the world."
For as he that partaketh worthily of this facrament
confirms his intereft in the promifes of the Gofpel,
and his title to eternal life •, fo he that* receives this
facrament unworthily, that is, without due reverence,
and
frequent communion, 169
and without fruits meet for it ; nay, on the con- S E R M
XXV
trary, continues to live in fin whilft he com memo-,
rates the death of Christ, " who gave himfelf for
" us that he might redeem us from all iniquity," this
man aggravates and fcals his own damnation, becaufc
he is guilty of the body and blood of Christ, not
only by the contempt of it, but by renewing in fomc
fort the caufc of his fufferings, and as it were " cru-
" cifying to himfelf afrelh the Lord of life and
" glory, and putting him to an open Ihame." And
when the great judge of the world fhall appear and
pafs ^nd\ fen tcnce upon men, fuch obflinate and im-
penitent wretches as could not be wrought upon by
the remembrance of the deareft love of their dying
Lord, nor be engaged to leave their fins by all the
ties and obligations of this holy facrament, ihall have
their portion with Pilate and Judas, with the chief
priefts and foldiers, who were the betrayers and mur-
derers of the Lord of life and glory-, and fhall be
dealt withal as thofe who are in fome fort " guilty of
•' the body and blood of the Lord." Which feverc
threatning ought not to difcouragc men from the
facrament, but to deter all thofe from their fins who
think of engaging thcmfelves to God by fo folemn
and holy a covenant. It is by no means a fufficient
reafon to make men fly from the facrament, but
certainly one of the moll powerful arguments in
the world to make men forfakc their fins ; as I
fhall fliew more fully under the third head of this dif-
courfe.
II. The obligation that lies upon all chriftians to
the frequent obfervance and pradice of this inflitu-
tion. For though it be not necellarily implied in
Vol. XL Y thefc
4.
A perfuafive to
thefe words, *' as oft as ye eat this bread and drink
" this cup;'* yet if we compare thefe words of the
apoftle with the ufage and practice of chriftians at
that time, which was to communicate in this holy
facrament fo often as they folemnly met together to
worfhip God, they plainly fuppofe and recommend
to us the frequent ufe of this facrament, or rather
imply an obligation upon chriftians to embrace all
opportunities of receiving it. For the fenfe and
meaning of any law or inftitution is bed underftood
by the general pradlicc which follows immediately
upon it.
And to convince men of their obligation here-
unto, and to engage them to a fuitable pradlice, I fhall
now endeavour with all the plainnefs and force of
perfuafion I can : And fo much the more, becaufe
the ncgledl of it among chriftians is grown fo ge-
neral, and a great many perfons fi-om a faperftiti-
ous awe and reverence of this facrament are by de-
grees fallen into a profane negled and contempt
of it.
I Ihall briefly mention a threefold obligation lying
upon all chriftians to frequent communion in this
holy facrament ; each of them fufficient of it fclf,
but all of them together of the greateft force imagi-
nable to engage us hereunto.
I . We are obliged in point of indiipenfable duty,
and in obedience to a plain precept and m.oft fo-
lemn inftitution of our bleficd Saviour that great
lawgiver, " who is able to fave and to deftroy," as
Si. James calls him ; He hath bid us " do this. "
And St. Paul who declares nothing in this matter
but what he tells us he " received from the Lord,"
admoniflicth
frequent commiiniGn. 171
admonifhcth us to do it often. Now for any man ^^3^'^'
that profelTcrth himfelf a chriftian to live in the open
and continued contempt or negled of a plain lav/
and inftitution oFChrist is utterly inconfiflent with
fuch a profeffion. To fuch our Lord may fay as
he did to the jews, " Why call ye me Lord, Lord,
*' and do not the things which I fay ? " how far the
ignorance of this inftitution, or the midakes which
men have been led into about it, may extenuate this
negle6l, is another confideration.. But after we know
our Lord's will in this particular and have the law
plainly laid before us, there is no clokc for our fin.
For nothing can excufe the wilful negled of a plain
inflitution from a downright contem.pt of our Sa-
viour's authority.
2. We are likewife obliged hereunto in point of
intereft. The benefits which we expedl to be de-
rived and afilired to us by this facrament are all the
blelTings of the new covenant, the forgivenefs of our
fins, the grace and alTiftancc of God's holy Spirit
to enable us to perform the conditions of this cove-
nant required on our part; and the comforts of
God's holy Spirit to encourage us in well-doing,
and to fupport us under fufierings ; and the glorious
reward of eternal life. So that in neo-ledino; this fa-
crament we negledl our own intereft and happinefs,
we forfake our own mercies, and judge our {dv^^
unworthy of all the bleliings of the gofpel, and de-
prive our feives of one of the befb means and ad-
vantages of connrm.ing and conveying thefe bleillngs
to us. So that if we had not a due fenfe of our
duty, thie confideration of our own intereft fhould
©blige us not to neglect fo excellent and fo eifeflual
y 2 a
172 A per fu a five to
S E R M. a means of promoting; our own comfort and hap-
XXV. . ^ ^ ^ ^
pinels.
3. Wc are likewife particularly obliged in point
of gratitude to the careful obfervance of this in-
flitution. This was the particular thing our Lord
gave in charge when he was going to lay down
his life for us, " do this in remembrance of me. **
Men ufe religioufly to obfcrve the charge of a
dying friend, and, unlefs it be very difficult and
unreafonable, to do what he defires : but this is
the charge of our bcfl: friend (nay of the greateft
friend and benefaflor of all mankind) when he was
preparing himfelf to die in our (lead and to offer up
himfelf a facritice for us -, to undergo the mofl grie-
vous pains and fufFerings for our fakes, and to yield
up himfelf to the worfl of temporal deaths that he
might deliver us from the bitter pains of eternal
death. And can we deny him any thing he asks of
us who was going to do all this for us ? can we deny
him this ? fo liule grievous and burdenfom in it
{df^ fo infinitely beneficial to us ? had fuch a friend,
and in fuch circumilances, bid us do fome great
thing, would we not have done it .? how much more
when he hath only faid, " do this in remembrance
*' of me •, " when he hath only commended to us
one of the moft natural aiid delightful Actions, as a
fit reprefentation and memorial of his wonderful love
to us, and of his cruel fufferings for our fakes ; when
he hath only injoined us, in a thankful commemo-
ration of this goodnefs, to meet at his table and to
remember what he haih done for us, to look upon
him whom we have pierced, and to refolve to grieve
and wound him no miore ? can we widiout the mod
horrible
frequent communion, 17J
horrible ingratitude negledl this dying charge of our S E R ^f.
Sovereign and our Saviour, the great friend and ^^^•
lover of fouls ? a command fo reafonablc, fo eafy,
fo full of blefTings and benefits to the faithful ob-
fervers of it !
One would think it were no difficult matter to
convince men of their duty in this particular, and of
the neceffity of obferving fo plain an inftitution of
our Lord j that it were no hard thing to perfuade
men to their intereft, and to be willing to partake
of thofe great and manifold blefiings which all chri-
llians believe to be promifed and made good to the
frequent and v/orthy receivers of this facrament.
Where then lies the difficulty ? what fhould be the
caufe of all this backwardnefs which we fee in men
to fo plain, fo necefiary, and fo beneficial a duty ?
the truth is, men have been greatly difcouraged from
this facrament by the unwary preffing and inculca-
ting of two great truths : the danger of the unwor-
thy receiving of this holy facrament, and the nccef^
fity of a due preparation for it. W hich brings me
to the
III. Third particular I propofed, which was to
endeavour to fatisfy the objedions and fcruples which
have been raifed in the minds of men, and particu-
larly of many devout and fincere chriftians, to their
great difcouragement from the receiving of this fa-
crament, at leaff fo frequently as they ought. And
thefe objedlions, I told you, are chiefly grounded up-
on what the apoflle fays at the 27th verfe. '' Where-
" fore whofoever ihall eat this bread and drink this
" cup of the Lord unworthily, is guilty of the body
^' and blood of the Lord. '* And again ver. 29.
" He
174 A perfuafin^e to
SERM. « He that eateth and drinkcth unwordiily, catcth
,„,,^.y^" and drinketh damnadon to himfelf. '* Upon the
miflake and mifapplication of thefc x.t\t.% have been
grounded two objedlions, of great force to difcou-
rage men from this facrament, which I ihall endea-
vour with all the tendernefs and clearnefs I can to
reniove. Firft, that the danger of unworthy receiv-
ing being fo very great, it feems the fafeft way not
to receive at all. Secondly, that fo much prepara-
tion and worthinefs being required in order to our
worthy receiving, the more timorous fort of devout
chriflians can ^ never think themfelves duly enough
quahfied for fo facrcd an aclion.
Ohj. I. I. That the danger of unv/orthy receiving being
fo very great, it feems the fafeft way wholly to re-
frain from this facrament and not receive it at all.
But this objedlion is evidently of no force if there
be (as moft certainly there is) as great or greater
danger on the other hand, viz. in the negled of
this dutv : and fo though the danger of unworthy
receiving be avoided by not receiving, yet the dan-
ger of negledling and contemning a plain inflitu-
tion of Christ is not thereby avoided. Surely they
in the parable that refufed to come to the marriage-
feaft of the king's fon, and made light of that gra-
cious invitation, were at lead as faulty as he who
came " without a wedding garment. *' And we
find in the conclufion of the parable, that as he
was feverely punifhed for his difrefped, fo they were
deflroyed for their difobedience. Nay of the two
it is the griCater fign of contempt v/holly to negled:
the facrament, than to partake of it without fome
due qualL^cation. The greatefl indifpofinon that can
be
frequent ccmmunion. 175
be for this holy facrament is one's being a bad man, S E R M,
and he may be as bad, and is more likely to con-
tinue fo, who wilfully negleds this facrament, than
he that comes to it with any degree of reverence
and preparation, though much lefs than he ought :
and furely it is very hard for men to come to fo fo-
lemn an ordinance without fome kind of religious
awe upon their fpirits, and without fome good
thoughts and refolutions, at leaft for the prefent.
If a man that lives in any known wickednefs of life do
before he receive the facrament fet himfclf ferioufly
to be humbled for his fins, and to repent of them, and
to beg God's grace and affiftance againfl them;
and after the receiving of it, does continue for fome
time in thefe good refolutions, though after a while
he may poflibly rekpfe into the fame fins again ;
this is fome kind of reflraint to a wicked life; and
thefe good moods and fits of repentance and refor-
mation are much better than a conftant and uninter-
rupted courfe of fin : even this rightcoufnefs, which
is but " as the morning cloud and the early dew
*' which fo foon pafieth av/ay," is better than
none.
And indeed fcarce any man can think of coming
to the facrament, but he will by this confideration be
excited to fome good purpofes, and put upon fome
fort of endeavour to amend and reform his life : and
though he be very much under the bondage and
power of evil habits, if he do with any competent
degree of fincerity (and it is his own fault if he do
not) make ufe of this excellent means and inflrument
for the mortifying and fubduing of his lulls and for
the obtaining of God's grace and affiftance, it may
pleafc
176 A perfuafive to
S ERM. pleafe God by the ufe of thefc means fo to abate the
XXV
* force and power of his lufls, and to imprint fuch
confiderations upon his mind in the receiving of this
holy facrament and preparing himfcif for it, that he
may at lafl break off his wicked courfc and become a
good man.
But, on the other hand, as to thofe who negleft
this facrament, there is hardly any thing Jeft to re-
train them from the greatefl enormities of life, and
to give a check to them in their evil courfe: no-
thing but the penalty of humane laws, which men
may avoid and yet be wicked enough. Heretofore
men ufed to be reftrained from great and fcandalous
vices by fname and fear of difgrace, and would ab-
ftain from many fins out of regard to their honour
and reputation among men : but men have hardened
their faces in this degenerate age, and thofe gentle
reftraints of modefly which governed and kept men
in order heretofore lignify nothing now-a-days:
blufhing is out of faihion, and fhame is ceafed from
among the children of men.
But the facrament did always ufe to lay fome
kind of reflraint upon the worft of men : and if it
did not wholly reform them, it would at lead have
fome good effed: upon them for a time : if it did not
make men good, yet it would make them refolve to
be fo, and leave fome good thoughts and impref-
fions upon their minds.
So that I doubt not but it hath been a thing of
very bad confequcnce, to difcouragc men fo much
from the facrament, as the way hath been of late
years : and that many men who were under fome
kind of clieck before, fince they have been driven
away
frequent communion. 177
away from the facrament, have quite let loofe the S E R M,
reins, and proftituted themfelves to all manner of
impiety and vice. And among the many ill effedls
of our- paft confufions, this is none of the leafi:,
that in many congregations of this kingdom chrifta-
ans v/ere generally difufed and deterred from the fa-
crament, upon a pretence that they were unfit for
it : and being fo, they mull neceflarily incur the
danger of unworthy receiving •, and therefore tliey
had better wholly abftain from it. By which it
came to pafs that in very many places this great
and Ibiemn inftitution of the chriftian religion was
almoft quite forgotten, as if it had been no part of
it; and the remembrance of Christ's death even
loft among chriftians: fo that many congregations in
England might juftly have taken up the complaint
of the woman at our Saviour's fepulchre, " they
" have taken away our Lord, and we know not
*' where they have laid him ? "
. But furely men did not well confider what they
did, nor what the confequences of it would be, when
they did fo earneftly diffuade men from the facra-
ment. 'Tis true indeed the danger of unworthy re-
ceiving is great ; but the proper inference and con-
clufion from hence is not that men fhould upon this
confideration be deterred from the facramt^nt, but
that they (hould be affrighted from their fins, and
from that wicked courfe of life which is an habitual
indifpofition and unworthinefs. St. Paul indeed (as I
obferved before) truly repreients, and very much ag-
gravates the danger of the unworthy receiving of this
facrament •, but he did not deter the Corinthians from
ix^ becaufe they had fometimes come to it without
Vol. IL Z due
4.
178 A per fua five to
S E R M. due reverence, but exhorts them to amend what had
• been amifs, and to come better prepared and difpo-
fed for the future. And therefore after that terrible
declaration in the text, " Whofoever fhall eat this
«' bread and drink this cup of the Lord unwor-
" thily, is guilty of the body and blood of the
*' Lord," he does not add, therefore let chri-
ftians take heed of coming to the facrament, but>
let them come prepared and with due reverence, not
as to a common meal, but to a folemn participa-
tion of the body and blood of Christ ^ *' but let
*' a man examine himfelf, and fo let him eat of
" that bread and drink of that cup ? "
For, if this be a good reafon to abflain from the
facrament, for fear of performing fo facred an a6ti-
on in an undue manner, it were beft for a bad man
to lay afidc all religion, and to give over the exer-
cife of all the duties of piety, of prayer, of reading
and hearing the v/ord of God -, becaufe there is a
proportionable danger in the unworthy and unpro-
fitable ufe of any of thefe. " The prayer of the
*' wicked (that is, of one that refolves to continue
*' fo) is an abomination to the Lord." And our
Saviour gives us the fame caution concerning hear-
ing the word of God ; " take heed how you hear. '*
And St. Paul tells us, that thofe who are not reform-
ed by the dodlrine of the gofpel, it is the favour
of death, that is, deadly and damnable to fuch
perfons.
But now will any man from hence argue, thaC
it is beil for a wicked man not to pray, nor to
hear or read the word of God, left by fo doing he
Ibould endanger and aggravate his condemnation ,?
and
frequent communion. 179
and yet there is as much reafon from this confide- S E R M.
XXV" -■
ration to perfuade men to give over praying and at-
tending to God's word, as to lay afide the ufe of the
facrament. And it is every whit as true that he that
prays unworthily and hears the word of God un-
worthily, that is, without fruit and benefit, is guil-
ty of a great contempt of God and of our bleJGTed
Saviour ; and by his indevout prayers and un-
fruitful hearing of God's word does further and ag-
gravate his own damnation : I fay, this is every
whit as true, as that he that cats and drinks the
facrament unworthily is guilty of a high contempt
of Christ, and " eats and drinks his own judg-
" ment ; " fo that the danger of the unworthy per-
forming this {o facred an adlion is no otherwife a
reafon to any man to abflain from the facrament,
than it is an argument to him to caft off all religi-
on. He that unworthily ufeth or performs any
part of religion is in an evil and dangerous condi-
tion ; but he that calls off all religion plungeth him-
felf into a mofl deiperate fbate, and does certain-
iy damn himfelf to avoid the danger of damnation :
becaufe he that cafts off all religion throws off all
the means whereby he lliould be reclaimed and
brought into a better ftate. I cannot more fitly
illuftrate this matter than by this plain fimilitude :
he that eats and drinks intemperately endangers his
health and his life, but he that to avoid this dan-
ger will not eat at all, I need not tell you what
will certainly become of him in a very fhort fpace.
There arc fome confcientious perfons who abflain
from the facrament upon an apprehenfion that the
fins which they fhall commit afterwards are unpar-
Z 2 donable.
i8o A perfuafive to
SERM. donable. But this is a frreat mi flake ; our Saviour
s.^^.^.-^i having fo plainly declared that all manner of fm fhall
be forgiven men except the blafphemy againft the
Holy Ghost •, fuch as was that of the pharifees, who,
as our Saviour tells us, blafphemed the Holy
Ghost in afcribing thofe great miracles which they
faw him work, and which he really wrought by the
Spirit of God, to the pov/er of the devil. In-
deed to fin deliberately after fo folemn an engage-
ment to the contrary is a great aggravation of fin,
but not fuch as to make it unpardonable. But the
negled of the facrament is not the way to prevent
thefe fins; but, on the contrary, the conftant receiv-
ing of it with the belt preparation we can is one of
the moft efte(fLual means to prevent fin for the fu-
ture, and to obtain the afTiftance of God's grace to
that end : and if we fall into fm afterwards, we may
be renewed by repentance •, '' for we have an advo-
*' cate v/ith the fatlier, Jesus Christ the righteous,
*' who is the propitiation for our fins;" and as fuch,
is in a very lively and affecling manner exhibited to
us in this blefiTed facrament of his body broken, and
his blood filed for the remlflion of our fins. Can we
think that the primitive chriftians, who fo frequent-
ly received this holy facrament, did never afrer the
receiving of it fall into any deliberate fin.? undoubt-
edly, many of them did ; but far be it from us to
think that fuch fins were unpardonable, and that fo
many good men Ihould, becaufe of their careful and
confcientious obfervance of our Lord's inllitution,
unavoidably fall into condemnation.
To draw to a conclufion of this matter : fuch
groundlefs fears and jealoufies as thefe may be a fign
of
frequent communion, 18 1
of a good meaning, but they are certainly a fign of ^^J^^'
an injudicious mind. For if we fland upon thefe
fcruples, no man perhaps was ever fo worthily pre-
pared to draw near to God in any duty of religion,
but there was ilill fome defect or other in the difpofi-
tion of his mind, and x!:it degree of his preparation.
But if we prepare ourfelves as well as we can, this is
all God expeils. And for our fears of falhng into
fin afterwards, there is this plain anfwer to be given
to it \ that the danger of falling into fin is not pre-
vented by negleding the facrament, but increafed :
becaufe a powerful and probable means of preferving
men from fin is negledled. And why fhould not
every fincere chriftian, by the receiving of this fa-
crament and renewing his covenant with God, ra-
ther hope to be confirmed in goodnefs, and to re-
ceive farther aiiidances of God's grace and Holy
Spirit to ftrengthen him againft fin and to enable
him to iubdue it; than trouble himfelf with fears
which are either without ground, or if they are not,
are no fuflicient rcafon to keep any man from the fa-
crament? We cannot furely entertain fo unworthy a
thought of God and our blelTed Saviour, as to
imap-ine that he did inftitute the facrament not for
the furtherance of our lalvadon, but as a Ihare, and
an occafion of our ruin and damnation. Tliis were
to pervert the gracious defign of God, and to turn
the cup of falvation into a cup of deadly poifon to the
fouls of men.
All then that can reafonably be inferred from the,
danger of unworthy receiving is, that upon this con-
fideration men fhould be quickned to come to the
facrament with a due preparation of mind, and fo
much
jSz a perfuafive to
S E R M. much the more to fortify their refolutlons of llvinff
^..^..^^ fuitably to that holy covenant which they folemnly
renew every time they receive this holy facrament.
This confideration ought to convince us of the abfo«
lute necelTity of a good hfe, but not to deter us
from the ufe of any means which rnay contribute to
make us good. Tiiereforc (as a learned divine fays
very well) this facrament can be negledled by none
but thofe that do not underfland it, but thofe v/ho
arc unwilh'ng to be tied to their duty, and are afraid
of being engaged to ufe their bed dihgence to keep
the commandments of Christ : and fuch peribns
have no reafon to fear being in a worfe condition,
fince they are already in fo bad a ftate. And thus
much may fuffice for anfwer to the firft objedlion con-
cerning the great danger of unworthy receiving this
holy facrament. I proceed to the
Oh}, 2. 2. Second objection, which was this ; that fo much
preparation and worthinefs being required to our wor-
thy receiving, the more timorous fort of chriflians
can never think themfelves duly enough qualified
for fo facred an adlion.
For a full anfwer to this objedlion, I fliall endea-
vour briefly to clear thefe three things. Firfl, that
every degree of imperfedion in our preparation for
this facrament is not a fufiicient reafon for men to re-
frain from it. Secondly, that a total want of a due
preparation, not only in the degree but in the main
and fubfl:ance of it, though it render us unfit at pre-
fcnt to receive this facrament, yet it does by no
means excufe our negled of it. Thirdly, that the
proper inference and conclufion from the total w^ant
of a due preparation is not to call otf all thoughts of
frequent communion, 183
receiving the facrament, but immediately to {tt upon S E R M.
the work of preparation that fo we may be fit to re- ^
ceive it. And if I can clearly make out thefe three
things, I hope this objection is fully anfwered.
1. That every degree of imperfection in our pre-
paration for this facrament is not a fufficicnt rcafon
for men to abftain from it : for then no man fhould
ever receive it. For who is every way worthy, and
in all degrees and refpedls duly qualified to approach
the prefcnce of God in any of xh^ duties of his wor-
Ihip and fervice ? Who can wafh his hands in inno-
ccncy, that fo he may be perfedtly fit to approacli
God's altar.? " There is not a man on earth that
*' lives and fins not." The graces of the befl men
are imperfedt \ and every imperfedlion in grace and
goodnefs is an imperfedlion in the difpofition and
preparation of our minds for this holy facrament :
but if we do heartily repent of our fins, and fincere-
]y refolve to obey and perform the terms of the gof-
pel, and of that covenant which we entred into by
baptifm, and are going folemnly to renew and con-
firm by our receiving of this facrament, we are at
leaft in fome degree and in the main qualified to par-
take of this holy facrament ; and the way for us to
be more fit is to receive this facrament frequently,
that by this fpiritual food of God's appointing, by
*' this living bread which comes down from heaven,'*
our fouls may be nourifhed in goodnels, and new
flrength and virtue may be continually derived to
us for the purifying of our hearts, and enabling us to
run the ways of God's commandments with more
conftancy and delight. For the way to " grow in
*' grace" and to be " ftrengthened with all might
" in
XXV.
184 ^ per f LI afro e to
SERM. " in the inner man," and to " abound in all the
" fruits of righteoufnefs which by Christ Jesus
'' are to the praife and glory of God," is with care
and confcience to ufe thofe means which God hath
appointed for this end : and if we will neglect the
ufe of thefe means it is to no purpofe for us to pray
to God for his grace and afllflance. We may tire
ourfclves with our devotions, and fill heaven with vain
complaints, and yet by all this importunity obtain
nothing at God's hand: like lazy beggars that are
always complaining and always asking, but will not
work, will do nothing to help themfelves and better
their condition, and therefore are never like to move
the pity and compafllon of others. If we expe6l
God's grace and affiftance, we mufl work out our
own falvation in the careful ufe of all thofe means
which God hath appointed to that end. That ex-
cellent degree of goodnefs which men would have to
fit them for the facrament, is not to be had but by
the ufe of it. And therefore it is a prepofterous
thing for men to infill upon having the end before
they will ufe the means that may further them in the
obtaining of it.
2. The total want of a due preparation, not only
in the degree but in the main and fubilance of it,
though it render us unfit at prefent to receive this fa-
crament, yet does it by no means excufe our negledl
of it. One fiult may draw on another, but can ne-
ver excufe it. It is our great fault that we are whol-
ly unprepared, and no man can claim any benefit by
his fault, or plead it in excufe or extenuation of this
neglecl. A total want of preparation and an abfo-
lute unworthinefs is impenitency in an evil courfc, a
refolution
frequent communion, 185
rcfolutlon to continue a bad man, not to quit his lufts S E R M.
XXV
and to break off that wicked courfe he hath Hved in :
but is this any excufe for the negleft of our duty,
that we will not fit ourfelves for the doing of it with
benefit and advantage to ourfelves ? A father com-
mands his fon to ask him blefTing every day, and is
ready to give it him j but fo long as he is undutiful
to him in his other adions, and lives in open difobe-
dience, forbids him to come in his fight. He ex-
cufeth himfelf from asking his father blefHng, be-
caufe he is undutiful in other things, and refolves to
continue fo. This is jufl the cafe of negleding the
duty God requires, and the blelTings he offers to us
in the facrament, becaufe we have made ourfelves in-
capable of fo performing the one as to receive the
other 5 and are refolved to continue fo. We will not
do our duty in other things, and then plead that v/e
are unfit and unworthy to do it in this particular of
the facrament.
3. Tiie proper inference and conclufion from a
total want of due preparanon for the facrament is not
to call off all thoughts of receiving it, but Imme-
diately to fet about the work of preparation, that fo
we may be fit to receive it. For if this be true^ that
they who are abfokuely unprepared ought not to re-
ceive the facrament^ nor can do it with any benefit;
nay by doing it In fuch a manner render their condi-
tion much worfe, this is a mofl forcible argument to
repentance and amendment of life : there is nothing
reafonable in this cafe but immediately to refolve up-
on a better courfe, that fo v/e may be meet partakers
of thofe holy myfleries, and may no longer provoke
God's wrath againft us by the v/ilful negled: of fo
Vol. IL A a great
4.
XXV.
1 85 A perfuajive to
SERM, great and necefiary a duty of the chriitian religion.
And we do wilfully neglect it, fo long as we do wil-
fully refufe to fit and qualify ourfelves for the due
and worthy performance of it. Let us view the
thing in a hke cafe; a pardon is gracioufiy offered to
a rebel, he declines to accept it, and modeftly excu-
feth himfelf bccaufe he is not worthy of it. And why
is he not worthy ? becaufe he refolves to be a rebel,
and then his pardon will do him no good, but be arj
ao-gravation of his crime. Very true : and it will be
EO lefs an aggravation that he refufeth it for fuch a
reafon, and under a pretence of modefty does the
moft imprudent thing in the world. This is juft the
cafe-, and in this cafe there is but one thing reafona-
ble to be done, and that is, for a man to make him-
felf capable of the benefit as foon as he can, and
thankfully to accept of it: but to excufe himfelf
from accepting of the benefit ofi'ered, becaufe he is
not worthy of it, nor fit for it, nor never intends to
be fo, is as if a man fhould defire to be excufed from
being happy becaufe he is refolved to play the fool
and to be miferable. So that whether our want of
preparation be total, or only to fome degree, it is
every way unreafonable : if it be in the degree only,
it ought not to hinder us from receiving the facra-
ment; if it be total, it ought to put us immediately
upon removing the impediment, by making fuch pre-
paration as is neceflfary to the due and worthy receiv-
ing of it. And this brings me to the
IV. Fourth and lad thing I propofed, viz. what
preparation of ourfelves is necefiary in order to the
wortiiy receiving of this ficrament. Which I told
you would give me occafion to explain the apodle's
meanino:
frequent communion, 1S7
meaning in the laft part of the text, " but let a man S E R M.
" examine himfelf, and {q let him eat of that bread
" and drink of that cup." I think it very clear from
the occafion and circumftances of the apoftle's dif.
courfe concerning the facrament that he does not in-
tend the examination of our ftate, whether we be
chriflians or not, and fincerely refolded to continue
fo; and confequently that he does not here fpeak of
our habitual preparation by the refolution of a good
life. This he takes for granted, that they were chri-
flians and refolved to continue and perfevere in their
chriflian profeiTion : but he fpeaks of their adlual fit-
nefs and worthinefs at that time \yhen they came to
receive the Lord's fupper. And for the clearing of
this matter, we mud confider what it was that gave
occafion to this difcourfe. At the 20th verfe of this
chapter he fharply reproves their irreverent and un-
fuitable carriage at the Lord's fupper. They came
to it very diforderly, one before another. It was the
cuflom of chriilians to meet at their feaft of charity,
in which they did communicate with great fobriety
and temperance \ and when that was ended they ce-
lebrated the facrament of the Lord's fupper. Now
among the Corinthians this order was broken : the
rich met and excluded the poor from this common
feaft. And after an irregular feaft (one before ano-
ther eating his own fupper as he came) they went to
the facrament in great diforder \ one was hungry,
having eaten nothing at all •, others were drunk, hav-
ing eaten intemperately •, and the poor were defpifed
and negleded. This the apoille condemns as a great
profanation of that folemn inflitution of the facra-
ment j at the participation whereof they behaved
A a 2 them-
XXV.
8S A pej'fuafive to
S E R AI. themfelves with as little reverence as if they had been
met at a common fupper or feaft. And this he calls
" not difcerning the Lord's body," making no dif-
ference in their behaviour between the facramcnt and
a common meal : which irreverent and contemptu-
ous carriage of theirs he calls " eating and drinking
" unworthily : " for which he pronounceth them
" guilty of the body and blood of the Lord,"
which were reprefented and commemorated in their
*' eating of that bread and drinking of that cup.'*
By which irreverent and contemptuous ufage of the
body and blood of our Lord, he tells them that
they did incur the judgment of God \ which he calls
*' eating and drinking their own judgment." For
that the word k^o-i;^ which our tranfiators render
damnation, does not here fignify eternal condemna-
tion, but a temporal judgment and chaflifcment in
order to the prevention of eternal condemnation, is
evident from what follows; " he that eateth and
«« drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judg-
" ment to himfelf :" and then he fays, " for this caufe
" many are weak and fickly among you, and many
*' fleep:" that is, for this irreverence of theirs God
had fent among them feveral difeafes, of which
many had died. And then he adds, " for if we
" would judge ourfelves, we fhould not be judged/'
Jf we would judge ourfelves; whether this be meant
of the publick cenfures of the church, or our private
cenfuring of our felves in order to our future amend-
ment and reformation, is not certain. If of the lat-
ter, which 1 think mofb probable, then judging here
is much the fame with examining ourfelves, ver. 28.
And then the apoflle's meaning is, that if we would
cenfure
frequent communtGn. 189
cenfure and examine ourfelves, fo as to be more care- S E R M.
ful for the future, we fhould efcape the judgment of^ "^Z^
God in thefe temporal punifhments. " But when
" we are judged, we are chaftened of the Lord,
" that we fhould not be condemned with the world."
But when we are judged; that is, when by negledl-
ing thus to judge ourfelves we provoke God to judo;e
us ; " we are chaftened of the Lord, that we lliould
" not be condemned with the world ;" that is, he
inflicts thefe temporal judgments upon us to prevent
our eternal condemnation. Which plainly fhews,
that the judgment here fpoken of is not eternal con-
demnation. And then he concludes, " Wnerefore,
" my brethren, when ye come together to eat tarry
*' for one another. And if any man hunger, let
" him eat at home, that ye come not together unto
* ' judgment :" where the apollle plainly fliews both
what was the crime of unworthy receiving, and the
punifhment of it. Their crime was, their irreverent
and difordcrly participation of the facrament ; and
their punifhment was, thofe temporal judgments
which God infiided upon them for this their contempt
of the facrament.
Now this being, I think, very plain ; we are pro-
portionably to underfland the precept of examination
of ourfelves " before we eat of that bread, and drink
*' of that cup. But let a man examine hi mfclf-,"
that is, confider well with himfelf what a facred ac-
tion he is going about, and what behaviour becomes
him when he is celebrating this facrament inflituted
by our Lo rd in memorial of his body and blood,
that is, of his death and pafTion : and if heretofore
he have been guilty of any difordcr and irreverence
(fuch
A perfuajlve to
(fach as the apodle here taxeth them withal) \^i him
ceniure and judge himfelf for it, be fenfible of and
fory for his fault, and be careful to avoid it for
the future i and having thus " examined himfelf, let
'' him eat of that bread and drink of that cup."
This, I think, is the plain fenfe of the apoftle's dif-
courfe-, and that if we attend to the fcope and cir-
cumftances of it, it cannot well have any other
meaning.
But fome will fay, is this all the preparation that
is required to our worthy receiving of the facrament,
that we take care not to come drunk to it, nor to be
guilty of any irreverence or diforder in the celebra-
tion of it? I anfwer in fhort, this was the particu-
lar unworthinefs with which the apoflle taxeth the
Corinthians ; and which he warns them to amend, as
they defire to efcape the judgments of God, fuch as
they had already felt for this irreverent carriage of
theirs, fo unluitable to the holy facrament : he finds
no other fault with them at prefent in this matter,
though any other fort of irreverence will proportion-
ably expofe men to the like puniihment. He fays
nothing here of their habitual preparation, by the
fincere purpofe and refolution of a good life anfvvera-
ble to the rules of the chridian religion : this we
may fuppole he took for granted. However, it con-
cerns the facrament no more than it does prayer or
any other religious duty. Not but that it is very
true that none but thofe who do heartily embrace
the chriftian religion, and are fincercly refolved to
frame their lives according to the holy rules and pre-
cepts of it, are fit to communicate in this folemn ac-
knowledgment and profefTion of it. So that it is a
prafficc
frequent communion, 19 r
practice verv much to be countenanced and encou- SERM.
raged, becaufe it is of great ufe, for chriftians by-
way of preparation for the facrament to examine
themfelves in a larger fenfe than in all probability the^
apoftle here intended : I mean, to examine our pad
lives, and the adlions of them, in order to a fmcere
repentance of all our errors and mifcarriages, and to
fix us in the fleady purpofe and refolution of a better
life : particularly, when we cxpe6l to have the for-
givenefs of our fins fealed to us, we fhould lay afide
all enmity and thoughts of revenge, and heartily for-
give thofe that have ofi^ended us, and put in pradlice
that univerfal love and charity which is reprefented
to us by this holy communion. And to this purpole
we are earneftly exhorted in the publick office of the
communion by way of due preparation and difpofi-
tion for it, " to repent us truly of our fins paft, to
" amend our lives, and to be in perfed charity with
" all men, that fo we may be meet partakers of thoie
" holy myfteries."
And becaufe this work of examining ourfelves
concerning our flate and condition, and of exer-
cifing repentance towards God and charity towards
men is incumbent upon us as we are chriftians, and
can never be put in pradlice more feafonably and with
greater advantage than when we are meditating of
this facrament, therefore befides our habitual prepa-
ration by repentance and the conftant endeavours of
a holy life, it is a very pious and commendable cu-
ftom in chriftians before their coming to the facra-
ment to fet apart fome particular time for this work
of examination. But how much time every perfon
lliould allot to tliis purpofe is matter of prudence ;
sind
102 A perfuafive to
S E R M. and as it need not, fo neither indeed can it be prc^
XXV
cifely determined. Some have greater reafon to fpend
more time upon this work than others \ I mean thofe
whofe accounts are heavier, becaufe they have long
run upon the fcore and negledled themfelves : and
fome alfo have more leifure and freedom for it, by
reafon of their eafy condition and circumftances in
the world : and therefore are obliged to allow a grea-
ter portion of time for the exercifes of piety and de-
votion. In general, no man ought to do a work of
fo great moment and concernment (lightly and per-
fundorily. And in this, as in all other adions, the
end is principally to be regarded. Now the end of
examining ourfelves is to underftand our (late and
condition, and to reform whatever we find amifs in
ourfelves. And provided this end be obtained, the
circum (lances of the means are lefs confiderable :
whether more or lefj time be allowed to this work it
matters not {o mach, as to make fare that the work
be thoroughly done.
And I do on purpofe fpeak thus cautioufly in this
matter, becaufe fome pious perfons do perhaps err
on the ilrider hand, and are a little fuperfiitious on
that ^id^t \ infomuch that unlefs they can gain fo
much time to fet apart for a folemn preparation, they
will refrain from the facrament at that time ; though
otherwife they be habitually prepared. This I doubt
not proceeds from a pious mind •, but as the apoftle
fays in another cafe about the facrament, " fhall I
" praife them in this ? I praife them not," For,
provided there be no wilful negled of due prepara-
tion, it is much better to come fo prepared as wc
can, nay I think it is our duty fo to do, rather than
frequent communion, 193
to abftain upon this pundilio. Foi- when all is done, S E R M.
the bed preparation for the facrament is the general ^ '
care and endeavour of a good hfe : and he that is
thus prepared may receive at any time when oppor-
tunity is offered, though he had no particular fore-
fight of that opportunity. And I think in that cafe
fuch a one fliall do much better to receive than to re-
frain ; becaufe he is habitually prepared for the facra-
ment, though he had no time to make fuch adlual
preparation as he defircd. And if this were not al-
lowable how could Hilnifters communicate with fick
perfons at all times, or perfuade others to do it many
times upon very fhort and fudden warning ?
And indeed we cannot imagine that the primitive
thriflians, who received the facrament fo frequently,
that for ought appears to the contrary they judged it
as elTential and nccelTary a part of their publick wor-
lliip as any other part of it v/hatfoever, even as their
hymns and prayers, and reading and interpreting the
word of God : 1 fay, we cannot v/ell conceive how
they who celebrated it fo conftantly, could allot any
more time for a Iblem.n preparation for it, than they
did for any other part of divine v/orfhip : and confe-
qucntly, that the apollle v/hen he bids the Corinthians
examine themfelvcs, could mxcan no more than that
confidering the nature and ends of this infl'itution
they fhould come to it with great revei^ence ; and re-
fleding upon their form.er mifcarriages in this matter,
fhould be careful upon his admonition to avoid them
for the future, and, to amend what had been amifs :
which to do, requires rather refolution and care than
any long time of preparation.
Vol. II. Bb I fpeak
4.
194 -^ perfiiafi've to
S E R M. I fpcak this, that devout pcrfbns may not be in-
tangled in an apprehenfion of a greater ncceflity than
really there is of a long and folenin preparation every
time they receive the facrament. The great necef-
fity that lies upon men is to live as becomes chri-
(lians, and then they can never be abfolutely unpre-
pared. Nay, I think this to be a very good prepa-
ration : and I fee not why men fhould not be very
well fatisfied with it, unlefs they intend to make the
fame ufc of the facrament that many of the papiils
do of confefTion and abfolution, which is to quit with
God once or twice a year, that fo they may begin to
fin again upon a new fcore.
But bccaufc the examination of ourfclves is a thing
fo very ufeful, and the time which men are v/ont to
fct apart for their preparation for the facrament is fo
advantageous an opportunity for the praflice of it ,
therefore I cannot but very much commend thofc
who take this occafion to fearch and try their ways,
and to call themfelves to a more folemn account of
their anions. Becaufe this ought to be done fomc
time, and I know no fitter time for it than this. And
perhaps fome would never find time to recoiled them-
felves and to take the condidon of their fouls into
ferious confideration, v/ere it not upon this folemn
occafion.
The fum of what I have faid is this, that fup-
pofing a perfon to be habitually prepared by a reli-
gious difpofition of mind and the general courfe of
a good \\fc^ this more folemn a6lual preparation is
not always necelTary : and it is better when there is
an opportunity to receive without it, than not to re-
ceive at all. But the greater our adual preparation
is.
frequent communion, 195
is, the better. For no man can examine himfelf too S E R M.
XXV
often, and underfland the ilate of his foul too well,
and exercife repentance, and renew the refolutions of
a good life too frequently. And there is perhaps no
fitter opportunity for the doing of all this, than
when v/c approach the Lord's tabic, there to com-
memorate his death, and to renew our covenant with
him to live as becomes the gofpel.
All the Reflexion I fhall now make upon this dil^
courfe, fhall be from the confideration of what hath
been faid earneflly to excite all that profels and call
themfclves chriftians to a due preparation of them-
felves for this holy facrament, and a frequent partici-
pation of it according to the intention of our Lord
and Saviour in the inftitution of it, and the un-
doubted practice of chriftians in the primitive and befl
times, when men had more devotion and fewer fcru-
pies about their duty.
If we do in good earned believe that this facra-
ment was inftituted by our Lord in rem.embrance
of his dying love, we cannot but have a very high
value and efteem for it upon that account. Me-
thinks fo often as we read in the inftitution of it
thofe words of our dear Lord, " do this in remem-
*' branceof me," and confider what he who faid
them did for us, this dying charge of our befl friend
lliould flick with us and make a flrong imprefTion up-
on our minds : efpecially \^ wc add to thefe, thofe
other words of his, not Jong before his death,
*' Greater love than this hath no man, that a man
*' lay down his life for his friend ; ye are m^y friends
*' if ye do whatfoever I command you." It is a
wonderful love which he hath exprefled to us, and
B b 2 worthy
19^ =^ -^ perjuafive to
S XX v^" "^^^^^y ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^'^ perpetual remembrance. And
all that he expeds from us, by way of thankful ac-
knowledgment, is to celebrate the remembrance of
it by the frequent participation of this blefled facra-
ment. And fhall this charge, laid upon us by him
who laid down his life for us, lay no obligation up-
on us to the folemn remembrance of that unparal-
lel'd kindnefs which is the fountain of fo many blef-
iings and benents to us ? it is a fign that we have no
great fcnfe of the benefit when we are fo unmindful
of our benefadbor as to forget him days without
number. The obligation he hath laid upon us is fo
vaftly great, not only beyond all requital but beyond
all expreflion, that if he had commanded us fome
very grievous thing v/e ought with all readinefs
and chearfulnefs m xh^ v/orld to have done it j how
much more when he hath impofed upon us fo eafy
a commandment, a thing of no burden but of im-
menfe beneliL ? v/hen he hath only faid to us, " eat O
*< friends, and drink O beloved ? ** when he only in-
vites us to his table, to the beft and mod delicious
feail that we can partake of on this fide heaven ?
If we feriouily believe the great blefTings which
arc there exhibited to us and ready to be conferred
upon us, we fhould be fo far from negledlring them,
that we lliould heartily thank God for every oppor-
tunity he offers to us of being made partakers of
fuch benefits. When fuch a prize is put into our
hands, iliall we want hearts to make ufc of it ? mc-
thinks we fhould long with David (who faw but
a Ihadow of thefe bkfTings) to be fatisfied with the
good things of God's houlc, and to draw near his
altar 5 and (hould cry out with him, " O when iliall
frequent comfnuniGn, 197
^^ I come and appear before thee ! my foul longeth, S E R M.
** -yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lop.d, and '^
*' my flefh crieth out for the living God." And if
"we had a juft cfteem of things, we fhould account
it the greateft infelicity and judgment in the world
to be debarred of this privilege, which yet we do de-
liberately and frequently deprive our felves of.
We exclaim againfl: the church of Rome with
great impatience, and with a very juft indignation, for
robbing the people of half this bleffed facrament, and
taking from them the cup of blelfing, the cup of
falvation , and yet we can patiently endure for fome
months, nay years, to exclude our felves wholly from
it. If no fuch great benefits and bleffings belong
to it, \NhY do we complain of them for hindring us
of any part of it ? but if there do, why do we by
our own negled deprive our felves of the whole?
In vain do we bemoan the decay of our graces,
and our flow progrefs and improvement in chrifti-
anity, whilft we wilfully defpife the beft means of
our growth in goodnefs. Well do we deferve that
God fhould fend leannefs into our fouls, and make
them to confume and pine away in perpetual doubt-
ing and trouble, if, when God himfelf doth fpread
fo bountiful a table for us and fet before us the
bread of life, we will not come and feed upon it
withjoyand thankfulnefs.
SERMON
[ .98 ]
SERMON XXVL
A. Difcourfe agaiiifi: Tranfubftantiation.
6ERM. ^''^Oncerning the facrament of the Lord's fup-
^^J_^ R . per, one of the two great pofitive infbituti-
^■"-^ ons of the chriftian religion, there are two
main points of difference between us and the church
of Rome. One about the dodlrine of Tranfubftan-
tiation ; in which they think, but arc not certain,
that they have the fcripture and the words of our
Saviour on their fide : the other, about the ad-
miniftration of this facrament to the people in both
kinds ; in which we are fjre that we have the fcrip-
ture and our Saviour's inflitution on our fide;
2nd that fo plainly that our adverfaries themfelves
do not deny it.
Of the firft of thefe I fhall now treat, and endea-
vour to fhew againfl the church of Rome, that in
this facrament there is no fubilantial change made
of tht elements of bread and wine into the natural
body and blood of Christ ; that body which was
born of the virgin Mary, and fuffered upon the
crofs y for fo they explain that hard word Tranfub-
flantiation.
Before I engage in this argument, I cannot but
obferve what an unreafonable task we are put upon,
by the bold confidence of our adverfaries, to difpute
a matter of fenfe ; which is one of thofe things about
which Ariflode Jfeth long fince pronounced there
O'jght to be no difpute.
Ic
A difcourfe againjl^ 5cc. 199
It might well, feem llrange if any man fhould SERM.
write a book to prove that an egg is not an elephant,
and that a musket-bullet is not a pike : it is every
whit as hard a cafe, to be put to maintain by a
long difcourfe, that what we fee and handle and tafte
to be bread is bread, and not the body of a man ;
and what we fee and tafle to be wine is wine, and
not blood : and if this evidence may not pafs for
fufficient without any farther proof, I do not lee
why any man, that hath confidence enough to do
fo, may not deny any thing to be what all the world
fees it is ; or affirm any thing to be what all the
world fees it is not ; and this without all poflibiiity
of being fardier confuted. So that the bufineis of
Tranfubflantiation is not a controverfy of fcripturc
againft fcripturc, or of reafon againfl reaibn, but of
downright impudence againft the plain meaning of
fcripturc, and all the fenfe and reafon of mankind.
It is a mofl felf- evident falfhood -, and there is no
dodrine or propofition in the world that is of it k\i
more evidendy true, than Tranfubftantiation is evi-
dently falfe : and yet if it were poffible to be true, it
would be the moft ill-natured and pernicious truth
in the world, becaufe it would fuffer nothing elfe to
be true \ it is like the Roman-catholick church,
which will needs be the whole chriftian church, and
will allow no other fociety of chriftians to be any
part of it : fo Tranfabftantiation, if it be true at all,
it is all truth, and nothing elfe is true ; for it cannot
be true unlefs our fenfes, and the fenfes of all man-
kind be deceived about their proper objeds ; and
if this be true and certain, then nothing d^Q can be
fo ; for if we be not certain of what we fee, we can
be certaitt of nothing. And
200 -^ dtfcQurfe againfl
iERM. And yet notwithftanding aJl this, there are a com-
^"^^ • pany of men in the world fo abandoned and given
up by God to the efficacy of delufion as in good
earned to believe this grofs and palpable error, and
to impofe t\\^ belief of it upon the chriilian world
under no lefs penalties than of temporal death and
eternal damnation. And therefore, to undeceive, if
poffible, thefe del'jded fouls, it will be necefiary to
examine the pretended grounds of fo falfe a dodtrinc,
and to ^y open the monftrous ablurdity of it.
And in the handling of this argument, 1 flmll pro-
ceed in this plain method.
I. I fliall confider the pretended grounds and rea-
fons of the church of Rome for this do^lrine.
II. I fhall produce our objedions againft it. And
if I can fhew that there is no tolerable ground for
it, and that there are invincible objections againft
it, then every man is not only in reafon excufed
from believing this dodrine, but hath great caufe
to believe the contrary.
I. Firft, I will confider the pretended grounds
and reafons of the church of Rome for this doc-
trine. Which muft be one or more of thefe five;
Either ift, the authority of fcripture. Or 2dly, the
perpetual - belief of this docftrinc in the chriftian
church, as an evidence that they always underftood
and interpreted our Saviour's words, ^' this is my
" body, " in this fenfc. Or 3dly, the authority of
the prefent church to make and declare new articles
of faith. Or 4thly, the abfolute necelFity of fjch
a change as this in the facrament, to the comfort
and benefit of thofe who receive this facrament. Or
fthly, to magnify the power of the prieft in being
able to work fo great a miracle. ift. They
Tranfubjianfiafion. 201
ift. They pretend for this dodrine the authority S E R M.
of fcripture in thofe words of our Saviour, " this
" is my body." Now to fhew the infufiiciency of
this pretence, I fhall endeavour to make good thefc
two things.
1. That there is no necefTity of underllanding
thofe words of our Saviour in the fenfe of Tran-
fubftantiation.
2. There is a great deal of reafon, nay that it is
very abfurd and unreafonable, not to underll^nd them
otherwife.
Firft, that there is no necefTity to underiland thofe
words of our Saviour in the fenfe of Tranfubflan-
tiation. If there be any, it muil be from one of
thefe two reafons. Either becaufe there are no figu-
rative expreiTions in fcripture, which I think no man
ever yet faid : or elfe, becaufe a facrament admits
of no figures ; which would be very abfurd for any
man to fay, fince it is of the very nature of a facra-
ment to reprefent and exhibit Ibme invifible grace
and benefit by an outward fign and figure : and
cfpecially fince it cannot be denied, but that in the
inditution of this very facrament our Saviour ufeth
fio-urative expreflions, and feveral words which cannot
be taken ftridlly and literally. When he gave the cup
he faid, " This cup is the new teftament in my
*^ blood, which is fhed for you and for many, for
'' the remiflion of fins. " Where firfi:, the cup is
put for the wine contained in the cup •, or elfe, if the
words be literally taken, fo as to fignify a fubftan-
tial change, it is not of the wine but of the cup j
and that, not into the blood of Christ but into
the new teftament or new covenant in his blood.
Vol. II. C c Befides^
4-
202 A difcGurfe agatnjl
SERM. Befides, that his blood is faid then to be fhed, and
his body to be broken, which was not 'till his paf-
fion, which followed the infiitution and firfl cele-
bration of this facrament.
But that there is no neceffity to underiland our
Saviour's words in the fenfe of Tranfabftr.ntiation,
I will take the plain concefTion of a great number
of the mod learned Writers of the church of Rome
in this controverfy. (a) Bellarmine, (b) Suarez and
(c) Vafquez do acknowledge Scotus the great fchool-
man to have faid, that this dodlrine cannot be evi-
dently proved from fcripture : and Bellarmine grants
this not to be improbable ; and Suarez and Vafquez
acknowledge (d) Durandus to have faid as much.
(e) Ocham, another famous fclioolman, fays expref-
ly, " that the dodrine which holds the fubitance of
" the bread and wine to remain after confecration,
«« is neither repugnant to reafon nor fcripture. "
(f ) Petrus ab Alliaco, cardinal of Cambray, fays plain-
ly, " that the dodrine of the fubflance of bread
*' and wine remaining after confccration is more
*« eafy and free from abfurdity;, more rational, and
«' no ways repugnant to the authority of fcripture i"
nay more, that for the other dodrine, viz. ofTran-
fubftantiation, *' there is no evidence in fcripture."
(g) Gabriel Biel, another great fchoolman and di-
vine of their church, freely declares, " that as to
«' any thing expreft in the canon of the fcriptures,
«' a man may believe that the fubitance of bread
(a) deEuch. 1. 3. c. 23. (b) in 3. dif. 49. Qu. 75. Seft. 2.
(c) in 3. part. difp. 180. Qu. 75. art. 2. c. 15. (dj in Sent. 1,
4. dill. II. Qu. 1. n. 15. (e) in 4. Sent. 0^5- & Qi:cdl. 4.
Q. 3. (f) in 4. Sent. Q^ 6. art 2. (g) in canon MifT.
i.ect. 40.
" and
TranfuhJlanfiatio?t, 203
« and wine doth remain after confecration : " and ^^^,}^
therefore he refolves the belief of Tranfubfiantia- ^ '■^•
tion into fome other revelation, befides fcripture,
which he fuppofeth the church had about it. Car-
dinal (h) Cajetan confefleth, " that the gofpel doth
" no where exprefs that the bread is changed
« into the body of Christ; that we have this
" from the authority of the church : " nay he goes
farther, " that there is nothing in the gofpel which
<« enforceth any man to underjfland thefe words of
*' Christ, this is my body, in a proper and not
" in a metaphorical fenfe ; but the church having
" underflood them in a proper fenfe, they are to be
«' fo explained, " which words in the Roman edition
of Cajetan are expunged by order of Pope (i) Pius V.
Cardinal (k) Contarenus, and (1) Melchior Canus one
of the bed and mofl judicious writers that church ever
had, reckon this doctrine among thofe " which are
*' not fo expreOy found in fcripture. " I will add
but one more of great authority in the church, and
a reputed martyr, (m) Fifher bilhop of Rochefler,
who ingenuouQy confefleth that in the words of the
infxitution " there is not one v/ord from whence the
^' true prefence of the flefh and blood of Christ
*' in our mafs can be proved. " So that we need
not much contend that this do6trine hath no cer-
tain foundation in Scripture, when this is fo fully
and frankly acknowledged by our adverfaries them-
felves.
[\i) In Aquin. 3. part, Qa. 75. art. t. (1) ^gid. Conic,
de Sacram. C<. 7$. art. i. n. 13. (k) de Sacram. 1. 2. c 3.
(1) Loc. Theoiog. 1. 3. c. 3. (m) contra captiv. Babylon.
c. 10. n. 2.
C c 2 Secondly,
204 ^ difcourfe againjl
S E R M. Secondly, if there be no necefTity of underflanding
our Saviour's words in the fcnfe of Tranfubftantia-
tion, I am fure there is a great deal of reafon to un-
derftand them otherwifc. Whether we confider the
like exprefllons in fcripture; as where our Saviour
fays he is the door and the true vine (which the
church of Rome would mightily have triumphed in,
had it been faid " this is my true body.") And fo
likewifc where the church is faid to be Christ's bo-
dy ; and the rock which followed the liraelites to be
Christ, i Cor. x. 4. " They drank of that rock
*' which followed them, and that rock was Ch rist :'*
all which, and innumerable more like exprefnons in
fcripture, every man underilands in a figurative, and
not in a ftridly literal and abfurd fenfe. And it is
very well known, that in the hebrew language things
are commonly faid to be that which they do fignify
and reprefent ; and there is not in that language a
inore proper and ufual way of exprefTing a thing to
fignify fo and fo, than to fay that it is fb and fo.
Thus Jofeph expounded Pharaoh's dream to him.
Gen. xli. 26. fays, " the feven good kine are itvtn
*' years, and the itvt'Ci good ears of corn are {^vtn
*' years," that is, they fignified or reprefented feven
years of plenty ; and fo Pharaoh underftood him,
and fo would any man of fenfe underfland the like
cxprefTions: nor do I believe that any fenfible man
who had never heard of Tranfubflantiation beino-
o
grounded upon thefe words of our Saviour, " this
*' is my body," would upon reading the inllitution
of the facrament in the gofpel ever have imagin'd
any fuch thing to be meant by our Saviour in thofe
words J but would have underHood his meaning to
have
T'ranfuhjiantiation. 2 or
have been " this bread fignifies my body, this cup SERM.
" fignifies my blood; and this which you fee me '^^^^*
*' now do, do ye hereafter for a memorial of me :'*
but furely it would never have entred into any man's
mind to have thought that our Saviour did literal-
ly hold himfelf in his hand, and give away himfelf
from himfelf with his own hands. Or whether wc
compare thefe words of our Saviour with the an-
cient form of the paflbver ufed by the Jews from
Ezra's time, as (n) Juftin Martyr tells us, tSto to
•wda-^cf. 6 dairyip Ji/jtojv k^ yf Y.cLrcL(^\)yri riij.m^ '' this paf-
" fover is our Saviour and our refuge:" not that
they believed the pafchal lamb to be fubflantially
changed either into God their Saviour who deli-
vered them out of the land of Egypt, or into the
Mess IAS the Saviour whom they expeded, and
who was fignified by it : but this lamb which they
did eat did rcprcfent to them and put them in mind
of that falvation which God- wrought for their fa-
thers in Egypt, when by the flaying of a" lamb
and fprinkling the blood of it upon their doors their
firft-born were pafTed over and fpared ; and did like-
wife forefhew the falvation of theMsssiAS, " the
" lamb of God that was to take away the fins of the
" world."
And nothing is more common in all languages
than to give the name of the thing fignified to the
fign : as the delivery of a deed or writing under
hand and feal is call'd a conveyance or making over
of fuch an eftate, and it is really fo ; not the delivery
of mere wax and parchment, but the conveyance
of a real eftate ; as truly and really to all efied:s and
(«) Dialog. cumTryp. p. 297, Edit. Parif. 1639.
purpofes
2o6 ^ difcourfe againjl
S E R M. purpofes of law, as if the very material houfes and
lands themfclves could be and were a(5tually delivered
into my hands; in like manner the names of the
things themfelves made over to us in the new cove-
nant of the gofpel between God and man, are given
to the figns or fcals of that covenant. By baptifm
chriftians are faid to be " made partakers of the
*' Holy Ghost," Heb. vi. 4. And by the facra-
ment of the Lord's fupper we are faid to commu-
nicate, or to be made partakers of the body of
Christ which was broken, and of his blood which
was fhed for us, that is, of the real benefits of his
death and paffion. And thus St. Paul fpeaks of this
facrament, i Cor. x. 1 6. " The cup of blefling which
«' we blels, is it not the communion of the blood of
*' Christ? the bread which we break, is it not
*' the communion of the body of Christ ?" But
flill it is bread, and he dill calls it fo, ver. 17. " for
*' we being many, are one bread and one body ; for
'^ we are partakers of that one bread." The church
of Rome might, if they plcafed, as well argue from
hence, that all chriftians are fubftantially changed firft
into bread, and then into the natural body of
Christ by their participation of the facrament, be-
caufc they are faid thereby to be " one bread and one
" body." And the fame apoftle in the next chap-
ter, after he had fpoken of the confecration of the
elements, ftill calls them the bread and the cup, in
three verfes together, " As often as ye eat this bread
*' and drink this cup, ver. 26. Whofoever iliall eat
^ this bread and drink this cup of the Lord un-
" worthily, ver. 27. But let a man examine himfelf,
*' and fo let him eat of that bread and drink of that
" cup,
Tranfuhjiantiatlon, 2 07
^* cup, ver. 28." And our Saviour himfelf SERM,
when he had faid " this is my blood of the new tefta- ^_ Vj
•' ment," immediately adds, " * but I fay unto you, * Matth.
" I will not henceforth drink of this fruit of the^'^^^' ^9*
" vine, until I drink it new with you in my Fa-
" ther's kingdom," that is, not 'till after his re-
furrection, which was the firjfl ftep of his exaltation
into the kingdom given him by his Father, when
the fcripture tells us he did eat and drink with his
difciples. But that which I obferve from our Sa-
viour's words is, that after the confecration of the
cup and the delivering of it to his difciples to drink
of it, he tells them that he would thenceforth drink
no more of that fruit of the vine, which he had now
drank with them, 'till after his refurredlion. From
whence it is plain that it was the fruit of the vine, real
wine, which our Saviour drank of, and communi-
cated to his difciples in the facrament.
Befides, if we confider that he celebrated this fa-
crament before his paflion, it is impoflible thefe words
fhould be underftood literally of the natural body and
blood of Christ ; becaufe it was his body broken
and his blood Ihed which he gave to his difciples,
which if we underftand literally of his natural body
broken and his blood fhcd, then thefe words, " this
*' is my body which is broken, and this is my blood
" which is ilied,'* could not be true, becaufe his body
was then whole and unbroken, and his blood not
then fhed -, nor could it be a propitiatory lacrifice (as
they affirm this facrament to be) unlefs they will fay
that propitiation was made before Christ fufler'd:
. and it is likewife impoflible that the difciples fhould
underftand thefe words literally, becaufe they not on-
2o8 A dlfcoiirfe againfl
S E R M. ]y plainly faw that what he gave them was bread and
wine, but they faw likewife as plainly that it was not
his body which was given, but his body which gave
that which was given ; not his body broken and his
bleod fhed, becaufe they faw him alive at that very
time, and beheld his body whole and unpierc'd ; and
therefore they could not underftand thefe words lite-
rally : if they did, can we imagine that the difci-
ples, who upon all other occafions were fo full of
quefticns and objcdions, fhould make no difficulty
of this matter? nor fb much as ask our Saviour,
how can thefe things be ? that they fhould not tell
him, we fee this to be bread and that to be wine, and
we fee thy body to be diflindt from both j we fee thy
body not broken, and thy blood not fhed.
From all which it muft needs be very evident to
any man that will impartially confider things, how
little reafon there is to underftand thofe words of our
Saviour, " this is my body, and this is my blood,"
in the {tn{z of Tranfubftantiation ; nay, on the con-
trary, that there is very great reafon and an evident
neceffity to underftand them otherwife. I proceed to
fhew,
2dly, That this do6trine is not grounded upon the
perpetual belief of the chrifbian church, which the
church of Rome vainly pretends as an evidence that
the church did always underftand and interpret our
Saviour's words in this {<zYik,
To manifeft the groundlefnefs of this pretence, I
fhall, I. fhew by plain tef^mony of the fathers in
feveral ages, that this dodlririe was not the belief of
the ancient chriftian church. 2. I fhall fhew the time .
and occafion of its coming in, and by what degrees
it
Tranfub/ianfiafion.
it grew up and was eftablifh'd in the Roman church.
3. I.Hiall aniwer their great pretended demonflrationj
that this always was and mufl have been the conflanc
belief of the chriflian church.
1 . I fhali fliew by plain tefdmonies of the fithers
in feveral ages, for above five hundred years after
Christ, that this dodlrine was not the belief of the
ancient chriltian church. I deny not but that the fa-
thers do^ and that with great reafon^ very much
magnify the wonderful myftery and efficacy of this
facrament, and frequently fpeak of a great fuperna-
tural change made by the divine benedidion ; which
we alfo readily acknov/ledge. They fay indeed, that
the elements of bread and wine do by the divine
blelTing become to us the body and blood of Christ:
but they likewife fay that the names of the things
fignified are given to the figns ; that the bread and
wine do ftill rem_ain in their proper nature and fub-
flance, and that they are turn'd into the fubdance of
our bodies; that the body of Christ in the facra-
ment is not his natural body, but the fign and fi-
gure of it; not that body v/hich was crucified, nor
that blood which was fhed upon the crofs ; and that
it is impious to underfland the eating of the flefh of
the Son of man and drinking his blood literally; all
which are diredlly oppofite to the doflrine of Tran-
fubftantiation, and utterly inconfiftent with it. I will
feled but fome few teflimonies of many things which
I might bring to this purpofe.
I begin with Jufcin Martyr^ who fiys exprefly,
*' that {0) our blood and flefli are nouriihed by the
{0) Apol. 2. p. 98. Edit. Parif. 1636,
Vol. IL D d «« con-
4i
XXVI.
210 A difconrfe againjt
SE R M. « converfion of that food which we receive in the eu-
" charift :" but that cannot be the natural body and
blood of Christ, for no man will fay that that is
converted into the nourifhment of our bodies.
The fecond is [f) Irenasus, who fpcaking of this
facrament fays, " that the bread which is from the
" earth, receiving the divine invocation, is now no-
*' longer common bread, but the eucharifl (or facra-
*' ment) confifiing of two things, the one earthly,.
*' the other heavenly." He fays it is no longer com-
mon bread, but after invocation or confecration it be-
comes the facrament, that is, bread fandined, con-
fiding of two things, an earthly and an heavenly ; the
earthly thing is bread, and the heavenly is the divine
bleffing which by the invocation or confecration is
added to ii. And {q) elfewhere he hath this paf-
fage, " when therefore the cup that is mix'd (that is,
*' of wine and v/ater) and the bread that is broken
" receives the word of God, it becomes the eucha-
«' rift of the blood and body of Christ, of which
" the fubftance of our fiefh is increafed and confifts ;'*
but if that which we receive in the facrament do
nourifh our bodies, it muft be bread and wine, and
not the natural body and blood of Christ. There
is another remarkable teftimony of Irenasus, which
though it be not now extant in thofe works of his
which remain, yet hath been preferv'd by if) Oecu-
menius, and it is this \ " when (lays he) the greeks
" had taken fome fervants of the chriilian catechu-
*' meni (that is, fuch as had not been admitted lo
" the facrament) and afterwards urged them by vio-
{/)) Lib. 4, c. 24. (y) Lib. 5, c 31. (/) Co.iiir.ent. in
1 i'a, c. 3.
" Icnce
Tra?7fubJIantiationM 2 1 1
" lence to tell them fome of the fecrets of the chri- ^.^.?;,^'^'
" flians, thefe fervants having nothing to fay that ^
" might gratify thofe who offered violence to them,
*' except only that they had heard from their mailers,
*' that the divine communion was the blood and bo-
*' dy of Christ, they thinking that it was really
" blood and fieih, declar'd as much to thofe that
•*' queilioned them. The greeks taking this as if it
*' wTre really done by the chriftians, difcovered it to
" others of the greeks; who hereupon put Sandlus
" and Blandina to the torture to make them confels
" it." To whom Blandina boldly anfwered, " How
*' could they endure to do this, who by way of exer-
" clfe (or abftinence) do not eat that ?idh which
" may lawfully be eaten?" By which it appears
that this which they would have charg'd upon chri-
llians, as if they had literally eaten the fiefh and
blood of Christ in the facrament, was a falfe ac-
cufation which thefe martyrs denied, faying they were
fo far from that, that they for their part did not eat
any fleln at all.
The next is Tertullian, who proves agalnft Mar-
cion the heretick, that the body of our Saviour
was not a mere phantafm and appearance, but a real
body, becaufe the facrament is a figure and image of
his body ; and if there be an image of his body he
muil have a real body, other wife the facrament
would be an image of an image. His words are
thefe, (j) " the bread which our Saviour took and
*' diflributed to his difciples he m.ade his own body,
" faying, this is my body, that is, the image or fi-
" gure of my body. Bat it could not have been
{i) Adverf. Marcionem, I. 4. p 571. Edit, Rigal. Paiii'. 1634.
D d 2 the
212 A difcourfe againfl
S E R M. " the figure of his body, if there had not been a
XXVI
" true and real body.'* And arguing againft the
fcepticks who denied the certainty of fenfe, he
ufeth this argument : that if we quedion our fenfes,
we may doubt whether our bleffed Saviour were
not deceived in what he heard, and faw, and touch-
ed. (/) " He might (fays he) be deceived in the
*' voice from heaven, in the fmelJ of the ointment
*« with which he was anointed againft his burial,
*' and in the tafte of the wine which he confecrated
" in remembrance of his blood." So that it feems
we are to truft our fenfes, even in the matter of the
facrament : and if that be true, the dodrine of Tran-
fubftantiation is certainly falfe.
Origen in his (^) comment on Matth. xv. fpeak-
ing of the facrament hath this pafTage, " That food
*' which is lan(5l:ified by the word of God and
*' prayer, as to that of it which is material, goeth
*' into the belly and is caft out into the draught,'*
which none will furely fay of the body of Christ.
And afterwards he adds by way of explication, " it
*' is not the matter of the bread, but the words
*« which are fpoken over it, which profiteth him that
" worthily eateth the Lord : and this (he fays) he
" had fpoken concerning the typical and fymbolical
" body." So that the matter of bread remaineth
in the facrament, and this Origen calls the typical
and fymbolical body of Christ; and it is not the
natural body of Christ which is there eaten, for
the food eaten in the facrament, as to that of it
which is material, goeth into the belly and is caft out
into the draughr. This teftimony is fo very plain in
(/) Lib. de Aftima. p. 319. (a) Edit. Huetii.
the
Tranfubjlantiation, 212
the caufe, that Sextus Senenfis fufpecls this place of SER M,
Origen was depraved by the hereticks. Cardinal ^^^^^'
Perron is contented to allow it to be Origen's, but
rejects his tefrimony becaufe he was accufed of herefy
by fome of the fathers, and fays he talks like a he-
retick in this place. So that with much ado this
teflimony is yielded to us. The fame father in his
(x) homilies upon Leveticus fpeaks thus, " There is
" alio in the new teftament a letter which kills him
" who doth not fpiritually underiland thofe things
" which are faid ; for if we take according to the
'' ktter that which is faid, EXCEPT YE EAT
" MY FLESH AND DRINK MY BLOOD, this
^^ letter kills. " And this is alfo a killing teflimo-
ny, and not to be anfwered but in Cardinal Perron's
way, by faying he talks like a heretick.
St. Cyprian hath a whole epiftle (y) to Cecilius,
againfl thofe who gave the communion in water only
without wine mingled with it ; and his main argu-
ment againfl them is this, " that the blood of
" Christ with which we are redeemed and quick-
" ened cannot feem to be in the cup, when there is
*' no wine in the cup by which the- blood of Christ
" is reprefented :" and afterv/ards he fays, " that
" contrary to the evangelical and apoflolical doc-
" trine v;ater was in fome places ofrer'd (or given)
*' in the Lord's cup, which (fays he) alone cannot
" exprefs (or reprefent) the blood of Christ.'*
And lafrly he tells us, " that by water the people
f' is underilood, by wine the blood of Christ is
^' fhewn (or reprefented) but when in the cup wa-
" tsr is mingled with wine the people is united to
(x) Ca,. 10. (y) Ep. 65.
« Christ,'*
214 A dtfcourfe agamfl
SERM.'- Christ." So that according to this argument
^^y^^ wine in the facramental cup is no otherwife changed
into the blood of Christ, than the water mixed
with it is changed into the people which are faid to
be united to Christ.
I omit many others, and pafs to St. Auflin in the
fourth age after Christ. And I the rather infift
upon his teflimony, becaufe of his eminent efteem
and authority in the Latin church •, and he alfo calls
*' the elements of the facrament the figure and fign
*' of Christ's body and blood.'' In his book a-
gainfl Adamantus the Manichee we have this ex-
prefTion, " (z) Our Lord did not doubt to fay, this
*' is my body, when he gave the fign of his bo-
*' dy. " And in his explication of the third Pfalm,
fpeaking of Judas whom our Lord admitted to
his laft fupper, " in which (fays he) (a) he com-
" mended and delivered to his difciples the figure
*' of his body \ " language which would nov/ be
cenfur'd for herefy in the church of Rome. Indeed
he was never accufed of herefy, as cardinal Perron
fays Origen was, but he talks as hke one as Origen
himfelf. And in his comment on the 98th Pfalm,
fpeaking of the offence which the difciples took at
that faying of our Saviour, " Except ye eat the
*' flefh of the Son of man and drink his blood,
*' Cs?^." he brings in our Saviour fpeaking thus
to them, (b) " Ye mufl underftand fpiritually, what
*' I have faid unto you ; you are not to eat this body
" which you fee, and to drink that blood which
*' fliall be ihed by thofe that fhall crucify me. I
(z) Aug. Tom. 6. p. 1S7. Edit. Bafi!. 1596. (.1) Enarrat.
in Pial. Tcm. 8. p. 16. (b) id. Tom. 9. p. 1105.
have
ii.
TrafifuhJlantiatiGn, 2 1 c
" have commended a certain facrament to you,SERM.
which being fpirtually underflood will give you ^^^^•
hfe. " What more oppofite to the dodlrine of "^
Tranfubftantiation, than that the difciples were not
to eat that body of Christ which they iaw, nor to
drink that blood which was fhed upon the crofs, but
all this was to be underflood fpiritually and accord-
ing to the nature of a facrament p for that body he
tells us is net here but in heaven, in his comment
upon thefe words, " Me ye have not always, (c) He
" fpeaks (fays he) of the prefence of his body : ye
*' fhall have me according to my providence, ac-
^' cording to m.ajelly and invifible grace : but
" according to the flefh which the word aflumed,
*^' according to that which was born of the viro-in
*' Mary, ye (liall not have me : therefore bccaufe he
*' converfed with his difciples forty days, he is af-
*' cended up into heaven, and is not here.'*
In his 23d epiflle; (d) " l^ the facrament (fav^s
" he) had not fome refemblance of thofe things
" whereof they are facraments, they would not be
" facraments at all : but from this refemblance they
*' take for the mioil part the names of the things
" which they reprefent. Therefore as the facra-
" ment of the body of Christ is in fome man-
" ner or fenfe Christ's body, and the facrament
*' of his blood is the blood of Christ ; fo the fa-
*' crament of faith (meaning baptifm) is faith.'^ Up-
on which words of St. Aaftin, there is this remark-
able glofs in their own canon lav/, *' (e) The hea-
" venly facrament which truly r!'r''efents the fiefh
'' of Christ is called the body Christ; but
(c) Id. Traa. 50. in Joan, (d) li. 7cm z. p. 93. (e) De
Ccnfccrat. diil: 2. Hoc elt. '' iilipro-
2i6 A dlfcowfe againji
SERM. " improperly: whence it is fliid, that after a rriarii
" ner, but not according to the truth of the thing,
*' but the myftery of the thing fignified ; fo that
" the meaning is, it is called the body of Christ,
" that is, it fignifies the body of Christ." And
if this be St. Auftin's meaning, I am fure no Pro-
teftant can fpeak more plainly againfl Tranfubflan-
tiation. And in the ancient canon of the mafs, be-
fore it was changed in compliance v/ith this new
dodlfine, it is exprefly called " a facrament, a fign,
*' an image and a figure of Ch^rist's body. " To
which I will add that remarkable paffage of St. Au-
liin cited by (Q Gratian, '' That as we receive the
" fimilitude of his death in baptifm, fo we may alfo
*' receive the likenefs of his fleih and blood ; that
*' fo neither may truth be wanting in the facrament,
*' nor pagans have occafion to make us ridiculous for
" drinking the blood of one that was flain. "
I will mention but one teftimony more of this fa-
ther, but fo clear a one as it is impoflible any m.an
in his wits that had believed Tranfubftantiation
could have utter'd. It is in his treatife (g) de doc-
irina chrtftiayia ; where laying down feveral rules
for the right underftanding of fcripture, he gives
this for one. " If (fays he) the fpeech be a precept
*' forbidding Ibme heinous wickednefs or crime, or
*' commanding us to do good, it is not figurative-,
*' but if it feem to command any heinous wicked-
*' nefs or crime, or to forbid that which is profita-
*' ble or beneficial to others, it is figurative. For
*' example, except ye eat the flelh of the Son of
(f) De Confecrat. dill. 2. Scd. Uuum. (g) Lib. <;. Tom.
3. P- 53-
« mari
^ranfuhpantiatkn 217
** man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you : S E R M.
" this feems to command a heinous wickednefs and
*' crime, therefore it is a figure ; commanding us to
'' communicate of the paflion of our Lord, and
" with delight and advantage to lay up in our me-
'' mory that his flefh was crucified and wounded for
*• us.** So that, according to St. Auflin's befl skill
in interpreting fcripture, the literal eating of the flefh
of Christ and drinking his blood would have been
a great impiety j and therefore the exprefilon is to be
underftood figuratively : not as cardinal Perrcn wou'd
have it, only in oppofition to the eating of his flefh
and blood in the grofs appearance of fleih and blood,
but to the real eating of his natural body and blood
under any appearance whatfocver : for St. Auflin
doth not fay, this is a figurative fpeech wherein we
are commanded really to feed upon the natural body
and blood of Christ under the fpecies of bread and
wine, as the cardinal would underfcand himj for
then the Ipeech would be literal and rot figurative:
but he fays, this is a figurative fpeech wherein we are
commanded fpiritually to feed upon the remembrance
of his pafllon.
To thefe I will add but tht-ee or four tedimonies
more in the two following ages.
The firll fliall be of Theodoret, who fpeaking of
that Qf) prophecy of Jacob concerning our Saviour,
" he v/afhed his garments in wine, and his clothes
" in the blood of grapes," hath thefe words, " (/') as
" we call the myftical fruit of the vine (that is, the
" wine in the facrament) after confecration the blood
•' of the Lord, fo he (viz. Jacob) calls the blood of
(/?>) Gen xlix. ii. (7) Dialog, i.
Vol. IL E« " the
4. .
XWl
2i8 ji difcourfe againfi
SERM. " the true vine (viz. of Christ) the blood of the
'' grape:" but the blood of Christ is not hterally
and properly but only figuratively the blood of the
grape, in the fame fenfe as he is faid to be the true
vine j and therefore the wine in the facrament after
confecration is in like manner not literally and pro-
perly but figuratively the blood of Christ. And
he explains this afcerv^ards, faying, " that our Sa-
" viouR changed the names, and gave to his body
" the name of the fymbol or fign, and to that fym-
" bol or fign the name of his body; thus when he
" had cali'd himfelf the vine, he call'd the fymbol
" or fign his blood j" fo that in the fame fenfe that
he call'd himlelf the vine, he call'd the wine, which
is the fymbol of his blood, his blood : "For, fays
*' he, he would have thofc who partake of the di-
*' vine myfteries not to atte.id to the nature of the
*' things which are feen, but by the change of names
*' to believe the change which is made by grace ; for
^' he v/ho caird that which by nature is a body, wheat
" and bread, and again likewife call'd him^felf the
*' vine, he honoured the fymbols with the name of
" his body and blood ; not changing nature, but ad-
*' ding grace to nature." Where you fee he fays
expreily, that when he call'd the fymbols or elements
of the facrament, viz. bread and wine, his body and
blood, he made no change in the nature of the things,
only added grace to nature, that is, by the divine
grace and blefling he raifed them to a fpiritual and fu-
pernatural virtue and efficacy.
The fecond is of the fame Theodore t, in his fecond
dialogue between a catholick under the name of Or-
Uiodoxus, and an heretick under the name of Era-
nifless
T^ranfuhjlantlation 2 1 9
niftes; who maintaining that the humanity o^^^.,^-^,^*
Christ was chang'd into the iubftance of the di-
vinity (which was the herefy of Eutyches) he illu-
ftrates the matter by this fimihtudc. " As, fays he,
" the fymbols of the Lord's body and blood are one
" thing before the invocation of the pried, but after
*' the invocation are changed and become another
*' thing ; fo the body of our Lo rd after his afcenfion
*' is changed into the divine fabftance." Bat v/hat
fays the cathohck Oithodoxus to this ? why, he talks
jufl like one of cardinal Perron's hereticks : " Thou
*« art, fays he, caught in thine own net ; becaufe the
" myftical fymbols after confecration do not pafs out
« of their own nature : for they remain in their for-
" mer fubfiance, figure and appearance, and may be
« {^^xi and handled even as before.*' He does not
only deny the outward figure and appearance of the
fymbols to be chang'd, but the nature and fubfiance
of them, even in the proper and flricteft fenfe or the
word fubftance ; and it was 'neceffary fo to do, other-
wife he had not given a pertinent anfwer to the fimi-
litudc urg'd againft him.
The next is one of their own popes, Gelafius, who
brings the fame inftance againft the Eutychians;
« {k) Surely, fays he, the facraments which we re-
*^ ceive of the body and blood of our Lord are a
" divine thing, fo that by them we are made paita-
" kers of a divine nature, and yet it ceafeth not to
« be the fubftance or nature of bread and v/ine ; and
«< certainly the image and refemblance of Christ's
*' body and blood are celebrated in the adlion of the
♦' myfterics," that is, in the facrament. To make
(yj) Bibiioth. Patr. Tocn 4.
E e 2 ' this
22(3 A difcourfe agalnfi
SERM. this indaace of any force againd the Eutychlans,
' ,who held that the body of Christ upon his afccn-
fion ceased, and was chang'd into the fubftance of
his divini y, it was necefTary to deny that there was
any fubtlantial change in the facrament of bread
and wine into the body and blood of Ch rist. So
that here is an infallible authority, one of their own
popes, expredy againft Tranfubftantiation.
The lafl: tedimony I fhall produce is of Facundus
an African bifliop, who lived in the 6th century.
Upon occafion of judifying an expreflion of one who
had laid, '' that Christ alfo received the adoption
** of fons," he reafons thus. " (/) Christ vouch-
** fafed to receive th,e facrament of adoption both
" when he was circumcifed and baptifcd : and the
" facrament of adoption may be called adoption,
'' as the facrament of his body and blood, which is
"in the confecrated bread and cup, is by us called
" his body and blood : not that the bread (fays he)
*' is properly his body and the cup his blood, but
*' becajfe they contam in them the myfteries of his
*' body ana cicod; hence alfo our Lord himfelf
*^ called the bleffed bread and cup which he gave to
" his difciples hiS boa^ and blood." Can any man
after this believe, that ic was then, and had ever
been, the univerfal and received dodrine of the chri-
ftian church, tiiut t'le bread and wine in the facra-
ment are fubflantially changed into the proper and na-
tural body and blood of Christ?
By ^Ci\\i'[<i plain teftimonies which I have produced,
and I might have brought a great many more to the
fame purpofe, it is 1 think evident beyond all denial,
^) facund. p. 144. edit. Parif. 1676.
that
Tranftibllantlation 221
that Tranfiibftantiatlon hath not been the perpetual SERiVf.
behef of the chriftian church. And this likewile is , ^'^ ^ ^'
acknowledged by many great and learned men of
the Roman church, (jii) Scotus acknov/ledgcth that
this doctrine was not always thought neceffary to be
believed, but that the necelTity of beheving it was
confequent to that declaration of the church made
in the council of Lateran under pope Innocent III.
And {n) Darandus freely difcovers his inclination " to
*' have believed the contrary, if the church had not
" by that determination obliged men to believe it.'*
{q) Tonftal biihop of Durham alfo yields " that bc-
*' fgre the Lateran council men were at liberty as to
" the manner of Christ's prefence in the facra-
" ment." And {f) Erafmus, who lived and ^\^6. \\\
the commiUnion of the Roman church, and thaa
whom no man was better read in the ancient fathers,
doth confefs, '' that it was late before the church de-
" fined Tranfubftantiation, unknown to the ancients
" both name and thing." And (^) Alphonfus a Ca-
flro fays plainly, " that concerning the Tranfubfban-
" tiation of the bread into the body of Christ,
" there is feldom any mention in the ancient wri-
" ters." And who can imagine that thefe learned
men would have granted the ancient church and fa-
thers to have been fo much ftrangers to this doctrine,
had they thought it to have been the perpetual belief
of the church ? I fhall now in the
Second place, give an account of the particular
time and occafion of the coming in of this do6lrine,
{m) In Send. 4. dift. ii. q. 3. («) In Sent. 1. 4. diil. 11.
c. 1. n. 15. (o) De Eachar. 1. i. p. 146. {p) In i Epill. ad
Corinth, c. 7. citante etiam Salmerone, Tom. 9. Tra<5t. 16.
p. u)8. {q) De iisref. i. 8.
and
222 A dijcourje againji
SERM. and by what (Icps and degrees it grew up and was
^ 1j advanced into an article of faidi in the Romifh
church. The dodlrine of the corporeal prefenceof
Christ was firfl ftartcd upon occafion of the diA
pute about the worflilp of images, in oppofition
whereto the fynod of Conftantinople about the year
750 did argae thus, That our Lord having left us
no other image of himfeJf but the facrament, in
which the fubllance of bread is th^ image of his bo-
dy, we ought to make no other image of our Lord.
In anfwer to this argument the feccnd Council of
Nice, in the year 7S7, did declare, " that the facra-»
'^ ment after confecration is not the image and anti-
*' type of Christ's body and blood, but is proper-
" ly his body and blood." So that the corporeal pre-
fenceof the body of Christ in the facrament, was
firft brotight in to fupport the fiupid worfliip of
images : and indeed it could never have come in upon
a more proper occafion, nor have been applied to a
fitter purpofe.
And here I cannot but take notice how well this
agrees with (r) Bellarmine's obfervation, " that none
«« of the ancients who wrote of herefies, hath put
" this error (viz. of denying Tranfubllantiadon) in his
*' catalogue; nor did any of the ancients difpute
*' againft this error for tlie firfl 600 years." Which
is very true, becaufc there could be no occafion then
to difpute againft thofewho denied Tranfubflantia-
tion, fince, as I have Hiewn, this do6lrine was not
in being, unlefs among the Eutychian Hereticks, for
the firft 600 years and more. But (i) Bellarmine
goes on and tells us, " that die firft who call'd in
(r) Dc Eucharill. 1. 1. c. \, [i\ Ibid.
queftion
c(
Tranfuhjianfiation. 223
•* queftion the truth of the body of the Lord in S E R M;
" the eucharift were the ICONOMACHI (the op- ^^^^'
** pofers of images) after the year 700, in the coun-
*' cil of Conftantinople ; for thefe faid there was
*' one image of Christ inftituted by Christ him-
" felf, viz. the bread and wine in the eucharift,
" which reprefents the body and blood of Christ :
** wherefore from that time the Greek writers of-
" ten admoniih us that the eucharift is not the fi-
" gurc or image of the body of the Lord, but
•' his true body, as appears from the feventh Syxaod ;"
which agrees moft exadly with the account which 1
have given of the firft rife of this dodrine, which be-
gan with the corporeal prefence of Christ in the
facrament, and afterwards proceeded to Tranfubflan-
tiation.
And as this was the firft occafion of introducing
this doftrine among the Greeks, fo in the Latin or
Roman church Pafcafius Radbertus, firft a monk,
and afterwards abbot of Corbey, was the firft
broacher of it, in the year 818.
And for this, befides the evidence of hiftory, wc
have the acknowledgment of two very eminent pcr-
fons in the church v.f Rome, Bellarmine and Sir-
mondus, who do in effed confefs that this Pafca-
fius was the firft who wrote to purpole upon this
argument, (t) Bellarmine in thefe words, " This
" author was the firft who hath ferioully and copi-
" oufly written concerning the truth of Christ's
" body and blood in the eucharift : " and (u) Sir-
mondus in thefe, " He fo firft explained the genu-
*' ine fenfe of the catholick church, that he opened
(t) De Scriptor. Ecclef. (u) In vita Parcalli.
« th€
2 24 A difcourfe againji
S E R M. « the way to the refl, who afterwards in great nuni-
*; " bers wrote upon the fame argument : " but though
Sirmondus is pleafed to fay that he only firft explain*
ed the kx\{t of the cathohck church in this point,
yet it is very plain from the records of that age
which arc left to us, that this was the firft time that
this doctrine was broached in the Latin church ;
and it met with great oppofition in that age, as I
fliall have occafion hereafter to Ihevv. For Rabanus
Maurus archbifhop of Mentz, about the year 847,
reciting the very words of Pafcafius wherein he
had delivered this doflrinc, hath this remarkable
pafTage concerning the novelty of itj " (x) Some,
'' fays he, of late, not having a right opinion con-
" cerning the facrament of the body and blood of
*' our Lord, have faid that this is the body and
*' blood of our Lord, which v/as born of the vir-
*' gin Mary, and in which our Lord fuffered up-
'' on ^t crofs, and rofe from the dead ; which er-
*' ror, fays he, we have oppos'd with all our might.'*
From whence it is plain, by the teftimony of one
of the greateft and moil learned bilhops of that age,
and of eminent reputation for piety, that what is
now the very dodlrine of the church of Rome con-
cerning the facrament, was then efleem'd an error
broach'd by fome particular perfons, but was far
from being the generally receiv'd dodlrine of that
age. Can any one think it polTible, that fo emi-
nent a perfon in the church both for piety and learn-
ing, could have condemn'd this dodtrine as an error
and a novelty, had it been the general dodlrine of
the chriflian church, not only in that but in all
(x) Epifl. ad Heribaldum, c. 33.
former
Tranfuhjlantlation. 225
former ages; and no cenfure pafs'd ur^on him for SFRM.
that which is now the great burning article in the
church of Rome, and elleemed by them one of the
greateft and mod pernicious herefies ?
Afterwards in the year 1059, when Berengarius
in France and Germany had rais'd a frefh oppofi-
tion againft this dodtrine, he was ccmpeli'd to re-
cant it by pope Nicholas and the council at Rome, in
thefe words, ''. (y) That the bread and wine which
" are fet upon the altar, after the confecration are
*' not only the facrament, but the true body and
" blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; and are
" fenfibly, not only in the facrament, but in truth,
" handled and broken by the hands of the pricft, and
" ground or bruifed by the teeth of the faithful. '*
But it feeems the pope and his council were not then
skilful enough to exprefs themfelves rightly in this
matter ; for the glofs upon the car on law fays ex-
prefly' ^' (z) That unlefs we underftand theie words
" of BERENGARIUS ('that is in truth of the
" pope and his council) in a found fenfe, we fliall
*' fall into a greater herefy than that of BEREN-
" GARIUS ; for we do not make parts of the body
*' of ChPvIst." The meaning of which glofs I
cannot imagine, unlefs it be this, that the body of
Christ, though it be in truth broken, yet it is
not broken into parts, (for we do not miakc parts of
the body of Christ) but into wholes: now this
new way of breaking a body, not into parts but in-
(y) Gratian de Confecrat. dlftln^l. 2. L.infranc. de cwp. &:
fang. Domini, c. 5. Guil. Mund. de facram. Algar. ue frcram.
1. I. c 19. (z) Glof. Decree, de conrecrat. dilt. 2, in cap.
Ego Berengarius.
Vo L. II. F f to
5-
226 A difcourfe againjl
SERM. to wholes, (which in good earneil is the doflrine of
the church of Rome) though to them that are able
to believe Tranfubftantiation, it may for any thing
1 know appear to be found fenfe, yet to us that can-
not believe fo, it appears to be folid nonfenfe.
About twenty years after, in the year 1079,
pope Gregory VJI. began to be fenfible ol this ab-
furdity ; and therefore in another council at Rome
made Berengarius to recant in another form, viz.
" (a) That the bread and wine which are placed
" upon the altar, are fubftantially changed into the
*' true and proper and quickning flefh and blood of
" our Lord Jesus Christ, and after confecra-
" tion are the true body of Christ, which was
«' born of the virgin, and which being offered for the
*' falvation of the world did hang upon the crofi,
*' and fits at the right hand of the Father.'*
So that from the firfl ftarting of this dodrfne in
the fecond council of Nice in the year 787, 'till the
council under pope Gregory VII. in the year 1079,
it was almoil three hundred years that this doctrine
was contefted, and before this miihapen monfier of
Tranfubftantiation could be lick'd into that form in
which it is now fetded and eftablifh'd in the church
of Rome. Here dien is a plain account of the firft
rife of this doclrine, and of x}i\z feveral fceps where-
by it v/as advanced by the church of Rome into
an article of the faith. I come now in tiie
Third place, to anfvver the great pretended de-
monflration of the impoffibihty that this do6lrine,
if it had been new, fhould ever have come in, in
any age, and been received in the church ; and
(a) Waldtnf. Tom. 2. c. 13.
confc-
Tranfubjlantiation, 22 j
confequently it mufl of necefTity have been the per- S E R Af .
petual belief of the church in all ages : for if it had ^'^^^*
not always been the docflrine of the church, when-
ever it had attempted firil to come in, there would
have been a great fiir and buflle about it, and
the whole chriftian world would have rofe up in op-
pofition to it. But v/e can fhcw no fuch time when
it firft came in, and when any fuch oppofition was
made to it, and therefore it v/as always the dodlrine
of the church. This demonilration monfieur Ar-
nauld, a very learned man in France, pretends to be
unanfwerable : whether it be fo or not, I fliall brief-
ly examine. And,
Firft, we do alTign a pundlual and very likely
time of the firft rife of this dodlrine, about the be-
ginning of the ninth age ; though it did not take
firm root, nor was fully fettled and eilablifti'd till
towards the end of the eleventh. And this was the
moft likely time of all other, from the beginning
of chriftianity, for fo grofs an error to appear; it
being, by the confeftion and confent of their own
hiftorians, the moft dark and difmal time that ever
happened to the chriftian church, both for igno-
rance, and fuperftition, and vice. It came in toge-
ther with idolatry, and v/as made uie of to fupport
it : a fit prop and companion for it. And indeed
what tares' might not the enemy have fown in kt
dark and long a night ; when fo confiderable a pare
of the chriftian world was lull'd aP.eep in profound-
ignorance and fuperftition ? and this agrees very well
with the account which our Saviour himfelf gives
in the parable of the tares, of the fpringing up of
' errors and corruptions in the field of the church.
F f 2 (b) While
XX VI.
2zS j1 Difcourfe cgainjl
S E R ^T. (b) While the men fiept the enemy did his work in
the night, {o that when they were awake they won-
dred how and v hence the tares came \ but being
fure they were there, and that they were not fov/n
at firfl, they concluded the enemy had done it.
Secondly, I have fhewn hkev/ife that there was
confiderable oppofition made co this error at its firft
coming in. The general ignorance and grofs fuper-
fiition of that age rendred the generality of people
more quiet and fecure, and difpofed them to re-
ceive any thing that came under a pretence of my-
fiery in religion, and of a greater reverence and devo-
tion to the iacrament, and that feemed any way to
countenance the worlhip of images, for which at
that time they were zealouHy concern'd. But not-
withftanding the fecurity and pafTive temper of the
people, and men moft eminent for piety and learn-
ing in that time made great refiilance again fl it. I
have already named Rabanus archbilhop ofMentz,
who oppos'd it as an error lately fprung up, and
which had then gained but upon fome few perfons.
To whom I may add Heribaldus bifhop of Auxer-
res in France, Jo. Scotus, Erigena, and Ratramus,
commonly known by the name of Bertram, who at
the fame time were employed by the emperor Charles
the bald to oppofe this growing error, and wrote
learnedly againft it. And thefe were the eminent
men for learning in that time. And becaufe mon-
fieur Arnauld will not be fatisfied unlefs there were
lome ftir and buflle about it, Bertram in his pre-
face to his book tells us, " that they who accord-
'' ing to their feveral opinions talked differently a-
(b) Matth. xiii. 14.
^ « bout
n!ranfnhJlantiation. 229
" bout the myflery of Christ's body and blood SERM.
« were divided by no rn:iall fchifm." ^^^'^•
Thirdly, though for a more clear and fatisfac-
tory anfwer to this pretended demonflration I have
been contented to unty this knot, yet I could with-
out all thefe pains have cut it. For fuppofe this
dodlrinc had filently corns in and without oppofiti-
on, 'fothat we could not aiTign the particular time
and occafion of its firft rife ; yet if it be evident
from the records of former ages, for above 500 years
together, that this was not the ancient belief of x!i\^
church ; and plain alfo, that this do6lrine was af-
terwards received in the Roman church, though v/c
could not tell how and when it came in, yet it
would be the wildefl and moft extravagant thing m.
the world to {itt up a pretended demonflration of
reafon againil plain experience and matter of fa6t.
This isjuft Zeno's demonftraticn of the impofTibihty
of motion againil Diogenes walking before his eyes.
For this is to undertake to prove that impofTible to
have been, which moft certainly was. Juft thus the
fervants m the parable might have demonftrated that
the tares were wheat, becaufe they were fure none
but good feed was fown at firft, and no man could
give any account of the punflual time when any
tares were fown, or by whom : and if an enemy
had come to do it, he muft needs have met with
great refiftance and oppoiition ; but no fuch re-
fiftance was made, and therefore there could be no
tares in the field, but that which they called tares
was certainly good wheat. At the fame rate a man
might dcmonftrate that our king, his majefty of
Great Britain, is not return'd into England, nor re-
ftor'd
XXVI.
230 A difcourfe agaiiijl
SE^RM. ftor*d to his crown j becaufe there being fo great
and powerful an army pofTefs'd of his lands, and
therefore obliged by intercft to keep him out, it
was impofTible he Ihould ever come in without a
great deal of fighting and bloodfhed : but there was
no fuch thing, therefore he is not returned and re-
itor'd to his crown. And by the like kind of de-
monflration one might prove that the turk did not
invade chriftendom lail year, and befiege Vienna ;
becaufe if he had, the mod chriftian king, who had
the greateft army in chriftendom in a readinefs^
would certainly have employed it againfl him ; but
monfieur Arnauld certainly knows no fuch thing was
done : and therefore according to his way of de-
monftration, the matter of fad, fo commonly re-
ported and believed, concerning the turk's invafion
of chriftendom and befieging Vienna laft year, was
a perfe6t miftake. But a man may demonftrate till
his head and heart ake, before he ihall ever be able
to prove that which certainly is, or was, never to
have been. For of all forts of impofTibles nothing
is more evidendy fo, than to make that which hath
been not to have been. All the reafon in the world
is too weak to cope with fo tough and obftinate a
difficulty. And I have often wonder'd how a man
of monfieur Arnauld's great wit and iharp judg-
ment could prevail with himfelf to engage in fo bad
and baffled a caufe ; or could think to defend it with
fo wooden a dagger as his demonftration of reafon
againft certain experience and matter of fad : a
thing, if it be pofTiblc, of equal abfurdity with what
he pretends to demonftrate, Tranfubftantiation it
felf. I proceed to the
Third
TrafifiihJIantiafton, 23 1
Third pretended ground of this dodrine of Tran- S E R Ai.
fubftantiationj and that is, the infallible authority of ^'
the prefcnt church to make and declare new articles
of faith. And this in truth is the ground into
which the moil of the learned men of the church did
heretofore, and many do flill refolve their belief of
this do6lrine: and, as I have already fhewn, do
plainly fay that they fee no fufficicnt realbn, either
from fcripture or tradition, for the belief of it: and
that they Ihouid have believed the contrary, had not
the determination of the church obliged them other-
wife.'
But if this dodlrine be obtruded upon the world
merely by virtue of the authority of the Roman
church, and the declaration of the council under pope
Gregory VII. or of the Lateran council under Inno-
cent III. then it is a plain innovation in the chriftian
doflrine, and a new article of faith impos'd upon the
chriftian world. And if any church hath this power,
the chriftian faith may be enlarged and changed as
often as men pleafe *, and that which is no part of
our Saviour's dodlrine, nay, any thing, though
never fo abfurd and unreafonable, may become an
article of faith obliging all chriftians to the belief of
it, whenever the church of Rome fhall think fit to
ftamp her authority upon it : which would make chri-
ftianity a moft uncertain and endlefs thing.
The fourth pretended ground of this dodlrine is,
the necefiity of fuch a change as this in the facra-
ment, to the comfort and benefit of thofe who receive
it. But there is no colour for this, if the thing be
rightly confider'd : becaufe the comfort and benefit
of the facrament depends upon the bleiTing annexed
to
XXVI,
232 A difcoiirfe cgainfl
SERM. to the inftitutlon. And as water in baptifm, with-
out any fubflantial change made in that element, may,
by the divine bleffing accompanying the inftitution,
be effecflual to the wafhing away of fin, and fpiritual
regeneration ; fo there can no reafon in the world be
given why tlie elements of bread and wine in the
Lord's fupper may nor, by the fame divine blefTing
accompanying this inflitution, make the worthy re-
ceivers partakers of ail the fpiritual comfort and be-
nefit defigncd to us thereby, without any fubflantial
change made in thofe elements, fince our Lord
hath told us, that *' verily the flefh profiteth nothing."
So that if we could do fo odd and ftrange a thing
as to eat the very natural flefli and drink the blood
of our Lord, I do not fee of what greater advan-
tage it would be to us, than what we may have by par-
taking of the fymbols of his body and blood as he
hath appointed " in remembrance of him." For the
fpiritual efficacy of the facrament doth not depend
upon the nature of the thing received, fuppofing we
receive what our Lord appointed, and receive it
with a right preparation and difpofition of mind, but
upon the fupernatural blefling that goes along with it,
and makes it efi^eftual to thofe fpiritual ends for which
it was appointed.
The fifth and lafl pretended ground of this doc-
trine is, to magnify the power of the prieft in being
able to work fo great a miracle. And this with
great pride and pomp is often urg'd by them as a
tranfccndent inftance of the divine wifdom, to find
out fo admirable a way to raife x\\q power and reve-
rence of the prieft; that he fhould be able every day,
and as often as he pleafcs^ by repeating a few words
to
Tranfubjlantiaticn. 233
to work fo miraculous a change, and (as they love SERM.
moft abfurdly and blafphemoufly to fpeak) to make
God himfelf.
Bdt this is to pretend to a power above that of
God himfelf, for he did not, nor cannot make him-
felf, nor do any thing that implies a con tradition, as
Tranfubftantiation evidently does in their pretending
to make God. For to make that which already is,
and make that now which always was, is not only
vain and trifling if it could be done, but impoffible,
becaufe it implies a contradidion.
And what if after all, Tranfubflantiation, if it were
poiTible, and adually wrought by the pried, would
yet be no miracle ? For there are t ,v o things necei^
lary to a miracle, that there be a fjpernatural eifedi:
wrought, and that this efFe^ be evident to fenfe.
So that though a fupernatrrJ elFedl be wrought, yti
if it be not evident to fenfe, it is to all the ends and
purpofes of a miracle as if it were not ; aiid can be
no teftimony or proof of any thing, becaufe itfelf
ftands in need of another miracle to give teftimony
to it, and to prove that it was wrought. And nei-
ther in fcripture, nor in profane authors, nor in
common ufe of fpeech, is any thing call'd a miracle
but what fails under the notice of our fenfes : a mi-
racle being nothing elfe but a fupernatural efFed: evi-
dent to fenfe, the great end and defign whereof is to
be a fenfible oroof and convidlion to us of fomethine
that we do not fee.
And for want of this condition, Tranfubflantia-
tion, if it were true, would be no miracle. It would
be indeed very fupernatural, but for all that it would
not be a fign or miracle : for a fign or miracle is al-
VoL. II. G g ways
5-
234 -^ difcoiirfe again jl
^^^}^' ways a thing fcnfiblc, cthcrwife it could be no fign.
Now that fuch a change as is pretended in Tranlub-
flantiation flioiild really be v/roughr, and yet there
Ihould be no fign and appearance of it, is a thing ^
very wonderful, but not to {t?,{t \ for our fenfes per-
ceive no change, x!^t bread and wine in the facrament
to all our fenfes remaining jufl as they were before :
and that a thing fhould remain to all appearance ju ft
as it \va:, hath nothing at all of wonder in it : we
wonder indeed when wc fee a flrange thing done,
but no man wonders when he fees nothing done. So
that Tranfubftantiation, if they v;ill needs have it a
miracle, is fjch a miracle as any man may v/ork that
hath but the confidence to face men down that he
works it, and. the fortune to be believed : and though
the church of Rome may magaify their priells upon
accLjunu of this miracle, which they fay they can
work every day and every hour, yet I cannot under-
fland th^jreafoncf it; for when this great work (as
they call it) is done, there is nothing mere appears
to be done than if there were no miracle : now fuch
a miracle as to all appearance is no miracle, I fee no
reafon why a protetlant minifter, as well as a popifli
prieft, may not v/ork as often as he pleafes; or if he
can but have the patience to let it alone, it will work
itfelf. For furely nothing in the world is eafier than
to let a thing be as it is, and by fpeaking a few
words over it to make it juft what it was before.
Every man, every day, may work X.ti\ thoufand fuch
miracles.
And thus I have difpatch'd the firil part of my
difcourfe, which Vv^as to confider the pretended grounds
and reafons of the church of Rome for this dodrine,
and
"Tranfiibjiantiation. 2 3 J
and to fhew the wcaknefs arxd infu-ticiency of them. ^^3,!^*
T • 7 XAVl.
1 come m the
Second place, to produce cur obje^lions againft it.
Which will be of fo much the greater force, be-
caufe I have already ^f^m this doclrine to be defli-
tutc of all divine v/arrant and authority, and of any
other fort of ground fufFicient in reafon to juftify it.
So that I do not now objed againfl: a dodrine which
hath a fair probability of divine revelation on its fide,
for that v/ould v/eigh down all objedions, which did
not plainly .overthrow the probability and credit of
its divine revelation •, but I obje(5l againft a do6lrine
by the mere will and tyranny of men impoled upon
the belief of chriftians, without any evidence of
fcripture, and againft all the evidence of reafon and
fenfe.
Thcobjeclions I fnall reduce to thefe two heads.
Firft, the infinite fcandal of this doclrine to the chri-.
ftian religion. And fccondly, the monftrous and in-
fupportable abfardity of it.
Firft, the infinite fcandal of this doctrine to the
chriftian religion. And that upon thefe four accounts:
I. Of the ftupidity of this do6lrine. 2. The real
barbaroufnefs of this facrament and rite of our reli-
gion, upon fjppofition of the truth of this dodnne.
3. Of the cruel and bloody confequences of it. 4. Of
the danger of idolatry ; which they are certainly guil-
ty of, if this doclrine be not true.
I. Upon account of the ftupidity of this doc-
trine. I remember that' TuUy, who was a man
of very good fenfe, inftanceth in the conctit of eat-
ing God as the extremity of madnefif, and fo ftupid
an apprehenfion as he thought no man was ever guilty
G^2 of.
A difcoiirfe againji
of. " {c) When we call (fays he) the fruits of the
" earth Ceres, and wine Bacchus, we ufe but the
" common language ; but do you think any man fo
" mad as to believe that which he eats to be God ?"
It feems he could not believe that fo extravagant a
folly had ever entred into the mind of man. It is a
very fevere faying of Averroes the Arabian philofo-
pher (who lived after this doflrine was entertained
among chriftians) and ought to make the church of
Rome blufh, if fhe can ; " [d) I have traveli'd (fays
" he) over the world, and have found divers fedls ;
" but fo fottifh a fe£t or law I never found, as is the
*' fedl of the chriftians j becaufe with their own teeth
*' they devour their God whom they worfhip.". It
was great ftupidity in the people of Ifrael to fay,
*' Come, let us make us gods;" but it was civilly
" faid of them, " Let us make us gods that may go
" before us," in comparifon of the church of Rome,
who fay, " Let us make a god that we may eat
*' him." So that upon the whole matter I cannot
but wonder that they fhould choofe thus to expofe
faith to the contempt of all that are endued widi
reafon. And to fpeak the plain truth, the chriftian
religion was never fo horribly expofed to the fcorn
of atheifts and infidels, as it hath been by this
moft abfurd and fenfelefs docftrine. But thus it was
foretold " that [e) the man of ^m fhould come with
^' power and figns and lying miracles, and with all
" deceivablenefs of unrighteoufneis," with all the
legerdemain and juggling tricks of falihood and im-
pofture; amongft which this of Tranfubftantiation,
(<r) De nat Deoriim. 1. 3. [d) Dionyf. Cartliuf. in 4. dirt.
10. art. I. {e) z ThefT. ii. lo.
which
Tranfubjfantiation. 237
which they call a miracle, and we a cheat. Is one ^1^^^-
of the chief: and in all probability thofe common
juggling words of bocus pocus^ are nothing elfe but
a corruption of boc eft corpus, by way of ridiculous
imitation of the priefls of the church of Rome in
their trick of Tranfubftantlatlon. Into fuch contempt
by this foolilh dodrine, and pretended miracle of
theirs, have they brought the mod facred and ve-
nerable myftery of our religion.
2. It is very fcandalous likewife upon account of
the real barbaroufnefs of this facrament and rite of
our religion, upon fuppofition of the truth of this
dodrine. " Literally to eat the flefh of the Son of
" Man, and to drink his blood," St. Auftin, as I
have fhewed before, declares to be a great impiety.
And the impiety and barbaroufnefs of the thing is
not in truth extenuated, but only the appearance of
it, by its being done under the fpecies of bread and
wine : for the thing they acknowledge is really done,
and they believe that they verily eat and drink the
natural flelh and blood of Christ. And what can
any man do more unworthily towards his friend ?
How can he pofTibly ufe him more barbarouily, than
to feaft upon his living flefh and blood ? It is one of
the greateft wonders in the world, that it ihould ever
enter into the minds of men to put upon our Sa-
viour's words, fo eafily capable of a more conve-
nient fenfe, and fo necefiarily requiring it, a mean-
ing fo plainly contrary to reafon, and fenfe, and
even to humanity itfelf. Had the ancient chriftian^
owned any fuch dodrine, we fhould have heard it
from the adverfaries of our religion in every page of
their writings 5 and they would have defired no
greater
23 S A difcourfe agaw/i
%Iyi' ^'^^^^^ advantage agamft the chriftianj, than to have
v^^^. been able to hit them in the teeth v/irh their feaflino-
upon the natural flefh and blood of their Lord^
and their God, and their bed friend. What end-
Jefs triumphs would they have made upon this fub-
jedl ? and with what confidence would they have fet
the cruelty ufed by chriffians in their facrament,
againfl their god Saturn's eating his own children,
and all the cruel and bloody rites of their idolatry ?
But that no fuch thing was then objeacd by the hea-
thens to the chriftians, is to a wife man inftead of a
thoufand demonftrations that no fuch dodlrine was
then believed.
3. It is fcandalous alfo upon account of the cruel
and bloody confequences of this docLrine; fo con-
trary to the plain laws of chriflianity, and to one
great end and dt^ign of this facrament, which is to
unite chriftians in t:at moit perfed love and charity
to one another : whereas this doclrine hath been the
occafion of the moll barbarous and bloody tragedies
that ever were a&d in the world. For this^'hath
been in the church of Rome the great burning arti.
cle : and as abfurd and unreafonable as it h^ more
chriftians ha^e been murdered for the denial of it
than perhaps for all tha other articles of their reli-
-gion. And I think it may generally pafs for a true
obfcrvation, that all feds are commonly moft hot
and furious for thofc things for which there is lead
rcafon; for wnat men want of reafon for their opi-
nions, they ufually fjpply and make up in rage. And
it was no more than needed to ufe this fevcrTty upon
this occafion ; for nothing but the cruel fear of death
could in probability have driven fo great a part of
mankind
Tranfukjiantiaticn. 239
mankind into the acknowledgment of fo unreafona- S E R M-
ble and fenleiels a doarine. ^^lil
O blefTcd Saviour ! thoa befc friend and greatefc
lover of mankind, who can imagine thou didft ever
intend that men fhould kill one another for not be-
ing able to believe contrary to their fenfes ; for be-
ing unwilling to think, that thou fhould ft make one
of the moil horrid and barbarous things that can be
imagin'd a main duty and principal myftery of thy
religion 5 for not flattering the pride and prefump-
tion of the prieil who fays he can make God, and
for not complying with the ^Qlly and flupidity of
the people, who are made to believe that tiiey can
eat him ?
4. Upon account of the danger of idolatry ;
which they are certainly guilty of if this dctfcrine he
not true, and fuch a change as they pretend be not
made in the facrament y for if it be not, then they
worihip a creature inftead of the creator, God blef-
fed for ever. But fuch a change I have fhewn to
be impofiible ; or if it could be, yet they can never
be certain that it is, and confcquently are always in
danger of idolatry ;'and that they can never be cer-
tain that fuch a change is m.adc, is evident ; be-
caufe, according to the exprefs determination of the
council of Trent, that depends upon the mind and
intention of the prieft, which cannot certainly be
known but by revelation, which is not pretended
in this cafe. And if they be miftaken in this
change, through the knavery or crofihefs of the
prieft who will not make God but when he thinks
fit, they muft not think to excufe themfelves from
idolatry becaufe they intended to worihip God and
* . not
240 A difcourfe again jl
S E R M. not a creature ; for fo the Perfians might be cxcu-
^^^ fed from idolatry in worfhipping the Sun, becaufe
they intend to vvorfhip God and not a creature \
and fo indeed we may excufe ail the idolatry that
ever was in the world, which is nothing clfe but a
miftakc of the deity, and upon that miftake a wor-
ihipping of fomething as God which is not God.
II. Befides the infinite fcandal of this dodrine
upon the accounts 1 have mentioned, the monftrous
abfurdities of it make it infupportable to any reli-
gion. I am very well aflur'd of the grounds of
religion in general, and of the chriftian religion in
particular \ and yet I cannot fee that the foundati-
ons of any revealed religion, are ftrong enough to
bear the weight of fo many and fo great abfurdities
as this do6trine of Tranfubftantiation would load it
withal. And to make this evident, I fhall not in-
fifl upon thofe grofs contradidions, of the fame body
being in fo many feveral places at once ; of our
Saviour's giving away himfelf with his own hands
to every one of his difciples, and yet ftill keeping
himfelf to himfelf ; and a thoufand more of the like
nature : but to fhew the abfurdity of this dodtrine, I
fhall only ask thefe few queflions.
I. Whether any man have, or ever had, greater
evidence of the truth of any divine revelation than
every man hath of the fallhood of Tranfubftantiation.?
infidelity were hardly pofTible to men, if all men
had the fame evidence for the chriftian religion
which they have againft Tranfubftanriation, that is,
the clear and irrefiftible evidence of {(tv\{^. He that
can once be brought to contradift or deny his fenfes,
is at an end of certainty; for what can a man be
certain
TLranfiihftantiation. 242
certain of* if he be not certain of what he fees ? in S E R M,
XXVI
fome circumftances our fenfes may deceive us, but
no faculty deceives us fo little and fo feldom : and
when our fenfes do deceive us, even that error is not
to be correded without the help of our fenfes.
2. Suppofing this dodrine had been delivered m.
fcripture in the very fame words that it is decreed
in the council of Trent, by what clearer evidence or
llronger argument could any man prove to me that
fuch words were in the bible, than I can prove to
him that bread and wine after confecration are bread
and wine flill ? he could but appeal to my eyes to
prove fuch words to be in the bible^ and wich the
fame reafon and jullice might I appeal to feveral
of his fenfes to prove to him that the bread and wine
after confecration are bread and wine ftill.
3. Whether it be reafonable to imagine, that God
fhould make that a part of the chriflian religion which
Jhakes the main external evidence and confirmation
of the whole ? I mean the miracles which were
wrought by our Saviour and his apoftles, the af-
furance whereof did at firft depend upon the cer-
tainty of fenfe. For if the fenfes of thofe vsi\\o fay
they faw them were deceived, then there might be nd
miracles wrought -, and confequently it may juflly
be doubted whether that kind of confirmation which
God hath given to the chrift.'an religion would be
ftrong enough to prove itj fuppofing Tranfubllan-
tiation to be a part of it : becaufe every man hath as
great evidence that Tranfubftantiation is falfe, as he
hath that the chriflian religion is true. Suppofe then
Tranfubftantiation to be part of the chriilian doc-
trine, it mud have the fame confirmation with the
Vol. II. H h whole,
5'
XXVI.
242 -^ difcourfe againjl
S E R M. whole, and that is miracles : but of all dodrines in
the world it is peculiarly incapable of being proved
by a miracle. For if a miracle were wrought for
the proof of it, the very fame aflurance which any
man hath of the truth of the miracle, he hath of
the falihood of the dodtrine, that is the clear evi-
dence of his fenfes. For that there is a miracle
wrought to prove, " that what he fees in the facra-
*' ment is not bread but the body of Christ,"'
there is only the evidence of fenfe \ and there is the
very fame evidence to prove, " that what he fees in
" the facrament is not the body of Christ but
*' bread." So that here would arife a new contro-
verfy, whether a man fhould rather believe his fenfes
giving teflimony againfl the dodlrine of Tranfub-
ftantiation, or bearing witnels to a miracle wrought
to confirm that do6lrine ; there being the very fame
evidence againfl the truth of the dodrine, which
there is for the truth of the miracle : and then the
argument for Tranfubflantiation, and the objedion
againfl it, would jufl balance one another ; and con-
fequently Tranfubflantiation is not to be proved by
a miracle, becaufe that would be, to prove to a man
by fomething that he iz^%^ that he doth not fee what
he fees. And if there were no other evidence that
Tranfubftantiation is no part of the chriflian doc-
trine, this would be fufiicient, that what proves the
one doth as much overthrow the other ; and that
miracles which are certainly the bell and highefl ex-
ternal proof of chriflianity, are the worft proof in
the world of Tranfubflantiation, unlefs a man can
renounce his fenfes at the fame time that he relies
upon them. For a man cannot believe a miracle
without
Tranfubflantiation. 243
without relying upon fenfe, nor Tranfubftantiation SE^RM-
witliout renouncing it. So that never were any two ,^,^--,
things fo ill coupled together as the doftnne ot
chriftianity and that of Tranfubftantiation, becaufe
they .draw feveral ways, and arc ready to flrangle
one another : for the main evidence of the chnftian
dodtrine, which is miracles, is refolvcd into the cer-
tainty of fenle, but this evidence is clear and point-
blank againft Tranfubftantiation.
4. And laftly, I would ask what we are to think
of the argument which our Saviour ufed to con-
vince his difciples after his refurreftion that his
body was really rifen, and that they were not delu-
ded by a ghoft or apparition ? Is it a neceflary and
conclufive argument or not? (f) " And he faidif) Uke
*' unto them, why are ye troubled? and why do,'^/^
<■' thoughts arifein your hearts? behold my hands
^' and my feet, that it is I my felf ; for a fpirit
« hath not flefti and bones, as ye fee me have. "
But now if we fuppofe with the church of Rome the
doftrine of Tranfubftantiation to be true, and that
he hsd inftrufted his difciples in it juft before his
death, ftrange thoughts might juftly have nfen m
their hearts, and they might have faid to him;
Lord, it is but a few days ago fmce thou didft
teach us not to believe our fenfes, but direftly con-
trary to what we faw, viz. that the bread which thou
gaveft us in the facrament, though we faw and
handled it, and tafted it to be bread, yet was not
bread, but thine own natural body ; and now thou
apnealeft to our fenfes to prove that this is thy body
whkh we now fee. If feeing and handling be an
unqueftionable evidence that things are what they
; H h 2 appear
244 -^ difcourfe againfi
SERM. appear to our fenfes, then we were deceived before
in the facrament ; and if they be not, then we are
not fure now that this is thy body which we now
lee and handle, but it may be perhaps bread under
the appearance of flefh and bones \ jufb as in the fa-
crament, that which we faw and handled, and tailed
to be bread, was thy flefh and bones under the form
and appearance of bread. Now upon this fuppofi-
tion it would have been a hard matter to have quiet-
ed the thoughts of his difcip^es : For if the argu-
ment which our Saviour ufed did certainly prove
to them, that what they faw and handled was his
body, his very natural flefh and bones, becaufe they
faw and handled them, (which it were impious to
deny) it vould as flrongly prove, that what they faw
and received before in the facrament was not the na-
tural body and blood of Christ, but real bread
and wine : and confequcndy, that according to our
Saviour's arguing after his refurredlion they had
no reafon to believe Tranfubftantiation before. For
that very argument by which our Saviour proves
the reality of his body after his relurredion doth as
Itrongly prove the reality of bread and wine after
confecration. But our Saviour's argument was
mofh infallibly good and true, and therefore the
dotlrine of TranilibfLantiation is undoubtedly falfe.
Upon the whole matter I fliall only fay this, that
fome other Points between us and the church of
Rome are managed by fome kind oi wit and fub-
tilty, but this of Tranfubftantiation is carried out
by mere dint of impudence and facing down of man-
kind.
An4
^ranfubftantlatlon. 245
And of this the more difcerning perfons of thatSERM.
church are of Jate grown fo fenfible that they would, *
now be glad to be rid of this odious and ridiculous
do6lrine. But the council of Trent hath rivetted
it fo faft into their religion, and made it fo neceA
lary and efTential a point of their belief, that they
cannot now part with it if they would ; it is like a
milftone huxng about the neck of popery, which
will fink it at the lafl. y,
And though fome of their greatefl wits, as cardi-
nal Perron, and of late monfieur Arnauld, have
undertaken the defence of it in great volumes ; yec
it is an abfurdity of that monltrous and mafly weight,
that no human authority or wit is able to fupport
it. It will make the very pillars of St. Peter's crack,
ar i -equires more volumes to make it good than
woulC fill the Vatican.
Ar£ now / wTJuld apply my felf to the poor de-
luded people of that church, if they were either per-
mitted by their priefts, or durft venture without
their leave, to look into their religion and to exa-
mine the dodlrines of it, Confider, and fhew your
felves men. Do not fuffcr your felves any longer to
be led blindfold, and by an implicit faith in your
priefts, into the belief of nonfenfe and contradidion.^
Think it enough and too much to let them rook
you out of your money for pretended pardons and
counterfeit relicks, but let not the authority of any
prieft or church perfuade you out of your fenfes.
Credulity is certainly a fault as well as infidelity :
and he who faid, " Blefied are they that have not
*' feen, and yet have believed," hath no where faid,
*' BlefTed are they that have feen, and yet have not
" believed 5"
246 A difcourfe againjl
S E R M. « believed ; " much Jefs, " BlefTed are they that bc-»
" lieve diredlly contrary to what they fee. **
To conclude this difcourfe. By what hath been
faid upon this argument it will appear, with how
little truth, and reafon, and regard to the intereft of
our common chriftianity, it is fo often faid by our
Adverfaries, that there are as good arguments for
the belief of Tranfubftantiation as of the doftrine
of the Trinity : when they themfelves do acknow-
ledge with us that the dodrine of the Trinity is
grounded upon the Scriptures, and that according
to the interpretation of them by the confent of the
ancient fathers : but their dodlrinc of Tranfubflan-
tiation I have plainly fhewn to have no fuch ground,
and that this is acknowledged by very learned men
of their own church. And this doflrine of theirs
being firft plainly proved by us to be deftitute of
all divine warrant and authority, our objedlions
againfl it from the manifold contradictions of it
to reafon and fenfe, are fo many demonftrations of
the falfhood of it. Againfl: all which they have
nothing to put in the oppofite fcale but the infal-
libility of their church, for which there is even \t{%
colour of proof from fcripture than for Tranfub-
llantiation it felf. But fo fond are they of their
own innovations and errors, that rather than the
didlates of their church, how groundlefs and ab-
furd foevcr, fliould be called in queftion ; rather
than not have their will of us in impofing upon
us what they pleafe, they will overthrow any arti-
cle of the chriftian faith, and fliake the very foun-
dations of our common religion : a clear evidence
that the church of Rome is not the true mother,
fince
T^ranfiihjlantiation, 247
fince fhe can be fo well contented that chriftianity
fhould be deftroyed rather than the point in que-
ftion fhould be decided againft her.
SERMON XXVII.
The proteftant religion vindicated from •
the charge of Angularity and novelty.
Preached before the King at Whitehall^
April 2, 1680.
JOSHUA xxiv. 15.
If it feem evil unto you to ferve the Lord, choofe you
this day whom you will ferve.
^ I A H E S E are the words of Jolhua ; who, af- s E R M;
I ter he had brought the people of Ifrael .^^^
-^ thro' many difEculties and hazards into the
quiet poflefTion of the promifed land, like a good
prince and father of his country, was very folicitous,
before his death, to lay the firmefl foundation he
could devife of the future happinefs and prolperi ty of
that people, in .whole prefent fettlement he had, by
the blelTing of God, been fo fuccefsful an inftru-
ment.
And becaufe he knew no means fo efFedlual to this
end, as to confirm them in the religion and worfhip
of the true God, who had by fo rcmarku! '^ and mi-
raculous
248 ^he protejlant religion
S E R M. raculous a providence planted them in that pood
XXVII "~^
' land J he fummons the people together, and repre-
fents to them all thofc confiderations that might en-
gage them and their pofterity for ever to continue
in the true religion. He tells them what God had
already done for them, and what he had promifed to
do more, if they would be faithful to him : and on
the other hand, what fearful calamities he had threat-
ned, and would certainly bring upon them, in cafe
they fhould tranfgrefs his covenant, and go and ferve
other gods. And after many arguments to this pur-
pofc, he concludes with this earned exhortation at
the 14th verfe, '' Now therefore fear the Lord,
'' and ferve him in fincerity and in truth, and put
*' away the gods which your fathers ferved on the
" other fide of the flood, and in Egypt j and ferve
*« yetheLo rd.'*
And to give the greater weight and force to this
exhortation, he does by a very eloquent kind of in-
linuation as it were once more itt them at liberty,
and leave them to their own eledion : it being the
nature of man to (tick more fledfaftly to that v/hich
is not violently impofed, but is our free and deli-
berate choice: " And if it feem evil unto you to
*' ferve the Lord, choofe you this day whom you
« will ferve."
Which words ofl^er to our confideration thefe fol-
lowing obfervations.
1 . It is here fuppofed that a nation mufl be of fome
religion or other. Jofhua does not put this to their
choice, but takes it for granted.
2. That though religion be a matter of choice^
yet it is neither a thing indifferent in itfelf, nor to a
good
vindicated from novelty. 249
good governor, what religion his people are of. l^:^,^^'
Joi]iua does not put it to them as if it were an indif- "^
fcrent matter whether they ferved God or idols ^ he
had fufliciently declared before which of thefe was
to be preferred.
3. The true religion may have feveral prejudices
and objedions againfl it : " If it feem evil unto you
" to ferve the Lord," intimating that upon fome
accounts, and to fome perlbns, it may appear lb. '
4. That the true religion hath thofe real advan-
tages on its fide, that it may fafely be referred to any
confiderate man's choice. And this feems to be the
true reafon why Jofhua refers it to them : not that he
thought the thing indifferent, but becaufe he was ful-
ly fatisfied that the truth and goodnefs cf the one
above the other was fo evident, that there was no
dano-er that any prudent man fhould make a wrong
choice, " If it feem evil unto you to ferve the
" Lord, choofe you this day whom you will
*' ferve-," intimating, that the plain difference of
the things in competition would diredl them v;hat
to choofe.
5. The examples of princes and governors hath a
very great influence upon the people in matters of re-
licrion. This I colled from the context: and Joflrua
was fenfible of it •, and therefore though he firmly
believed the true religion to have thole advantages
that would certainly recommend it to every impartial
man's judgment, yet knowing that the multitude are
eafily impofed upon and led into error he thoLgnt
fit to incline and determine them by his own exam.-
ple, and by declaring his own peremptory relolutioii
in the cafe, " Choofe you this day whom you will
Vol. 11. li ' " iervej
1^0 The protejlajit religion
S E R M. « ferve ; as for me and my houfe we will ferve the
V Lord." Laws are a good fccurity to religion;
but the example of governors is a living law, which
fecretly overrules the minds of men, and bends them
to a compliance with it.
Nonfic infle5lcre fenfus
Humanos edi5fa valent^ lit vita Regentis.
The lives and adions of princes have ufually a grea-
ter fvvay upon the minds of the people than their
laws.
All thefe obfervations are I think very natural, and
very confiderable. I fliall not be able to fpeak to
them all ; but fhall proceed fo far as the time and
your patience will give me leave.
Firft, it is here fuppofed that a nation mud be of
fome religion or other. Joihua does not put it to
their choice whether they would worfliip any deity
at all. That had been too wild and extravagant a
fuppofition, and which it is likely in thofe days had
never entered into any man's mind. But he takes it
for granted that all people will be of fome religion ;
and then offers it to their confideration which they
would pitch upon, " Ch6ofe you this day whom
*' you will ferve, whether "the gods which your fa-
*' thersferved, ^c'*
Religion is a thing to which men are not only
formed by education and cuftom, but, as Tully fays,
^w omnes duce naturd vehimur^ it is that to which we
are all carried by a natural inclination ; which is the
true realbn why fome religion or other hath fo univer-
fally prevailed in all ages and places of the world.
The temporal felicity of men, and the ends of
government can very hardly, if at all, be attained
without
njifidicated from novelty. 151
without religion. Take away this, and all obliga- S E R M.
XXVI I
tions of confcience ceafe : and where there is no oh-.
ligation of confcience, all fecurity of truth and ju-
flice and mutual confidence among men is at an end.
For why fliould I repofe confidence in that man, why
fhould I take his word, or believe his promife, or
put any of my interefls and concernments into his
power, who hath no other redraint upon him but that
of humane laws, and is at liberty in his own mJnd
and prmciples to do whatever he judgeth to be expe-
dient for his interefl, provided he can but do ic
without danger to himfelf ? So that declared atheifm
and infidelity doth juftly bring men under a jealoufy
and fufpicion with all mankind ; and every wife man
hath realbn to be upon his guard againft thofc, from
whom he hath no caule to expert more juflice and
truth and equity in their dealings than he can com-
pel them to hy the mere dint and force of laws. For
by declaring themfelves free from all other obliga-
tions they give us fair warning what we are to ex-
pe6l at their hands, and how far we may trufl them.
Religion is the ftrongefl band of humane fociety,
and fo neceflliry to the welfare and happineis of
mankind, as it could not have been more, if we
could fuppofe the Being of God himfelf tojiave been
purpofely defigned and contrived for the benefit and
advantage of men : fo that very well may it be ta-
ken for granted, that a nation mufl: be of fome reli-
gion or other.
Secondly, Though religion be a matter of our
choice, yet it is neither a thing indifierent in itfelf,
nor to a good governor, what religion his people are
of. Notwithftanding the fuppofitioa of the xtxi^
I i 2 Joiliua
2^2 ^hc protejlajit religion
S E R M. Jofhua doth not leave them at liberty whether they
will ferve God or Idols ; but by a very rhetorical
fchemc of fpcech endeavours to engage them more
firmly to the worfhip of the true God.
To countenance and fupport the true religion, and
to take care that the people be inflrudled in it, and
that none be permitted to debauch and feduce men
from it, properly belongs to the civil magiftrate.
This power the kings of Ifrael always exercifed, not
only wqth allowance, but with great approbation
and commendation from God himfelf And the
cafe is not altered fince chriflianity : the better the
religion is, the better it deferves the countenance
and fuppoft of the civil authority. And this power
of the civil magiftrate in matters of religion was
never called in queflion, but by the enthufiafts of
thefe latter times : and yet among thefe, every fa-
ther and mailer of a family claims this power over
his children and fervants, at the fame time that tliey
deny it to the magiftrate over his fubjeds. But 1
would fain know Vvhere the diiterence lies. Hath a
rnafter of a flimily more power over thofe under his
govern m^ent than the magiftrate hath ? no man ever
pretended it :!nay, fo far is it from that, that the
natural ^thority of a father may be, and often is,
limited and reftrained by the laws of the civil ma-
giftrate. And why then may not a magiftrate ex-
ercife the fame power ovec his fubjedls in matters of
religion, which every mafter challengeth to himfelf
in his own family ? that is, to eftablifti the true wor-
fnip of God in fuch manner and with fuch circum-
ftances as he thinks beft, and to permit none to af-
front it, or to feduce Irom it thofe that are under
hi:
vindicated from novelty, ^cr
his care. And to prevent all mifunderftandings In SERM,
this matter, I do not hereby afcribe any thing to ^^^^^•
the magiftrate that can poflibly give him any pre-
tence of right to rejeft God's true rehgion, or to
declare what he ple'ics to be fo, and what books he
pleafes to be canonical and the word of God ; and
confequently to make a falfe religion fo current by
the .ftamp of his authority, as to oblige his fubjed-s
to the profeiTion of it : becaufe he who acknow-
ledgeth himfelf to derive all his authority from God,
can pretend to none againft him. But if a falfe re-
ligion be eftablilhed by law, the cafe here is the
fame as in all other laws that are finful in the matter
of them, but yet made by a lawful authority ; in
this cafe the fubjecl is not bound to profefs a falfe
religion, but patiendy to fufFer for the conitant pro-
fefilon of the true.
And to fpeak freely in this matter, I cannot
think (till I be better inform'd, which I am always
ready to be) that any pretence of confcience war-
rants any man, that is not extraordinarily commif-
fion'd, as the apoflJes and firil publifhers of the
gofpel were, and cannot juflify that commifilon by
miracles as they did, to afiront the eftablifl:i'd reli-
gion of a nation (though it be falfe) and openly to
draw men oft from the profeiTion of it in contempt
of the magifcrate and the law : All that perfons
of a different religion can in fuch a cafe reafonably
pretend to, is to enjoy the private liberty and exer-
cife of their own confcience and religion ; for which
they ought to be very thankful, and to forbear the
open making of profelytes to their own religion,
^though they be never fo lure that they are in the
right)
^54 ^^^ protejiafit religion
SERM. right) till they have either an extraordinary com-
■ miflion from God to that purpofe, or the provi-
dence of God make way for it by the pcrmifllon or
connivance of the magiilrate. Not but that every
man hath a right to pubhih and propagate the true
religion, and to declare it againft a falfc one : but
there is no obligation upon any man to attempt this
to no purpofe, and when without a miracle it can
have no other efted but the lofs of his own life ;
unlefs he have an immediate command and commiffion
from God to this purpofe, and be endued with a
power of miracles, as a pablick feal and teftimony
of that commifrion, which was the cafe of the apo-
llles, who after they had received an immediate
commiffion were not to enter upon the execution
of it, but to " Hay at Jerufalem, till they were en-
" dued with power from on high. *' In this cafe
a man is to abide all hazards, and may reafonably
cxpedt both extraordinary affiftance and fuccefs, 'as
the apoftles had ; and even a miraculous protedion
till his v/ork be done \ and after that, if he be call'd
to fuffer martyrdom, a fupernatural fupporc under
thofe fufferings.
And that they are guilty however of grofs hypo-
crify -who pretend a further obligation of consci-
ence in this matter, 1 fliail give this plain demon-
flration, which relies upon conceffions generally
made on all hands, and by all parties. No prote-
flant (that I know of) holds himfelf obliged to go
and preach up his religion and make converts in
Spain or Italy : nor do either the proteffant mini-
ilers or popifli prieds think themfelves bound in
confcience to preach the gofpel in Turkey, to
confute
vindicated from novelty, 155
confute the alchoran, and to convert the Mahome- SER?vI.
tans. And what is the rcafon ? becaufe of the feve-
rity of the inquifition in popifh countries, and of the
laws in Turkey. But doth the danger then alter the
obhgation of confcience ? No certainly ; but it makes
men throw off the falfe pretence and difguife of it :
but where there is a real obhgation of confcience,
danger fhould not deter men from their duty, as it
did not the apoilles: which fhews their cafe to be
different from ours, and that probably this matter
was ffated right at firff. So that whatever is pre-
tended, this is certain, that the priefts and jefuits of
the church of Rome have in truth no more obhga-
tion of confcience to make converts here in England
than in Sweden or Turkey ; where it feems the evi-
dent danger of the attempt hath for thefc many
years given them a perfed difcharge from their duty
in this particular. I fnall join the
Third and fourth obfervations together. " That
" though the true religion may have feveral preju-
" dices and objedions againff it, yet upon exam.ina-
'^ tion there will be found thofe real advantages on
" its fide, that it may fafely be referred to any
" confiderate man's choice : If it feem evil unto you
" that fervc the Lord, choofe you this day whom
" you will ferve. If it feem evil unto you," inti-
mating, that to fome perfons, and upon fome ac-
counts, it may appear fo. But when the matter is
truly rcprefented, the choice is not difficult, nor re-
quires any long deliberation, " Choofe you this day
" whom you will ferve. '* Let but the caufe be
fully and impartially heard, and a wife man may de-
termine himfelf upon the fpot, and give his verdi6t
without ever going from the bar. The
XXVII.
256 The proteftant religion
SERM. The true religion hath always lain under fomc
prejudices with partial and inconfiderate men-, which
commonly fpring from one of thefe two caufes, ei-
ther the prepofTclFions of a contrary religion, or the
contrariety of the true religion to the vicious incli-
nations and practices of men, which ufually lies at
the bottom of all prejudice againfl: religion. Religi-
on is an enemy to mens beloved lufcs, and therefore
they are enemies to religion. I begin with the firft,'
which is as much as I Hiall be able to compafs at
this time.
I. The prepofTefnons of a falfe religion ; which
commonly pretends two advantages on its fide, an-
tiquity and univerfality ; and is wont to objefl to
the true religion novelty and fingularity. And both
thefe are intimated both before and after the text:
*' Put av/ay the gods which your fathers ferved on
" the other fide of the flood, and in Egypt : and
" choofe you this day whom you will ferve, v/he-
" ther the gods which your fathers ferved on the
*' other fide of the flood, or the gods of the Amo-
t' rites in whofe land ye dwell. '* Idolatry was the
religion of their fathers, and had fpread it {di over
the greatefh and moft ancient nations of the world,
and the mofl: famous for learning and arts, the
Chaldeans and Egyptians ; and was the religion of
theAmorites, and the nations roundabout them. So
that Jolliua reprefents the heathen religion with all
its ftrength and advantage, and does not diflfemble
its confident pretence to antiquity and univerfality,
whereby they would alfo infinuate the novelty and
fingularity of the worfhip of the God of Ifrael.
And it is well worthy our obfervation, that one or
both
vindicated from ncvelfy, 257
both of thefe have ahvays^ been the exceptions of S E k M,
falfe religions (efpecially of idolatry and fuperititionj ^"^^Ml.
againft the true religion. The ancient idolaters of
the world pretended their religion to be ancient and
univerfal, that their fathers fcrved tht^Q gods, and
that the worfhip of the God of Ifrael was a plain
innovation upon the ancient and catholick religion
of tjie world, and that the very firil rife and origi-
nal of it was within the memory of their fathers :
and no doubt they were almoll perpetually upon the
jews with that pert queftion, Where was your reli-
gion before Abraham ? and telling them, that it was
the religion of a very fmall part and corner of the
worldj confined within a little territory : but the
great nations of the world, the Egyptians and Chal-
deans, famous for all kind of knowledge and wif.
dom, and indeed all the nations round about them,
worfhipped other gods: and therefore it was an in-
tolerable arrogance and fmgularity in them, to con-
demn their fathers and all the world, to be of a re-
ligion different from all other nations, and thereby
to feparate themfelves and make a fchifm from the
reft of mankind.
And vA\^i\ the gofpel appeared in the world,
which the apoftle to tat Hebrews (to prevent the
fcandal of that word) calls the time of reformation,
the jews and heathen ftill renewed the lame objcdi-
ons againft chriilianity. The jews urged againil it,
not the ancient fcriptures and the true v/ord ot God,
but that which they pretended to be of much
greater authority, the unwritten word, the ancient
and conftant traditions of their church -, and brand-
ed this new religion v/ith the n.vne of here fy.
Vol. II. K k " after
5.
258 T^he protejlant religion
SERM. « after the way (faith St. Paul) that you call he-
^^^^^- <c rely, fo worfhip I the God of my fathers -, be-
" heving all things that are written in the lav/,
" and in the prophets : " By which we fee, that
they of the church of Rome were not the firft who
called it herefy to rejed humane traditions, and to
make the fcriptures the rule of faith : this was done
long before by their reverend predeceflbrs, the
fcribes and pharifees.
And the gentiles, they pretended againfl it both
antiquity and univerfality, the confiant belief and
practice of all ages, and almoft all places of the
world ; Sequimur majores noftros qui feliciter fecuti
funt Juosy fays Symmachus, " We follow our fore-
*' fathers, who happily followed theirs;" but you
bring a new religion, never known nor heard of
in the world before.
And when the chriftian religion was mofi mife-
rably depraved and corrupted, in that difmal night
of ignorance which overfpread thefe wefbern parts
of the world about the ninth and tenth centuries *,
and many pernicious dodlrines and fuperflitious prac-
tices were introduced, to the woful defacing of the
chriftian rehgion, and making it quite another thing
from what our Saviour had left it; and thefe
corruptions and abufes had continued for fcveral
acres ; no fooner was a reformation attempted but
the church of Rome made the lame out-cry of no-
velty and fingularity: and though we have fub-
ftantially anfwcred it a thoufand times, yet we can-
not obtain of them to forbear that thread- bare
queftion, " Where was your religion before Lu-
" thcr?'*
I
vindicated from novelty, 259
I fhall therefore apply my felf to anfwer thefe S E R M.
. XXVII.
two exceptions with all the brevity and clearnefs I
can : and I doubt not to make it appear, that as
to the point of univerfality (though that be no-wife
necefTary to juilify the truth of any religion) ours is
not inferior to theirs ; if we take in the chriftians
of all ages, and of all parts of the world : and as to
the point of antiquity, that our faith and the doc-
trines of our religion have clearly the advantage of
theirs ; all our faith being unquefbionably ancient,
theirs not fo.
I. As to the point of univerfality. Which they
of the church of Rome, I know not for what rea-
ibn, will needs make an infeparable property and
mark of the true church. And they never flout at
the proteftant religion with fo good a grace among
the ignorant people, as when they are bragging of
their numbers, and defpifing poor proteftancy be-
caufe embraced by fo few. This peflilent northern
herefy (as of late they fcornfully call it) is entertained
it feems only in this cold and cloudy corner of
the world, by a company of dull flupid people,
that can neither penetrate into the proofs nor the
poHibility of Tranfubflantiation \ whereas to the more
reBned fouthern wits all thefe difficult and obfcure
points are as clear as the fun at noon-day.
But to fpeak to the thing it felf. If number be
necefTary to prove the truth and goodnefs of any re-
ligion, ours upon enquiry v/ill be found not fo in-
confiderable as our adverfaries would make it : thofe
of the reformed religion, according to the moft ex-
adl calculations that have been made by learned
men, being efleemed not much unequal in number
K k 2 tQ
26o 7 he protejlant religion
: R^i. to thofe of the romifn perfuafion But then if we
take in the ancient chriflian church, whofe faith was
the fame with ours ; and other chriftian churches at
this day, which altogether are vaftly greater and
more numerous than the Roman church, and which
agree with us, feveral of them in very confiderablc
do6lrines and practices in difpute between us and the
church of Rome, and all of them in disclaiming that
fundamental point of the Roman religion, and fum
of chriftianity (as Bellarmine calls it) I mean the
flipremacy of the bifnop of Rome over all chriflians
and churches in the world, then the number on our
fide will be much greater than on theirs.
But we will not ftand upon this advantage with
them. Suppofe we were by much the fewer. So
hath the true church of God often been, without
any the lead prejudice to the truth of their re-
ligion. What think we of the church in Abra-
ham's time, which for ought we know was confined
to one family; and one fmall kingdom, that of
Mrlchefidec king of Sulem ? What tmnk we of it
in Mofes'j time, when it was confined to one peo-
ple wandring m the wilderncls.? What of it in
Elijah's time, when befides the two tribes that wor-
fhipped at Jeruialem, there were in the other ten
but " feven thoufmd that had not bowed their
" knee to Baal.^'" What in our Saviour's time,
when the whole chriflian church confided of twelve
apodles, and feventy difciple?, and fome few fol-
lowers befide? How would Bellarmine have defpifed
this little flock, becaufe it wanted one or two of
his goodliefi: marks of the true church, univeriality
and fplendor ? And what think we or" the chriftian
church
vindicated from novelty. 261
church in the height of arianifm and pelagianifm, when ||^^^^'
a great part of chriflendom was over-run with thefe
errors, and the number of the orthodox was incon-
fiderable in com pari fon of the hereticks ?
Bat what need 1 to urge thefe initances ? As if
the truth of a religion were to be eftimated and car-
ried by the major vote ; which as it can be an ar-
gument to none but fools, fo I dare fay no honed
and wife man ever made ufe of it for a folid proof
of the truth and goodnefs of any church or reli-
gion. If multitude be an argument that men are
in the right, in vain then hath the fcripture faid,
" thou fhak not follow a multitude to do evil.'*
For if this argument be of any force, the greater
number never go wrong.
2. As to the point of antiquity. This Is not always
a certain mark of the true religion. For furely
there was a time when chriftianity began and was a
new profeffion, and then both judaifm and paga-
nifm had certainly the advantage of it in point of
antiquity. Bat the proper queftion in this cafe is.
Which is the true ancient chriftian faith, that of the
church of Rome, or ours ? And to make this mat-
ter plain, it is to be confidered, that a great part of
the Roman faith is the fame with ours : as, name-
ly, the articles of the apollles creed, as explained
by the firft four general councils. And thefe make
up our whole faith, fo far as concerns matters of
mere and fimple belief, that of abfolute neceflity to
' falvation. And in this faith of ours, there is no-
thing wanting that can be fnewn in any ancient
creed of the chriftian church. And thus far our
fluth, and theirs of the Roman church, are undoubt-
, edly
262 7he proteflant religion
5ERM. ediy of equal antiquity, that is, as ancient as chri-'
^^'''"- ftianity it felf.
All the queftion is, as to the matters in difference
between us. The principal whereof are the twelve
new articles of the creed of pope Pius IV. con*
cerning the facrifice of the mafs, tranfubftantiation,
the communion in one kind only, purgatorv, iSc,
not one of which is to be found in any ancient creed
or confefTion of faith generally allowed in the chri-
flian church. The antiquity of thefe we deny, and
affirm them to be innovations ; and have particular-
ly proved them to be fo, not only to the anfwering,
but almoft to the filencing of our adverfaries.
And as for the negative articles of the proteftant
religion, in oppofition to the errors and corruptions
of the romifli faith, thefe are by accident become a
part of our faith and religion, occafioned by their
errors ; as the renouncing of thedodlrines of arianifm
became part of the catholick religion^ after the rife
of that herefy.
So that the cafe is plainly this ; we believe and
teach all that is contained in the creeds of the anci-
ent chriftian church, and was by them efteemed ne-
ceflary to falvation : and this is our religion. But
now the church of Rome hath innovated in the
chriftian religion, and made feveral additions to it ;
and gready corrupted it both in the dodrincs and
practices of it : and thefe additions and corruptions
are their religion, as it is diihnd from ours \ and both
becaufe they are corrupdons and novelties, we have
rejected them : and our rejedion of thefe is our re-
formadon : and our reformation we grant (if this
will do them any good) not to be fo ancient as their
corrup-
vtrifJicated from novelty. 263
corrn-^^'o'^s ; all reformation necefTarily fuppoUng SERM.
co:rj|.M«)i;> iind errors to have been before it. e^^lil
And now vve are at a little better Jeifure to an-
fv/er tiiat captious queilion of theirs, " Where was
" your religion before Luther? " Where- ever chri-
flianiry was ; in fome places more pure, in others
more corrupted : but efpecially in thefe weftern parts
of chriftendom over-grown for feveral ages with ma-
nifold errors and corruptions, which the reformati-
on hath happily cut off, and call caway. So that
though our relormation was as late as Luther, our
religion is as ancient as chriftianity it felf. For when
the additions which the church of Rome hath made
to the ancient chriftian faith, and their innovations
in pradlice are pared off, that which remains of
their religion is ours ; and this they cannot deny
to be every tittle of it the ancient chriftianity.
And what other anfwer than this could the jews
have given to the like queftion, if it had been put
to them by the ancient idolaters of the worlJ,
" Where was your religion before Abraham ? " but
the very fame in fubftance which we now give to
the church of Rome ? That for many ages the wor-
fhip of the one true God had been corrupted, and
the worfhip of idols had prevailed in a great part
of the world •, that Abraham was raifed up by God
to reform religion, and to reduce the worfl^ip of
God to its firft inuitution ; in the doing Vy'hereof
he necefTarily feparated himfelf and his family from
the communion of thofe idolaters. So that though
the reformation which Abraham beg;an was new,
yet his religion was truly ancient ; as old as that of
Noah, and Enoch, and Adam. Which is the fame
ia
264 ^^<? protejlant religion
S E R M in fubftance that we fay, and with the fame and equal
v^^reafon.
And if they will ftill complain of the newnefs of
our reformation, fo do we too, and are heartily forry
it began no fooner •, but however better late than
never. Bcfides it ought to be confidered, that this
objedion of novelty lies againft all reformation what-
foever, though ever fo necelfary, and though things
be ever fo much amifs : and it is in effect to fayi
that if things be once bad, they muft never be bet*
ter, but mud always remain as they arcj for they
cannot be better, without being reformed, and a re^
formation mud begin fome time, and whenever it
begins it is certainly new. So that if a real reforma-
tion be made, the thmg juftihes itfelf ; and no ob-
jedlion of novelty ought to take place againft that
which upon all accounts was fo fit and necelfary to be
done. And if they of the church of Rome would
but fpeak their mind out in this matter, they are not
fo much difpleafed at the reformation which we have
made becaufe it is new, as becaufe it is a reforma*
tion. It was the humour of Babylon of old (as the
Jer. li. 9- prophet tells us) " that fhe wodd not be healed-,"
and this is ftill the temper of the church of Rome,
they " hate to be reformed-,'* and ratner than ac-
knowledge themfelves to have been once in an error,
they will continue in it for ever. And this is that
which at firft made, and ftiU continues the breach
and feparation between us ; of which we are no-wife
guilty who have only reformed what was amifs, but
they who obftinately perfift in their errors, and will
needs impofe them upon us and will not let us be of
their communion unlefs we v/ill fay they are no errors.
II. The
'Duidicated from novelty. 265'
II. The other prejudice againft the true religion is, ^ F R ^'^.
the contrariety of it to the vicious inchnations and
praftices of men.
Ic is too heavy a yoke, and lays too great a reftraint
upon humane nature. And this is that which in truth
lies at the bottom of all objedlions againft religion,
*' Men love darknefs rather than light, becaufe their
" deeds are evil."
But this argument will require a difcourfe by it»
felf, and therefore I fhall not now enter upon it;
only crave your patience a little longer, whilft I
make fome reflexions upon what hath been already
delivered.
You fee what are the exceptions which idolatry
and fuperftition have always made, and do at this day
ftill make, againft the true religion 5 and how flight
and inflgnificant they are.
Bat do we then charge the church of Rome with
idolatry? our church moft certainly does fo, and
hath always done it from the beginning of the refor-
mation ; in her homilies, and liturgy, and canons,
and in the writings of her beft- and ableft champions.
And though I have, as impartially as I could, con-
fidcr'd what hath been faid on both fides in this con-
troveriyi yet I muft confefs I could never yet fee
any tolerable defence made by them againft this heavy
charge. And they themfelves acknowledge them-
felves to be greatly under the fuJpicion of u, by fay-
ing (as cardinal Perron and others do) that the pri-
mitive chriftians for fome ages did neither worfhip
images, nor pray to faints, for fear of being thought
to approach too near the heathen idolatry : and,
wnich is yet more, divers of their moft learned men
Vol. II, LI do
5-
266 The protejlant religion
^xxvn ^^ confefs, that if tranfabflantiation be not true,
they arc as grofs idolaters as any m the world. And I
hope they do not exped it from us, that in compli-
ment to them, and to acquit them from the charge
of idolatry, we fhouJd prefently deny our fenfes, and
believe tranfubdantiation \ and if we do not believe
this, they grant we have reafon to charge them with
idolatry.
But we own them to be a true church ; which they
cannot be, if they be guilty of idolatry. This they
often urge us withal, and there feems at firft fight
to be fomething in it : and for that reafon 1 fhall
endeavour to give fo clear and fatisfadory an an-
fwer to it, as that we may never more be troubled
with it.
The truth is, we would fain hope, becaufe they
ftill retain the efTentials of chriilianity, and profels
to believe all the articles of the chriflian faith, that
notwithftanding their corruptions they may ftill re-
tain the true effence of a church : as a man may be
truly and really a man, though he have the plague
upon him ; and for that reafon be fit to be avoided
by all that wifh well to themfelves. But if this will
not do, we cannot help it. Therefore to pufh the
matter home ; are they fure that this is a firm and
good confequence, " that if they be idolaters, they
*' cannot be a true church } " Then let them look to
it. It is they, I take it, that arc concerned to prove
themfelves a true church, and not we to prove it for
them. And if they will not undcrftand it of them-
felves, it is fit they Ihould be told that there is a great
difference between concellions of charity and of ne-
cefTity, and that a very different ufe ought to be
made
vindicated from novelty, 267
made of them. We are willing to think the ^^^^^^x^^VlY
them ; but if they diflike our charity in this point,
nothing againft the hair: if they will forgive us this
injury, we will not offend them any more : but ra-
ther than have any farther difference with them about
this matter, we will for quietnefs fake compound it
thus; that 'till they can clearly acquit themfelves
from being idolaters, they Ihall never more againfl
their wills be efteemed a true church.
And now to draw to a conclufion.
" If it feem evil unto you to ferve the Lord,"
and to worlhip him only ; to pray to him alone, and
that only in the name and mediation of Jesus
Christ, as he hath given us commandment > " be-
" caufe there is but one God, and one Mediator
" betv/eenGoD and m.an, the man Christ Jesus.
" If it feem evil unto you," to have the liberty to
ferve God in a language you can underftand ; and
to have the free ufe of the holy fcriptures, " which
*' are able to make men wife unto falvation •, " and
to have the facraments of our religion entirely ad-
miniftred to us^ as our Lord did inflitute and ap-
point.
And on the other hand, if it feem good to us, to
put our necks once more under that yoke, which
our fathers were not able to bear : if it be really a pre-
ferment to a prince to hold the pope's ftirrup, and a
privilege to be depofed by him at his pleafure, and
a courtefy to be killed at his comm.and : if to pray
without underftanding, and to obey without reafon,
and to believe againfl fenfe; if ignorance, and im-
plicit faith, and an inquifition, be in good earned
fuch charming and defirable things : then welcome
L J z popery i
268 The profeflanf religion
S E R M. popery s which, wherever thou comefl, dod infalli-
bly bring all thefe wonderful privileges and blefllngs
along with thee.
Bjc, the queftion is not now about the choice but
the change of our religion, after we have been fo
long killed m the q jiet pofll^Tion and enjoyment of
it. Men are very loth to change even a fa'fe reli-
gion " Hath a nation changed their gods, which
" yet are no God.^ ? '* And iurely there is much
more reafon why we fhould be tenacious of the truth,
and hold faft that which is good.
We have the bell religion in the world, the very
fame which the Son of God revealed, vvhiCli the
apoftles planted a .d confirmed by miracles, and
which the noble army of mariyrs iealed with their
blood: and we have retrench'd from it all falfe
doctrines and fuperftitious pravTiiCes which have been
added fince. And I think we may without inimo-
defty fay, that upon the plain Iquare of fcripture and
reafon, of the tradition and practice of the firft and
befh ages of the chriftian church, w^e have fully juf-
tined our religion *, and made it evident to the
world, that our adverfaries arc put to very hard
. fhifts, and upon a perpetual difadvantage in the de-
fence of theirs.
I wifh it were as eafy for us to juftify our lives as
our religion. I do not mean in comparifon of our
adverfaries (for that, as bad as we are, I hope we
are yet able to do) but in comparifon of the rules
of our holy religion, from which we are infinitely
fwcrv'd J which J would to God we all did feriouHy
confider and Jay to heart : I fay, in comparifon of
the rules of our holy religion, '' which teach us to
*' deny
'Vindicated from novelty. 269
^' deny ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, and to live fo-
" berly, and righceoufly, and godly in this prefent
«' world, in expectation of the blelTed hope, and
" the glorious appearance of the great God, and
*' cur Saviour Je>ud Christ;" to whom with
the Father, and the holy Ghost, ^c.
SERMON XXVIII.
Objedions again ft the true Religion
anfv/ered.
JOSHUA xxiv. 15.
If it feem evil unto you to ferve the Lord, choofe you
this day whom you will ferve,
THESE words, as I have already declared s E R M.
in the former diicourfe, are the lad coun-^^^^"
fel and advice which Jofhua gave to the
people of Lrael, after he had fafely condudled them
into the land of Canaan. And that he might the
more effedually perfuade them to continue ftedfaft
in the worfliip of the true God, by an eloquent
kind of infinuation he doth as it were once more
fet them at hberty, and leave them to their own
choice ; " If it feem evil unto you to ferve the
" Lord, choofe you this day whom you will ferve '*
The plain fenfe of which words may be refolved
into this propofition, that notwithftanding all the
prejudices
27^ OhjeSfiom etgainjl the
XXVin' P^^^^*^'^^*^^^ ^^^ objeaions againfl the true religion,
' yet it hath thofe real advantages on its fide, that it
may fafely be referred to any impartial and confi-
derate man's choice; '' if it feem evil unto you to
*' ferve the Lord ; " intimating that to fome per-
fons, and upon fome accounts, it may feem fo; but
when the matter is tliroughly examined, the refolu-
ticn and choice cannot be difficult, nor require any
long deliberation, " choofe you this day whom you
" will ferve. "
The true religion hath always lain under fome
prejudices with partial and inconfiderate men, arifing
chiefly from thefe two caufes ; the prepofTeffions of
a falfe religion •, and the contrariety of the true re-
ligion to the inclinations of men, and the uneafinels
of it in point of pradlice.
Firft, from the prepofleffions of a falfe religion -,
which hath always been wont to lay claim to anti-
quity and univerfality, and to charge the true re-
ligion with novelty and fingularity. And both
thefe are intimated before the text \ " put away the
" gods whom your fathers ferved, on the other fide
^^ of the flood and in Egypt, and choofe you this
*' day whom you will ferve." It was pretended
that the worfliip of idols was the ancient religion of
the world, of thofe great nations the Egyptians and
Chaldeans, and of all the nations round about them.
But Lliis hath already been confidered at large.
Secondly, there are another fort of prejudices
againd religion, more apt to flick with men of better
fenie and reafon \ and thefe arife principally from the
contrariety of the true religion to the inclinations
of men, and the uneafmefs of it in point of practice.
It
true religion anfwered, 271
It Is pretended that religion is a heavy yoke, and S E R M,
lays too great a reftraint upon humane nature, and,^
that the laws of it bear too hard upon the general in-
clinations of mankind.
I Ihall not at prefent meddle with the fpeculative
objedlions againfl religion, upon account of the pre-
tended unreafonablenels of many things in point of
belief: becaufe the contrariety of the true religion
to the inclinations of men, and the uneafinefs of it
in point of pradlice, is that which in truth lies at
the bottom of atheifm and infidelity, and raifes all
that animofity which is in the minds of bad men
againfl religion, and exafperates them to oppofe it
with all their wit and malice : " men love darknefs
" rather than light, becaufe their deeds are evil. ''And
if this prejudice were but once removed, and men
were in fome meafure reconciled to the praftice of
religion, the fpeculative objections againfl: it would
almoil vanifh of themfelves : for there wants little
elfe to enable a man to anfwer them, but a v/il-
lingnefs of mind to have them anfwered, and that
wc have no intereft and inclination to the contrary.
And therefore I fhall at prefent wholly apply my
felf to remove this prejudice againfl religion, from
the contrariety of it to the inclinations of men, and
the uneafinefs of it in point of pradice.
And there are two parts of this objedlion.
ifl. That a great part of the laws of religion do
thwart the natural inclinations of men, which mav
reafonably be fuppofed to be from God. And,
2ly. That all of them together are a heavy yoke,
and do lay too great a reflraint upon humane nature,
intrenching too much upon the pleafures and liberty
of it. I. That
272 Ohj^Bions agalnfl the
SERM. T. That a great part of the laws of relio-ion do
\^\^ thwart the natural inclinations of men, which may
reafonably be fuppofed to be from God. So that
God feems to have fet our nature and our duty at
variance, to have given us appetites and inclinations
one way, and laws another : which if it were true,
muft needs render the pradlicc of religion very grie-
vous and uneafy.
The force of this objedion is very fmartly ex-
prefled in thofe celebrated verles of a noble poet of
our own, which are fo frequently in the mouths of
many who are thought to bear no good- will to re-
ligion.
O wearifome condition of humanity^
Born under one law^ to another hound '^
Vainly begot^ and yet forbidden vanity j
Created fick^ commanded to he found.
If nature did not take delight in bloody
She would have made more eafy ways to good.
So that this objedion would fain charge the fins of
men upon God •, firfl upon account of the evil in-
"f clinations of our nature ; and then of the contrariety
of our duty to thofe inclinations. And from the
beginning man hath always been apt to lay the blame
of his faults where it can lead lie, upon goodnefs
and perfe6lion itfelf. The very firft fin that ever
man was guilty of he endeavoured to throw upon
God : " The woman whom thou gaveft me, faith
" Adam, fhe gave me of the tree, and I did eat."
And his pofterity are dill apt to excufe themfclves the
fame way. But to return a particular anfwer to this
objedlion.
I. Wc
true rehgion arifivered, 273
I. We will acknowledge fo much of it as Is true ; ^^^''^«
that there is a great degeneracy and corruption of hu-
mane nature, from what it was originally framed
when it came out of God's hands; of which the
fcripture gives us this account, that it was occafioned
by the voluntary tranfgrefTion of a plain and eafy
command given by God to our firil parents. And
this weaknefs contra6ted by the fall of our firft pa-
rents naturally defcends upon us their poflerity, and
vifibly difcovers itfelf in our inclinations to evil, and
impotence to that which is good.
And of this the heathen philofophers, from the
light of nature, and their own experience and obler-
vation of themfelves and others, were very fenfible ;
that humane nature was very much declined from its
primitive reditude, and funk into a weak and droop-
ing and fickly ftate, which they called a 'ssrls^opuyjcrir,
the moulting of the wings of the foul : but yec
they were fo jud and reafbnable as not to charge
this upon God, but upon fome corruption and im^-
purity contra(5led by the foul in a former frate, be-
fore its union with the body. For the defcent of the
foul into thefe grofs earthly bodies they looked upon
as partly the punilhment of faults committed in a for-
mer ftate, , and partly as the opportunity of a new
trial in order to its purgation and recovery. And
this was the beft account they were able to give
of this matter, without the light of divine revela-
tion.
So that the degeneracy of humane nature is uni-
verfilly acknowledged, and God acquitted from be-
ing the caufe of it: but hovvxver, the pofterity of
Adam do all partake of the weaknefs contraded by
Vol. li. Mm his
5-
S74 Obje5iions againjl the
S E R M. his fall, and do ftill labour under the mifcrics and in--
^J._^^i convenlencies of it. But then this degeneracy is not
total. For though our faculties be much weak-
ned and difordered, yet they are not deftroyed nor
wholly perverted. Our natural judgment and con-
fcience doth ftill didlate to us what is good, and what
wc ought to do J and the imprefTions of the natural
law, as to the great lines of our duty, are flill legi-
ble upon our hearts. So that the law written in
God's word is not contrary to the law written upon
our hearts. And therefore it- is not truly faid, " that
*' we are born under one law and bound to another.'*
But the great diforder is, that our inferior faculties,
our fenfitive appetite and pafHo.ns, are broke loofe
and have got head of our reafon, and are upon all
occafions apt to rebel againft it: but our judgment
dill didates the very fame things which the law of
God doth injoin.
It is likewife very vifiblc, that the fad effe6ls of this
degeneracy do not appear equally and alike in all :
whether from the better or worfe temper of our bo-
dies, or from fomc other more fecret caufc, I fhall
not determine, becaufe I know not : but that there is
a difTerence is evident. For though a proncnels to
evil, and fome feeds of it be in all, yet w» may
plainly difcover in many very early and forward in-
clinations to fome kinds of virtue and goodncfs ;
which being cultivated by education, may under the
ordinary influence of God's grace be carried on with
great eafe to perfev5lion.
And there are others who are not fo ftrongly bent
•to that which is evil, but that by good indrudlioii
and example in their tender years they may be fwayed
the
true religion anfwered, 27^
the other way, and without great difficulty formed S E r m.
togoodnefs. _ ^^^"f-
There are fome indeed (which is the hardcfl cafe)
in whom there do very early appear ftrong propen-
fions and incHnations to evil, eipecially to fome par-
ticular kinds of vice : but the cafe of thefe is not de-
Iperate; though greater attention and care, and a
much more prudent management is required in the
education of fach perfons to corred their evil tem-
pers, and by degrees to bend their inclinations the
right way : and if the feeds of piety and virtue be
but carefully fown at firfl, very much may be done
by this means, even in the mod depraved natures,
towards the altering and changing of them; how-
ever, to the checking and controlling of their vi-
cious inclinations. And if thefe perfons when they
come to riper years, v/ould purfue thefe advantages
of education, and take fome pains with themfelves,
and earneftly feek the alliftance of God's grace, I
doubt not but even thefe perfons by degrees migh:
at lafl get the maftery of their unhappy tempers.
For next to the being and pcrfeflions of God, and
the immortality of our own fouls, there is no princi-
ple of religion that I do more firmly believe than
this, that God hath that love for men, that if we do
heartily beg his affiftance, and be not wanting to
ourfelves, he will afford it to every one of us in pro-
portion to our need of it; that he is always before-
hand with us, and prevents every man with the gra^
cious offers of his help. And I doubt not but many
very perverfe natures have thus been reclaimed. For
God, who is the lover of fouls (as the fon of Sirach
calls him) though he may put fome men under more
M m 2 difHcuk
^7^ ObjeBions agalnjl the
XXVIII* ^^^^"^^^^'^^""^^ances of becoming better than other?,
;yet he leaves no man under a fatal neceffity of beinp-
wicked and perifliing everlaftingly. He tenderly
confiders every man's cafe and circumfcances, and it
is we that puli deflrudion upon ourfelves, with the
works of our own hands : but as fure as God is good
and juft, no man in the world is ruined for want of
having fufficient help and aid afforded to him by
God for his recovery.
2. It is likewife to be confidered that God did
not defign to create man in the full pofTeffion of hap-
pinefs at firil, but to train him up to it by tl.e trial
of his obedience. But there could be no trial of our
obedience without fome difBculty in our duty ; citlier
by reafon of powerful temptations from without, or
of crofs and perverfe inclinations from within.
Our firH parents, in their flate of innocency, had
only the trial of temptation without; to which they
yiedded and were overcome; having only natural
power to have refiflcd the temptation, without any
aid of fupernatural grace: and that weaknefs to good,
and pronenefs to evil, which they by v/ilful tranfo-ref-
fion contradled, is naturally derived to us ; ancT we
neceffarily partake of the bitternefs and impurity of
the fountain from whence we fpring. So that we now
labour under a double difficulty; being affauked by
temptations from without, and incited by evil incli-
nations from within : but then, to balance thefe, wc
have a double advantage ; that a greater reward is
propofed to us, than for ought we know would have
been conferred on our firft parents had they conti-
nued innocent; and that we are endued with a fu-
pernatural power to conflid: with thefe difficulties.
So
true religion anfwered. I'jj.
So that, accordine; to the merciful difpenfatloii of S E R M.
. . XX VI II
God, all this conflid between our inclination and our
duty does only ferve to give a fairer opportunity for the
fitting trial of our obedience, and for the more glo-
rious reward of it.
3. God hath provided an univerfal remedy for
this degeneracy and weaknefs of humane Nature : fo
that what we loll by the firfl Adam, is abundantly re-
paired to us by the fecond. This St. Paul tells us at
large, Rom. v. " that as by one man fin entered in-
" to the world, and death by fm ; fo the grace of
" God hath abounded to all men by Jesus Ch r ist :'*
and that to fuch a degree, as effectual to counter-
vail the ill effedsof original fin, and really to enable
men, if they be not wanting to themfelves, to mafler
and fubdue all the bad inclinations of nature, even in
thofe who feem to be naturally mofl corrupt and de-
praved.
And if this be true, we m^ay without any reflexion
upon God acknowledge, that though he did not at
firfl: create man fick and weak, yet he having made
himfelf fo, his pofterity are born fo. Bat then God
hath not Mi us helplels in this weak and miferable
flate, into which by wilful tranfgrefTion mankind is
fallen : but as he commafhds us to be found, fo he af-
fords us fufiicient aids of his grace by Jssus Ch r ist
for our recovery.
And though " there is a law in our members war-
" ring againfl the law of our minds, and captivating
*' us to the law of fin and death *," i. e. though our
fenfitive appetites and pafTions are apt to rebel againfl:
the reafon of our minds and the did-ates of our na-
tural confcience, yet every chriilian may fay with
St. Paul,
278 ObjcElions agatnjl the
XXViri" ^^* ^^^^' " ^\-^^^^^ be to God, who hath given us the
■ " vi(flory through our Lord Jesus Christ ", i. e.
hath not left us dellitute of a fufficient aid and
llrength to enable us to conquer the rebellious mo-
tions of fin, by the powerful affiflance of that grace
which is fo plentifully ofrered to us in the gofpel.
And this is the cafe of all thofe who live under the
gofpel : as for others, as their cafe is befl known to
God, fo we have no reafon to doubt but that his
infinite goodnefs and mercy takes that care of them
which becomes a merciful creator : though both the
meafures and the methods of his mercy towards them,
are fecret and unknown to us.
4. The hardeft contefi between man's inclination
and duty, is in thofe who have wilfjlly contracfbed
vicious habits, and by that means, rendrcd their duty
much more difficult to themfelves; having greatly
improved the evil inclinations of nature by wicked
practice and cufcom. For the fcripture plainly fup-
pofeth, that men may debauch even corrupt nature,
and make themfelves ten-fold more the children of
wrath and of the devil, than they were by nature.
This is a cafe fadly to be deplored, but yet not
utterly to be dcfpaired of. And therefore thofe who
by a long progrefs in an e^il courfe, are plunged
into this fad condition, ought to confider that they
are not to be refcued out of it by an ordinary refo-
lution, and a common grace of God. Their cafe
plainly requires an extraordinary remedy. For he
that is deeply engaged in vice is like a man laid fafl
in a bog, who by a faint and lazy flruggling to
get out, does but fpend his ftrcngth to no purpofe,
and finks himfelf t\\t deeper into it : the only way is,
by
true religion anpwereL 279
by a rcfolute and vigorous effort to fpring out, if||^j^]^-
poffible, at once. And therefore in this cafe, to a '
vio-orous refolution there mufl be joined an carneft
application to God for his powerful grace and af-
fiftance, to help us out of this miferable flate. And if
wc be truly fcnfible of the defpcrate danger of our
condition, this prefling necelTicy of our cafe will be
apt to infpire us with a mighty refolution. For
power and necefficy are neighbours, and never dwell
far afunder. When men are feverely urged and prel^
fed, they find a power in themfelves which thcj
thought they had not. Like a coward driven up to
a wall, who in the extremity of diflrels and defpair
will fight terribly and perform v/onders : or like 3
man lame of the gout, who being affauked by a pre*
fent and terrible danger forgets his difeafe, and will
find his legs rather than lofe his life.
And in this, I do not fpcak above the rate of h\>
mane nature, and what men throughly roufed and
awakened to a fenfe of their danger, by a mighty
refolution may morally do, through that divine
o-race and afTillance which is ever ready to be afford-
ed to weil-refolved minds, and fuch as are fin-
cerely bent to return to God and their duty. More
than this I cannot fay for the encouragement of
thofe who have proceeded far in an evil courfe : and
they who have made their cafe fo very defperate,
ought to be very thankful to God that there is any
remedy left for them.
5. From all that hath been faid, it evidently ap-
pears, how malicious a fuggcftion it is, that God
feeks the deftrudion of men, and hath made his
laws on purpofe fo difBcult and crofs to our incli-
nations.
2 So ObjecitGJis agahijl the
S ER A'f. nations, that he might have an advantage to ruin us
•_.^^-^ for our difobedience to them. Alas, v/e are fo ab-
folutely under the power of God, and fo unable to
withftand it, that he may deflroy us when he plea-
feth, without feeking pretences for it : " for who
*' hath refifted his will ? '* if goodnefs were not his
nature, he hath power enough to bear out whatever
he hath a mind to do to us. Bat our deftrudlion
is plainly of our fclves, and God is free from the
blood of all men. And he hath not made the way
to eternal life fo diiiicult to any of us, with a de-
fign to make us miferable, but that we by a vigo-
rous refolution, and an unwearied diligence, and a
patient continuance in well doing, might win and
wear a more glorious crown, and be fit to receive a
more ample reward from his bounty and goodnefs :
yea, in fome fenfe, I may fay, from his juftice , " for
*' God is not unrighteous, to forget our work and
«' labour of love. " He will fully confider all the
pains that any of us take in his fervice, and all the
difficulties that we llruggle with out of love to Goo
and goodnefs. So that this objection, from the
clafhing of our duty with our inclination, is I hope
fully anfwered : Since God hath provided fo power-
ful and effedlual a remedy againfl our natural im-
potency and infirmity, by the grace of the gofpel.
And though to thofe who have wilfully contract-
ed vicious habits, a religious and virtuous courfe of
life be very difficult, yet the main difficulty lies in
our firft entrance upon it ; and when that is over,
the ways of goodnefs are as eafy as it is fit any thing
fhould be that is fo excellent, and that hath the en-
couragement of fo glorious a reward. Cuftom will
reconcile
triu religion anfwered. 281
reconcile men almoft to any thing; but there are S^E R M-
thofe charms in the ways of wifdom and virtue, that,
a Httle acquaintance and converfation with them will
foon make them more delightful than any other
courfe. And who will grudge any pains and trou-
ble to bring himfelf into fo fafe and happy a conditi-
on ? After we have tried both courfes, of religion
and profanenefs, of virtue and vice, we Ihall cer-
tainly find, that nothing is fo wife, fo eafy, and fo
comfortable as to be virtuous and good, and always
to do that which we are inwardly convinced we
oucrht to do. Nor would I defire more of any man
in this matter, than to follow the fobered convictions
of his ovv^n mind, and to do that which upon the
moll ferious confideration at all times, in profperity
and affiidlion, in ficknefs and health, in the tim.e of
life and at the hour of death, he judgeth wifefc and
fafefl for him to do. I proceed to the
II. Branch of the objedion, " That the laws of
«' religion (and particularly of the chriilian religion)
*' are a heavy yoke, laying too great a reflraint up-
«' on humane nature, and entrenching too much
« upon the pleafures and liberty of it."
There was, I confefs, fome pretence for this ob-
jedtion againft the jewilh religion ; which by the mul-
titude of its pofitive inflitutions and external obfer-
vances, mud needs have been very burdenfome. And
the lame objedlion lies againft the church of RomiC,
v/ho (as they have handled chriftianity) by the unrea-
fonable number of their needlefs and fsnfelefs ceremo-
nies, have made the yoke of Christ heavier than
that of Mofes, and the gofpel a more carnal ccm-
VoL 11. Nn mandmenc
282 Ohje5iions againjl the
S E R M. mandmcnt than the law. So that chriftianity is loll
^ '^^'^'^' among them in the trappings and accoutrements of
it; with which inflead of adorning reh'gion they have
llrangely difguifcd it, and quite iliRed it in the crowd
of external rites and ceremonies.
But the pure chriflian religion, as it was delivered
by our Saviour, hath hardly any thing in it that is
pofitive-, except the two facraments, which are not
very troublefome neither, but very much for our
comfort and advantage, becaufe they convey and con-^
firm to us the great blefTings and privileges of our
religion. In other things chriftianity hath hardly
impofed any other laws upon us but what are enaded
in our natures, or are agreeable to the prime and
fundamental laws of it ; nothing but what every man's
reafon either didates to him to be neceflary, or ap-
proves as highly fit and reafbnable.
But we do mod groHy miilake the nature of plea-
fure and liberty, if we promife them 10 ourfelves in
any evil wicked courfe. For, upon due fearch
and trial it will be found, that true pleafure, and per-
fe(5l freedom are no-where to be found but in the
prafticeof virtue, and inthefervice of God. The
jaws of religion do not abridge us of any pleafure
that a wife man can defire, and fafely enjoy, I mean
without a greater evil and trouble confequent upon it.
The pleafure of commanding our appetites, and go-
verning our paffions, by the rules of reafon, (which
are the laws of God) is infinitely to be preferred be-
fore any fcnfual pleafure whatfocver : becaufe it is the
pleafure of wifdom and difcretion •, and gives us tlie
fatisfa^lion of having done that which is the beft and
fitted for reafonable creatures to do. Wlio would not
rather
true religion anfwered. ^"i
rather choofe to govern himfdf asScipio did, amidft SERM.
ail tlie temptations and opportunities of fenfual ,__^ — ,
pleafure vvhicli liis power and viftories prefentcd
to iiim, tiian to wallow in all the delights of
fenfe ?
Nothing is more certain in reafon and experience,
than that every inordinate appetite and affeftion is a
punifliment to itfelf ; and is perpetually croffing us
own pleafure, and defeating its own fatisfaftion, by
over-iliooting the mark it aims at. For inaance in-
temperance in eating and drinking, inftead of de-
liahting and fatisfying nature, doth but load and ooy
if, and inftead of quenching a natural thirft, wnica
it is extremely pleafant to do, cre7.tes an unnatural
one, which is troublefome and endlefs. The plea-
fur^ of revenge, as foon as it is executed, turns into
Brief and pity, guilt and remorfe, and a thouland
melancholy willes that we had retrained ourk.ves
from fo unreafonable an aft. And the fame is as
evident in other fenfual exceffes, not fo fit to be de-
fcribed. Vv^e may truft Epicurus for this, that there
can be no true pleafure without temperance in theuie
of pleafure. And God and reafon have fet us no other
bounds concerning the ufe of fenfual pleafures, but
that we take care not to be inj'jrious to ourfelves, or
others, in the kind or degree of them. Ana ir is
very vifible, that all fenfaal exc:fs is naturally at-
tended with a double inconvenience : as it goes be-
yond the limits of nature, it beasts bodily pains and
difeafes: as it tranfgreaita the rules of reaion and re-
ligion, it breeds guilt and remor.e in tne mind
And ihtk are, beyond comparifon, the two grcatcit
evils in this world i a difeafcd body, and a diicon-
N n 2 tented
284 Objedlions againjl the
vv-^\^t" ^^^^^^^ ^^"^- -^"d in this I am fure I fpeak to the in-
ward ieehng and experience of men \ and lay no-
thing but what every vicious man finds, and hath a
more lively fenfe of, tlian is to be exprefTed by words.
When all is done, there is no pleafure comparable
to that of innocency, and freedom from the flings of
a guilty confcience \ this is a pure and fpiritual plea-
fure, much above any fenfual delight. And yet
among all the delights of fenfe, that of health (which
is the natural confequent of a fober, and chafle, and
regular life) is a fenfual pleafure far beyond that of
any vice : for it is the life of life ; and that which
gives a grateful relifh to all our orher enjoyments. It
is not indeed fo violent and tranfporting a pleafure,
but it is pure, and even, and lading, and hath no
guilt and regret, no forrow and trouble in it, or after
it: which is a worm that infallibly breeds in all vicious
and unlawful pleafures, and makes tliem to be bitter-
nefs in the end.
All the ways of fin are fo befet with thorns and
difncukies on every fide, there are fo many unanfwer-
able objtcflions againft vice, from the unreafonable-
ncfs and uglinefs of it, from the remorfe that attends
it, from the endlefs mifcry that follows it, that none
but the rafli and inconfiderate can obtain leave of
themfelves to commit it. It is the daughter of in-
advertency, and blindnefs and folly \ and the mo-
ther of guilt, and repentance and woe. Tiiere is
no pleafur; that will hold out and abide with us to
the lall, but that of innocency and well-doing. All
{\n is fol'y, and as Svi^neca truly fays, Omnis Jlulli-
tia lahorat fafiidio fui\ " All folly foon grows fick
*' and weary of itielf.*' The pleafure of it is flight
and
true religion anfwered, 285
and fuperficial, but the trouble and remorfe of It S E R M.
pierceth our very hearts, XXVIll.^
And then as to the other part of the objedion,
** that religion reilrains us of our liberty:" the
contrary is evidently true, that fin and vice are
the greateft flavery. For he is truly a Have, who is
not at liberty to follow his own judgment, and to
do thofe things which he is inwardly convinced it
is bed for him to do ; but is fubjedl to the unreafon-
able commands, and the tyrannical power and vio-
lence of his lulls and pafTions : fo that he is not
mafler of himfelf, but other lords have got domini-
on over him ; and he is perfeclly at their beck and
command. One vice or pafTion bids him go, and he
goes ; another, come, and he comes ; and a third, do
this, and he doth it. The man is at perpetual va-
riance v/ith his own mind, and continually commit-
ting the things which he condemns in himfelf. And
it is all one, whether a man be fubjed to the will and
humour of another perfon, or to his own lulls and
pafTions. Only this of the two is the worfe ; becaufe
the tyrant is at home, and always ready at hand to
domineer over him ; he is got v-/ithin him, and fo
much the harder to be vanquifhed and overcome.
But the fervice of God, and obedience to his laws
is perfed" liberty : Becaufe the law of God requires
nothing of us, but what is recommended to m by
our own reafon, and from the benefit and advantage
of doing it ; nothing but what is much more for
our own interefl to do ir, than it can be fir God's
to command it. And tho' in fome things God exadls
obedience of us more indifpenfibly, and under leve-
rer penalties, il is becaufe thofe things are in their
nature
286 Objcdliom agalnjl the
SERM. nature more necefTary to our felicity. And how
' could God poITibly have dealt more gracioufly and
kindly with us, than to oblige us mod ftridlly to
that which is moH evidently for our good \ and
to make fuch laws for us, as if we live in obedience
to them will infallibly make w? happy ? fo that
taking all things into confiderauon, the intereft of
our bodies and o^x foub, of the prefent and the fu-
ture, of this ^AX'jid and the other, religion is the
molt reafonable and wile, the moil comfortable and
compendious courfe that any man can take in order
to his own happinefs.
The confideration whereof ought to be a mighty
endearment of our duty to us, and a mod prevalent
argument with us to yield a ready and chearful obe-
dience to the laws of God s which are in truth fo
many ads of grace and favour to mankind, the real
privileges of our nature, and the proper means and
caufes of our happineis : and do retrain us from no-
thing but from doi.ig mifchief to our felves, from
playing the fools and making our felves miferable.
And therefore indead of oppofing religion, upon
pretence of the unreafonable redraints of it, we ought
to thank God heartily, that he hath laid fo drid:
an obligation upon us to regard and purfue our
true intered \ and hath been plcafed to take that
care of us, as to fet bounds to our loofe and wild
appetites by our duty ; and in giving us rules to live
by, hath no ways complied with our inconfiderate
and foolifh inclinations, to our real harm and pre-
judice : but hath made thofe things nccedary for us
to do, which in all rcfpeds are bed for us •, and
which, if wc were perfcdly left to our own liberty,
ought
true religion anfwered, 287
ought in all reafon to be our free and firfl choice : S E R M.
and hath made the folly and inconvenience of fin fo^^^'^^-
grofly palpable, that every man may fee it before-
hand that will but confider, and at the beginning
of a bad courfe look to the end of it -, and they
that will not confider, fhall be forced from woful
experience at lad to acknowledge it, when they find
the difmal effedls and mifchievous confequences of
their vices ftill meeting them at one turn or other.
And now, by all that hath been faid upon this
argument, I hope we are fatisfied that Religion is no
liich intolerable yoke ; and that upon a due and full
confideration of things it cannot feem evil unto any
of us to ferve the Lord : nay, on the contrary,
that it is abfolutely neceiTary, both to our prefent
peace and our future fehcity : and that a religious
and virtuous life is not only upon all accounts the
mofi prudent, but after we are entred upon it, and
accuftomed to it, the mod pleafant courfe that any
man can take *, and however inconfiderate men may
complain of the reftraints of religion that it is not
one jot more our duty, than it is our privilege and
our happineis.
And I cannot think, that upon fober confideration
any man could fee reafon to thank God to be re-
leafed from any of his laws, or to have had the con-
trary to them enjoined. Let us fuppofe, that the
laws of God had been jufc the reverfe of what they
now are ; that he had commanded us, under fevere
penalties, to deal falfly and fraudulendy with our
neighbours ; to demean our felves ungratefully to our
beft friends and benefli^ors •, to be drunk every
day, and to purfue fenfual pleafures to the endanger-
ing
XXVIIl
g8 Ohjecfions againjl the
SER^f. in^ of our health and life: how Ihould we have
complained of the unreafonablenefs of thefe laws, and
have murmured at the ilavery of fuch intolerable
impofitions ? and yet now that God hath command-
ed us the contrary, things every way agreeable
to our reafon and interefl:, we are not pleafed nei-
ther. What will content us? as our Saviour ex-
pollulates in a like cafe, " whereunto fliall I liken
" this generation ? it is like unto children playing
'« in the market-place, and calling unto their com-
" panions, we have piped unto you, and ye have
*' not danced ♦, we have mourned, and ye have not
*' lamented." This is perfedlly childifh, to be
pleafed with nothing •, neither to like this nor the
contrary. We are not contented v/ith the laws of
God as they are, and yet the contrary to them we
fhould have efteemed the greatefb grievance in the
world.
And if this be true, that the laws of God, how
contrary foever to our vicious inclinations, and real-
ly calculated for our benefit and advantage, it would
almofl be an affront to wife and confiderate men to
importune them to their interefl j and with great
earneftnefs to perfuade them to that which in all
refpeds is fo vifibly for their advantage, " choofe
*' you therefore this day whom you will fcrve ; '*
God, or your lufts. And take up a fpcedy refolu-
tion in a matter of fo great and preffing a concern-
ment ; clioofc you this day.
Where there is great hazard in the doing of a
thing, it is good to deliberate long before we under-
take it : but where the thing is not only fafe but be-
neficial, and not only hugely beneficial but highly ne-
ccfliiry 5
true religion anfwered. 289
cefiary % when our life and our happinels depends S E R M-
upon it, and all die danger lies in the delay of it j ^^^^^^•
there we cannot be too fudden in our refolution,
nor too fpeedy in the execudon of it. That which
is evidently fafe, needs no deliberation ; and that
which is abfolutely neceflary, will admit of none.
Therefore refolve upon it out of hand ; " to day,
<^ whilf!: it is called to day, led any of you be
« hardened thi"ough the deceitfulnefs of {m. '' In
the days of your youth and health ; " for that is the
" acceptable time, that is the day of falvation : "
before the evil day comes, and you be driven to it
by the terrible apprehenfion and approach of death
when men fly to God only for fear of his wrath.
For the greatefl atheifls and infidels (when they
come to die, if they have any of that reafon \tk^
which they have ufed fo ill) have commonly right
opinions about God and religion. For then the con-
fidence as well as the comfort of atheifm leaves them,
as the devil ufes to do witches when they are in
diftrefs. Then with Nebuchadnezzar, when they
are recovered from being beads, they look up to
heaven, and their underflanding returns to them ;
then they h€i\tv^ a God, and cannot help it; they
believe, and tremble at the thoughts of him. Thus
Lucretius, one of their great authors, obferves, that
when men are in diftrefs,
AcYtiis advertimt animos ad religionem ;
the thoughts of religion are then more quick and
pungent upon their minds.
Nam vera voces turn demurn peBore ah imo
Eliciuntur ; ^ eripitur perfona^ manet res.
Vol. II. O o Msns
6.
290 ObjeEliom^Ggatnll the
S E R M. Mens words then coMb from the bottom of their
•y Y v' T r r
' hearts ; the mask is taken off, and things then ap-
pear as in truth they are.
But then perhaps it may be too late to make this
choice : nay then it can hardly be choice, but ne-
cefTity. Men do not then choofe to ferve the Lord,
but they are urged and forced to it by their fears.
They have ferved their lufts all their life long, and
now they would fain ferve themfelves of God at the
hour of death. They have done what they Cin, by
their infolent contempt and defiance of the almigh-
ty, to make themfelves miferable ; and now that they
can iland out no longer againft him, they are con-
tented at lafc to be beholden to him to make them
happy. The mercies of God arc vail and bound-
Icfs, but yet methinks it is too great a prefumption
in ail rcafon, for men to defign before-hand to
make the mercy of God the fandluary and retreat
of a finful life.
To draw tvitrs. to a conclufion of this difcourfe.
If fafety, or pleafure, or liberty, or wifdom, or vir-
tue, or even happinefs it {<zVi have any temptation
in them, religion hath all thefe baits and allure-
ments. What Tully fays of philofophy, is much
more true of the chriftian religion, the wifdom and
philofophy which is from above ; nunquam fatis lau-
dari pcterit, ciii qui parcat^ omne tempus atatis fine
moleftia degers poJfiL " We can never praife it
** enough, fmce whoever lives according to the
*' rules of it, may pafs the whole age of his Yi^t
*' CI may add, his whole duration, this life and the
*' other) without trouble."
Philo.
true religion anfwered. 291
Phllofophy hath given us feveral plaufible rules ^^^^^^^
for the attaining of peace and tranquiUity of mind,
but they fall very much Ihort of bringing men to
it. The very bed of them fiil us upon the great-
eft occafions. But the chriftian religion hath ef-
fcdtually done ali that which philofophy pretended
to, and aimed at. The precepts and promifes of the
holy fcriptures are every way fufficient for our com-
fort, and for our inftru£lion in righteoufncfs : to
corred all the errors, and to bear us up under all
the evils and adverfides of humane life \ cfpecially
that holy and heavenly dodlrine which is contained
in the admirable fermons of our Saviour, quern
cum legimtis^ quern philofophum non coiitemnimus ? whofe
excellent difcourfes when we read, what philofopher
do we not defpife ? none of the philofophers could,
upon fure grounds, give that encouragement to their
fcholars which our Saviour does to his difciples ;
" take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, and
« ye fhall find reft to your fouls. For my yoke is
*' eafy, and my burden is light. '*
This is the advantage of the chriftian religion
finccrely believed and pradifed, that it gives perfe6fc
reft and tranquillity to the mind of man : it frees
us from the guilt of an evil confcience, and from
the power of our lufts, and from the fiavifn fear
of death and of the vengeance of another v/orld. ^ It
builds our comfort upon a rock, which will abide
all ftorms, and remain unfhaken in every condition,
and will laft and hold out of ever : " he that hear-
*' eth thcfe fayings of mine, and doth them (faith
«« our Lord) I will liken him to a wife man, who
<« built his houfe upon a rock. "
O o 2 Ia
292 Objedtions agahijl the
S E R M. In fhort, religion makes the life of man a wife
J^^}2^^^%"> regular and conftant to itfelfj becaufe it
unites all our refolutions and adtions in one great
end : whereas without religion the life of man is a
wild, and fluttering, and inconfifbent thing, with-
out any certain fcope and defign. The vicious
man lives at random, and ads by chance : for he
that walks by no rule can carry on no fettled and
Iteady defign. It would pity a man's heart to fee,
how hard fuch men are put to it for diverfion, and
what a burden time is to them ; and how folicitous
they are to devife ways, not to fpend it but to fquan-
der it away. For their great grievance is confidera-
tion, and to be obliged to be intent upon any thing
that is ferious. They hurry from one vanity and
folly to another j and plunge themfelves into drink,
not to quench their thirft, but their guilt ; and are
beholden to every vain man, and to every trifling oc-
cafion, that can but help to take time oflT their
hands. Wretched and inconfiderate men ! who have
ib vaft a work before them, the happinefs of all eter-
nity to take care of and provide for, and yet are at
a lofs how to employ their time : fo that irreligioii
and vice makes life an extravagant and unnatural
thing, becitufe it perverts and overthrows the natural
courfe and order of things. For inftance -, accord-
ing to nature men labour to get an eflate, to free
themfelves from temptations to rapine and injury ;
and that they may have wherewithal to fupply their
own wants, and to relieve the needs of others. But
now the covetous man heaps up riches, not to enjoy
them, but to liave them ; and flarves himfelf in the
midH of plenty, and moll unnaturally cheats and
robs
true religion anfwered, 293
robs himfelf of that which is his own ; and makes SJ^r^*
a hard fhift to be as poor and miferable with a great
eflate, as any man can be without it. According to
the defign pf nature, men iliould eat and drink that
they may Hve ; but the voluptuous man only lives
that he may eat and drink. Nature in all fenfual
enjoyments defigns pleafure, which may certainly be
had within the limits of virtue : but vice rafhly pur-
fues pleafure into the enemies quarters ; and never
Hops 'till the fmner be furrounded and feized upon by
pain and torment.
So that take away God and Religion, and men
live to no purpofe ; without propofing any worthy
and confiderable end of life to themfelves. Whereas
the fear of God, and the care of our immortal fouls,
fixeth us upon one great defign, to which our whole
life, and all the adtions of it are ultimately refcrr'd,
Ubi iinus Deus colitur Cfaith LadlantiusJ ibi vita^ ^
omnis a6lus^ ad unum caputs ^ ad unam fiimmam refer-
tur-y when we acknowledge God as the author of
our being, as our fovereign, and our judge, our
end and our happinefs is then fixed ; and we can
have but one reafonable defign, and that is, by en-
deavouring to pleafe God to gain his favour and pro-
tedion in tliis world, and to arrive at the blifsful en-
joyment of him in the other : " In whofe prcfence
*' is fulneis of joy; and at whofe right hand arc
^' pleafures for evermore." To him. Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory,
dominion and power, now and for ever. Amen.
SERMON
C 294 ]
SERMON XXIX.
Of the difficulty of reforming vicious
habits.
J E R E M. xiii. 23.
Can the ethiopian change his skiny or the leopard his
fpots ? then may ye alfo do good that are accuftomed to
do evil
SERM. ^ ^Onfidering the great difficulty of reclaiming
• ■ thofe who are far gone in an evil courfe, it
is no more than needs to ufe all forts of ar-
guments to this purpofe : from the confideration of
the evil of fin, and of the goodnefs of God and his
wonderful patience and long-fuffering towards us in
the mid ft of our infinite provocations : from his great
mercy and pity declared to us in all thofe gracious
means and methods which he ufeth for our recovery :
and from his readinefs and forward nefs after all our
rebellions to receive us upon our repentance, and to
be pcrfedly reconciled to us as if we had never of-
fended him : and from the final iifue and event of a
wicked life, the difmal and endlels miferies of ano-
ther world, into which we fhall inevitably fall except
we repent in time and return to a better mind : and
laftly, from the danger of being hardened in an evil
courfe, paft all remedy and hopes of repentance.
And yet I am very fenfible that to difcourfe to
jmen of the impofllbiiity, or at leaft the extreme dif-
ficulty
Of the dificulty^ ice, 295
ficulty of refcuins; themfelves out of this miferable S E R M.
ftate, fecms to be an odd and crofs kind of argument,,
and more apt to drive people to defpair than to gain
them to repentance.
But fince the Spirit of God is pleafed to make
ufe of it to this purpofe, we may fafely rely upon
infinite wifdom for the fitnefs of it to awaken finners
to a fenfe of their condition, in order to their reco-
very. For here in the text, after terrible threatnings
of captivity and defolation to the people of the jews,
who were extremely wicked and degenerate, through
an univerfal depravation of manners in all ranks of
men from the higheft to the lowefl, fo that they
feemed to iland upon the brink of ruin, and to be
fatally devoted to it; to add to the terror and force
of thefe threatnings, God by his prophet reprefcnts
to them the iniinite danger and extreme difficulty of
their cafe, to fee if he could flartle them by telling
them into what a defperatc condition they had
plunged diemfelves ; being by a Jong cuftom of fin-
ning fo far engaged in an evil courfe, that they had
almoft cut oif themfelves from a poffibility of re-
treat; fo that the difficulty of their change feem-
ed next to a natural impoffibility. '' Can the ethio-
*' pian change his skin, or the leopard his fpots?
" then may ye alfo do good that are accullom'd to
*' do evil."
The expreffion is very high, and it is to be hoped
fomewhat hyperbolical, and above the jufl meaning
of the words. Which are, I think, only defigned
to fignify to us the extreme difficulty of making this
change ; which is therefore refembled to a natural im-
poffibility, as coming very near it, though not alto-
gether up to it* And
2g6 Of the difficulty of
SERM. And that- this expreiTion is thus to be mitigated,
^ '^' will appear more than probable, by confidering fome
other like paflagesof fcripture. As, where our Sa-
viour compares the difficulty of a rich man's fal-
vation to that which is naturally impoffible, viz. to
*« a camel's palTing through the eye of a needle: "
nay, he pitcheth his expreflion higher, and doth not
only make it a thing of equal but of greater diffi-
culty 5 " I fay unto you, it is eafier for a camel to go
" through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man
" to enter into the kingdom of God." And yet
when he comes to explain this to his difciples, he
tells them that he only meant that the thing was
very difficult, " how hard is it for thofe that have
" riches to be faved?" and that it was not abfolute-
ly impoflible, but fpeaking according to humane pro-
bability : " with men this is impoffible, but not with
« GbD.'*
And thus alfo it is reafonable to underftand that fe-
vere pafifage of the apoflle, Heb. vi. 4. *' It is im-
'' poffible for them that were once enlightened, if
" they fall away, to renew them again to repen-
*' tance." It is impoffible, that is, it is very diffi-
cult.
In like manner we are to underftand this high
expreffion in the text, " Can the ethiopian change
*' his skin or the leopard his fpots? then may ye
** alfo do good that are accuftomed to do evil ; "
that is, this moral change of men, fettled and fixed
in bad habits, is almoft as difficult as the other.
From the words thus explained two things will
properly fall under our confideration.
I^irft,
reforming vicious habits. 297
Firft, the great difficulty of reforming vicious ha- S E R M.
bits, or of changing a bad courfe, to thofe who have, '„ 'j
been deeply engaged in it, and long accuftomed
to it.
Secondly, notwithllanding the great diuiculty of
the thing, what ground of hope and encouragement
there is left that it may be done. So that notwith-
llanding the appearing harfhnefs of the text, the re-
fult of my difcourle will be, not to difcourage any,
how bad foever, from attempting this change, but
to put them upon it, and to perfuade them to it;
and to remove out of the v/ay that which may
fv^em to be one of the ftrongefl objedions agaiiift all
endeavours of men very bad, to become better.
I. Firfl, the great difficulty of reforming vicious
habits, or of changing a bad couife, to thofe who
have been deeply engaged in it, and long accuftomed
to it. And this difficulty arifcth, partly from the
general nature of habits indifferently confidered v/he-
ther they be good, or bad, or indifferent j partly,
from the particular nature of evil and vicious habits 5
and partly, from the natural and judicial confe*
quences of a great progrefs and long continuance in
an evil courfe. By the confideration of thefe three
particulars, the extreme difficulty of this change, to-
gether with the true caufes and reafons of it, will fully
appear.
I. If we confider the nature of all habits, whe-
ther good, or bad, or indifferent. The cuftom and fre^
quent pradice of any thing begets in us a faculty and
eafmefs in doing it. It bends the povv^crs of our foul,
and turns the ftream and current of our animal fpirits
fuch a way, and gives all our faculties a tendency and
Vo L. 11. P p pliableneS
6.
298 Of the difficulty of
S E R M. pliablenefs to fuch a fort of adtions. And when we
J^^^j^ have long flood bent one v/ay, we grow fettled and
conrirmed in it ; and cannot wiihout great force- and
violence be reftored to our former ftate and coiidi-
tion. For the perfccftion of any habit, whether
good or bad, induceth a kind of necelTity of ading
accordingly. A rooted habit becomes a governing
principle, and bears almoft an equal fway in us
with that which is natural. It is a kind of a new na-
ture fuperinduced, and even as hard to be expelled,
as fome things which are primitively and originally
natural. When we bend a thing at firft, it will en-
deavour to reftore itfelf *, but it may be h.eld bent
fo long 'till it will contii.ue fo of itfelf, and grow
crooked; and then it may require more force and
violence to reduce it to its former iiraightnefs, than
we ufed to make it crooked at firih This is the
nature of all habits; the farther we proceed, the more
we are confirmed in them : and that which at firft we
did voluntarily, by degrees becomes fo natural and
necefTary, that it is almoft impolTible for us to do
otherwife. This is plainly feen in the experience of
every day, in things good and bad, both in lefTer and
greater matters.
2. This difiiculty arifcth more efpecially from the
particular nature of evil and vicious habits. Thefe,
becaufe they are fuitable to our corrupt nature, and
confpire with the inclinations of it, are likely to be
of a much quicker growth and improvement, and in
a Iliorter fpace, and with lefs care and endeavour, to
arrive at maturity and ftrength, than the habits of
grace and goodnefs. Confidering the propenfion of
our depraved nature, the progrefs of virtue and
goodnefs
reforming vicious habits, 299
goodnefs is up the hill, in which we not only move S E R M.
hardly and heavily, but are t.\ii\y roll*d back: bu
by wickednels and vice we move downwards, which,
as it is much quicker and eafier, fo it is harder for us
to flop in that courie, and uuinitely more difficult to
return from it.
Not but that at firft a Tinner hath Ibme confidera-
ble checks and reilraints upon him, and meets vnth.
feveral rubs and difficulties in his way ; the fliame
and unreafonablenefs of his vices, and the troubl^i
and difquiet which they create to him : but he breaks
joofe from thefe redraints, and gets over thefe diffi-
culties by degrees : and the falter and farther he ad-
vanceth in an evil courfe, the lefs trouble ftill they
give him, 'till at laft they almoil quite Jofe their
force, and give him little or no dirinrDance.
Shame is a great reftraint upon fmners at firfl,
but that foon falls off: and when men have once loft
their innocence, their modefty is not like to be long
troublefome to them. For impudence comes on with
vice, and grows up with it. Leffer vices do not ba-
nifh all ffiame and modefty, but great and abomina-
ble crimes harden mens foreheads, and make them
Ihamelefs. " Were they affiamed (iaith the prophet)
" when they committed abomination ? nay they were
*' not ailiamed, neither could they bluili." When
men have the heart to do a very bad thing, they fel-
dom want the face to bear it out.
And as for the unreafonablenefs of vice, though
nothing in the world be more evident to a free and
impartial judgment, and the finner himfelf difcerns
it clearly enough at his firft fetting out in a wicked
eourfe j
P p 2 ^ Video
300 Of the difficuUy of
[T i^ M. ■■ Video meliora^ 'prohoqiie^
Deteriora feqiior:
He ofrends asainll: the light of his own mind, and
does wickedly when he knows better : yet after he
hath continued for fome time in this courfc, and is
heartily engaged in it, his foohlh heart is darkened,
and the notions of good and evil are obfcured and
confounded, and things appear to him in a falfe and
imperfed" light : his lufts do at once blind and bias
his underflanding; and his judgment by degrees goes
over to his inchnations % and he cannot think that
there fnould be fo much reafon againft thofe things
for which he hath {q ftrong an afFedion. He is now
engaged in a party, and faclioufly concerned to main-
tain it, and to make the beft of it \ and to that end,
he bends all his wits to advance fuch principles as
are nticfl to juftify his wicked pradices; and in all
debates plainly favours that fide of the queftion
which will give the greateft countenance and encou-
ragement to them. When men " are corrupt and
*'^ do abominable works, they fay in their hearts,
" there is no God," that is, they would fain think
{q. And every thing ferves for an argument to a
v/illing mind; and every little objection appears flrong
and confidcrable, which makes againfl that which
men are loth fliould be true.
Not that any man ever fatisfied himfelf in tTie
principles of infidelity, or was able to arrive to a
fleady and unfhaken perfuafion of the truth of them,
fo as not vehemently to doubt and fear the contrary.
However, by this means many men, though they
cannot fully comfort, yet they make a fnift to cheat
themfelves; to ftill their confciences and lay them
afleep
refGrmmg "ckious habits. 301
afleep for a time, fo as not to receive any great and ^E R .H.
frequent difturbance in their courfe from the checks
and rebukes of their own minds. And when thcfe
reftraints are removed, the work of iniquity goes on
amain, being favoured both by wind and tide.
3. The difficulty of this change arifeth likewife
from the natural and judicial confequences of a great
progrefs and long continuance in an evil courfe. iVly
meaning is, that inveterate evil habits do partly from
their own nature, and partly from the juil judgment
and permiffion of God, put men under feveral difad-
vantages of moving effedlually towards their ow^n re-
covery.
By a long cuflom of finning mens confciences
grow brawny, and " feared as it were with a hot
" ironi" and by being often trampled upon, they
become hard as the beaten road. So that unlef. it be
upon fome extraordinary occafion, they are fcldom
awakened to a fenfe of their guilt. And when mens
hearts are thus hard, the bell counfels make but lit-
tle imprefTion upon them. For they are lleeFd
againfl reproof, and impenetrable to good advice;
which is therefore feldom offered to them, even by
thofe that wifli them well, becaufe they know it to
be both unacceptable^ and unlikely to prevail. It
requires a great deal of good-nature in a very bad
man, "to be able padently to bear to be told of his
faults.
Befides, that habitual wickednels is naturally apt
to banifh confideration, to weaken our refoludon,
and to difcourage our hopes both of God's grace and
aiTiflance, and of his mercy and forgivenefs; which
are the befi means and encouragement to repentance.
Sin
XXIX.
302 Of the difficulty of
SE R M. Sin is a great enemy to confideration ; and efpeci-
ally when men are deeply plunged into it, their con-
dition is fo very bad, that they are Joth to think of
it, and to fearch into it. A vicious man is a very de-
formed fight, and to none more than to himfelf ;
and therefore he loves to turn his eyes another way,
and to divert them as much as he can from looking
upon himielf. He is afraid to be alone, left his
own mind fhould arreft him, and his confcience
fhould take the opportunity to call him to an ac-
count. And if at any time his own thoughts meet
him, and he cannot avoid confideration, he is
ready to fay as Ahab did to Elijah " Haft thou
" found me, O my enemy ! " and is as glad to fhake
it pfF as a man is to get rid of a creditor, whom, be-
caufe he knov/s not how to fatisfy, he cares not to
fpeak with him. Confideration is the great trou-
bler and difturber of men, in an evil courfe, becaufe
it v/ould reprefent to them the plain truth of their
cafe; and therefore they do all they can to keep it
off: as thofe who have improvidently managed their
affairs, and been ill husbands of their eftates, are
loth to make up their accounts, left by that means
they (liould be forced to underftand the worft of their
condition.
Or if confideration happen to take them at an ad-
vantage, and they are fj hard preft by it that they
cannot efcape the fight of their own condition, yet
they find themfelves fo miferably entangled and
hampcr'd in an evil courfe, and bound fo faft in the
chains of their own wicked nefs, that they know not
how to get loofe. Sin is the fiddeft flavery in the
world ; it breaks and finks mens fpirits, and makes
them
reforming vicious habits, 303
them fo bafe and fervile that they have not the cou- S E R M.
rage to refcue themfelves. No fort of flavcs are fo _ _^
poor-fpirited, as they who are in bondage to their
lufts. Their power is gone, or if they have any left
they have not the heart to make ufe of it. And
though they fee and feel their mifery, yet they *
choofe rather to fit down in it, and tamely to fub-
mit to it, than to make any refolute attempt for their
liberty. What the prophet fays of whoredom and
wine, is proportionably true of other vices, " they
" take away the heart." Every luft that we enter-
tain deals with us as Dalilah did with Sampfon, not
only robs us of our ftrength but leaves us fall bound :
fo that if at any time we be awakened to a fenfe of
our condition, and try to refcue ourfelves from it, we
find that our ftrength is departed from us, and that
we are not able to break loofe.
And as long cuflom and continuance in fin de-
prives us of our fli-ength, fo it difcourageth our
hopes, both of God's grace and afiiftance, and of
his mercy and forgivenefs. For why fhould men
expedl the continuance of that grace which they have
fo often received in vain ? After fo many provoca-
tions, how can we look the offended majelty of God
in the face ? how can we lift up our eyes to heaven
with any hopes of mercy and forgivenefs there ? De-
fpair doth almofl: naturally fpring from an evil con-
fcience ; and when men are thoroughly awakened to
a fenfe of fin, and of the infinite evil of it, as they
cannot eafily forgive themfelves, fo they can hardly
believe that there is goodnefs enough any where to
forgive them.
But
304 ^f i^^ difficidty cf
S E R M. But befides thefe difadvanta^es, which are natural
' , and confcquent' upon a vicious courfe ; by the juft
judgment of God, his fpiric is withdrawn from
them, and they are given. up to their own hearts
lulls, to commit all iniquity with greedinefs. And
then there is hardly any thing left, either to redrain
them in their evil courie, or to recover them out
of it.
And not only fb, but by the jufl permifTion of
God, as men grow worfe and more wicked, the de-
vil hath a nearer accefs to them and more imme-
diate power over them. So the fcriprure tells us,
that wicked men are " led captive by Satan at his
*' pleafure," and that " the evil one works and ads
*' in the children of difobedience : " they are as it
were pofTeft and infpired by him. And what can be
expeded from this cruel and malicious enemy of
mankind, but that he will continually be pufhing
them on from one wickednefs to another, 'till he-
drive them firll into defpair, and then, if God per-
mit him, into eternal perdition .?
And what a forlorn (late is this .? when men are
thus forfaken of God, and left without check,
blindly and headily to follow the fway of their own
tempers, and the bent of their own corrupt hearts ?
when they are continually expofed to temptations,
llrongly inviting them to evil ; and God lets the de-
vil loofe upon them to manage thofe temptations with
his utmoil skill, and to praclife all his arts and wiles
upon them.? h\ diefe circumftances men almoft in-
fallibly run into fin, as fjre as men wander in the
dark, and arc in danger of falling in flippery place.%
and of being entangled when they continually walk
in
reforming vicious habits, 305
m the mldfl: of fnares cunningly iaid for diem. It S E R M.
is not in men, thus difabled and entangkd, to order "
their own fteps, and to reflrain their inclinations and
paflions in the prefence of a powerful temptation.
At the bed, we need God's dircdlicn to guide us,
his continual grace to uphold us, and to guard and
preferve us from evil -5- and much more do we (land
in need of it, when We have brought ourfelves into
thefe wretched circumdances : but then alas ! how
little reafon have we to hope for it„?
Bhnd and miferable men ! that in defpite of all
the merciful warnings of God's word and providence,
will run themfelves into this defperace ilate, and ne-
ver think of returning to a better mind, 'dll their
retreat is difHcuk almolt to an impoITibility. I proceed
to the
II. Head of my difcourfe, which was to (liew, that
the cafe of thefe perfons, though it be extremely dif-
ficult, is not quite defperate \ bat after all, there is
fome ground of hope and encouragement left, that
they may yet be reclaimed and brought to goodnefs.
Indeed, humanely fpeaking, and according to all ap-
pearance and probability, the thing feems to be very
hopclefs, and next to an impoinbility; but yet what
our Saviour fays concerning the difHculty of a
rich man*s falvation will reach alfo to this cafe^
though much more. difficult; " thofe things which
*^ are impofTible with men, are poiTible v^^ith God/'
And this will appear, if we confide r that even in
the worft of men there is fomething \(t\t which tends
to reclaim them, to awaken them to confideration,
and to urge and encourage them to a vigorous reiolu-
tion of a better courfe : and this, accompanied with a
Vol. II. Qjq powerful
6.
3c6 Of the dlficulfy of
S E R vr. powerful afliflance of God's grace, which when
fincere'y fought is never to be defpaired of, may
prove efxedual to bring back even the greatelt of
Tinners.
1. There is left, even in the word of men, a natural
fenfe of the evil and unreafonablenefs of fin; which
can hardly be ever totally extinguiihcd in humane
nature. For though the habits of great vices are
very apt to harden and ftupify men, fo that they
have feldom a juft ^tn^^z of their evil ways, yet thefe
perfons are Ibmetimes under ftrong convidions, and
their confciences do feverely check and rebuke them
for their fiults. They are ahb, by fits, under great
appreheniion of the danger of their condition, and
that the courfe which they are in, if they continue
in it, will prove fatal to them, and ruin them at laft:
efpecially, when their confciences are thcroughly
awakened by fomc great afflidlion, or the near ap-
proach of death, and a lively Icnfe of another world.
And the apprehenfion of a mighty danger will make
men to look about them, and to ule the bell means to
avoid it.
2. Very bad men when they have any thoughts of
becoming better, are apt to conceive fome good hopes
of God's grace and mercy. For though they find
all the caufes and reafons of defpair in themfelves,
yet the connderation of tlie boundlefs goodnels and
companions of God (how undeferved foever on their
part) is apt to kindle fome fparks of hope, even in
the mod defponding mind. Flis wonderful patience,
in the midft of oar manifold provocations, cannot
but be a good fign to us that he hath no mind that
we fhould perifh, but rather that we Ihould come to
repentance ;
reforming viciGUS hahits, 3^7
repentance, and if we do repent, we are aiTared by ^^^^f'
hi. promife, that we Ihall be forgiven. " He taat __.
" confcff.ch and foriaketh his fins fhall have mercy.
" If we confels oar fins, he is faidifal and juft to
'' forgive us our fins, and to cleanfe us from all un-
<' lighteoufnefs."
3. Wno knows what men thoroughly roufed and
flartled may refolve, and do? And a mighty refo-
Jution Will break through d.fncultics which feem in-
fuperable. Though we be weak and pitiful crea-
tures-, yet nature when it is mightily irritated and
ftirr'd will do ftrange things. The rcrfolutions of
men upon the brink of defpair, have been of an in-
credible force: and the foul of man in nothing more
difcovers its divine power and original, than in that
fpring which is in it, wher^^by it recovers itielf
when" it is mightily urged and preft. There is a
fort or refolution which is in a manner invm. bl ^
and hardly any difficulty can refifi it or (land be-
fore it. . n • r 1
Of this there have been great infcances in levcral
kinds. Some by an obllinate refolution, and taking
incredible pains with themfelves, have maftered
areat natural vices and defecls. As Socrates and Dl-
mofthenes, who almoft exceeded all mankind in thofe
two things for which by nature they feemed to be
leaft made, and moft unfit. One in governing of
his paflions, and the other in the mighty force and
power of his eloquence.
Some that by intemperance have brought them-
felves to a drorlV, which hath juft fet them upon
the brink of \he grave, by a bcM and fteaUy
purpofe to ab:^v:;m wholly i^'cm drink ior a long
^ ^ Q^q2 tn^e
3o8 Of the difculty of
S E R M time too;ether, have rcfcucd themklves from the laws
XXIX. r J t
or death.
Some that had almoil ruined thciPifch'es by a care-
lefi and diiTolutc Lfe, and havirg run thcmielves out
of their ellates int; dthr, -nd being calr into prifbn,
have there taken up a mar-ly reioiucion to retrieve
and recover themielves; and by the ludeiatigablc
labour and lludy of fome years, in that Ui. com-
fortable retreat, have maflered the knowledge and
skiii of one of the moft di^licult profcfno'is, in
^^■nich th^y have aner wards proved ^r eat aid emi-
ner.t.
And fome in the fuil career of a wicked cou^fe,
have by a fudden thougijt and reiblution, rai<ed in
them and affiiled by a mighty grace of God, taken
up prefer tly, and made an m:i mediate change from
great wickednefs and impiety of Jife, to a very exem-
plary degree of goodnefs and virtue.
The t.vo great encouragements to virtue which
Pythagoras gave to his Icholars were thefe ; and
they were worthy of fo great a philofopher ; Firff,
" Choofe always the beli: courfc of life, and cuftom
" will foon m.ake it the moll: pleafant." The other
was this, " That power and neceirity are neigh-
*' bours, and never dwell far from one another."
When men are prefl by a great neceffity, when
nature is fpurr'd up and urged to the utmoft,
men difcover in themfelvcs a power which they
thought they had not, and find at lad that they can
do that which at firfl: they defpaired of ever being
able to do.
4. The grace and afliflance of God when fincerely
fought, is never to be defpaired of. So that if we
do
reforming vicious habits, 309
do but heartily, .and in good earned refolve upon a S E R M,
better courfc, and implore the help of God's grace ^^^^^•
to this purpofe, no degree of it that is necefTary fhall
be wanting to us. And here is our chief ground of
hope. For we are weak and unftabie as water ;
and when we have taken up good refolutions, do ea-
fily flart from them. So that frefh fupph'es, and a
continued affiftance of God's grace is neceflary to
keep up the firfl: warmth and vigour of our refoluti-
ons,'c:II they prove effectual and vidlorious. And this
grace God hath promifed he will not deny to us,
when wc are thus difpofcd for it ; " that he will give
" his HOLY Spirit to them that ask it; that he
" will not quench the fmoking flax, nor break the
" bruifed reed, until he bring forth judgment unto
" vidlory.**
All that now remains is to apply this to our felves :
and we are all concerned in it : for we iLall all find
our felves comprehended under one of thefe three
Heads, either we are of the number of thofc few
happy perfons, who by the influence and advantage
of a good education, were never engaged in a bad
courfe : or, of thofe who have been drawn into vice,
but are not yet far gone in it : or, of thofe who
ha^e been long accu Homed to an tw'il courfe, and
are grov/n old and fliii in it.
The firfl of thefe have great caufe to thank
God for this fmgular felicity, that they were never
enfnared and intanglcd in vicious habits, that they
have not had the trial of their own v/eaknefs under
this miferable flavery, that they never knew what
it was to be out of their o',>'n power, to have lofl
their liberty and the government of themfelves.
When
Of the difficulty of
When we hear of the mifcrable fcrvltudc of the poor
chrillians in Turkey, we are apt, as there is great
rcafon, to pity them, and to think what a blefTing
of God it is to us that we are not in their condi-
tion : and yet that Havery is not comparable to
this, either for the fad nature, or the difmal confe-
quences of it \ or for the difficulty of being rcleafcd
from it. And^ let fuch perfons, who have been
thus happy never to have been engaged in an evil
courfe, preftrve tlieir innocency with great tender-
nefs and care, as the greateft jewel in the world.
No man knows what he does, and what a foundati-
on of trouble he lays to himfelf, when he forfeits
his innocency, and breaks the peace of his own
mind ; when he yields to a temptation, and makes the
firft ftep into a bad courfe. Yli little thinks whither
his lufts may hurry him, and what a monfler they
may make of him before they have done with
him.
2. Thofe who have been feduced, but are not yet
deeply engaged in an evil courfe, let them make a
fpeecy retreat, left they put it for ever out of their
power to return. Perhaps their feet only are yet
enfnared, but their hands are at liberty, and they
have fome power left, whereby with an ordinary
grace of God they may loofe and refcue thcmfelves.
But after a while their hands may be manacled, and
all their power may be gone -, and when they are
thus " bound hand and foot," they are juff prepa-
red, and in danger every moment, *' to be caft into
*' utter darknefs."
3. As tor thofe, who are gone very far, and arc
grown old in viccj who can forbear to lament over
them ?
reforming vicious habits, 311
them ? for they are a fad fpeftacle indeed, and the S E R M.
truell objed of pity in the world. And yet their ^^^^•
recovery is not utterly to be defpaired ot\ " for
" with God it is poflible." Tlie Spirit of God,
which hath withdrawn himfelf, or rather hath been
driven away by them, may yet be perfuaded to re-
turn, and to undertake them once more, if diey
would but feriouily refolve upon a change, and hear-
tily beg God's affifiance to that purpofe. li v/e
would take up a mighty refolutioD, we might hope
that God would afford a miraculous grace to iccoiid
it, and make it effeftual to our recovery. Even in
this perverle and degenerate age in which we live,
God hath not been wandng to give lome miracu-
lous inftances of his grace and mercy to finners,
and thofe perhaps equal to any of thofe we meet
with in fcripture, of ManafTes, or Mary Magda-
lane, or the penitent thief; both for the greatiicls
of the offenders, and the miracle of their change :
to the end that none might defpair, and for want
of the encouragement of an example equal to their
own cafe, be di (heartened from fo noble an enter-
prife. I am loth to put you in mind how bad fome
have been, who yet have been " fnatched as fire-
" brands out of the fire ; " and that in fo ftrapge
a manner, that it would even amaze a man to think
of the wonder of their recovery : thofe who have
funk themfelves into the very depth of infidelity
and wickedncfs, have by a mighty hand and out-
flretched arm of God been pluckt out of this hor-
rible pit. And will we ftill ftand it out with God,
when fuch great Leaders have given up' the caufe,
and have furrendred and yielded up themfelves will-
ing
312 Of the di^cuhy of
SERM. ing captives to the grace of God ? that omnipotent
grace of God, which can eafily fubdue the ftouteH:
heart of man, by letting in fo ftrong a light upon
our minds, and pouring fjch terrible convictions in-
to our coni'ciences, that wc can find no eaic but in
turning to God.
I hope there are none here ^o bad, as to need all
the encouragement to repentance which fuch exam-
ples might give them : encouragement, I fay, to re-
pentance : for furely thefe examples can encourage
no man to venture any farther in a wicked courfe :
they are fo very rare, and like the inftances of thofe
who have been brought back to life after the fen-
tence of death feemeJ to have been fully executed
upon them.
But perhaps fome will not believe that there have
been fuch examples •, or if there have, thty impute
all this either to a diflurbed imagination, or to the
faint and lo.v fpirits of men under great bodily
weaknefs, or to their natural cowardife and fear y
or to I know not v^'hat foohfh and fantaftical defign
of completing and finifhing a wicked life with an
hypocritical death. Nothing furely is eafier than to
put fome bad conflrudion upon the bed things,
and fo flur even repentance it felf, and almoft dafh
it out of countenance by fome bold, and per-
haps witty faying about it. Bat oh that men
were wife ! oh that men were wife ! that they under-
ftood, and would but confidcr their latter end ! Come,
let us neither trifle, nor diflrmble in this matter j
I dare fay every man's confcience is convinced, that
they who have led very ill lives, have fo much rea-
fon for repentance, that we may eafily believe it
to
reformhig njz clous hahits. 313
t© be real. However, of all thino-s in the world, SERM,
XXI X.
let us not make a mock of repentance ; that which
muft be our lafl fan6tuary and refuge, and which
we mud all come to before we die, " or it had
*^ been better for us we had never been born." There-
fore, " let my counfel be acceptable unto you, break
*' oft your fins by repentance, and your iniquities
«' by righteoufnels : " and that inftantly, and with-
out delay ; " left any of you be hardned through the
" deceitfulnels of fin.'* If we have been cnflaved
but a little to a vicious courfe, we fhall find it a task
difficult enough to affert our own liberty ; "to
*^ break thefe bonds in funder, and cafl thefe cords
" from us : " but if we have been long under this
bondage, v/e have done fo much to undo our felves,
and to make our cafe defperate, that it is God's in-
finite mercy to us that there is yet hope. There-
fore, " give glory to the Lord your God, before
*' he caulc darknefs, and your feet flumble upon
*' the dark mountains, and while you look for light,
«' he turn it into darknefs and the ihadow of death."
I will conclude with that encouraging invitation,
even to the greateft of finners to repentance, from
the mouth of God himfelf, Ha. Iv. " Incline your
*' ear, and come unto me ; hear, and your foul Ihall
*' live : feek the Lord while he may be found \ and
** call upon him while he is near. Let the v/icked
*' forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his
*' thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord,
*' and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God^
*' for he will abundantly pardon."
To him let us apply our felves, and humbly be-
feech him, " who is mighty to fave/' that he ^^'ould
Vol. IL Rt itrct«!^
' 6,
^14 Of the dijiculty of, &c.
llretch forth the right hand of his power for our deli-
verance, irom thismiferable and cruel bondage of our
lufts : " and that as the rain cometh down from
*' heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth
«« the earth, and maketh it to bring forth and bud 5.
*' fo he would grant that his word may not return
*' void, but accompU(h his pleafure, and profper in
«' the thing to which he fent it," for his mercy fake
in Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and
the HOLY Ghost, be all honour and glory now and
for ever. Amen.
SERMON XXX.
The neceffity of the knowledge of the
holy fcriptures.
MATTHEW xxiii. 13,
JFo unto you fcribes and pharifees^ hypocrites ; for ys
Jhut up the kingdom of heaven againjl ?nen ; and ye
neither go in your fehes^ neither fuffer ye them that
are entring to go in,
SER M. f g "^ H E fcribes fo often mentioned In the goA
^-^^' i I pel, were the great doclftrs among the
-■- jews, the teachers and interpreters of the
law of God. And becaufe many of them were of
the fe6t of the pharifees, which above all others pre-
tended to skill and knowledge in the law, therefore
it is that our bleiTed Saviour does fo often put the
fcribes and pharifees together. And thefe were the
Tlje necejjity of the ^ &c. ^ 315
men of chief authority in the ievvifh church; who SERAf.
equalled their own unwritten <f*"jrd and traditions ^^^^V^
with the law of God : nay our Saviour tells us,
"^^ they made the commandments of God of none
*' effefl by their traditions." They did in efFed af-»
fume to themfelves infallibility ; and all that oppo-
fed and con trad ided them, they branded with the
odious name of heretickso Againil thefs our Sa-
viour denounceth this wo here in the tt^t^ " wo
** unto you fcribes and phafifees, hypocrites ; for ye
*' Ihut up the kingdom of heaven againfr men, i^c?^
Ail the difficulty in the words is, what is here
meant ^' by fhutting up the kingdom of heaven
" againftmen:" St. Luke expreffes it more plain-
ly, '* ye have taken away the key of knowledge^,
^^' ye entred not in your felves, and them that were
-^^ entring in, ye hindered/* By putting thefe two
cxpreiTions together we fhali the more eafily come at
the meaning of the It^t, * ' Ye have taken away the
^ key of knowledge, and have fliut up the kingdom
«' of heaven againft men." This metaphor of the key
■of knowledge, is undoubtedly an allufion to that
known cuftom among the jev/s in the admiffion of
their dodtors. For to whomfoever they gave au-
thority to interpret the law and the Prophets, they
were foJemnly admitted into that office by deliver-
ing to them a key and a table-book. So that by
the key of knowledge is here meant the interpreta-
tion and underflanding of the fcriptures ; and by
taking away tl\e key of knowledge, not only that
they arrogated to themfelves alone the underflanding
•of the fcriptures, but likewife that they had convey-
ed away this key of knowledge, and as it wa-e hid it
1 R r z. <^^^
3i6 7i:e nccej/tfy of the
SERM. out of the way, njitiier ufing it themfelves as they
ought, nor lliffering others to make ufe of it.
And thus " they lliut the knigdom of heaven
*' againft men ; " which is very fitly fiid of thofe
who have locked the door againfl: them that were
going in, and have taken away the key. By all
v/hich it appears, that the plain meaning of our Sa-
viour in thefe metaphorical expreflions is, that the
fcribes and teachers of the law, under a pretence of
interpreting the fcriptures, had perverted them, and
kept the true knowledge of them from the people :
efpecially thofe prophecies of the old tedament which
concerned the Messias. And by this means the
kingdom of heaven was fhut againft men : And
they not only rejeded the truth themfelves, but by
keeping men in ignorance of the true meaning of
the fcriptures, they hindered many from embracing
our Saviour's dodrines, and entring into the king-
dom of heaven, who were otherwile well enough dif-
pofed for it.
Having thus explained the words, I (hall from the
main fcope and defign of them obierve to you thefe
two things.
1. The neceflity of the knowledge of the holy
fcriptures in order to our eternal falvation. It is
called by our Saviour the key of knowledge, that
which lets men into the kingdom of heaven.
2. The great and inexcufable fault of thofe who
deprive the people of the knowledge of the fcrip-
tui-es. '' They fliut the kingdom ot heaven againft
*' men," and do v;hat in them lies to hinder their
eternal falvation ; and therefore our Saviour de-
nounceth fo heavy a wo againft them.
I ftialj
knowledge of the holy fcrtp fur es. 317
T fhall fpeak briefly to thefe two obfervations ; S E R M:
and then apply them to thofe who are principally "^^^^
concerned in them.
I. Firft, 1 obferve hence the neceflity of i\i^
knowledge of the holy fcriptures, in order to our
eternal falvation. This is by our Saviour called
the key of knowledge, that which lets men into the
kingdom of heaven.
Knowledge is neceflary to religion : it is neceila-
ry to the being of it ; and neceflary to the life and
pradice of it. " Without faith (fays the apoflle) it
*' IS impoiribie to pleafe God : " becaufe faith is an
acl of the underltanding, and does neceiTarily fup-
poie fome knowledge and apprehenlion of what wc
believe. To all ads of religion there is neceiTarily
required fome ad of the underilanding ; fo that
without knowledge there can be no devotion in the
fervice of God, no obedience to his laws. Reli-
gion begins in the underilanding, and from thence
defcends upon the heart and life. " If ye know
*' thefe things (fays our Saviour) happy ai-e ye
" if ye do them.'* We muff firfl know God, be-
fore we can worlhip him ; and underftand what is
his will, before we can do it.
This is fo very evident, that one would think
there needed no difcourfe about it. And yet there
are fome in the world that cry up ignorance as the
mother of devotion. And to fhew them that wc
do not wrong them in this matter, Mr. Rufhworth
in his dialogues (a book in great vogue among the
papifis here in England) does exprefly reckon up ig-
norance among the parents of religion. And can
^ny thing be faid more abfurdly, and more to the
difpa-
• 3iS ^€ necejjtty of the
SERM. difparagement of religion, than to derive* the pe-
ii^^i_j digree of the mod excellent thing in the world frorn
fo obrcure and ignoble an original ? and to make
that which the fcripture calls the beginning of wii^
dom, and the excellency of knowledge, to be the
offspring of ignoi Uiice and a child of darknefs ? Ig-
norance indeed may be the caufe of wonder and ad-
miration, and the mother of folly and fuperdition :
but fure religion is of a nobler extraction, and is the
iffue and refult of the bed wifdom and knowledge^
and defcends from above, from the giver of every
good and perfed gift, even the father of lights. |
And as knowledge in general is neceilciry to rell- ^
gion, fo more parcicularly the knowledge of the
holy fcriptures is neceflary to our eternal falvation :
becaufe thefe are the great and {landing revelation
of God to mankind °, wherein the nature of God,
and his will concerning our duty, and the terms and
conditions of our eternal happinefs in another worlds
are fijlly and plainly declared to us.
The fcriptures are the word of God -, and from
whence can we learn the will of God fo well as from
his own mouth? they are the great inftrument of
our falvation ; and fhould not every man be ac-
quainted with that which alorje can perfectly in-
ftrucl him what he muft believe, and what he muit
do that he may be faved? this is the teftimony
which the fcripture gives of it felf, that it is " able
^'^ to make men wife unto falvation :" and is it not
very fit that every man.fiiould have this wifdom, and
in order thereunto the free ufe of that book from
whence this wifdom is to be learned ?
IJ. Secondly^ ,
knowledge of the holy fcrlpturet. ^jn
II. Secondly, I obferve the great and inexcufable SE R iVf .
Fault of .thofe who keep men in ignorance of reli-
gion, and take away from them fo excellent and ne-
celTiiry a means of divine knowledge as the holy
fcriptures are. This our Saviour calls " taking
*' away the key of knowledge, and fhutting the
" kingdom of heaven againft men," that is, doing
what in them lies to render it impofTible for men to
be faved. For this he denounceth a terrible wo
againll the teachers of the jewifh church : though
they did not proceed fo far as to deprive men of the
ufe of the holy fcriptures, but only of the right
knowledge and underftanding of them. This alone is
a horrible impiety, to lead men into a falfe fenfe and
interpretation of fcripture, but much greater to for-
bid them the reading of it. This is to flop know-
ledge at the very fountain-head ; and not only to lead
men into error, but to take away from them all pol^
fibility of rectifying their miftakes. And can there
be a greater facrilege, than to rob men of the word
of God, the bed means in the world of acquainting
them with the will of God and their duty, and the
way to eternal happinefs.? To keep the people in ig-
norance of that which is nece/Tary to fave them, '' is
*' to judge them unworthy of eternal life," and to
declare it does not belong to them, and malicioufiy to
contrive the eternal ruin and deilrudion of their
fouls.
To lock up the fcriptures and th^ fervice of God
from the people in an unknown tongae, what is this
but in effedl to forbid men to know God and to
ferve him -, to render them incapable of knowing
*' what IS the good and acccjcable will of God ,'*
of
XXX.
320 The nee (/Jit y of th
SE R M. of joiaing in his worihip, or performing any part of
■ it, or receiving any benefit or edification from it;
and what is, if this be not, to fliut the kingdom of
heaven againft men? This is fo outrageous a cruelty
to the fouls of men, that it is not to be excufed upon
any pretence whatfoever : this is to take the furefl
and mod effectual way in the world to dcfiroy thofe
for whom ChxIist died, and directly to thwart the
great defign of God our Saviour, " who would
" have all men to be faved, and to come to the
" knowledge of the truth." Men may mifcarry
with their knowledge, but they are fure to perilh for
want of it.
The beft things in the world have their inconve-
niences attending them, and arc liable to be abufed;
but furely men are not to be ruined and damned for
fear of abufing their knowledge, or for the preven-
tion of any other inconvenience whatfoever. Be-
fides, this is to crois the very end of the fcriptures,
and the defign of God in infpiring men to write
them. Can any man think that God fhould fend
this great light of his word into the world, for the
priefts to hide it under a bufiiel ; and not rather that
it fhould be ki up to the greatefl: advantage for the
enlightening of the world ? St. Paul tells us, Rom.
XV. 4. " That whatfoever things were written, were
*' written for our learning, that we through pa-
*' tience and comfort of the fcriptures might have
*' hope." And 2 Tim. iii. 16. " That all fcripture
*' is given by infpiration of God ; and is profitable
" for dcclrine, for reproof, for corre6lion, for in-
*' flrudtion in righteoufnefs." And if the fcrip-
tures were written for thefe ends, can any man have
the
knowledge of the holy fcripf tires. 321
the face to pretend that they do not concern the SERM,
XXX
people as well as their teachers? Nay St. Paulex-
preQy tells the church of Rome, that they were
written for their learning, howe^/er it happens that
they are not now permitted to make ufe of them.
Are the fcriptures fo ufeful and profitable for doc-
trine, for reproof, for inftrudion in righteoiifnefs ?
and why may they not be ufed by the people for
thofe ends for which they were given ? 'Tis true in-
deed they are fit for the mod knowing and learned,
and fufficient to make " the man of God perfeft,
" and thoroughly furniflied to every good work,'*
as the apoftle there tells us. , But does this exclude
their being profitable alfo to the people ; who may
reafonably be prefumed to (land much more in need
of all means and helps of inftruclion than their
teachers ? And though there be many difticulties and
obfcurities in the fcriptures, enough to exercife the
skill and wit of the learned, yet are they not there-
fore either ufelefs or dangerous to the people. The
ancient fathers of the church v/ere of another mind.
St. Chryfoftom tells us that, " Whatever things are
*' neceffary, are manifefl in the fcriptures.'* And
St. Audin, " That all things are plain in the fcrip«
" ture, which concern faith and a good hfe ; and
" that thofe things which are neceiTary to the fal^
** vation of men, are not fo hard to be come at 5 but
*' that as to thofe things which the fcripture plainly
*' contains, it fpeaks without difguife like a familiar
'« friend to the heart of the learned and unlearned.'*
And upon thefe and fuch-like confiderations, the fa-
thers did every-where in their orations and homilies
charge and exhort the people to be converfant in the
Vol. IL Si holy
6.
222 TX^ neccjfity of the
SERM. holy fcripturcs, to read them daily and diiigently
^^^^and attentively. And I challenge our adverfaries
to fhew me where any of the ancient fathers do dif-
courage the people from reading the fcriptures, much
lefs. forbid them fo to do. So that they v/ho do it
now have no cloke fur their fin : and they who
prerend fo confidently to antiquity in other cafes,
are by the evidence of truth forced to acknow-
ledge that it is againft them in this. Though they
have ten thoufand fchoolmen on their fide, yet have
they -not one father, nor the lead pretence of fcrip-
tures or rag of antiquity to cover their nakednels in
this point.
With great reafon then does our Saviour de-
nounce fo heavy a wo againfl fuch teachers. Of
old in the like cafe God by his prophet feverely
threatens the pricfis of the jewifh church, for not
inftrucling the people in the knowledge of God,
Hofea iv. 6. "My people are deftroyed for lack
" of knowledge: becaufc thou haft rejedled knov/-
" ledge, I will alfo rejedl thee •, thou fhalt be no
" more a priefl to me : feeing thou haft forgotten
'^ the law of thy God, 1 will aFo forget thy chil-
** dren." God, you fee, lays the ruin of fo many
f uls at their doors, and will require their blood at
their hands. So many as perifli for v/ant of know-
ledge, and eternally mifcarry by being deprived of
the neceflary means of falvation, their deftrudlion
fhall be charged upon thofe who " have taken away
*' the key of knowledge, and lliut the kingdom of
*' heaven againft men."
And it is juft with God to punifli fuch perfons,
not only as the occafion, but as the authors of their
ruin.
knowledge of the holy fcriptiires. 323
ruin. For v. ho can iuJo-e other wife, but that thev S E R M.
who deprive men of che necelTary means to any end, _^J _^^
do pufpi.lcly dcfign to hinder them of attaining that
end ? And whatever niay be pretended in this cafj ;
to deprive men of the holy fcriptures, and to keep
them ignorant of the fervice of God, and yet while
they ^o fo, to make a fhew of an earned defirc of
their falvation, is jint fnch a mockery, as if one of
you that is a mafler H^ould tell his prentice, how
much you deiire lie fnould thrive in the world, and
be a rich man, but all the while keep him igno-
rant of his trade in order to his being rich ; and
with the f{.n6te(l care imag;inable conceal from him
the bcfl: means o[ learning, that whereby alone he is
likely to thrive and get an eflate. " Wo unto
*' you fcr.bes and pharifecs, hypocrites "
By what hath been dilcourfcd upon this argu-
ment, you will eafily perceive where the application
is like to fall. For tile wo denounced by our
Saviour here in the text againft the fcribes and
pharifees, falls every whit as heavy upon the pa-
llors and teachers of the Roman church. They
have taken away {^^ key of knowledge with a wit-
nef^; not only depriving the people of the right
underftanding of the fcriptures, but of the very ufe
of them : as if they were fo afraid they fhould un-
derltand them, that they dare not fufFer them fo much
as to be acquainted with them.
I'nis tyranny that church hath exercifed over
thofe of her communion for feveral hundreds of
years. It grew upon them indeed by degrees : for
as by \!r\^ inundation 'of barbarous nations upon the
Roman empire the Romans lod their language by
S f 2 de2;rees.
3 24 7 he necejjity of the
SERM. degrees, fo the governors of that church flill kept
up tiVt fcriptures and the fervice of God in the
ktin tongue; which at laft was wholly unknown to
the common people. And about the ninth and tenth
ceni'ines, when by the general confcnt of all their
own hiftorians grofs darknefs and ignorance cover-
ed this part of the world, the pope and the priefts
took away the key of knowledge, and did (as I may
fo fayj put it under the door for feveral ages ; 'till the
reformation fetched it out again, and rubbed off the
ruft of \t.
And I profefs feriouily that hardly any thing in
the world was ever to me more aftcnifliing, than
this uncharitable and cruel u%e of the people in the
church of Rome. And 1 cannot tell which to won*
der at mofb, the infolence of their goverp.ors in im-
pofing upon men this fcnfelefs way of ferving God,
or the pacience lliall I call it, or rarher flupidity of
the people- in enduring to be fo in olerably abiifed.
Why fhoi^ld reafonable creatures be treated at this
rude and oarbarous rate.? As if tnev were unworthy
to be acquainted w lii the will ot G d ; and as if
that wnici'i every man onghr to do, were not fit for
every man to know: as if the common peo})]e had
only boQics to be pic'ert at the icrvice of God, but
no ibuk \ or as if they were all dif raffled ufkI out of
their wits, and it were a dangerous rhii g to let \n the
light upon them.
But to Ipeak more diftlndly. There arc two
things we charge them withal, and v.'hich they are
not able to deny. Their performing i\\^ publick
fervice of God in an unknownr tongue; and depriv-
ing the people of the uie of the fcripturcs. A. d I
fhall
knowledge of the holy fcriptures, 325
fhall firft tell you what we have to fay againft thefe S E R M.
things, and then confider what they pretend for '^^'
them.
I. As for their performing the fervice of God in
a tongue unknown to the people. And I begin with
St, Paul, who in his firft epillle to the Corinthians
hath a vvhole chapter on purpofe to ihew the unrea-
fonablenefs of this thing, and how contrary it is to
the edification of chriftians. His difcourle is fo plain
and fo well known, that 1 Ihall not particularly infift
upon it. Erafmus in his annotations upon this
chapter, breaks out (as well he might) into admira-
tion at the practice of the church of Rome in his
time. Hdc in re mirum^ qiiam mittata fit EccUfiae con-
fuetudo : " It is wonderful (fays he) how the cudom
" of the church is altered in this matter. St. Paul
" had rather fpeak five words with underOianding,
" and fo as to teach others, than t^n thoufand in an
*' unknown tongue." Why does the church doubt
to follow fo great an authority, or rather how dares
fhe difTent from it ?
As for the pradice of the ancient church let Ori-
gen bear witnefs. " The Grecians (faith he) in their
*' prayers ufe the Greek, and the Romans the Latin
^' tongue; and fo every one according to his lan-
*' guage prayeth unto God, and praifeth him as he is
" able."
And not only in Origen's time, but for more than
the firft fix hundred years, the fervice of God was
always performed in a known tongue. And this the
learned men of their own church do not deny. And
cardinal Cajetan (as Cafiander tells us) faid it was
much better this cuftom were reftored ; and being re-
proved
326 ^he necejpfy of the
S E R M. proved for %ing fo, he faid he learned it from
^^, Si-. Paul. And Bellarmine himfelf confclTeth that
the Armenians, Egyptians, Ethiopians, Ruflians,
and others do ufe their own language in their litur-
gies at this day.
Bjt it is otherwife now in the church of Rome,
and hath been for feveral ages. And it feems they
lay great fcrefs upon it, not only as a thing of great
ufe, but necefTitv. For pope Gregory VII. forbids
the prince of Bohemia to permit to the people the
celebration of divine offices in the Sclavonian tongue -,
and commands him to oppofe them herein v\ iih all
his forces. It feems he thought it a caufe worthy the
fighting for -, and that it were much better tht peo-
ple fhould be killed, than fuffered to underhand their
prayers.
But let us reafon this matter a little calmly v/ith
them. Is it necefTary for men to under Hand any
thing they do in religion ? and is not p ayer one of
the mod foiemn parts of religion? and why then
fliould not men underftand their prayers as v/ell as
any thing elfe they do in religion ? Is it good diat
people Ihould underlland their private prayers .? that
(.ve thank them) they allow, and why not pub-
lick as well.? Is there ItiS of religion in publick
prayers.? is God lefs honoured by them.? or arc we
not as capable of being edified and of having our
hearts and affections moved and excited by them ?
Where then lies the difference ? The more 1 confider
it, the more I am at a lofs, what tolerable reafon any
man can give why people fhould .not- underfland
their publick devotions as well as their private. If
men cannot heartily and devoudy pray alone, with-
out •
knowledge of the holy fcriptures. 327
out underflianding what they ask of God, no more ^^ ^^^*
(fay l) can they heartily and devoutly join in the
pubhck prayers which are made by the prieil, with-
out underflanding what they are. If it be enough
for the pried ro underftand them, why fhould not
the priefl only be prefent at them ? unlels the people
do not meet to worfliipGoD, but only to wait up-
on the prk\\. But by faying the prieit underftai-ds
them, it feems it is better fomebody ^fliould urderdand
them than not; and why is not that which is good
for the pried, good for the people ?
So that the true date of the controverfy is, whe-
ther it be fit that the people fhould be edified in the
fervice of God ; and v*'hether it be fit the church
ihould order things contrary to edification ? For it
is plain that the fervice of God in an unknown
tongue is ufclels and unprofitable to the people: nay,
it is evidently no publick fervice of God, when the
pried only underdands it. For how can they be laid
to be publick prayers, if the people do not join in
them ? and how can they join in that they do not un-
derdand ? and to what purpofe are ledbns of fcrip-
ture-read, if people are to learn nothing by them ?
and how fhould they learn when they do not under-
dand ? This is as if one diould pretend to teach a
man Greek, by reading him ledures every day out of
an Arabick and Perfian book, of which he under-
dands not one fy liable.
II. As to their depriving the people of the ufe of
the holy fcriptures. Our blelled Saviour exhorts
the jews to"fearch the fcriptures;" and St. Paul
chargeth the chridians that '' the word of God
«' fhould dwell richly in thenn" and the ancient
fathers
. 328 ^h^ necfjfity of the
S E R M. fathers of the church do moft frequently and earneft-
ly recommend to the people the reading and (ludy of
the fcriptures : how comes the cafe now to be fo alter-
ed? fare the word of God is not changed ; that cer-
tainly abides and continues the fame for ever.
I ihall by and by examine what the church of
Rome pretends in excufe of this facrilege. In the
mean time I do not fee v/hat confiderable objedlions
can be made againfl the people's reading of the
fcriptures, which would not have held as well againfl
the writing and publifhing of them at firfl in a
language underftood by the people : as the old tefta-
ment was by the Jews, and the epiftles of the apo-
Itles by the churches to whom they were written,
and the gofpels both by Jews and Greeks. Were there
no difficulties and obfcurities then in the fcriptures,
capable of being v/refted by the unliable and un-
learned? were not people then liable to error, and
was there no danger of herefy in thofe times ? And
yet thefe are their great objections againil putting the
fcriptures into the hands of the people. Which is
juft like their arguing againft giving the cup to the
laity from the inconveniency of their beards, left
fome of the confederated wine fhould be fpilt upon
them : as if errors and beards v/ere inconvenien-
ces lately fprung up in the world, and which man-
kind were not liable to in the firit ages of <:hriftia-
nicy.
But if there were the fame dangers and inconve-
niences in all ages, this reafon makes againft the pub-
liiliing of the fcriptures to the people at firft, as
much as againft permitting them the ufe of them
now. And in truth all thefe objections are againft
the
knowledge of the 'holy fcriptures, 329
the fcriptufe itleif: and that which the church ofSER^^-
Rome would find fault with if they durd, is, that y^
there fhould be any fuch book in the world, and that
it fhould be in any body's hands, learned or un-
learned', for if it be dangerous to any, none are fb
capable of doing mifchief with it as men of wit and
learning. So that at the bottom, if they would
Ipeak out, the quarrel is againfl the fcriptures them-
felves. This is too evident by the counfel given to
pope Julius III. by the bifhops met at Bononia to
confult about the eftablifhment of the Roman fee :
where among other things, they gave this as their laft
advice, and as the greatefl and weightiefl of all,
" That by all means as litde of the gofpel as m.ight
'' be, efpecially in the vulgar tongue, Ihould be
" read to the people ; and that little which was m
*' the mafs ought to be fufficient: neither flicu.'d it
*' be permitted to any mortal to read more. For k^
*' long (fay they) as men were contented with that
" little, all things went well with them ; but quite
*' otherwife, fince more was commonly read." And
fpeaking of the fcripture, they give tliis remarkable
tcftimony and commendation of it ; " This, in fhort,
" is that book which, above all others, hath raifed
^' thofe tempefls and whirlwinds, which we were al-
*' moil carried away v/ith. And in truth, if any
*' one diligently confiders it, and compares it with
'' what is done in our church, he will find them
" very contrary to each other, and our dodrine not
" only to be very different from it, but repugnant
" to it." If this be the cafe, they do like the reft
of the children of this world prudently enough in
their generation : Can we blame them for being
V o L , II, T t againft
6.
33^ ^^ necejfity of the
^xxx^* againft the fcriptures, when the fcripturos are ac-i
knowledged to be fo clearly againft them ? But flire-
ly no body that confidereth thefe things would be of
that church, which is brought by the undeniable
evidence of the things themfelves to this fhameful
confcfTion, that feveral of their dodlrines and pradlices
are very contrary to the word of God.
Much more might have been fiid againft the prac-
tice of the church of Rome in thefe two particulars^
but this is fufHcient.
I fhall in the fecond place confider,. what is pre-
tended for them. And indeed what can be pretend-
ed in juftification of fo contumelious an affront to
mankind, fo great a tyranny and cruelty to the fouls
of men? Hath God forbidden the people to look
into the fcriptures ? no; quite contrary. Was it the
practice oF the ancient church to lay this reftraint
upon men; or to celebrate the fervice of God in
an unknown tongue ? our adverfaries themfelves have
not the face to pretend this. I fliall truly re-
prefent the fubftance of what they fay in thefe two
points,
I. As to the fervice of God in an unknown tongue^
they fiy thefe four things for themfelves.
I . That the people do exercife a general devotion, .
and come with an intention to ferve God, and that
is accepted, though they do not particularly under-
Hand the prayers that are made, a'ld the leffons thaC
are read.
Bjt is this all that is intended in the fervice of
God ? does not St. Paul expreQy require more? that
the underftanding of the people fhould be edified by
the particular fervice that is performed ? And if what
is
knowledge of the holy fcriptures. 331
is done be not particularly underflood, he tells us the S ERM.
people are not edified, nor can fay amen to the
prayers and thankfgivings that are put up to God ;
and that any man that fhould come in, and find
people ferving of God in this unprofitable and
unrcafonable manner, would conclude tliat they were
mad.
And if there be any general devotion in the peo-
ple, it is becaufe in general they undcrftand what
they are about j and why may they not as well un-
derftand the particular fervice that is performed, that
io they might exercife a particular devotion ? So
that they are devout no farther than they underdands
and confequently as to what they do not underftandj
had every whit as good be abfent.
2. They fay, the prayers are to God, and he un-
derftands them 5 and that is enough. But what harm
-were it, if all they that pray underflood them alfo?
•Or indeed how can men pray to God without un-
derflancling what they ask of him ? Is not prayer a
part of thechriftian worfhip? and is not that a rea-
fonable fervice? and is any fervice reafonable that is
not direded by our underflandings^ and accompanied
with our hearts and affed:ions?
But then what fay they to the kfTons and exhorta-
tions of fcripture, which are likewife read to the peo-
ple in an unknown tongue? Are thefe diredled to
God, or to the people only? And are they not de-
■figned by God for their inftrudlion^ and read ei-
ther to that purpofe or none ? And is it poiTible
to inftruft men by what they do not underftand I
This is a new and wonderful way of teaching, by
cciicealing from the people the things which they
Tt% ibould
J32 TX^ necejpty of the
. S E R M. fhould learn. In is not all one, as to all purpofes
^'^'^' of edification, as if tiie fcriptures were not read, or any
thing elfe in the place of thtrm ? as they many times
do their legends, which t e wifer fort among them do
not believe when they read them. For all things
are alike to them that underiland none \ as all
things are of a colour* in the dark. Ignorance
knows no difference of things ; it is only knowledge
that can diflinguifh.
They fay that fome do, at lead in fome mea-
fure, underlland the particular prayers. If they do,
that is no thanks to them. It is by accident if they
are more knowing than the reft ; and more than
the church either defires or intends. For if they
defircd it, they might order their fefvice fo, as every
man might underftand it.
4. They fay that it is convenient that God fhould
be ferved and worfhipped in the fame language all
the world over. Convenient for whom I for God J or
for the people } not for God fyrely. For he under-
flands all other languages as well as Latin, and for
any thing we know to the contrary likes them as
well. And certainly it cannot be fo coiivenient for
the people, becaufe they generally underftand no
language but their own •, and it is very inconveni-
ent they fliould not underftand what they do in the
fcrvice of God. Bit perhaps they mean that it is
convenient for the Roman church to have it fo ; be-
g^fe this vv^ill look like an argument that they are
"^^the catholick or univcrfal church, Vv^hen the language
which was originally theirs ftiall be the univerfal
lang:uao;e in which all nations fhall ferve God ; and
by this means alfo they may bring ail nations to be of
their
kno'wle^ge of the holy fcriptures.
their religion, and yet make them never the wifer ;
and this is a very great convenience, becaufc know-
ledge is a troublefome thing, and ignorance very
quiet and peaceable, rendring men fit to be govern-
ed, and unfit to difpute.
1 1. As to their depriving the people of the fcrip-
tures, the fum of what they fay may be reduced to
thefe three heads.
1 . That the church can give leave to men to read
the fcriptures. But this not without great trouble
and difficulty : there mufl be a licence for it under
the hand of the bifhop or inquifitor, by the advice
of the prieft or confeflLr, concerning the fitneis of
the perlbn that defires this privilege ; and we may
be fure they will think none fit, but thofe of whom
they have the greatell: confidence and fecurity : and
whoever prefumes to do it otherwife, is to be denied
abfolution y which is, as much as in them Yi^s^ to
damn men for prefuming to read the word of God
without their leave.
And, whatever they may allow here in England,
where they hold their people upon more flippery
terms, yet this privilege is very rarely granted where
they are in full poffcirion of their full power, and have
the people perfedlly under their yoke.
2. They tell us they inflrud tho. people other-
wife. This indeed were Something if they did it
to purpofe ; but generally they do it very fparingly
and flightly. Their fermons are commonly made
up of feigned flories and miracles of faints, and ex-
hortations to the woril:iip of them, (and efpecially
of the blefied virgin) and of their images and relicks.
And for the truth of this I appeal to i\\Q. innumerable
volumes
334 ' ^^^ necejfify of tht
^XXX ^' "^^^^"^^^ of their fermons and poftils in print ; which
' ^ " I fuppofe are none of their woril. I am fure Erafmus
fays that in his time in feveral countries, the peo-
ple did fcarce once in half a year hear a profitable
fermon to cxhor: them to true piety. Indeed they
allow the people ibme cacechifms and manuals of
devotion ; and yei: in many of them they have the
confcience and the confidence to fteal away the fe-
cond commandment in the face of the ei^^hrh.
But to bring the mctrer to a point, if^hofe helps
of inflrudlion are agreeable to the fcriptures, why are
they fo afraid the people fhould read the icriptures ? if
they are not, why do they deceive and delude them ?
3. They fay that people are apt to wreft the
fcriptures to their own deftruclion, and that the pro-
mifcuous ufe of them hath been the great occafion
of herefies. It cannot be denied to be the condition
of the very befl things in the world, that they are
liable to be abufed : health, and light, and liberty, as
well as knowledge. Bit mud all thefe be therefore
taken away I This very inconvenience of peoples
wfefling the fcriptures to their own ruin St. Peter
takes notice of in his days; but he does not there-
fore forbid men the reading of them, as his mod
prudent fuccefifors have done fince. Suppofe the
reading of the fcriptures hath been the occafion of
herefies v were there ever more than in the firft acres
of chriftianity .? and yet neither the apoftles nor
their fuccelTors ever prefcribcd this remedy. But
are they in earnefl ? mull not men know the truth
for fear of falling into error? becaufc men may
pofTibly mifs their way at noon-day, mufl they ne-
ver travel but in the niglit, when they are fure to
iofe iti ^^^
Jmowledge of the holy fcriptures. 335
And when all is done, this is not true, that he- SE RM.
defies have fprung from this caufe. They have ge- _ '^
nerally been broached by the learned, from whom
the fcriptures neither were, nor could be concealed.
And for this I appeal to the hillory and experience
of all ao;es. I am well afTiired the ancient fathers
were of another mind. St. Chryfoftom fays, " If
" men would be converfant in the fcriptures, and at-
*' tend to them, they would not only not fall into
*' errors themfelves, but refcuc thofe that are de-
" ceived :'* and " that the fcriptures would inftruft
" men both in right opinions and a good life." And
St. Hieroriie more expreily to our purpofe. " That
'' infinite evils arife from the ignorance of the fcrip-
" turcs j and that from that caufe the mofl part of
*' hcrefics have come. "
But if what they fay were true, is not this to lay
the blame of all the ancient herefies upon the ill-
management of things by our Saviour, and his
apodles, and the holy fathers of the church for {o
rna.iy ages, and their imprudent difpenfing of the
fcriptures to the people ^ this indeed is to charge
the matter home ; and yet this confequence is una-
voidable. For the church of Rome cannot juftify
the piety and prudence of their prefent practices,
without accufing all thefe.
But the thing which they mainly rely upon as
to both thefe practices is this, that though thefe
things were otherwiie in the apofdes times, and in
the ancient church, yet the church hath power to
alter them accordino; to the exigence and circum-
ftances of time. I have purpofely referved this for
the lafl: place, becaufe it is their lafl: refuge ; and if
this fail them they are gone. To
336 77;^ \ecefjity of the
SERM. To fhew the weaknefs of this pretence, we will,
if they pleafe, take it for granted, that the gover-
nors of the church have in no age more power,
than the apoflles had in theirs. Now St. Paul tells
us, 2 Cor. X. 8. that the authority which the apo-
llles had given them from the Loi d, was only
*' for edification but not for deftrud-ion : " and the
fame St. Paul makes it the bufinefs of a whole chap-
ter to fhew that the performing the publick fervice
of God, and particularly praying in an unknown
tongue, are contrary to edification ; from which pre-
miles the conclufion is plain, that the apoflles them-
felves had no authority to appoint the fervice of
God to be performed in an unknown tongue; and
fjrely it is arrogance for the church in any age to
pretend greater authority than the apoflles had.
This is the fum of what our adverfaries iay m
juftification of themfelves in diefe points. And there
is no doubt, but that men of wit and confidence
will always make a fhift to fiy fomething for any
thing ; and fome way or other blanch over the
blacked and rnofl abfurd things in the world. But
1 leave it to the judgment of mankind whether any
thing be more unreafonable than to tell men in ef-
feft, that it is fit they fnould underfland as litde of
religion as is pofTible ; that God hath publifhcd a very
dangerous book, with which it is not fafe for the
people to be familiarly acquainted ; that our bleflcd
Saviour and his apoflles, and the ancient chriflian
church for more than fix hundred years, were not
wife managers of religion, nor prudent difpenfers of
the fcriptures ; but lik« fond and foolifli fathers pat
a knife and a fword into the hands of their chil-
dren^
knowledge of the holy fcrip fares . 337
drcn, with which they might eafily have forefeen SERM.
what mifchief they would do to themfelves and others.
And who would not choofe to be of fuch a church
which is provided of fuch excellent and efTedlual
means of ignorance, fuch wife and infallible me-
thods for the prevention of knowledge in the peo-
ple, and fuch variety of clofe fhutters to keep out
the light ?
I have chofen to infifi upon this argument, be-
caufe it is fo very plain, that the mofl ordinary ca-
pacity may judge of this ufage and dealing with the
fouls of men \ which is fo very grofs that every man
muft needs be fenfible of it j becaufe it toucheth men
in the common rights of humane nature, which be-
long to them as much as the light of heaven, and
the air we breathe in.
It requires no fubtilty of wit, no skill in antiquity,
to underfland thefe controverfies between us and the
church of Rome. For there are no fathers to be
pretended on both fides in thefe queilions: they yield
we have antiquity on ours : and we refer it to the
common fenfe of mankind, which church, that of
Pcome or ours, hath all the right and rcafon in the
world on her fide in thefe debates ? And, who they
are that tytannize over chriftians, the governors of
their church, or ours.? who ufe the people like fons
and freemen, and who like flaves? who feed the
flock of Christ committed to them, and who take
t\it children's bread from them? Who they are that
when their children ask bread, for bread give them
a flone, and for an egg a ferpent ? I mean the le-
gends of their faints, inftead of the holy fcriptures
Vol. IL Uu "which
XXX.
338 The necejjity of the
SE R Pv2. « which arc able to make men wife unto falvation:"
and who are they that lie mofi: juftly under the
fufpicion of errors and corruptions, they wiio bring
their dodrine and pradices into the open light,
and arc willing to have them tried by the true
touchftone, the word of God -, or they who fhun
the light, and decline alj manner of trial and exa-
mination ? and who are mod likely to carry on a
worldly defign, they who drive a trade of fuch
mighty gain and advantage under pretence of reli-
gion, and make fuch markets of the ignorance and
fins of the people; or we whom mahce itfelf cannot
charge with ferving any worldly defign by any al-
lowed doflrine or pradice of our religion ? For we
make no money of the miflakes of the people, nor
do we fill their heads with vain fears of new places of
torment, to make them wiHing to empty their
purfes in a vainer hope of being delivered out of
them. We do not, like them, pretend a mighty
bank and treafure of merits in the church, which
they fell to the people for ready money, giving
them bills of exchange from the pope to purga-
tory ; when they who grant them have no reafon to
believe they will avail them, or be accepted in the
other world.
For our parts, we have no fear that our people fhould
underlland religion too well: we could willi, with
Mofes, " that ail the Lord's people were prophets:"
we fhould be heartily glad the people would read the
holy fcriptures mere diligendy, being luiRciendy af-
fured that it is their own fault if they learn^any thing
but what is good from thence : . we have no doc-
trines or practices contrary to fcripture, and confe-
quently
knowledge of the holy fcrlptures. 339
quently no occafion to keep it clofe from the fight of S E RM.
the people, or to hide any of the commandments of,
God from them : we leave thefe mean arts to thofe
who Hand in need of them.
In a word, there is nothing which God hath faid
to men, which we defire Ihould be concealed from
them : nay, we are wilhng the people fhould exa-
mine what we teach, and bring all our doclrines " to
" the law and to the teftimony •," and if they be not
according to this rule, they may neither believe them
nor us. 'Tis only things falfe and adulterate which
Jfhun the light and fear the touchftone. \Ve have
that fecurity of the trurli of our religion, and of the
agreeablenefs of it to the word of God ; that honed
confidence of the goodnefs of our caufe, that we do
not forbid the people to read the befl books our adver-
faries can write againil it.
And now let any impartial man judge whether this
be not a better argument of a good caufe, to leave
men at liberty to try the grounds of their religion,
than the courfes which are taken in the church of
Rome, to awe men with an inquifirion ; and, as
much as is pofiible, to keep the common people in
ignorance, not only of what their late adverfaries, the
proteftants, but their chief and ancient adverfary, the
fcriptures, have to fay againfl them.
A man had need of more than common fecurity
of the skill and integrity of thofe to whom he per-
fectly refigns his underflanding ; this is too great a
trufl to be rcpofed in humane trailty, and too flrong
a temptation to others to impofe upon us \ to abufe
our blindnefs, and to make their own ends of our
voluntary ignorance and eafy credulity. Tiiis is fiich
U u 2 a folly
71 e necejjify of the
a folly as if a rich man lliould make his phyfician his
heir-, which is to tempt him either to deftroy him or
to let him die, for his own interefl:. So he that trulls
the care of bis foul with other men, and at the famiC
time by irrecoverable deed fettles his underdanding
upon them, lays too great a temptation before them
to feduce and damn him for their own ends.
And now to reflcd: a little upon ourfelves. What
caufe have we to blefs God who are fo happily ref-
cued from fliat more than Egyptian darkncfs and
bondage, wherein this nation was detained for fevcral
ages! who are delivered out of the hands of thofe
cruel task-mafters, who required brick without flrav/j
that men fhould be religious without competent un-
derflanding, and work out their own falvation while
they denied them the means of all others the mod
neceflary to it j who are fo uncharitable as to allow
us no Talvarion ou: of their church, and yet fo unrea-
fonable as to deny us the very beft means of falvation
when we are in it.
Our forefathers tho'jght It a mighty privilege to
have the word of God reftored to them, and the
publick prayers and (crvice of God celebrated in a
known tongue. Let us ufc this ineftimable privilege
with great modefty and humility ; not to the nou-
rilhing of pride and felf-concejt, of divifion and
fadtion •, but, as the apoftle exhorts, " Let the word
*' of God dwell richly in you, in all wiidom ;
*' and let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
*' unto which ye are called in one body \ and be ye
« thankful."
It concerns us mightily (with which admonition I
(hall conclude) both for the honour and fupport of
our
knowledge of the holy fcrip tares. 3 4 1
our religion, to be at better union among ourfelves,
and not to divide about lefTer things •, and fo to de-
mean ourfelves, as to take from our adverfaries all
thofe pretences whereby they would juftify themfelves,
or at leaf! extenuate the guilt of that he^^ charge,
which falls every whit as juftly upon them as ever it
did upon the fcribes and pharifees, " of taking away
" the key of knowledge, and fliutting the kingdom
" of heaven againft men; neither going in'them-
" felves, nor fuffering thole that are entring to
" go in."
SERMON XXXI.
The parable of tlie t^n virgins.
Preached before her royal highnefs the princefs
jinne of DenmarJz at Tunbridge-lVells^ Sep^
tember 2, 1688.
MATTHEW XXV. i, 2, 6cc.
^hen Jhall the kingdom of heaven he likened unto ten
virgins^ izhich took their lamps ^ and went forth to
meet the bridegroom,
Jndfhe of them were wife^ and five were foolijh^ &c.
MY defign at prefent is to explain this pa- S E R M.
rable, and to make fuch obfervations upon ^^^^^•
it as Icem moil naturally and without
fqueezing the parable to fpring from it : and then to
make fome application of it to ourfelves,
« Then
^he parable of the ten virgins .
*' Then fhall the kingdom of heaven be likened
" unto ten virgins : " by the kingdom of heaven is
meant the ftate and condition of things under the
gofpcl \ by the ten virgins, thofe who embraced the
profcffion of it, which is here reprefented " by their
'' taking their lamps and going forth to meet the
" bridegroom : " in allufion to the ancient cuflom
of marriages, in which the bridegroom was wont to
lead hom.e liis bride in the night, by the light of
lamps or torches.
But this profellion was not in all equally firm and
fruitful \ and therefore thofe who perfever'd and
continued fledfaft in this profeirion, notwithilanding
all the temptations and allurements of the world,
and all the fierce ftorms and affaults of perfccution
to which this profcfFion was expofed ; and being
thus firmly rooted in it, did bring forth the fruits of
the Spirit, and abound in the graces and virtues of
a good life, thcfe are the wife virgins : but thofe
who either deferted this profelTion, or did not bring
forth fruits anfwerable to it, are the foolifh vir-
gins.
And that this is the true difi^crence between them
will appear, if we confidcr how the parable repre-
fcnts them, ver. 3,4. " They that were foolifh took
*' their lamps, and took no oil with them : but
** the wife took oil in their vefiels with their lamps.'*
So that they both took their lamps, and both light-
ed them, and therefore mud both be fuppofed to
have fomc oil in their lamps at fird, as appears from
ver. 8. where " the foolifh virgins faid unto the
" wife, give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone
" out." They had it feems fome oil in their lamps
at
The parable of the ten virgins, 24$
at fird, which kept them lighted for a little while, S E R M.
but had taken no care for a future fupply. And Jil^^
therefore the difference between the wife and foolifh
virgins did nor, as fome have imagined, condft in this,
that the wife virgins had oil, but the foolilli had
none ; but in this, that the foolilh had taken no
care for a farther fupply, after the oil which was
at firft put into their lamps was fpent, as the wile
had done; who befides the oil that was in their
lamps, carried like wife a refer ve in fome other veflel ;
for a continual fupply of the lamp, as there ihould
be occafion ; " the wife took oil in their vefTels
*' with their lamps."
Now the meaning of all this is, that they who
are reprefented by the wife virgins had not only em-
braced the profefTiOn of the chriftian religion, as the
foolifli virgins alfo had done, for they both had their
lamps lighted -, but they likewife perfever'd in that
profeffion, and brought forth fruits anfwerable to it.
For by oil in their lamps, and the firil lighting of
them, which was common to them both, is meant
that folemn profeflion of faith and repentance which
all chriftians make in baptifm : by that farther fup-
ply of oil, which the wife virgins only took care
to provide, is fignified our conftancy and perfeve-
' ranee in this profeflion, together with the fruits of
the Spirit, and the improvement of the grace recei-
ved in baptifm by the pradlice and exercife of all the
graces and virtues of a good life, whereby men are
fitted and prepared for death and judgment, which
are here reprefented to us by the coming of the
bridegroom.
This
Tke far able cfthe ten virgins.
This being plainly the main fcopc 2nd intention
of the parable, I fhall explain the reft of it, as there
fhall be occafion, under the federal obfervations
v/hich I fhall raife from the feveral parts of it. And
they fliall be thefe :
Firll, I obferve the charitable decorum which
our blefled Saviour keeps in this, as well as in the
reft of his parables ; as if he would fain fuppofe
and hope, that among thofe who enjoy the gofpel
and make profefTion of it, the number of them that
are truly good, is equal to thofe that are bad. For
our blefled Saviour here reprefents the whole
number of the profeflbrs of chriftianity by ten vir-
gins, the half whereof the parable feems to fuppofe
to be truly and really good, and to perfevere in
goodnels to the end, ver. i, 2. " Then fliall the
" kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins,
^*' which took their lamps, and went forth to meet
*'' the bridegroom : and five of them were wife, and
*' five were foolifti."
Secondly, I obferve how very common it is for
men to negledl this great concernment of their
fouls, viz. a due preparation for another world y and
how willing men are to deceive themfelves herein,
and to depend upon any thing elfe, how groundlefs
and unreafonable focver, rather than to take pains
to be really good and fit for heaven. And this is
in a very lively manner reprefcnted to us in the de-
fcription of the foolifh virgins, who had provided
no fupply of oil in their vdiels, and when the bride-
groom Vv'as coming would have furnifli'd themfelves
by borrowii g or buying of others, ver. 8, 9, 10*
Thirdly,
The parable of the ten virgvts. 345
Thirdly, I obferve, that even the better fort of ^^^f'
chriftians arc not careful and watchful as they ought
to prepare thcmfelves for death and judgment :
" whilft the bridegroom tarried, they ail flumbered
" and flept;'* even the wife virgins as well as the
foolilh.
Fourthly, I obferve farther, how little is to be
done by us, to any good purpofe, in this great work
of preparation, when it is deferred and put off to
the laft. Thus the foolilh virgins did, and what a
fad confufion and hurry they were in we may fee
ver. 6, 7, 8, 9, " And at midnight there was a cry
*' made, behold ! the bridegroom cometh \ go yc
" out to meet him." At midnight \ the mod dil-
mal and unfeafonable time of all other : " then all
•< thofe virgins arofe, and trimmed their lamps :
« and the foolifh faid unto the wife, give us of
« your oil for our lamps arc gone out : but the wife
*' anfwered, not fo •, left there be not enough for us
*' and you s but go ye rather to them that fell, and
" buy for your fclves." And how ineffedlual all
that they could do at that time prov'd to be, we
find, ver. 10, 11, 12 ^ " And whilft they went to
" buy, the bridegroom came, and they that Vv^ere
*^ ready went in with him to the marriage, and the
*' door was fhut. Afterwards came alfo the other
«« virgins^ faying, Lord, Lord, open to us ; but
«' he anfwered and faid, verily I fay unto you, I
«' know you not."
Fifthly, I obferve that there is no fuch thing as
works of fupererogatioHj that no man can do more
than needs, and is his duty to do, by way of prepara-
tion for another world. For when the foolifti vir-
VoL. 11. X X gins
7.
XX.
346 The pa?' able of the ten 'virgins.
S E R M. gins would have begg'd of the wife fome oil for
their lamps, " the wife anfwered, not fo ; left there
" be not enoligh for us and you." It was only the
fooliHi virgins that had entertained this foolilli con-
ceit, thut there might be an overplus of grace and
mt^r.t in others fufficient to fupply their v/ant: but
the wife knew not of any that they had to fpare, but
fuppos'd all that they had little enough to qualify
them for die reward of eternal life ; '' not fo," fiy
they, /jL/jTrcIf, " left at any time," left when there
fhould be need and occafion, all that vve have done,
or could do, fhould prove little enough for our
fclves.
Sixthly and laftly, I obfervc, that if v/e could fup-
pofe any perfons to be fo over-good, as to have
more grace and goodnefs than needs to qualify them
for the reward of eternal life, yet there is no aftign-
ing and transferring of this overplus of grace and
virtue from one man to another. For we fee, ver.
9, 10. that all the ways which they could think of,
of borrowing or buying oil of others, did all prove
inefFc£lual -, bccaufe the thing is in its own nature
impradicable, that one finner lliould be m a. condi-
tion to merit for another.
All thefe obfcrvations feem to have fome fair and
probable foundation in fome part or other of this
parable ; and moft of them, I am fure, are agreea-
ble to the main fcope and intention of the whole.
1 fhall fpeak to them fevcrally, and as briefly as
I can.
, Firft, I obfervc the charitable decorum, which our
blefTed Saviour keeps in this, as v/ell as in the reft
of his parables j as if he would fain fuppofe and hope,
that
The parable of the fen virgins. 347
that among thofe who enjoy the gofpel, and make SERM:
profcfTion of it, the number of thofe who make a
firm and fincere proreHion of it, ;jnd perfevere in
goodnefs to tht end, is equal to the number of thofe
who do not make good their proieiiion, or who fall
off from it.
I fhall not be Jong upon this, becaufe I lay the
leaft ftrels upon it, of all the rcii:. f fhall only take
notice that cur bieffai Saviour in this parable re-
prefents the whole number of the profcfTors of chri-
flianity by ten virgins, the half of which the para-
ble feems to fuppole to have fmcerely embraced the
chriftian profeffion, and to have perfevered therein
to the laft^ " The kingdom of heaven fliall be
*^ likened unto ten virgins, w^hich took their lamps,
" and went forth to meet the bridegroom : and Uve
*^ of them were wife, and five were foolifh."
And this decorum our blefled Saviour feems
carefully to obferve in his other parables : as in the
parable of the prodigal, Luke xv. where for one
fon that left his father, and took riotous courfes^
there was another that ftayed always with him, and
continued conflant to his duty. And in the parable
of the ten talents, W'hich immediately follows that
of the ten virgins, two are fuppofed to improve the
talents committed to them, for one that made no
improvement of his. He that had five talents com-
mitted to him made them five more, and he that
had two gained other two ; and only he that but
one talent, hid it in the earth, and made no im-
provement of it. And in the parable which I am
now upon, the number of the profeiTors of chriilia-
nity, who took care to fit and prepare themfelves
X X 2 for
34^ The parable of the ten virgins,
8E RM. for the coming of the bridegroom, is fuppofed equal
' " " to the number of thofe who did not.
And whether this be particularly intended in the
parable or not, it may however be thus far inftfuc-
tive to us j that we fhould be fo far from leflening
the number of true chriftians, and from confining
the church of Christ within a narrow coropafs, fo
as to exclude out of its communion the far greatcft
part of the profefTors of chriilianity ; that on the
contrary, we fhould enlarge the kingdom of Chr ist
as much as we can, and extend our charity to all
churches and chriftians, of what denomination fo*
ever, as far as regard to truth and to the founda-
tions of the chriflian religion, will permit us to be-
lieve and hope well of them ; and rather be content-
ed to err a little on the favourable and charitable
part, than to be miftaken on the cenforious and
damning fide.
And for this reafon perhaps it is, that our blefTed
Saviour thought fit to frame his parables with fb
remarkable a bias to the charitable fide : partly to
inftru(5l us to extend our charity towards all chri-
ftian churches, and profefTors of the chriflian reli-
gion, and our good hopes concerning them, as far
as with reafon we can : and partly to reprove the un-
charitablcncfs of the jews, who pofi ti vely excluded
all the refl of mankind, befides themfclvcs, from all
hopes of falvation. An odious temper, which to
the infinite fcandal of the chriflian name and profef-
fion, hath prevailed upon fome chriflians to that no-
torious degree, as not only to fliut out all the re-
form'd part of the wcflern church, almofl equal in
number to themfelves, from all hopes of falvation
under
^he parable of the ten virgins, 349
under the notion of hereticks; but likewife to un- SERM.
church all the other churches of the chriftian world,
which are of much greater extent and number than
themfelvcs, that do not own fubjeftion to the bi-
fhop of Rome: and this they do, by declaring it
" to be of necefTity to falvation for every creature
'' to be fubjcdl to the Roman bifhop." And this
fupremacy of the bifhop of Rome over all chriftian
churches, Bellarmine calls the fum of the chriftian re-
ligion. So that the Roman communion is plainly
founded in fchifm, that is, in the moft unchriftian
and uncharitable principle that can be, namely,
•* that they are the only true church of Christ, out
*' of which none can be laved : " which was the very
fchifm of the Donatifts. And in this they are io
pofitive, that the learned men of that church, in
their difputes and writings, are much more inclina-
ble to believe the falvation of heathens to be pofllble,
than of any of thole chriftians, whom they are pleas'd
to call hereticks. The faith of the church of Rome
is certainly none of the beft ; but of one of the
grcateft and moft cfTential virtues of the chriftian
religion, I mean charity, I doubt they have the
leaft fhare of any chriftian church this day in the
world.
Secondly, I obferve, not from any particular cir-
cumftance, but from the main fcope and defign of
this parable, how very apt a great part of chriftians
are to negled this great concernment of their fouls^
viz. a careful and due preparation for another world-,
and how willing they are to deceive themfelves in
this matter, and to depend upon any thing elfe, how
groundlefs and unreafonable foever, rather than to
take
350 7he parable of the tewclrglns, \
S E R M. take the pains to be really good and fit for heaven.
^' ' And this is in a very lively manner reprefented to us
in the defcription of the foolifh virgins, who had
provided no fupply of oil in their vcfTcls, and when
the bridegroom v/as coming would have furnifh'd
themfelves by borrowing or buying of others, ver. 8,
9, 10. They contented themfelves, with having their
lamps lighted at their firfl feiting out to meet the
bridegroom, that is, with their being admitted into
the proieiTion of chriilianity by baptifm, but either
were not fled fail in this profeifion, or were not care-
ful to adorn it with the graces and virtues of a good
life.
And the true reafon why men are fo very apt to
deceive themfelves in this matter, and are fo hardly
brought to thofe things wherein religion mainly con-
fifls, I mean the fruits of the fpirit and the pradlice
of real goodnels ; I fay, the true reafon of this is,
becaufe they are extremely defirous to reconcile, if it
were pofTible, the hopes of eternal happinefs in ano-
ther world with a liberty to live as they lifl in this
prefent world : they are loth to be at the trouble and
drudgery of mortifying their lulls, and governing
their palTions, and bridling their tongues, and prafli-
fing all thofe duties which are comprehended in
thofe two great commandments of the love of God
and of our neighbour : they would fain gain the fa-
vour of God, and make their calling and eledion
fure, by fome eafier way than by giving all diligence
to add to their faith and knowledge the graces and
virtues of a good life.
For the plain truth of the matter is, men had rather
that religion fhould be any thing than what indeed it
is,
l^he parable of the ten virgins. 351
is, viz. the thwartinp; and croffing of their vicious S E R M,
• • XXXI
indinations, the curing of their evil and corrupt
affedions, the due care and government of their un-
ruly appetites and pafTions, their fmcere endeavour and
the coiillant practice of all holinefs and virtue in
their Hves : and therefore they had much rather have
fomething that might handfomly palliate and excufe
their evil inclinations and pradices, than to be ob-
liged to retrench and renounce them; and rather
than amend and reform their wicked lives, they
would be contented to make an honourable amends
and compenfation to almighty God in fome other
way.
This hath been the way and folly of mankind in
all ages, to defeat the great end and delign of reli-
gion, and to thruft it by, by fubflituting fomething
tliQ in the place of it^ which, as they think, may
ferve the turn as well, having the appearance of as
much devotion and refped towards God, and really
coding them more money and pains, than that
which God requires of them. Men have ever been
apt thus to impofe upon themfelves, and to pleafe
themfelves with a conceit of pleafing God full as
well, or better, by fome other way than that which
he hath prefcribed and appointed for them.
By this means, and upon this falfe principle, reli-
gion hath ever been apt to degenerate both among
jews and chriftians, into external and little obfer-
vances, and into a great zeal for lefier things, with
a total negiedi; of the greater and weightier matters
of religion ; and, in a word, into infinite fuperfti-
tions of one kind or other, and an arrogant conceit
of the extraordinary righteoufnels and merit of thefe
things :
XXXI.
352 7 he parable of the ten virgins,
S E R M. things : in which fome have proceeded to that height,
as if they could drive a flrid: bargain with God for
eternal life and happinefs ; and have treated him in
fo infolent a manner, by their do6lrine of the merit
of their devotions and good works, as if God were
as much beholden to them for their fervicc and obe-
dience, as they are to him for the reward of them ;
which they are not afraid to fay they may challenge
at GoD*s hand as of right and juflice belonging to
them.
Nay, fo far have they carried this do6lrine in the
church of Rome, as not only to pretend to merit
eternal life for themfelves, but likewife to do a great
deal more for the benefit and advantage of others who
have not righteoufnefs and gopdnefs enough of their
own : which was the filly conceit of the foolifli vir-
gins here in the parable, as I ihall have occafion to
jQiew more fully by and by.
And it is no great wonder that fuch eafy ways of
religion and pleafing God are very grateful to the
corrupt nature of man, and that men who are re-
folv'd to continue in an evil courfe are glad to be of
a church which will afifure falvation to men upon fuch
terms: the great difficulty is, for men to believe that
things which are fo apparently abfurd and unreafona-
ble can be true; and to perfuade themfelves that they
can impofe upon God by fuch pretences of fervicc
and obedience, as no wife prince or father upon earth
is to be deluded withal by his fubjeds or children.
"We ought to have worthier thoughts of God, and
to confider that he is a great King, and will be
obeyed and ferved by his creatures in his own way,
and make them happy upon his own terms: and
that
^be parable of the ten virgins, 353
that obedience to what he commands, is better and ^^|j^'
more acceptable to him, than any other facriiice that,^..^.^
we can offer, which he hath not required at our
hands: and hkewife, that he is infinitely wife and
good; and therefore that the laws, which he hath
given us to live by, are much more likely and certain
means of our happinefs, than any inventions and de-
vices of our own.
Thirdly, I obferve, that even the better and mors
confiderats fort of chriftians are not fo careful and
watchful as they ought, to prepare themfelves for
death and judgment; " whilil the bridegroom tar-
« ried, they all numbered and Hept/* Even the
difciples of our Saviour, whilft he was yet perfon-
ally prefent with them, and after a particular charge
given them from his own mouth, '^ Watch and
•« pray, left ye enter into temptation;" yet did not
keep that guard upon themfelves as to watch with
him for one hour: " In maxny things, fays St. James,
« we offend all;" even the bell of us: and who is
there that doth nor, feme time or other, remit of his
vigilancy and care, fo as to give the devil an advan-
tage and to lie open to temptation, for want of a con-
tinual guard upon himfelf? But then the difference
between the wife and foolifh virgins was this, that
though they both dept, yet the v/ife did not let
their lamps go out ; they neither quitted their pro-
feffion, nor did they extinguifh it by a bad life : and
though when the bridegroom came fuddenly upon
them, they were not fo adually prepar'd to meet him . :^^
by a continual vigilancy, yet they were habitually
prepar'd by the good difpofition of their minds, and
the general courfe of a holy life. Their lamps might
Vol. 1 1. Yy burn
7-
TThe parable of the ten 'virgins.
burn dim for want of continual trimming, but they
had oil in their veiTels to fupply their lamps, which
the foohfh virgins had taken no care to provide. But
furely the greatcll wifdom of all is to maintain a
continual watchfulncfs, that fo we may not be fur-
priz'd by the coming of the bridegroom, and be in
a confufion when death or judgment fhall overtake
us. And blefled are thofe fervants, and wife indeed,
whofe lamps always burn bright, and whom the bride-
groom, when he comes, fhall find v/atching, and in a
fit pofture and preparation to meet him.
Fourthly, I obferve likewifc, how little is to be
done by us, to any good purpofc, in this great work
c.i preparation, v/hen it is deferr'd and put off to
the lafl. And thus the foohfh virgins did: but what
a fad confufion and hurry they were in at the fudden
coming of the bridegroom, when they were not on-
ly aQeep, but when after they were awaken'd, they
found themfelves altogether unprovided of that
which was neceflary to trim their lamps, and to put
them in a pofture to meet the bridegroom : when
they wanted that which was necefliry at that very in-
liant, but could not be provided in an inftant : I fay,
what a tumult and confufion they were in, being
thus furpriz'd, the parable reprefents to us at large,
ver. 6, 7, 8, 9. " and at midnight there was a cry
*' made. Behold! the bridegroom cometh, go ye
♦' out to meet him. Then all thofe virgins arofc
*' and trimmed their lamps," that is, they went
about it as well as they could ; " and the foolifh faid
*' unto the v/ife, give us of your oil, for our lamps
*' are gone out."
" At
The parable of the ten virgins. ^55
" At midnight there was a cry made," that is, at S E R M.
the moit diihial and unfeafonable time of all other; '^ '^ '
when they were fad afleep, and fuddenly'avvaken'd
in great terror, when they could not on the fudden
recoiled themfelves, and confider what to do ; when
the fiimmons was fo very fliort, that thsy had neither
time to confider what v/as fit to be done, nor time to
do it in.
And fuch is the cafe of thofe who put off their
repentance and preparation for another v/orld, 'till
they arc furpriz'd by death and judgment ; for it
comes all to one in the ifiue, which of them it be.
The parable indeed feems more particularly to point
at our Lord's coming to judgment, but the cafe is
much the fame as to thofe who are furpriz'd by
fudden death; fuch as gives them but Ikik^ or not
fufficient time for fo great a work: becaufe luch
as death leaves them, judgment will certainly find
them.
And what a miferable confufion mufl they needs
be in, who are thus furpris'd cither by the one or
the other ? How undt fhould we jbe, if the general
judgment of the world fhould come upon us on the
fudden, to meet that great judge at his coming, if
we have made no preparation for it before that time.^
What fhall we then be able to do, in that great and
univerfal confternation ? " when the Son of m.an
" fhall appear in the clouds of heaven, with power
" and great glory'; when the fun fhall be darken'd,
" and the moon turned into blood, and all the
*' powers of heaven fhall be fliakcn : " when all na-
ture fl-iall feel fuch violent pangs and convulfions,
and the whole world fliall be in a cumbuflion fa-
y y 2 ming
356 The parable of the ten virgins.
S E R M. iTiIng and cracking about our cars : " when the
heavens fhall be Ihrivel'd up as a fcroli when it is
roird together," and the earth fliall be tofs'd from
its center, " and every mountain and ifland fhall be
" removed-," What thoughts can the wifelt men
then have about them, in the midil of fo much noifc
and terror? Or if they could have any, what time
will there then be to put them in execution ? " when
«* they fhall fee the angel, that ftandeth upon the
'' fea and upon the earth, lifting up his hand to hea-
" ven, and fwearing by him that liveth for ever and
" ever, that time fhall be no longer ;" as this dreadful
day is defcribed Rev. x. 5, 6, and chap. vi. 15. where
fmners are reprefented at the appearance of this great
judge, not as flying to God in hopes of mercy, but
as flying from him in utter dcfpair of finding mercy
Vv'ith him : " The kings of the earth, and the great
" men, and the mighty men, and the rich men,
" and the great captains, hid themfelves in the dens,
" and in the rocks of the earth ; and faid to the
" mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from
" the face of him that fittcth on the throne, and
" from the wrath of the lamb : for the great d^y of
" his wrath is come; and who fliall be able to
« ftand ? " The biggefl and the boldefl finners that
ever were upon earth, fhall then flee from the face
of him whom they have ^o often blafphemed and de-
nied ; and fliall fo far defpair of finding mercy with
him in that day, who would fue to him for it no fooner,
that they fliall addrefs themfelves to the mountains
and rocks, as being more pitiful and exorable than
he-, " to hide them from the face of liim tl^at fit-
«' tcth on the throne, and from the v/rath of the
" lamb : "
7he parable of the ten virgins, 357
" lamb:" from the wrath of the lamb, to fio;i-)ify SETrm.
XXXI
to US that nothing is more terrible than meeknefs and
patience when they arc throughly provok'd and tiirn'd
into fury.
In fuch dreadful confufion fnall all impenitent Tin-
ners be, when they fhall be furpriz*d by that great
and terrible day of the Lord: and the cafe of a
dying finner, who would take no cars in the time
of his life and health to make preparation for ano-
ther world, is not much more hopeful and com-
fortable.
For alas! how little is it that a Tick and dying
man can do in fuch a ftrait of time? in the midll:
of fo much pain and weakncls of body, and of fuch
confufion and amazement of mind. With what
heart can he fet about fo great a work, for which
there is fo little time ? With what face can he ap-
ply himfelf to God in this extremity, whom he
hath fo difdainfally negleded all t\\Q days of his
life ? And how can he have the confidence to hope,
that God will hear his cries, and regard his tears, that
are forc'd from him in this day of his neceflity?
when he is confcious to himfelf, that in that long
day of God's grace and patience he turned a deaf
ear to all his merciful invitations, " and rejedled the
" counfel of God againft himfelf." In a word,
how can he " who would not know, in that his
'' day, the things which belonged to his peace," ex-
^ pe6t any other but that they fliould now be for ever
hid from his tyQs^ which are ready to be clos'd in ut-
ter darknefs ?
I will not pronounce any thing concerning the im-
poflibility of a death-bed repentance : but I am lure
that
358 7lje parable of the ten virgifis,
S K R M. that It is very difficult, and I believe very rare. Wc
^^V.^ have but one example, tliat I know of, in the whole
bible, of the repentance of a dying finner; I mean
that of the penitent thief upon the crofs : and the
clrcumilances of his cafe arc fo peculiar and extraor-
dinary, that I cannot k<z that it affords any ground
of hope and encouragement to men m ordinary <:afes.
AVc are not like to fuffer m the company of the
Sor^ of God, and of the Saviour of the v/orld ;
and if we could do io^ it is not certain that we fliould
behave ourfelves towards him fo well as the penitent
thief did, and mals:e fo very good an end of lb very
bad a life.
And the parable in the text is fo far from giving
any encouragement to a death-bed repentance and
preparation, that it rather reprefents their cafe as
defperate v/ho put olT their preparation to that time.
Hov/ ineffectual all that ilit foolilh virgins could do
at that time did in the conclufion prove, is kt forth
Vcr. S, q, to us at large in the parable j they wanted oil, but
ic, 11,12. ^,Q^^|^ neither borrow nor buy it: they would then
fain have had it, and ran about to get it j but it was
not to be obtain'd neither by intreaty, nor for miO-
ney : fir ft they apply themfelves to the wife virgins,
for a fnarc in the overplus of their graces and vir-
Ver. 8. tues : *' the foolifh faid unto the wife, give us of
" your oil, for our lamps are gone out ; but the
*' wife anfwered, not fo-, left there be not enough
" for us and you:" The wife virgins, it fecms,
* knew of none they had to fpare : and then they arc
reprefcnted ironically, fending the foolifti virgins to
fomc famous market where this oil was pretended to
"^:i-. 0. be fold y '- go yc rather to them that fell, and buy
" for
ne parable of the ten 'Oirgins, 3^9
*' for yourfelvcs:" and as dying and defperate per- SE R^f.
fons are apt to catch at every twig, and when they , .^^jj
can fee no hopes of being faved, are apt to believe
every one that will give them any ; fo thefe foolilh
virgins follow the advice; " and whilft they went to Ver. 10.
" buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were
*' ready went in with him to the marriage, and the
*' door was fliut ; and afterwards came alfo the other
'^ virgins, faying. Lord, Lord, open to us; but
" he anfwered and faid, verily I fay unto you, I
*' know you not."
You fee how littlej or rather no encouragement at
all there is from any the leait circumftance in this pa-
rable, for thofe v/ho have delay'd their preparation
for another world ^till they be overtaken by death
or judgment, to hope by any thing that they
can do, by any importunity which they can then
ufe, to gain admifllon into heaven. Let tho.e con-
fider this with fear and trembling, who forget God
and negled religion ail their life-time, and yet feed
themfelves with vain hopes by fome device or other
to be admitted into heaven at lail.
Fifthly, I obferve that there is no fuch thing as
works of fupererogation, that is, that no man can
do more than needs, and than is his duty to do, by
way of preparation for another world. For when Ver. 8.
the foolifh virgins v/ould have begg'd of the wife
fome oil for their lamps, " the wife anfwered, notVer. 9.
^^ fo ; left there be not enough for us and you : " It
was only the foolifh virgins that in the time of their
extremity, and when they were confcious that they
wanted that which was abfolurely necefTary to qualify
them for admilTion into heaven, v/ho had entertain'd
tiiis
y •
560 Tkc per able of the fen virgins,
S E R M. this Idle conceit, that there mio-ht be an overplus of
'^' '^" grace and merit in others fufHcient to fupply their
want : but the wife knew not of any they had to
fpare, but fuppofed all that they had done, or could
poxTibly do, to be little enough to qualify them for
the glorious reward of eternal life: " not fo, fay
« they, /jtriTrols, left at any time," that is, left when
there fhould be need and occafion, all that we have
done, or could do, ihould be little enough for our
felves: and in this point they had been plainly
inftruded by the bridegroom himfclf, *' But ye,
" when ye have done all, fay wc are unprofitable
" fervants, and have done nothing but what was our
*' duty to do."
And yet this conceit of the foolilh virgins, as ab-
furd as it is, hath been taken up in good earneft by
a grave matron, who gives out her felf to be the
mother and miftrefs of all cliurches, and the only in-
fallible oracle of truth, I mean the church of Rome,
whofc avowed dodrine it is, that there are fomc
perfons fo excellently good that they may do more
than needs for their own falvation: and therefore
when they have done as much for themfelves as in
ftricl duty they arc bound to do, and thereby have
paid down a full and valuable confideratlon for hea-
ven, and as much as in equal juftice between God
and man it is worth -, that then they may go to
v;ork again for their friends, and begin a new icorc ;
and from that time forv/ards may put the furplufage
of their good works as a debt upon God, to be
laid up in the publick treafury of the church, as fo
many bills of credit, which the pope by his pardons
and indulgences may difpenfe, and place to whofc
account
The parable of the ten virgins. 3 ^ ^
account he pleafes : and out of this bank, which S^E R ni
is kept at Rome, thofe who never took care to have
any righteoufnefs of their own, may be fupphed at
reafonable rates.
to which they have added a further fuppl> of
grace, if there fhould be any need of it, by the fa-
crament of extreme undlion, never heard of in the
chriftian church for many ages •, but devifed, as it
were on purpofe, to furniOi fuch fooUlh virgins with
oil, as are here defcribed in the parable.
And thus by one device or other they have ener-
vated the chriftian religion to that degree, that it
hath almoft quite loft its true virtue and efRcacy up-
on the hearts and lives of men : and, inftead of
the real fruits of goodnefs and righteoufnefs, it pro-
duceth little elfe but fuperflition and folly ; or if it
produce any real virtues, yet even the virtue of thofe .
virtues is in st great meafure fpoiled by their arro-
gant pretences of merit and fupererogation, and is
render'd infignificant to themfelves by their infolent
carriage and behaviour towards God.
Sixthly and laftly, if we could fuppofe any per-
fons to be fo overgrown with goodnefs, as to have
more than needs to qualify them for the reward
of eternal life; yet there can be no affigning and
transferring of this overplus of grace and virtue
from one man to another. For we fee that all the
ways that could be thought on of begging, or bor-
rowing, or buying oil of others, did all prove in-
effectual -, becaufe the thing is in its own nature im-
pradicable, that one finner, who owes all that he
hath, and much more, to God, fhould have any
thing to fpare wherewithal to merit for another.
Vol. II. Zz I"^^^^
2 62 T/je parable of the ten virgins.
ERM. Indeed our blefTed Saviour hath merited for us
all the reward of eternal life, upon the condition
of faith and repentance and obedience : but the
infinite merit of his obedience and fufferings will be
of no benefit and advantage to us, if we our felves
be not really and inherently righteous. So St. John
tells us, and warns us to beware of the contrary con-
ceit, " Little children, let no man deceive you, he
*' that doth righteoufnefs is righteous, even as he is
«' righteous."
If we do fincet-ely endeavour to pleafe God, and
to keep his commandments in the general courfe of a
holy and virtuous life, the merit of Christ's perfed
obedience and fufferings will be available with God
for the acceptance of our fincerc though but imper-
fe(5l obedience. But if we take no care to be righ-
teous and good our felves, the perfe6t righteoufnefs
of Christ will do us no good ; much lefs the im-
perfed righteoufnefs of any other man who is a
finner himfclf. And the holieft man that ever was
upon earth, can no more aiTign and make over
his righteoufnefs, or repentance, or any part of ei-
ther, to another that wants it, than a man can be-
queath his wifdom or learning to his heir or his
friend : no more than a fick man can be rellored to
health by virtue of the phyfick which another man
hath taken.
Let no man therefore think of being good by a
deputy, that cannot be contented to be happy, and
to be faved the fame way, that is, to go to hell,
and to be tormented there in pcrfon, to or go to
heaven, and be admitted into that place of blifs only
by proxy. So that thefe good works with a hard
name.
*The parable of the ten virgins, 363
name, and the making over the merit of them to S^ERM,
others, have no manner of foundation either m fcnp-i.^,^— j
ture or reafon, but are all mere fkncy and fiction in
divinity. .
The inference from all this fiiall be the applicati-
on which our Saviour makes of this parable,
" Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor
« the hour wherein the Son of man comethj" asVer. 13,
if he had faid, the defign of this parable is to m-
ftrua us that we ought to be continually vigilant,
and always upon our guard, and in a conftant readi-
nefs and preparation to meet the bridegroom ; be-
caufe we know not the time of his coming to judg-
ment, nor yet, which will be of the fame confe-
quence and concernment to us, do any of us know
the precife time of our own death. Either of theic
may happen at any time, and come when we leaa
expea them. And therefore we fhould make the
befc and fpeedieft provlfion that we can for another
world, and ihould be continually upon our watcii,
'and trimming our lamps, that we may not befurpn-
fed by either of thefe ; neither by our own particular
death, nor by the general judgment of the world :
» Becaufe the Son of man will come in a day when
«' we look not for him, and at an hour when we are
« not aware."
More particularly, we fhould take up a prefentand
effeftual refolution not to delay car repentance, and
the reformation of our lives, that we may not have
that great work to do when we are not fit to do any
thincT ; no not to difpofe of our temporal concern,
men'^s, much lefs to prepare for eternity, and to do
that in a few moments, which ought to have been
Z z 2 ti^e
:>
64 The parable of the ten virgins]
A/v
SF. tlM-the care and endeavour of our whole lives : that we
"^ ^ * may not be forced to huddle up an imperfed:, and I
fear an infignificant repentance; and to do that in
great halle and confufion, which certainly does re-
quire our wifefl and mofl: deliberate thoughts, and
all the confideration in the world.
And we fiiould provide {tore of oil in our vefiels,
v^herewith to fupply our lamps, that they may burn
bright to the lad ; I mean, we fhould improve the
grace which we receive in baptifm, by abounding
in the fruits of the Spirit, and in all the fubflan-
tial virtues of a good life \ " that fo an entrance
^' may be minillred to us abundantly into the
?' everlafling kingdoni of cur Lord and Saviour
^' Jesus Christ."
By this means, when wc are called to meet the
bridegroom, v/e fhall not be put to thofe milerable
and Iharking fliifts which the foolifh virgins were
driven to, of begging, or borrowing, or buying oil ;
which will all fail us, when we come to depend upon
them : and though the dying man may miake a hard
fhift to fupport himfelf with thefe falfe comforts for a
little while, yet when the fliort delufion is over, which
v/ill be as foon as ever h.e is fiep'd into the other
world, he will to his eyerlafung confufion and trou-
ble find the door of heaven fliut againfl him ; and
that notv/iihftanding all his vaft treafurc of pardons
and indulgences, which have cod him ^o much, and
are worth fo little, " he iliall never fee the kingdom
f' of God."
And ladly, we fhould take great care that we do
liot extinguilh our lamps by quitting the profefHon
of our h^oly religion upon any temptation of advan-
tage.
^he parable of the ten virgins. '365
tage, or for fear of any lofs or fufferlng whatfoever. S E R M .
This occafion will call for all our faith and patience, v_-^-^
all our courage and conftancy.
Nunc animis opiis^ Mnea^ nunc p^ ore fir mo.
"When it comes to this trial, we had need " to gird
" up the loins of our minds,'* to fummon all our
forces, and " to put on the whole armour of God,
" that we may be able to fland faft in an evil day,
" and when we have done all to fland.'*
And now, my brethren, to ufe the words of^ Pet.v;
St. Peter, " I teftify unto you, that this is the true
" grace of God wherein ye ftand." The proteftant
reformed religion, which we in this nation pro-
fefs, is the very gofpcl of Christ, the true ancient
chriftianity.
And, for God's fake, fincc in this hour of temp-
tation, when our religion is in fo apparent hazard, we
pretend to love it to that degree, as to be contented
to part with any thing for it, let us refolve to prac-
tife it ; and to teftify our love to it, in the fame way
that our Saviour would have us fhew our love
to him, by keeping his commandments.
I will conclude all with the apofile's exhortation,
{o very proper for this purpofe, and to this prefent
time, " Only let your converfation be as it be^ Philip, f,
'' Cometh the gofpel of Christ," that is, chiefly ^7-
and above all take care to lead lives fuitable to the
chriflian religion : and then, as it follows, " fland
" fad: in one fpirit, with one mind, llriving toge-
^' ther for the faith of the gofpel ; and in nothing
'^ terrified by your adverfiries, which to them is an
^"^ evident token of perdition, but to you of falvati-
^' on, and that of God,''
Now
366 The par ah k of the fen ^virgins,
SERM. " Now unto him that is able to ftabliih you in
XX/.r. 46 fi^e gofpe], and to keep you from falling ; and to
" prefent you faultlcfs before the prefcnce of his
" glory with exceeding joy : to the only wife God
'' our Saviour, be glory and majefly, dominion
*' and Dowcr, both now and ever." Amen.
A
Thanksgiving Sermon
FOR OUR
DELIVERANCE
BY THE
VKIN CE of O RANGE.
Preached at Lincoln s- Inn Chapel,
yamiary 3 r, 1688.
i
To the worfhipful the
Masters of the Bench^
And the reft of the
GENTLEMEN
O F T H E
Honourable Society of Li7icoln s - Inn.
THOUGH I 'was at firji very
ummlli?ig to expofe to the pub-
lick a fermon made upon fo little warn-
ing, and fo great an occafion ; yet
upon fecond thoughts I could not thi?2k
it fit to reftji the unanimous ard ear-
nefi requeji of fo many worthy per-
fons, as the Mailers of the Bench of
this honourable fociety; to whom I
fand fo much indebted for your great
and continued refpe&s to me^ and kind
Vol. IL Aaa ac-
7-
Epistle Dedicatory.
acceptaitce of my labours among you for
now above the f pace of fve and twenty
years. In a moji grateful achtowled<r-
ment whereof this dfcourfe^ fuch as it
is^ in mere obedience to your com7nandsy
is 7tow humbly prefented to you^ by
Your moft obliged and
^^\^l^' faithful Servant,
m.
John Tillotson,
C 370
SERMON XXXII.
EZRA ix. 13, 14.
'And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds,
and for our great trefpafs ; feeing that thou our God
hafl fAinifhed us lefs than our iniquities deferve^ and
hafi given us fuch a deliverance as this :
Should we again break thy commandments^ and join in
affinity "with the people of thefe abominations ? 'uooiddfi
not thou be angry with us ^till thou hafi confmned us,
fo that there JJoould be no remnant nor efcaping?
I A M fufliclently aware that the particular occa- s E R M.
fion of thcfe words is, in feveral rcfpeds, very ^^^^
different from the occafion of this day's folem-
nity : for thefe words were fpoken by Ezra at a
time appointed for publick and folemn humiliation.
But I fhall not now confidcr them in that relation,
but rather as they refer to the great dehverance which
God had fo lately wrought for them ; and as they
are a caution to take heed of abufing great mercies
received from God \ and fo they are very proper and
pertinent to the great occafion of this day. Nay,
thefe words even in their faddefl: afpedr, are not fo
unfuitable to it. For we find in fcripturc upon tlie moft
folemn occafions of humiliation, that good men have
always teftified a thankful fenfe of the goodnefs of
God to IT. em. And indeed the mercy of God
doth then appear above meafure merciful, when the
finner is mod deeply fenfible of his own vilenefs and
A a a 2 unworthinefs.
372 A thmikfgiving fermon.
SERM. unworthinels. And fo Ezra here, in the depth of
T_ -^— 1, j their forrow and humiliation, hath fo great a fenfe
of the greatnefb of their dehverance, that he hard-
ly knew how to exprcis it i " And haft given us
" fuch a deliverance as this." And on the other
hand, we find rhat good men, in their mod fblemn
praifes and thank 'g^vings, have made very ferious
reflexions upon tiieir own unworthinefs. And furely
the btft way to make men truly thankful, is firft to
make them veiy humble. When David makes his
mofl folemn acknowledgments to God for his great
mercies to him, how doth he abafe himfelf before
1 Chron. him; " but who am I, and what is my people ? '*
^^^' ^' And fo likcwife, after he had fummoned all the
powers and faculties of his foul to join in the praifes
cf God, he interpofeth this feafonable meditation,
Pfal. ciii. " He hath not dealt with us after our fins, nor re-
'^* " warded us according to our iniquities." The
greater and more lively fenfe we have of the good-
nefs of God to us, the more we fhall abhor ourfelves
in duft and afhes j nothing being more apt to melt
us into tears of repentance, than the confideration
of great and undeferved mercies vouchfafed to
us. The goodnefs of God doth naturally lead to
repentance.
Having thus reconciled the text to the prefent oc-
cafion, I fhall for the more diflind handling of the
words take notice of thefe two parts in them.
Fird, here is a cafe fuppofed ; fhould we, *' after
•' all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and
" fincc God hath punilhed us lefs than our iniquities
•' defer ve, and hath given us fuch a deliverance as
•' thisi fliould we again Ipreak his commandments.?
Secondly,
A thankfgiving fernion, 373
Secondly, here is a fentence and determination in S E R M.
the cafe ; " Wouldil thou not be angry with us 'till ^^lilj
" thou hadft confum'd us, fo that there fhould be no
**^ remnant nor efcaping ?" This is not fpokea doubt-
fully, though it be put by way of queition ; but is
the more vehemently p-jficive, the more peremptori-
ly affirmative ; as if he had faid, it cannot other vvi/e
be in reafon expeded, but that after fuch repeated
provocations ''God fhould be angry with us *cill he
" had confumed us."
Firft, here is a cafe fuppofed \ fhould we, <' after
*' all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for
*^ our great trefpafs; and fince God hath punifned
*' us Icfs than our iniquities deferve, and hath given
*' us fuch a deliverance as this: fhouli we a^ain
" break his commandments, and join affinity with
*' the people of thefe abominations ? " \n wnich
words thele following propofitions feem to be in-
volv'd, which I fhall but jult mention, and pais to
the fecond part of the text.
1. That fm is the caufe of all our fufFerlngs, "af-
*' ter all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and
" for our great trefpafs. " Our evil deeds bring all
other evils upon us.
2. That great fins have ufually a proportionable pu^
nifhmcnt ; " after all that is come upon us,*' there is
the greatnefs of our punifhment ; " for our evil deeds,
*' and for our great trefpals," there is the greatnefs
of our fm. But when I fay that great fins have a
proportionable punifhment, I do not mean that any
temporal punifhments are proportionable to the great
evil of fin ; but that God doth ufually obferve a
proportion in the temporal punifhments of fin, io
that
-^74 ^ i hank (giving fermon,
SERM. that although no temporal punifliment be propor-
i^il^li/ tionable to fin, yet the temporal punifhment of one
fin holds a proportion to the puniftment of another;
and confequently, lefTer and greater fins have propor-
tionably a lelTer and greater punilhment.
3. That all the punifhments which God inflicls in
this life do fall fhort of the demerit of our fins ; and
«* feeing that thou our God hail punifh'd us lefs than
<« our iniquities deferve." In the Hebrew it is, " and
*' haft kept down our iniquities," that is, that they
fhould not rife up againil us. The LXX. expreiTeth
it very emphatically, " thou hafi: eafed us of our
*' fins," that is, thou haft not let the whole weight
of them fall upon us. Were it not for the reftraints
which God puts upon his anger, and the merciful
mitigations of it, the finner would not be able to
bear it, but muft fink under it. Indeed it is only faid
in the Text, that the punifhment which God inflidl-
ed upon the jews, though it was a long captivity,
was beneath the defert of their fins : but yet it is uni-
verfally true, and Ezra perhaps might intend to infi-
nuate fo much, that all temporal punifhments, though
never fo fevere, are always lefs than our inquities de-
fervc.
4. That God many times works very great deli-
verances for thofe who are very unworthy of them ;
•'• and haft given us f-ich a deliverance as this, not-
" widiftanding our evil deeds, and notwithftanding
" our great trefpafs.'*
5. That we are but too apt, even after great judg-
ments, and after great mercies, to relapfe into our
former fins; '' fhould we again break thy command-
•' ments." Ezra infinuates that there was m-eat rea-
fon
A thankfghing fermoji. 3 75
fon to fear this, efpecially confidcring the ftrange SERM.
temper of that people, who when God miiltiply'd/ '^
his blelTings upon them, were fo apt to " wax fat
*' and kick againfl him ;" and though he had call
them feveral times into the furnace of afflidbion,
though they were melted for the prefent, yet they
were many times but the harder for it afterwards.
6. Tliat it is good to take notice of thofe parti-
cular fins which have brought the judgments of God
upon us. So Ezra does here ; " after all that is come
" upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great
" trefpafs^ and, ihould we again join in affinity
" with the people of thefe abominations ? "
Secondly, here is a fentence and determination in
the cafe ; " wouldfl thou not be angry v/ith us 'till
" thou hadLl confumed us, fo that there Ihouid be no
" remnant nor efcaping ? " Which queilion, as I
faid before, doth imply a ftrong and peremptory af-
firmative ; as if he had faid,. after fuch a provocation
there is g-reat reafon to conclude that God would be
angry with us 'till he had confumed us.
From whence the obfervation contained in this
part of the text will be this, ' ' That it is a fearful
" aggravation of fin, and a fad prefage of ruin to a
" people, after great judgments and great dellve-
*' ranees, to return to fin, and efpecially to the lame
" fins again." Hear how paffionately Ezra exprelTcs
himfelf in this cafe, ver. 6. " I am alhamed, O my
" God, and blufn to lift up mine eyes to thee, my
" God." Why? v/hat was the caufe of this greac
fham.e and confufion of face .? He tells us, ver. 9.
" for we were bondmen, yet our God hath not for>-
" faken us in our bondage, but hath extended his
" mercy
376 A thanhfgin^ing fei'mon,
SE R M. « mercy to us, to give us a reviving, to fct up the
^.^^^^i^^ " hoaie of cjr God, and to repair the defolations
" tiicrcof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in
*' Jeruialem;" that is, to reftore them the free and
fafe exerclie of their religion. Here v/as great mercy
and a mighty deliverance indeed ; and yet after this
they prefently relapfcd into a very great fin, ver. 10.
" And now, O our God, what fhall we fay after
" this ? for we have forfaken thy commandments."
In handling of tnis obfervacion, I fhall do dicfe
two things.
Firft, I fhall endeavour to fhew that this is a very
heavy agj/,ravation of fm, and
Secondly, that it is a fatal prefage of ruin to a
people.
Firfl-, it is a heavy aggravation of fm after great
judgment?, and after fignal mercies and deliverances
to return to fin, and efpecially to the fame fins again.
Here are three things to be dillindlly fpoken to.
1. That it is a great aggravation of fin to return
to it after great judgments.
2. To do this after great mercies and deliverances.
5. After both to return to the fame fins again.
I . It is a great aggravation of fin after great judg-
ments have been upon us to return to an evil courfe :
becaufe this is an argument of great obflinacy in
evil. The longer Pharaoh rcfifted the judgments of
God, the moce was his wicked heart hardned, *till
at lafl he arrived at a monflrous degree of hardncfs,
having been, as the text tells us, hardned under ten
plagues. And we find, that after God had threaten 'd
the people of Ifrael with feveral judgments, he tells
Lev. xxvi. them, that if they " will not be reformed by all
'3- « thcfe
A thank fghlng fermon, 377
"" thefe thinp-Sj he will punifn them fcven times S E R M.
. • xxxir
" more for their fins." And if the jufl God will in ^^^^ '^
fuch a cafe punifh feven times more, we may conclude
that xh!t fm is feven times greater.
What fad complaints doth the prophet make of
the people of Ifrael growing worfe for judgments.
" Ah! fmful nation, a people laden with iniquity, Ifaiah 1.4.
" children that have been corrupters, a feed of evil
" doers." He can hardly find words enough to ex-
prefs how great finners they were ; and he adds the
reafon in the next verfe, " Why fhould they be fmit- Ver. 5;
" ten any more? they will revolt more and more.'*
They were but the worfe for judgments. This ren-
ders them " a finful nation, a people laden with ini-
" quity." And again, " The people turneth notlfaiahlx,
'* to him that fmiteth them, neither do they feek^^*
" the Lord of hofts; therefore his anger is not
*^ turned away, but his hand is ftretched out fiill.'*
And the fame prophet further complains to the fame
purpofe, " When thy hand is hfted up, they will'not ifaiah
*' fee." There is a particular brand fet upon king^^^^- ^'•
Ahaz, becaufe afflidion made him worfe : " This 2 Chron.
" is that king Ahaz," that is, that grievous and ^^^^'^* ^'^*-
notorious finner. And what was it that render'd him
fo ? " in the time of his diftrefs he finned yet more
" againfl: the Lord;" this is that king Ahaz, who
is faid to have provoked the Lord " above all the
^" kings of Ifrael which were before him."
2. It is likewife a lore aggravation of fin, when it
is committed after great mercies and deliverances
vouchfafed to us. Becaufe this is an argument of
great ingratitude. And this we find recorded as a
heavy charge upon the people of Ifrael, " that they Judg. vHi.'
Vol. II, Bbb " re- 34> 35*
7-
37^ A thankfgiving fermoti.
SERM. « remembred not the Lord their God, who had
" delivered them out of the hand of all their cne-
*' mies on every fide ; neither fhewed they kindnels
** to the houfe of Jerubbaal, namely Gideon,'* who
had been their deliverer, " according to all the good-
*' nefs which he had fliewed to Ifrael. '* God, wc
fee, takes it very ill at our hands, when we are un-
grateful to the inftruments of our deliverance; but
much more when we are unthankful to him the au-
thor of it. And how feverely doth Nathan the pro-
phet reproach David upon this account? " Thus
" fiid the Lord God of Ifrael, I anointed thee
<^' king over Ifrael, and delivered thee out of the
«' hand of Saul, &c. and if this had been too lit-
^'^ tie, I would moreover have done fuch and fuch
*' things. Wherefore haft thou defpifed the com-
" mandment of the Lo rd to do evil in his fight ?'*
God here reckons up his manifold mercies and de-
liverances, and aggravates David's fin upon this ac-
count. And he was very angry likevvife with Solo-
mon for the fame reafon, " becaufe he had turned
" from the Lord God of Ifrael, who had appear*d
" to him twice." However we may (light the mer-
cies of God, he keeps a pundlual and flrid account
of them. It is particularly noted, as a' great
2 Chron. i^iot upon Hezekiah, " that he returned not ac-
xxxii. 25. ^j cording to the benefits done unto him." God
takes very fevere notice of all the unkind and
unworthy returns that are made to him for his good-
nefs.
Ingratitude to Goo is fo unnatural and mon-
ftrous, that we find him appealing againft us for it
Ifjiahi.2.to the inanimate creatures. " Hear O heavens!
",and
A thank/giving fermon. 379
*<= and give ear O earth! for the Lord hath fpoken; ^|^j^,^*
^' I have nourifhed and brought up children, but ^.^.^^^.^
" they have rebelled againfl me." And then he
goes on and upbraids them with the brute creatures,
as being more grateful to men, than men are to
God. " The ox knoweth his owner, and the arsiraiahi.3.
" his mailer's crib, but Ifrael doth not know, my
" people doth not confider." And in the fame pro-
phet there is the like complaint, " Let favour be jfaiah
" fhewn to the wicked, yet will he not learn righ-^xvi. lo.
*' teoufnefs. In the land of uprightnefs will he deal
*' unjuflly, and will not behold the majeily of the
«' Lord. Lord, when thy hand is hfted up, they
^' will not fee; but they Ihall fee and be afhamed.'*
They that will not acknowledge the mercies of God's
providence, ihall feel the ftrokes of his juftice.
There is no greater evidence in the world of an
untra6lable difpofition, than not to be wrought upon
by kindnefs, not to be melted by mercies, not to be
obliged by benefits, not to be tamed by gentle uf\ge.
Nay, God expeds that his mercies fhould lay f3
great an obligation upon us, that even a miracle
Ihould not tempt us to be unthankful. " If there Deut xUl
" arife am.ong you a prophet, fays Mofes to the^> 2-
*' people of Ifrael, or a dreamer of dreams, and
'' giverh thee a fign or a wonder, and the fign or
" the wonder cometh to pafs, whereof he fpake to
'* thee, faying, let us go after other gods and fervc
*' them •, thou ihalt not hearken to the words of that
*' prophet." And he gives the reafon, " becaufe he Ver. 5.
*' hath fpoken to turn you away from the Lord God
*' of Ifrael, which brought you out of the land of
" Egypt, and delivered you out of the houfe of bon-
•' dage." B b b 2 %. It
3 Bo A tbanJzfghing fermon,
SE R M. ^. I: Is a greater aggravan'on yet, after great mer-
^...l-^^^l^cies and judgments to return to the fame fms. Be-
caufe this can hardly be without our finning againft
knowledge, and after we are convinced how evil and
bitter the fin is which we were guilty of, and have
been {o forely punifli'd for before. This is an argu-
ment of a very perverfe and incorrigible temper,
and that which made the fin of the people of Ifrael
fo above meafure finful, that after fo many fignal
dehverances, and fo many terrible judgments, they
fell into the fame fin of' murmuring ten times; mur-
muring againft God the author, and againft Mofes
the glorious inftrument of their deliverance out of
Egypt-, which was one of the two great types of the
old teftament, both of temporal and fpiritual op-
preflion and tyranny. Hear with what refentment
God fpeaks of the ill returns which they made to
Numb, him for that great mercy and deliverance. " Becaufe
XIV. 22, cc 2\\ thofe men which have feen my glory, and my
" miracles which I did in Egypt, and in the wilder-
*' nefs, and have tempted me now thefe ten times,
*' and have not hearkened unto my voice -, furely
" they ftiall not fee the land which I fvvare unto their
^' flithers." And after he had brought them into the
promifed land, and wrought great deliverances for
them feveral times, how does he upbraid them with
their pronenefs to fall again into the fame fin of Ido-
Judges X. latry ? " And the Lord faid unto the children of
11,12, 13, cc jfj-ael, did not I deliver you from the Egyptians,
" and from the Amorites •, from the children of
*^ Ammon, and from the Philiftines ? The Zido-
" nians alfo and the Amalekites and Maonites did
*^ opprefs youi and ye cried unto me, and I de-
" liycred
A thankfgivtng fermon, ^ 381
*^ livered you out of their hand : yet you have for- S E R M.
*' faken me, and ferved other gods ; wherefore I ^^^^11\
*' will deliver you no more : go and cry unto the
" gods which ye have chofen, let them deliver you
" in the time of your tribulation." This incenfed
God fo highly againft them, that they ftill relaps'd
into the fame fin of idolatry, after fo many afflidli-
ons and fo many deliverances. Upon fuch an oc-
cafion well might the prophet fay, " Thine ownl^^-"-J9-
" wickednefs fliall corredl thee, and thy fins fliall
" reprove thee: know therefore that it is an evil
" and bitter thing that thou hafl forfaken the Lord
^' thy God." It is hardly pofiible but we ihould
know that the wickedneis for which we have been
fo feverely corrected, is an evil and bitter thing.
Thus much for the firfl part of the obfervation,
namely, that it is a fearful aggravation of fin, after
great judgments and great deliverances to return to
fin, and efpecially to the fame fins again. I pro-
ceed to the
Second part, namely, that this is a fatal prefagc
of ruin to a people j " fhould we again break thy
" commandments, and join in affinity with the peo-
*' pie ofthefe abominations.? wouldll thou not be
" angry with us till thou hadfi: confumed us, fo that
^' there fhould be no remnant nor efcaping?" and
fo God threatens the people of Ifrael in the text
v/hich I cited before, " wherefore I will deliver you Judges x.
*' no more." Wherefore, that is, becaufe they would ^3-
neither be reformed by the afflidions wherewith God
had exercifed them, nor by the many wonderful de-
liverances which he had wrought for them.
And
3^2 A thank/giving fermon.
S E R M. And there is great reafon why God fhould deal
^_ _^^ thus with a people that continues impenitent both
under die judgnnents and mercies of God.
I . Becaufe this doth ripen the fins of a nation ;
and it is time for God to put in his fickle when a
people are ripe for ruin. When the meafure of
their fins is full, it is no wonder if the cup of his in-
dignation begin to overflow. It is faid of the Amo-
rites, four hundred years before God brought that
fearful ruin upon tnem, that God deferr'd the ex-
Gen. XV. tirpation of tiiem, " becaufe the iniquity of the
i6. " Amorites was not; ya full.'* When neither the
mercies nor the judgments of God will bring us to
repentance, we are then fit for deftrudion •, accord-
Rom, ix. ing to that of the apofde, " Wnat if God willing
" to fhew his wrath, and make his power known,
*' endured with much long-fuffering the vefifels of
*' wrath fitted for defirudion ? " they who are not
wrought upon neither by the patience of God's
mercies, nor by the patience of his judgments, feem
to be fitted and prepared, to be ripe and ready
for deflrudion.
2. Became this incorrigible temper fhews the
cafe of fuch perfbns to be defperate and incurable.
Ifaiahi. 5.C6 Vv^hy fhould they be fmitten any more.^" fays
God of the people of Ifrael, " they will revolt more
Matth. '' and more. How often would I have gathered
xxiu. 37, <c yoy^ f^ys our blefifed Saviour to the Jews, even
^ ' « as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings ?
*' and ye would not ! Behold, your houfe is left to
*' you defolatc," that is, ye fiiall be utterly deflroy-
cd •, as it happened forty years after to Jerufalem, and
to the whole jewifh nation.
When
A tbanJzfgivi72g fermon. 38 j
When God fees that all the means which he can S E R M".
life do prove inefFedlual and to no purpofe, he will,^^^^^'
then give over a people, as phyficians do their pa-
tients when they fee that nature is fpent, and their cafe
pad remedy. When men will not be the better for
the beft means that heaven can ufe, God will then
leave them to reap the fruit of their own doino-s,
and abandon them to the demerit of their fin.
That which now remains is to apply this to our
felves, and to the folemn occafion of this day.
And if this be our cafe, let us take heed diat this
be not alfo our doom and fentence.
Firft, the cafe in the ttxt doth very much reiem-
blc ours. And that in three refpedls. God hath
fent great judgments upon us for our evil deeds and
for our great trefpaffes ; '^ he hath punifted us lels
*' than our iniquities have deferved: " and hath gi-
yen us a very great and wonderful deliverance.
I. God hath infiidled great judgments upon us
for our evil deeds, and for our great trcfpafies. Great
judgm.ents, both for the quality, and for the conti-
nuance of them. It fhall fuffice only to mention
thofe which are of a more ancient date. Scarce hath
any nation been more calamitous than this of ours,
both in refped of the invafions and conquciis of fo-
reigners, and of our own civil and intefline divin-
ons. Four times we have been conquer'd ; by the
Romans, Saxons, Danes, and Normans. And our
inteftine divifions have likewife been great and of
long continuance. Witnefs the barons wars, and
that long and cruel conteft between the two houfes of
York and Lancafter.
But
2^4 -^ thank/giving /etymon,
S E RM. But to come nearer to our own times, what fear-
XXX 1 1, ^^j JQ^gn-ients and calamities of war, and peltilence^
and fire, have many of U3 feen ? and how clofe did
they follow one another ? what terrible havock did
the fword make amongfl us for many years? and
this not the fword of a foreign enemy, but of a citil
war ; the mifchiefs whereof were all terminated up-
on our felves, and have given deep wounds, and left
broad fears upon the moil confiderable families in
the nation.
• Alta manent civilis vulnera dextne.
This war was drawn out to a great length, and
had a tragical end, in the murder of an excellent
king •, and in the banifliment of his children into a
Urange country, whereby they were expofed to the
arts and practices of thofe of another religion ; the
mifchievous confequences whereof wc have ever
fince fadly labour'd under, and do feel them at
this day.
And when God was pleas'd in great mercy at laffc
to put an end to the mifcrable diftra6lions and con-
fufions of almofl twenty years, by the happy reflora-
tion of the royal family, and our ancient govern-
ment ; which feem'd to promife to us a lading fet-
tlement, and all the felicities we could wifh ; yet
how foon was this bright and glorious morning over-
call, by the reftlefs and black defigns of that fure
and inveterate enemy of ours, the church of Rome,
for the reftorrng of their religion amongfl: us. And
there was too much encouragement given to this
dcfign, by thofe who had power in their hands,
and had brought home with them a fecret good-
will to it.
For
A than'kfgiving fermon, • 385
For this great trefpafs, and for our many other S E R M.
fins, God was angry with us, and fent among us
the moll raging peftilence that ever was known in
this nation, which in the fpace of eight or nine
months fwept away near a third part of the inha-
bitants of this vaft and populous city^ and of the
fuburbs thereof: befides a great miany thoufands
more in feveral parts of the nation. " Bat we did
" not return to the Lord, nor feek him for all this.'*
And therefore, the very next year after, God
fent a terrible and devouring fire, v/hich in lefs than
three days time laid the greateft part of this great
city in allies. And there is too miuch reafon to
believe that the enemy did this, that perpetual and
implacable enemy of the peace and happinefs of this
nation.
And even fince the time of that dreadful cala-
mity, which is now above twenty years agone, we
have been in a continual fear of the cruel defigns of
that party, which had hitherto been incelTantly
working under ground, but now began to iliew
themfelves more openly ; and efpecially fmce a
prince of that religion fucceeded to the crov/n, our
eyes have been ready to fail us for fear, and for
looking after thofe dreadful things that w^ere com-
ing upon us, and feem'd to be even at the door.
A fear which this nation could eafily have rid it felf
of, becaufe they that caufed it were but a handful in
comparifon of us, and could have done nothing
without a foreign force and alTiflance ; had not the
principles of humanity, and of our religion too, re-
ilrain'd us from violence and cruelty, and from
Vo L. II. C c c every
7-
XXXII
386 A thankfgrcing fermon.
SKRM. every thing which had the appearance ofundutiful-
nefs to the government which the providence of
God had fet over us. An inflance of the like pa-
tience, under the hke provocations, fcrfo long a time,
and after fuch vifible and open attempts upon them,
when they had the Jaws fo plainly on their fide, I
challenge any nation or church in the world, from
the very foundation of it, to produce. Infomuch,
that if God had not put it into the hearts of our
kind neighbours, and of that incomparable prince,
who laid and condu6led that great defign with fo
much skill and fecrecy, to have appear'd fo feafon-
ably for our refcue, our patience had infdlibly,
without a miracle, been our ruin. And I am fure,
if our enemies had ever had the like opportunity in
thsir hands, and had overbalanced us in numbers but
half fo much as we did them, they would never
have let it flip ; but would long fince have extirpa-
ted us utterly, and have " made the remembrance
*' of us to have ceas'd among mien."
And now if you ask me, for what fins more elpe-
cially God hath fent all thefe judgments upon us ?
it will not, I think, become us to be very particu-
lar and pofitive in fuch determinations. Thus much
is certain, that we have all finn'd and contributed to
thefe judgments; every one hath had fome hand,
more or lefs, in pulling down this vengeance upon
the nation. But we are all too apt to remove the
meritorious caufe of God's judgments as far as we
can from our felves, and our own party, and up-
on any (light pretence to lay it upon others.
Yet I will venture to inflance in one or two
things which may probably enough have had a more
particu-
A thank/giving fenmn. 387
particular and immediate hand in drawing down the ^^U^^-
judgments of God upon us. <-
Our horrible contempt of religion on the one hand,
by our infidelity and profanenefs ; and our (hame-
ful abufe of it on the other, by our grois hypocri-
fy, and fheltering great wickednefs and immorali-
ties under the cloke and profefTion of religion.
And then, great difienfions and divifions, great
uncharitablenefs and bitternefs of fpirit among thofc
of the Hime religion •, fo that almoft from the be-
o-inning of our happy reformation the enemy had
fown thefe tares, and by the unwearied malice and
arts of the church of Rome, the feeds of diircnfioa
were fcattered very early amongft us •, and a four
humour had been fermenting • in the body of the na-
tion, both upon account of religion and civil inte-
refls, for a long time before things broke out into a
civil war.
And more particularly yet : that v/hich is cali'd
the great trefpafs here in the text, their joining in
affinity with the people of thefe abominations, by
whom they had been detained in a long captivity :
this, I lay, feems to have had, both from the nature
of the thing, and the juft judgment of God, no
fmall influence upon a great part of the miferies and
calamities which have befallen us. For had it not
been for the countenance which popery had by the
marriages and alliances of our princes, for two or
three generations together, with thofe of that religi-
on, it had not probably had a continuance among
us to this day. Which will, I hope, now be a good
warning to thofe, who have the authority to do it,
to make effectual provifion by law, for the preven-
C c c 2 ^^^^
388 A thank/giving fermon,
S E R M. tlon of the like inconvenience and mifchief in this
XXXII. . r
nation for ever.
2. Another parallel between our cafe and that in
the text, is, " that God hath punifn'd us lefs than
*' our iniquities did deferve." And this acknow-
ledsiment we liave as much reafon to make for our
o
felves, as Ezra had to do it in behalf of the Jews,
" Thou our God hafl: punifh'd us lefs than our ini-
*' quities deferve." Thou, cur God, haft punifn'd
us ; there is the reafon of fo much mercy and miti-
gation. It is God, and not man, with whom we
have to do ; and therefore it is, that we " the chil-
*' dren of men are not confumed." And it is our
God like wife, to whom we have a more peculiar
relation, and w^ith whom, by virtue of our profef-
fion of chrifcianity, v/e are in covenant: thou our
God haft punifh'd us \t{^ than our iniquities de-
ferve. He might juftly have " pour'd forth all his
*' wrath, and have made his jealoufy to have fmok'd
*' againft us, and have blotted out the remembrance
*' of us from under heaven : he might have given
*« us up to the will of our enemies, and into the
*' hands of thofe whofe tender mercies are cruelty : '*
he might have brought us into the net which they
had fpread for us, and have laid a terrible load of
afHi6lion upon our loins, and fuffer'd infolent men
to ride over, our heads, and them that hated us with a
perfe6l hatred, to have had the rule over us : but he
was graciouily pleas'd " to remember mercy in the
«« midft of judgment, and to repent himfelf for his
«' fervants, when he faw that their power was gone,"
^n4 that things were come to that extremity, that
we were in all humane probability utterly unable to
have wrought out our own deliverance. 3. The
A thanhfghlng fennon, 3^9
q. The laft parallel between our cafe, and that in SE R. M.
the text, is the great and wonderful deliverance t^'^'^'^-O
which God hath wrought for us. And whilfl I am
ipeaking of this, " God is my witncf?:, whom I
" ferve in the gofpel of his Son," that I do not fay-
one word upon this occafion in flattery to men, but
in true thank fulnefs to almighty God, and conflrain'd
thereto from a jufc fenfe of his great mercy to us all,
in this marvellous deliverance, in this mighty falva-
tion which he wrought for us. So that we may fay
with Ezra, " Since thou our God haft given us fuch
" a deliverance as this:" fo great, that we know
not how to compare it with any thing but itfdf.
God hath given us this deliverance. And therefore,
" Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy
*' name te the praife." For thou knoweil, and we
are confcious to ourfelves, that we did in no wile
deferve it, but quite the contrary. God hath given
it, and it ought to be fo much the welcomer to us,
for coming from fuch a hand. It is the Lord's do-
ing, and therefore ought to be the more marvellous
in our eyes. It is a deliverance full of mercy, and
I had almoil fiid, full of miracle. The finger of
God was vifibly in it ; and there are plain fignatures
and charafters upon it, of a m.ore immediate di-
vine interpofition. And if we will not wifely confi-
der the Lord's doing, we have reafon to Ifand in
awe of that threatning of his, " Becaufe they rQ-^^^
*' gard not the works of the Lord, nor the opera- xxviii. 5.
" tion of his hands, he fhall deflroy them, and not
^' build them up."
It was a wonderful deliverance indeed, if we confider
all the circumftances of it ; the greatnefs of itj and
the
390 A thank fghing fermon,
S E R M. the firanp;eners of the means whereby it was broudit
, _ _L\ about \ and the luadennefs and eafinefs of it.
The greatnefs of it; it was a great deliverance,
from the greateft fears, and from the greateft dan-
gers; the apparent and imminent danger of the fad-
deft thraldom and bondage, civil and fpiritual ; both
of foul and body.
And it was brought about in a very extraordmary
manner, and by very ftrange means: whether we
confider the greatnefs and difncuky of the enterprlfe;
or the clofenefs and fecrecy of the defign, which muft
of necefTity be communicated at leaft to the chief of
thofe who were to afTift and engage in it : efpecially
the ftates of the United Provinces, who were then in
fo much danger themfelves, and wanted more than
their ov/n forces for their own defence ar;d fecurity :
a kindnefs never to be forgotten by the Engiifh na-
tion. And befides all this, the difficulties and dif-
appointments which happen'd, after the defign was
open and manifeft, from the uncertainties of wind
and weather, and many other accidents impoffible
to be forefeen and prevented. And yet in conclufion
a ftrange concurrence of all things, on all fides, to
bring the thing which the providence of God in-
tended to a happy iftlie and efi^d.
And we muft not here forget the many worthies
of our nation, who did fo generoufly run all hazards
of life and fortune, for the prefervation of our reli-
gion, and the afierting of' our ancient laws and li-
berties.
Thefe are all ftrange and unufual means; but,
which is ftranger yet, the very counfels and me-
thods of our enemies did prepare the way for all
this.
A thankfgtvtng Jermon. 391
this, and perhaps more effeaually, than any coun-"5^E R M.
lei and contrivance of our own could have done J
it. For even the jefuits, thofe formal politicians by
book and rule, without any confideration or true
knowledge of the temper, and intcrell, and other
circumftances of the people they were defigning up-
on, and had to deal withal 5 and indeed without any
care to know them : i fay, the jefuits, who for fo
long a time, and for fo little reafon, have affected
the reputation of the deeped and craftiefl ftatefmen
in the world, have upon this great occafion, and
• when their whole kingdom of darknefs lay at flake,
by a more than ordinary infatuation and blindnefs, fo
outwitted and over-reach'd themfelves in their own
counfels, that they have really contributed as much,
or more, to our deliverance from the deftrudion
which they had defigned to bring upon us, than all
our wifeft and beft friends could have done.
And then if we confider further, how fudden and
furprizing it was, fo that we could hardly believe it
when it was accomplifn'd -, and like the children of
Ifrael, " when the Lord turned again the captivity
« of Zion, we were like them that dream." When
ail things were driving on furiouOy, and in great
hade, then God gave an unexpeded check to the
defigns of men, and ftopp'd them in their full ca-
reer. Who among us could have imagin'd, but a
few months ago, fo happy and fo fpeedy an end of
our fears and troubles ? God hath at once fcatter'd
all our fears, and outdone all our hopes by the great-
nefs and fuddennefs of our deliverance. " O that
« men would praife the Lord for his goodnefs,
« and for his wonderful worbi to the children of
392 A ihanlzfgivmg fermon,
S F R M. And Jaflly, if we confider the cheapnefs and eafi-
^Xa.U-.^ j,^f^ of this dehverance. All this was done without
a battle, and almoft without blood. All the danger
is, led we fliould loath it, and grow fick of it, be-
caufe it was fo very eafy. Had it come upon harder
terms, and had we waded to it through a red fea of
blood, we would have valued it more. But this furely
is great wantonnefs, and whatever wc thinl: of ir,
one of the higheft provocations imaginable : for
there can hardly be a fouler and blacker ingratitude
towards almighty God, than to flight fo great a de-
liverance, only becaufe it came to us h eafiiy, and
hath coll us fo very cheap,
I will miCntion but one circumflance more, which
may not be altogether unworthy our obfervation.
That God feems in this lad deliverance, in fome fort
to have united and brought together all the great de-
liverances which he hath been pleas'd to work for
this nation againfl all the remarkable attem.pts of
popery, from the beginning of our reformation.
Our wonderful deliverance from the formidable Spa-
nifh invafion defign'd againft us, happened in the
year 1580.. And now juft a hundred years after,
God was pleafed to bring about this laft: great and
mod happy deliverance. That horrid gunpowder
confpiracy, without precedent, and without parallel,
was defign'd to have been executed upon the fifth
day of November ; the fame day upon which his
highnefs t\\Q prince of Orange landed the forces here
in England which he brought hither for our refcue.
So that this is a day every v/ay worthy to be (o"
lemnly fet apart and joyfully celebrated by this
church and nation, throughout all generations; as
the
A thanhfgivhig fermon. 393
the fAttefl of all other to comprehend, and to put ns SE RM.
in mind to commemorate ail the great deliverances ..^^.^^..^
which God hath wrought for us, from popery, and
its infeparable companion, arbitrary power. And
we may then fay with the holy pfalmift, " This is the P^al
" Lord's doing, it is marvellous in our eyes. This 2?/"'
.*' is the day which the Lord hath made, we will
" rejoice and be glad in it."
Secondly, as the cafe in the text is much like ours,
fo let us take heed that the doom and fentcnce there
be not fo too. " If after all that is come upon us
" for our evil deeds, and for our great trefpafs, and
*' fince God has puniili'd us lefs than our iniquities
" did deferve; fhould we again break his command-
" ments, and join in afRnity with the people of
*' thefe abominations, would he not be angry with
" us 'till he had confumed us, fo that there fliould
*' be no remnant nor efcaping ? " What could we
in reafon exped after all this, but utter ruin and de«^
ftrudlion ? We may here apply, as St., Paul does,
God's dealing with the people of Ifrael, to the
times of the gofpel ; for he fpeaks of it as an exam-
ple and admonition to all ages to the end of the
world. *' Now thefe things, fays the apoflle, were i Cor. x;
" our examples, to the intent we fhould not luft ' 7;,^*
i^ ' I o, 1 1 ,
*' after evil things, as they alfo lulled ; neither be ye
*' idolaters, as were fome of them, &c. neither \tX.
*' us tempt Christ, as fome of them alfo tempts
** ed, and were deflroyed of ferpents." For the ex-
plication of this pafifage we mufl have recourfe to the
hiftory, which gives this account of it. " And the peo- Numb;
*' pie fpake again ft God, and againft Mofes, where- ^^^' 5' ^
*' fore have ye brought us up out of Egypt, to die
Vol. IL D dd '^ in
A thankfgiving fermori,
" in the wildernefs ? &c." ixnpcaching God and his
fervant Mofes, as if by this dehverance they had put
them into a much worfe condition than they were
in when they were in Egypt. " And the Lord
*' fent fiery ferpents among the people, and they
*' hit the people, and much people of Ifrael died.*'
Bat how was this a tempting of Christ ? " Nei-
*' ther \ti us tempt Christ, as fome of them alfo
*' tempted i'* that is, let not us, now under the
gcfpel, tempt our faviour and deliverer, as the If^
raehtes did theirs, by flighting that great deliverance,
and by fpeaking againft God, and againft Mofes.
*' Neither murmur ye, as fome of them alfo mur-
*' mured, and were deftroyed of the deftroyer.'*
And how far this may concern us, and all others, to
the end of the world, who Ihall tempt Christ,
the great patron and deliverer of his church, and
murmur without caufe, as the Ifraelites did, at the
deliverance which he works for them, and againft
the inftruments of it, the apoftle tells us in the next
words : " Now all thefe things happened unto them
*' for enfamples, or types ♦, and they are written for
'' our admonition upon whom the ends of the world
'' are come." Let us not tempt Christ -, who is
now beginning the glorious deliverance of his church
from the tyranny of antichrift.
To draw now towards a conclufion ; I will compre-
hend my advice to you upon the whole matter, in as
few words as I can.
Let us ufe this great deliverance which God hath
given us, [fuch a deliverance as this] from our ene-
mies, and from the hand of all that hate us ; not
by ufing them as they would have done us, had we
fallen
A thanlifgivlng fermon. 39^
fallen under their power, with great infolence and S E R M.
rage, and cruelty; but with great moderation and '
clemency, making as few examples of feverity as
will be confident with our future fecurity from the
like attempts upon our religion and laws : and even
in the execution of juftice upon the greatcfl offen-
ders, \t\. us not give fo much countenance to the ill
examples which have been fet of extravagant fines and
punifhments, as to imitate thofe patterns which with
fo much reafon we abhor 5 no, not in the puniflimenc
of the authors of them.
And \t\. us endeavour, for once, to be fo wife, as
not to forfeit the fruits of this deliverance, and to
hinder ourfelves of the benefit and advantage of it,
by breaches and divifions among ourfelves. As we
have no reafon to defire it, fo I think we can hardly
ever hope to underftand popery better, and the cruel
defigns of it, than we do already, both from the
long trial and experience which we have had of it
in this nation, and likewife from that difmal and
horrid view which hath of late been given us of
the true fpirit and temper of it in one of our neigh-
bour nations, which hath long pretended to the pro-
feffion of the moft refinM and moderate popery in
the worlds but hath now at lall fhewed itfelf in its
true colours, and in the perfection of a perfecuting
fpirit-, and have therein given us a mofl fad and de-
plorable inftance of a religion corrupted and degene-
rated into that which, if it be pofTible, is v/orfe thaii
none.
And fince, by the undefcrved mercy of God to
us, we have, upon fuch eafy terms in comparifon,
efcap'd their rage and fury ; let us now at length re-
D d d 2 folve.
396 A thankfgrcifig fermon.
SERM. folve, never to join in afTinity with i\\z people of
■_ 1^ \ thefe abominations; fince our alliances with them by
marriage have had fo fatal an inPmence, both upon
the publick peace and tranquillity of the nation, and
upon the welfare alio of private families. I have
known many inftances of this kind, but hardly ever
yet faw one that proved happy ; but a great many
that have been pernicious and ruinous to thofe pro-
teflant families in which fuch unequal, and, as I
think, unlawful matches have been made : not that
fuch marriages are void in themfelves, but yet for all
that finful j becaufe of the apparent danger and
temptation to which thofe of our church and reli-
gion that enter into them do evidently expofe them-
felves, of being feduc'd from their religion \ not by
the good arguments which the other can offer to that
purpofe, but by the ill arts which they have the con-
fidence and the confcience to make ufe of in the ma-
king of profelytes.
And let us pay our mofl hearty and thankful ac-
knowledgments, chiefly and in the firft place to al-
mighty God, theblefled author of this deliverance;
and under him, to that happy inftrument, whom
God hath been pleafed, in great pity to this finful
and unworthy nation, to raife up on purpofe for it,
his highnefs the prince of Orange ; and to that end
did in his all-wife providence lay the foundation of our
then future deliverance, in that aufpicious match
which was concluded here in England about eleven
years ago, between this renowned prince and our ex-
cellent princels.
This is that mod illuflrious houfe of Nafiau and
Orange, which God hath fo highly honoured above
A ihanlfgiving fermon. 397
all the families of the earth, to give a check to the S E R M.
two great afpiring monarchies of the weft, and bold ^^^^^•
attempters upon the liberties of Europe : to the one,
in the lad age; and to the other, in the prefent.
As if the princes of this valiant and vidlorious
line had been of the race of Hercules, born to
refcue mankind from opprefllon, and to quell mon-
fters.
And laftly, let us befeech almighty God, all
whofe ways and works are perfedl, that he would efla-
blifh that which he hath wrought, and Hill carry it on
to further and greater perfedion. V\^hich after fuch
an carneft of his favour and good-will to us, we have
no reafon to doubt but that he is ready to do for us;
if by our own ficklenefs and inconftancy, difgufting
the deliverance now it is come, which we fo earneft-
ly defired before it came ; if by our ungrateful mur-
murings and difcontents, by our own foolifh heats
and animofities, kindled and carried on by the ill de-
figns of fome, working upon the tendernels and
fcruples of others, under the fpecious pretences of
confcience and loyalty : I fay, if by fome or all thele
ways we do not refufe the blefling which God now
offers, and defeat and fruftrate the merciful defign of
this wonderful revolution; God will ftill " rejoice
'' over us, to do us good, and think thoughts of
*^ peace towards us, thoughts of good, and not of
*' evil, to give us an expedled end " of our long
troubles and confufions. But if we will " not know,
" in this our day, the things which belong to our
'' peace," our deftruc5lion will then be of ourfelves 5
and there will be no need that God fhould be angry
with usj for we Ihall be undone by our own dif-
ferences
2^8 A thank fgrotng fermon.
^ ferences and quarrels about the way and means of
our being faved ; and fo be angry with one another
till we be confumed. Which God, of his infinite
o-oodnefs, give us all the grace and wifdom to pre-
vent: for his mercies fake, in Jesus Cf^rist, to
whom, with thee, O Father, and the holy
Ghost, be all honour and glory, thankfgiving and
praife, both now and ever. Amen.
SERMON XXXIII.
Of forgivenefs of injuries, and againft
revenge.
Preached before the Qjj e e n at Whitehall,
March 8, j681.
MATTHEW V. 44.
But I fay unto you^ love your enemies y hlefs them that
curfe you, do good to them that hate you, pray for
them that defpitefully ufe you, and perfe cute you,
SERM. ^T"^HE gofpel hath 'promiifed forgivenefs of
ti_„^ -^ ■ fins to us upon two conditions: that we
•^ fincerely repent of the fins wiiich we have
committed againft God ; and, that we heartily for-
give to men the injuries and offences which they have
been guilty of towards us
I fnall at this time, by God's afTiftance, treat of the
latter of thefe, from the words which I have recited to
yous
Of forghenefs ofhyuries^ &c. 399
you; which are part of our Saviour's excellent SERM.
lermon upon the mount. In which he doth not^^^j,^^;
only explain, but enlarge and perfed the moral and
natural law, by adding to it precepts and prohibiti-
ons of greater perfedion, than either the law of
Mofes or the natural law, in their largefl extent, did
contain.
He forbids polygamy, and divorce except only in
the cafe of adultery ; and likewife revenge •, none of
which were either forbidden by the law of nature,
or by the law which was given by Mofes.
And to thefe prohibitions our blelTed Saviour
adds feveral new precepts of greater perfedlion than
any laws that were extant before. " But I fay unto
^' you, love your enemies." Thejewifh law com-
manded them to love their neighbours, meaning
their brethren and thofe of their own nation : but
our Saviour, by commanding us to love our ene-
mies, hath in the moil emphatical manner that can
be commanded us to love all men. For if any were
to be excluded from our charity, none fo hkely
to be fo as our enemies. So that after a command
to love our enemies it was ncedlefs to name any
others ; becaufe men are naturally apt to love~ thofc
that love them.
*' I fay unto you, love your enemies -, " here the
inward affe6lion is required. '' Blefs them that curfe
" you ;" here outward civility and affability are re-
quired, in oppofition to rude and uncivil language •,
for fo bleiTmg and curfing do in fcripturc frequently
fignify. " Do good to them that hate you, *' here
real ads of kindnefs are commanded to be done by
us to our bittereft and moil malicious enemies.
" Pray
V V y
4c o Of forghenefs of injuries,
SERM." Pray for them that defpitefuny ufe you, and per-
"^ \ " fecute you.'* Thefe are the highefl expreflions of
enmity that can be, calumny and cruelty ; and yet
we are commanded to pray for thofe that touch us
in thefe two tenderefi: points of all other, our repu-
tation and our life. And to fecure the fincerity of
our charity towards our enemies, we are requir'd to
exprefs it by our hearty prayers to God for them:
to God, I fay, before whom it is both impious and
dangerous to difTemble j and from whom we can
expedt no mercy for our {dw^%^ if with feigned lips
we beg it of him for others.
You fee what is the duty here required ; that we
bear a fincere affcclion to our molt malicious and
implacable enemies, and be ready upon occafion to
give real teilimony of it.
And becaufe this may feem a hard duty, and not
fo eafy to be reconciled either to our inclination or
our reafon \ I fhall endeavour to fhew, that this law
is not only reafbnable, but much more perfed and
excellent, and the praftice of it more eafy and de-
lightful, and upon all accounts much more for our
benefit and advantage, than the contrary. And that
upon four confiderations ; which I fliall endeavour to
reprefent with their juft advantage, and fo as may, I
hope, not only convince our judgment of the rea-
fonablenefs of this precept, but likewife bend and
fway our wills to the obedience and praflice of it.
I. If we confider the nature of the a6l here requi-
red, which is to love ; which, when it is not a mere
palTion, but under the government of our reafon, is
the moft natural, and eafy, and delightful of all the af-
fcdlions which God hath planted in humane nature :
whereas
and againji revenge, 40 r
v/hereas ill-will, and hatred, and revenQ;e, are very SR RM.
troublefome and vexatious paffions. Both the devi- / ' 'X«^
fi ng of mi fchief, and the accompli fh men t of it, and
the refledion upon it afterwards, are all imenfy ; and
the confequences of it many times pernicious to our
felves. The very defign of revenge is troubleibme,
and puts the fpirits into an unnatural fermentation
and tumult. The man that meditates it is ahvays rel-
iefs, his very foul is Itung, fvvells and boils, is in pain
and anguiih, hath no eafe, no enjoyment of it k\t
fo long as this palTion reigns. The execution of it
may perhaps be attended with fome prefent pleafure,
but that pleafure is unreafonable and brutiili, mo-
mentary and flicrt, like a flafh of lightning, v/hich
vanifheth in the tvvinkling of an eye.
It is commonly faid that revenge is fweer, but to
a calm and condderate mind patience and forgive-
nefs are fweeter, and do aiTord a much more ratio-
nal and folid and durable pleafure than revenge.
The monuments of our mercy and goodnels are a far
more pleafing and delightful fpedlacle, than cur
rage and cruelty. And no fort of thought docs ufu-
ally haunt men with more terror, than the reflection
upon what they have done in the way of revenge.
Befides that the confequences of this palilon do
commonly prove very prejudicial to cur felves. For
the revenge of one injury doth naturally draw on
more, and will oblige us for the fame reafon to a
new revengeof them j and this brings on a perpetual
and endlefs circulation of injuries and revenges.
So that whoever fecks revenge upon another, doth
commonly in the ilTue take it upon himfelf; and
whilil he thinks to transfer the injury which he hath
Vol. II. E e e rcccrv'd
402 Offorgivenefs of injuries^
S E R Al. recelv'd upon him that did it, he doubles it upon
^'''- himfdf.
Such and fo great are the troubles and inconveni-
ences of a malicious and revengeful temper : " but
" there is no torment in love," as St. John excel-
lendy lays. To be kindly affed:ion'd towards all, to
bear no grudge or ill-will, no thought of difpleafure
or revenge towards any man, is the eaficft poflure,
the moil picafant Hate of the mind. So that if not
for their Hikes, yet for our own, we fliould " love
" our enemies, and do good to them that hate us ;'*
becaufc to be thus affeded towards all men, is as great
a kindnefs to our felves, as it is charity to others.
II. If we confidcr the qualification of the objedl;
it is our enemy v/hom we are requir'd to love. In
v/hom, though there be fomcthing that is juftly dif-
guRful, yet there is fomething alfo that is lovely \
and if we perfifl: in our kindnefs to him, notwith-
fianding his enmity to us, the enmity may wear off,
and perhaps at length be chang'd into a finccrc and
firm friendlhip.
'Tis true indeed, that v/ith regard to our felves, per-
fonal enmity tov/ards us is one of the moft inconve-
nient qualities that a man can have, but not there-
fore the worft in it felf. If we could be impartial and
lay afide prejudice, we might perhaps difccrn feve-
ral very lovely qualides in him who hates us : and
virtue is to be ov/n'd, and prais'd, and lov'd, even in
an enemy. And perhaps his enmity towards us is
not fo great and inexcufable a fault, as we apprehend ;
lie is not perhaps our enemy to that degree, nor fo
altogether without caufe, as we imagine j pofTibly we
haveprovok'd him, or by his own mifcake, or through
the
roni\
and againji revenge, /03
the malicious reprefentation of others he may be In- S E R M.
duc'd to think fo : and are not we our felves liable C-..^^— ^*
to the like mifapprehenfions concerning others, of
which we are many times afterwards convinc'd and
afham'd ? and fo may he, and then his enmity will
ceafe, if we will but have a litde patience v/ith him,
as we always wifh in the like cafe that others would
have with us.
At the worfc, though never fo fore and caufelefs an Dr. Bar-
enemy, though never fo bad a man, yet he is a man,
and as fuch, hath fomething in him which the blinded
paffion cannot deny to be good and amiable. He
hath the fame nature with our felves, which we can-
not hate, or defpife, without hatred and contempt of
our felves. Let a man's faults be what they will,
they do not deHroy his nature and make him ceafe to
be a man.
The two great foundations of love are relation and
likenefs. " No one thing, fays Tully, is fo like, fo
*' equal to another, as one man is to another." What
difference focver there may be between us and ano-
ther man, yea, though he be our enemy, yet he is
Hill like us in the main ; and perhaps but too like
us in that for which we find fo much fault with him,
a pronenefs to offer affronts and injuries.
And there is an effential relation, as well as likenefs,
between one man and another, which nothing can ever
diflblve, becaufe it is founded in that v/hich no man
can divefl himfelf of, in humane nature. So far is it
from being true, which Mr. Hobbes afferts as the fun-
damental principle of his politicks, " That men are
** naturally in a Hate of war and enmity with one
*' another," that the contrary principle, laid down by
E e e ^ a
404. Gfforghenefs of injuries ^
SRRM. a much deeper and wifer man, I mean ArKlotlej is
"mod certainly true, " that men are naturally akin
" and friends to each other." Some unhappy acci-
dents and occafions may make men enemies, but na-
turally every man is a friend to another : and that is
the fureil and mod unalterable reafon of things which
is founded in nature, not that which fprings from
mutable accidents and occafions. So that whoever
is recommended to us under the notion of a man,
cu'^ht not to be look'd upon by us, and treated as an
enemy.
Confider farther, that an enemy, even whilft he is
cxercifing his enmity towards us, may do us many
a6ls of real advantage -, which, though they do not
proceed from kindneis, yet in truth arc benefits. The
malicious cenfures of our enemies, if we make a right
ufe of them, may prove of greater advantage to us,
than the civilities of our bcft friends. We can eafily af-
ford, nay the wifefhof men can hardly forbear, to love
a flatterer, to embrace him, and to take him into our
bofom ; and yet an open enemy is a thoufand times
better and Ms dangerous than he. It is good for
many men that they have had enemies, v.'ho have
many times been to them the happy occafion of re-
forming thofc faults, which none but an enemy
would have taken the freedom, I had almofl faid,
would have had the friendfliip to have told them of.
But what if after all, this enemy of ours, this ha-
ted man, prove to be one of our beft friends ^ For
fo reconciled enemies ufually are. And if any thing
will reconcile an enemy, love and kindnefs will.
An obftinate goodnefs is apt to conquer even the
worfi of men. It is hardly in the nature of man to
withftand
and againfl revenge. 40 ij
withftand the kindnefs of one whom, by all that wc S E R M.
could do, we have not been able to make our enemy, .^^j"^;
After a man hath done the greatefl injury to another,
not only to find no revenge following upon it, but the
firfl: opportunity taken to oblige him, is fo very fur-
prizing, that it can hardly fliil to gain upon the worft
difpofition, and to melt down the hardefi: temper. So
that we fhould love our enemies, if not for v/hat they
are at prefent, yet for what they may be, and in hope
that by thefe m.eans they may in time become our
friends.
III. If we confider the excellency and generofity of
the thing itfelf. " To love our enemies, and to do
" good to them that hate us,'* is the perfedion of
goodnefs, and the advancement of it to its higheft
pitch. It is the moll excellent and perfe6l ad: of the
greatelt and moll perfecl of all graces and virtues, I
mean charity ; which by St. Paul is calPd " the bond
" of perfec1:ion;" and by St, James, " the perfeft
" and the royal law : " becaufe it infpires men with
a greatnefs of mind fit for kings and princes, in
whom nothing is more admirable than a generous
goodnefs and clemency, even towards great enemies
and offenders, fo far as is confiflent with the publick
good. Love for love is but juflice and gratitude ; love
for no love is favour and kindnefs ; but love for hatred
and enmity is a moll divine temper, a lleddy and im-
mutable goodnefs that is not to be flirr'd by provoca-
tion, and fo far from being conquer'd that it is ra-
ther confirm'd by its contrary : for if hatred and en-
mity do not extinguifh love, what can .? This is good-
nefs indeed; not only without merit and obligation,
without invitation or motive > but againfl all reafon-
able
40 6 Of forghejiefs of injuries^
SE R M. able expedlation, and in defpite of all temptation and
^J,^^^^^ provocation to the contrary.
So that to return good for evil, and love for hatred,
is one of the greatefl arguments of a great mind, and
of deep wifdom and confideration: for naturally our
Tirfl inclinations and thoughts towards our enemies, arc
full of anger and revenge; but our fecond and wilef
thoughts will tell us, that forgivenefs is much more
generous than revenge. And a more glorious vidory
cannot be gain'd over another man than this, that
when the injury began on his part, the kindnefs fhould
begin on ours. If both the ways were equally in our
power, yet it is a much more defirable conqueft to
overcome evil with good, than with evil. By this,
we can only conquer our enemy, and miay perhaps
fail in that ; but by the other, we certainly conquer
ourfclves, and perhaps our enemy too \ overcoming
him in the nobleil manner, and walking him gently
'till he be cool, and v/ithout force effe6lually fubdu-
Dr. Bar- i^g him to be our friend. This, as one fitly com-
rffw. pares it, is like a great and wife general, by art and
flratagem, by meer dint of skill and condud, by
patience and wife delay ; without ever ftriking a
llroke, or fhedding one drop of blood, to vanquifh
an enemy, and to make an end of the war without
ever putting it to the hazard of a battle.
Revenge is blind and rafli, and does always pro-
ceed from impotency and weaknefs of mind. 'Tis
anger that fpurs men on to it ; and anger is certain-
ly one of the fooliflieft pafTions of humane nature,
and v/hich commonly betrays men to the moll im-
prudent and unreafonable things. So Solomon ob-
Prov.xlv. ferves, " He that is hafty of Ipirit exalteth ioWyi "
29- and
:ov. XVI »
a72d agaiiifi revenge. 407
and again, " Anger refteth in the bofom of fools:" SE RM,
but to be able to bear provocation, is an argument v^^jl^^^
of great wifdom; and to forgive it, of a great Eel. vii.
mind: fo the fame wife man teJls us, " He that is^^.^
" flow to anger is better than the mighty, and he 32.
" that ruleth his fpirit, than he that taketh a city."
It is a greater thing, in cafe of great provocation,
to calm, a man's own ipirit, than to ftorm and take
a flrong city.
V/hereas the angry man lofeth and lets fall the
government of himfclf, and lays the reins upon the
neck of the wild beaft, his own brutifh appetite and
paflion ; which hurries him on firfc to revenge, and
then to repentance for the folly which he hath been
guilty of in gratifying fo unreafonable a pafTion. For
it very feldom happens that any man executes an a6t
of revenge, but the very next moment afcer he hath
done it, he is forry for it, and wiiheth he had not
done it : v/hereas patience and forgivenefs do v/ifely
prevent both the mifchief to others, and the trouble
to ourfelves, which is ufually confequent upon re-
venge.
IV. If we confider the perfe6lion and prevalency
of the examples which the gofpel propofeth to us, to
allure and engage us to the pra6tice of this duty.
And they are the examples of God himfelf, and of
the Son of God in the nature of man.
I. The example of God himfelf. The fcripturs
doth frequently fet before us the goodnefs of God's
common providence to fmners, for our pattern. And
this is the argument whereby our blefled Saviour
prefleth the duty in the text upon us, in the verfe
immediately afcer: " That ye may be the chil- y^gj, , -
" drea
4o8 Of forgivenefs of injuries^
S E R M. « clren of your Iieavenly Father, who maketh his
^^,_^_.^ " fun to rife on the evil and the good, and his ram
" to fall on the juft and the unjuft." The lame ar-
gument Seneca alfo urgcth to the fame purpofe.
" How many (fays he) are unworthy of the light,
" and yet the day vifits them ?" And fpeakingof the
gods, " They beflow, (fays he) their benefits upon
*' the unthankful, and arc ready to help thofe who
*' make a bad conurudion and ufe of their kindnefs."
And almoft in the very words of our Saviour,
Etiam ingratis fol oritur^ &c. '^ The fun rifeth even
" upon the mod vile and profligate perfons, and the
*' feas arc open to pirates,"
Thus is God afteded towards thofe who are guilty
of the greatefl provocations towards him. He be-
ftows upon them the gifts cf his common providence;
and not only fo, but is ready to forgive innumerable
offences to them for Christ's fake. This pattern the
Eph. iv. apoftle propofeth to our imitation, " Be ye kind,
32. " tender-hearted, forbearing one another, forgiving
" one another, even as God for Christ's fake hath
Clap. V.I." forgiven you: be ye therefore imitators of God
" as dear children." This temper and difpofuion of
mind, is the prime excellency and perfeflion of the
divine nature; and who v/ould not be ambitious to
be like the moll perfe£l- and beft of beings? And fo
our bleffed Saviour concludes this argument, in the
lad vcrfe of this chapter, " Be ye therefore perfedt,
•' as your father which is in heaven is pcrfed;**
which St. Luke renders, " Be ye therefore merciful,
" as your father which is in heaven is merciful." So
that in that very thing, which we think to be fo hard
and difficult, you fee that wc have perfection itfelf
for
and dgainfl revenge, - 409
fjr our pattern. And this example ought to be of S ER M.
fo much greater force with us, by how much greater ^^}}^\
reafon there is, why we fnould do thus to one another,
than why God Ihould do thus to us. Oar offences
agaiiiil God are more and greater, than any man ever
was or could be guilry of towards us: befides, that
there are many confiderations which ought to tie up
our hands, and may reafonably reflrain us from faljing
furioufly upon one ar>other, which can have no place
at all in God. We may juRIy fear, that the confe-
quencc of our revenge may return upon ourfelves,
and that it may come to be our own eafe to ftand in
need of mercy and forgivenefs from others; and
therefore out of neccflary caution and prudence, we
fiiould take heed not to [tt any bad example in this
kind, lell it ihould recoil upon ourfelves. We v/ho
ftand lo much in need of forgivenefs ourfelves, ought
in all reafon to be very eafy to forgive others. But
now \}'?t(^ divine nature is infinitely above any real in-
jury or luiTering. God can never (land in need of
piiy or forgivenefs; and yet of his own meer good-
nefs, without any intereft or defign, how flow is he to
anger, and how ready to forgive ?
And, which comes yet nearer to us, there is alio
the example of the Son of God, our blelfed S a viou R5
who in our nature, and in cafe of the greatefl: inju-
ries and provocations imaginable, did practife this vir-
tue to the height : and all this for our lakes, as well
as for our example. ^^ that he requires nothing of
us, but vvhat he himfelf fubmitted to- with the greateft
patience and confiancy of mind, ia our ftead, and
v/holly for our advantage.
Vol. IL fff IM
410 Of forgiven^fs of wjurles,
E R M. «• He rcndcr'd good for evil " to all mankind,
VVTTr ^
and Ihew'd greater love to us, whilfl we were enemies
to him, than ever any man did to his friend.
" He pray'd for thofe that defpitefuUy ufed him and
** perfecuted him.'* And this, not upon cool confidera-
tion, after the injury was done, and the pains of his fuf-
ferings were over; but whilft the fenfe and fmart of
them was upon him, and in the very agony and bit-
terncfs of death: in the- height of all his anguifh, he
pour'd out his foul an offering for the fins of men, and
his blood a facriuce to God, for the expiation of the
guilt of that very fm whereby they fhed it ; pleading
with God, in the behalf of his murderers, the only ex-
cufe that v/as poffible to be made for their malice,
that is, their ignorance ; and fpending his laft breath
in that mofl charitable prayer for them, " Father,
«' forgive them, for they know not what they do.'*
The laft declaration which he made of his mind,
was love to his enemies ; and the laft legacy he be-
queath'd was an earned requeft to God for the for-
givenefs of his perfecutors and murderers.
So that if any example ought to be dear to us, and
effedually to engage us to the imitation of ii^ this of
our bleffed Saviour fhould ; fince the injuries which
he fjffer'd have fav'd us from fuffering, and the
greateft blefling and happinefs that ever befel man-
kind is due to this excellent example. And then with
what confidence, nay with what confcience, can we
pretend to fhare in the benefits of this example,
without imitating the virtues of it?
Can we ferioufly contemplate the excefTive kind-
nefs and charity of the Son of God to the fintui fons
of men, after all our bittcrcil enmity towards him, and
moft
and againjl revenge* 411
mofl: cruel and injurious ufage of him; and all this SERM*
charity exercis'd towards us, whilft he was under the ^_^^^
aftual fenfe and fufFering of thefe things : and yet not be
provok'd by an example fo admirable in itfclf, and of
fuch mighty advantage to us, " to go and do hkewife ?**
But notwithftanding the power of thefe arguments to
perfuade to this duty, I muft not difTemble fome ob-
jedlions which are, 1 believe, in many of your minds
againft it ; and to which for the full clearing of this
matter, it will be fit to give Ibmc fatisfadion. And
they are thefe :
I. That this precept in the text does not feem fo
well to agree with another of our blcfTed Saviour's,
in another evangelifl, " If thy brother trefpafs againft Lukexvii.
" thee, rebuke him ; and if he repent, forgive him. ^' ^'
" And if he trefpafs againft thee {tv^n times in a day,
*' and feven times in a day turn again to thee, faying,
*' I repent, thou flialt forgive him." Here our blefted
Saviour feems not to require forgivenefs, unlefs he
that hath done the injury declare his repentance for
it ; but the text plainly requires us to forgive thofa
v/ho are fo far from repenting of their enmity, that
they ft ill purfue it, and exercife it upon us. Thus our
Lord teacheth us, and thus he himfelf pradlifed to-
wards his per fecu tors.
But this appearance of contradidion will quickly va-
nifli, if we con fid er that forgivenefs is fometimes ta-
ken chiefly for abftaining from revenge •, and fo far wc
are to forgive our enemies, even whilft they continue
fo, and though they do not repent ; and not only fo,
but we are alfo to pray for them, and to do good offi-
ces to them, efpecially of common humanity : and this
is the meaning of the precept in the text. But fome-
F f f 2 times
4T2 Of forglvenefs of injuries^
SE R \T times forgivenefs does fignify a perfect reconciliation
■ to thofe chat have offended U5, fo as to take them again
into our friendfliip; v/hich they are by no means fit
for, 'till they have repented of their enmity, and laid ic
afide. And this is plainly the meaning of the ocher text.
2. Jt is farther objected. That this feems to be a
very imprudent thing, and of dangerous confequence
to ourfelves; becaufe by bearing one irjury fo patient-
ly, and forgiving it To eafily, we ii.vite more ; a' d not
only tempt our enemy to go on, but others aJfo by his
example to do the like: which will make iil-natur'd
men to provoke us on purpofe, with a crafty defign to
wreft benefits from us : for what better trade can a man
drive, than to gain benefits in exchange for injuries?
To this I aniwer three things :
Fird, it is to be feared that there are but few fo
very good, as to make this kind return for injuries:
perhaps, of thofe that call themfelves chriftians, not
one in a hundred. And he is f ot a cjnning man that
Will venture to make an enemv, when there is the
odds of a hundred to one agair.fl: him, that this ene-
my of his will tuke i\\t lirit opportuniEy, to take his
revenge upon him.
Secondly, it u alfo on the other hand to be hoped,
that but very ^cw are (o prodigioufly bad, as to make
fo barbarous a recurn for the unexpedted kmdnefs of a
generous enemy. And this is encouragement enough
to the prac^lice of this duty, if there be a probable
hope that it v/ill have a good efFed; and liowever, if
it fnould fall out otherwife, yet this would notberea-
fon enough todifcourage our goodnefs, efpecially fince
the kmdnefs which we do to our friends is liable al-
moll to an equal objeffion, that they may prove un-
grateful^
tind againjl revenge, > j^
grateful, and become our enemies •, it having been S E R M.
oken Teen diat great beiiefirs, and luch as are beyond ''^^^^^^•
requital, inftead of making a man more a friend, Inwe
made him an enemy.
Thirdly, our S.iViouR never intended by this pre-
cept, that our goodneiij fliould be bhnd and void of all
prudence and difcretion, but that it fhould be fo ma-
naged as to make our enemy fenHble both of his own
fault, and of our favour ; and fo, as to give him as lit-
tle encouragement, as there is reafon for it, to hope to
find the Lke favour again upon the like provocation.
Our S Aviou 11 commands us to do the thing, but hath
Jeft it to our prudence lo do it in fuch a manner as
may be moil effedlual, both to r.x'aim the ofiender,
and likewife to fecure ourfelves againft future and fur-
ther injuries.
3. Laftly, it is objedled. What can we do more to
eur bcft friends, than to love them and blefs them,
than to do good to them and to pray for them? And
are we then to m.ake no difilrence betwixt our ene-
niies and our friends ?
Yesfurely; and fo Vv-e may, notwithllanding this
precept : for there are degrees of love, and there are
benefits of feveral rates and fizes. Thofe of the firft
rate we may with reaibn bellow upon our friends, and
with thofe of a fecond or third rate there is all the rea-
fon in the world why our enemies flf mid be very well
contented. Befides that, we may abflain from revenge,
yea, and love our enemy, and wifli him and do him
goodj and yet it wall not prefently be necelTary that
we fhould take him into our bofom, and treat and trufl
him as our intimate and familiar friend : for every one
that is not our enemy, is not fit to be our friend -, much
lefe
.^2k.
Of forglvenefs of injuries^
lefs cne that hath been our enemy, and perhaps is {o
fill J. There mud be a great change in him that hath
bcc:i our enemy, and we muft have had long expe-
rience of him before it be fit, if ever it be io^ to
take him into our friendihip.
Ail that now remains, is to make fome inferences
from tne difcourfe which I have made upon this ar-
gument, by way of application. And they fhall be
thefe four :
I. If we think it fo very difficult to demean our
felves towards our enemies, as tiiC chriftian religion
doth plainly require us to do \ to forgive thtm, and
love them, and pray for them, and to do good of-
fices to them, then certainly it concerns us in pru-
dence to be very careful how we m^ke enemies to
our felves. One of the firfl principles of humane wil^
dom, in the condud; of our lives, I have ever thought
to be this, to have a few intimate friends, and to
make no enemies, if it be pcfTible, to our felves.
St. Paul lays a great flrefs upon this, and prefTeth it
very carneflly. For after he had forbidden revenge,
'* Recompenfe to no man evil for evil." As if he
were very lenfible how hard a matter it is to bring
men to this, he advifeth in the next words, to pre-
vent, if it be pofTible, the occafions of revenge, " If
** it be pofTible, and as much as lieth in you, live
*' peacably with all men:"' that is, if we can avoid
it, have no enmity with any man. And that for
two weighty reafons :
The firfl I have already intimated ; bccaufe it is
fo very hard to behave our felves towards enemies aa
T/e ought. This v/e fliall find to be a difficult duty
to fleih and blood j and it will require great wifdom
and
and againjl revenge. 4.1^
and confidcratlon, and humility of mind, for a man SERM.
to bring down his fpirit to the obedience of this ^'^^^^^•
command: for the fewer enemies we have, the lefs
occafion will there be of conteHing this hard point
with our felvcs.
And the other reafon is, I think, yet plainer and
more convincing, becaufe enemies will come of them-
felves, and let a man do what he can, he flmll have
fome. Friendihip is a thing that needs to be cultiva-
ted, if we would have it come to any thing ; but
enemies, like ill weeds, will fpring up of themfelves
without our care and toil. The enemy, as our Sa-
viour calls the devil, will fow thefe tares in the
night, and when we leaft difcern it will fcatter the
feeds of difcord and enmity among men 5 and will
take an advantage either from the envy, or ma-
lice, or the miftakes of men, to make them enemies
to one another. Which would make one wonder to
fee what care and pains fome men will take, to pro-
voke mankind againfl them ; how they will lay a-
bout them, and fnatch at opportunities to make
themfelves enemies, as if they were afraid to let the
happy occafion flip by them : But all this care and
fear furely is needlefs ; w^e may fafely truft an ill-na-
tur'd world, that we fhall have enemies enough,
without our doing things on our part to provoke
and procure them.
But above all, it concerns every man in prudence
to take great care not to make perfonal enemies to
hlmfelf ; for thefe are the forefl and the furefl: of all
other, and when there is an opportunity for it, will fic
hardeft upon us. Injuries done to the publick are
certainly the greateft, and yet they are many times
more eafily forgiven, than thofe which are done to
parti-
^t6 Cf firglvenefs cf injuries y
S E R AT. particular perfons. Por when revenge is every boJy'f
'^^^^^^- ^ork, it may prove to be no body's. Tiie general
v.Tongs which are done to humane Ibciety, do not ib
fenfibly toach and (ling men, as perlbnal injuries and
provocations. The Javv is never angry or in pafTion,
and it is not only a great indecency, but a fault, wliea
the judcves of it are fo. Heat of profecution belongs
to particular p-rfons ; and it is their memory cf in-
juries, and defire to revenge them, and diligence to
fet on and fharpen the law, that is chiefly to bs
dreaded : and if ti^e truth were knov/n, it is much to
be fear'd that there are almoft as few private as pub-
lick acls of obhvion pals'd in xht world ; and they
commonly pals as fiovvlv, and with as much difficul-
ty, and ncit till the grace and good efiec^ of them i*
almoll quite loft.
IL Ir we ought to be thus affeded towards our
enemies, how great ought our kir.dnefs, and the
exprefiions of it, to be to others ? to thofe who ne-
ver diibbliged us, nor did us any injury by word
or di<ctA ; to thofe more efpecially, who fland in
a nearer rek\tion to us ; to our natural kindred,
and to our fpiritual brethren to whom we are fb
firongly Imk'd ai:d united by the common bond of
chriltianity, and lailJy, to our benefaftor.-, and thofe
who have been before-hand with us in obligation :
for all thefe are fo many fpecial ties and endearments
cf men to one another, founded either in nature or
religion, or in common juftice and aratitude. And
therefore between all thefe and our enemies we oucht
to make'a very wide and fenfible ditferer.ce, in our
carriao;e and kindnefs towards them. And if we do
not fo, we reprefent our Saviour, as an unrea-
fonable lawgiver, and do perverily interpret this pre-
^ cepc
and againji revenge, 417
cent of his contrary to the reafonable and equitable SERM.
• XXXIIf
meaning of it. For whatever degree of kindnefs is
Jiere required towards our enemies, it is certain that
fo much more is due to others, as according to the
true proportion of our tie and obligation to them they
have deferved at our hands •, nothing being more cer-
tain than that our blelTed Saviour, the founder of
our religion, did never intend by any precept of it
to cancel any real obligation of nature, or jufdce, or
gratitude ; or to offer violence in the leaft to the
common reafon (ff mankind,
III. Hence we learn the excellency and the rea-
fonablenefs of the chriftian religion, which hath
carried our duty fo high, in things Vv^hich do fo di-
redly tend to the perfeflion of humiane nature,
and to the peace of humane fociety ; and which, if
all things be rightly confider'd, are mod agreeable to
t^ciz cleared and hvk reafon of mankind : fo that
thofe things which v/ere heretofore look'd upon, and
that only by fome few of the wifer fort, as heroical
inflances of gocdneis, and above ^At common rate of
humanity, are now by the chriftian religion made
the indifpenfible duties of all mankind. And the
precepts of no other religion, that ever yet appeared
in the world, have advanced humane nature fo much
above it {d^^ and are fo v/eil calculated for the peace
and happinefs of the world, as the precepts of the
chriftian religion are : for they ftridly forbid the do-
ing of injuries, by way of prevention ; and in cafe
they happen, they endeavour to put a prefent dop to
the progrefs of them, by fo feverely forbidding the
revenging of them.
And yet after all this, it mufl be acknowledged to
Vol. IL G g g ^e
8,
41 3 Of forghenefs of injuries^
S E R Af . be a very untoward objedlion againfl the excellency
^'^^}^ and efficacy of the chridian religion, that the prac-
tice of fo many chriftians is fo unequal to the per-
fedlion of thcfe precepts. For who is there in the
changes aiid revolutions of humane affairs, and when
the wheel of providence turns them uppermoft, and
lays their enemies at their ft^U that will give them
any quarter ? Nay, that does not greedily feize upon
the firfi opportunities of revenge, and like an eagle,
hungry for his prey, make a fudden fboop upon them
with all his force and violence j and when he hath
them in his pounces, and at his mercy, is not ready
to tear them in pieces ?
So that after all our boafts of the excellency of our
religion, v^^here is the pradlice of it ? this, I confels,
is a terrible objedion indeed ; and I muft intreat of
you, my brethren, to help me to the bed anfwer ta
it ; not by M\y nice diftmftions and fpeculations a-
bout it, buc by the careful and honeH pradlice of this
precept of our religion.
This was the old objedion againfl philofophy,
that many that were philofbphers in their opinions
were faulty in their lives : but yet this was never
thought by wife men to be a good objedion a^
gainfc philofophy. And unlefs we will lay more
weight upon the objedlions againfl religion, and
prefs them harder than we think it reafonable to do
in any other cafe, we muft acknowledge likewife,
that this obje£Hon againfl- religion is of no force.
Men do not caft off the art of pliyfick, becauie many
phyficians do not live up to their own rules, and do
not themfelves follow thofe prefcriptions which they
think fit to give to others : and there is a plain rea-
iovi for it, becaufe their fwerving frora their own
rules
dnd again fi revenge. 419
rules doth not necefifarily fignify that their rules are S E^M.
not good, bat only that their appetites are unruly,^
and too hard and headflrong for their reafon : no-
thino- being more certain than this, that rules may
be very reaibnable, and yet they that give them may
not follow them.
IV. The fourth and lafl Inference from this whole
difcourfe fliall be this, that being convinced by what
hath been faid upon this argument, of the rcafonable-
nefs of this duty, we would refolve upon the pradlice
of it, whenever there is occafion ofter'd for it in
the courfe of our lives. I need not to put you in
mind, that there is now like to be great occafion for
it : I fhall only fay, that whenever there is fo, nothing
can be tied more ilridly upon us than this duty is.
It hath often been a great comfort and confirma-
tion to me, to fee the humanity of the proteflant re-
ligion, fo plainly difcovering it felf, upon fo many
occafions, in the practice of the profefibrs of it. And
fetting afide all other advantages which our religion
hath been evidently Ihewn to have above popery in
point of reafon and argument, I cannot for my life
but think that to be the bell religion which makes
the bed men, and from the nature of its principles is
apt to make them fo ; mofl kind, and merciful, and
charitable -, and moft free from malice, and revenge,
and cruelty.
And therefore our blefied Saviour, who knew
what was in man better than any man that ever was,
knowing our great reluctance and backwardnefs to
the praftice of this duty, hath urged it upon us by
fuch forcible and almofl violent arguments, that if
we have any tendernefs for our felves, we cannot re=.
fufe obedience to it. For he plainly tells us, that no
G 2 s i acrificc
& &
Of forghmefs of injures,
fiicrifice that we can offer will appeafe God towards U5,
fo long as we ourl'elves are imp'acab'e to men j ver.23d
of this chapter, " If thou bring thy gift to the altar,
*' and there remembrefl: that tny brother hath ought
*^ agtinit thee, leave thy gift before the altar, and go
*' thy way : iirft go and be reconciled to thy brother,
^' and then com:: and offer tiiy gifc." To recommend
this duty effedually to us, he gives it a preference to
all the pofidve dutjes of religion : '* firit go and be
*' reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer
" thy gift." 'Till this duty be difcharged, God will
accept of no fervice, no facrifice at our hands. And
therefore our liturgy doth witn great reafon declare it
to be a neccffary qualification for our worthy receiving
of the facramenr, that u e be in love and charity with
our neighbours j becaufe this is a moral duty, and of
eternal obligation, without which no pofitive part of
religion, fuch as the lacraments are, can be acceptable
to God ; efpecially fince in this bleffed facrament of
Christ's body and blood we expe^l to have the for-
givenefs of our fins ratified and confirmed to us:
which how can we hope for from God, if we our
fclves be not ready to forgive one another ?
^' He fhall have judgment without mercy, fays St.
" James, who hath fhcwed no mercy." And in that
excellent form of prayer which our Lord himfelf hath
given us, he hath taught us fo to ask forgivenefsof God,
as not to expe(5l it from him, if we do not forgive one
another. So that if we do not pradife this duty, as
hard as we think it is, every time that we put up this
petition to God, " Forgive us our trefpaffes, as we for-
^' give them that trefpafs again (1 us-, " we fend up a
terrible imprecation againff ourfelves, and do in effect
t^g of Go D not to forgive us. And therefore, to im-
pnnc
G7id againjl revenge, 42?
jprint this matter the deeper upon our minds, our bleA SE R Ai.
fe<i Saviour immediately after the recital of this .^/lfi,[^
Prayer, hath thought fit to add a very remarkable en-
forcement of this petition, above all the reft ; " for ^"^^"t-^- ^i.
1 ' I c
" it, fays he, ye forgive men their trefpalTes, your hea- ^^
*' venly father will alfo forgive you : but if ye forgive
*' not men their trefpalTes, neither will your father for-
*' give year trefpalles."
And our Saviour hath likewife in his gofpel re-
pre cnred to us, both the reafonablenefs of this duty,
a id tiie da iger of doing contrary to it, in a very lively
aiiu aifecting parable, deliver'd by him to this purpofc:
conceniinsj a wicked fervant, who, when his lord had ^^'^'^^^
but juit betore forgiven him a vait debt 01 ten thou-
LijO talents, took his poor fellow-fervant by the throat,
and, notwithitaiiding his humble fubmiffion and ear-
neit intreuties to be favourable to him, haled him to
priion for a triflii g debt of an hundred pence. And the
application which he makes of this parable, at the end
or it, is very terrible, and fuch as ought never to go
out of our mi'ids; " fo likewife, fays he, Ihall my Ver.^5»
" heavenly father do ah^o unto you, if ye do not from
" your hearts forgive every one his brother his tref^
" paiTes." Ore might be apt to think at firfl view,
that this parable was over-done, and wanted fomething
of a due decorum ; it being hardly credible, that a
man after he had been fo mercifully and generoufly
dealt withal, as upon his humble requeft to have fb
huge a debt fo freely forgiven, fhould whilft the me-
mory of fo much mercy was frefh upon him, even the
very next moment, handle his fellow-fervant, who
had made the fime humble fubmifTion and requeft to
him which he had done to his Lord, with fo much
roughneii and cruelty, for fo inconfidcrabk a fum.
^22 Of forgtvenefs of itijuneSj
S E R M This I ^iy» would hardly feeni credible ; did v/c not
fee in experience how very unreafonable and unmer-
ciful feme men are, and widi what confidence they
can ask and expedt great mercy from God, when
they will fhew none to men.
The greatnefs of the injuries which are done to us,
is the realbn commonly pleaded by us why we cannot
forgive them. Bat whoever thou art, that makefl: this
an argument why thou canft not forgive thy brother,
lay thine hand upon thine heart, and bethink thyfelf
liovv many more and much greater offences thou haft
been guilty of againft God : look up to that juft and
powerrul being that is above, and confider well, whe-
ther thou doft not both expecl and (land in need of
more mercy and favour from him, than thou canft find
in thy heart to fhew to thine offending brother?
We have all certainly great reafon to expert that as
v,'t ufe one another, God will Jikewife deal with us.
And yet after all this, how litde is this duty pradlis'd
among chriftians? and how hardly are the befl: of us
brought to love our enemies, and to forgive them ?
and this, notwithilanding that all our hopes of mercy
and forgivenefs from God do depend upon it. How
ftrangely inconfiftent is our practice and our hope?
and what a wide diftance is there between our expe6la-
tions from God, and our dealings with men? How
very partial and unequal are we, to hope fo tdi^ily to
be forgiven, and yet to be fo hard to forgive ?
Would we have God, for Christ's fake, t& for-
give us thofe numberlefs and monftrous provocations
which we have been guilty of againft his divine ma-
jefty ? And fhall we not for his fake, for whofe fake
we ourfelves are forgiven, be willing to forgive one
another?
'end againfi revenge. 42J
We think it hard to be oblig'd to forgive great in- S E R M,
juries, and often repeated i and yet wo be to us all, and . ~^
mod miferable fliali we be to all eternity, if God do
not all this to us, which we think to be fo very hard
and unreafonable for us to do to one another.
I have fometimes wonder'd how it Ihould come to
pais, that fo many perfons ihould be fo apt to defpair
of the mercy and forgivenefs of God to them-, efpe-
daily confidering what clear and exprefs declarations
God hath made of his readinefs to forgive our greateft
fins and provocations upon our fincere repentance :
but the wonder will be very much abated, when we
fhall confider with how much difficulty men are
brought to remit great injuries, and how haxoly we
are perfuaded to refrain fi'om flying upon thofe who
have oiven us any confideiable provocation. So that
when men look into themfelves, and Ihall carefully ob-
ferve the motions of their own minds towards thofe
againftwhom they have been jutUy exafperated, they
will fee but too much reafon to think that forgivenefs
is no fuch eafy matter.
But our comfort in this cafe is, that God is not as
man;, " that his ways are not as our ways, nor his
. « thoughts as our thoughts •, but as the heavens are
« high above the earth, fo are his ways above our
« ways, and his thoughts above our thoughts."
And the beft way to keepourfelves from delpairing
of God's mercy and forgivenefs to us, is to be eafy to
grant forgivenefs to others: and without this as God
hath reafon to deny forgivenefs to us, fo we our
felveshave all the reafon in the world utterly to de-
fpair of it. 1 1 j
It would almoft tranfport a chrlftian to read that ad-
mirable paffage of the great heathen ^"iperor a^nd^^^^^^^
'^24 Of forghenefs of injuries, &c.
S E R M. lofopher M. Aurdius" Antoninus, " Can the gods,
X\XiU. jc ^^yg l^p^ ^l^^j. j^j.g immortal, for the continuance of
M. Aur. " fo many ages, bear without impatience with fuch
Anrcn. ^^ ^^^ ^^ many finners as have ever been -, and not on-
' '* " ly fo, but hkewife take care of them, and provide
*' for them that they want nothing: and doit thou To
*' grievoufly take on, as one that can bear with them
" no longer ? Thou, that art but for a momejit of
*' time-, yea, thou that art one of thofe finners thyfcif.'*
I will conclude this whole dilcourfe with thofe
weighty and pungent fayings of the wife fon of Sirach,
Iccl.xxili. " He that revergeth fhull find vengeance from the
», 2, 3»4-" Lord, and he will certainly retain his fins. For-
*' give thy neighbour that hath hurt thee, fo (hall
*' thy fins alfo be forgiven when thou prayed. One
«' man beareth hatred againfl: another, and doih he
**' feek pardon of the Lord ? He flieweth no mercy
*=' to a man like himfelf, and doth he ask forgive-
** nefs of his own fins ?
*' Enable us, O Lord, by thy grace, to pra6life
«' this excellent and difficult duty of our religion : and
" then, forgive us our trefpafifes, as we forgive them
** that trefpafs againfl us: for thy mercies fake, in Jc-
*' sus Christ; to whom with thee, O Father, and
*' the FIoLY Ghost, be all honour and glory, adora-
^[ tion and obedience, bodi now and ever. Amen,
SERMON
[425 ]
SERMON XXXIV.
The care of our fouls, the one thing
needful
Preached before the King and Queen at
Hampton-Court, /Ipril 14, 1689.
LUKE X. 42.
But one thing is needful,
JN the accounts of wife men, one of the Hrd rules S E R ^^
and mcafurcs of humane actions is this, " To re- ^""^'^
" gard every thing more or lefs, according to the
" degree of its confequence and importance to our
" happinefs.'' That which is moft ncceiTary to that
end, ought in all reafon to be minded by us in the nrft
place, and other things only fo far as i\\f'] are con-
fident with that great end, and fubfervient to it.
Our blefled Saviour here tells us " that there is
« one thing needful," that is, one thing which ought
firft and principally to be regarded by us: and what
that is, it is of great concernment to us all to know,
that we may mind and purfue it as it deferves.
And we may eafily underftand what it is by confi-
dering the context, and the occafion of thefe words,
which was briefly this : our Saviour, as he went a-
bout preaching the kingdom of God, came into a
certain village, where he was entertain'J at the houfe
of two devout fillers. The elder, who had the care
and management of the family and the affairs of it.
Vol. II. H hh waf
8.
426 ^he care of our fouls ^
S E R M. was employed in makLng entertainment for fuch a
XXXIV. g^^g|-u. j-i^^ other fat at our Saviour's feet, attend-
in o- to the do6lrIne of falvation which he preach'd.
The elder finding herfelf not able to do all the bu-
finefs alone, defirt:) of our Saviour that he would
command her filler to come and help her. Upon this
our Saviour gives her this gentle reprehenfion,
" Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled a-
" bout many things, but one thing is needful." And
v/hat that is he declares in the next words, " and
" Mary hath chofen that good part, which fhall not
'' be taken away from her^" that is, fhe hath chofen
to take care of her falvation, which is infinitely more
confiderable than any thing elfe.
Oar Saviour doth not altogether blame Martha
for her refpedful car/s of him, but commends her filler
for her greater care of her foul j which made her ei-
ther wholly to forget, or unwilling to mind other
things at that time. Sj that, upon the whole matter,
he h-ghly approves her wife choice, in preferring an
attentive regard to his dodrine, even before that
which might be thought a necelTary civility to his
perfon.
From the words thus explained, the obfervation
which I fliall make is this :
That the care of religion and of our fouls is the
cne thing necefiliry, and that which every man is
concern'd in the firft place and above all other things
to mind and regard.
This obfervation feems to be plainly contained in
the text. I fhall handle it as briefly as I can ; and
then by way of application fliall endeavour to per-
fuade you and myfelf to mind this one thing necellary.
And in fpeaking to this ferious and weighty argu-
ment^ I fiiall do thefe two things. Firfl^
the one thing needfiih 427
Firft, I fliall endeavour to fhew wherein this care S E R M .
XXX IV
of religion and of our fouls does confiil. , ,^_J
Secondly, to convince men of the necefTity of ta,
king this care.
I. I fhall fhew wherein this care of reh'gion and of
our fouls doth confift. And this I fhall endeavour to
do with all the plainnefs I can, and fo as every one
that hears me may underfland and be fufficiently di-
redted what is necefTary for him to do in order to his
eternal falvaticn.
And of this I fnall give an account in the five fol-
lowing particulars, in which I think the main bufinefs
of religion and the due care of our fouls does confid.
Firft, in the diftindt knowledge, and in the firm be-
lief and periuafion of thofe things which are necef-
fary to be known and believed by us in order to our
eternal falvation.
Secondly, in the frequent examination of our lives
and adions, and in a fincere repentance for all the er-
rors and mifcarriages of them.
Thirdly, in the conftant and daily exercife of piety
and devotion.
Fourthly, in avoiding thofe things which are per-
nicious to cur falvation, and whereby men do often
hazard their feuls.
Fifthly, in the even and conftant pradlice of the
feveral graces and virtues of a good life.
1. The due care of religion and our fouls does con-
fift in the diftind knowledge, and in the firm belief
and perfuafion of thofe things v/hich are necefTary to
be known and believ'd by us in order to our eternal
falvation.
For this knowledge of the necefTary principles and
duties of religion is the foundation of all good prac-
H h h 2 tice^
42§ ^he care of our fouls y
SER;\T. tice, wherein the life of re]io;ion doth confiH:. And
v__,^-.^^ winhoiit this no man can be truly rehgious. " With-
Hcb. xi.6. " out faith, faith the apoftle to the hebrews, it is im-
" poilible to pleafe God: for he that cometh to God
" muil beheve that he is, and that he is a rewarder of
" them that dihgeiuly feek hnn." Now t'.^efj two ex-
prelTions of pleafing Go D and feeking hmi, .re plain-
ly of the fame importance, and do both of them fig-
nify religion, or the worll^iip and fervice of God ;
which duth antecedently fuppole our firm belief and
perfuafionof thele two fundamental principles of all
religion, That there is a Goo, and. That he will re-
ward thole that ferve him : becaufe unlefs a man do
firfl: believe thcfe, there would neither be ground nor
encouragement for any fuch thing as religion.
And this knowledge of the neceflary principles of
religion our bleiTed Saviour calls eternal \\\c^ be-
caufe it is fo fundamentally necefiliry in order to our
Jch. xv;i. atcainipg of it: " This is life eternal, fays he, to
3- " know thee the only true God ; and him whom
*' thou haft fent, Jesus Christ," that is, to be
rightly inftrudled in the knowledge of the only true
God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord:
under which two general heads are comprehended all
the neceiTary principles both of tiie natural and of
the chriftian religion.
And to the attaining of this knowledge which is
abfolutcly neceflary to falvation, no fuch extraordi-
nary pains and (tudy is required \ but only a teachable
dilpofition, and a due application of mind. For what-
ever in religion is necellary to be known by all, muft
in all reafon be plain and eafy, and lie level to all ca-
pacities; otherwife we muft fay, that God who would
have all men to be i-^w^^^ hadi not provided for the fal-
vation
the me thing needful. ^2q
vatbn of all men. And therefore, now that the know- S E r y.
ledge of the true God and the light of chriflianity are ^^^^^•
fpread abroad in the world, all that enjoy the gofpel
are, or may be, fufficiently inftru6led in all things
necefTary to their happinefs: unlefs fuch care be u(ed,
as is in the church of Rome, to take away the key of
knowledge, and to lock up the fcriptures from tiic
people in an unknown tongue ; and this, as they pre-
tend, upon a very charitable confideration -, only ic is
to be hop'd that it is not true, that the generahty of
mankind are mad and have need to be kept in the dark.
But fuppofing men to be allowed thofe means of
knowledge which God affords, and hath appointed
for us, the great difficulty doth not commonly lie in
mens underilandings, but in their wills: only whea
men know thefe things, they muft attend to them
and confider them; that the light which is in their
underilandings may warm their hearts, and have its
due influence upon their liv^es.
II. The due care of our fouls confiRs in the fre-
quent examination of our lives and adions, and in a
fmcere repentance for all the errors and mifcarriages
of them : in a more particular and deep humiliation
and repentance for deliberate and wilful fins, fo far as
we can call them to our remembrance ; and in a ge-
neral repentance for fins of ignorance, and infirmity,
and furprize. In theexercife whereof we are always
to remember, that the nature of true repentance doth
not confift only in an humble confeflion of our fins to
God, and a hearty trouble and contrition for them ;
but chiefly in the ftedfaft purpofe and refolucion of a
better life, and in profecution of this refolution, in
adlual reformation and amendment.
By the conftant exercife hereof, we are put into a
fafe
^^D ^^^ ^^^^ ^f our fouls y
SE R M. fafe condition ; provided that we perfevere in this hoiy
^^Lll refolution and courfe : but if we dill retain the love and
praftice of any known fin, or if after we have taken
up thefe good refolutions we return a^aln to an evil
courfe ; this is a clear evidence, either that our repen-
tance was not fincere at firft, or that we are relap^'d
into our former ftate : and then our fouls are ftill in ap-
parent danger of being loil, and will continue in that
dangerous ftate, 'till we have renew 'd our repentance,
and made it good in the following courfe of our lives.
III. The due care of our fouls confifts in theconftant
and daily exercife of piety and devotion, both in pri-
vate, and in publick if there be opportunity for it,
efpecially at proper times and upon more folemn occa-
fions : by fervent prayer to God, and by hearing and
reading the word of God with reverence and godly
fear : by frequenting his publick worfhip, and demean-
in^ ourfelves in it with that folemnity and fenoulhefs
v/hich becomes the prefence and fervice of the great
and p-jorious majelly of God, who obferves our beha-
viour and fees into our hearts : and by receiving the
blefied facrament, as often as we have opportunity,
with due preparation and devotion of mind.
For thefe are not only outward teftimonies of our
inward piety, but they are means likewile appointed
by God to improve and confirm us in hohneis and
goodnefs. And whoever negleds thefe duties of reli-
gion, or performs them in a flight and fuperficial man-
ner, doth plainly fliew that he hath neither a due fcnfe
of God, nor care of himfelf: for in vain does any
man pretend that he does in good earneft defign the
end, when he negledls the bell and moll proper
means for the attainment of it.
IV, The due cure of our fouls confifts alfo in avoid-
ing
the cm thing needful. A31
ing thofe things which are pernicious to our falvation, S E R M.
and whereby men do often hazard their fouls. Such in ^^^^^^•
general is the practice of any known fin. By this we
do, as it were, run upon the f^'ord's point, and do en-
danger our falvation as much as a deep wound in our
body would do our life : and tho' fuch a wound may
perhaps becur'd afterwards by repentance, yet no maa
that commits any wilful fm knows the difmal confe-
quenceof it, and whither by degrees it may carry rum
at la^: for upon fuch a provocation God may leave
the fmner to himfelf, and withdraw his grace from him,
and give him up to a hard an 1 impenitent heart, to
proceed from evil to worfe, and from one wickednels
to another, 'till he be finally ruiii^'d. So dangerous
a thirig is it knowingly to offend God, and to com-,
mit any deliberate ad of fin.
More particularly, an inordinate love of the world
is very pernicious to the fouls of men ; becaufe it
quencheth the heavenly lire, and fills our minds with
earthly cares and (iefigns ; it tempts men to forfake
God and religion v/hen their worldly intereilscome in
competition v/ith them; and betrays them to fraud,
and falihood, and all kind of injuftice, and " many
^' other hurtful 'uds which drown the foul in perdition.'*
But bcfides thefe dangers which are more vifible
and apparent, there is another which is lefs difcernible
becaufe it hath the face of piety ; and that is fadtion
in religion : by which I mean an unpeaceable and un-
charitable zeal about things wherein religion either
doth not at all, or but very little confift. For bcHdes
that this temper is utterly inconfiflent with feveral of
the moil eminent chriftian graces and virtues, as hu-
mility, love, peace, meeknefs, and forbearance to-
wards thole that differ from usj it hath likewife twQ
very
4] 2 ^he care of cur fouls,
SKRM. very great mifchiefs commonly attending upon it,
^^ • and both of them pernicious to religion and the fouls
of men.
Fird, that it takes fuch men off from minding the
more necelLry and eflfential parts of religion. They
are lb zealous about fmall things, the tithing of mint,
and anife, and cummin, that they negledt the weigh-
tier things of the law, faith, and mercy, and judg-
ment, and the love of God : they fpend fo much of
their time and heat about things doubtful, that they
hive no leilure to mind the things that are necefTary :
and are fo concerii'd about little fpeculative opinions
in religion, which they always call fundamental arti-
cles of faith, that the pradtice of religion is almoft
wholly negle£i:ed by them : and they are fo taken up in
fpying out and cenfuring error and herefy in others,
that they never think of curing thofe Jufls and vices
and paiTions which do fo vifibly reign in thcmfclves.
Deluded people! that do not confider that the greateft
herefy in the worM is a wicked life, becaufe it is fo di-
rediy and fundamentally oppofite to the whole defign
of the chriflian faith and religion : and that do not con-
fider, that God will fooner forgive a man a hundred de-
fects of his underftanding than one fault of his will.
Secondly, another great mifchief which attends this
temper is, that men are very apt to interpret this zeal
of theirs againft others to be great piety in themfelves,
and as much as is neceflary to bring them to heaven ;
and to think that they arc very religious, becaufe they
keep a great llir about maintaining the out-works of
religion, when it is ready to be ilarv'd within \ and
that there needs no more to denominate them good
chriflians, but to be of fuch a party, aiid to be lifted
of fuch a church, which they always take for granted
to
the one thing needful, 433
to be the only true one ; and then zealoufly to hate, ^ E R at.
and uncharitably to cenfure all the reft of mankind. , '^'"'^ *
How many arc there in the world, that think
they have made very fure of heaven, not by the old
plain way of leaving their fins and reforming their
\\vt<,^ but by a more clofe and cunning way of carry-
ing their vices along with them into another church,
and calling themfelves good catholicks, and all
others hcreticks ? and that having done this, they are
m a fafc condition ; as if a mere name would admit
a man into heaven, or as if there v/ere any church
in the world that had this fantaflical privilege be-
longing to it, that a wicked man might be faved for
no other reafon but becaufe he is of it.
Therefore, as thou valued thy foul, take heed of
engaging in any faflion in religion ; becaufe it is an
hundred to one but thy zeal will be fo employed a-
bout lefTer things, that the main and fubftantial parts
of religion will be negledled : befides that, a man
deeply engag'd in heats and controvernes of this na-
ture, (hall very hardly efcape being poiTcfs'd with that
fpirit of uncharitablenefs and contention, of peevifh-
nefs and fiercenefs, which reigns in all factions, but
more efpecially in thofe of religion.
V. The due care of our fouls confifls in the even
and conftant practice of the feveral graces and virraes
of a good life \ or, as the apoftle exprefTeth it, " in
«« exercifing our felves always to have a confcicncc
<' void of offence towards God and men." For here-
in is religion bed feen, in an equal and uniform
pradice of every part of our duty : not only in fer-
ving God devoutly, but in demeaning our felves
peaceably and jufdy, kindly and charitably towards
Vol. II. I i i ^J
434 ^^^^ ^^'"^ of our fouls
SERM. all men: not only in reilraininef our fclves from the
' ' ' 'J^ oiuward adt of fin, but in mortifying the inward in-
clination to it, in fubduing our luils, and governing
our paiTions, and bridling our tongues. As he that
would have a prudent care of his health and life, mud
not only guard himfelf againft the chief and com-
mon difeaies v»'hich are incident to men, and take
care to prevent them ; but mull likewife be careful to
preferve himfelf Irom thofe which are eilcemed lels
dangerous, but yet fometimes do prove mortal ; he
mult not only endeavour to fecure his head and heart
from being wounded, but muft have a teiider care
of every part ; there being hardly any dileafe or
wound fo fiight but tliat feme have died of it : in like
manner, die care of cur fouls confilts in an univerfal
regard to our ^':.t)\ and that we be defedive in no
part of it: though v/e ought to have a more efpccial
regard to thofe dudes which are more confiderable,
aiid wherein religion doth mainly confiH:; as piety
towards God, temperance and chadity in regard of
our felves, charity towards d-\t: poor, truth and jufticc,
goodnefs and kindnefs towards all men : but then no
oriier grace and virtue, though of an inferior rank,
Ought to be negleded by us.
And tiius I have endeavour'd, as plainly and brief-
ly as I could, to declare to you in wh^t inftances the
due care of religion and our fouls doth chiefly confifl.
Arid I would not have any man think that all this
is an ealy bufuiefs, and requires but little time to do
it in, and that a fmall degree of diligence and induitry
will fcrve for this purpoie : to maiier and root out the
inveterate habits ot fin, to bring our paffions under
the command and government of our reafon, and to
attain to a good degree of e\ ery chriflian grace and
virtue:
the one thing needful, 4 ^ ^
virtue: that faith sad hope and charhy, humih'ty SER\T.
and meeknefs and p-itience may all have their per- vH-^l.^
feet v/ork \ and that, as St. James Hiys, " v/c may
*' be periecl and entire, wanting nothing ; " nothing-
that belongs to the perfedion of a good man, and cf
a good chriftian. And this, whenever we come to
make the trial, w-e ^~iA\ find to be a great and a long
work.
Some indeed would make religion to be a vasy
fliort and eafy bufincfs, and to confiil only in believ-
ing v/hat Christ hath done for us, and relyino-
conndendy upon it : which is fo far from being the
true nodon cf chriftian faith, that, if I be not much
miitakcn, it is the very definition cf prefumption.
For the bible plainly tcacheth u|>, that unlefs our
. faith work by charity, and purify bur hearts and re-
form our lives j unlefs like Abraham's futh it be
perK&d by works, it is but a dead faith, and will
in no wife avail to our juftiiication and falvation.
And our blefTed Saviour, the great author and
finifner of our uiith, hatli no where, that I know of,
faid one word to this purpofe, that foith feparated
from obedience and a good life will lave any man :
But he hath faid very much to x}?,t coxitrary, and thaC
very plainly. For he promifeth blelTcdnefs to none,
but thofe vv'ho live in the praclice of thole chrifliaii
graces and virtues which are particularly mention'd
by him in the beginning of his excellent fermon up-
on the mount; of humility, and repentance, and Matth.v.
meeknefs, and righteoufnefs, and mercifulnefs, and ^' ^* *
purity, and peaccablenefs, and padence under perfccu-
tion and fuiferings for righteoufnefs fake. And af-
terv/ards in the fame fermon, " Not every one, fiith Matth.vii
.*' he, that faith unto me. Lord, Lord, fhall en- ^^-
1 i I 2 " tei;
43 6 ^hs c^yre of our fouls
SER M. ce |_^.. ]^jfQ (|jg kinp;dom of heaven, but he that doth
X X X 1 v
v.,,.^^^,..^" " the will of my Father which is in heaven."
Ver. 24. And again, " wholbever heareth thefc fayings of
" mine, and doth them, I v/ill liken him unto a
" wife man which built his houfe upon a rock."
Ver. 26, And afterwards he tells us, that whofocver builds
^'^' his hopes of eternal happinefs upon any other foun-
dation, than the faith of the gofpel and the pradice
of its precepts, doth build his houfe upon tlie fand ;
v/hich when it comes to be tried by the rain and the
winds, " will fall \ and the fall of it will be great."
Jo;in xiii. And elfewhere ; " if ye know thefe things, happy
*'^* " are ye if ye do them." And he does very fevere-
ly check the vain confidence and prefumption of
thofe, who will needs rely upon him for falvation
without keeping his commandments, " Why call ye
A;kevi. (t ^^^^ ^^yg j^^.^ Lord, Lord, and do not the things
"" ' « which I fay ?'»
Does any man think that he can be favcd without
T John V. loving God and Christ } " And this, faith St. John,
3- "is the love of God, that we keep his command-
1 Johnii. « ments:" and again, "he that faith I know him,"
^^ and by the fame reafon, he that faith I love him,
" and kcepeth not his commandments, he is a liar,
John xiv. *' and the truth is not in him. If ye love me, faith
^^* " our blefled Lord, keep my commandments:'*
Ver, 21. And again, " he that hath my commftidments and
" keepeth them, he it is that loveth me."
Does any man think, that any but the children of
'God fhall be heirs of eternal life.? Hear then what
I John iii. St. John faith, " Little children, let no man deceive
7* " you, he that doth righteoufneis is righteous, even as
Ver. 10. " he is righteous:" and again, " in this the chil-
" dren of Gup are manifefl, and the children of the
'^ devil.
the one thing needful, 437
•^ devil, he that doth not righteoufnefs is not of S E R \i:
,, ^ XXXIV.
God. u-v—^
In a word, this is the perpetual tenour of the bible,
from the beginning of it to the end, " If thou doft well,
*' faith God to Cain, fhalt thou not be accceptcd ? " Gen. ill.7*
and again, " fay ye to the righteous, it fhall be well jfa. in.
" with him, for they fliall eat the fruit of their do- *°> *'•
*' ings : wo unto the wicked, it fhall be ill with him,
** for the reward of his hands fhall be given him. •*
And in the gofpel, when the young man came to
our Saviour to be inftrudlcd by him, what good
thing he fhould do that he might inherit eternal life,
our Lord gives him this fhort and plain advice, " jf ^^^tt. xi^
*' thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.'*
And in the very lafl chapter of the bible we find this
folemn declaration, " BlefTed are they that do his
*' commandments, that they may have right to the
*' tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the '^
*^ city," that is, into heaven, which the apoftle to
the Hebrews calls " the city which hath foundations,
*' whofe builder and maker is God." So vain and
groundlefs is the imagination of thofe, who truft to
be favcd by an idle and ineffedual faith, without ho-
linefs and obedience of life.
II. I proceed now in the fecond place to convince
us all, if it may be, of the necefTity of minding reli-
gion and our Touls. When we call any thing neceffa-
ry, we mean that it is fo in order to fome end, which
cannot be attained without it. We call thofe things
the neceffaries of life, without which men cannot
fubfift and live in a tolerable condition in this world :
and that is neceffary to our eternal happinefs, with-
out which it cannot be attaint. Now happinefs be-
ing our chief end, whatever is necelTary to that is more
necefTary
43 S ^^-^ ^^'^^ ofoiirfcuh
SE R M. neceflary than any tiling eJfe ; and in compariTon of
4^'J ; that, all other things not only may, but ou5^hc to be
neg]e6i;ed by us.
Now to convince men of the ncccfiity of religion,
I fliall brieiiy fhew, that it is a certain way to happi-
nefs : that it is certain that there is no other v/ay but
this : and that if we neglecl religion, we lliall cer-
tainly be extremely and for ever miilrable.
Firll, that religion is a certain way to happinefs.
And for this we have God's exprefs declaration and
promife. The bed aiTurance that can be." Pie that can-
" not lye hath promifed eternal life, to them v/hoby
" patient continuance in vvell-doing feek for glory
** and honour and immorrality." All the happinefs
that v/e can def:re, and of which the nature of man is
capable, is promifed to us upon the terms of religion,
*' upon our denying ungodlinefs, and v/orldly lufls,
" and living foberly, and righteoufiy and godly in
*' this prefent world :" A mighty reward for a little
fervice ; an eternity of happinefs, of joys unfpeakable
and full of glory, for the diligence and induilry of a"
few days : a happinefs large as our wilhcs, and lad-
ing as our fouls.
Secondly, 'tis certain alfo that there is no other way
to happinels but this. He, who alone can make us
happy, hath promifed it to us upon thefe and no
other terms. He hath faid, " that if we live after the
*' flefn, v/e fl^all die; but if by the Spirit v/c mor-
*' t'fy the deeds of the Refli, we fliall live: that
" wiihout holinefs no man fhill fee the Lord: "
zx\^^ that he that lives in the habitual practice of any
vice, " of covetoufncfs, or adultery, or malice, or
"^ revenge, fliall not enter into the kingdom of God : **
and wc have reafon to believe him concerning the
term*
the one thing needful. a^q
terms of this happinefs, and the means of attaining it, S E Rx\f.^
by v/hofe favour and bounty alone wc hope to be;^'^'^'^^"
n^ake partakers of it.
■ And if God had not faid it in his v/crd, yet the lia-
ture a.'d reafon of the thing doth plainly declare it.
For religion is not only a condition of our iiappinefs,
but a neceffary qualihcation and difpofition for it. We
mufl beiike to God in the temper of our minds, be-
fore we can find any felicity in th^ enjoyment of him.
Men mufl: be purged from their lufts, and from thofe
ili-natur'd and deviliili paiTions of malice, and envy,
and revenge, before tliey can be fit company for their
heavenly Father, and meet to dwell with him,
*' who is love, and dwells in love."
Thirdly, if we negled religion, we fhall certainly
be extremely and for ever miferable. The word of
truth hath laid it, " that indignation and wrath, tri-
" bulation and anguiHi fhall be upon every foul of
*' man that doth evil." Nay, if God iliould hold his
hand, and fliould infiid no poficive torment upon fn-
ners, yet they could not fpare themfelves, but would
be their own executioners and tormentors. The guilt
of that wicked life v/liich they had led in this world,
and the flings of their own confcienccs muft neceflliri-
ly make them mifrable, v^'henever their cv/n thoup-hts
are let loofe upon them ; as they will certainly be in
the other world, when they Hiall have nothing either
of pleafure or bufinefs to divert them.
So that if we be concern'd, either to be happy here-
after, or to avoid thofe mileries which are great and
dreadful beyond all imagination, it will be neceffary
for us to mind religion •, without which we can nei-
ther attain that happinefs, nor efcape thofe miferies.
AH that nov\^ remains, is to perfuade you and my
felf
440 ^he care ofonrfouh
S E R M. felf ferioufly to mind this one thing ncceflary. And
^^^2Zji to ^"^^ ^""^^ ^ ^^'^^^ ^PP^y "^y <^i^courfe to two forts of
perfons ; thofc who are remifs in a matter of fo great
concernment, and thofe who are grofiy carclcfs, and
mind it not all.
Firfi:, to thofe who arc remifs in a matter of fuch
vaft concernment : who mind the bufinefs of religion,
in fome degree, but not fo heartily and vigoroufly as
a matter of fuch infinite confcquence doth require
and dcfervc.
And here I fear the very bcft are gready defedive ;
and fo much the more to be blamed, by how much
they are more convinc'd than others, of the neceffity
of a religious and holy life \ and that without this
no man iLall ever be admitted into the manfions of
the bleffed: they believe likewife, that according to
the degrees of every man's holinefs and virtue in this
life, will be the degrees of his happinefs in the other;
*' that he that fows fparingly fhali reap fparingly, and
" he that fows plenufully Ihall reap plentifully ; "
and that the meafure of every man's reward fhall be
according to his improvement of the talents that
were committed to him.
But how litdc do men live under the power of theic
convi(5lions ? and notv/ithftanding we are allur'd by
the mod glorious promifes and hopes, and aw'd by
the greateft fears, and urg'd by the mofc forcible ar-
gument in the world, the evident neceffity of the
thing ; yet how faintly do we run the race that is fet
before us? how frequently and how eafily arc we
ftop'd or diverted in our chriftian courfe by very
little temptations ? how cold, and how carelels, and
how inconftant are we in the excrcifes of piety, and
how dcfedlive in every part of our duty ? did wc a6l
reafcn*
the om thing needfiih 44 r
reafbnably, and as men ufe to do in matters of much ^ E R M,
Ids moment, we could not be io indifferent about a ^.J..,^..^
thing fo necefiliry, fo (light and carelefs in a matter
of hfe and death, and upon which all eternity doth
depend.
Let us then fhake off this floth and fecurity, and
refolve to make that the great bufinefs of time, which
is our great concernment to all eternity: and when we
are immers'd m the cares and bufinefs of this life, and
troubled about many thing?, let this thought often
come into our minds, that there is one thing needful,
and which therefore deferves above all ether thino-s
to be regarded by us.
Secondly, There are another fort of perfons, who
are groOy carelefs of this one thing neceffary, and do
not feem to mind it at all : Who go on fecurely in an
evil courfe, as if either they had no fouls, or no con-
cernment for them. . I may fay to thefe as the mafter
of the fhip did to Jonah^ when he was faft aflecp in
the ftorm, " What meanefl thou, O deeper ? arife
*' and call upon thy God." When our fouls are every
moment in danger of finking, it is high time for
us to awake out of deep, to ply every oar, and i<:i
ule all pofTible care and induftry to fave a thing {(^
precious from a danger fo threatning and fo terrible.
We are apt enough to be fenfible of the force of this
argument of neceflity in other cafes, and very careful-
ly to provide againft the prelTing nccelTities of this life,
and how to avoid thofe great temporal evils of poverty
and difgrace, of pain and fuffering: but the great ne-
celTity or all, and that which is mainly incumbent up-
on us, is to provide for eternity, to fecure the ever-
jafting happinefsj and to prevent the endlefs and in-
Vol. II. '" Kkk fuo.
442 7he care of our fouls,
S E R M. fupportable miferies of another world. This, this, is
XXXIV . 33
v,,^, 'j the one thing neceflliry ; and to this we ought to bend
and apply all our care and endeavours.
If we would fairly compare the neceffity of things,
and wifely weigh the concernments of this life and the
other in a juft and equal balance, we fhould be afhamed
to mifplace our diligence and induftry as we do ; to
bellow our bed: thoughts and time about thefe vain
and pcrifhing things, and to take no care about that
better part which cannot be taken from us. Fond
and vain men that we are ! who are fo folicitous how
we fhall pafs a few days in this world, but matter
not v/hat fhall become of us for ever.
But as carelefs as we are now about thefe things,
time will come when we fnall ladly lay them to heart,
and when they will touch us to the quick : when we
come to lie upon a death-bed, if God lliall be pleas'd
to grant us then fo much time and ufe of our reafon
as to be able to recoiled ourfelves, we fhall then be
convinc'd how great a neceiTity there was of mind-
ing our fouls, and of the prodigious folly of neglect-
ing them, and of our not being fenfible of the value
of them, 'till we are ready to defpair of faving them.
But, blelfed be God, this is not yet our cafe, though
we know not how foon it may be. Let us then be
"wife, and confider thefe things in time, left death
and defpair fhould overtake and opprefs us at once.
You that are young, be pleas'd to confider that
this is the belt opportunity of your lives, for the
minding and doing of this work. You are now moft
capable of the befl imprefTions, before the habits of
Vice have taken deep root, and your hearts " be
*' harden'd through the deceitfulnefi of fin: this is
" tlie acceptable time, this is the day of flUvation.'*
And
the one thing netdfiiL 443
And there is likewife a very weighty confidcration S E R M-
to be urg'd upon thofe that are old, if there be any
that are wilhng to own themfelves fo ; that this is
the lafl opportunity of their hves, and therefore they
fliould lay hold of it, and improve it with all their
might : for it will foon be pad, and when it is, no-
thing can call it back.
\i is but a very litde while before v/e fhall all cer-
tainly be of this mind, that the bed thing we could
have done in this world, was to prepare for the other.
Could I reprefent to you that invifible world v/hich I
am fpeaking of, you would all readily afTent to this
counfel, and would be glad to follow it and put it
fpeedily in pradlice. Do but then open your eyes, and
look a little before you to the things which are not far
off from any of us, and to many of us may perhaps
be much nearer than we are aware : let us but judge of
things now, as we fhall all fhortly judge of them: and
\tt us live now, as after a few days we fhall every one
of us wifh with all our fouls that we had liv'd ; and
be as ferious, as if we were ready to flep into the other
world, and to enter upon that change which death
v/ill quickly make in every one of us. Strange flu-
pidity of men ! that a change fo near, fo great, fo
certain, fhould afted us fo coldly, and be fo little
confider'd and provided for by us: that the things of
time fhould move us fo much, and the things of eter-
nity fo \\xx\t. What will we do when this change
comes, if we have made no preparation for it ?
If we be chriftians, and do verily believe the things
which I am fpeaking of, and that after a few days
more are pafs'd, death will come, and draw afide that
thick veil of fenfe and fccurity which now hides thefe
things from us \ and ihew us that fearful aad amazing
K k k 2 fighc
XX
444 ^^^ ^^^^ of our fouh'y
E R ^'f fisht which we are now fo loth to think upon : I fay,
if we beheve this, it is time for us to be wife and ferious.
And happy that man, who in the days of his health
hath retir-d himfelf from the noife and tumult of this
v/orld, and made that careful preparation fc)r death
and a better life, as may give him that conftancy and
firmnefs of fpirit, as to be able to bear the thoughts
and approaches of his great charge without amaze-
ment •, and to have a mind almr-it cq-.ialJy pc!;*d be-
tween that flrong inclii :^nnn pf nature whicl* makes
us defirous to live, and that wifer .'.ifi-.ite oKreafon
and religion which fhould make u- ^vjlh ^ and con-
tented to die whenever God think.s i..
Many of us do not fiow fo clearly difcern thefe
things, becaufe our e^es are dazzled with the falle
light and fplendor of Cafdily felicity : but this afiu-
redly is more worth than ail the kii gdoms of the
world and the glory of them, to be able to poiTefs our
fouls at fuch a time, .md to be at perlect- pt-ace with our
own minds, having our hearts fixed trufting in God :
to have our accounts made up, and ef!:ate of our im-
mortal fouls as v;ell let tied and fecur'd, as, by the al-
fifUnce of God's gracc^ humane care and endeavour,
tho' mix'd with much humane frailty, is able to do.
And if we be convinc'd ot tnefe things, we are ut-
terly inexcufable if we do not make thks our firft and
great care, and. prefer it to all other interefls whatfo-
ever. And to this end, we fhould refolutcly difen-
tangle our felves from worldly cares and incum-
brances ; at leait fo far, that we may have competent
liberty and leifure to attend this great concernment,
and to put our fouls into a fit poflure and preparation
for another world : that when ficknefs and death fliall
come, we may not ad: o^^ lall part indecently and
confufcdJy,
the one thing needful 44 ^
eoiifufedly, and have a great deal of work to do y^}^,-
when we Hiall want both time and all other advan- y,,^.^
tages to do it in : whereby our fouls, when they will
fland mod in need of comfort and f-ipporr, will un-
avoidably be left in a trembling and difconfolate con-
dition, and in an anxious doubtfulnefs of mind what
will become of them ibr zvqv.
To conclude, this care of religion and our fouls is
a thing fo neceftiry, that in comparifon of it we are
to neglect the very necefiaries of life. So our Lord
teacheth us, " Take no thought, faying, what fliallM^tth. tj;
" we eat? or what (hall we drink? or wherewithal^^' ^^'^
" fliall we be clothed ? but feek ye firft the king-
^^ dom of God and his righteoufnefs." The calls of
God and religion are fo very prefling and importu-
nate, that they admit of no delay or excufe whatfo-
cver: this our Saviour fignifies to us by denying
the difciple, whom he had call'd to follow him,
leave to go and bury his father, " Let the dead,
*' fays he, bury their dead, but do thou follov/ me."
There is one thing needful, and that is the bull-
nefs of religion, and the care of our immortal fouls,
which whatever we negledl fhould be carefully
minded and regarded by every one of us. " O that
*' there were fuch a heart in us ! O that we were
" wife, that we underftand this, that we would
" confider our latter end ! " Which God grant wc
may all do, in this our day, for his mercies fake in
Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and
the HOLY Ghost, be all honour and glory, now
^nd ever. Amen.
A Tabic
A Table of the Texts of each
Sermon.
J
SERMON XX.
OHN xiii. 34? 35. ^ new commandment I give
unto you^ that ye love one another •, as I have Icved
you^ that ye alfo love one another : By this Jhall all
men know that ye are my difciples^ if ye love one ano-
ther, page 7
SERMON XXI.
I JOHN iv. I. Beloved^ believe not every fpirit^ hut
try the jpirits whether they are ofGoTy ; becaufe many
falfe prophets are gone out into the world. P- 29
SERMON XXII.
HEB. vi. 16. An oath for confirmation is to thern an
end of all ft rife. P- ^3
SERMON XXIII.
LUKE XX. o,"/^ 38. Now that the dead are raifed^
even Mofes fhcwsd at the hufh^ when he calleth the
Lord the God of Abraham^ and the God of IfaaCy
and the God of Jacob, For he is not ^ God of the
deady but of the living : for all live to him, P- 97
SERMON XXIV.
i C O R. V. 6. Wherefore we are always confident ^
knowing that whilft we are at home in the body^ we
are abfent from the hoKD. p. 1 3 8
SERMON XXV.
I COR. xi. 2(5, 27, 28. For as often as ye cat this
breads and drink this cup^ ye do jljsw the Lord's
death 'till he come.
Where*
A Table of the Texts.
Wherefore whofoever Jhall eat this breads and drink this
cup of the Lord unworthily^ is guilty of the body
and blood of thel^OKTt.
But let a man examine himfelf^ and fo let him eat of that
breads and drink of that cup, p. 1 52
SERMON XXVI.
A Difcourfe againfi 'Tranfuhfiantiation. p. log
SERMON XXVIL
JOSHUA xxiv. 15. If it feem evil unto you ta
ferve the Lord, chocfe you this day whom you will
ferve, p. 247
SERMON XXVIII.
JOSH U A xxiv. 15. If it feem evil unto you to
ferve the Lord, choofe you this day whom you will
ferve. p. 269
SERMON XXIX.
JEREM. xiii. 23. Can the ethiopian change his
skin^ or the leopard his fpots P then may ye alfo do
good that are accuflomed to do evil, p. 294
SERMON XXX.
MATTHEW xxiii. 1 3 . iVo unto you fcribes and
pharifees^ hypocrites j for ye fhut up the kingdom of
heaven againfi men \ and ye neither go in your f elves ^
neither fuffer ye them thai are entring to go in,
P- 314
SERMON XXXL
MATTHEW XXV. i, 2, &c. "Then fhall the
kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins^ which
took their lamps^ and went forth to meet the bride^
groom^
'And five of them were wife^ and five were foolifh^ Sec.
P- 341
SERMON
A Table of the Texts.
SERMON XXXII.
EZRA IX. 13, 14. And after all that is come, upcn
us for OUT LVil deeds ^ and for our great trefpafs ;
feeing that thou our God hofi punifhed us lefs than
cur miquities defcrve^ and haft given us fiich a deli-
verance as this :
Shoidd "-'^e again break thy commandments^ 'a}id join
in affinity with tbe people of thefe abominations ?
, wouldcft not thou be angry with us 'till thou hadfi con-
fumed us^ fo that there fhculd be no remnant nor
efcaping ? p. zj i
SERMON XXXIII.
MATTHEW V. 44. But I fay unto you^ lovs
your enemies^ blefs them that curfe you^ do *good to
them that ha'e you, pray for them that defpitefully ufe
yoUy and per fe cute you, p. "^(^"^
SERMON XXXIV.
LUKE X. 4^. But one thing is needfuL p. 425
The End of the Second Volume^
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