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OCT '''^ 1942
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-v. 2
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V
rrr
To the Reverend
George Smalridge^ D. D.
Dean of C a r l i s l e.
s I R,
?^ ■ '^ IS not from a Prefumption^ that I theje Difconrfes ha^e any thing
. JL. in them worthy of Yottr Tatronage^ that I am indticd to Addrefs them to You , but becaufe^ among other Reafons^ which ha've determined me to do my jclf this Ho- fiour^ I know no Method more proper to gi'vc them an extrinfick and current Vahte, ^Twill be natural for the Reader to conchtde^ that a Book which has Tour Name before it^ mufi be defignd at leafl to excel in all the Beau- ties ofjnH and correSi Writing.
The Generality of Men ^ noiwithfiandtng the pretended Light of our Age^ are more
A 2 govern d
Dedication.
go^'crncl^ in the Jiidginent they make of Books ^ by Authority and Example^ than by Reajon : Tet ''tis not altogether unreasonable they Jhoidd be fo^ confidering how few there nr^ in Comparijon who have any trite Tajie^ or indeed Liberty of Mind.
I ffjall not dijfemble it^ that this implicit way of judging^ difco'vers it f elf more or lefs in Ferfons of all Perjuaftons , tho^ "'tis no- where ^ I take it^ more obferz^able^ than where it might leaf be expe^ed^ among Tour great Pretenders to Liberty and Free-think- ing ^ Jo that v,^hen ^tis the Inter eft or Jncli- 71 at ion of thofe^ who pre fide at the Head of ihem^ that a Book fihould be well writ^ the Author is no longer in Danc'er of bein^i cri- iically examind^ or contradiSed,
What I intend J Sir^ is to take Ad'vantage of this PaJJize Temper ^ fo 'vifible on e^very Side in the Submiffion which Men pay to the Judgment of their Superiors ^ and f nee they are jo much agreed upon it ^to regulate their Opinions by one great Name or another^ I am certainly right in prefixing a Name to thefe DifcourfeSy which is moU likely to prepof (cfs all Sorts of Keadcrs in my Favour,
For
Dedication,
For amidfl the Anmofitie.?^ which ha'z/e taken fo deep Rooty and jpread themfel<ves jo wide among us^ if there be any T erf on of CharaBer^ who uni'verfally keeps up the Re- fpeSi due to it^ and has no Enemies ^ we are toldy a?td we fometimes hear Truth in this dark Corner of the World^ that ^tk the Dean of C A R L I S L E.
ThiSy Sir^ is the more for Your Honour^ at a Time^ wherein our intemperate Heats hai^e tended fo jjiuch to cofifomid all Diftin- Bion of Merit '^ to make us pafs wrong Jtidgments on Thifjgs and Perjons^ as well as Books j and moB notorioufly to i?2cur the Woe the Spirit of God has deiiouncd againU thofe^ who call Evil good^ and Good evil • who put Bitter for fweet^ and Sweet for bitter.
^Tis furpri'z^ing to confider^ how this way of judging byVaffion and F arty-Regards ^ in a Moment transforms a Man-^ jo that he is differently reprefentcd in different Com- pany ^ and j ometimes in the jame Company ^ as if he were not really the j ame Perfon.
T'his Spirit of Dijcord^ which is gone out into the 'Nation ^ I wifh I could not lay into
A 3 the
Dedication.
ih& Churchy operates after a i>ery different inanner from IthurielV Spear in Milton ^ That earned the Tempter ^ when it was ap- •j^ly^d to him^ to return fr^m a borrow d Shape to hk own ^ the leafc Touch of This has aflrange Power of changing a Man from his true and proper Form^ to that^ which ^^ efall others^ is the mo^ u^lih ^^d abhor- rent to it.
To be able at fuch a ConjunSiure to pre- ferve ajuji Degree of EJieem andVenera^ tion from all IS/hn^ dij coders an Addrefs^ which few Perjons haz^e the Art or good Grace to dijiinguifh themjel'ues by ^ but fhews withal^ that Simplicity and godly Sincerity are "very confifient with the niceft ^laxims of human Prudence : how andpo^ pular Condefcenfions may fucceedfor a Time^ 4nd under certain Afcendaiits^ yet they fel- ^om fail in the Ei'ent^ to render Men de* fpifedboth by Enemies and Friends,
But a reafonable Ardor in the Caufe of Religion y tempered with Modefty^ is high- ly commendable and praife-worihy^ e'ven i^ the Op/nion of thofe^ who out ofjomc pri- z'ate Regards^ hate the Effeds of it.
Hers
Dedication.
Mere I am fenfible^ from my mefitiomng a Quality fo Co/fjpicuous in Tou^ that I am not fo much to confider what ought to be faidj or what I am imiind to fay of Tou^ as rpbat Tou will permit me to fay. There feems indeed to he this Difad'vajitage in chufing a Fair on ^ who is lefs confcious of his own Merit J that the greater his Talents arCy the lefs "Notice mufi he taken of them* An Author in this Cafe^ and^t is really ai^e^ ry hard Cafe upon him^ miM either refol^e to offend^ where his profefs^d Defign is ta oblige y or elfe to dijappoint a reafonable 'ExpeBation of the Publick^ hy fiifling the brightefh and moil engaging Truths^ that ma) he proper to entertain it,
^Tis really Diffrcnlt to do Jnfiice to a Per-^ fon of Merit y without appearing to offer fomc Violence to his ISlodeJiy. And for this Rea- fon^ Sir^ were I really capable of coining up to it^ Ifhonld not attempt to enlarge on one of the brightef CharaBers of the Age.
I am 171 no f mall Pain for the imperfcB Eff^y I ha've gi'ven of it already ^ when I confider^ not to mention the mimeroiis Cri- ticks 171 Totvn^ that it may fome time poffi-
D E D I C A T I O NT.
hly reach the mo ft: learned ^ni<verfity in the World ^ and which is ft ill more formidable ^ that Fart of it ^ where Wit is allow d for jo long a Term^ to hai/e chofen its peculiar Keftdence.
How pall I be able in general to acquit ^yf^lfoffo bold an Addrejs to thofe^ who ha^ve fee?z Tou in the Chair^ in the Pulpit y in the Con'vocation-^ when they are taking into Examination^ what has been faid^ a?id after what manner ?
'this is my Confolation^ that whatever Ferfecution I may jnffer from the Criticks for fo ufteaqual a Performance^ Tou^ Sir^ who have fo remarkably on more Occafions^ than one^ diftinguifh^d Tour felf in Favour of the Perfecuted^ will be inclifj^d to par- don^ what was well^ and refpeSlfuUy in- tended.
Sir^ I beg leave to add one word more as to the following Difcourfes : They have not ^ his confefs^dy fome of them efpecially^ been examind by me^ with that Care andCa$iti^ cn^ wherewith we ought always to prepare our f elves info polite an Age ^ for appearing
in
D E D i C A T I O >f j
in Fnblick ; certain Avocations ^ which were ima*voidable Joindred me from rendring them in fome meafnre at leaji more correSi,
4f my Readers will be fo kind as to par- don me fome Efcapes^ which they will ob- feri/Cy for the fake of this plain and humble Confejpon^it Jhallbe my Endeai/onr for the future y as I find Encouragement to go on in this Method^ to Jhew a more exaSt and due Regard to the fublick Tajte ^ which I am fenfible was never more refnd,
I conclude with a thankful Acknowledg- ment for a *i/ery handfome and feafonabk Jnjiance of Your Kindnefs to^
S I R,
Your moft Faithful and
Obedient Servant^
R, F I D D E S.
THE
CONTENTS.
SERMON I.
INnocence preferable to Repentance ; Qn LuliC xv, 7. Page I,
S E R MO N 11.
Of Tartaking in other Mens Sins ^ and of the Motives upon which we are more vfually induced to do it : Oh Ephef. V. 1 1 . p. 2.^
SERMON III.
How far the Tower of the Civil Magifirate extends^ to Punijh or Coerce Men of III Principles. And of the Duty and Regulation of Fraternal Reproof : On Prov. xix. 25. p. 52
S E R M'O N IV.
How far we are able to Account for the Difficulties that occur to w^ in confidcring the Attributes of Cody and
the Wtfdom^ Goodnefs and Juflice of his Providence^ with Reflect tn the $uferivgs of foed Men: On Job ii. 17. p- 7<^
§ E R-
CONTENTS,
SERMON V.
Of the Stated Times of Gocds IVorjhip^ particularly the ZjonTs Day \ with proper Rules and JDireUions for the Obfer'vation of it : On Lev. xxvi. 2. p- ?S
SERMON VI.
Of the Stated Places of God's Worjhipy and in what Man^- tier our Reverence towards them ought to he exprejfed s On Lev. xxvi. 2. p. 120
SERMON VIL
Of the Duty of Fearing God \ the Regulation of it ; the In" fluence it has to fupprefs Enviopn Thoughts ^ with proper A^otivfs to it : On Prov. xxiii. 17. p. 148
SERMON VIII.
^tf Circwn (lances efChrifi's Appearance in the Worlds jut OhjeUion againft the Truth of the Corifiian Religion-^ hut highly conducing both to confirm the Truth^ and enforce fhe Duties of it : On Ila. liii. 2. p. 16%
SERMON IX.
h wh^t Refpe^s Afp,iUiom are for our Advantage : On. Horn. viii. 28. p. 183
SERMON X. A Continuation of the fame SuhjeB^ with fever al ufeful /?i-. ferewes from it : On Rom. viii. 28. ' p. 205
SERMON XI.
The true Notion cf rndefiination Jiated: OnKom. viiL 25, 30. ' p. liy
CONTENTS.
SERMON XII.
'J%e Sin and Folly of all fraudulent or unjufi PraBices. The ordinary Methods of Go£s avenging "^u^ke againji them in this World: With the Reafons of it: On I Their, iv. 6. p. 2<$5
SERMON Xlll.
T^e Reafonahlenefs of Forgiving Injuries ^ The Common Pretences againfi it encjuird into ; And the Cafe of JDVELL ING particularly conjider'd : On Luke x vi. 37- P- 293
SERMON XIV. "ji Thankfgiving-Sermon on Augult the 23*^, 1705^ Or,' A Dijcourfe^ fiicwing that God-, in the Government of the Worlds aBs by Particular Wills : On Pfal. Ixv. 7.
p. 327
SERMON XV.
The Proof j^ and Influence -^ of a Future JVDGMENT: On A€is xxiv. 25. P- 355
THE
SERMON I.
Innocence preferable to Repentance.
LUKE XV. 7.
I fay unto you ^ That likervife 'Joy fhdl he in Heaven- over one Sinner that repent eth-, more than over ninety and, nine Jup Perfons, which need no Re* fentance.
1
'^ HE Defign of our Saviour in thefeWords^ is to encourage Sinners to Repentance, and to fliew how willing God is to re- ceive tlie greateft of them to Pardon and Grace upon it.
But this Goodnefs of God, which is defign'd to lead Sinners^ and which is in its own Nature a very engaging Motive to Repentance, is frequently abus'd by them to a quite contrary End and Intent. They etwouraffe themjel'ves ft'om it in their Wickednefs, ia hopes that fo good and merciful a God will ftill bear with them, and like an indulgent -Father, be always ready to meet them in their Return to him. Nay, they conclude from the Words of my Text, That the longer they continue in a fmful impenitent State, the more acceptable, if not in fome Degree meritorious, will their Repentance at lafi be.
For here, fay they, in the Parable, which thele
Words are the Application of, a Sinner, to denote
how great a Length he has run, iscompar'dby our
VOL.11, li Saviour
Q. SERMON I.
Saviour to a Loft Sheep •, the owner of which is re- ■prelented as very follicitous for recovering it ^ and having, after a diligent Search found it, he comes Home, and invites his Friends and Neighbours to re- joice with him upon the Occafion.
By iheOwner of the Sheep, we are here to under- ftand the Great and Eternal God, rvhofe rve are^ and from whom (in one Meafure or other) all of m^ as the Prophet fpeaks, like Sheep have gone afiray^ If. 53.6. And by Friends and Neighbours, are further meant the Holy Angels, and chief Minifters of the King- dom of Heaven.
Like-wife I fay vnto you^ that Joyjhall be in Heaven
(i.e. as our Lord explains it at the lothVerfe, in
the Prefence of the Angels of God) over one Sinner that
' repent ethf more than over ninety and nine jujt Perjons
which need no Repentance.
From what is here faid by our Saviour concerning the Holy Angels^ feme have taken Occafion to per- vert the Words to a very wrong Senfe in another Refpeft, and concluded from them, that thefe Blef- fed Spirits know our prefent Condition of Life, and the State of our Souls, and are therefore proper Ob- jects of our Invocation and Worfhip.
In Oppofition to both thefe falfe Gonclufions from . the Words before us, in Favour of a corrupt Wor- fhip, and a finful impenitent State of Lite ^ I fhall go upon the following Method ; and fhew (becaufe Hntend to infilt more particularly on the Latter Point) •,
F/V/?, That it can be no ways concluded, from this Text efpecially, that the Holy Angels know any thins; diredly of our Circumftances here below : Or admittine that chey do, yet this would be no good Ground of our Praying to, or Worfliipping them.
Secondly^ That there can be no Encouragement to any Siaaer to go on in a finful impeiiiteftt Courfe
of
S E R M O N L 5
of Life, from what is faid of God's Rejoicing with his Holy Angels at the Repentance of a Sinner, more than over Ninety and Nine Jult Perfons which need no Repentance ^ nor from any other Circumftance of the Parable, which thefe Words are the Conclu- Hon of
^fl. It can b'e no ways conclude^, from this Text efpecially. That the Holy Angels know anything diredly of our prefent Circumftances. That they are Miniftring Spirits, and maintain an Intercourle between Heaven and Earth \ That they are fent forth by God to execute the Orders of his Will, and the Defigns of his Providence in this World \ and laftly. That they know fomething at leaft of our External Conduft and Affairs, is what we reafonably may con- clude from other parts of Scripture. But the Words under Confideration, and which are fo commonly in- filled on by the Romamfts^ to juftify their Superftiti- ous AddreiTes to the Holy Angels, do not fo much as prove that they perform even thefe General Offices, or that they know any Thing in any Refpeft, fur- ther than 'tis particularly reveaVd to them, of the Affairs of Human Life •, and that for Two very good Reafons from the Circumftances of what is Ifiere fpoken. For,
I. That which the Blefled Angels are here fuppos^d io know, is the moft difficult of all other Things ia the World to be known: 'Tis the Repentance of a Sinner \ not the External Afts of Humiliation which accompany it, but the Sincere and Inward Difpoii- tion of his Heart, which only can be fupposM to occa- fion this Heavenly joy \ and which is not certainly Jtnown to the Sinner himfelf.
For how often are wicked Men deceived in their Good Purpofes and Refolutions of Amendment even when their Confciences feem m.oll awaken'd, and
h % they
4 S E R M O N I.
they' difcovcr many vifible Signs to themfelves and others,- of a true and hearty Remorle for their Sins >
Thofe who Minifter to fick Penitents, and whofe Office frequently obliges them to attend in the Anti- chambers of Death, have, God knows, too many Occafions of obferving this. With what Zeal and Paffioa will the greateft Libertines, under the Ap- prehenfion of Death, condemn and lament their for- mer vicious courfe of Life? How earneftly will they refblve upon a Reformation, if God pleafes tofpare them, and give them further Space for putting their good Refolutions in Pradice ?
Bui how often ftill do fuch Penitents impofe upon themfelves, and upon all about them? How often are they feen to relapfe into their former, or greater Impieties? Nay, is it not fometiraes obfervable, that their criminal Paflions renew in Proportion to the gradual Returns of Health*, and that as the Sen-fe o^f their Weaknefs abates, fo does the feeming Strength of their Faith, and Serioufnefs of their Repen- ^ tance.
Even Perfons whofe Hearts have not been altoge- ther corrupted, and who ia the main live under an awful Senfe of Religion, are fometimes deceived in the Judgments they make of their own Refolutions; and thro' fome extraordinary unhappy Circumftances of Temptation, are drawn in to do thofe Things, which, before their Paflions or Interefts were coa- cern'd in them, they would have look'd upon with ' Horror and Deteflation.
'Tis hard for the bell of us to know the Sincerity of our own Hearts. We are aflur'd however, that this Knowledge is too Excellent for any other crea- ted Being to attain unto: 'Tis the fpecial Preroga- tive of that Infiniteand Omniprefent Being, who is ; greater than our Hearts^ and knomth all Things.
Pardoi^j
S E R M O N I. 5
Pardon me, if I here take Notice of an Error, as 1 humbly conceive it, in the elegant Difcourfe of Afchbifliop Tillotfon upon thefe Words. He fuppo- fes the Holy Angels may know the fecret Bent and pifpofition of our Hearts. He puts the Queftion, " Whether they may not come to this Knowledge, ** by Virtue of their Miniftry for the good of the '* Eled-, and fo in theip continual Intercourfe be^ «' tween Heaven and Earth, bring to their Fellow- *' Servants in Heaven, the joyful News of the Re- *' pentance of Sinners upon Earth. He afterwards adds^ " 'Tis impoflible to determine this Matter.
But with all Deference to fo great a Name, it feems evident, that whatever the Angels know of our Af- fairs in other Refpefts, yet they cannot know the fe- cret Motions and Intentions of our Hearts, efpecial- ;iy in the Work of Converfion, which 'tis fo dilli-i cult for us to have any certain Knowledge of our felvcs: And yet without knowing this, 'tis impofii- ble that the Angels, notwithltanding their continual Intercourfe between Heaven and Earth, fhould be able to make any true and certain Report to their Fellow-Creatures in Heaven, of the Repentance of Sinners upon Earth.
So that this Text of Scripture, which is brought to piove that the Holy Angels have Knowledge of our Affairs, is of all others the moft improper and infignificant to this End \ becaufe if it proves they know any thing relating to our prefent State, it proves too much, and fuppofes their Knowledge of what is impoffible, ('S}icc])tt\\c Searcher of Hearts re- veal it to them,) to be known.
2. And therefore 'tis to be obferv'd inthefecond Place, that the Occafion of their Joy is communica- ted to them from God. There is joy in the Pre fence of the Angels of God, Ivc^-ttiov ^o iyfiKccv t^ Gj?, before the Face, or in the Sight of the Angels of God \ God nunifeilsin a manner, 'tis neither needful, jiorprr-
B 3 haps
6 SERMON I.
hips pofllble for us at prefent to know, the Convert fioa of a Sinner to thefe his Celeftial Friends and Neiglbcurs ; they do not inform him, nor bring ^he joyful Isievvs of it to one another.
Tho' 'tis probable, that the Son of God, who came to feek and fave, that which was lofi^ being now fet down at the Right Hand of his Father in Quality of our High-Prieft, and as Head and Protedor of the Church, this Joy may be more immediately Commu- nicated from Him, and receive a fenfible Addition from the Exultation of his human Nature, wherewith He appears in the V re fence of God for uif Heb. 9. 24..
But further^ admitting the Holy Angels have Knowledge of our prefent Affairs, or if you pleafe, of our fpiritual State, yet this can be no Ground for our praying to, or wovfliipping them 1 would not willingly enter too far into Controverfy ^ and there- fore fhall reduce what 1 have to fay upon this Point to the following Particulars.
ift. That we have no Command in Scripture for the Invocation or Worfhipof Angels, nor Example to authorize or juftify either ; but we have both Pre- cept, (Col. 1. 18.) and what amounts in Effedl to a ruled Cafe to the contrary, Rev. 11. 9.
2. When Angels appear'd to Men in a Human Form, the Addreffes that were made to them were Matter of civil Refpeft, and not of religious Ado- ration ^ except when the Divine Logos himfclf af- fum'd an Angel. But whatever Refped good Men might pay to the Angels, which as the Scriptures record, appear'd to them, yet their Example can be no Rule to us to addrefs our feives to difiant and in- viiible Powers.
3. Invocation of Angels is derogatory to the Ho- nour of Chrifl:, who intercedes for us in our own Na- ture •, and liaving both a perfect Knowledge and com- paffionateScnfeof our Wants, needs no intermediate Applications to him in our Behalf-, for to this End,
thaE
S E R M O N I. f
that He might be touch'd with our Infirmities, He .-\^ took not on him the Nature of Angels^ but He took on Him " ' the Seed of Abraham. There were other Ends, 'tis granted, and many wife and excellent Ends of his Incarnation, but 'tis evident this was nottheleaft confiderable ^ particularly, //e^. 4. 15, i6. the Apo- ftle makes the Incarnation of Chrift an Argument, why we Ihould in Confidence of his Favoui and Compaffion diied our Prayers immediately to him. For we have not an High'Prieft that cannot be touched •with the feeling of our Infirmities^ but was in all Points tempted like as we are^ yet without Sin- Let hs therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Crace^ that we may obtain Mercy ^ and find Grace to help in time of Need,
4. Tho' the Holy Angels in the Difcharge of their Miniftry, may on certain Occafions, know our Cir- cumftances, both with Refped to our Temporal and Spiritual State, yet it does not follow, that thofe Occafions are known to us, or that they can at all times hear our Prayers, or if they could, that they arc authoriz'd to prefent them unto God *, nay, we have very great Reafon from the foregoing Confide- ration of Chrift's Mediatorial Office to believe the contrary. But I proceed to what I principally pro* pos'd to infift upon, (viz^.)
idly^ That there can be no Encouragement to any Sinner to continue in a finful impenitent State, from what is here fa id of God's rejoicing with his Holy Angels, at the Repentance of a Sinner^ more than over ninety and nine jufi Per fans which need no RepentA7ice\ nor from any other Circum (lance of this Parable.
The Joy of the Holy Angels in the Prefence of God is an Argument indeed, that the Repentance of a Sinner at any time is highly pleafing and accepta- ble unto him, but 'tis by no means an Argument, that all Sinners, efpecially fuch who have liv'd for any long time in a general Contempt of the Lav/s of Re- ligion, (hall have Time or Grace to repent j it rather
B 4 indeed
S s i: R M O N I.
indeed implies the contrary •, that Repentance to fuch P^rfons '- ,::Vtn;y haza-rdtms and difficult Work, that their Condition is dangerous, and their Recovery at the belt very doubtful.
For the Joy here mention'd does not arife from a fix'd and fettled Complacency of Mind, but is a Joy of Surp)'iz.e from an extraordinary or uncommon Ac- cident : As when we have in a manner given any Thing over for loft, the Recovery of it by one Ca- fualty or other, caufes in us a more fenfible Joy, than for the Time many other fuperior Advantages, which we ftand poflefs'd of: the Mind of Man be- ing fo limited, that any one moving Pleafure or Sa- t-isfidfion at a time, in a great Meafure takes up the Capacity of it.
'Tis by way of Accommodation to this ijnperfeft State of Human Nature, that we are to underftand the Joy of the Holy Angels in the Prefence of God upon a Sinner's Repentance •, Namely^ fuch a Joy as arifes from an Accident or Event, which morally fpeaking, there was no great Probability or Expecta- tion of.
For indeed, to carry on a while the Metaphor of a loft Sheep, wharreafonable, what tolerable Grounds can any Sinner have to expe6^, that if he forfake the Paths of Virtue and Innocence to wander in the dark and intricate Ways of Sin ^ or toexprefs my felf in the beautiful and fignificant Language of the Book of Wifdom, if he err from the Way of Truth, to weary him- felf in the Way of Wickednefs and DefirvEhion^ and to go througkthc DefartSj rvhcre no Way lies, Wifd. 5.7. where 1 fay, is the Hope of fuch a Sinner, that he fhall be able to recover himfelf, and return? The further he goes and entangles himfelf, will it not be ft ill more difficult for him to find his Way out •, and will he not at the fame time render thofe Means and Endeavours which are made \}{:e of to find htm^ ftill more difficult ?nd ineffcctuaL .. I 'dm
S E R M O N I. 9
1 am fenfible Men arc apt to think, that how vici- ous and irregular foever their LivesMjave been, yet there can be nothing more eafy to them than at any time to put in Praftice a Defign fo very jufl: and rea- Ibnable, as that of repenting and turning to God, and doing what they are convinc'd they ought to ^o.
The Juftice and Realbnablenefs of fuch a DelTgn, is indeed what we are every one co»i;;W^ of-, but if it be withal fo eafy to put in Pradlice, as the Sinner fuppofes, why'does he not out of Hand fet about it? If he was not able to beat down his finful Paflions, while he was but yet entring upon a wicked courfe of Life, or had not proceeded very far in it, why fliould he imagine himfelf capable of making a more vigo* rous Stand or Refiftance againft future Temptation ? If he will not retreat while Confcicnce is yet tender, and he has fome Strength and good Difpofition of Mind left, what Probability can there be of his maintaining the Combat, when the Enemy ftill ad- vances, and every Moment ftreightens, and gains Ground upon him.
For here the AllufTon to a lofl; Sheep leaves us ; every ftep a Sinner takes in an evil Courfe, is not only a further Remove from the Paths of Virtue and Innocence, but renders him at once more unable and more unwilling to return into them: In Proportion as his finfiil Pallions and Inclinations are indulg'd, the greater Power they get over him, and fo much the more Time, and Pains, and Force of Mind will be required to fubdue them, efpccivilly if they be grown lip into confirm'd and fettled Eabtts.
All Habits naturally, or rather mechanically pro- duce in us a Facility of A(^ion •, and many Things we accuflom ourfelves to, tho' at firll troublefome, which by Degrees grow eafy, and in time pleafint and de- lightful ; but Sin ftrikcs early in with our Tempers and Inclinations-, it approaches us with deluding Smiles, and promifespr^y>«f Delight and Satisfaction.
• Kow
to S E R M O N Ir
Kow we are never fooner put to flight, than when we take the Field againft Pleafure ^ for we would be> always happy, and by necefTary Confequence always pleased.
When therefore any finful Inclination is become habitual to us, when it has got the Dominion over our Hearts •, when it has for a long time defil'd the Imagination, and (as it commonly happens) infatua- ted our Rcafon^ how difcouragmg muft the Attempt, how painful zht Endeavour be. to recover our for- mer Freedom, and the Power over our felves we have fo (hamefully loll: ? Conhder it, my Brethren, a little fuithci : When a Sinner has brought him- ielf into this flavifn and wretched Condition, wken the very Delire of being freed from his Chains is be- come dijfficult to him, and yet he fins with a defign of Taking up, and Repenting one time or other *, How vain and fenfelf Ts, how full of Contradiction does fuch a Delign aivpear? And what Probability, or rather indeed what P"jfibiHty h there of hoping for any good EfFeft from it ?
'Tis true, that which is impofiible to Men, (or which in all Human Expeftation they can have no Reafon to hope for) is pofljble to God *, and God does fometimes by an extraordinary Grace awaken fuch an habitual Sinner to a juft Senfe of his Sins, and bring him to Repentance : But extraordinary Events, and fpecial Afts of Grace, are not to be drawn into Handing Rules of Life in any Cafe, much lefs in a Cafe, upon which the Happinefs or Mifery of a Man depends to all Eternity.
But is it, after all, no Encouragement to a Sinner to continue for fome time longer in an impenitent StatCj that if he live to repent at lafl:, there will be more Joy in Heaven over him, than over Ninety and nine Juft Perfons which need no Repentance ? This is what the Method I propos'd requires, I fhould particularly confider. And in Anfvver to what is
here
S E R M O N I. n
here faid, we grant-, Ifthefe Words imported that Repentance is more acceptable to God than a State of Innocence, or that he will reward it in fome more fignal and extraordinary manner,* aSinnerthat.de- lays his Converflon in hopes of an After-Repentance, would have fomething more to fay forhimfelr: For where we have a Profpect of a very great and con- fiderable Return, by running a Hazard, 'tis the more cxcufable at leaft to do it : But the Words import neither of thefe Things.
I. They do not import that Repentance is more acceptable to God, than a State of Innocence : The Joy in Heaven here fpoken of, is, as we obferv'd before, a tranfient Joy of Surprize, or a fudden Ex- ultation of Mind, arifing from an extraordinary or unexpefted Event. Of God, we are to underftand this Joy in the fame Senfe we do other Paffions, when attributed to him after the manner of Men, and by way of Condefcenfion to our imperfed No- tions of Things. As to the Holy Angels, I fee no Reafon why they may not on fo happy an Occafion be mov'd and affedcd with Joy, in a more fen fible manner. But we can no more conclude from hence, that Repentance is Matter of greater Joy to God and his Holy Angels, than Innocence ^ than we can fup- pofe, that a Man ought to fet a greater Value upon, a Sheep that he has loft, and regain'd, than upon his whole Flock befides -^ or that a piece of Money wc have dropp'd or miflaid, and unexpectedly found, re- ceives thereby an intrinfick Value, and will be cur- rent for more than a hundred other Pieces of the fame Stamp.
But further. By Juft Men, which need no Re- pentance, we are not to underftand Men perfedly Innocent p but fuch as have liv'd fo, that they may be denominated (as we fay) Juft kmajori., from the general Bent and Tenor of their Lives. If we were to take the Words in a ftrict Senfe, our Lord would
fnp"
21 S E R M O N I.
fuppofe a Cafe which never -happens. For according to the full and ftrid Demands of Juftice, JJjallno Man living be jufiifed. The Words therefore, according to a ufual way of fpeaking in the Holy Scriptures, exprefs abfolutely, what is only to be underftood in a comparative Senfe ; and fignify to us, that thofe extraordinary Ads of Penance and HumiIiation,thofe bitter Conflid^ with Sin and Temptation, are not iiecefiary in the fime Meafure and Degree, to Per- fons that confcientioufly endeavour to ferve God,tho' fbbjeft to a great many Frailties and Efcapes \ as they are to Sinners, that mufl: change their whole courfe of Life, and undergo the Pangs of the New Birth all at once. Now thefe great Difficulties, which habi- tual Sinners and late Penitents have to furmount, do (it mufl: be own'd) render their Repentance a very brave and commendable Work, and upon that Ac- count put them more upon a Level with thofe, who have been all along more careful to preferve their Purity and Innocence^ yet 'tis far from proving, except in fuch uncommon Cafes, as I fhall afterwards take notice of, that late Penitents are more in the Efteem and Favour of God, than thofe who have cndeavour'd to ferve him truly all the Days of their Life. And then,
1. If a late Repentance do not entitle a Sinner to the greater favour of God, what Grounds can he have to hope from it a greater Reward ? For ac- cording to the main Defign and Tenor of the Gofpcl, and the Method wherein the ]udge of the World will proceed at the hft Day, the different Degrees of Reward in anof:h.er Life, arc not to be proportioned to the Circumftances of a p^mcz/Z^^r Repentance, but to the patient Continuance of Men in well doin^^ throughout the General Courfe of their Lives, Rom.
Has a late Penitent then, or one who has been rc- cl'dim;'d from a long Cuftom and Continuance in Sio,
no
S E R M O N I. 3t
no Advantage in any Cafe, of a Perfon, who has in the main difcharg'd a good Confcience, and led a fo- ber and regular Life ?
I anfwer, thciUm fome Cafes he may, however, not from any Argument that can be drawn diredly from the Words of my Text, but from other accidental and extraordinary Circumftances. As,
I. Where a late Penitent iscall'd to confefs fome important Truth of Religion, or to be an eminent Example of the Power of Chriflian Faith and Forti- tude. In fuch a Cafe, the Nature and Quality of his Repentance, may more than over-balance the ordinary and flow Advances of Piety in other Men. And this feems to have been a very confiderable Circumftance of the Cafe of the Penitent Thief. It is fuppos'd by Divines, that he had heard before of cur Saviour, and the Miracles done by him ^ but I conceive, it is beyond Suppofitionthat he ^^^. We cannot fo fully apprehend, why our Lord fhould have given fo fignal a Tellimony of his ConfefTion, if it had proceeded merely from a fudden Tranfport of Zeal, and not from any rational Motives or Grounds of Convidion •, however his confeffing Chrift at a time when his familiar Friends and Dit ciples had forfaken him, and when he feem'd to be in Circumftances fo very unfuitable to his Charader of the Mefliah, was fo noble and generous an ad of Faith, that our Lord immediately made him that glorious Promife upon it, This Bay fimlt thou be with me in Faradife.
idly^ When an habitual Sinner that repents, lives to do Vl^orks meet for Repentance, and by his exem- plary Piety or charitable Admonitions, is an Inftru- ment of reclaiming others from the Error, or Evil of their Ways. By bringing forth thefe generous Fruits of Repentance, we at once do Glory to God, and the greateft Good we are capable of doing to Men. Accordingly there are yery advantagious Things fpo-
14 S E R M O N I.
ken in Scripture, of thofe who are the happy Occa- sion, either of bringing fuch as are in Error to the jicknoxvledgment of Truths or of turning the Hearts of the Difobedient to che Wifdom of ihe Juft. He that converteth a Sinner^ faith the Apoftle, from the Error of his Ways^ jha/l fave a Soul from Death^ and pall hide a Multitude of Sim. The Prophet Daniel fpeaks no lefs magnificently of thofe, who under God, are the means of bringing others to Repentance ^ They that i:irn many to Right eoufnefs^ jl)alljJnne oa the Stars for ever Und ever^ Dan. I2, 3.
;. 3<^/y, When a late Penitent devotes himfelf entire- ly to the Service of God •, when he diftinguifhes him- felf by extraordinary Ads of Piety or Charity, of Humiliation and Self-denial •, when he is careful to redeem the Time., by laying hold of, and improving every Occafion that offers, of doing Honour to God, and ffoing on ftill to Perfedion. Such a Penitent, I lay, by this his After-Care and Double-Diligence, may in fomeMeafure compenfate for his former lofs of Time, and come up with thofe, or perhaps put before them, who fet out fooner, but kept on at a more moderate and eafy Pace.
Thefe, 'tis confefs'd, are fometimes theCircum- ftancesof late Penitents, and they prove indeed that true and fmcere Repentance is never too late -^ but they do not prove, that a late Repentance is always true ; or that a Sinner ihall live to i-epent ^ or, if he fhouW, that his Repentance would be attended with thefe CircumUances ; and therefore there can be no Ground or Reafon, from them, of his continuing in an impenitent State. If we will aft wifely, we are not to govern our Conduft by uncommon Cafes, but by the mofl: probable and ordinary Event of Tnings.
It only remains, that. I fhouldconfider in the laft Place, whether there i^c any other Circumflancesin this Parable, which may give the leaft Encourage- ment to a Sinner, to go oa ftill in an impenitent Statc^
upon
S E R M O N I. 15
upon a Prefumption, that at laft he (hall occafion the Joy in Heaven here fpoken of.
The Paflage cioft likely to be mifapply'd to this End, is, That the Owner of the loft Sheep is faid to go after it tiil he fud it. The good Woman that had loft a piece of Money, lights a Candle, fweeps her Hoiife, 2ind. feeks diligently uW Ihe find it. Thefe parabolical Exprejlions are interpreted by the Cdvi^ nifis^ in favour oi effedual Vocation ; they conclude from them. That whoever is of the Number of thofe Sheep, for whom Chrift laid down his Lite, tho' at .prefent he does not experience in himfelf any Evi- dences of his Salvation or Converfion, yet God will one time or other own and convert him by an irrefi- ftible Power of his Grace.
Now upon this Suppofition the moft profligate Sin- ners may indeed have fome faint Hopes, that their Day of Grace is yet to come •, but till it do come, they conclude agreeably enough to their Principles, that it is to no Purpofe for them to be at any Pains, about Religion, or the fubduingtheirfinful Habits, feeing all their Endeavours to this End would be vain .and fr'uitlefs, and even their beft Adions no better than fpUndid Sins •, they think 'tis as well to fit down, and await the due time of their Vocation : God may call them at the fixth Hour,or perhaps at the eleventh Hour : His Call they aflure themfelves will be effica- cious, and overcome all Difficulties whatever, arifing from their evil Dlfpofitions, or Habits. But,
In anfwer to this, I defire to lay before you the following Conliderations.
1)?, That the Parable of the Labourers in the Vine- yard here alluded to, does not relate to the fanftifying Grace of God in the Converfion of particular Sin- ners, but of the Gvace of his Difpenfations in gene- ral, in admitting Perfons at feveral Periods of Time into the Communion and Privileges of his Church." g^t fuppofing this Parable was primarily intended to
%ai«
i6 SERMON!.
ilgnify, that God is willing at all times to recdve penitent Sinners to Favour,yet it does not follow that alt Perfons will be obedient to the Heavenly Ca/l, or that the Spirit of God will effedually operate Saving* Grace in them •, thofe efpecially, who have been caB'd upon to God's Service, from the time they were ca- pable of refuling the Evil and ehuilng the Good ^ thofe to whom God has ftretch'd out his Hand all the Day long ^ to whom his Word has been preach'd, his Sacraments adminiftred, and who have been be- ieech'd over and over in Chriji^s Bead to be reconcWd to God \ fuch Offenders certainly have the leaft Reafoii to hope,that the Spirit of God will always Itrive with them, and at lafl forcibly overcome them to Repen- tance, without any Motion or Concurrence of therr own towards it. But they have great Reafon to ap- ply to thcmfelves that Commination of God by Sold' tnon^ Prov. I. 24, 25, 25. Bccaufe I have called^ and ye refufed, I have jtretd/d out my Hand^ and no Man regar- ded J but ye have fet at nought all my Counfel^ and would none of my Reproof: I alfo will laugh at your Calamity^ I will mock when your Fear cometh^ &c.
2. If an irrefiftible Grace be neceflary to the Con- veriion of Sinners, it evidently follows, that no Per- fon could have been converted, before he adually was converted ; and therefore that all the Expoftu- lations, all the Precepts and Promifes, and Commi- nations of Scripture, which were made ufe of to per- faade him to Repentance, were but fo many more pompous and folemn Collufions, without any real In- tention on God's part to produce the Effect, they fo evidently appear'd to propofe. A Confequence which a juft Concern for the Honour and Perfedion of the Divine Attributes will by no means fuffer us to, admit.
.3. Tlie main Foundation upon which this Do- ft-rine of irreliftible .Grace would fupport it felf is fallc. Tis fiippos'd from thofe metaphorical Exprcf-
fions
S E p. M O N I. 17
fions in Scripture, \)ifhich reprefent Men in an unre- generate State, as blind and as dead in Trefpafles and Sins, that they are altogether P^we in the Work of Regeneration •, that of themfelves they have no more Capacity to receive the faving Truths of Religion, or to do any thing that has the leaft Tendency to what is good in any Refped, than a Man who has perfed- ly loft his Sight, is able tb diftinguiih Colours, or a dead Man to raife himfelf to Life again. Now, upon this Suppofition, 'twould be, in the firfi place^ as in- ilgnificant tp exhort Unbelievers to embrace the Chriftian Faith, and to reafon with them upon the particular Truths of it, (which yet was the Method both our Lord and his A poftles frequently took) as if you fhould advife a blind Man to open his Eyes to the Light, and fhew him how unreafonable it is, that he fhould ftill refolve to keep them fliut againft it.' Befides, if Figurative Allufions in Scripture were al- ways to be taken in aftriftSenfe, we may argue by Parity of Reafon, that becaufe Chriftians are faid to have the Eyes of their Vnderflanding enlightened^ and are call'd Light in the Lord^ 'tis not poflible for them to fall into Error \ contrary to known Faft, to what is acknowledged on all Sides, and to what our Blef« fed S<«t;/o«r himfelf evidently fuppofes in thofe Words,' Mat. 6.2^, If the Light that is in thee be Darknefs^ hoXQ^ great is that Darknefs ?
So again, if by being dead in TrefpafieS and Sins,^ we are tounderftand Men in a. Stsite perfe^ly pafiive, and infenfible to all ImpreflloAS of Religion ^ befides that all Exhortations to them to Religious Duties,- would equally be unnecelTary, not to fay impertinent; we may as reafonably conclude, that fince the Re- generate are faid, Rom. 6.11, to be dead unto Sin^ therefore they are abfolutely impeccable, and have not fo much as the leaft Motion to Sin, or Principle of Concupifcence remaining in them.
VOL. IK C ia
i8 S E R M ;0 N I.
la fhort, to build Dodrines of Religion upon tfic Ornamental Paflages which are mention'd in the Pa- rables of Scripture, for the more agreeable Turn of them, or upon any other Metaphorical Expreffions in it, is to pervert the Rule of our Faith, to patro- nize the moft dangerous and deftrudlive Errors •, to make it capable of alTerting any Thing, and for that Reafoa of proving Nothing. And that the Expref- fions I have mention'd cap not be interpreted agree- able to the Analogy of Faith, in the Senfe of the Calvifsiffi^'h ch3iT from thofe Paflages of Scripture, which diredly fiippofein Sinners, the Freedom and Concurrence of their Wills, in the Work of their Converfion. Such is that of our Saviour, Job. 5. 40-. Te will not come to me, that ye might have Life. He complains to the fame Effect, in a very tender and compafiionate manner, of the Jews^ Mat. 23.37. ^^^^ tho' he would have gathered them together ^ yet they would mt. Which Words, as far as we can argue from the proper Signification of Words, plainly import thefe Two Things j that the Will or Defire of jefus ChriO:, for the Salvation of Sinners, is not always efficacious ; and, that the Difappointment of it, is wholly owing to the Abufe of our Liberty. There are other Texts, which as fully import, that a good Ufe of our Liberty is neceflary to render the Grace of God efledual. Such is that of our BleOed Sa- viour, wherein he calls upon Sinners with fo fen- iiblc a Concern to come vnto him-, Matth. 11. 28. Agreeable to which kind and engaging Invitation, arelhele Words, Rev. 3.20. Behold I ft and at the Door^ and knock \ if ajiy Man hear my Voice., and open the Door, I will come into him^ and will fnp with him, and he with me.
• %. \ fiiall but urge one Argument more againfl this Do^rinc of Invincible Grace ; and that fliall be taken from the Parable of the Talents. There our Lord reprcfeiits God Almighty, as diltributing to Men the
Graces
S E Px M O N I. ip
Graces of his Holy Spirit, in different Meafures and Degrees. And this Method of God's Dealing with his Creatures, is highly agreeable to our common Kotions of Juftice : Becaufe Ads of Goodnefs and Liberality are free ; and God, by difpenfing his Hea- venly Favours more liberally to one Perfon, does ano- ther Perfcn no Wrong. Accordingly we obferve in Fact, that there are fome Perfons of a more fhining, eminent and uniform Piety than others •, Some^ under filch favourable Circumftances with refped ro natural Temper, virtuous Principles, and a religious Convcr- fation, that they feem to have their Faces fet, as it were, towards Sion^ and to be in a Difpofition at leaft, which very much tends to facilitate the Opera- tions of Grace. But we fay withal, that there are none of us to whom God has not committed a fuffi^ cicfit Meafure of his Grace, to enable us to work out our own Salvation. And this is what we argue from the very Condemnation of that unprofitable Servant, who had but One Talent committed to him. For, either it was given him with a Defign that he Ihould frcfit withal by it, or it was not. If it were given him with this Defign, the Point we contend for is gain'd : If it were not, how fliall we account for the Wifdom and Sincerity of God, in requiring this poor Wretch to do what was abfolutely impoITible to be done ? But much lefs fhall we be able to vindicate the Ju- llice of God in punifbing him, ay, and in condem- ning him to the greater Punifhment, for what he could not help ? Mat.i<^.^o. This is not an Ar- gument drawn from a foreign Circumftances, or mere incident of the Parable, but from one princi- pal Scope and Defign of it ^ which is to fhew us, that as the Means of Grace are committed to us with a fincere Intention on God's Part that we fhould frofit under them ; fo at the Great Day of Account, we fh:iU feverely anfvver for our Contempt and Ahufs of them.
C 2 Having
so SERMON 1,
Having gone thro' the feveral Particulars I pro- pos'd to fpeak to, 1 fhall draw a fhort Inference or two from what has been faid, and fo conclude. And,
I. If the Repentance of a Sinner be fo pleafing to God, that he communicates the joyful 3S!otice of it to his Holy Angels ; then certainly, as we would fin- cerely endeavour to fleafe God, we ought (next to our own Converlion) to contribute what we are able to the Converfion of others. The Charge of the Apoftle is general, and concerns all Chriftians 9 Heb. 3. 1 3. Exhort one another daily ^ while it is called to Daj/y leB any of you he hardned thtough the deceitfulnefs of Sin.
But thofe to whom the Word of Reconciliation is committed., and whofe peculiar Office it is to befeech JMen in Chrift's Head to be reconcil'd to God •, fuch Perfons, I fay, can give no Account of their Mini- Itry to God, to themfelvcs, or others, if they negleft any Opportunity of inftruding Men in their Duty, or exhorting them to the Pradice of it •, if they are not inftant in Seafon^ and out ofSeafon : That is, if they do not exceed the common Meafures of Chriftiaii Zeal to thefe Ends, and lay themfelves out in all the proper Ways and Means of bringing Sinners to Re- pentance, whether they will hear^ or whether they will forbear.
An Obligation arifes to Perfons of the Sacred Or- der, from the Nature of their Office, to promote, as they have Opportunity, the Spiritual Good and Edi- fication of all Men : But ftill 'tis more efpecially incumbent on them, to take care of thofe who are of their own Houfhold, and more immediately com- mitted to their Charge. How then will they anfwer this Obligation, of endeavouring the Converfion of thofe they are fet over in the Lord, who file to fome remote and lazy Retreat from them, and do not fo much as converfe with them j except perhaps on cer- tain
S E R M O N I. SI
tain Occafions, when the main Bufinefs that brings them together, is oblerv'd not to be of a Spiritual, but Temporal Confideration ?
I do not hereby intend, but that there are many juftifiable Occafions, upon which thofe who have the Cure of Souls may for a time be callM away from their Flocks : The Laws of the Church allow of it in fpecial Cafes : But except where they difpenfe, and the Difpenfation can be pleaded bona Fide^ there for Paftors to leave a Work which it principally concerns them to attend, as Tley that muft give an Account ; and for which the Belt, and Wifelt, and Ablefl of Men complain of their Infufficiency ; to leave fuch a Work, I fay, to be carry'd on who/ly by Deputation, and that perhaps of raw unexperienc'd Youth, is what nothing can be faid in excufe of, when either we confider the Duties of the Paftoral Office in general, or the folemn and particular En- gagement, the Clergy enter into, when they take it upon them.
idly^ From the familiar Method our Saviour here makes ufe of, to inftruft Men in their Duty, thofe who labour in the Word and Doftrine,may learn how to difcharge this part of their Function to the bell Effed ; and that is, by ftooping to the Capacity of their Hearers,2nd forwarding their Notices of Divine Truths by eafy and fenfible Reprefentations. The Son of God did not, we fee, difdain to refer in his Heavenly IijftruSions, to the molt common and or- dinary Occurrences of Human Life. Let his Example be a Rule to us : Let us confider, that all Perfons are not capable of attending to the pure Light of Reafon; and that to fuch as are not, we ought as much as poflihle to fhew Virtue in a Light, that ftrikes their Senfes ^ or however, to make it our principal De- fign to inftruft Men in all faving Truths, and teach them the Fear of the Lord in Simplicity and godly Sincerity. Above all Things, in our Difcourfes to
C 3 the
ai S E R M O N I.
the People, we ought to avoid Fhilofopliical and nice Speculations, which are too high for them, and all fuch foreign Arguments, as may give them Occa- iion to fufped, that we preach not ^e/^^ C/jr//?, but our felves.
sdly, and Laflly, From what has been faid, we may infer the great Advantages of an early Piety : Thofe that have been fo happy as to prefcrve their Innccency from their tender Years, have fecur'd to themfelves thefe Two great and unfpeakable Advan- tages ; that they are neither expos'd to thofe Difficul- ties, which late Penitents mufl expeft to combat with, before they can get the better of their evil Ha- bits ^ nor to the uncertainty of ^future Space, Vv'here- in to work out their Salvation by a fincere Repen- tance. And both thefe are very powerful Confidera- tions to recommend to young Perfons, an early Dedi- cation of themfelves to the Service of God, tho' it Ihould be granted, that a late Repentance were equal- ly acceptable to him. For all prudent Perfons will think themfelves concern'd to make a Work which is neceflary to their Happinefs, as eafy as they can, and in the fame View will forecafl, that they may have fufficient Time and Opportunity to do it in.
If you have wanted thi^s ineftimable Advantage of remembringpwr Creator in the Days of your Touth^ and for want of it have liv'd hitherto in a general Neg- left of your Duty, or brought your felves under the Power of any dangerous finfiii Habits, yetconlider, 'tis iUll by the Grace of God in your Power to reftore your felves, upon a hearty Repentance, to his FtJ- vour*, and the longer you delay to fet about it, you will have at once lefs Inclination to it, and lefs Power to conflict with the Difficulties of it -^ tho' you (hould, which yet you can have no Afllirance of, have fur- ther time granted you for it. Let me therefore ex- hort you in the Words of the Prophet Jcr. 1 8. 1 1, 1 2v
Return
S E R M O N I. 2^
Return you now every one from his evil Way^ and maJiS your Ways and- your Doings good.
For the Defigii of what has been faid, is not t6 difcourage the greateft Sinners from Repentance, but to exhort them to it, and fliew them the Danger of continuing any longer in an impenitent State ; 'tis much better to prevent a Bifeafe, than to be at the Charge and Pains, and run the Rifque of a Cure; but when 'tis come to this, that the Diftemper has feizM us, we ought to endeavour the Cure, and no further delay the proper Methods of it. What I chiefly intend, is, That could we really be fecure of recovering our felves, and getting to Heaven at latf by a late Repentance, yet an innocent and religion? Courfe of Life has always the Advantage of fuch a Repentance, except in thofe uncommon and extraor- dinary Cafes, which no Sinner in f articular hasrca-^ fonable Grounds to believe will be his own Cafe.
C 4 SER-
«4
[SERMON II.
Of Partaking in other Men'^s Sins •, and of the Motives upon which we are more ufually induced to do it.
EPHES. v.ii.
'H^ve no Felku^jhip with the unfruitful Works of Darkfiefs,
WH E N we are inftrumental la converting Sin« ners from the Evil of their Ways, and bring- ing them to Repentance, we engage in the Defigns of God ; we labour in the fame glorious Work with his Minilters, the Holy Angels ^ we occafion to our Fel- low-Labourers a frefli Scene of Joy in Heaven. And one would think it needlpfs to perfuade Chriftians to fojuit, fo charitable and heavenly, an Employment, jand withal fo Beneficial to themfelves.
Yet there are Chriflians, or fuch as profefs them- felves fo, who inftead of ufing their Endeavours to perfuade Sinners to repent and turn to God, enter in- to a finful Commerce with them, and fo go over as it were to the oppofite Intcrefts of Hell, and the Powers of Darknefs •, and ferve the Vefym of that: wicked Spirit, who ftill works in the Children of Dif-
gbedience^ 'Jis to caution you and my felf againft fb
finful
SERMON IL 25
finful and dangerous a Commerce, that 1 have made Choice of thefe Words for the Subjed of my prefent Difcourfe. Have no Fellowjhlp with the nnfruitfui Works of Darhnefs : /"» avyKoivmeiTii Do not communicate with, or be Partakers of them ^ for fo the Word is render'd, Vhil. 4^ 14. and Rev. 18.4.
To have Fellow fhip therefore with the unfruitful Works of Darknefs, is, in any kind or degree, to contribute to, or partake of other Mens Crimes: And therefore, in difcourfing on the Words,
F/ri?, I fhall enquire in what Refpeds we may be faid to do this.
Secondly^ I (hall confider the Motives, upon which Men are more ufually induc'd to do it.
Thirdly^ 1 fhall conclude with a Pradical Improve- ment or two of what has been faid.
Firfi^ I am to enquire, in what Refpefts we may be faid to partake of other Mens Sins.
Now this may be done either more indireftly, and without any particular ill Intention •, or more ex- prefly, with a real and form'd Defign of encouraging Vice. And tho' in this latter Cafe, 'tis true, we in- volve our felves more deep in other Mens Crimes, yet in the former, we are more or lefs, asCircum- ftances vary. Partakers of them. I fhall therefore fpeak particularly to both thefe Cafes. And
1/. We more indiredly partake of other Mens Sins, when we either forbear to make ufe of our Au- thority to prevent their Sinning, or omit to give them proper and good Jdvice^ or to reprove them •, or jaftly, when by our Difcourfes^ or Writings^ov Ex-imple^ >ve become the Occafions of Sin to them'^
I. When we forbear to make ufe of our Authori- ty toprfffwf their Sinning. Magiltrates, Parents and Mailers, and thofewho have the Cure of 8ouls, are particularly concerned under this iiead ^ bccaufe the
very
c6 S E R M O N II.
very Nature and Defign of the Relation they {land in to the Sinner, obliges them to be the Mmiflers of Cod to him, and to keep him from falling into Sin. ^ So that by the Abufe of that Jufl Authority, whereby ' they might have laid convenient and vvholefome Re- ftraints upon him, they are evidently fo far ac- countable for the Diforders he is guilty of. Thus with refped to Spiritual Paftors and Teachers, whole Office it is to warn the Wicked from their wicked Ways, to fave their Life ^ God threatens indeed, that if fuch wicked Men continue impenitent, they fhall die in their Iniquity •, but he threatens notwithftand- ing, that he will require their Blood at the Hands of thofe, thro' whofe Supinenefs or Kegleft they were not recover'd out of the dangerous State they were in, E^ek. 3. 18. And 'tis probably in All ufion to this Paftage, that St. Paid profefles himfelf pre from the Blood of all Men^ in that he had ftridly and faithfully difcharg'd his Palloral Duty, and not omitted to declare, as there was Occafion, all the Counfel ofGody Afts 20. 25, 27-
With refpeft to the Paternal Office, we have a memorable Example in Old Ell, of the Guilt which Parents contract by a Criminal Indulgence to their Children, or neglefting to interpofe their Authority, in order to reclaim them from their Evil Courfes. The Sons of this too eafy and in- dolent Father, had given very great and publick Scandal, by a Prophanation which 'tis almoft an Indecency to mention, and in an Inftance which more peculiarly affeded his Sacred Character. One would h:ive thought that £//, upon fuch a high and notorious Provocation , (hould have at once exerted both the Father and the Magiftrate to fmite the Scorners^ and not have contented him.- felf -with fnch a fbft and eafy Expoflulation, as. Why do ye fuch Things ^ And, Nay-^ my Sons it is no good Repoit th.it I hear : A Reproof, if it may be call'd
fo.
SERMON II. \^
fo, which difcovers that he was not fo much con- cern'd for the Offence his Sons had given, as cautious ( forfooth ) of giving Offence to them : And there- fore he is exprefly charg'd with honouring h'n Sons above God \ and tlie Contempt they had done the Worfhip of God, is threaten'd to be vilited upon him, and his Pofterity, as his own proper Aft •, i Sam. 2. 29, 30.
Thus whatever Poft or Capacity we are in, which puts us under a fpecial Obligation of preventing or reclaiming Sinners, and gives our Advice or Reproof of them a fiiperior Force ^ in cafe of our Negleft, the Reafonof our being refponfible for their Crimes is the fame. Tho' we do indeed contraft a higher Degree of Guilt in Proportion to the greater Autho- j'ity we have over them.
TThis is a Confideration which fhews, how nnjult the Prejudices of thofe Perfons are, and there are fuch iu the World, who take diflafte at the Clergy for their freeReproof of certain Points they defirc to be eafy in, or for teaching in general a juft and ftrift Morali- ty. But what would thefe Men have us do ? Would they have their Blood requir'd at our Hands ? Would they have us, whom they are forward to charge with Crimes enough of our own, to be chargeable with theirs too ?
'Tis a ftrange thing. Men are offended at the Strift- refs of the Morals we teach, and yet thefe very Men fliould we teach a more loofe Morality, fhould we go about to palliate, or excufe Vice in any kind, would look upon us, and they would have fome Reafon for it, with the utmoft Scorn and Difdain. They fay, . the Rules of Life we prefcribe are too fevcre ^ but fhould we pretend todifpenfe with the Severity, as they fuppofe it, of them, why, then again they would fay, that we proltitute our Charafter, and forfeit all«the Refpeddueto it.
What fhall we do to oblige Men, that are refolv'd tp take up Prejudices againft us at any rate, and whe- ther
^8 S E R M O N II.
ther we be faithful in the Difcharge of our Duty or not ? 'Tis the only Rule in this, as in all other Cafes, wherein our Reputation is concern'd, not to amufe our felves with what the World may think or fay of us, but to fatisfy our own Reafon and Confcience in what we do. And in Truth, 'tis a moft vain and fruitlefs, and endlefs Endeavour to ad by any other Rule.
But what I am to obferve in the next Place, affeds all Chriftians in general •, 'tis the Duty of every one of us, to give other Perfons proper and good Advice, when by that means we may be the happy Occafions of hindring them from falling into Sin, or of re- covering them when fallen •, and therefore under ;fuch a capacity we become Partakers of other Men's Crimes.
2^/y, When we omit to advife them. And the Rea- fon of this is evident, becaufe 'tis both a Duty of Piety and of pofitive Command, that we (hould ad- monifti one another •, that we (hould confult the pro- per means of mutual Edification-, and exhort one ano- ther daily ^ left any of m he hardned the Deceitfulnefs of Sin^ Heb. 3. 1 3- A word of Advice fpoken in Seafon, charitably defign'd, and pertinently apply'd, tho' from aPerfon who has no dired Authority over us, yet carries a great Weight and Authority along with it : For there are few Men fo far loft to all Senfe of Religion, as not to yield to the Force of Truth, when 'tis fet in a clear and true Light before them. Indeed the beft of Men have need of a conftant Monitor ^ the Capacity of our Minds is fo narrow, that we cannot diftinctly attend to all the Duties of Religion at all times, and our Memory lo frail, that we cannot on every Occafion recoiled the proper and particular Motives to our Duty, and therefore frequently want to heftirr'dup^ both by wfaolefome Advice, and by being put in Rcmcmhrancs'
Yet
SERMON II. -29
Yet I do not hereby intend, thaf we ftiould take upon us at all Adventures to give other Perfons religi- ous Advice, tho' we really mean well by it ^ for this being an Office of Prudence and Difcretion, great Caution and Addrefs is to be us'd in it j neither all Times, nor all Places, nor all Perfons are fit for it. And therefore all I defign is, where favourable Cir- cumftances concur to render our Advice proper and effedual to reftrain other Men from Sin, in fuch Ca- fes, and in fuch only, we are oblig'd to give it, as we would free our felves from aU Imputation of their Sin. The fame Limitation is to be obferv'd, with refped to what I am to fhew in the next Place.
S^/y, That we may be in fome fort accountable for, the Sins of other Men, by negledling to reprove them.' Accordingly our Negleft to reprove a Sinner, is ia the very Command of this Duty, expreffed byy«jfer- ing Sin upon him. Lev. ip. 17. An Expreffion which imports fomething more than our being indire^ly the Occafion of his continuing in Sin •, but I do not inliffc upon that. My Bufinefs is to obferve, that this is a Duty, under proper Regulations, generally incum-; bent on Men, T'houjhalt in any wife rebuke thy Neigh* hour. Here is no Exception, either as to the Perfon reproving, or to be reproved : But becaufe there is fcarce any Duty of Religion of greater Nicety, or which requires more Prudencejn the Difcharge of it •, I (hall not enlarge upon it here, but referve it for, the Subjed of a following and particular Difcourfe j' and proceed,
4f/?/)', To fhew, that Men may partake of the Crimes of other Perfons, by their Difcourfes, their Writings^ ov Example. I do not hereby fuppofe, but that we may diredlly and defignedly by all thefe Me- thods contribute to the Sins of other Men, and fb contrad the Guilt of them ^ but I am only confider- ing at prefent how far they are guilty of other Mens Sins, who are in any ©f thefe Refpeds the Occalion "" " of
50 S E R M O N ir.
of corrupting tHem, tho' without any particular and direft Intention.
i/?, By t\\t\\: Difcowfesy or the Scope they give their Tongues in Converfation. This is the rather to be obferv'd, becaufe there are Perfons, not altogether vitiated, who out of an Inclination to Jbe entertain- ing, or to iliew they have Wit, do now and then allow themfelves Liberties in their way of Talk, which are not to be examin'd ftridly by thofe Rules of the Go- fpel, of taking Care that our Speech be always with Grace^ Col. 4. 6. and, of letting no corrupt Communica- tion come out of our Mouthy but fuch as may tend to the IJfe ofEdi/yingf that it may minifler Grace to the Hearers,
Not that we are forbid the chearful innocent Free- doms of Difcourfe, or a more bright and lively Thought, which conduces to keep up the Spirit or heighten the Pleafures of Converfation ; but our ho- ly Religion requires a Converfation, and that after all is the molt agreeable, wherein Men may IheW their Parts as much as they pleafe, provided they aVe wife to Sobriety, and give way to no fuch evil Com- rnunications, as naturally, tho' perhaps undefignedly, tend to corrupt ^<7(7^ Manners.
But fince 'tis obferv'd, that generally fpeaking, tho' the Hearts of Men were feldom more corrupt, yet the Ear perhaps never was more challe ( which by the way, in fo polite an Age, is rather perhaps owing to a Senfe of Decency, than Religion:) Let usconfiderin the next Place, how far Men may de- rive upon themfelves the Guilt of thofe Sins, which are occahon'd,
* 2. ^^ x\\zir Writings. The Enemy never fows his Tares more plentifully, than when he employs thofe that ferve under him, in this Method ^ and perhaps there was never a greater Number of them taken up with this Employment, than at prefent. The World abounds both with hereticaKand immoral Trafts, which are writ with a profefs'd View of gninin.tt Pro-
felytes.
S E R M O N II. 31
fclytes. Andf fuch Writers it mufl; be own'd fhare direftly, and in a very high Degree, in the Guilt of other Men ^ nay, they are in many Refpefts more Criminal than the Perfons feduced and corrupted by them. The plaufible Colours and Shew of Learn- ing or Zeal, which they give their Heterodox Opi- nions, dazzle and aflonifh weak Minds, that are not able to form a true Judgment of Things ; and for which Reafon there may be greater Hopes, that a merciful God will make more favourable Allowances to them. And fo again, an agreeable Turn of Thought, or Language, or an Appearance of jult Reafoning, whereby an immorral Praftice is fome- times recommended and fet oft', may feem to extenu- ate, in fome Degree at leafb, the Guilt of ignorant perfons, who are infenfibly traduced, and perfuaded to give into it.
How great a Load of Guilt mufl: then lie upon thofe who make it their chief Study and Bufinefs, either to bring in damnable Herefies^ or to vitiate Mankind, in what relates to the Duties of Morality and civil Life ! An unguarded or idle Word, which may give Of- fence, or be interpreted to favour Corruption in pri- vate Company, may perhaps be carry'd no further ; but when Men of Learning and Ingenuity^ for we do not deny that the molt dangerous Hereticks and loofe Cafuifts may have a competent Share of both \ when dich Men I fay, publiin what they write againlb the Truth, and the Dodrinc which is according to Godlinefs, the Mifchief is not confin'd to one Church or Nation, but like the flying Roll, which the Pro- phet explains by a Curje going over the Face of the whole Earthy Zech. 5. 3. it reaches foreign and diftant Parts •, and left it ftiould not fpread faft and wide enough of it felf, Emiffaries are fent Abroad, or Journalifls eraploy'd to pufhand forward it.
The Cafuifts therefore have Reafon to conclude, that an Author who diesimpenitentj and there is no- thing
32 SERMON II.
thing fo difficult as to bring an Author to Repentance,' Ihall be refponlible for all the dangerous Errors or Sins, his Works may be the Occalion of mifleading People into, fo long as the World endures, if they Jhave fo long, as fometimes probably they may, any ill Confequences.
'Twas the Apprehendon of this that gave one of the greateft Wits, but one of the moft loofe withal, which this Nation has produced, fo fenfible a Re- gret upon his Death-bed, and fiU'd his Mind with the molt terrible Conflids, and the moft difficultly overcome •, as we are informed by the elegant Author of his Life : And there is no Author, be he who he wOl^ whofe Confcience exhibits a like Charge againft him of corrupting; the World, either in Principle or Pra- ctice by his Writings, but he will, when he comes to be under the Apprehenfions of Death, if he confi- ders what it is to Dye, have the fame Sentiments, tho' perhaps without the fame Evidences of a fincere Repentance.
But I principally intend here, thofe loofe and ludi- crous Writings, whether in Verfe or Profe, that are not perhaps diredly publifh'd to miflead or corrupt Men, but only as Eflays of Wit and Humour, or a Satyrical Genius \ yet where fuch Writings will very probably prove the occafional Caufes of Error or Of- fence to others, or where a due regard to Truth and Decency is not obferv'd in them, this Excufe will by no means do: Nothing can juilify an irregular Thought, or what tends to feed Corruption, in any Writer, much lefs inPerfons of a more known and publick, and lefs ftill if they be Ferfons of a Sacred Charadcr.
3. We ftand chargeable with the Crimes of other Men, when they are occafion'd by our ill Example'. So ftrift are the Rules of our Holy Religion in refe- rence to our external Behaviour, that we are not per- mitted the niolt innOwCiU Freedcsms, when we may
there-
SERMON II. 33
thereby wound the Confciences of our weak Bre- thren, er make them to ofend^ as the Apoftle has parti- cularly determin'd, I Cor. 8. II, 12, 13. Tho'the Confequence which fome of the Diflenters draw from this State of the Cafe, is very unjuft and fallacious. T hey pretend that we ought not, fuppofi ng them other- ways lawful, to make ufe of the Ceremonies of our Church, which give them fo great, and as they ima- gin, reafonable Caufe of Offence. But this cannot be inferr'd from any thing the Apoftle has faid *, he only condemns the Ufeof Things in their own Na- ture lawful and innocent, by way of Condefceniion to the Weaknefs and Scruples of other Men, when there lies no antecedent Obligation upon us to ufe them, or where they are not impos'd by Authority for the fake of Decency and Order : But where they are, the Queftion concerning Scandal is out of Doors; for no pretence of avoiding Scandal in Favour of par- ticular Perfons, can juftify my Difobedience to pub- lick Laws, or my Breach of a Superior Engagement. It implies indeed a downright Inconfiftency in the Nature of the thing, that 1 (hould be under an Obli- gation to forbear any innocent Rite or Adion, in compliance with the Weaknefs of a few Perfons vpith" out, for they are not all to beconlider'd as weak ^ when at the fame time by fuch a Compliance I am fuppos'd to give a general Scandal to the Community 1 am a Member of.
But why does Authority enjoin fuch Rites, as are forefeen will give Offence to a great Number of Peo- ple ? We anfwer, that Authority has from the very End and Reafon of its Inftitution, a Right to pre- fcribe Rules of Order and Decency, and in prefcribe- ing them, is not fo much to confult the Weaknefs or Prejudices of private Perfons, as what is generally fitted to attain thefe Ends. And that theCeremonies of our Church are very agreeable to them, is not on- VOL. II. D ly
34 S E R M O N It.
ly faid, but has been prov'd a thoufand times, to the Conviaioii, I do not doubt, tho' not the Confutation of our Adverfaries.
But becaufe the Objedion I am fpeaking to, is fb far improv'd as to be made one of the molt popular Pretences for a moll dangerous Schifm, I fhall purfue it, tho' I go a little out of my Way, as far as in my Apprehenfion it can poflibly be carry 'd.
'Tis faid then further, that admitting Authority is to have Regard to publick Order above the Satisfadi- on of private Perlons •, and may therefore lawfully impofe fuch Rites, as they do not approve, they ought not however for that Reafon to conform to them. Why fo I Becaufe 'tis againll their Confcience.
To this 'tis anfwer'd by a known Rule, That an Erroneous Confcience does not excufe, and in this Cafe particularly, from Sin : For where there is Au- thority to command, there is certainly a Right to O- bedience^ and iffo, he that difobeys the Command, withholds that Right, and certainly fins. And no Pretence of Confcience, no Confideration whatever, can juftify a finful Adion : My Opinion of Things arifing perhaps from Prejudice, or becaufe I have not us'd the proper Means of Information, or from any other Caufe, cannot alter the Nature, and in- trinlick Obligation of them.
It only remains therefore, that no Power upon Earth has Authority to decree Rites and Ceremonies in the Worlhip of God. If this were admitted, which at prefent (againfl all Reafon and Authority of the Church of God, for Fifteen Hundred Years at leaft) I Ihall admitt ^ yet the Diffenters will not be able to juftify their Separation merely on account of the Ceremonies of our Church, even upon this Con- ceffion. For their very Objeding to us the Cere- monies of our Church, as the Caufe of their Sepa- ration, fuppofes they would not otherwife have had Caufe to feparate from us,
ISIow
S E R M O N II. 55
Now I fay, that where we are under an Obliga- tion to Communicate with an FfiMiJh^d Church •, as certainly we are for that very Reafon, if the Terms of Communion be not finful •, tho' it were granted, that no Human Power whatever can lawfully ordaia Religious Rites, yet this does not render my Con- formity to fuch Rites unlawful . And that for this plain Reafon ; Becaufe an Unlawful Command leaves Things in the fame State and Condition they were in antecedently to it.
If therefore the Rites of the Church be, as con- fejfedly they are in themfelves, innocent and lawful, and we might fafely have us'd them in cafe they had not been commanded *, it feems to be one of the molt abfurd Thoughts that ever entred into the Mind of Man, to affert they are therefore not lawful, be- caufe commanded.
For Inftance : The Diffenting Minifters are gene- rally agreed to diftinguifh themfelves by fomething particular in their Habit. I defire to know if any Perfon Ihould take upon him to command them ftill to wear the fame Habit ^ would they therefore think themfelves oblig'd to lay it afide ? Why then are ia*- nocent Rites to be difus'd, only becaufe the Supreme Power commands them? No Perfon whatever has more a Right to command what he ought not, than another •, and fo confequently, can no more alter the Nature of the Thing commanded.
To make what I have faid as plain as poffible. Ei- ther our Govcrnours have Authority to enfoyn Rites of Religious VVorfhip, or they have not. If they have, 'tis evident from the Reafon of the Thing, and what has been faid, they have a right to our Obedi- ence : And if they have no fuch Authority, then their Commands are originally ««//, and of no Force, and fo leave us to our former Freedom and Li- berty.
P 2, So
3^
SERMON IL
So that the Matter at lafl will be brought to this Iflue : Whether the Ufe of feme Lawful (tho' as they are pretended, little and infignificant) Things, be not rather to be tolerated, than the Breach of Unity and Order^ and the ill Confequences of them, both with refpeft to Religion and Civil Government ? Or, in other Words \ Whether I can juftify my Separating from an Efiablijh'd Church, becaufe fuch Things are commanded by an Incompetent Authority, asl fuppofe in it ^ which confider'd in therafelves, I acknowledge to be no reafonable Caufe of Separation ? All therefore we are oblig'd to, and fo far we are oblig'd in order to prevent Scandal, is, that we forbear the XJfe of fuch Things, wherein we are otherwife perfedly at Liberty to do as we pleafe. Such is the Reftraint our Holy Religion puts us un- der, with refped to Things conlider'd in themfelves abfolutely Lawful: But where, by a Condudt really Criminal, or by allowing our felves in any unlaw- ful Practice, we are inftrumentalindeftroying thofe for whom Chrift: dy'd, by feducing them by our Ex- ample ^ this muft neceflarily involve us more deep in the Guilt of fuch Perfons, and inflame the Ac- count we Itand charg'd with on their Score, ftill to a greater Height. I proceed,
Secondly, To Ihew, in what Refpeds we may b6 faid more exprefly, and with a Real and Form'd De- fign, to partake of other Men's Ci'imes. And that is, when either,
1. We confent to any Sinful Adion. Or,
2. When werefieftupon it, after 'tis committed, with Complacency.
3. When we advife, or command it.
I. When we confent to any linful Adion. 'Tis a known Rule, FoUwtas ejl cu,i peccatur ^ The Guilt
of
S E R M O N ir. 37
of Sin lies in this, that 'tis voluntarily committed ; and therefore innumerable Adions, materially good and innocent, become finful, when they are done yvith an ill or deprav'd Intention. But whether aa Adtion in any Degree finful, be done by our fclves or others, is here a Qiieftion of an accidental and foreign Conlideration ^ becaufc the Sin is prior to, and (ftridtly fpeaking) independent of the Aftion : For nothing is more evident, than that we may be to all Intents and Purpofes guilty of Sin, without adually commmitting it. the thoughts of Foollflmefs^ iaith Solomon^ is Sin. Prov. 34. 9. Efpecially fuch a Thought, as implies a free and full Confent of the Will to Sin, tho' we may be perhaps under Circum- ftances of Reltraint from committing it: So that whether it be committed by our felves, or others, tho' only with our tacit Confent, this does not alter the Nature of the Thing. The Will wherein the Crime is forwz'^and feated, is the fame, whether we our felves proceed to Action, or not : Much lefs can the Crime receive any Diminution from what ano- ther Perfon does ^ tho' it may indeed, when our Confent is iignify'd or exprefs''dj receive thereby 4 much higher Aggravation ^ as in particular, when fuch a Perfon is any ways bias'd by o.ur Authority or Superior Condition. For what Superiors are known to approve, and difcover their Approbation of, is in- terpreted by their Inferiors or Dependants, as having in dfecl, the Force of a Command to them-
'Tis a further Aggravation of an ^A-pr^/} Confent to any finful Action, that hereby we ftrengthen the Caufe of Sin in general, and openly give into the Interefts of it: And where Men who engage in a Party are fure of one anothers Hearts, they only want a fair and convenient Occafion of joining Hands. 'lis from their Union in Principles and In- clinations, that they calculate the Strength and Num- ber of thofe that will ftand to them, and by which
D 3 Kh^^
38 S E Pv M O N IL
they are encourag'd to declare thcmfelves. And there is nothing tends fo much to promote Sin, or any fin- ful Dcfign, as the Publick Voice and Approbation.
'Tvvas this which induc'd Pilate to pronounce Sen- tence on our Saviour, tho' he was convinc'd of his Innocence, and knew that he ought not, accord- ing to the Laws, to have condcmn'd him. And tho' thro' the Clamour and Inlligation of t\\Qjews^ he did condemn him, yet his Death is exprefly in Scrip- ture chargM upon them ^ and they are faid, by wicked hands to h.we taken and jlain him^ Afts 2. 23. and to have been not only his Betrayers^ but Murderers^ Chap. 7. 12. tho' the Execution, we know, wasper- form'd by the Roman Soldiers.
2. When we take Complacency in any Sinful Adi- on after 'tis committed, tho' we were no wayscon- cern'd in it. For this, iflm.ay fo fpeak, is only a poflliminous way of Sinning: As to the Quality of the Crime, 'Tis not very material, whether we be- come Partakers of it by a Prior or an After-Confent ; only there feems to be this Difference in the Cafe j That to approve any linful Action, when perpetra- ted by another Perfon, or to difcover by any Mo- tion of the Will, that in his Cafe we would have done the fame Thing, argues a greater Corruption of Heart, and that Sin hss got a more abfolute Domi- nion over us. Becaufe we are not under thofe pre- fent, ov iperhaps violent Circumftances of Temptati- on which he was under, and which Charity will fuppofe him to have been under, before he was over- come.
In a word ; To fliew any After-Complacency in the Sins of other Men, is to love Sin out of pure In- cliintion, and, as the Platonifts tell us, we ought to do Virtue, merely for the fake of its own Refledion. Upon which P.eaibn, probably, the Apoftle concludes his Catalogue of the molt horrid Sins Human Nature can be fiippos'd capable of falling into , in its moft
Cor-
SERMON II. 39
Corrupt State, with that of taking Pleafure in the Sius of other Men, Rom.i. 32.
3' When we advife or command any linful Afti- on. And here again the Degree of Guilt arifes in proportion to any Superior Advantages we enjoy over the Perfon, to whom the Advice or Command is given. Thofe, for Inftance, who have the Repu* tation of greater Knowledge or Wifdom, or who have more immediately the Diredion of other Mens Confciences, if they give them Advice which leads them into Sin, or any Breach of their Duty, are in fo much a higher Degree, and more feverely an- fwerable for it. Nay, they are in feveral refpeds inore inexcufable by far, who teach Men fo to do, than they who are mifled by them : as to Sin againfl: greater Light and Convidion, or any particular Ob- ligation ariling from the Nature of our Calling or our Character, is an Argument of a more inffam'd Guilt, than to fin ignorantly, and out of a miflaken Notion of doing what there is no Harm in or out of Deference to the Judgment of thofe, who are in one Capacity or other above us. For 'tis natural enough for ignorant People to conclude, that their Superiors, who are highly efteem'd for their Wifdom and Knowledge, as generally all Perfons in, a Su- perior Condition of Life are by the Vulgar, will not, as they are fuppos'd to know better Things^ advife them to any thing, but what is lawful and jufl:.
But the Higheft Aggravation of our Partaking in the Sins of other Men, is, when we command them upon any thing that is finful, or make them the Tools and Inftruments of Executing our Criminal Projeds *, wherein, probably, they may be in a great meafure pafTive: But whether they be or no, 'tis the fame thing before God, to fin againft him in Perfon, or by Proxy. Only we muft obferve, that we are fo much the more culpable in any unlawful Command,
D 4 as
46 S E R M O N IL
as it carries a greater Weight and Appearance of Au- thority along with it.
Thus David^ by dire«9:ing the Means of taking off Vriah^ and commanding him to be executed, is ex- prefly charg'd by Nathan with his Death, and in Terms which import it was his own proper and per- fonal A<3:- Jhoii^ fays the Prophet to him, art the Man. Thou hafi killed Vriah the Hittite with the Sword of the Children o^ Amnion^ z Sam. 12. 7, p.' And indeed, as to Joah., who had the Charge of feeing the Orders of his Prince put in Execution, there are fome fpecious Circumftances in his Favour. He might pretend. That as Captain-General of the Hoft, he had a Right to command the Officers under him, upon what Service he pleas'd. But tho' it does not appear Jonh was afted by any private Motives of Envy or Revenge, yet as he knew the particular In- tention oiDavid^ and that the Pofl; he commanded Vriah to, was not defign'd for his Honour or the Service of his Prince, but for his Deftruftion \ in this, no doubt, 'joab finn'd -^ tho' there is great Rea- fon to believe that David, upon many other Accounts, and particularly by the Abufe of his Superior Autho- rity, had the greater Sin \ as every Perfon proportio- hably has, who makes ufe of his Power or Superior Station over other People, to engage them in any Criminal Defigns, which they would not otherwife have been concern'd in.
And thus I have reprefented to you what it is to partake of other Mens Crimes. And tho' I might (perhaps) have defcended to fome more particular and remote Inflances wherein we may be faid to do it; yet there are none of them, but what may be eafily reduc'd to one or more of the foregoing Cori- Jiderations.
And fo I proceed 3
2. Itt
SERMON II. 41
2. In the Second Place, To confider the Motives,' \3p0n which Men are more ufuaHy induc'd to be Partakers of other Mens Sins. And 1 Ihall reduce them tothefe Three Particulars.
1. A Falfe Complaifance.
2. Dependance, and
3. A Senfe of Gratitude.
1. We are frequently betray'd into a Criminal Compliance with the Humours or Defigns of other I\len, out of a falfe Complaifance. The v/ay to pro- cure the Favour and Efteem of thofe with whom we converfe, is to render our felves eafy and agreeable to them. It is not an Opulent Fortune which has of it felf a Power to render us fo •, for Rich Men often put on too haughty and alTuming an Air. It is not Wit ; for that many times proves fatirical and oflenfive : Neither is it Qiiality \ which may degene- rate, and want thofe Qualifications which are proper to fupport and adorn it. Nor laftly, is it Piety ; for befides that Good Men are not always Perfons of the niceft Addrefs, 'tis impofiible for them on every Oc- cafion to obferve the ftrid Rules of Piety, without appearing fingular or afFeded. For to be thought of an agreeable and obliging Temper, a Man muftnot only be content in the Society of Vicious Perfons, to hear a great many vain and foolifh Things faid, but mult feem to applaud or alTent to them.
Thus the Libertines are reprefented by the Author of the Book of IVifdom, (Chap. 2. 15.) as bringing this Charge of Singjilarity and Affeftation againft a Perfon, who has devoted himfelf to a more ftrid and regular Courfe of Life. He is^ fay they, grie^ 'vous Vfito as even to behold \ for his Life is not^as other Mens^ his Ways are of another Fajhion,
As
41 S E R M O N 11.
As Good Men cannot always fuit themfelves to the Inclinations of thofe among whom they converfe, or go along with them in their Defigns ^ 'tis a Preju- dice too commonly receiv'd againfl Religion it felf, that 'tis apt to ingenerate a fullen aad afluming Tem- per ^ that 'tis fit only for Perfons of low Defigns, and narrow Souls ; or for fuch as would fequefter them- felves from all €ommerce with the World.
But there are two Sorts of Libertines, in whom this Prejudice more particularly difcovers it felf ^ and thofe are your Perfons of Diftinclion, or of any confiderable Reputation for Wit. The former are apt to think we want Manners, if we do not readily give into their Sentiments, and approve every thing they fay or defign : But for their Inferiors or Dependants to oppofe(as they ought many times) their Inclina- tions ^ whythis is provoking beyond all Meafure, and confider'd as the molt rude and unjuft Ufa«ge in the World.
As mofi: Perfons value thenvfelves upon Quality j for this Reafon, that it gives them a Right to the De- ference and Refped^ of all about them •, fo nothing irritates or provokes it more, than when Men feem to take too much upon them, or to be wanting in their Regards to it. This feeming Indecency, Good Men are oblig'd frequently, if I may ufe an im^rofer Ex predion, to be guilty of •, by difcountenancing, at Icalt by not flattering People of Condition in their Vanities or Vices -^ the Air of Submiflion which they obferve the Body naturally puts on, when it ap- proaches them, fofwellsthem with Pride, thatthey ufurp an Authority v;hich is due to God alone ^ they exped that the Soul alfo (hould'bow and proftrate it itlf before them, and that all the Motions of it Ihould wholly tend to them, and be at their Devotion.
If we would not give Offence to your Men of Wit-,efpeciany fuch of them as are of a ftrong and domineering Imagination, we mult pay th^m too
this
S E R'M O N II. 43
this fervile Obedience. For Wit, where it isattend- ed with Pride, (from which 'tis rarely feparated) thinks every thing its Due, and of all other Qiiali- ties, is the mofl impatient of Diflent or Oppofi- tion.
Wit is a thing which renders Men acceptable, and recommends them to Favour and Efteem. Now we are generally more concern'd to maintain a Chara- cter which glitters in the Eye of the World, than that which has an intrinfick Merit in it, and tends to the Advancement or Perfeftion of our Nature. Sin which is the only thing really fhamefnl and Contemp- tible, does not ordinarily occafion Sinners fo much Confufion, or fo fenfible a Remorfe, as a very weak or foolifh Saying, that may cxpofe them to Ri- dicule.
There cannot ordinarily be a greater Affront of- fer'd to any Man, than to expofe his Want of good Senfe or Reafon ; Bat to offer this to a Wit, inflames his Refentment to tne lafl: Degree. If we would gain the Favour, or preferve the Friendfhip of one who pretends very much to this Character, we muff; oppofe nothing, we muff; be pleas'd, we muff be convinc'd at every thing he fays. But fliall I, out of a fervile Fear of being accounted a Man's Enemy fucrifice the Love of Truth ? If I can have his Friend- ffiip upon no other Terms, let him go. The Laws of Charity oblige me, when I hear an innocent Per- fonafpers'dortraduc'd, not to be filent. Shall I then tamely hear the Divine Nature and Attributes diffio- nour'd, or the Laws of Religion ridicul'd? Or which is ftill more fcandalous, Ihall I, out of a falfe Shame, or finful Connivance, feem to approve or affent to fuch Diforders? Becaufe, perhaps, my Friend's great Pretence to Wit lies in his being y«r- friz^ingly prophane j or in his applying fome Sacred Paflage or Saying of Holy Writ to a ridiculous and jewd Purpofe. A Pretence to Wit fo low and un- worthy.
44 SERMON II.
worthy, that a Wife Man 1 am fnre, would much rather chiile to pafs for a Fool in the Opinion of all Men.
!s it then a Crime for a Man to fhew his Parts ? No ^ but 'tis a great Abufe of Wit, to employ it to wicked and prophane Ends : 'Tis the molt unmannerly Affront to good Men, and of the moll dangerous Confequence to weak Minds; who judging of what is faid, not by any fix'd or certain Rules of Reafoning, but from the Confidence, the Beauty or Agreeablenefs of the Ex- prefllon, are eafily vitiated in their Principles, and convinc'd, that the Raillery wherewith they are fur- priz'd and pleas'd, is juft and fine Reafoning.
Certainly we ought rather ftudy to avoid the Con- veriaiion, than flatter the Vanity ofa vicious Wit, by whom if we have any Concern for»the Honour of God, we are in danger of being affronted, or if wq want Force qnd Strength of Mind, of being feduc'd and corrupted.
In both the Refpedsl have mentioned, and upon all other Occafions wherein out of an Inclination to oblige, we may be more eafily indnc'd to criminal Compliances :, the Apoftle's Argument is unanfwera- ble. If lyetfiudy topleafe Men^ th^n am I mi the Servant cfGod.
And yet we do not deny that Complailance, or an Endeavour to pleafe, is a Virtue ;, there is nothing more agreeable to the Genius and Defign of Chrifti- anity, than for Chriftians to renderthemfelves amia- ble and engaging to one another. But what then \ fhall I contribute to feed and flatter thofe Sinful Pai^ lions in my Friend, which hurry him headlong to Deftrudion ? Or (liall I countenance him in fuch Dif- orders, which when he begins to confider, and refletfb upon, he will be afham'd and confounded at himfelf ? Certainly he ought to excufe me from doing him fuch a Kindnefs. '
S E Pv M O N II. 45
We have die Example of a great Apoftle, who he- c-ame all Things to all Men •, but in what refpeds? InThines of their own Nature Arbitrary and Indiffe- rent. And herein he a6:ed agreeably to the Spirit of our Holy Religion. A Spirit which is pure, peacea- ble, and eafy to be intreated : A Spirit which fweet- ens the Nature, and corrects the Tempers of Men, and does not difcover it felf in a peevifli or perverle Oppofition to the innocent Humours of thofe, with whom we have to do ^ but removes all Occafion of Scandal and Oi^nce by a generous and ready Com- pliance with them.
Yet which of the Apoltles difcover'd a greater Zeal for Religion, or labour'd more abundamly in ];)Yop:iga^ ting the Truths of it? Which of them declaimed with greater Warmth and feeming Afperity of Expreffion againft Vice, or exercis'd a more ftrift and fevere Dis- cipline, than this very Apoltle, who both from his own Example and the Genius of our Holy Religioa. has recommended to us a free, ingenuous and oblige- ing Converfation ? Thefe Things are very reconcile-, able, and the Example he has fetus imitable. Chri- fltianity does not interfere with any reafonahle Duty of civil Life, but improves and enobles it.
2. A fecond Pretence, upon which Men are in- duc'd to partake of the Crimes of others, is from a Senfe of their Dcfendance.
If the Interefts of any Perfon lie, as they fome- timesdo, in the Hands of wicked Men, there is Hill greater Difficulty in preferving their Favour or Friendlhip \ he is prefcntly bigotted, capricious or unworthy of their further Notice, if he do not fol- low them wherefoever they lead him. He is their Creature^ they made him, and upon that, they found a Right of abfblute Dominion over him.
Thofe that are in the Dependancies of great Men are better able to judge of what I fay -, they are un- der more ftrong and frequent Temptations to a ilnful
Obfe-
45
SERMON II.
Obfeqnionfnefs •, Temptations irrefiftible to thofe,' who have not a true Greatnefs of Mind, fupported by a true and jult Seafe of Religion. The Circum- ftances of Inferiors and Dependants, who want thefe Qualifications, difpofe them to a flexible Temper ^ which the Vanity of their Superiors is always well pleas'd with.
So hard is it, according to the falle Judgment of the World, to difcharge the Duties of human Life with any good Grace, and at the fame time, to keep ftridly to our Chriftian Charader ^ and the harder ftill, in the Age we live ^ efpecially if what is ob- lerv'd, and perhaps not without Reafon, be true, that the molt polite Times are commonly the moft corrupt. But I would defire to know when your Ser- vant, or any other Dependant, burns in the Flames of Hell, for having been necefTary to your criminal Plea- fures or Defigns, what will become of the C^r//?;W. We may feparate the Qualities, or relative Obligati- ons of Mea, as much as we pleafe in the Theory here, but there will be then no feparating them in the SuhjeB. Every Man at the great Day of Retribu- tion, muft anfwer how far he has obey'd the Laws of his Supreme Lord and Mafter ^ and of his Superi- ors in this Life, only in Subordination to him.
But Men who are wholly taken up with the Affairs and Interells of this Life, do not love to caft their Views forward upon another; and therefore 'tis al- inoft impoflible, for Perfons of a fteady and uniform Principle, never to difpleaTe or offend ^ iftheydonot on certain Occafions vigoroufly, and perhaps without Examination, efpoufe their Patron's Caufe, they fall under the heavy Charge of Infidelity, or perhaps of wanting, what I am to obferve in the next. Place, as an Inducement to criminal Engagements.
3. ASenfe of Gratitude. This is the moft fpeci- ous and ftrongeft Colour of all, toexcufe our giving into theMeafuresof our Friends. Weareeafily carried
away
S E R M O N II. 47
away with thofe we love, and very much inelin'd to love thofe, who have done us any great or fignal Fa- vours. Ingratitutle is fo contrary to all the generous Sentiments and Inclinations of human Nature ^ fo complicated an Ad of Injuftice ^ fo bafe, mean and difhonourable a thing in it felf, and in the Eye of the World, that a Perfon who can be guilty of it, is fup- pos'd, where his Intereft, or any other View leads him, to ftick at nothing. So that when we call a Man an Ingrate^ we are interpreted to charge him ia Effeft, and in one Word, with all the Crimes he is capable of-, and as all the common Maxims or Senti- ments of Men in the World, are founded on one R.ea- foff or other, I take the particular Reafon why In- gratitude*ordinarily includes ia the Idea of it, every thing that is infamous, to be this *, That all Sin what- ever proceeds from Meannefs of Spirit, and want of Refpeft to the Dignity of Human Nature. Nov/ there is nothing betrays fo mean and degenerate, and fordid a Temper as Ingratitude. And therefore 'tis concluded. That a Man, who returns the Favours of his Benefador, with ill Offices, or perhaps difco- vers his Secrets, is refrrain'd only for v^ant of Op- portunity and Temptation from being guilty of all the Vices under Heaven ; and the more we conilder the Temper of fuch a Perfon, the more Reafoa we fliall have or confirm us in this Opinion. • ,, ^ ,.
For I think I may appeal to common Obfervation,' whether Pride or Avarice, or perhaps both of them, to fay nothing of his other predominate Pafilons at prefent, do not ordinarily enter into the Charade r of the Ungrateful. A proud Man, and there is no In- coniiftency infiippofing a Perfon of a mean Spirit to be fo, thinks he has a Right to every thing, and that the Favours you conferr'd on him were no more than his Due^ he deferv'd them at your Hands ^ 'what would you have more? A covetous Man always thinks you areihortinyour Favours, andmeafures the De-
"^ gree
48 SERMON II.
gree of them not by your Capacity, but his own Cravings : And thefe are two of the head Springs, and moft diffufive Sources of all the Sins arid impie- ties which over-fpread the Face of the World.
To avoid therefore fuch an odious Imputation, and to free our felves from the Pain of difobliging thofe, who have in fome fignal Manner oblig'd us, we fome- times run into the other Extream, of a fcrvile Com- plaifance. We follow our Friends, we engage in their Defigns and Interefts, without fo much perhaps as enquiring into the Reafons of their Condud, or whither they are going ^ or if we ftay to have Mat- ters a little examin'd, our Partiality is apt to byafs our Judgments, and fhow us the Way we have a Mind to take.
It requires great Strength of Mind to argue againft our Inclination in any Cafe •, but where we are aft- ed by the Itrongand powerful Motives of Gratitude to our Friends, the Endeavour to argue juftly and to fee Things in a clear Light, is ftill more painful and difficult. As to the different Judgments we are inclin'd to form of Men and Things, as Paffion or Party-Regards differently reprefent them, every Man. may confult himfelf.
'Tis certain notwithftanding, that the Laws of true Gratitude are always confiftent with the Laws of God, and the Obedience we owe to him j and he has an antecedent Right to our Obedience, which no fubfequent Obligation can cancel or deftroy. So that when there is any feeming Repugnancy betwixt the Refpeds we owe to our Friends, and our Duty to God, 'tis a clear Cafe on which Side we are to deter- mine our felves. Whether, fays the Apoftle, it be right in the Sight of Cod to hearken unto Men more than vnto God^ judge ye. He appeals to the known Adver- 0riesof the Chriftian Religion for the Decifion of a Qiieftion , which will admit of no difpute in any Cafe, A^s 4. I p.
S E R M O N ir.
Sdiy, I proceed in the Third and Laft Place, t6 conclude with a pradical Improvement or Two fi-oni what has been faid.
I. If there be fo many Ways of partaking in other Men's Sins, and we be fometimes under fuch ftrong Temptations to criminal Engagements, as are not ea- lily refifted, it concerns us to guard with fo much greater Care and Caution againft them. Where we are, which is our prefentCafe, in a State of War- fal-e, and upon the defenfive, in Proportion to the: Number and Strength of the Enemy, we fhould have ^ fnore watchful Eye upon every Motion he makes^ and be in a more conftant Preparation to receive or repel his Attacks. So that the Duties, which natu- rally arife arid prefent themfelves to our Thoughts^' from the foregoing Difcourfe, are thofe fo frequently, recommended to us in the Holy Scriptures, of Watch^ fulnefs^ and Tvalking circumfpBly. Thefe ard propet and neccflary Prefervatives againft the Temptations i have been confidering ; let us therefore refolve to lecure our Innocence, by a due Regard to them, that fo we may be lincere, and without Ojfence till the Day of the Lord ^ that Great and Awful Day, which God has appointed for the final judgment of Man- kind j and wherein 'tis enough to terrifj the belt of us, to confider how we [hall be able to render an Ac- count of our own Works ^ without having any thing to anfwer for thofe of other P4en. But,
idly^ Becaufe the greateft Temptation to a crimi'* nal Obfequioufnefs, arifes from a Senfe of the Obli- gations we are under to our Friends, I (hall more par- ticularly caution you againfl: them, by recommending to you in as few Words as poffible, the two following Confiderations. And,
I/?. Whenever we are tempted, out of a falfc Shame, or an Apprehenilon of incurring the Dlf* pleafure of our Friends, to an ill Thing ^ let us cdrt- lider, that there lies an infinitely Superior ObUga-
VOL. II. E lion
50 S E R M O N 11.
tioRuponus to obey the Laws of God, and to make it our conftant Endeavour to pleafe him. And if it be a ftrong Senfe of Gratitude, that engages us in any Criminal way of ferving thofe that have done us particular Favours, and which an ingenuous Mind fo difficultly overcomes-, let us refleft upon the Obli- gations arifing from the infinite Goodnefs and Benefi- cence of God towards us, from our Creation, Pre- servation, and all the Bleflings of this Life •, but above ali^ from his inejiimable Love in the Redemption of the Worlds by our Lord and Saviour Jefm Chrifi.
idly^ The befl way of fhewing our Gratitude to thofe who have laid any fignal Engagements upon us, is, to be concerned for their Improvement in all Wor- thy and Virtuous Attainments •, and where decent and proper Occafions offer themfelves, to fhew them their Miftakes, and to contribute what we can to- wards redifying them. Thefe are the befl: and mofl: generous Offices we can do for our Friends or Be- Bcfadors, and, in the Event, the mofl: acceptable and engaging too : He that obferves thefe Meafures, and conduds himfelfby the Rules of Prudence, and a juft Refped in them, ftiall afterwards find more Favour, than he that fiattereth with his Tongue^ or whofe Behaviour is wholly at the Difcretion of other People.
Integrity, when it is known, feldom fails of pro- curing Men Love and Efleem ; becaufe it is the only Foundation of Truft and Confidence, and an Argu- ment of an ingenuous Temper of Mind : But fer- vile and low Submiffions, do not fo often recom- mend Men to Favour, as expofe them to Cen- fure. Sometimes indeed they are rewarded ; becaufe Great Perfons do not always confer their Favours with regard to the Merits of Men, but as they are fubfervient to their Defigns ^ and when their Defigns are ferv'd, they cannot but look upon thofe Perions, who upon any mean and difhonourable
Motives
S E R M O N II. 51
Motives engaged in them, with a fecret Contempt and AveiTion.
Let us never then, to conclude all, out of any Mo- tive whatever, go into the wicked Defigns of other Men, or contribute, in any of the foremention'd Re- fpedts, to their Sins. • And tho', we grant, there is a more than ordinary Difficulty in oppollng the De- figns of'thofe we love, and are carefs'd and belov'd by ', yet no Circum fiances of our Friends, no pre- tence of Kindnefs or Gratitude to them, can autho- rize an uiijuft or criminal Adion. There is a due Subordination of all the Links of Virtue's Chain, which God is at the End of: All the Motions there- fore of our Hearts, and all the Actions of our Life, ought to be regulated by his Laws, and referr'd to his Honour and Glory, AtHen,
E 2 SER.
5=
SERMON III.
How far the Power of the Civil Magi- ftrate extends^ to Punifli or Coerce Men of 111 Principles. And of the Duty and Regulation of Fraternal Re- proof
P R O V. XIX. 25.
Smite a Scorner^ and the Simple rvill beware ; anA reprove one that hath Under ft anding^ and he will underjland Kjiorvledge.
S
0 LO MO N in thefe Words prefcribes a different Method of proceeding againft known Offenders, according to their different Charaders. The Scorner, who makes a Jeft of every Thing that is Sa- cred, and profefTes an open Contempt of Religion, is to be treated with greater Severity, by thofe who have any dired Authority over him ^ efpecially by the Civil Magiftrate. For we do not hear that Whip- ping, as pradis'd at this Time in the Communion of the Church of Rome^ was any Part of Eccleliaftical Difcipline in the Days of Solomon. 'Tis fuppos'd, I fay, with much greater Reafon, that he who bears the Sword, and is the Minifler of God to execute Wrath upon him that doth Evil, isthePerfonto whom
the
SERMON III. 55
the CommifTion is here more immediately given of fmiting the Scorncr j left by his bold and plaufible \fvay of Raillery, (for the Scorn.er generally has Wit, ov pretends to it) he might poffibly draw a confide- rable Number of unthinking or ignorant Perfons after him. But [mite a Scorner^ and the Simple mil be- jvare.
As to Sinners who have not refolv'd to fhut their Eyes againft the Light of Truth, or who are not loft to all Senfe of Good and Evil, but are in fome Difpofition at leaft to be reafon'd with, and better advis'd j we are direded to apply our felvestothem in a more Eafy, Gentle, and Human Method of Re- proof : And reprove one that hath IJnderfianding-i and Jje will under fl and Knowledge.
So that in Difcourfing upon the Words, thefe Two Things feem very proper to be confider'd.
Firfi, The Reafonablenefs of Employing the Se- cular Arm againft the Scorner. And,
Secondly J The Obligations we are in General under, to this Duty of Fraternal Reproof.
Firfl., The Reafonablenefs of Employing the Se- cular Arm againft the Scorner \ than which indeed there is no Branch of the Magiftrate's Authority whatever more clear or evident. F(?r, a Senfe of Religion being the great Balis upon which all Go- vernment ftands i he who openly maintains any A- theiftical Principles, or makes it his Bufinefs to ridi- cule the Laws of Religion, and to confound the Di- ftindion of Good and Evil, does in Efi^d, and by neceflary Conftruftion, declare himfelf an Enemy to the State, and ought therefore to be proceeded againft as fiich.
For what is it that gives the Civil Magiftrate a Right to punilh I\ialefadors or Delinquents in any kind ? But that Government bein^ the Ordinance of
E 3 God,
54 SERMON III.
God, he is invelted with a Power from God, to make life of thofe Means which are necelTary to the Sup- port and prefervation of it. And for the fame Reafon, he has not Only a jufl: Authority, but a ve- ry particular Engagment lying upon him to fmite the Scorner. For whereas other obnoxious Perfons are charg'd with Sfecial Crimes againfl; the State, the Scorner lays his Axe to the very Root of Govern- ment, and eflays to cut it down, and fubvert it en- tirely. Like the Tyrant, who wifh'd the People of Kome had but one Neck, that he might deftroy them with the greater Eafe and Expedition at once-
So that whatever Pretence tender and fcrupulous Conlciences may have to a Toleration from the State, yet it implies a Contradidion, that the Scorner, who laughs at the very Name and Pretence of Confcience it felf, fhould have any Benefit by fuch a Toleration. But granting the Scorner has fome general and con- fufcd Notion of v; hat we call Confcience; and fo may think himfelf oblig'd, with Fanini^ as far as he is able, to undeceive the World ; and fet hrmfelf to prove upon Principle, that Religion is founded upon BO Principles •, yet this Zeal, or if you pleafe to call it Confcience, for the Words are equally abus'd to ill Purpofes, ferves only to render him flill more cri- minal, and obnozious to the State.
In all Cafes indeed, how far Men, upon a pre- tence of Confcience may be tolerated in a falfe Doftrine or Worfliip, is not fo much a confidera- tion of Charity, or, to fpeak the common Dialed, of Moderation, as of Wifdom and Prudence. The Magiftrate is to preferve the Peace and Tranquility of the State. If this cannot be done, without put- ting Perfons, who, upon good Grounds, are thought dangerous to the State, under certain wholfome and convenient Refti aints •, the Magidrate is oblig'd,from the very Nature and End of his Oliice, to lay fuch Reltraiuts upon them: Becaufe his principal Care,
(and
SERMON III. 55
(and to which all private Regards inuft give place) is, that the Commonwealth may receive no harm. He ought however to deal impartially with himfelf in the Cafe, and not to make ufe of any colours or fpecious Pretences of publick Good, to authorize Violence and Oppreffion^ but proceed with great Caution and Tendernefs, and never difturb any Perfon in his Ci- vil Rights or Liberties, where there are not very rea- fonable and ftrong Prefumptions, that either in them- felvcs, or their natural and ordinary Confequences, they tend to the Difturbance of the State.
I add, in their natural and ordinary Confequences : For the Magiflrate is not only to fupprefs prefent and open Diforders, but to provide againlt probable and imminent Dangers.
'Twill be faid perhaps. That what is here afTert- cd, is very jult with refpeft to thofe that own a fo- reign Right, and only wait an Opportunity of de- claring for it : But as to peaceable and loving Subjects, who defire to pay their Taxes and live quietly, what great Harm or Danger can be apprehended from them ? Would it not be very hard and unjuft, that they fhould fuffer upon the Account of mere Confe- quences, which are charg'd upon their Principles, and which they difown ? To this I anfwer, That whatever good Names Men may give themfelves, or their Friends, this does not alter the Nature of Things or Facis : The worfe Defigns People have, the more they are concern'd to diflemble them. And. tho' perhaps the Confequences we charge upon the Principles or Party-Zeal of Men, may not nee rffarily flow from them ^ yet if they be fuch, as from the ' natural Tendency of Things, may very probably flow from them, then the Magiftrate has good and fuffi- cient Caufe to inrerpofe his Authority, in order to prevent any ill EfTefts of them.
As forlnftance. When thofe Principles, which naturally lead to fub vert all Order and Government
E 4 ifl
SERMON III.
in the State, are openly advanc'd and juftify'd j or when the Meafures formerly taken in Purfuance of fuch Principles, and which adually involv'd thp ^tate in the utmofl: Confufion and Diforder, are not only excus'd, but publickly jqftify'd, not here and there, by fopie known and popular Advocate of the Caufe, but by a numerous Party •, and when their very Number is made ufe of, as an Argument to ren- der them more formidable to the State : In this Cafe, however the Magiftrate may be inclin'd to Ads of Goodnefs and Mercy •, yet if he be a wife, or rather, if he be not a very weak Governor, he will think himfelf oblig'd to guard, with all proper and conve- jiient Laws, againit the Defigns or Attempts of fuch jMen : And if he do not find it neceflary, as he ought not, where the NecefTity is not very vifible and apparent, to' fmite 'them •, yet it mufl: be grant- ed the moll reafonable Thing in the World, that they ihould be ty'd fo far up, as never to have the fame, or the like Occaflon again of Smiting him.
What therefore the Magiftrate has to do, is to judge (and to judge as he will anfwer it to God and his own Cqnfcience) whether the Vmbrage that any Body or b'odiety of Men, under a Pretence of Liber- ty of Conlcience, niay give the State, be really fuch as endangers it . And he is to proceed with the grea- ter Indulgence, or Severity, accordingly.
'Tis allov/'d, I think, on all Hands, that a Prince •where there are ftrong and violent Prefumptions, that a Neighbouring State is forming any Defigns to his Prejudice, or which may be improv'^d fo asfenfi- bly to weaken him, and deftroy the Balance of Pow» er, tho' without any direft Intention of making War upon him ; 'tis allowed, I fay, and particularly by Crotius^ tiiat a Prince, if he canhot otherwife have Sicisfactibn, may have Rccourfe to the Sword, for the Good and Safety of his People. And 'tis up- on this principle, that dmbdm^ in njpre fli^ce^ th^a
•■■'•' oris
SERMON III. ^7
one objferves, That Queen Elizabeth was induced to ^flift the ]SI ether Under s. And 1 humbly take it, 'tis impoiTible to juftify feveral Wars lince that Time, which Pioteftant States have been engag'd in, upon any other Principle, efpecially in all the Quarters ^hey have been carry'd into.
:^ow if the Magiftrate, in order to prevent any ill Defigns, tho' of a Potentate in Alliance with him, may, fo far as he is able, and appears necefTa- fY to this End, coerce fuch an Ally -^ fhall we debar him from making ufe of the lame Precautions, un- der a like vifible Apprehenfion of Danger or Di- fturbance from his own Subjeds? For what Rea- fon?
What 1 have faid, concludes for the coercive Pow- er of the Civil Magiftrate in any Cafe, and over all ferfons, where th&y give him juft Umbrage ^ but it concludes moft evidently for his Authority to [mite fh^ Scorner, whpfe Principles have a direft Tendence |:o overthrow all the Motives to Civil Obedience, and indeed by cafting off all the Reftraints of Reli- gion, to convert the whole Race of Mankind into one great Commonwealth of Cannahds.
1 would not be thought by any thing that has been faid, to favour Perfecution, no not towards the iScorner himfelf ; whether he pretends to adt upon a Principle of Confcience, or the no lefs equivocal Name of Honour •, provided the State apprehend no Inconvenience from his Impunity, or from any In- dulgence it may think fit to grant him ^ or in cafe it be not found neceflary to inflift fome Exemplary Punifliment upon him, that the fimple may beware^ and his Defigns to pervert or corrupt them, be fruftra- ted.
' I only intend, that in reference to all Perfons whatever, which threaten the State with any appa- rent Danger or Innovation, we are not fo much to 0iifider, what a Good ;^nd Merciful Prince fr(Jiy '- '■ ' be
^8 SERMON III.
be inclined to do, as what a wife and jufl: Prince in order to the publick Peace and Safety, ought to do. I proceed to my next Particular ;
Secondly^ To confider the Obligations we are under in general to the Duty of Fraternal Reproof j which I fhall reduce to thefe Two Heads.
1. Of a juft Concern for the Honour and Interefts of Religion. And,
2. Of the Charity we owe to our Neighbour.
1. A jufl Concern for the Honour and Interefts of Religion, obliges to this Duty. In which Propofition there are thefe Two Things imply'd ; That the Sins and Impieties of Men bring a Scandal and Dlfcredit on Religion : And that to admonifh and reprove them for fuch Sins and Impieties, is a proper Means to prevent that Scandal, and promote the Interefts of Religion.
I. That the Sins and Impieties of Men, bring Scandal and Difcredit upon Religion. The Laws in- deed of Religion (\ fpeak in reference to the Moral Duties of it) are always the fame, and of ftanding and perpetual Obligation ; and therefore are at all times equally to be regarded, and had in Honour. Or- der being founded in the eternal Reafon of Things, and the Perfedion of the Divine Nature, is immu- table :, and ^o confider'd abftradedly, and in it felf. Religion can fufier no Scandal or Difhonour: But in the Opinion of Men, who judge of Things not from their intrinfick Worth or Excellency, but from the Effcds they ^cci^f«r;?//y produce, the Credit of Reli- gion may be, and, God knows, is too often leflen'd and impair'd.
As fome Callings and Profefllons lie under a more 'Gt^neral Odium and Difrepute than others, not
that
SERMON III. 59
that they are really Criminal in themfelves, but by reafon of the common Abufes and Diforders, which are obferv'd to be crept into them, fo the Vices of Chriftians are imputed, by Men who judge of Things only by the Event, and according to Appearance, to fomething wrong or defedtive in Chriftianity it felf.
For 'tis natural enough for Men,who content them- felves with flight and fuperficial Obrervations,without going to the Bottom of Things, or examining their true Caufes •, 'tis natural enough, I fay, for fuch Men tofufped, that a Religion which fails fo much, and in fo many Inftances, of the End it defigns and pro- pofes, has not really that Efficacy and Power in order to reform the World, which we would attribute to it. If it have, fay they, Why is not the Eff^d more pro- portion'd to the Caufe ? Why are the Lives of Chri- ftians generally fo repugnant to the Laws of Chrifti- anity, notwithftanding the Affiftances it is prefum'd to afford ? And tho' in Reply to this, 'tis faid, that the beft Inftitutions and Defigns in the World, in order to the Reformation of Mankind, may by an ill Ule of their Liberty be render'd ineffeftual, and that the Grace of God does not deftroy the natural Freedom of their Faculties^ yet it would certainly be more for the Honour of our Holy Religion, notwithftanding we are able to give a fatisfadory Anfwer to this Ob- jeftion, that there were no occafion at all for anfwer- ing it. Which leads me to obferve,
2dly^ That to admonifh and reprove Men for their Sins and Impieties, is a proper Means not only to prevent any fuch Scandal, but to promote the lute- refts of Religion in general.
I . Ttiis is one of the Methods which the Wifdom of God him felf has appointed in order to reclaim Sin- ners from the Evil of their Ways. That Command by Mofes to this End, Lev 19. 17. is very full and ex- prefs, Thoujlmlt in any wife rebuke thy Neighbour^ arid
not
6p SERMON III.
iiot fvfer Sin vpon him. As if thefe were only two dif- ferent Expreflions for the fame Thing, and to omit reproving a Sinner, were virtually and in Effefit granting him a Licenfe and Permiffion to Sin. The Words of the Apoflle feem to be of the fame Import^ wheryhc charges us, TToat we fljould have no Fellpwjhip mth the unfruitful Works of Darkriefs^ hut rather reprove thenty EpheC 5. 1 1. Agreeable to which is the Rule he lays down, Heb. 3. 13. "that we Jlwuld exhort one itnother daily ^ lefl any of tts jlwuld he harden d through the Deceitfulnefs of Sin.
All which Places exprefs to us the natural Efficacy, which a juft and feafonable Reproof has, to bring a Sinner to a Senfe of his Sins, and to check him from going on impenitently in them. For indeed Sin i? of fo detufory and flattering a Nature, that it not on- ly corrupts the Heart, but blinds the Eyes of Men, that they do not, or will not fee their own Adions in a juft Light, As our Blefled Saviour himfelf has ob- ierved, John s- ZQ- For every one that doth Evil hateth the Light, neither cometh to the Light^ leji his Deeds ^ould be refrovd. 'Tis certain when we indulge our felves in any Sin, efpecially the Sin that more eafily befets us, 2S it always fpeaks favourably for it felf, fo we are much inclin'd to give it a favourable Hearing •, we fiippofe that 'tis not in it felf of fo provoking and dangerous a Nature, as 'tis commonly reprefented : Or if we cannot get over this Difficulty, then we imagine our felves u nder fomt very particular Circum- ftances of Temptation, which will in a Degree at jeaft excufe fuch a Sin ; or if this gives us no Satisfa- ction, we will hz careful however to manage Things fo wifely as to give no publick Occafion of Scandal j or perhaps, to conclude all, the Liberty we give our felves is no more, than what feems to be authoriz'd by publick Example, and what in common Repute has no Ihocking Idea of Infamy or Difgrace aniiex'fl to it. ^- . '
• ' ^ ThefQ
S E R M O N III. 6i
Thefe are the falfe and delufive Colours, where- with our fmful Pafllons betray the Succours which Rea- fpn offers. We muft therefore call in fome foreign Aid, and find, if we can, fome friendly and chari- table Hand to point out our Miftakes to us, and fet us right ; and there will be no great Difficulty in convincing us, if we be in any tolerable Difpofition to be convinc'd, that all thefe, or whatever other fpecious Excufes we can frame to favour our Difor- ders, have nothing in them.
'Tis highly probable that David^ in his Affair with Bathjljeba^^uikr'd his PalTion to get the Afcendant o're his Reafon and Piety, upon fome fuch falfe and flat- tering Infinuations. And he appears to have been lb far feiz'd with the agreeable Delufion he was under, that for fome Time he dilcover'd no fenfible Uneafi- nefs, or Remorle for the Sin of his Inclination ; but fought rather to favour his continuing in it, by im- bruing his Hands in the Blood of an Innocent Perfon: As 'tis natural for all Sinners, when once the Grace of God leaves them to themfelves, to take Refuge in one Sin, and perhaps a much greater Sin, in order to cover or excufe another.
But when this Pious and Excellent Prince, for fb he was by the Teftimony of the Spirit of God in all other Refpefts, was come to himfelf, and made fenii- ble that He was the Man that had committed thofe grievous Crimes, which through the Violence and Diforder of his Paflion, and as we may conclude from the manner of the Prophet's reproving him, he feems not to have been fenfible of before ^ then he felt in his Mind that bitter Anguifh and Remorie, wherewith true and awaken'd Penitents look back oa their paft Sins, when the flattering Difguife where- in they made their firft Approach is taken off, and they view them in their proper and genuine Defor- mity.
tet
<52 SERMON III.
Yet a jufl: Reproof is not only proper to difcover to us, what the Deceitfulnefs of Sin renders us back- ward and averfe to enquire narrowly into our felves, and to make us alham'd and penitent for it, but has frequently this farther good Effed, that it difpofes us to contrary Ads of Piety and Religion. For there being no Medium between Virtue and Vice, our for- faking of Sin is the firfl Step towards our Proficien- cy in Virtue: The Foundation of a religious Life, and which naturally rifes upon it, ii Repentance from dead Works. So that as they who would learn the modern Philofophy, are advifed to divefl; them felves, as much as poflible, of all former Notions and Pre- judices •, he that would be inftruded in the Art of Holy Living, mult by way of a previous and necef- fary Qualification, entirely forfake and renounce his^ Sins. And 'tis this good Effe&. of fraternal Reproof, in the future Reformation of a Sinner, which Solo' mon more particularly defigns in thefe Words •, And, reprove a Man of "Vnderfianding^ and he will under-m fiand Knowledge : That is, he will not only take to himfelf Shame and Repentance for his former Follies, but in Confequence of his Shame and Repentance, will become more fenfible of the Reafonablenefs and Excellency of Religion, and of the Power which it ought to have over him.
Thus David after he had been brought by the Me- thod I am confidering, to a juft Senfe and Humiliati- on for hisgreat Offence^ having defir'd of God that he VJQvXd. hide his Face from his Sins ^ and blot out his Iniqui- ties •, immediately adds in a noble and moving Strain of Devotion, Create in me a clean Hearty O Cdd^ and re- fiexo aright Sprit within me ^ Pf. 51.9, 10. Nay, he is fo fenfible of the Efficacy of Fraternal Reproof well apply'd, and which had fo good an Effeft upon him- felf, that he refolves by the Grace of God,- not only upon his own future Reformation, but to engage in the Defign of Reforming others j 7hen will I teach
Tranf'
SERMON III. ^3
tranfgrejfors thy Ways^ and Sinners jliall be converted uti" to thte^ Ver. 13.
Even thofe who in a good Meafure under fi and Know- ledge^ and dcfire to live up to what they know, yet are affeded with a more lively and powerful Senfe of their Duty, by bcieg reminded of it. How juftly apprehenfive St. Peter was of this, appears from his following Refolution, Therefore I will mt be negligent to put you in Remembrance of thefe Things^ though ye know them^ and be efiablijljed in the Truth '^ yea^ J think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to Jlir you up, by putting you in Remembrajice. A Remembrancer is ufeful to the wifefl; and belt, and mofl circumfped: of us •, for fup- pofing the Underftanding rightly inform'd, and no ways influenc'd by the Motives and Maxims of Self- love, in the Judgment it makes of our Aftions, yet we are ftrangely apt to forget the Religious Truths we hear, and efpecially fuch of them, as are moll op- pofite to prevailing Temper and Inclination ; and therefore have need of fome friendly impartial Mo- nitor, frequently to refrefh our Memory and provoke us to good Works •, which is the Reafon of that other Apoftolical Exhortation, CoL 3. 16. Let the Word of Chrijl dwell in you richly in all Wifdom^ teaching and ad- monijljing one another.
2. As the Wifdom of God has direfted this Me- thod, Societies have been form'd by Men to concert how it may be mofl: effedually purfued. If thefe Societies have not had all the Effeft that might have been expeded from them, as 'tis to be fear'd they have not, this is to be afcrib'd to fome accidental Defed or Mifcondud in them •, as Perfons of more Zeal per- haps than Knowledge, have with much Heat for a time endeavour'd to promote the Defign of them ^ but after they had fpent their firft Fire, and met with greater Difficulties than they expeded, have grown very cold and remifs. Or in other Refpeds perhaps they have been Men of no great C:>nfideration, and
there-
64 SERMON lit
therefore very unfit for theDifcharge of a Duty which of all others requires the greateft Nicety and Addrtfs. The propagating of Religion, efpecially in the Way I am mentioning, is a very grave and ferious Bufinefs, which none ought to undertake but Perfons diftin- guifh'd by fome eminent Qualities. When therefore Ordinary and illiterate, tho' perhaps well-meaning Mechankls^ engage in a Work, which the wifeft Heads often find themfelves at a lofs to difcharge with a becoming Decency \ this inftead of maintain- ing the Honour and Dignity of Religion, is rather apt to expofe it to Contempt and Difhonour. But how far fuch Societies have b^en defedive in their Condud, will more particularly appear, when I come to confider the proper Regulations of this Duty. In order to which I am to fhew by the way, how far we are oblig'd to it,
2. From the Charity we owe to our Neighbour. Charity in the higheft, and certainly in the nobleft Inftance of it, as it tends to promote the true and fupreme Interefl: of Man, the Happinefs of his Soul to all Eternity. Many excellent Things are fpokent of this Duty,as it refpefts the temporal Advantage of other Men, and difpofes us to procure for them the Comforts and Conveniences of a Life which is of ^ very uncertain, and at the bell but of a fhort Conti- nuance. And yet our charitable Offices in contribu- ting to the Relief of other Perfons under Circum- ftances of Diftrefs, have a great many Promifes made to them, both of the Life that now is, and of that which is to come ^ they are faid to be Sacrificed wherewith God is well pleafed, Heb. 13. i^. They procure Men Dsliverance out of many Temporal Af- iliftions, or the proper Supports and Confolations un- der them, ?f. 41. I. God is pleafed in Confiderati- on of them, to make and acknowledge himfelf a Debtor to Men in this World, Prov. 19. 17. But the Son of God goes yet higher, and in the Day wheti
SERMON III. 6^
he will judge all Mankind to a:i unl'peakable State bfHappinefs or Mifery, in a World which ir.']\ never have an End, will take the Good ne have done to our indigent Brethren asddne toliinifelf. Mm, 25. 34. And therefore 'tis upon this perfuafive Argument, that the Works of Charity lay np in Store a goodf Foundation for Men againft the time to come, that we are direded by the Apoftle in a more authoritative and powerful Manner, to charge thofe which ire rich in this World, thatthey be willing to giv-^^ !ad to diftribute, i Tim. 6- 17. The Time Vv ;uM fail ine to enumerate all th^ particular Expreffions, and J5ublick Tefrimonies of God's Favour, to the truly_ charitable Chfiflian.
And if the Duties of Charity, with refped to a Society, we form here upon Earth, a society bnly in Comparifon for a few Moments, which is diflblv'd with our Lives, and is chiefly main- tain'd by a Communion of fading and tranfitory Goods-, if the Duties of Charity, I fay upon this Confideration be fo binding and indifpenfible, that they are made the great Teft whereby we are to prove our felves the true Difciples.of Chrift • and that the Trial of our Obedience at the lafl Day par- ticularly proceeds vipon them, how much more care- ful ought we to be in difchargingthe Duties incum- bent on us, with Regard to that Spiritual Society we are entev'd into under Chrift our Head; which is begun indeed here upon Earth, but is indiflbluble and eternal in the Heavens ? A Society which is defign'd tO advance the Perfedion of our noblelt and immortal Part, in the Virion and Enjoyment of God ^. in the intimate Communion we fliall have with the Son of God, with the Holy Angels, and the Spirit? of juft Men made perfed : And in the Fruition of .i-ofe great and glorious Rewards of Eternity^ which we fliall enjoy in common, and without Diviiion.
VOL. 11 F the
66 SERMON III.
The Advantages and Enjoyments of this World are fuch that they cannot be communicated without being divided \ and for this Reafon, we are not al- ways able to contribute to the Relief of thofe who may fland in need of our Afliftance : Nay, in fome Cafes, we arepblig'd to withhold the External Ads of our Benevolence, from thofe who ( we are mo- rally aiTur'd) will make an ill Ufe of them. But here the Prefumptions ought to be very ftr'.ng, and not grounded upon Surmifes of Prejudice or villanous Imputations. A Father, that out of a Criminal In- dulgence to his Son, furnifhes him with Supplies to fupport his Extravagancies, and thereby corrupts his Soul, is in truth more criminal with all his feeming Tendernefs, than thofe who facrific'cP the Lives of their Innocent Children to Devils. And tho' our Holy Religion, and indeed the common Obligations of Humanity require, that we fhould do good to our greateft Enemies ; that we fhould relieve them ia their Necedi ties-, that we fhould give them Bread to eat, and Water to drink ; yet I do not know that we are obliged to put an Enemy, or even a Friend, in a Capacity of doing any Thing, which we have ftrong and reafonable Grounds to believe, will turn to our own or his greater Difadvantage, than the Kindnefs we do him will compenfate for.
But we can be under no Circumftances, which will excufe us from procuring for other Perfons, To far as w^e are able, the true and Spiritual Goods, tho' they be our greateft Enemies •, tho' they be fuch as have done, or perhaps continue to do us very 111 Offices. Your Enemy thirfts after your Eftate, or perhaps your Life, or (what you are ftill lefs able to bear) he ftrikes at your Good Name •, but yet he is avifible Member of Chrift's Church •, he is one of thofe for whom Chrift, who tafted Death for every Man, fhed his moft precious Blood •, o^ie therefore, that God willeth fliould repent aad be faved 3 and
you
SERMON in. €^
you ought to be fubfervient, and promote to the ut- moft of your Power the Defi2;ns of God. Your Enemy, by your Chriftian Offices, in Concurrence with God's Grace, may be brought to Repentance, and have his Name written in the Book of Life.
In Affairs relating to this Life, our private PafTions and Interefts are to give way to the Good of the Publick •, and fhall we not facrifice them to the Will and Pleafure of God, in Carrying on his Great and Glorious Defigns, and to which all his other Defigns are fubordinate, of Building up the Church, and pro- curing the Salvation of all Men ?
Let us then labour in this Heavenly and BlelTed Work which proceedeth from Love, in the more ge- nerous and better Part of it: Let us ufe our belt Endeavours, and particularly in the Method I am recommending, to reclaim Sinners from the Errors of their Ways, and bring them to Repentance, that they may lay hold of Eternal Life. 'Tis the Com- mand of God by Mofes^ Exod. 23. 4. Jf thou meet thine Enemy's Ox or Afs going aflray^ thou jliah jurely bring it back to him again. By which, 1 fuppofe, is meant, thatthou fhalt ufe fome proper Means to prevent the Lofs of it. And Ihall I then unconcernedly fee him Ctho' mine Enemy) perifh, for whom Chrijl dyd\ and ule no proper Endeavour to fave that Precious and Immortal Soul, which it cofl; fo much to redeem ?
To conclude this Head : 'Tis to a Good Man one of the greatefl: Pleafures of this Life to do good, even in Relieving the Tcm.poral Wants, or Encouraging the Endeavours of Indigent and Diftrefs'd Perfons. To a Wife Man, I am fure, this is the Chief, I had almoft faid the Only End, for which (confidering the Temptations of it) a High Poft and Fortune in the World oug;ht to be defir'd. But now, if the Pleafure and Sansfadion of doing good, arile, as 'tis reafonable they (hould in Proportion to the duality or Degree of the Goood we do j what an un-
F 2 fpeaka-
68 SERMON IJI.
fpeakable Joy will fpring up in the Mind of a Good Man, who' has been inftrumental in bringing a Loft Sheep into the Fold, under Jefus Chrift, the Great Bifhop and Shepherd ofthe Flock ^ or, to ufe the Words ofthe Apoftle St. James^ in Converting a Sinner from the Evil of his Ways, and Saving a Sovl from Death ?
Among other Means to this End, we have ob- ferv'd that the WiTdom of God has appointed the Duty of Fraternal Reproof, that in the Natural Ten- dency ofthe Thing, and in the Judgment and Ex- perience of iVien, 'tis found very proper to this End ; and that Charity obliges us to the Exercife of it. But yet I would not be underftood, as if we were ob- lig'd to exercife it at all Adventures, or indeed on any Occafion, but where it may beperform'd after a proper and becoming Manner. For it being a Duty of Chriftian Prudence, and deriving its Obligation from the Propriety it has to effeO: the End propos'd by it J where the End of it in all Probability can- not be effeded, the Obligation ccafes. According to that Rule o^ Aquinas^ Ea qu£ funt ad Finem, de- Jo ent regulari feciindumquod exigit Ratio Finis. And there- fore Solomon has exprefly determin'd, that where there is no Likelihood that our Reproofs will make any good Impreflron, but rather perhaps be to our Dis- advantage, without any Benefit to the Party re- prov'd, there we are to forbear them. Reprove not fays he, a Scorner^ lefi he hate the. Prov. 9. 8. But the Reafon ofthe Prohibition holds with refpecl to all other Perfons, where no probable Good is to be expeded from our Reproofs, but rather fome Con- fequence injurious to our felves, or the Honour of God. And indeed, this is no more than what Solo- mon feems to infinuate in the Words of my Text, by delivering the Scorncr ihto the Hands ofthe Civil Magiftrate, to be dealt with as he deferves, in a more pfoper and effedual manner.
But
SERMON III. 69
But becaiife ia many Cafes we cannot be difpens'd with from Difcharging this Duty, and yet the Dif- charge of it is commonly attended with fome Dif- ficulty j give me Leave, before I proceed to a Coji- clufion, to lay down fome proper Regulations of it, on liich Occafions, wherein we are under an indif- penfible Obligation to it. And,
I. Great ^Tendernefs and Compallion muft he us'd, to give our Reproofs the greater Force and Ef- ficacy. We mufl: make thofe we admouifh fenfible that we have a hearty and real Concern for their Good and Welfare •, and that this is the principal Motive, upon which we take upon us fo ungrateful an Office. 'Twas with this Temper the Apoftle pro- ceeded in his Reproving certain Diforders among the Corinthians : He tells them, that with much Jjflitiion and Angui^i of Hearty he wrote vnto them with many Tearr^ not that thcyflwvU be grieved, but that they fliovld knovp the Love he had more abundantly to them. 2 Cor. 2. 4. And he prefcribes the fime Temper and Lenity to others, which he was fo eminent an Inftance of himfelf: If a-fty Man he overtaken in a Vanity ye which are Spiri- tual^ rejiore fuch a one in the Spirit of Meeknefs. But be- fides the Natural Propriety of this Method to pro- duce the defign'd Effeft, (for we never have a readi- er Accefs to the Hearts of Men, than when they perceive we- have a real Concern for their Interefts) \ the Apoftleadds a very perfuafive and particular Ar- gument, to enforce his Advice. He reccommcnds it to the Perlbn reproving^ to confider himfelf, left he alfo be tempted. And indeed, the more we retire into our felves, and examine our own Qiialifications or Conduft, the more candid and modeft we fliall be in the judgment we make of other Men.
■ We fhall find by this Method, that many of our Good Actions in the Eye of the World, are little better, perhaps than more' fpecious and plaufible
F 3 Sins,
70 SERMON III.
Sins, without any Regard to the true and genuine Motives of Piety and Religion.
But when we judge of the Conduft of other Men, we are oblig'd by all the Rules of Chriftian Charity and common Ingenuity, to believe the Good they do, where nothing appears to the contrary, to be done upon Good Motives, and for truly Religious and Good Ends.
The Reafon is the fime with refpcft to the Judg- ments we form of our own, or the Vices of other Men. VVc are confcious to our felvcs how eafily we are betray'd into Sin • how deliberately, and with how many other Circumftances of Aggravation we commit it. But that Charity which hopeth and be- lieveth all Things, v^ill, though I know the Praftice of the World is the very Reverie of this, i[npute the Sins of other Ferfons to fuch Confiderations, as ra- ther lefien than aggravate them : The PeiTon you are going to reprove has committed feme fcandalous Crime, but he was perhaps in great Meafure furpriz'd into it, or he did it through Ignorance, and not any malicious Intention ^ or he was under fome very prelTing and dangerous Circumftances of Temptati- on : Thefe are the Alleviations which a Perfon of Candor will frame in excufe of the Sins or Efcapes of other Men : But how far they are applicable to himfelf, he is to judge, not by the Rules of Charity, but by Evidence, and the Report of his own Con- fcience.
Obferve to this Purpofe the great Decency and in- genuous Temper of the Apoftle, in fpeakingofother Men's Sins *, If any Man he overtaken with a Fault j by which the Apoftle infinuates, that we ought to confi- der a laps'd Brother, as rather Pafllve in what he has done, as rather flying from and caught by Temptati- on, than advancing to meet it.
^ I do not fay, thefe alleviating Circumftances of the Sins of other Men, which Charity ought in moft
Cafes
S E Pv M O N III. ; I
Cafes to fuppofe, will excufc them ^ but' when we confider how apt vvc alfo are our fclves to be tempted, and how often we have been aftually tempted to com- mit Sin ^ this is certainly a very good Reafon^ why we fhould animadvert on the Faults of other Men with great Tendcrnefs and more Graii^s of Allov;- ance.
And yet I grant in fome Cafes we ought, when we take g Sinner to task, to rife in our Refentments, where the Character of the Perfon, or the Nature and Qiiality of his Crimes will not admit of thcfe mitigating Confiderations. Some according to the A poftle's Advice, Tit. 2. \ '^. 3.XQ tohc rehnk d jh^rply^ ci-rroiiuco;. A Metaphor taken from the Art of a Surgeon, who as the Wound is more dangerous or corrupt, makes the deeper Inciflon. Accordijigly both the Prophets under -the Law, and St. Paul in his Epillles, according to the Notoriety of the Crimes they reprov'd, and degree of Scandal arlfi/g from them, us'd a greater Afperity of ExprefTion ^ even the Holy Jefus himifelf, in reproving the notorious Hypocrify of the Scribes and Pharifees, was fometimes tranfported beyond the common and ordinary Ap- pearances of his Temper.
2. Our Reproofs muft be modefl:, and free from all hypocritical Oflentations ^ for we are toconfider, that 'tis not fo much the Reprooof it fclf, as the Reafona- blenefs and Pertinency of it, which give it a jiift Force: But frem a hypocritical Pretender to Religion,, the Edge of the Reproof is, for Want of thcfe Qiia- lifications in the Reprover, very much turn'd •, the Reproof you will fay, as to the Matter of it, is the fame, tho' given by the moft vitious Perfon, who not- withftariding his other Vices, may fometimes be mov'd by a particular Effort of Zeal to animadvert upon the Faults of other Men, efpecially fach Faults, as he is under no Temptation to, from natural Tem- per, or the Circumllances be is in. This 'tis granted,
F 4 is
7^ SERMON III.
is agreeable enough to the Charader of a Zealot ^ aiKj we allow rurther, that Truth ought to be hearkned to, whoever fpeaks it : But 'tis a ftrong Prejudice againft the Perfon that fpeaks it, if he difcover by hi$ own Condud, that he has no regard to it. In this Cafe, tho' 'tis true, the Reafon of the Thing confi- der'd in it felf is the fame, yet the Force and Autho- rity of it is coniidev'ably abated. Phyfcian heal thy felf j is a natural and obvious Reply to fuch a Reprover.
3. Avoid expofmg the Offender, as much as the Rule of Charity will admit : This is an Argument that our Admonitions proceed from Friendfhip, and tha^" ^tis not our Defign to difgrace but reform ^ thefe are tht faithful VVo,unds^ which a Friend will inflid, ■withcat betraying the Perfon admonilhed to publick Scaidal: The Rule our Saviour gives, that if our JB/ other trefpaTs againf vs^ we jlwuld tell him privately ofhii Faults^ is tc be obferv'd with Refped to all other Crimes that we are not under an Obligation todifco- ye ' out of Regard tc; the Interefts of the State, or the juttlce we ov e to private Petfons, or 'vhere the Hon- our 01 Reiip.ion is not highly and nearly concern'd.
But to keep <m fclves in all Cafes from Sufpicion of defigning any thirigagainft the Reputation of thofe we reprove, Prudence requires we fiiould fhew therh their Faults without attacking their Perfons; be- caufe there is nothing imbitters the Spirits of Men more, or renders them fo incapable of wife Counfel, as when they fuppole themfelves reflcded upon, and ill uf.'d. As the true Art of Praife, no lefs than of Panegyric, conlifls in faying Things indireBly^ the lefs we appear at firft View to deiign either to praife or reprove, the more agreeably y^t furprize and awa- ken the Attention ;, fo that generally the neareft Way to bring our Reproofs home to the Confcienceof a -Sinner, is to go about.
This was the Way Nathan took in his Reproof of David : He comes before him with a feign'd Cafe, un» ■ ■'- ■ " ^ '■■■'■• der
SERMON III. 75
,(?er a fpacious pretence of fuing for Juftice This Cafe wasatthebottomD^'y;Ws own. And the Effed of it was, that he infenfibly pronounced Sentence againfl: himfelf, and was brought thereby to a more pungent and awaking Senfe of his Crime, than if he had been told of it in plain and dired Terms. But thisleacjs me to confider,
4. A fourth Regulation of this Duty, with refped to the Quality of the Perfon reprov'd. As People ne- ver think themfelves more injur'd by us, than when we fail in the Refpedt due to any paVticular Chara- £ler they are invefted with, we mufl: never think of gaining their Attention, where we feem in the leaft wanting in our Regards to them ^ for this Reafon we ought, as little as poffible, to give our Admonitions to our Superiors the Air of Reproof. In this Cafe the very Name of it, as it imports fomething of Au- thority, founds a little harfh and aHuniing. The A- poftle therefore feems to foften and exprefs it by a, Term, which gives the Mind a more eafy and agreea- ble Idea, Rebuke not^ fays he, an Elder, but intreat him as a Father. The fame Decency is to be obferv'd with refpectto Perfons of any Eminence above us in^;i^ Charafter ^ fo that if it be neceffary, as upon fome Occafions it may, to lay the Faults of fuch Perfons before them, we are to do it at once in the moll; diftant and the mofl; refpeftful Manner. This is what Elihu infinuates in thofe Words, 70^ the 34th. V. 18. Is it fit ta fay to a King^ Thou art Wicked, and to Pritices, Te are Vn* godly ? He does not intend, that the greatell Perfona- ges are wholly exempt from Reproof, efpecially by thofe who are in their Confidence, or minifter to them in Things facred ; he only defigns, that we fhould Ihew them their Faults as decently and in as remote and in offenfive Language, as the Mature of them will bear.
5. I Ihall juft mention one other Qiialification of a juft Reproof, and that is the Seafonablenefs of it. In all
the
74 SERMON III.
the AddrcfTes we make to other Perfons, the well-e timing of them is of fingular- Advantage. An open Rebuke is apt to irritate thofe, who have the greateft Command of their Temper, efpecially where they lufpeLt any Perfon before whom they arerebiik'd, for their Enemy, or when they are under any Diforder of Mind, or in the Heat of their PalTion. On fuch Occalions a Reproof will neither be well receiv'd, nor find Room for Admittance ; we mull: therefore in this Cafe, as in moft others, when we would en- gage any Perfon, obferve the Difpofition he is in, and whether he be acceffible. A due Regard is to be had to the molUa tempora Fandi^ the eafy and favourable lyioments of attending the Great, efpecially in all our Applications to them ■, but never more than when we come before them in Quality of Monitors. An Office feldoni very acceptable at the bell, exxept to fuch Perfons as have the leaft Need of it. And pro- bably 'tis for Want of this Qualification among others, that fome of our Societies for Reformation of Man- ners have made no greater Progrcfs •, that a due Re- gard is not always obferv'd in them to Times and Perfons. A Word fpken in Seafonhow good is it? But when a Reproof is a])ruptly introduced by thofe, who have more Zeal than perhaps either Difcretion or Manner, how infigniBcant, not to fay what the Authority of Solomon would juftify, how foolifh is it ? For a Focl^ as he obferves, ■will always be talking^ bin a Wife Ad}m will keep a Word for afterwards^ Wifd. 29. i i .
Thus I have confidered fonie of the chief Qua- lifications of this Duty of fraternal Reproof ^ and an honell and well difpos'd Perfon will fupply theDe- fedb of >vhat has been faid, without, my clefcending to iqore Particulars. >
Give me leave now by way of Conclufion, to draw two (liort Inferences from what has been faid.
I. If this be a Duty of fo great a Nicety, and re- quires fo many Talents to render it effectual and fub-
fer-^
S E Pv M O N III. 75
fervient to the great Ends of promoting Piety, we ought not raflily andunadvifedly to take it in hand, but toconfider well whether we be in any good Mca- fure quality d for it. It is not a heady and popular Cry after Reformation, which will render Men thus qiialify'd ^ but a competent Stock of Knowledge, efpccially of the Knowledge of human Nature, as well asPiety and good -enfe, is required towards it. Zeal for Promoting the Interefts of Religion is very commen- dable, and yet if it be not kept 'under proper Reftri- dions, nothing expofes the Honour of Religion more.
2. It being a Duty of fo great Neceflity withal, thofe who find themfclves really qualified for it,ought: not to be difcourag'd from performing it, tho' in fometimes expofe them to Inconveniences, or make them incur the Odium of thofe, they take fo unac- ceptable a Freedom with. Chridianity has very lit- tle Power over us, if we fuffer our felves to be re- ftrain'd from a known and indifpenfible Duty, upon, any worldly Motives whatever.
Let us therefore r&folve to difcharge a good Con- fcience, and leave the Confequence of cloing oui- Duty to the Difpofal of God. This was the Method which the Holy Apoftlestook, and which gave them that Peace and Satisfadion of Mind which the World cannot give, and is ftill the lefs capable of pretend- ing to give, the more weproftitute our Confcienccs to the corrupt Arts and Maxims of it. OurBIefled Lord himfelf complains. That the World hated him^ be- cavfe he tejiified of it that the Works thereof were Evil. Let us follow his glorious Example in the fame Excel- lent Deflgn, where we have a juft Call and Occaliou to exert our felves in it. The Difciple is not above his Maftery nor the Servant above his Lord. But this one Co n (id era t ion is fufilcient to raife us above every Thin^ in this World, that if we fufi'er with him in a conftaiic and finccre Obedience to the Commands of God, we ihall be glorified with him. Amen^
S E R-
7-^
SERMON IV.
How far we are able to Account for the DifHciilties that occur to us^ in confi- dering the Attributes of God^ and the Wifdoiii^ Goodnefs and Juftice of his Providence^ with RefpeS: to the Suf- ferings of good Men.
JOB^. 17.
fliii^fi thou by fearchtng fnd out God ; cmjt thot^ fmd out the Almighty to Perfefhoft I
WE find >^_, throughout the former Chapter, expoftulating in the Bltternefs of his Soul with God, concerning the Reafons of thofe many and great Calamities, wherewith he was vifited. After habing opened his Complaint at the ^r/ rijry^, with his being weary of Life, he takes up this pious Refo- lution, in the Words immediately following-, Irvill fay unto God, do not condemn me \ Jliew me "wherefore thou contendefl with me. And the remaining Part of his Difcourfe is little more than this Ex population, diverfied with many beautiful Turns of Thought and Jixprefiion. '."
Zovh^
S E R M O N IV. 77
Zophar in this Chapter takes upon him to reprovd Job for his Multitude of Words ^ and as if he had reply' d againfi God, in order to juflify iiimfelf, after too free and audacious a Manner. For the Words foregoing my Text are plainly deilgn'd to fhew, that 'twere better for Job to refolve the Caufe of his Suf- ferings, into the unfearchable Wifdom of God, than to ftand fo much on his own Vindication, or ufe Co many vain and fruitlefs Endeavours to reconcile the Sufferings of Good Men with any clear and diftind Notions we have of the Attributes or Conducl of God. Which is all tfiis excellent Perfon propofes to himfelf, in his devout Remonftrances and Complaints, The Argument upon which Zophar proceeds is this. That after all our Enquiries concerning the Nature or Attributes of God, and the Reafons of his Con- duft, we are ftill to feek, and fhall never be able per- fectly to comprehend or account for them. And, to five the greater Force to this Argument, he puts it y way of Interrogation, Canfl thouby fearchi-r7g fnd out God ^ canfi thou find out the Ahni(rhty to TerfeEtion ?
But this, tho' it be a very juft and noble Sentiment in it felf, is of no Confequence to affedl Job^ or to* fhew, that he took a wrong Method in making God and the Methods of Divine Providence theSubjedof his Speculations. So that he might have made the fame Anfwer here which he does on another Occa- fion ; How forcible aire right Words ? But what does your Arguing reprove? Ch. 5. 25.
For tho' we have no adequate or entire Notion of what this Infinitely Perfecf and All-glorious Being is, or upon what particular Motives he afts ^ yet i^o far, upon a modefl and pious Search, may be known of him, as to give us a true Notion of his Attributes, and ena- ble us in general, fufficiently to juffify his providen- tial Difpenfations.
In difcourfing therefore upon the Words, I fhall confine my felf to examine feme of the greatefl: Dif-
licukies
78
SERMON VI.
Sculties, and how far we may be able to account fot
them.
BV/, In Relation to the Attributes. And Secondly^ To the Providence of God,
T . In Relation to the Divine Attributes. Ca?7fi thou hy fearching find out God ? That is, Canft thou, after the nioft ftrid and diligent Enquiry, or the ftrong- ell Efforts of thy Intelledual Powers, difcover in a clear and diflind View, what the EfTential Proper- ties are of a Being infinitely perfeft ? Not that the Eflence and Properties of God are really diftind in themfelves, but only in the Manner whereby (ac- cording to the Model of our Capacities) we con- ceive and fpeak of them. For were a real Di- lli:i(?don between the Nature and Attributes of God^ which foine Men, and particularly Forflipn has con- tended for, to be admitted ^ 'tv^-ould follow, that there are fome Perfedions accidental to the Divine Nature, and which of it felf it has not •, a Confe- quence which deftroys the very Idea of a Being ahfo' /w^f/y and infinitely perfect.
By the Attributes therefore of God we aje to uri- derfiand, thefeveral Apprehenhons we have of him according to the different Light wherein our Minds are capable of beholding him, or the different Sub- jeds upon which he is pleas'd to operate. Thus, not- withftandingthe perfcft Simplicity and Unity of his N iture, when he punifhes a Sinner, we call it an Aft of jullice-, when he fufpendsthe"Punifhment due to him, an Ad of Patience and Long-fuflering :;, and when he pardons him, an Ad of Mercy. And yet this Diverfity of Operations in God with refped to us, does not infer, but that with refped to him- felf 'tis the felf-fame Ad which punifhes, which forbears, and which pardons. But flnce by reafon •of our Finite Capacities, we cannot in one pure
and
S E Pv M O N VI. 7^
and fimpleldea comprehend that Infinite Per fedion ' which difplays it felt in fuch i\ v^onderful and fnr- prizin^ Variety ad extra ^ therefore we give it dific- rent Names, and, according to our flov/ and imper« feft way of conceiving Things, affix to it different Ideas; which ye are not without a reafonable r.nd true Foundation. For wlien the Mind conceives diftinft- ly of the Attributes of God, it conceives right ^ as that (to keep to the former Inflances) he is jufi-, Pa- tient and iMerciful ^ bccaufe it diftinftly fees thefe Attributes-, and what is not, cannot be feen : And yet it does not clearly difcovcr, how they are mtme- rically and entirely one with his Eflence, confider'd as a pure, llmrde and undivided Aft. which we are therefore forc'd to confider, by carrying the Eye of ourUnderltanding this way and that way, back- wards and forwards, and taking the Divine Oecono' my^ as we do a Unifprm and Magnificent Strudure, as it were in Pieces, and viewing them one after another.
But I fhall defcend to obferve to you fome of the chief Difficulties, with refpcd to the Attributes of God in particular. And,
I. To that of his Vovoer : This being the Attribute Zofher more direftly pofes Jol; with, in the Words of my Text:;, Canft thou find out the Almighty to Verfccllon?
That Power is a Perfedion, will not be difputed ^ and it feems nolcfs evident, that Infinite Perfeclioti muft therefore be attended with Infinite Power. For I here all along fuppofe, with Job and his Friends, the Belief of a Being infinitely perfcd. The Qjie- ftion here is not, How we fliall find out God as to his Exiftence ? This is all along taken for granted. Atheifm, if after all there be really any fuch thing, is of a later Date, and more accommodated to the falfe Turn of Wit, and vain Shew of Philofophy and Free-thinking, which fnccecding Ages have produced. Jobdind his Friends pliilofophiz'd more juFlIv-, by fol- lowing
8d S E R M O N IV.
lowing Nature in its Primitive and Genuine Simpli- city. Tho' there is no Book in the World, which' treats of the difficultefl Points in Natural Philofophy^ in a more Noble and Sublime manner than this, or which perhaps explains them fo well.
But how fhall we form to ourfelves any perfed Idea of InJSnite Power? Here again Reafon is con- founded, and unable to bear it felf up in any Pro- portion to the Objed. Efpecially Tf vve confider Omnipotence, as exerting it felf into Ad ^ as Ope- rating, for we mufl; here fpeak as we can apprehend Things, on mere Privation, and railing almo'ft an in- finite Variety of Beings out of iVo^W^.
This was the Difficulty which fo much perplexed" Arifiotle, and which he could never get over. But' 'twas very unphilofophical in this Great Man, for the avoiding a Difficulty ( and there was no othef way of avoiding it) to rurt into a downright Con- tradition and Abfurdity -^ and to fuppofe a Beings caird Matter, Coeternal with God the Firft Caufe, and Independent of him.
But 'tis not my Bufinefs here to dwell upon fuch* Nice Speculations. I am' only to fhew, how unca- pable we are of finding out the Almighty to Perfe- dion : Tho' nothing is more clear either from Reve- lation, t\\2Lr\X.h2it all 'Things, that are Objeds of Pow- er, or imply no dired Pvcpiignancy to Exiftence, are fojjible to God \ or from Re^on, than that if Power be a Perfection, it mull be infinite in a being infinite- ly Perfea-.
6ut fuppofing indeed that Creation did not ne- cefTariiy imply the Giving Exiftence to Things which' had none before, but only the Difpofing them into a beautiful, magnificent, and ufeful Order ^ yet in this View, the Conftrudion of the World gives us an Idea of Power, vvhich we are more furprized and aftoniflied with the EfFeds of, than able to explain' the Manner or Progrefs of its Operations j as God
him felf
S E R M O N IV. 8i
himfelf reprefents in the moft moving and forcible manner imaginable. Chap. 38. 43, &c. and therefore is very fignificantly defcribed at the firft Verfe, as fpeaking to Job out of the Whirlwind : Where wajt thou when I laid the Foundations of the Earth f Declare if thou haji Vnderfianding^ who hath laid the Meafures there^ of^ if thou knowefiy or who hath ftretched the Line upon it ? Whereupon are the Foundations thereof fafined ^ or who laid the Corner- fione thereof? When the Morning Stars fang together y and all the Sons of God jJwuted for joy. The whole Chapter proceeds in the fame Noble and Sub- lime Strain. And were we to confider this admi- rable Book merely as a Sacred Poem, in the main of Human Compofition, it had been a very juft and wife Contrivance in the Author of it, to alcribe to God the greatefi Thoughts, that ever entred into the Heart of Man.
2. Another Attribute of God, which there is great Difficulty in raifing our Thoughts to any clear Con- ception of, is Eternity. For who can diftinftly ap- prehend, how one fingle and permanent Adt of Du- ration fhould extend to all Periods of Time, without Succeffion of Time ? And yet that Eternity is to be afcribed to God in this Senfe, is evident, not only from the Terms wherein it is fpoken of in Scripture^ Exod. 3. 14. Rev. 1.8. but from this plain Reafon^ That fucceffive Duration fuppofes a Beginning, or firft Period, from which all the future Moments of it take their Rife, and are to be computed. For there can be no Inftantof a fuccelTive Duration pall, but it was once prefent ^ and when it was fo prefent, had none going before it. Which as it is a very convin- cing Argument againft the Eternity of the World, which fuppofes at leaft an Eternal Succeffive Motion or Rotation of the Heavenly Orbs, fo we necelfarily infer from it, that God exifts eternally, without any of the diftinguifhiag Parts .or Moments of Succel- lion.
VOL. II. ' G IBue
82 S E R M O N IV.
_ Bat how, according to Boethim his known Defini- tion, the Eternity of God Ihould be one fingle and permanent Ad of Duration, prefent to all paft as well as future Time, is a DifRculty fufficient to turn the Edge of the fineft Wit, and the Force of the ftrong- eft Head. That a Being, who was^ and is^ and is to come^ fhould be fo without Succeffion of Time ! And that there is no fuch thing as firft and laft, paft or fu- ture, with refped: to his Exiftence, but only in our imperfect manner of Conceiving Things ! is a My- ftery indeed ^ which tho' fome, out of the Plenitude of their Vanity, have pretended to account for upon clear and diftind Ideas, yet we mufl; ftill be content to remain ignorant of, and know only in Part.
3. With what Difficulties again are we furrounded when we confider the Immeniity of God ? That a Single Individual Subftance, without Extenfion or Parts, fhould fpread it felf into, and over all Parts 5 that it Ihould fill all Places, and be circumfcrib'd in no Place ; and yet be intimately (not to fay efTen- tially) prefent in every Place •, are Truths difco- verable by Reafon, and confirm'd by Revelation. We cannot well think of God, but we mufl: perceive the Evidence of them. For one of the firlt Thoughts that occurs to our Minds, when we contemplate this Glorious Being, is, that he is a God at hand, and not a God afar of, Jer. 23.23. That we cannot hide our felves in fecret from him, but that he fills Heaven and Earthy as it follows in the next Verfe.
But to fay, that God is prefent only by his Know- ledge, or the Efficacy of his Power, does not fully folve the Difficulties of Conceiving his Vbiquity. For his Attributes (as we have feen) being infeparable from his Effence, except in our Modes of apprehend- ing them *, where he is prefent by any Attribute, there it would feem he is eflentially prefent. And indeed, the Terms wherein Holy Davtd fpeaks of the Divine Omniprefence, appear to import no lefs.
S E R M O N IV. 85
neither then fiiall I go from thy Sprit ; or whither Jhall t fiee from thy Prefenve ? If I ajcend up into JHeaven^ thoii art there j if J make my Bed in Hell, behold thou art thera Pfal. i3y. 7, 8. Agreeably to which Sentiment, Zo' phar exprefles himfelf concerning this Perfeftion of the Divine Nature, in the Words immediately fol- lowing my Text. It is as high as Heaven, what canfi thou do ? Deeper than Hell, what cdnft thou know ? Th6 Afeafure thereof is longer than the Earth, and broader than the Sea. 'Twas therefore particularly with refped to this Article, P^W^^ confefles in the forecited Pfalm^ that fuch Knowledge wasfoo wonderful for him, and fo highy that he could not attain unto it. And for the fame Reafon, no doUbt, Holy ^To^, inftead of at- tempting to explain after what manner God is thus tevery where prefent, contents himfelf with an hdm« bje and implicit Acknowledgment that he is fo. Lo^ he goeth by me, and I fee him not ', he pajfeth on alfoj and J perceive him not. Chap. 9. 11. But,
^thly^ The Difficulties, which have been moft corl* troverted and improyed to the Dlffervice of ReligioHj^ are thofe which have been rais'd from a Confiderati- on of God's Omnifcience ; particularly that Branch or Diftinftion of it, which we exprefs by Trefdenee^ And the Difficulties concerning it arife from hence, that God does not only fore- know what he has eff^du- ally decreed fhall come to pafs, but what is of a cafual and contingent Nature, and depends on the good or ill Ufe Man will make of his Liberty. S6' that we mufl: fuppofe in God a certain and determinate Know- ledge of Events, which yet are of arbitrary and un- certain Determination in their Caufes.
This is acknowledged a great Difficulty on all Hands; and the moft clear and fatisfadory Way of anfwering it, feems to be on the former Sujjpolition, that God by the Infinity of his Nature, and one An- gle Ad of Duration, is prefent to all Time, and to all the Events that happen in Time ; and that "Futuri-
G a ■ ty^
84 S E R M O N IV.
ty, with refped to him, is only a Term we are forc'd to make ufe of, from the Defeds of our finite Capa- city, and becaufe we cannot form any diftind or ade- quate Notion oi Eternity.
But we muft acknowledge after all, that the' this fhould be admitted as a good Solution to the Difficulty fo far as it relates to God's Prefcience, yet as to his Predmions^ it flill leaves us under an equal Incapacity of reconciling them, in any clear or diftind Manner, with the Contingency of future Events.
Whatever the infinite Extent or Prefemallty, if I may fo fpeak, of God's Knowledge, be with Refped to what we call Future ^ yet when a Divine Prophecy is once divulg'd, or committed to writing many Years before the Event happens, there 'tis prefum'd the Event will certainly come to pafs, tho' the Means of accomplilhing it depend upon the free and arbitrary, and therefore uncertain, Determination of human Will.
'Tis true, wc may fuppofe it agreeable enough to
the Perfedions of the Divine Nature, that God
fhould in fome particular and extraordinary Cafes
over-rule the Wills of Men to promote the great
and good Defigns of his Providence ^ and where he
foretells any fuch Event, he may with greater Rea-
fbn be fuppos'd to decree it, and in his Decree to
forefee it. But when Events of a contingent Nature,
and which cannot be accomplilh'd but by the Mini-
ftry or Concurrence of finful Agents, are foretold
by God *, in this Cafe to fuppole, that he over-rules,
or by any pofitive Ad of his Power, inclines the
Wills of Men to fuch a Concurrence^ gives us an Idea
fo (hocking, and unworthy of his Holinefs and Good-
nefs, that 'tis the greateft wonder in the World, how
any pious or good Man Ihould ever have given into
fo dangerous, and, to fay no worfe of it, impious
Hypothefis.
Soiftc
S E R M O N IV. 85
Some therefore have deny'd God's certain Fore- knowledge of Events, which depend on the free Choiceof Man's Will. But befides that feveral Pro- phecies in Scripture, which have received their Ac- complifhment, are a fufficient and dired Confutation of this Error ^ there is no KecelTity of Countenan- cing it, in order to juftify the Conduct of God, from being in any Refped wfluentid on the Sins or Wicked- Jiefs of Men. For however future Events may be pre- fented to the View of God, yet it does not by any Means follow from his Fore- knowledge of them, that he therefore deflroys human Liberty. For Fore- knowledge is but Knowledge^ under a difi^rent Conjfi- deration. But we fee and know a thoufand Things, which we never in any Refpeft concurr'd to the Pro- dudion of. So that indeed this Queftion, how God fhould forefee the Adions of finful Men, without con- curring towards them, feems to be capable of as eafy a Solution, as how I can afterwards know that a Man has been guilty of any particular Crime, without my having confeuted to it. There is no NecelTity that Fore-knowledge, any more than After-knowledge, fhould have any Influence or CaufaUty on the Thing known. It might as well be argued, that my fore- feeing the Sun will rife to morrow is the Caufe of his Rifmg : Or to produce an Inflance of a moral Ka-. ture •, that after our Saviour had declar'd Judas would betray him, the other Apollles who knew what our Saviour foretold would come to pafs, were for that Reafon the Caufe of his Apoftacy.
Yet 'tis acknowledged after all, that both as to this and the other Attributes I have mention'd, we cannot find out God to Perfection. So far Zopha/s Argurrfent is very juft and conclufive. But (hall we therefore in- fer, that the Perfedions we would attribute to God, ought not to be afcrib'd to him, as having no real Foundation? I have already obviated this f^lfeCon- fequence, by fhewing every where, that the Diffi-
G 3 cultie^
SERMON IV.
culties which prefent themfelves to our Minds, when we think or fpeak of the Attributes of God, do not arife from our Incapacity to prove that they are Ef* fential to him, but from the Infinity and tranfcendent Excellency of his Nature, which we are not capable of railing our Conceptions fully up to. But this 1 fay, is no more an Argument againft the Truth of them,or bur Reafoning upon them, than that we fhould not employ our Thoughts or Speculations on Matter or Motion, or the Formation of the World. Becaufe there are Difficulties, I take it, in Relation to them all, which the Wit of Man will never be able fatis- fa6:orily to account for, and to the perfed Clearing of all Difficulties.
'Tis a known Rule, That Objeftions ftarted from a Mode of ConceivingThings, ought not to lie againft acknowledged Truths. But certainly this Rule ought never to be more obferv'd, than when Finite Mind^ are endeavouring to contemplate, or reafon upon In- finite Perfedion.
But are all the Attributes of God then equally above our Comprehenfion ? Or have we no more clear and dillinft Ideas of the Moral Perfedions of his Nature, than of his Incommunicable Properties? Molt cer- tainly we have. Tho' a moft Reverend Father of the Church has been pleas'd to aflert, even with refpeft to the Moral Attributes of God, That if roe -underfiand them literally and properly^ fo as to fignify the fame when affiled to Gcd and A'fen ^ it will not be eafy to anfwer the Arguments of Unbelievers againfi them : And, That rve do not know what thefe Moral Attributes are^ but onlyjee their EjfeBs in the World ^.
Thefe AfTertions being, I humbly conceive, of no great Force to bring Unbelievers to the Acknowledg- ment of the Truth, but rather tending to confirm them in their Prejudices againft it ^ I fhall beg Leave
* Archbifliop oi Dublin's Sermon on Divine Predeftination,
in
SERMON IV. 87
m To proper a Place, to make a Ihort Obfervation or two upon them. And,
I . I do not fee how 'tis poiTible to convince or con- vert an Unbeliever, but by fuppcfing Moral Virtues when apply'd to God, the lame in Kind, tho' in a more perfed and confummate Degree, than they are in Men. Veracity (for Inllance) is a Moral Virtue, and confifts in a due Conformity of our Words^ or Declarations, with our Thoughts. But if we have not the fame Idea of it in God and Man ; how Ihall we be able to prove againft a Deift, that, fuppofing the Scriptures were reveal'd by God ♦, yet either that 'tis his Intention Men fhould believe the Truth of them •, or that the Dodrines contain'd in them, are really true of themfelves.
After we have prov'd to an Unbeliever the Fads upon which the Truth of Chriilianity is eUabli/h'd, the belt Method to make him fubmit to the Dodrines of it, is, to fhew him they are reveal'd by God ^ who cannot deny him/elf^ nor require Men to make wrons; Judgments, and believe a Falfnood. But to tell fuch an Unbeliever, that Truth and Sincerity are not the fame in God, that they are, according to our Manner of apprehending them, when apply'd to Men, would be to invite him to embrace a Pveligion, which he could upon our own Principles have no ra- tional Motives to believe.
2. When we are commanded to be Followers of God, and to imitate him ; if we do not underftand the Perfedions he is imitable-in, and we have noway of underftanding them, but after the manner of Men \ the Confequence will be, that God has at once im- pos'd an impradicable, and an unintelligible Com- mand upon us.
3. When God expoftulates with Men, concerning the Juftice and Equality of his Ways, and leaves it to their own Determination, whether they are not
G 4 i"ft
S8 S E R M O N IV;
jufl and equal •, as he particularly condefcends to dOy Ezleli 1 8. 25. Tbefe Two Things are evidently fup- pos'd : i/, Thjt Men have fome general and {landing Notions of Moral Virtue. And idly^ That God is willing to put the Matter upon this ifrue^ Whether liis own Condiid and Methods of proceeding with them, be not entirely agreeable to thofe Notions? And yet as to the latter Refpeft, it is own'd there may be greifer Difficulty in making a judgment. For tho' there is nothing we have a more clear and diftind Idea of, than the Moral Perfedions of God, Confider'd in themfelves •, yet as to his External Ope- rations, the particular Reafons of his Wifdom, Goocl- nefs and Juftice, may not always appear equally clear and evident to us. But this leads me to confider in the next Place, how far we are able to account for fome of the principal Difficulties in relation.
Secondly^ To the Providence of God. And here I (hall wholly confine my felf to the main Subjed of the Debate between Job and his Friends, the Suffer- ings of Good Men : And fhall fhew feverally, how far God's Wifdom^ his Goednefs, and his Jvftice^ may appear to be affedted, or impeached on the Account of them. And,
T. With refpecl to his Wifdom. Tis the Chara- <Ser of a wife Agent, to lay down and profecute fuch Meafures, as conduce moll effeftually to the End he propofes. Now one of the principal Defigns of God, is to promote the Interefls of Religion, and Iceep up an awful and jufl Senfe of it in the Minds of Men. Yet the Sufferings of Good Men may be thought, in Two confiderable Refpeds, to obflrud fuch a Dcfign.
t. As they feem to lefTen the Force of thofe Argu- ments, which we draw from the Temporal Rewards of Religion. And,
2. As
S E R M O N IV. 8p
2. As Circumftances of Diftrefs are commonly fuppos'dto fowreand imbitterthe Spirits of Men.
I . As to what is objeded from the Temporal Re- wards of Religion; the Sufferings of Good Men are indeed a plain Indication, that we cannot make any Eftimate of God's Love or Hatred, by all that goeth ^ Vu ^ff/or^us.*Weneed no other Argument to convince //?^ us, how little the great Things, as we judge them, !Ji7*ti of this World are in the Efteem of God, than to S^ confider upon what Sort of People he ordinarily be- ftows them.
We grant, under the Law, thePromifes made to the Jews run all along upon Temporal Blellings and Enjoyments. 'Tis to this Day difputed by the Learned^ whether from the Letter of the Law, the Promife of a Future Life could be clearly made out, without ftrain'd and remote Confequences. But 'tis clear be- yond all Difpute, that the principal Motives to our Chriftian Obedience, the Motives every where in- filled on in the Gofpel, are taken from the Kappinefs and Rewards of a Life after this.
The Words of the Apoftle, Godlinefshath the Tro* mife of the Life that now is^ and of that which is to come \ feem indeed to imply, that Religion entitles Men to the Temporal Advantages of Life, and are frequent- ly made ufe of to eftablilh this Do(ftrine.
Yet I conceive, with Submiffion, the moft that can be inferr'd from the Words is-, if they do not princi- pally relate to the inward Peace and Tranquility of Mind, which naturally flow from a Religious Con- dud ; or, to the inward Confolations wherewith God is fometimes pleas'd more eminently to reward Piety in this Life : If the Words, I fay, are not to be explain'd in one or both thefc Senfes-, what we can conclude from them is, that God will diftinguidi Good Men by fome Special Favours of his Provi- dence in this World, where he really fees fuch a Di- ftindtion for their Good, or the Good of others, or
the
^ S E R M O N IV.
the Interefls of Religion in General ; or where there are not Reafons on all thefe Accounts for their Suf- fei-ings, which preponderate thofe for their Tempo- ral Profperity. But all this depending on a great Variety of Accidents and Circumftances which are known only to God, he alone is able to judge whe- ther of thefe Two States of Life be molt proper for Good Men.
That they fhall have the neceflary Supports of life, is what we conclude from the Goodnefs and Be- neficence of the Divine Nature, and the Special In- tcreft which Religion gives them in the Divine Fa- vour ; yet I do not certainly know, whether this can be concluded from any exprefs anddireft Promife in the Gofpel • thofe Words of our Saviour, SeeJi ye firfl the Kingdam of Heaven^ and all thefe things (i. e. the necef- J&ry Supports of Life) fhall be added unto you ^ feem to have been particularly addrefled to the Apoftles of Chr!fl:,and not to his Auditors in general. And there- fore it has been obferv'd, that after our Saviour had before laid down many Excellent Rules and Inftfu* <aions in common, he turns him at the 2$th Verle, as it were, by way of Application, to his Apoftles ; Therefore I fay^ unto You, take no 'thought^ &c. And there is the greater Reafon to fuppofe this, becaule what he fays to them, is not in a proper Senfe, or in- tieed without a pretty /r^e Interpretation, applicable to other Perfons. For certainly it could never be the Intention of our Lord, to condemn in general a pro- vident Care for fuch Things of this life, without which there is no Living. But as to the Apoftles, who were to be fent upon a Special Commiffion from i)im, and whom he therefore charg'd to make na, Provifjon for their journey -^ and thereby gave them Allurance, that he would take the Care of providing for them, in fo me extraordinary Way himfelf : In them^ 1 fay, that provident Care which is juft: and neceffary to other People, would have been highly culpable,
and
S E R M O N IV. 91
and an Argument of their diftrufting our Saviour, and the Power of God.
God forbid, that I fhould appear to adviance any Thing which may leflen any juft or proper Motive to a Religious Life. 1 would only obferve, and I am not alone in this Obfervation, That laying too great Strefs on the Temporal Rewards of Religion, except fuch as relate rather to public Communities than pri- vate. Perfons, feems of ill Confequence to Religion : And that on the two following Accounts.
Hr/?, As it tends to confirm People in an Opinion, wherein they are generally too far gone already, that a Mans Life^ or the Happinefs of human Life, con- trary to what our Saviour has determined, conffieth in the j^bundance of the Things which a Man fcffcffeth. They argue, that the good Things of this World, as we call them, are not fo inconfiderable, as the Scriptures fometimes appear to reprefent them •, and as Divines, when their Subjeft leads them to confider the Vanity and Uncertainty of all worldly Enjoyments, would reprefent them : Seeing at other Times they fet them- felves with great Art and Application to prove, that thefe//^k Matters ought to be confider'd as fome of the moll powerful Motives and Arguments to a Godly Life. And perhaps the feveral Topics of Rhetoric and Perfuafion have never been more ex- haufted by Divines, than upon this Subject. But this is not all. Men are hereby further tempted,
2. To fufpeft the Truth of Religion it felf, or to make falfe and uncharitable Judgments on Perfons truly Religious. When they are told how natural and direct a tendence Religion has to promote their tem^t. poral Interefts, and that God by fiecial Ads of his Favour or Providence, will ftill further the natural Tendency of it to this End •, and yet find on the other Hand that good Men are frequently expos'd to the greatefl Miferies and Calamities of this Life ^ whilft they ordinarily obferve that wicked Men come in no
fuch
93 S E R M O N IV.
fuch Misfortune, but all Things go fmoothly on with them, and fiicceed to their Defires ^ 'twill be natural enough for them to conclude, either that there is ve- ry little depending on the Truth of that Religion wherein thcfe Promifes are made •, or if there be,that we confound the Diftindion of wicked and good Men ^ calling thofe Virtuous, who are at the Bottom down-right Hypocrites, and the chief of Sinners ; and being no lefs miftaken on the other fide, in re- puting thofe for vicious and ungodly Perfons who are diftinguifh'd by fo many fpecial and fhining Fa- vours of God's Providence.
'Twas out of fome fuch millaken Notion, the Friends of Job reprefented to him, that he was cer- tainly an Enemy to God and all Goodnefs, and that whatever he pretended to Religion, he was fecretly and in his Heart a very great and abominable Sinner. Thus £///)^^z, in particular attacks him, Ch. 22. 5. Is not thy Wickednefsgreat^and thine Juiquities infinite ? The reft of them in their Speeches endeavour to comfort *Job with the like charitable Sufpicions. And it feems indeed to have* been their great and fundamental Er- ror, and which runs through all their Difcourfes, that the Blefllngs of this Life are ^0 many vifible Tokens of God's Love-, and the Evils or Adverfities of it, fo many contrary Expreflions of his Hatred and Difpleafure towards Men.
But if God, by the Sufferings of Good Men, ap- pear fo much to favour and countenance this Preju- dice, how fhall we juftify his Wifdom in infiiding them ? I anfwer. That 'tis a Prejudice unjuftly con- ceiv'd^ becaufe God has many other wife Reafons for the Sufferings of Good Men, which overbalance thefe, that are brought as Objedions againft his Wif- dom in them. But 'tis fufficient to fay in General at prefent, that God is not oblig'd to alter his Condud for the real Good and Interests of Religion, which are fometimes highly promoted by the Exemplary Pi-
€tj
S E R M O N IV. p^
ety and Conftancy of Good Men under their Suffe- rings, for the fake of fome ill-grounded or accidental Miftakes, whidi their Sufferings may occafion. But 'tis fa id,
2. That Misfortunes and Difappointments are apt to fowre and imbitter the Spirits of Men, and upon this Account alfo may be thought prejudicial to the Intereflsof Religion, efpecially of the Chriftian Re- ligion •, there being nothing more contrary to the Ge- nius and Defign of it than the Temper we are confi- . dering. It may be fufficient here to reply, that Pee- vifhnefs or ill Humour is not a natural, much lefs a neceflary Confequence of Sufferings or Difappoint- ments. The Strength of that Perfon is but fmall^ who lofes his Temper, as it denotes a Spirit of univerfal Love and Benevolence, tho' with the lofs of every Thing befides. But the true Reafon why People ia a State of Ad verfity are prefum'd to be of a lefs agree- able, eafy and affable Temper, is, that their Circum- flances give them an Opportunity of obferving fome Things, which Perfbns of Ingenuity ought not other- wife to fuppofe human Nature capable of. And tho it is a very weak and fooliffi Thing for any Perfon to grow uneafy to himfelf, and to all about him, be- caufe Matters do not go better with him, yet cer- tainly he is not for this Reafon oblig'd, to make falfe Judgments of Things, orPerfons, or to call Infideli- ty or Oppreffion, Ingratitude or ill Manners, by a wrong Name. This would be to put Men, in order to preferve the Appearances of their Temper, upon Ihutting their Eyes ^ and yet without carrying this Obfervation, T)oat Sufferings vitiate the befi Temper s^ thus far,which is further perhaps than 'tis ufually car- ried,there will be found very little or nothing in it.
I am to confider, in the next Place, the Prejudices that lie, on Account of the Sufferings of good Men,
2^/y, Againft the Goodnefs of God. This occafi- on'd a Difficulty, which Job himfelf propofes, hit
ffood
5>4 S E R M O N IV.
goody fays he to God, that thou jhouUfi opprefs? That thou jhouldfi defpife the Work of thine Hands ^ Ch. lo. 3. The Notion we have of Goodnefs, is, that it difpo- fes to good and beneficent A<9:ions. But Pain and Sicknefs, Want and Difgrace, are Things natural- ly Evil : And therefore it may feem inconfiftent with the Nature of that Supreme and All-Perfedt Being, who ii Good and does Good^ that he fhould in- fiid them : For what End, if we confider the Thing in it felf, can God have in affliding and grieving the Children of Men, efpecially fuch of them, as fin- cerely endeavour to pleafe him. This feeming Con- trariety between the Sufferings of good Men, and the Pcrfedions of the Divine Nature, occafioned that other Expoftulation of Joh^ Ch. 13. 24. Vi^erefore hi- dejh thou thy Face^ and holdefi me for thine Enemy ^ Wilt thou break a Leaf driven to and frOy and wilt thou purfue the dry Stubble ? And it muft be granted, that did God afflid willingly, or had he no other Defign in the Suf- ferings of good Men, but only that they fhould fuf- fer ^ this would diredly overthrow all the Notions and Ideas we have of his Goodnefs. But when we confider the many excellent Ends, and fo highly bene- ficial both to themfelves and others, which God has in exercifing the Faith and Virtues of good Men by Afflidions ^ this is no more an Argument againfl his Goodnefs, than 'tis againfl the Tendernefs of a Pa- rent to correft his Child, or to put him upon fome pre fent Hard fhips and Employments, in order both to his own future Advantage, and the Service of the Publick.
The la fl: Difficulty to beconfider'd, is, 4. Concerning the Juftice of God. 'Tis the prin- cipal Office of Juf1:ice to p'opovtion Rewards and Pu- nifhments, according to the Deferts or Demerits of Men. And this Sentiment occafion d another very ftrong Prejudice of Jobs Friends againft him, which all their Refponfes are full of, and wherewith they per-
SERMON IV. 95
jpetually infult him. They fuppofe, if he had beea really the innocent, and righteous Perfon he preten- ded to be, a Juft God would not have laid fo heavy a Load of Afflictions upon him. If thou wert fure and upright^ fays Bildad^ Ch,8. 6. fvrcly he would awake for thee^ and make the Habitation of thy Right eoitfnefs prof- perotis. The Reafon whereof is given at the 20th Verfe, becaufe God will not cafi away a perfeB A4an^ neither will he help the Evil Doers. This is exaftly tO the Tune of the old popular Obje(^ion, Cur Bonis tnale^ Mails bene ? But there is nothing eafier than to give a clear and full Solution to it. And that, to men- tion no other Reafon s at prefent,
Firft^ Becdufe the belt of Men are confcious to themfelves of many Sins and Defeds, which might juftly have provok'd God to infiidt what they fufler upon them : Or rather, whatever their Sufferings be in this World, they ought humbly to acknowledge, that God exoBeth of them lefs than their Iniquities de^ ferve^ ver. 6. Thus Job in his calmer Thoughts, and when he was not heated with Difpute, and the per- verfe Reafoning of his Friends, confelTeth, If I jvfti- fy my felf mine own Mouth Jhall condemn me j If i fei9 I am perfeB it jhall alfo prove me perverfe.
This one Confideration, that we are Sinners, and that God might juftly have cut us off in our Sins, and deftroyed us at once for ever, fufficiently clears his Juftice in the Sufferings, and in the greateft Suf- ferings which he lays upon the beft of us. Where- forey then, as the Prophet argues, doth a living Man complain J a Man for the punijhment of his Sinsy Lam. 3, 39.
Secondly^ Becaufe this Life is not the proper State of Rewards and Punifhments, but of Trial and Difci- pline •, and therefore indeed the Afflictions of good Men, are not to be confider'd fo much as Ads of Ju- fiice^ for the manifeftation of divine |uftice is princi- pally referv'd for the final Judgment, as Acts oiGood'
veft
9^ S E R M O N IV.
nefs and Mercy^ whereby God trains up good Men, by fuch Methods as he fees moft proper, for the Happinefs he has prepared for them in a future and everlafting Life.
Having fpoken to the feveral Particulars I pro- pos'd, I fhall conclude all with a Word or two of Exhortation. And,
I. Tho' the Perfedions of God are too bright for the intellectual Eye of Man to take a clear and diftinft View of, yet let us endeavour to have the belt and largefl; Thoughts of them, we poffibly can. For tho' the Difproportion between the Faculty and the Ob- jed is here infinite, yet there is fuch a Congruity be- tween them, as renders the Knowledge of God and his Attributes, fo far as can be known of them, more delightful to the Mind than all other Speculations whatever. And 'tis but jull indeed in the Reafon of the Thing, that the belt and noblefl: Subjed, fhould give us the higheft and moft exquifite Pleafure in our Contemplations of it. And the more we meditate on the Glorious Perfedions of God's Nature, the more will our Attention (till be fortify 'd, and the Capacity of our Mind enlarg'd \ and that not only on a natural Account, as the Strength of the Mind, as well as of the Body, is improv'd by Labour and Exercife, but as Attention is a kind of natural Prayer of the Mind to God, which he feldom fails to anfwer in thofe that approach him, and perfevere in it, with a larger Meafure of his Illuminating Grace. 'Twas D^viifs employing his Meditations fo much upon God, that at once improv'd his Devotions to fb inimitable a Strain, and gave hira fo high and inex- preffible a Tafte in them. But,
2. As we cannot always keep the View of our Minds fteady upon thofe Dazling, Bright, and Glo- rious AttnhVites of Omnipotence, Eternity ^fmmen/ity^ and Omnifcience^ and the like ^ let us frequently refled on thofe Moral Per fedions of the Divine Nature, where- of
S £ R M O N IV. 9^
of we are able to form more clear and diftindt Ideas^" .and whereby our own.Condud ought to-be regulated. . JFor as tliey are the true. Foundation of all our Rea- fonings on Moral Truths, fo nothing can be of worfe Confequence to Religion or Morality, than falfe and unworthy Notions of ^beni. And tho' there are, as we- have obferv'd, fome leeming Difficulties in ac- counting for the Methods of God's Providence, v/ith refpeft tp the exteniai Ads ofhis Wifdom, Goodnefs and Jultice, yet they, are Iiich as afford the Mind a -very agreeable Entertainment, in the Solutions it finds it jfeif "capable, upon a little Refiedion of gi- ving to them. And therefore, notwitHftanding what is here urged by Zophar^ to fhvlw our incapacity of finding oiit God toPerfeaion, Job is not difcourag'd, but refolves to proceed in his Divine Gonverfation with God. Swcly I vpotdd fpeak to the Almighty^ and J defire to reafop tvith Cody ChsL^. I 3. 3.
^dly and lailly, Since wq cannot by Searching find 'but the Almighty to Perfe'dion, nor even difcover all the particular Reafons of his Providence in thisWorld, let us labour for Eternity ^ for that blelTed State, wherein all the Difficulties, which now perplex us, in contemplating his Glorious Attributes, will be -perfedly. cleared up, and the molt intricate Methods of his Providence^ bothwiDh refped to piiblick Re- Volutions, and private Pcrfons, will appear in theit true and full Li^^ht. Let Us, I la^gain, as ever we defire. to find out God to Perf^Ki, prepare for that Blefled, and. ever Blefled State, Wherein we jliall fee him.J^ he ?>, and our Minds will not only be united to him in perfect Vifion, but our Hearts in perfect Love : Wherein, to conclude all with the Words of the Apofi:le, ire may he ahle to comprehend with all Saints^ tvhat is the Breadth^ and the Lengthy and Depths and Highth \ and to know the Love of Chrift, which pafl'tth Knowledge, and be filled with all the Full nefs 0/(7(7^. Amen,
VOL, II. H SER*
p8
SERMON V.
Of the Srated Times of God's Worfliip, particularly the Lord's Day ^ with pro- per Rules and Dircftions for the Ob- fcrvation of it.
LEV. XXVI. 2.
Ite fhatt keep my Sabbaths , and reverence my San* ituary \ I am the Lord,
IN the former Verfe^ God having by Mofei caution- ed the Jewi againft Idolatry, he gives them here in Charge two important Rules in Reference to his own Worfhip. The Firft refpedts the Stated Times of it : Te jhall keep my Sabbaths. The Second reffeEls the Place appropriated to it : jind reverence tny Satt' liuary. The Reafon both to enforce thefe Two Rules of Divine Worfhip, and the Caution againft Idolatry, is fubjoin'd in the following Words, J am the Lord, I, who have alone a Right to be worfhip'd, and who will not give my glory unto another ^ command you to obferve, in the moft devout and folemn Man- ner, fuch Times and Places, as are more immediate-. !y confecrated or fet apart for my Worfhip.
In difcourling upon the Words, my Bufinefs fhall be to enquire how far, what is here commanded the
S E R M O N IV. 3^
Jews in relation to the Time, and Place of God's Publick Worftiip, is obligatory upon us Chriftians.
My firft Enquiry, and to which I wholly confine my feif at prefent, fhall be according to the Order of my Tex't^ concerning the Time of it : Te jhall keep my Sabbaths. In order to a Refolution herein, thefe Two Things feem proper to be diflin^ly con- iider'd.
Hri?, What were the Reafons upon which God might be fuppos'd under the Law to have inflituted more Solemn and Set Times of Worfhip. And,
Secondly^ How far thofe Reafons hold good un- ■ der the Chriftian Difpenfation.
liZ- then, I am to (hew what were the Reafons upon which God might be fuppos'd under the Law to have inflituted more Solemn and Set Times of
Worfhip. •- "'V'
Now thefe Reafons were fuch as in general either flow'd from the Natural Propriety and Fitnefs of the Inllitution it felf, or fuch, as had a more pe- culiar Refped to the State and Condition of the Jewijh People.
As to the Reafonablenefs of the Inftitutien in ge- neral, 'twas highly agreeable to the Natural Light, and Notions of" Mankind, upon thefe following Ac- counts,
I . That all External Worfnip is defign'd to give us ImprefTions of greater Awe and Reverence for the Divine MajeHy. Now fuch is the Frame and Tem- per of Human Nature, that Men have much lefs Re- gard for thofe Things that are common, than for thofe which have fome peculiar Mark of Diitindion fet upon them. This is the Argument which the great Schoolman ufes for appropriated Times of Publick Worfhip. " And hence, fays he^ arifes a general and " prevailing Cuftom in the World, that Perfons of ** Authority and Superior Condition, who ought to
H 2 "be
100 S E R' M ' b' N-^ 'V.
^' be more highly efleemM,agree to dlftingiiifli them- " felves by richer and more pompous Ornaments of *' Drefs^ or by the Splendor and Magnificence of " their Habitations. For the fame Reafon, continues *' he, 'twas requifite that there ftiouldhave been Spe- " cial Times , and a S^/ecial Tabernacle, and Special " Veflels , and a Special Miniftry, for the more fo- " lemn Performance of God's Woilhip, and in or- " der to afFeft the Minds of Men witha greater " Awe and Reverence of him. '|-
The Wife Son of Syrach gives the fame Reafon for God's inftituting peculiar Days of Religious Solem- nity and Worfhip, in Anfwer to that Fanatical Que- flion, Why doth one Day excell another,. xvhen as all the Light of every Day of the Tear is of the Su^ f, He replies^ By the Knowledge of the Lord they were diftinguifh'cl, and he alter d Seafons and Fcafis : Some of them hath he made high , Days, and hallowed them j .and fame of them hath he made ordinary Day's ^ Eccl. 33. 7,8,9.
2. It being one or the Firft Principles of Natural Religion, that God is to be publickly Worfhip'd, Order requires that there fhould be fome Determirtate and Publick Times fet apart for his Worfhip ^ and Tiety, that fuch Times Ihould be Vacations from the common Bufinefs and Affairs of Human Life. But were Men imcertain as to the proper Time of God's Publick Worfliip, How could it be expeded that Re- ligious Affemblies for it Ihould either be fo full, or the Worfhip it felf fo regular and uniform as it ought ? How would People be divided between their Bufinefs and their Devotion, and ftand in continual! Sufpence, were there no known Rule to determine the Point, which of them they ought to follow.
3. It being a further End of Religious Worlhip to advance tlie Spiritual Life, and bring us nearer unto God j 'tis not only agreeable to Piety ^ but to all the
f rrima, Secunix Sluxfi. 102,
Maxims-
S E R M O N V. loi
Maxims of Religious Prudence, that the Times ap- propriated to the more Solemn Worfhip of God, fhould be diftingiiifhed by a Celllition from the com- mon Buiinefs of Life, that by this Means our Minds being wholly taken off from Earthly Things, they may be more open to the Heavenly Imprcflions of Grac^ and Truth.
Thefe are fome of the Natural Reafons upon which we may account for God's commanding his People to hep his Sabbath., that is, all the Stated and Solemn Times of his Publick Worfhip •, but what 1 have here principally an Eye to, is the Inftitution of the Sab- bath or Seventh Day, which the Jem were fo ftridly enjoin'd to keep Holy in the Fourth Commandment.
Now the Two principal Reafons of this Inftituti- on , which I was to confider more particularly in reference to the State and Condition of that People, feem to have been,
F/r/?, That hereby they acknowledg'd God to be the Lordj the Creator, and Governor of theWorld. And,
Secondly., That they acknowledg'd him to be in a more Eminent and Peculiar Manner their God, by delivering them out of the Hand of Egy^t.
1. The former of thefe Reafons may feem indeed to have nothing in it peculiar to the Jews : God is the Creator of all Mankind : So that as they ftand in this Relation to him, all Nations under Heavea are obliged to do him Service, and give him the Worfhip due unto his Name \ yet I do not doubt to afhrm, that even in this Refpcft, God in the In- ftitution of the Sabbath had Regard to the State and Condition of the Jews in particular. For^
1. 'Tisevident, that thefe People had a very ftroDg Inclination to Idolatry, and were to be guarded the more ftridly againft it, becaufe the Nations round about them were fo wholly given up to it. Now the
H 3 vilibk
102 S E R M O N V.
vifible Benefits which Men receivM from the Influence of thofe Heavenly Bodies, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, were in all probability the chief Occafion of the Ido- latrous Worihip paid to them. 'Tis very natural for us to fliew our Gratitude and Refpeds to thofe who have in any fignal or fenfible manner obliged us. And the Heathens carrying their Thoughts no higher than thefe Secondary Caufes, fuppofed that all the BleflTings they enjoy'd from the Fertility and Pro- duce of the Earth, and from healthy and temperate Seafons, were to ht afcrib*d to them.
To prevent the fpreading of thefe Idolatrous No- tions and Pradices among his own People, and which of themfelves they were ftrongly enough difpos'd to give into, 'twas an Expedient worthy the Wifdom of God, to inftitute a ftanding Memorial of the Creation^ and to provide that the Returns of it fhould be fo frequent, as to keep up a Senfe of their Duty to the Creator^ and of their Dependance on him, con- tinually frefh in the Minds of that People. To which End God determined, that this Solemn Fea^^ if I may fo term it, of the Creatidn, fliould have its Revolution every Seventh Day.
The Jews being fo fenfibly and fo often reminded, that the God they worfhip'd was the God that made the World, could not fo eafily apoftatize fi-om him to Idols, nor ftifle thofe continual Imprcffions of a Religion, which taught them that the Sun, Moon, and Stars, the Gods which the Heathen worfhip'd, were no Gods, but the Work of His Hands, who made Heaven and Earth, and all that therein is.
And therefore, Ez.ek. 31. 13. God himfelf exprefly afTigns this as theReafon of his Inflituting the Sab- bath, That the Jevos might acknowledge him to be the Supreme Deity, the Maker and Governor of the World . f^erily-, my Sabbath ye pall Jteef j for ^tii a Si^n hetvpeen me and you throughout your Cfnerations^ that ye may know that 1 am the Lord.
For
S E R M O N V. 103
For the fame Reafon probably, Mofes^ in the Hi- ftory of the Creation, is not only fo circumftantial in recounting the Work of each Day, but particularly obferves, Gen. f. 1 1 . That the Fruits of the Earth, and the Trees yielding Fruity were produced, before the Sun, Moon, and Stars were created. This was a fen- fible Argument to the Jews^ that the Heavenly Bo- dies, which the Heathens paid their Devoirs to, were only Secondary or Inftrumental Caufes in the Hands of God ; and that he could, if he had thought fit, have fupply'd Mankind with the Produce of the Earth, and all the proper Supports andConveniencies of Life, without them. This is a much more Natural Im- provement of thefe Words of Mofes^ than what fome of the Jewijli Rabbies have inferred from them ; That the Creation of the World was in the Month of Se^^ tember^ bccaufe that is the Seafon wherein the Fruits of the Earth ordinarily come to their Maturity.
2. But there is another Reafon it may not be impro- per to obferve to you, why the Jewipi Sabbath was in- ftituted in Memory of the Creation. The Promifes made to that People run all along upon Temporal Bleflings and Enjoyments; as, of a Land flowing with Milk and Honey ; Peace, Plenty, Profperity, Vidory of their Enemies, and the like. To confirm them therefore in a fteddy Belief, that he who had promised thefe Worldly Blefiings, was able alfo to perform; it was very becoming the Wifdom of God , that he fliould continually be reprefented to them under the Notion of a Creator^ the Supreme Lord and Governor of the World •, and, that there Ihould be fome Solemn Times fet apart for acknow- ledging him as fuch.
What I here obferve, is not obfcurely intimated in thofe Words, Exod. 31. 1 5. Wherefore the Children of Jfrael fliall kee^ the Sabbath^ to obferve the Sabbath through- out their Generation^ for a perpetual Covenant. It is a Sign between Mf and the Children of Ifrael for ever.
H 4 What
104 SERMON V.
What was flipulafed on God's Part, in the Coi^e- jiant he entred into with the Jews^ we have already Qbferv'd. He promis'd them, if they would be wil- ling and obedient, which was the <]ondition on their Fart , they fhould eat the Fat of the Land. And 'twas a very proper and wife Method in order to fe- cnre the Obedience of a People, who had the Interefts. of this World fo much at Heart, and no exprefs Pro- jnife of another, that a Day, whofe Returns might be frequent,^ fhould be fet them, wherein they were^ folemnly to own God for the A^ithor and Difpenfer of the Blefiings he promis'd ; and therefore the fur- ther to enforce the Obfervation of the Sabbath, 'tis added in the next Words : For in Six Days the Lord pidde UeAv'en ar.d Earth. This was a Reafon for obfer-, ving the Sabbath, confidered in it felf, common tq the reft "of Mankind ^ it muft therefore refpect the "Jexos fliore particularly ^ as the Sabbath was a Sigrto that the Creator had by a Fcederal Right intitled them to the fpeciar Benefits of the Creation, and Favours of his Providence.
And upon this Account, that Natural Principle of Religion, That there is a God, vv'ho made the World, and is the abfolute Proprietor and Mafter of it, is fo often inculcated to the Jctpj in the Writings ot Alofes- and the Prophets. For the fame Reafon they are no lefs frequently reminded,, that the Bleffings they enjoy'd were not to be afcrib'd either tb their own Endeavours, or the Influence of Second Caufes, but to the over-ruling Providence of God. Whatever js done, or fcems to be done by the Operation of inferiior Agents, he is reprefented as doing imme- diately himfelf 'Tis he, that ofeneth the Doors of Heaven , and fendeth the former and the later Rain : 'Tis he who rvntereth the Mills from his Chanihers^ and fatisfleth the Earth mth the Fruit of his lVork< ' Who ^auleth the Grafs to grow for ths Cattle^ and Herb for the Service of Mati^
■ 'Tis
SERMON V. 105
'Tis true, we fee nothing in thefe Events contrary to the Eftablifh'd Order of natural Caufes : But this' is no Argument, that God, in whofe Hands are all the Springs of Motion, does not dired and turn them to what Ends and Purpoles he thinks fit. Upon which Occafion, Judge Hale, in his Origination of Mankind, has this Judicious Reflexion : That, thovgh we often attribute^ as well Mifchiefsf iU Deliverances to ac- cidental natural Caufes^ yet many times they are Ad:us Jmperati of the Divine Providence^ as much^ and as really^ and truly, as the Motion of his Pen was the jiBut Jmperatus of his Will at that time, Chap. i. pag. 37. • He afterwards obferves, " That altho' the regu- ^ lar Part of Nature is feldom varied, but ordinarily " keeps its conftant Traft, as the Motions of the " Heavenly Bodies : Yet the Meteors, as the Windsj " Rain, Snow, Thunder, Exhalations, and the like, *' which are in themfelves more unftable, and lefs " rtiancipated to ftated and regular Motions, are " oftentimes employ'd in the World to very various *' Ends, and in very various Methods of the fpecial " Divine Providence. And that therefore the Winds '' and Storms are ftil'd in a peculiar Manner, Winds ** and Storms fulfilling his Word^ Pfal. 148. 8- And, '•' He bringeth his Winds out of his Treafury. And again, ' ' Hath the Rain a Father ^or who begot the Drops of Dew ? *' Job 38.28. And again. Can any of the Canities of " the Gentiles give Rain <" Jer. 1 4. 22.
Thus the Inftitution of the Sabbath was a wile Contrivance, not only to engage the Jews conftantly to remember their Creator, but alfo to teach them, that the fpecial Favours and BlelFmgs he conferr'd on them, were fo many continued Adls of Creation. Both which Confiderations, as they were very pow- erful Motives to Obedience on their Part, fo they gave them the higheft Affurance. that there could be no Diftruft of God's performing the Conditions on his own. But then,
2. 1 ob=
10(5 S E R M O N V.
2. 1 obferve in the next Place, that befides the com- mon and ordinary Bleffings of Life, in the Produfti- ons of what we call Nature, the miraculous and Su- pernatural Effefts of God's Power in delivering the Jem out of Egypt^ was a further Reafon, and which particularly refpefted them, of his inftituting the Sab- bath : That being one of the moft confiderable and fignal Revolutions, which happened to the Children of Jfrael^ and fo furprizing an Inftance of the Divine Favour and good Providence towards them, 'twas proper fome ftated Time Ihould be obferved for it, which might keep it continually frefh in their Me- mory. There was indeed a Day by the Ipecial Com* mand of God, to be obferv'd throughout their Ge- neration with great Solemnity in Remembrance of it. Yet the Wifdom of God thought fit, to the end a more lively and permanent Senfe of it might be pre- lerved in their Minds, that every Sabbath- Day Ihould be alfb a (landing Memorial to them of fo great a Mercy. And therefore this is aflign'd as one parti- cular Reafon of God's commanding them to fanftify that Day, Deut. 5. 14. And remember that thou wafi a Servant in the Land of Egypt^ and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty Hand^ and a firetched'out Arm^ therefore the Lord thy God com' manded thee ta keep the Sabbath-day.
Thus I have confider'd both theReafbns in general, of God's inftituting Solemn and Set Times of Wor- ihip, and what thofe Reafons more particularly were with refped to the Inftitution of the Jemjh Sabbath 5 and hereby I have prepared a way for the more eafy and fatisfadory Refolution of my next Enquiry, to which I now proceed, viz,. ~ 2- How far thofe Reafons in either refped, hold good under the Chriltian Difpenfation ? And,
i/. The general Pvcafons I laid down, for fetting a-part fome folemn Time for the Worlhip of God, certainly extend to us Chriflian9, and to all the Na- tions
S E R M O N V. 107
tions under Heaven, as well as tor-the Jem. Tis not neceflary here to repeat thofe Reafons •, they are fuch, I have obferv'd, as flow from the natural Light of our own Minds, and the Tendency of the Thing it felf to promote the Honour of God, and Interefts of Re- ligion, which are the great and principal Ends of all Religious Worfhip. Indeed when we confidei*, that to every thing under the Sun there is a Time, and that the natural Order of Things requires that there fhould be fo ^ it feems highly reafonable, that fome Stated Seafons {hould be appropriated to His Service, to whom we owe all the Moments of our Time, and the Capacity of all our other Enjoyments.
There can be no Difpute then, as to the Moral Obligations Chriftians are under of obferving fome Stated Seafons for the more Solemn and Publick Wor- fhip of God : Jefus Chrift did not come to defl:ro7 any one Duty arifing from the Law of Nature, or the common Principles of natural Religion, but to give all fuch Duties, as had any Foundation herein, their utmoft Force and Complement.
And for this Reafon we conclude, that not only every Seventh Day, but all other Days which irt appointed by Authority of the Church to be kept Holy, are to be obferved as fuch by us. For if the Church, confiderM as a Religious Society, has not Power to make fuch Laws, as are proper to promote the Interefts of Religion, and to bind its Members to the Obfervance of them, then the Rights of it leem to be more precarious and infignificant, than thofe of any other regular Society upon Earth.
I grant indeed, it does not therefore follow, that what tends to the greater Advantage of any Society, is to be fuppos'd in the Power or Commiflion of it ; becaufe it ought perhaps to regulate it felf with regard to the Interefts of other Societies, and to do nothing which may clafti or interfere with them. But fetting this Limitation afide, certainly every Society has in
the
io8 S P R M ON V,;
the vei-y Rcafon of its Inftitution, a fufEcient Powcf , and Authority to prefcribe fuch Rules to its Members, and whereby they ought to be concluded, as vifibly conduce to the common Good an^ Benefit of it, and of every one of tliem in particular.
Such are the- Rules the Church prefcribes, with refped to Days of Publick and Religious Appoint- meftt., The Honour of God and of Religion in ge- neral, and the Edification of particular Perfons, are at once vifibly promoted by a due and devout Obfer- vation of them.
'Tis true, the Members of the Church are alio. Members or Civil Society, which cannot be fuppor- ted, e-xcept Men ordinarily attend to their proper Callings and Employments. And therefore the Rule of Bifhop Tayhr^ {^oly Livings Tag. 217. ) feems ia tiie main to be very reafonable, tho' not perhaps ex- prefs'd with the greatefl: Caution. *'■ That as every " Church is to be fparing in the Number of her Ho- *V,ly-Days, foalfofiiould fhe be temperate in her In- « junftions, not impofing them, but upon voluntary **- -aajdunbufy'd Perfons, without Snare or Burthen.
But give me leave here to ^dct, that tho' Ecclefi- aHical Injundions are defign'd for Edification, and not for Deftrudlion -, yet Men ought in the Cafe I ani confidering, as in all otherSj wherein they would difpenfe with themfelves from fuch Injunctions, to deal impartially with their own Confciences, and not pretend thofe Excufes for not complying with the Orders of the Church, which in the judgment of it were never intended, and canr^oit reafonably be in^ terpreted to excufe them.
And therefore whatever Pretences neceflitous or indigent Perfons, or others, who are taken up with any important Bufinefs, may have for not obferving the Stated Falls and FeUivals of the Church, in the Manner prefcribcd or expefted ; yet all Pretences of this Kind are out of Place to them, who have Leifure,
' ■ ' ' ■ '"' aod*
s rkM ON V* ^bp
and are without futh urgent and prefTing AvocatTbltM!: .Efpecially to thofe vvho complain (tho' one wbuld "think it impoffible fpr'a reafonahle Being to make fuch a Complaint) of Tihae lying upqn their Hands;' and their not knowing what to do with them felves; and therefore are forced to feek Relief in .vain and:idl6 Amiilements, br in fauntring about, or in employing themfelves, if the Exprellion may bfe allow'd, ih^(>w. ing nothing. ' ^' . / ' '^'V' -'^'-■■^■- ■ ■i'-:i-->3f: /This Charge of n6t conforming to the Rules of the Church, with refped to the more Publick- Times of Devotion,.iaIls Hill the heavier upon fnch Pefforis, as (he has obferv'd a' ju It Moderation in reducing the Number of them, and obliging: us only to bbferve fuch Days in a more folemn Manner, in' the Inft-ituti- on whereof Ihe proceeded upon very, pious and rea- fonahle Grounds. Such are all thofeDays, wherein ;we commemorate , what Jefus Chrift has don^;/and fuffer'd, and rnerited for us; or wherein we ^praile God in his Saints V or rejoyce before him, fot^any iignal and publick Mercies we have receiv'd -^ or hunr- ble otir felves for any Crying and National SiH-,*\ycpr our Fathers ha\re been guilty of. ' t' ^' ^' ' l* .'"'''^^ ;.'Tis evident then, that theX^urch has PoWer tp^ ;kppoint Days of Religious Solemnity • and thaft fnek Appointments ougl^t to be duly regarded, is evident 'Hot duly frohi' what has been faid, but particUhrly from the Exaniple of Chrift, who obferv'd thepeaft of the Dedication among the Jews^- the' 'twas merely aninftitution of Human Prudence.
The great Difficulty to be confidered is, how far thofe Reafons, upon which the "jcwiflj Sabbath in par- ticular was inftltiited, may be fuppos'd to affedt us Chriftians.. And, - -
i/, It appears Matter of Moral Obligation, that there Ihould he fome Day fet a- part moie peculiarly ' devoted to the Honour and Worfhipof Almighty ^ Cod, wherein we are to acknowledge him as the Su- preme
110 S E R M ON V.
preme Lord, and Dread Sovereign of the World ^ to offer up our Prayers to him ; to render Thanks for the great Benefits we have receivM at his Hands, and to ftiew forth his moft worthy Praife.
2. It appears no lefs reafonable, that the Returns of fuch a Day fhould be fo frequent, as to keep up a conflaut Senfe of Religion, and their Duty to God, •in the Minds of Men, without interfering with the TaecefTary Affairs of Human Life, or rcndring Men, by too great Intermiffion of their proper Employ- ments, uncapable of providing for the ordinary Sup- ports of it. But then,
3. It muft be granted fomewhat difficult to deter- mine this Matter exadly from any Principle of Natu- ral Reafon : It not clearly difcovering, what Propor- tion of our Time we are obliged to fet a-part for the moreSolemn Worfhip of God ^ or why one Day in Seven, rather than Six or Eight, ftiould be obferved to this End. For thoVthe moft Ancient of the Greek Poets make mention of the Seventh Day, as Sacred to Religion ; yet this might proceed either from fome Traditionary Account among them of the Mofaic Hiftory of the Creation, or rather, as feems more probable, from the Order and Number of the Planets. If we only put the Queftion to our own Reafon, concerning the Deflgnation of one Day more than another to be kept Holy to the Lord, it appears to give us no clear or diftind Anfwer.
So that fuppofing Men in a pure State of Nature, they are oblig'd with refped to the more folemn Times of Religious Worfhip, to obferve the Rules of the Society where they live. Ajid the Authority which appoints fuch Times, is to govern it felf by thofe Maxims of Piety and Prudence, which moft vifibly tend to anfwer the Defign of their A ppoint- ment. And this, I conceive, is as far as the mere Light of Natural Reafon can dired Men in this Point.
But
S E R M O N V- III
But the Cafe feems to be diffei-ent with refpeft to us Chriftians. For tho' we are not obliged, as I fhall fhew more particularly afterwards, to obferve the Se- venth Day, which was commanded the Jews to be kept Holy \ yet I conceive we are oblig'd, tho' we had not Apoftolical Pradice for ic, to obferve one Day in Seven, as more efpecially Sacred to God* For where Reafon dilates any Rule in general to us, but leaves us uncertain as to the Meafures and Cir- cumltances of it, there it appears we cannot take a better or wifer Method, than to regulate our felves by the pofitive Inflitutions of God, when they come to be known to us.
'Tis reafonable, for Inftance, in the Nature of the Thing confider'd in general, that thofe who more im- mediately devote themfelvesto the Service of God, by entring into the Miniftry, and are thereby rendered incapable of following any Secular Employment, fhould have a decent Maintenance allow 'd them for their Support ^ without which indeed 'twill be im- polTible for them to fupport their Charader, or com- mand the Refpeft due to it. The Queflion is, how much may be reafonably fuppos'd a proper Compe- tency to this End, and in what Manner it ought to be paid ? One Man may be of Opinion, That 'tis molt convenient for the State to alTign, at the Difcretion of it, a certain Salary^ for thofe that minifter ia Things pertaining to God. Another, out of his great Honour and good Wifhes to the Sacred Order, may think, that they ought to go upon the Parifh, or put themfblves wholly on the Benevolence of the People committed to their Charge. A Third may contend. That 'tis more proper and agreeable to the Nature of their Office, that the Clergy fhould have a certain Proportion of the Fruits of the Earth appointed them 5 and that this feems, confidering their fpecial Relation to him, one of the molt fignificant Methods we can take of rendring to Cod the 'things that are Cod^s,
Yet
112 S E R M ON V.
< Yet tills way, I am afraid, will not eafily be niade
:'out from any clear or evident Principle of natural
Reafon, to the Conviftion of all Men ^ much lefs
will the natural Right of Tythes be eftablifh'd on the
• common and trifling Obfervatiort, if after all there be aiiy Truth in it, which is made on every Tenth
■ Wave. Under thefe Uncertainties therefore,, where a Proportion for thofe that exercife the Holy Fundi-
• On' is to be aflign'd, but we have.no Rule to dired Us
■ particularly, what that Proportion mull be j how can
• we better come to a Refolution, than by obferving What Proportion theWifdom of God himfelf appoin- ted, under former Difpenfations ? In other Cafes, w.e
• hear much Talk of Precedents, and where the Mat- ter in Queftion appears doubtful^ very ill oneS af^
« fometimes call'd for, and pleaded with Succefs : But 'Certainly, where the All-wife God has made us a Pre- cedent, we ought not without very clear and evident Reafons to depart from it.
So that fhould I upon this Occafion afHrm, that the Law of Tythes is as Obligatory to Chriftians, as that of keeping one Day in Seven Holy to God, theAf-
■ fertion might eafier perhaps be faid tq be bold, than proved to be falfe. Tor,
"■'■ 4. The Reafon why we now obferve one Day in Seven, is not by vertue of any pofitive or diredt Pre-
^cept in the Fourth Commandment, but of a Moral
' and Pious application of it : Did that Commandment oblige us in the ftridt and literal Senfe, we ought to obferve the very Day Holy, which is there en join'd-
"But that wc are under no fuch Obligation, appears from hence, that the Reafons, as we may obferve from what has been faid, upon which the Jewijfj Sabbath was inllituted, hnd a peculiar Refpeft to the State and Condition of the Jews, particularly from their Inclination to Idolatry, and the Nature of that Difpenfation, under which they liv'd^ the Promife$ whereof chiefly i elating to Temporal Blcflings an4
Enjoy-
SERMON V. 113
Enjoyments, 'twas very proper that God fhoiild be more efpecially woifhipp'd by that People, under the Notion of a Creator.
But the Covenant we are entcr'd into, as Chrifti- ans, being eftablilh'd upon better Promifss, and put- ting lis in a Capacity of a greater Happinefs, than that to which we were at fir/t created in a Terreftrial Paradifc •, and God having more eminently confirm'd and ajfurd this Covenant, in that he raifed Chrift from the Dead : For thefe Reafons, I fay, the Day of God's Publick Worfhip, which was commanded the Jews in Memory of the Creation, was very jiiftly transferr'd to the Day of our Lord's Refurre(!lion : That Glorious Day of his Vidories, wherein he overcame Death, and open'd unto us the Gate of Evcrlafting Life \ wherein he refted from all the La- bours, of his Love towards us, and finifh'd the great Work of our Redemption, which his Father had gi- ven him to do. This is the Day^ which the Lord hath made^ we will rejoice and he glad in it. Thus it appears, that the Lord's Day ought to have fuperfcded the Jewijli Sabbath. This is the Reafon, which Athanaftus gives in his Treatife of the Sabbath, for the Abroga- tion of it, and of the Lord's Day fucceeding in its ftead ^ that, " as the former was the End of theFirft *' Creation, fo the Day of Chrill's Refurredion was '^ the Beginning of the Second.
What I have faid, is upon Suppofition, that the Jewijli Sabbath was really the Seventh Day in order from the Creation; that Mofes<^\(^ not mention it in the Firft of Gene/is by way of Anticipation :, that the Patriarchs before and after the Flood, which yet there are not the lealt Footfteps of, religioufly ob- ferv'd it ^ and laftly, that the Day upon which Man- nah fell, and from which the Jews computed their Firft Sabbath, was the fame with the Firft Day of the Creation. All which things are very precarious, and full of Uncertainty 3 nay, as to fome of them, there VOL. U. I are
114 SERMON V.
are very ftrong Prefumptions to the contrary *, and yet, admitting that all thefe Particulars could be clear- ly and evidently made out, it would not therefore follow, that the Jewijh Sabbath is of Moral and Per- petual Obligation to us Chriftians^ but we Ihould notwithftanding difcover, for the Reafons which have been mention'd, that the Church, in the Change of the Day, proceeded upon very weighty and good Reafons. As to the Command given the Jews^ to keep the Sabbath in Memory of their Deliverance out of Egypt^ this, inftead of being an Argument for the Continuance of it, proves direftly for its Aboli- tion : As it was plainly in this refped, a Type of our Deliverance from the worft and greateft Ene- mies, our Sins, and therefore to be number'd among thofe other Shadows of good Things to come, which were to he done away in Chrlfi-
Having fpoken at large to what I propos'd, and particularly reprefented to you the Obligation we are under to a Religious Obfervation of the Lor£s Day^ I Ihall conclude with fhewing, in Two or Three ufeful Diredions, how and in what Manner it ought to be ohferv'd. And,
I . We are to confider, the Lor^s Day is a Time fet a-part for the more Publick Worfhip and Service of God, wherein we are to do him Honour, and praife him according to his Excellent Grcatnefs. For Honour and Praife are moft properly and fignificantly ex- prefs'd, by outward and open Teltimonies of our Eftcem. When Ahaufuerus put the Qiieftion to Ha- man-, ll^at jljall be done to the Man^ whom the King de^ lighted) to honour ? Haman fnppofing himfelf the Perfon to whom the King dedgn'd this dillinguilhing Fa- vour \ Let the Royal Apparel., fays he, be brought forth^ and the Horfe upon which the King is went to ride^ and bring him on fJorfe-back through the Streets of the City., and proclaim before him., Thm fljall it be dene to the Man tvhom the King delighteth to honour.^ Either 6. 6.
In
SERMON V. 115
In vain we pretend to have any true Honour for God or Religion, while we negled the Publick Du- ties we owe to them. Holy Davld\ Notion of ho- nouring God, was exaftly agreeable to what I here obferve. In how moving and affeftionate a Manner does he exprefs his own Zeal for the Publick Wor- fhip, and call upon us to follow him in the Motion of it ? Lordy I have loved the Habitation of thine Houfe^ the Place where thine Honour dwelleth. O, Come^ let m go unto the Houfe of the Lord^ let us worjlnp and magnify his Name together. Let us come before his Prefence with Thank/giving^ let us fraife him in the Congregation of hi{ Saints.
But where is the Zeal, where is the Piety of Chri- ftians "* when they defire to be excus'd from attend- ing God's Publiclc Worfliip, upon fuch flight ahd frivolous Pretences, as would not, upon a Requelfc or Invitation from a Friend, be admitted in Point of common Decency and Refped.
Where is the Zeal and Piety of the Primitive Chri- ftiaas, who could not be induc'd to forfake the Af^ femblies of the Saints, tho' they repaired to them with the apparent Danger and Hazard of their Lives ? But now that our Church-Doors are open, and not only the Laws of God require, but are enforc'd by Hu- man Authority, (fo far as is confiftent with Human Freedom, and the Defign of Religion) to compel Men to come in, that God's houfe may be full \, yet how ineffectual fometimes are all our Intreaties and Ap- plications to this End ?
I blefs God, my Brethren, I have no Reafon to complain of you, as the mofl negligent in the Duty I would here recommend, of a conftant Attendance on the publick Worfhip of God, efpecially on the Lord's Day. Yet I have had fometimes too juft Oc- caiion to fpeak to this Point ^ and I will never leave fpeaking to it, till, by the Grace of God, Ihave gain'd it- But,
I 2 z. We
ii6 SERMON V.
2. We ought alfo on the Lord's-Day to employ our felves conftantly in the private Exercifes of Reli- gion -^ in converfing with God by Prayer and Medi- tation j in reading good Books, and examining into the State of our Souls, and forming good Refolutions for our future Condudt. Yet I do not hereby intend, that we fhould tye our felves fo ftridly up to a Courfe of Devotion on the Lord's Day, as to be continually upon our Knees, or in our Clofet, or with a Book in our Hands : No, the Defeds of our Capacity are fuch, that if the Mind be too long bent upon one ^hing, 'twill lofe its Spring and Adivity ; and there- fore fuch innocent Refpites from our Devotion, whereby the Mind is not too much diflipated, nor any juft Occafion of Scandal or Oflence given to others, is not only lawful, but highly convenient, ia order to qualify us for a more cheerful Performance of our Duty afterwards, and to give us a more fen- fible Delight in it.
3. As the Lord's Day is a Day of Thankfgiving for the Publick or Private Mercies we have receiv'd from God, 'tis a proper Exercife of it to perform Afts of Mercy and Charity to others, and both with refped: to their Souls and Bodies : To their Souls, by teaching them the Fear of the Lord, by inftruding, by ad vi ling, and admonifhing them *, efpecially fuch of them as are under our more immediate Charge and Direftion. Tho' this indeed is not to be confider'd barely as an Ad of Charity, but as Matter of (Irid and indifpenfible Duty, which Parents and Mailers of Families can by no means excufe themfelvesin the Breach or Omiflion of.
But I would on this Publick Day of Joy and Thankfgiving to God for his manifold Mercies, re- commend to you alfo Afts of Mercy and Benevolence to the Poor. Thofe that do not want Inclination, cannot want Opportunities of conveying their Cha- rity in fome decent Maimer to proper Objedts of it.
The
SERMON V. 117
The Rich particularly, whofe Tables are full and plenteous, are under Circumftances, 1 hadalmofl: faid under Temptations of contributing to the Relief of their indigent Neighbours, which they cannot cafily overcome. A fmall Portion out of their Abundance, may afford a very comfortable Refrefiiment to a whole Family, or perhaps to more than one. And if Alms be a Sacrifice at all times well-pleafing to God, we may piouily hope, that they will afcend up as a more grateful Memorial before him, in Conjunftion with our Publick and Private Prayers. It feems a very proper and acceptable Occafion to God of doing good, at a time, when the whole Church unites in praifing him for his Goodnefs^ and declaring the Won- ders that he doth for the Children of Men.
4rW^, ,As the Lord's-Day is a Day devoted to the Service of God and Religion, let us take Care to fan- ftify it by a Godly and Religious Converfation. The Rule of the Apoftle, Let no corrupt Commumcatiorr come out of your Mouthy but fttch as may tend to the ZJJe of edifying^ ought to be more carefully obferved on a Solemnity, one great End in the Inftitution whereof was to free us from the Corruption, which is in the World, thro' Luft, and to promote univerfal Piety and Happinefs. I do not hereby intend, that 'tis not incumbent on us at all Times, and in all our Difcour- fes, to keep with great Striftnefs and Nicety to the . Rules of our Holy Religion, fo as never to offend by any idle IVord, or Levity of Expreffion, againfl them : But my Meaning is, that if we would fanftify this Holy Day as we ought, and agreeably to the End of its Inftitution, we (hould not only avoid all Occafion of Offence, by a loofe or prophane Converfation, but endeavour to promote the Sandification of others, by making one proper and ufeful Truth of Religion, or other, the Subjed of our Difcourfes.
And indeed, if the Difcourfes of Men, as our Sfit- 'viour himfelf has obferv'd, naturally run upon what
I A" they
ii8 SERMON V.
they have moft at Heart, 'tis at a time when we pro- fefs our felves to be more entirely devoted to the Ser- vice of Religion, both a great Indecency, and an Argu- ment of much Indifferency to it, to give our Tongues any idle, irreligious, or prophane Liberty.
As we would therefore give any reafonable Evi- dence to our felves or others, that in obferving this Day the Meditations of our Hearts are right, and acceptable to God, let us take Care that the Words of our Mouth be fo too. Let us refrain all fuch Sub- jcds efpecially, as may difcover any Worldly-mind- edncfs or Impurity of Thought, which are fo con- trary to the Spirit of Sandiiication, and all the Mo- tions of it. All Vncleannefs^ therefore, or Covetoufnefsy let it 7iot he once named amonq ns^ as hecometh Saints. Net' ther Filthinefs., nor foolijh Talhno- nor J c flings which are not convenient '^ hut rather giving of 'Thanks^ Eph. 5.4. ! Ihall only add upon this Point, that other Diredion of the fame Apoftle, fo pertinent to the Duty and Sacred nefs of the Day, though fpoken in general : Let the Word of Chrifi dwell in you richly in all iVifdom, teaching and admonijhing one another in Ffalrns^ and Hymnsy and Spiritual So77gs^ Col. 3. i5.
%thly^ and Laftly, That we may better attend thefe Duties, we muft not only intermit our ordinary La- bours and Employments, but take off our Thoughts, jjs much as polTible, from the Bufinefs of them. 'Tis true, we are not bound to the Rigor o{l\\Q Jewijh Sabbath, but only, as 1 faid, to the A<foral Equity of it. And certainly, 'tis reafonable in the Nature of the thing, that the Day, wherein God Almighty has more efpecially requir'd us to ferve him, fhould be appropriated to his Service : But yet in particular Cafes, where Charity or any extraordinary Accident requires, that we fiiould apply our felves to fome moie fervile Work ^ here God will have Mercy, and not Siciifice. And there was under the Jewifh Dilr penfdciou ic felf, as well as by the exprefs Determi- nation
SERMON V. iip
nation of our Lord in the Gofpel, an equitable Al- lowance granted, as to fuch Cafes. What 1 would caution you againft, is the pretending fuch Cafes to juftify any fervile Employment on this Sacred Day, where there is really no Ground for fuch a Pretence, and to exhort you withal, that you would confider it, not only as a Duty, hut a Privilege^ to have a Day fet a-part for the Worfliip of God, wherein you have nothing to do, but to ferve him with a i]uiet Mind, free from all worldly Cares and Diftra- dions, and wholly taken up with the Spiritual Exer- cifes and Delights of Religion.
M
SER-
%zo
SERMON VI.
Of the ftatcd Places of God's Worfhip^ and in what Manner our Reverence to- wards them ought to be exprefs'd.
LEV. XXVL 2.
Tejhall keep my Sabbaths y md reverence my Sm^u- ary ; / am the Lord,
^nr^I S equally agreeable to the Principles of Na- X tiiral Religion, that there fhoald be Stated Times, and Appropriate Places, for the Publick Worlhipof God. I have already confider'd in the former Difcourfe, how far the Pofitive Inftlrutions of God; to the Jews^ with refped to the Sabbaths^ are of Natural Obligation. 1 am now to conllder, how far they are obligatory with refpedl to Places more immediately fet apart or dedicated to his Ser- vice. So that I Ihall wholly apply my felf at pre- fent to difcourfe of thefe Words, -And reverence my SanHuary.
. In the Profecutiou of which Enquiry, I fhali Ihew,
Flrfl^ That the Reafons of Appropriating Places to the Publick Worfiiipof God, are the fame in ge- neral
S E R M O N VI. 121
neral under the Chrillian, as under the Mofaick Dif- penfation.
Secondly^ That Places fo appropriated have a Re- lative Holinefs in them, and ought therefore to be reverenced.
Thirdly^ That Reafon further difcovers to us, how, and in what Inftances, our Reverence towards fuch Places ought to be exprefled.
F/r/?, That the Reafons of Appropriating Places to the Publick Worfhip of God, are the fame in ge- neral under the Chriftian, as under the Mofakk Dif- pcnfation.
One End of God's appointing the Tabernacle, and afterwards the Temple, was, to poITefs the Minds of the Jews with more devout and inflam'd Affedions ia their Religious Addrefles to him. The Place we are in, naturally puts us in mind of the proper Bufinefs and Delign of it. And Places of Religious Worfhip being defign'd to this End, that we fiiould pay our Homage to the Great and Eternal God in them \ our very Entrance into fuch Places, if we confider where we are, and for what End werepair to them, cannot but infpire us with a more awful Senfe of our Duty, and the Divine Majelly, before whom we prcfent our felves.
If when we do but approach the Palaces, or go in- to the fplendid Apartments of the Great, tho' of mortal and great Sinners, the Imagination is fo apt to bow and proftrate it felf before them, and we fo eafily difcover the inward Sentiments of the Mind, by a fuitable Afped or Behaviour •, with how great Care and Caution Ihould we keep our Feet^ when we go to the Houfe of God '^ and with what profound Veneration both of all the Powers of our Soul, and proper Mo- tions of the Body, ought we to appear in it ?
Thefe are Reafons for inftituting Publick Places for the Worfliip of God, which flow from the prefent
State
122 SERMON VI.
State and Condition of Human Nature, and there- fore could not be peculiar to the Jewlfh People j efpe* dally if we confider.
2. Tis a Principle highly agreeable to the natural Notions of Mankind, that God is in a fpecial Manner prefent in fuch Places, not only as they are confe- crated to him, and he has thereby a fpecial Propriety in them, but alfo by Reafon of the united Prayers, which are therein put up to him, and which arerea- fonably prefum'd to be of more Force and Efficacy, than thofe of fingle Perfons, to bving down the real and fenfible Effeds of hisPrefence, with the Bleffings pray'd for.
David therefore fpoke agreeably to the general Senfe and Reafon of Mankind upon this Article, when he faid, IVe wait for thy Loving- Kindnefs^ O God^ in the midfi of thy Temple. And our Blefled Lord has given a great Confirmation to this pious Sentiment, in declaring, that where Two or Three are gathered toge- ther in his Name^ there he is in the ?nidfi of them. It feems indeed to have been a common isiotion of the Jews, as we conclude from the 8th Chapter of the Firft of Kings^ V. 48. from the Example of Hez^ekiah., Jfa. 38. 2. o{ Daniel^ chap. 5. 10. andof J<?w^^, chap. 2. 4. that even private Worlhip was to be direfted. towards the Temple : Nay, the Words of Jonah at the 7th Verfe imply, as if the Jews thought God would not hear the Prayers which were privately addrefs'd to him in Heaven, except they firfl: pafs'cj through the Temple, the fpecial Place of his Reli- dence here upon Earth. When my Soul fainted within me, fays that Prophet, / rememher'^d the Lord-, and my Trayer came unto thee, into thy Holy Temple, V. 7.
And we pioully conclude from the Reafons already mention'd, that God is in a fpecial Manner prefent, by the Eftedls of his Grace, in our Chriftian Temples, tho' not in fo fenfible a Manner as he difcover'd him- felf in that of the Jews^ Some indeed have inferred
from
SERMON VI. T23
from the Words of the Apoftle, wherein he direds Women to be cover'd in the Religious Aflemblies, becaufe of the Angels^ i Cor. II. 10. that God may be faid to be more eminently prefeiit in them, by the Miniftry of thefq Blefled and Glorious Spirits. Whe- ther this Interpretation be exadly agreeable to the Defign of the Apoftle in this place, has, I know, been controverted ^ it feems neverthelefs (confider''d in it felf) to be highly reafonable. For if the Holy Angels are fent fort ij by God^ on any Occafion, to mi- ni fler tinto them who (Im/1 be Heirs of Salvation % there are good Grounds to believe, that they will more particularly attend us, and execute the Orders of God, at a Time when we are employ'd in their own Work, of Praifing and Glorifying him, and ia the Uie of thofe Ordinances, which he has appoint- ed as the fpecial Means of promoting our Salvation, But,
3. The common Notions we have of Order and Decency require, that the Place defign'd for God's more immediate Service, fhould be appropriated to Him, and to Him only. Of Order ; that Men may know where to repair on all Occafions to worfhip God \ and of Decency^ becaufe 'tis contrary to all the Rules of it, and indeed to the ordinary Acceptation of Holinefs throughout the Scriptures, that what is' common or unclean^ fhould be indifferently or promip cuoufly us'd, with Things fet apart for Holy and Re- ligious Ufes. 'Tis upon this receiv'd Notion of De- cency, the Apoftle puts the Queftion to the C?r/«v thians^ and in a manner which ftjews how provoking the Diforder and Prophanation were, which he charg'd them with being guilty of, in the Place they aflembled in for Religious Worfhip. What i ha^ve ye not Hovfes to eat er to drink in \ or defvife ye the Church of God ? 1 Cor. II. 22.
One would think it unnecellary to infift upon fuch plain aad evident Truths, were it not for the weak
and
124 SERMON VI.
and foolifh Prejudice fome People are under ; as if Reveal'd Religion deftroyM the common Principles of Natural Reafon ^ and we were bound to obferve or do nothing, but what we have an exprefs Com- mand for in the Gofpel.
I call this a weak and fonlidi iPrejudice, becaufe whatever is Matter of natural or moral Obligation, certainly obliges Chriflians, tho' they have no politive Command for it. So far as we pay to God a reafon' able Service^ or aft agreeably to the general Rules of Decency and Order in the New Teftament, we obey the Commands, and ferve the Defigns of God, as much as if we had a particular Diredion from him for what we do. God has thought fit for the moft part to give Chriftians only general Rules for the Difci- pline to be obferved in his Church, for the Order of his Worlhip, and the Government of their Lives •, without defcending to ftate the particular Cafes and Meafures of our Duty in each refped. For to have done this, would have fwell'd the Body of his Laws to fo great a Bulk, and fill'd it with fo many nice and curious Speculations, that few People would have had either Leifure or Capacity, or perhaps Inclina^ tion, for going thro' fo difficult a Work.
Whereas if we be pioufly difpofed and fincerely de- iire to do the Will of God in all Things, tho' we have not an exprefs Rule to dired us at every Turn what we are to do, yet 'tis but putting the Queftion to our own Hearts, what is molt fit and reafonable to be done, and moft agreeable to thofe general Rules of honouring God, and doing all to his Glory, and we cannot eafily miftake in the Application. But I proceed to my Second Propolition,
2. That Places ^o appropriated, have a Relative Holinefs in them, and ought therefore to be reve- renc'd. This is the Notion, as was intimated before, of Holinefs, with refped to Things, and Perfons,
and
SERMON VI. 125
and Times, as well as Places defign'd for the Service of God, in the Old Teftament, that they were fepa- rated from Common and Ordinary Ufes, to his Own,' And if for this very Reafon they were accounted Sa- cred then, what imaginable Pretence can there be- that the fame Reafon Ihould not render them, and jill of them, Sacred now *.
If it be pretended, that the Teaiple was accounted holy, by Reafon of the Legal Sacrifices which were offered to God in it*, we ask why the Chriftian Sa- crifice of Praife and Thankfgiving in our Churches Ihould not be a fufficient Ground for reputing them Holy alfo ? But above all, why that Place fhould not be reputed in a more eminent Manner holy, where in fo folemn a Manner and fo Divine an Office, we commemorate the Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Chrifl:, which tbe Legal Sacrifices were but Types of, and without refpeft to which, they were of no Con- Jlderation or Acceptance with God.
And we think it a very decent and pious Cuftom,' that a Place where fo great a Myflery of our Holy Religion, which gives us a nearer Acceffion to God, and entitles us to fo many BleiTmgs, is celebrated, fhould be diftinguifh'd by all proper Expreffions of our Piety and Reverence.
If it be faid, That there were, as has been acknow- ledg'd before, fenfible EfFeds of God's Prefence in the Temple, upon which it had a peculiar Relation of Holinefs to him : We anfwer, That God, as to the Spiritual and Gracious Effefts of his Prefence, and wherein he manifefts it in the moft beneficial and excellent mannev, is prefent in our Chriftian Tem.- ples. Otherwife indeed, which ought not to be ad- mitted, the Jfir/y/j Worlhip had been fuperior in its Privileges to the Chriftian, with refped to the great- eft and moft fublime Benefits of Religion.
If it be fiid further. That the Temple was built by the fpecial Command of God, and upon that Ac- count
ii6 S E R M O N VI.
count a certain Holinefs was afcribed to it; whereas we have no fuch Command for Building any Places purely for God's VVorfhip now : 'Tis anfwer'd again. That the Defign of David's building a Temple, and 'Solomons going on with it, do not appear to have pro- ceeded from any politive and dired Command of God. God, 'tis true, gave particular Directions about build- ing the Temple, but it does not therefore follow, that the defign of Building it was not antecedently laid by thefe Princes upon natural Motives of Piety and Re- ligion*, the fame Motives upon which the Patriarchs erefted Sanftuaries or feparate Places of Worlhip to God, before any pofitive Inftitution to this End.
So that fuppoling God Almighty immediately in- ipir'd David with fiich a Defign, and Solomon with the Charge of executing it, yet this does not argue but that the Defign was pious and reafonable in it felf; and where any thing is fo, and evidently ap- pears to be ^0^ a new and Evangelical Precept for it is not neceflary.
But are there not two Paflages in the New Tefta- ment, which feem diredly to overthrow all that has been laid on this Head, and to confirm what Mr. Per- Jiins has advanc'd in his Cafes of Confcience, with equal Piety and Difcretion ? " That all Places are ho- *' ly and alike, fince the coming of Chrift ; the Houfe *■'- or the Field is as Holy as the Church.
The firft Paflage I referr'd to, is that of St. Stephen, Hovoheit the mofi High dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands^ Adts 7. 48. Thefe Words have been equally alledg'd againft the proper and ftated Places of God's Worlhip, and the decent Ornaments of them.
They have been indilFerently made ufe of to demo- lifli our Churches, and deface our Altars ; and ferved in the times of the Grand Rebellion, at once as an Ar- gument for Plunder, and for Fanatick Zeal. Twas no extraordinary thing in thofeDays, for Men grave- ly to rob Churches in the Name of the Lord, and to
convert;
S E R M O N VI. 127
convert the Tabernacles of the Prince of Peace, in a literal Senfe, into Fortreflts of War.
But to explain to you the true Senfe of thefe Words, they are diredted by the Holy Martyr to the Jews V and his priiicip^l Defign in them is to fhew, that tho' the Temple was built by the fpecial Order and Diredion of God ; yet they were not to fuppofe that the EfFeds of his Favour or more fpecial Prefence were folely confin'd to it, but that now under the Gofpel Difpenfation, which the Nations^ as well as t\\€^Jews^ were invited to fhare in the Privileges of, Pubiick Places of VV^orfhip might be any where indif- ferently eredted to God, and his heavenly Benedi- ftion pioufly expeded in them.
And indeed if thefe Words fhould prove, that pub- lick and diftindt Places of Worfhip are not now to be erefted to God, they would prove contrary to what is confefs'd on all Hands, and the Argument of St. Stephen^ v. 46, 47. that Solomon ought not to have built God a Houfe , efpecially ^inc^ he had the fame Sentiment himfelf, with that I am confidering, Tlius he expreffes it, 2 Chron.6. 18. But will God in very Deed dwell with Men on the 'Earth* Behold Hea- njen and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee^ how much lefs this Hnvfe^ which I have bznlt.
Again, if thefe Words be brought to pi-ove that God is not to be worfliipped in any ftated Place, be- caufe he cannot be contained in it, they will prove that he is no where to be vvorfhipp'd ^ no, not by the Holy Angels in Heaven it felf, becaule he can be no "where circumfcrib'd. Or,
Lajlly^ If it beinferr'd from thefe Words, that there can be no Holinefs in Temples made with Hands, , becaufe God does not dwell in them, this Inference alfo would prove too much, and againftan acknow- kdg'd Truth, that the Houfe Solomon built for God, was no more holy, according to the Author 1 quoted,
than
128 S E R M O N VI.
than the Houfes wherein the Jews dwelt, or the Fields about them.
You will find the other Paflage, which is common- ly objedted againft what I'm aflerting, and which I proceed to confider, Acis 17. 24. God^ fays the Apo- jftle, that made the World and all things therein^ feeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earthy dwelleth not in Tern- pies made with Hands. We have here the very Words with thofe oi^t.Ste^hen ^ only they were fpoken upon a different Occafion, and to different Perfonsj the Philofophical Wits and Oracles of that Age, in that famous Seat of Learning, Athens. And the Defign of the Apoftle was to Ihew them, that the Divine Na- ture cannot be circumfcribed by Place, or under thofe Corporeal Reprefentations which they made of their falfe Gods, and wherein they fuppos'd their Divinity did more immediately refide. For thefe Learned Sages imagin'd (as the Romans did particularly with refped to the Palladium) that the Images of their Gods had a certain Magical Power, of Confining and Tying them up upon the Spot, that they could not eafily ftir, or get loofe from it. In Oppofition to this wild Conceit, St. Paul aflerts that the true God cannot be reprefented by an Image, or limited by Place, but is prefent in every Place. This is all the Apoftle de- fign'd to aflert ^ and therefore it cannot be inferr'd from his Words, that God does not manifeft the Ef- fects of his Prefence in fome Places more than others, and efpecially fuch Holy Places as are more immedi- ately dedicated to and fet apart for his publick Wor- Ihip. Had this been the Scope of the Apoftle's Ar- gument, he muft have argued contrary to known Fad, in relation to thafe fpecial and fignal Mani- feftations God was pleafed to make of his Prefence, in the Temple of Solomon.
I Ihall add but one Confiderafion more, to fhew that Places fet apart for Divine Worfhip ought to be regarded, as having a relative Holiaefs in them. And
'tis
SERMON VI. up
'tis this ; That the very Perfons who oppofe fo evi- dent a Truth, mufi: be forc'd to acknowledge it up- on their own Principles. 'Tis granted by them par- ticularly, that the Lord's Day is to be confider'd and obferv'd as Holy ; this is the Term wherein they or- dinarily fpeak of it ^ or at leaft wherein they will not fcruple to fpeak of it : Yet this Day cannot be term'd Holy on any other Account, than becaufe of its Relative Holinefs. 'Tis a Time diftinguifh'd and feparated from the common Offices and Employ- ments of Human Life, to the Special Service of God ; and 'tis in this Diftindion, or feparate Ufe, tliat all the Holinefs of it confifts. Why then, for the fame Confideration, are not Places feparated for Holy and Religious Ufes, to be efteem'd Holy ? Where the Reafons of a Relative Holinefs appear equal on both Sides, what Ihould call them on one Side, more thaa on the other ?
Shall I now Ihew, that our Chriflian Churches, of Places feparated for God's Publick Worlhip, which I have prov'd to be SanU:uaries in a proper Senfe,ought therefore to be reverenced -^ this is a Confequcnce which flows fo naturally, or rather indeed neceflari- ly from what has been faid, that I need not fay much to illuftrate it. I (hall only obferve, that we are a- greed in other Cafes to fet a Value on Things or Perfons, not in Confideration of their abfolute and real Worth, but of their relative Ufe or Character* An Infed is confider'd in it felf as a living Crea- ture, more valuable than the brighteft or richeft Jewel in the World: But we fhould think him very weak, who would for that Reafon prefer a Butter- fly to a Diamond •, which, by common Confent and Agreement, ferves him to fo many more advantage- ous and ufeful Ends.
For the fame Reafon, with refpe(ft to the different Charaders of Men, or any Special Relation they bear to God, to the Prince, or to our felves, we ^ive
VOL. W. K thcnt,
150 SERMON VI.
them, or ought to give them, different and fuitable Teftimonies of our Efteem or Affediion. Nay, when we truly honour or love any Perfon, we naturally exprefs a Value for every thing that nearly beloJQg^ to him, or wherein he has a particular Intereft.
Certainly then, nothing can be more reafonable,' than that upon Account of the Special Propriety God has in Places fet apart for his Service, and for lb many Holy Ends and Ufes, we Ihould errprefs our Reverence toward fuch Places, by all proper and be- coming Teftimonies of it.
'Twas a juft Senfe of what we owe to this Natural Inflance of Piety, that when our Saviour obferv'd only an Outer-Court of the Temple prophan'd by the proper Bufinefs of an Exchange ^ tho' the Traffick carry'd on in it, was about thofe very Things which were defign'd for the Service of the Temple; yet he exprefs'd his Refeiitment againft fuch Prophanation in fo fenfible a manner, that he never feems through- out the whole Courfe of his Life to have been tran- fported to the like Degree, beyond the great Le- nity and Sedatenefs of his Temper.
'Twas upon this Natural Principle, of the Reve- rence due to Places appropriated to the Worfhip of God, that Antiochus was fill'd with fo great Horror of Mind, for his invading and pillaging the Temple: 'Twas a Senfe of this Prophanation, which made him complain that the Sleep was gone from his Eyes, that his Heart fail'd him, and that all his Misfortunes were fall'n upon trim. But now I remember^ fays he, the Evils I did at Jerufalem \ how I took all the Vejfels of Cold and Silver that xvere therein— — — I perceive therefore^ that for this Caufe thefe Evils are come upon me^ \ Mac. 6. 12, 13. I (hall take Occa (ion, from this Inflance, of a Tranfition to my next and laft Head,
3^/v, To fhew. That even Natural Reafon difco- vers further to us, how, and in what Particulars, out
Reve'o
S E R M O N Vf. tp
tleverence towards fuch Places ought to be exprefs'd. And that,
T. By a conftant Attendance,, on all proper (Dcc^- lions, at them.
2. By a Compos'd, Devout, and Regular Beha- viour in them. And,
3. By our Liberal Contributions, when they are call'd for, to what may be thought neceflary towards the proper Ornaments of them, or the greater So- lemnity of the Publick Worfhip, for which they are appointed.
I (hali only premife, before I go upon thefe Par- ticulars, if fuch a Premonition may be neceflary to prevent any Miftakes, that the Reverence we con- tend for as due to our Chriflian Sanctuaries, is not fuppos'd to terminate in them, or to be direded, (ex- -cept in an improper Senfe) to them, but to the Ho- nour of God ; which is properly and fignificantly promoted, by the outward ExprelTions of our Efteeni for fuch Things, as more immediate ly petain or re- late to him.
Thus particularly with refpeft to our Bowing to- wards the Altar •, Nothing but the laft Degree of Prejudice will fuppofe, that the Altar is the direiff and primary Objed of the Reverence we exprefs by Bowing. Ko-, this is only a fignificant Af^lon, whereby we teftify or acknowledge, that the Plade towards which we bow, is the Place where the moft Sacred and Solemn Rites of our Chrifl:ian Worfhip are pcrform'd • and where Chrift, in the Holy Sa- crament, more eminently difpenfes the Means of his Grace, and in a vifible Manner.
Now 'tis impofljblc to conceive, why we may not ^ exprefs our Sentiments by our Adions, -where they are known to be expreflivc of the;-n, as well as by
K 7. o«r
132 SERMON VI.
our Words. Thofe that charge us with this pious and decent Cuftom as fuperftitious, would do well to fhew us any tolerable Reafon, why there is more Superftition in Bowing down the Head to- wards the Altar, than in Turning up, which I ^fup- pofe they v;ill not difallow, the Eye towards Hea- ven.
A certain Sed among us appears to have been fo fenfiblc that the Charge of Superftition lies equally in both thefe Cafes, (that is, in Truth, againft nei^ ther) that to avoid all Imputation of it, they think it a fafer way in their Publick Worfhip, to draw a hroad Veil over their Eyes, or to fix them with an unparallel'd motionlefs Gravity upon the Earth. A Pofture, which at the bottom is not perhaps without its proper Signification neither. But,
I. We are to reverence God's Sanduary, bycon- ftantly repairing on all proper Occafions to it. For the great End of Dedicating it to his Service, was. That by our united Prayers and AddrefTes to him, we might be more inftrumental in promoting his Ho- nour and Glory, and our own Salvation. And in- deed, the very Method whereby we do God Honour, and glorify his Holy Name, highly and diredly con- duces to our Spiritual Advantage. The m.ore Hands there are to the Heavenly Petitions we put up to him, the more reafonable and alTur'd are our Expedations of being favourably heard.
Now I have obferv'd in the former Difcourfe, that Honour or Glory, in a proper Signification, imports fomething done in a more publick manner to the Advantage of the Perfon whofe Praifes we cele- brate. This is agreeable to the Scripture-Notion of Glorifying God. We are to this End command- ed by our Saviour, to let our Li^ht fo jlnne before men^ that they may fee our good works ^ Matt. 5.1^. And again
he
S E R M O N VI. 133
he tells, Job. 15.8. Herein is my Father glorified^ that ye bear much fruit. To which I fhall add the Words of the rfalmiji-, as they immediately refpeft the Pub- lick Service of God : u4/l nations whom thou baft- made., Jhall come and worjinp before thee, O Lordf and jlmll glo- rify thy name^ Pfal, 85. 9.
And 'tis for this Reafon, that the Temple wherein God was publickly worfhipped, is calPd the Houfe of his Glory^ and not only from the more Glorious Mani- fcftations of his Prefeace in it.
What Grounds then can we have to imagine, if our doing Glory to God by our Prayers be a proper Means to recommend them to his Acceptance, that we may pray as acceptably to him, tho' in Time of the Publick Service, at Home, or in our Clofets, as in his Sanfiuary ?
This Imagination is not only altogether vain and groundlefs, but highly impious on feveral Accounts, which are fo obvious, I need not mention them, Tho' indeed, fetting afide the Impiety of fuch a Thought, 'tis highly reafonable in the natural De- cency of the Thing, that you Ihould rather wait upon God at his Houfc, where he has appointed and ex- pefts to receive you, than that you Ihould exped his Attendance at your own.
I do not hereby intend, that we ovght not to wor- fhip, oxmayiiox. (in a lowerSenfe) be faid to praife God in private •, but my Meaning is, that then we do moft eminently make his Vralfe to be glorious^ when we praife him in the Cungregation of his Saints *, and withal, that the Prayers which are ofter'd to him in private, upon our al)fenting without Caufe from his Publick Worfhip, and as it were in Oppoftion to it, cannot for this Reafon be acceptable to him-
Permit me, upon this Occafion, to take Notice of another Inftance of Irreverence Men are too com- monly guilty of, with refpeft to God's Publick Wor- ihip, and that is, in their coming Late to it, or after
K 3 the
15+ S E R M O N VI.
the Service is begun. 'Tis no Uncharitable Pre* fumption, when People are thus (low and backward in repairing to the Houfe of God, that they do not come out of any true Motive of Religion, or Zeal for his Honour, but in Compliance with what is cuftomary, and expelled by the Neighbourhood from' theni,^ or that they may avoid the Imputation of In- fidelity, and not be thought to live altogether with- out God in the World , which would be of ill Confe- quence to them in the Conduft of their /Temuord Affairs.
This Irregularity in coming late to the Publick Worfhip, is alfo inconvenient to others^ as it tends to interrupt the Devotion of particular Perfons, or fometimes tq caufe a General Revolution of the Eyes or Thoughts of the Congregation ^ efpecially whed Way is made for fome Great Perfon or Perfons, to advance and diftinguifh themfelves. As if the End of their coming there, were not for Obedience, but Triumph-, not to humble themfelves before God, hut to procure a Sacriiice to th^ir own Pride and Vanity, and fhow their Superiority above their Fellow- Creatures.
But the Diforders fuch Perfons occafion, do not terminate here. A great deal of Ceremonious Ad- drefs is to be ufed, and many Civilities exchang'd, liefore they can compofe themfelves, or thuik it rea- fonable that others fliould do fo.
Yet I do not here abfolutely condemn a tranfient Refpcd to other Perfons, where any particular Oc- cafion invites to it, even in our Religious AlTem- blies. But where People look about them, to dis- cover proper Objects to whom they may pay their Regards;, here the Opportunity of (liewing their good Breeding is certainly very ill chofen ; and the more thev affect to (hew it, the lefs they mufl: be pre- fum'd to confider, where, and in whofe Prefence they are. • .
This
S E R M O N VI. 135
This Irregularity of coming late to the Publick Worfhip, difcovers further a Want of due Reverence to the Rules and Orders of the Churchy which fup. pofesthe Congregation ajfemblcd and met together at the beginning of the Service. As our excellent Liturgy is defign'd, and with great Prudence contriv'd in all its Parts to promote Piety, among other Inftances of its Contrivance to this End, after having opened the Service with a general Exhortation, it immediately proceeds to the general ConfefTion *, pioufly intend- ing thereby, that before we prefume to ask any Fa- vour of God, we ought to make an humble Acknow^- ledgment of our Sins and Offences againfl: him. But v/hen People come to apply themfelves to the Throne of God's Grace, without any fuch proper and previ- ous Humiliation, this is adding Prefumption to their Impiety, and giving Caufe to fufped, that they do not come to offer up their Prayers with the Publican^ as Penitents^ but with the Pharifee^ as jufl Perfons that n^^d no Repentance.
And therefore I might fhew further, that the Ir- reverence I am fpeaking to, gives jalt and general Occalion of Scandal ^ and if we are not permitted ^ven innocent and lawful Actions, when we may wound the Confciences of our weak Brethern there- by ; a heavier Load of Guilt mult certainly lye upon us from a Behaviour dircEily criminal, and which the IVifer and more Confclcntiom Chriftians are, the more they will ftill be offended and fcanddizjd at.
idly^ We are to Reverence God's Sanctuary by a ferious, devout, and regular Behaviour in it.
PY a ferious and clcvouf Behaviour, 1 mean fuch decent Motions or Poflures of the Body, with fuch a compofed Air of the Face, as moft properly ex- prefs the inward Sentiments and Attention of the Mind. Corporeal Worfhip is another Article which flows from the Principles of Natural Ke'ligion \ and
K 4 whi
1-^6
SERMON VI.
who would imagine that ChriHians fliould run intq lb wild a Degree of Phanaticifm, as to oppofe fp reafonahle 3. Service? And indeed what can be more reafonable, as our doing Honour and Glory to God imports fome external A<^ion •, and we have no in- tuitive Knowledge of one another's Thoughts, than that we (hould, as the Apoftle exhorts, glorify God in our Bodies^ and in otir Spirits which are Oods f that is, who equally created them, and has therefore equally a Right to be ferv'd by them, i Cor. 6. 20. Yet I am fenfible thefe Words of the Apoftle, may and ought perhaps ftridly, and moft agreeably to the Con- text, be explained inthisSenfe, "-'That to prefery^ " the Body chafte and free from all finfiil Impurities, " is an acceptable State of ferving God, and where- *' by we do Honour to our Holy Religion". Yet v;hen any Text of Scripture is agreeable to the natu- ral Reafon of Things, or in its literal Senfe tends to confirm it, there, 1 conceive, we may properly make ufe of fnch a Text, by way of Accommodation, tho* in its primary Senfe, 'twas otherways intended.
And that outward and corporeal Expreffions of our Reverence are reafonable in themfelves, appears fur- ther from hence : That God has fo contriv'd our hu- mane Frame, and the Union of thofe two different Subflances whereof we are compos'd, that the Mo- tions of the Body naturally follow thofe of the Souh Nay, thefe two Subflances often ad reciprocally up- on one another.
All Perfons may obferve this •, when they are un- der the Power of any Pafllon, wherewith the Body is more violently fhaken, the Soul receives in its turn a frefh Concufhon, and as it were by way of Rebound ^ and the Force of that Palfion is thereby fenfibly augmented.
- Why then fhould not the PalTion of Love, and Fear, and Admiration in the Worlhip of God, when the Powers of the Soul are fuppos'd to be mpll of all
ex-
SERMON VI. 137
.excited, from the Importance of our Duty, and the Excellency of its Objed •, why, 1 fay, fhould not thefc Paflions, on fo moving an Occafion, be raifed ftill higher and higher, according to the fame admi- rable, but inexplicable Laws of Union, whereb/ thefe two Subftances aft upon, and mutually impell one another ; fo that the devout Afi^dlions of the Mind may difcover themfelves in devout Pollures of the Body, and the Attention of it in fome meafure at leaft be awakened, and kept up by them ?
This is an Argument which (hews, that Corpo- real Worfhip or Reverence in the Service of God is not only founded on Natural Principles, but that if our Minds be devoutly difpos'd, we cannot, with- out offering a great and fenfible Violence to Nature, negled to perform, it.
But what Account then fhall we give of thofe Words of our Saviour to the Woman of Samariay John 4. 2 1 . The Hour comet h^ when ye jhall neither in this Mountain^ nor yet at Jerufalem^ worjh/p the Father : hut the true H^orjlnppers jhall rvorpip the Father in Spirit and in Truth *, for the Father feehth fuch to worjhip him. God is a Spirit, and they that vporjinp him muIt worjhip him in Spirit and in Trtith.
There are fome I know, who have inferr'd from thefe Words, That as God is of a Nature purely fpiritual, our Worfhip of him ought to be fo too : That the Force of our Saviour's Argument lies in this J and therefore, fo we do but worfhip God in the Purity and Simplicity of our Hearts, 'tis unnecefi fary and fnperllitious, to fiy no worfe, to concern our felves about the external Afts of our Behaviour.
This Interpretation of the Words may appear at the firft View plaufible-, yet 'tis evident, if we conli- der them a little farther, that our Lord is here recom- mending to us a holy and religious Frame of Spirit in bur Prayers and AddrefTes to God, not in Oppofiti- pa to proper and outward ExprefTions of Reverence,
but
138
SERMON VI.
hnt to the Le^al Rites and Ceremonies of the Jewijl) Religion, which rellrain'd the more folemn andt pompous Worfhip of God to one certain Place. Our Lord, I fay, here 'declares that the Ceremonial Or- dinances, which chiefly gave Direftions about the "Temple- worfhip, were now upon the Point of be- ing abrogated, and that publick Places of Worfhip might be indifferently ei'eded to God ju all Parts of the World.
Befides, 'tis ufual in Scripture to exprefs thole Things abfolutely, which are only to be underftood comparatively : As when God fays by the Prophet, jHof. 6. 6. J will have Mercy ^ and ?tot Sacrifice : The Meaning is, ( for Sacrifice was of his own Ap- pointment,) That he will principally, orinthefirll place, have Mercy. And lo again, i John 3. 18. Let tts not^ fays the Apoflle, love in Word^ or in Tongue^ hut in Deed and in Truth. But certainly it cannot be his Defign in thefe Words, to condemn the pro- per Ex'prefFions of mutual Kindnefs and Civility to one another in Converfation, but only to give the Preference to kind and beneficent Aftions.
So here, when our Saviour tells us, That God is a Spirit^ and they that Worfhip him, muft worjln^ him inspirit and in Truth: What he intends, is. That a pious and devout Temper of Mind , is the moft acceptable and generous Principle of Religion •, and this Preference we allow in the higheft Degree to the inward und fpiritual Worfhip : But that our Sa- viour by no means intends to exclude the outward Significations of ir, in decent and bodily Geflures, appears further from hence *,
That if Corporeal Worfhip be abfolutely for this Reafbn unlawful and fuperfuitious, that Cod is a Spi- rit^ &c. then the Worfliip pradis'd by the befl ot Men before the Law, by the Command of God un- der it, and by the Apoflles after it, A^ts 20. 36. was fuperftitious too. 'Twill confequently follow, that
SERMON VI. 13P
the Author of the Revelations has defcrib'd the Wor- ihip of the holy Angels themfelves in Heaven after a manner, which may give reafonable Caiife of Of- fence : For he reprefents thefe blefled Spirits as wor- (hipping God, by cafling down their Crowns before his Throne^ and falling on their Faces, Ch. 4. 10, and II. 16. 'Tis granted, thefe Expreffions are metaphori- cal, and not to be underftood in a ftrid and lite- ral" Senfe •, but what we argue is, that they are fpo- ken to the common Notions and Apprehenfions of Men, and evidently proceed upon this Principle, That in our religious Worfhip and Addrefled to God, we ought to teftify our Honour for him, by the moll proper and vccQiveA Significations of it. But to proceed :
By a. regular Behaviour in the Worfhip of God, I underftarid a due Conformity to the Rules and Order of the Publick Service, and particularly, that we fhould kneel or ftand up at the ufual Offices. There may, I grant, be Exceptions as to this Article, in favour of weak, or aged, or indifpos'd Perfons, or where the Seats are crouded. The Rules of the Church, in this Cafe, fuppofe a tacit Difpenfation, and indeed in all others, wherein they were not in* tended to oblige : But except in fuch Cafes, 'tis very offenfive, and a dired Contempt of the Authority, which by being prefent at our Publick Worfhip, they profefs to fubmit to, if People do not behave them- felves as the Rubric requires -^ nay, where the Rubric is filent, and any pious and decent Cuftom has been long introduc'd, and is therefore to be confider'd as agreeable to the Senfe, and as having the Approba- tion of the Church •, Perfons that are well inclin'd. Will think themfelves uifder an Obligation of con- forming to it. And yet, without any Regard to the Authority of the Church, Order is always very love- ly and delirable, efpecially in the Publick Worfhip of God, that we may appear not only with ref];e(^
to
140 SERMON VL
to the Subftance, but alfo the Form and Manner of it , to be perfeHiy joined together in the fame Mindy and in the fame Judgment,
^dly and Laftly^ If we reverence God's Sanctuary as we ought, we fhall be willing to contribute what may be thought necelTary towards the proper Orna- ments of it, or the greater Solemnity of the Publick Worfhip in it.
'Twas a very jufc and pious Sentiment of Bavidy 1 Chr. 17. I. Z/O, I dwell in an Houfe of Cedar ^ but the jir\ of the Covenant of the Lord is under Curtains. While nve are in the Body, the Mind is naturally affefted with ienfible Impreflions, and they are ufually the ftronger in proportion to theGreatnefs^theRegularity^orBeau- ty of the Objed. 'Tis for this Reafon one Man builds to himfelf a ftately Palace, another contents himfelf with a lefs fpacious,but neat and compaft Habitation j but they are both agreed to adorn their different Stru- ftures in a fplendid and fuitable manner: But to what End ? not merely for Convenience, to be fure ^ a, great deal of Pains and Charge might have been fav'd, had this been the only thing propofed. No, but be- caufe the Soul is fo apt to be mov'd with what moves the Senfes, and efpecially to follow the Motion of the Eye i^ and what is elteem'd and admir'd, is fup- poled to refied an Honour upon the Owner of it. • Diwidy which occafion'd the Refiedion I obferv'd Xo you, was fenfible how apt this Human Frailty is to operate upon us, even in things of a Spiritual Na- ture : And therefore 'tis really Matter of Surprize, that Perfons who feem to have a due Senfe of Reli- gion, are fometiraes willing to run into their Eftates, in Building and Embellifliing their Seats, while the Place of God's Worfhip which they refort to, is not fo much perhaps as kept in tolerable Repair, or any decent Order. It muft be own'd, at Icaft, a very difagreeable Sight, when a high and afpiring Stru-
dure.
SERMON Vt 141
dcnrc prefents it f^f to the Eye, and at a little Di- ftance, or perhaps in the Front of it, a little thatch'd Sanduary, which at the fame time it appears to furvey with a haughty anddifdainful Air, as unwor- thy (and fo indeed it is) to ftand before it.
The Contempt fhewn to Publick Places of God's Worlhip, is the more fcandalous and culpable in thofe, who profefs themfelves Members of our Ex- cellent Church , as the Diflenters themfelves , who formerly were againft any external Ornaments ia their Religious AfTemblies, are many of them come off from this Superftitious Principle, and think them- felves concern'd to have their Conventicles decently at leaft, and fometimes fplendidly beautify'd.
But, thank God, we need not go out of our own Communion for Examples of Piety in this kind-, what I would perfuade you to, is on all proper and inviting Occafions to follow them. And to render what 1 fay more effedual, give me leave to add further the fol- lowing Confideration. That this is the moft proper, the moft direft, and (ignificant Method we have of rendring to God the things that are God's. 'Twas this very Confideration which mov'd Holy David^ with the Princes and People of Ifrael^ to make fuch liberal and noble Preparations for building the Tem- ple. Blejfedj fays this Royal Prophet in the Name of them all, be thou^ Lord God of Jfrael^ our Father for ever and ever. Thine^ O Lord^ is the Greatnefs, and the Power ^ and the Glory, and the f^iSlory^ and the Majefiy:^ all that is in the Heaven and the Earth is thine : "thine is the Kingdom of God, and thou art exalted as Head above all', both Riches and Honovr come of thee, I Chronip.TO. And again, ver. \6. O Lord our God, all this Store, which we have prepared to build thee an Hovfe^ cometh of thine Hand, and is all thine own. 'Twas the fame pious Refledion that made them bring their feveral Pro- portions with fuch a chearful and willing Mind* And no Queltion 'twas by a particular Diredion of
the
142 S E R M O N Vr.
the Spirit of God, their offering fo ^'illingly is fo many times repeated in this Chapter, that we might be more effedtually excited to foDow their pious Ex- ample on the like Occafions.
But I would obferve further, That if we have the Honour of Gods Sanduary truly at Heart, our Hands will be open to any Method that may tend to promote the greater Solemnity of the Worlhip perform'd in it. What I have here particularly an Eye upon , as inftrumental to this End , is grave and well-regulated Mulick : 'Twas not, to be fure, without particular Reafons of Piety, that Mufick was ufed by the Jem in their Solemn Aflemblies y and that Holy David^ in his Capacity of a Prophet, gave fo many and fo frequent Diredtions about the Per- formance of it. This is a ftrong Prefumption, that Mujick , under due Regulations, is proper to raile Devotion , to be fure not to hinder it , otherwile the Spirit of God would never have direded the Ufe of it. We grant indeed, that the Ceremonies iis'd by the Jews in their Fublick Worfhip, do not oblige us Chriftians : But what if we Ihould grant further, that any Ufage among that People^- which was purely Ceremonial, ought not for that Rcafon, on any Account, to be publickly introduc'd into the Chriftrian Church ? Yet how will it be prov'd, that the Ufe of Mufick, which is confefs'd to have a' fenfible Effed on the Spirits, was purely Ceremo- nial? Have we not for this very Reafon, much better Grounds to prefume, that 'twas us'd by the Jews up- on fome Pious and Moral Confideration.
If it be fud, that Mufick takes off otir Thoughts from the proper Duties of the Place, or is apt to fill the Mind with vain and foreign Amulements: lan- fwer. This is not a neceflary but accidental Effed of it : Other Perfons find, and the more pious they are, I do not doubt, the more they find, a different Efied from it j and which difpofes them very much for Hea- venly
' SERMON VI. 145
venly and Divine Meditations : Befldes, this Obje- ction will lie as well, if there be any Force in it, againft Vocal Mufick, or the finging ofTfatms •, be- caufe this may produce the fame accidental EfFed to fome particular Perfons.
But what we fay is, tho' People are very different- ly affefted with Mufick, yet where 'tis grave and folemn it generally difpofes to good and fultable Thoughts. And the Church, in what fhe prefcribes or allows- is to confider what may be of more com- mon Ufe to Edification, and mofl probably an^vfcv the End (he propofes. Yet I do not fee why, in our Publick Affemblies for Divine Worfhip,more fpright- ly Airs, provided there be nothing of indecent Le- vity in them, may not- be us'd on fpecial Occafions of Feltivity or Thankfgiving. In Afts of Praife, which ought naturally to be accompany'd with Joy, what tends to refrefh or exhilerate the Spirits can- rot but be very proper and agreeable. We find Mu- fick has this Effed in other Places, and on other Oc- cafions, and it had this Effedt, in chafing away the evil and fullen Spirit from Sauly why then fhould iC be unlawful for us to praife, and fhew our [elves joyful before the Lord^ with it, Tfal. 98. 4.
1 fhall now proceed to a Conclufion, with a pro- per Application or Two from what has been faid* And,
1/, To thofe who offend againfi; the Firft Rule I laid down, concerning the Reverence due to God's Sanduary, by coming late to it, or perhaps after a confiderable Part of the Service is perform'd. If you are confcious to your felves of any fuch fcandalous, cfpecially if it have been a cuftomary, Irreverence*, be careful not to give any further Offence to God or Man, for 'tis really fo to both, in the fame kind: To God, becaufe 'tis fo infolent and prepollerous a Method of prefenCing out felves in his Courts, ia
order
144 SERMON VI.
order to beg any Blefiing or the Pardon of our Sins^ before we have made a folemn and humble Confef- iion of them : To Man, becaufe the Church, which \ve are prefumed by attending her Service to be Members of, has pioufly direded and enjoin'd fuch a Confeffion, at the Beginning of her Service. Not to mention the other Diforders bccafion'd by this Irreverence, and how contrary 'tis to the Rule pre- fcrib'd us by Holy David , of worfliipping God in the Beauty of Holinefs, Pfal. 29. 2. 96. 9. And for the fame Reafon,
2^/y, If your Confciences reproach you with any- former unbecoming or irregular Behaviour in the Sanduary of God , refolve hereafter to corred fo great an Indecency, or rather indeed fo flaming an Impiety. Confider how great a Contradiftion it is to the very End of your appearing before God, and addrefljng your felves by Prayer and Supplication, and Thankfgiving to him ; inftead of this, to make your AddrefTes, or dired your Difcourfes to one another, or to be guilty of any other idle and im- pertinent Behaviour-, which difcovers how little Senfe you have either of the proper Bufinefs of the Place, or of the Pre fence you are in.
For indeed, if God do not perfedly fee, and take notice how we behave our felves in his Sanduary, to what Purpofe are we met together here ? But if he do, as moft certainly he does, whether we con- lider it or not, with what Exaftnefs of Behaviour, with what profound Exprefuons of Awe and Keve^ rence ought we to tread his Courts, and prefent our Requeils to him ?
As we would therefore give any Evidence to our felves or others, that we are fenfible what we are a-doing when we come before the Lord, and bow our felves before the mofl: High God, let us put on fuch an Air of Serioufnefs and Compofure, of Awe
and
SERMON VI. 145
and Attention, as may teftify the inward Veneration and Honour we have for him. How juftly indeed may we otherwife apply to our felves the Words of the Patriach Jacob ? Gen. 28. i5, 17. Surely the Lord is in this Place^ and we knew it not. How dreadful^ had we the Apprehenfions of it as we ought, is this Place ! this is none other but the Houfe ofGod^ and this is the Gate of Heaven.
^dly^ What I fiiall fay to thofe, who have in any lignal manner exprefs'd their Zeal for God's Houfe, by contributing to the greater Beauty or Solemnity of it, fhall be by Way of Applaufe and Encourage- ment.
And certainly Men cannot propofe to themfelves to fliew their Reverence for God by a more noble, and truly pious Ad : An Aft whereby they more im- mediately glorify him, in letting their good Works Ihine before Men.
This Confideration cannot but at the fame time fill the Minds of thofe, who are concern'd in it, with a fenfible Pleafure and Satisfaftion ; and make their Hearts even fpring for Joy, upon the Refleftion of a pious De(ign,fo Honorary to God and to themfelves.
This was the Effeft which the Preparations of Z)<«- •vid and the Ifraelites^ for building the Te-wp/^, had up- on them, I Chron. 29. 8. Then the People rejoyc^d^for that they offer d willingly^ becaufe with ferfeB Heart they off'er'^d "Willingly to the Lord ; and David the King alfo, as being Principal in the Undertaking, rejoyc^d with great Joy.
What I would obferve in the lafl; Place, and in the Conclufion of the whole Matter is, that Perfons who are fubfervient in this refpeft,towards promoting the Honour of God, may pioufly hope that he will, by fome wife and good Methods, pour down his fpecial Bleffrngs upon them as he did upon Obed-Edom and his Houfl}old^ becaufe of the Ark of the Covenant of God, 2 Sam. 6. II.
VOL. II. L The
1/^6
SERMON VI.
The Senfe of this, made Nchemiah, fpeaking of what he had done for the Honour of God's Houfe, addrefs his Prayer to him with fo much AfTurance, and as if there were fomething of uncommon Merit m the Service •, Remember me, 0 my God, concernim this, Nehem. 13. 14.
I gra'nt we are not to argue in too general a man- ner from the Temporal BlefFings of the Law, to the Temporal Happinefs and Profperity of Chriftians in the Difcharge of the fame Duties, to which they were then promised or difpens'd : Yet where Perfons are truly or eminently pious, and the very Ads of their Piety difcover in them a- proper Difpoiition to receive any Worldly Bleffings •, in this Cafe they m.ay, in humble Submiflion to God's Will, more rea- fonably exped them.
Plutarch imputes the fpecial Favours of Heaven to u^lexander, to his remitting vafl: Sums into Macedonia, for the building certain Magnificent Temples : And fuch an Argument out of an Heathen Author, might perhaps have had more Influence on fome Chriftian Generals fir'd with Ambition, to have excited an Imitation of his Example, than all the Confidera- tions which could be urged from the natural Piety and Reafonablenefs of the Thing •, tho' it may be con- iider'd too.^ that Plutarch was wrong in hisConclu- fion •, and that the Gods of Macedonia ought rather to have been without any Habitations, than to have had them ereded with the Spoils of Violence and In- juftice.
'Tis with much greater Reafon, we not only con- iider the Zeal of our Excellent Sovereign for God's Sindiiary, as one of the greatefi; Glories of her Reign ; but that we pioufly afcribe all the other Glo- ries of her Reign to it. God, in delighting to ho- nour a Prince, who has had nothin.s, more at Heart than the proper Methods of doing Honour to him, in a nioH eaiiaent manner has accomplilh'd that Glo- rious
S E R M ON \h 147
rious Promire made by Samuel^ Ch. 13.2. 30. Not to mention that we have fometimes Occafion of obfer- ving the Accomplifhment of what is threatned in the latter Part of the Verfe j Jitd they that defpife me Jhali be lightly efieernd. "
But to keepQur Eyes on the brighter Part of that Text, let lis with one Accord make our common Supplications to God, That he would ftill more and more make good his Promifes, and give his Bleffing to all thofe who are inftrumental in promoting his llonour and Glory, particularly by their Zeal for his Houfe, and what has a proper or immediate Re- lation to it. And to render our Prayers in their Be= half, the more efleftual, let us put them up according to the Form of Nehemiah before referred to j Remem- ber them^ O God^ concerning this'^ and wipe not out the' gond Deeds th/it^they have done-for.the Houfe of tioSir God^ ^.nd for the Offices thereof. Amen.
X- 2 SEPu
1.48 SERMON VI.
S E R M O N VII.
Of the Duty of Fearing God ^ the Re- gulation of it ; the Influence it has to fupprefs Envious Thoughts ^ with pro- per Motives to it.
PROV. XXIII. 1 7. the latter Part of the Verfe.
• LeP not thine Heart envy Sinners^ but be
thou in the Fear of the Lord all th Daj long.
TH E Fear of the Lord is taken in feveral Sen- fes, in the Holy Scriptures ^ fometimes it de- notes at large the whole Duty of Man; Thus Deut. 31. 13. Mofes afligns this as the Reafon, why the Law of God was committed to a ftanding Writing, and appointed to be read before the Children of |^ raet, that they might hear^ and learn to fear the Lord their God. 'Tisus'd in the fame Latitude, by holy Davidy Pf. 34. II. Came ^ ye Children^ hearken unto m€y I Will teach you the tear of the Lord.
At other times the Fear of the Lord, is more efpe- cially reftrain'd to lignify the devotional Duties of Religion, and the more folemn Worfhip of God : Thus Vf. 89. 7. God is greatly to he fear'' d in thejijfembly
SERMON VII, 149
of his Saints^ and to be had in Reverence of all about him. And Deut. i o. 20. Tloou Jljalt fear the Lord thy God^ him Jhalt thou ferve, and to him thou jhalt cleave^ and pall fwear by his Name. Accordingly, Matt. 4. 10. what is here exprefs'd by fearing God, our Saviour renders, by worjhipping him. But the Fear of the Lord in the Hioft ftrid and proper Senfe, and wherein I fhall at prefent confider it, fignifies thePafllon of Fear, as it implies an awful Senfe of the Divine Majefty, and of thole terrible and fevere Threatnings, which God has denounc'd againft Sinners ; and upon the Ac- count of which, the Wife-Man cautions us, not to entertain any envious Thoughts at the powerful and profperous Condition of Sinaers in the World.
Let not thine Heart envy Sinners, but be thou in the Fear of the Lord all the day long.
In difcourfing upon wfich Words, I fhall obferve the following Method :
F/Vy?, I Ihall ftatethc true Notion of this Duty of Fearing God.
Secondly^ 1 fhall (how the Influence h has to fup- prefs in us,all envious and difquieting Thoughts, at the external Condition of Sinners in this World.
Thirdly, I fhall conclude with fome proper Motives and Confiderations, to enforce this Duty of fear- ing the Lord.
Firfl^ I fhall ftate the true Notion of this Duty of fearing the- Lord. And there is the more Occalioii for this, becaufeFear isaPafTion, which, as the Au- thor of the Book of Wifdom ohkxvts^ Chap. 17. 12. is, above all others, apt to betray the Succours which Rea- fon offers^ by prejftng the Confcience^ and forecafling grie- mus Things, as he elegantly exprefles it in the former Verfe •, that is, by filling the guilty Minds of Mea with anxious and diltruftful Thoughts of God with
L 3 tcrri-
1^0 S E R M ON VII.
terrible and difconfolate Apprehenfions of his Wrath, till by Degrees perhaps they abandon themfelves to all the Horrors of a wild and raging Defpair. ' This is the eharader, and the Punifhment of the (damn'd:: For the Devils alfo believe and tremble *, they know there isajuft and All-powerful God, who for their Difobediencecaft them out of Heaven, and ftill referves them in Chains of Darknefs, for the more glorious Triumph of his juftice. Thus apprehend- ing their. Condition what it really is, iDefperate, and looking upon him as the Author of their Mifery, they are poflefs'd with an habitual Hatred and Enmi- ty againft him, which renders them uncapable of ex- ercifing any' Ad of Love, or piety towards him. ' As it fo.hiphly concerns us therefore to have right Apprehenfions of this Duty of fearing God, I fhall lay dov/n thefe two Pvules, in order to give us a more jull; Idea of it,
vjhy That '.:. be fuch a kind of Fear, as includes in ita high Degieeof Love. And, '
: idly. That Iniplies a generous Hope and Confi- dence in God.
. ; onj ••
As to tl>e former Particular *, z filial and' reverenti- al Fear of God is necellary, and recommended to us in Scripture, upon both thefe Accounts : Firfl:,asit more eitedually difpofes us to ferve and obey God ^ And fecondly, as it renders our Service and Obedi- ence more acceptable to him,
ifi. If cur Love of God accompany the Fear of him, Vv'e (hall make a Difficulty of Nothing he com- mands. For Love is a powerful and adive PalTion, and is not eafiiy difcourag'd or overcom.e •, nay, when 'tis fi nee re, it delights toexert it felf in the grcateft Difficulties, and fevereft Trials : Accordingly, God Almighty makes an entire and uniform Obedience to kll his LaviTS, the gieac Teit of our Love to him , if
SERMON VII. 151
ye love mc^ hep my Commandments. ^ To pretend we love God, while we live in Difobedience to his Laws, or in the PraifVice of any one known Sin, is a Contra- diftionto the very Notion and Nature of Love -^ and an undeniable Argument, that our Pretences to ir, are at the bottom of our Hearts, diflembled, and in- fincere. Had the Love of God the Power over us it ought to have, could we affront, ordifpleafe him ia any thing ? Nothing is more inconfiftent than the very Suppofition. If therefore we obey God in fome Inltances of our Duty, while we difobcy him in o-. thcrs, is it not evident, whatever other Motive our Obedience may proceed from, that it does not pro- ceed from a true Love of God •, and that we fhould run indifferently into all manner of Diforders, were we not reftrain'd from fome Vices, more than others, by Natural Temperament, by Shame, by Regard to our Interefts in this Life, or other accldentdCon^iilQ- rations. If Men would examine their Conduft by thefe Rules, I'm afraid few, of them would be able to produce any good Evidence, that they fincerely love God. The only fure Ground we can have to be- lieve we do any thing purely for the Love of God, is to do every thing that may pleafe him \ to facrifice our reigning and predominant Paflion, and to have no Inclination but to do his Will, and keep his Com- mandments.
2^/)', If our Fear of God be accompanied with our Love of him, it will render our Service and Obedi- ence more acceptable to him. I need not fet my felf to prove particularly, that Charity, or the Love of God, is thefiry?and greatefl Commandment, and that by a neceflary Confequence, there is nothing which recommends our Obedience more to God. Thcfe Truthsare evident at firll View. But 'tis no lefs evi- dent, that what we do purely out of a Principle of Fear,what we ^re rather compell'd, than inclin'd to,
L J. taa«
152 SERMON VII.
cannot be fupposM to proceed from a Motive of Cha- rity ; we may call it if we pleafe a Virtue of Con- ftraint, but not of that Love of God, which con- ftrains us in fo free and agreeable a manner, that we cannot eafily diftinguifli it from our own Choice: Where was the Goodnefs or Humanity of the unjuft Judge, who could only be induc'd to hear the impor- tunate Widow's Cafe, becaufe (he was troublefome ? Tho' he neither fear'd God nor Man,yet he was afraid Ihe might give him further Difturbance, and fo at laft was prevailed upon to gratify her Rcqueft, but merely in order to relieve himfelf.
And if our Obedience to God, proceed wholly from a fervile Fear or Conflraint, our Cafe is much the fame ^ 'tis plain, we do not obey him for his fake, but for our own •, we have no Regard to the Honour or Authority of his Laws, but we have feme Tender- nefs and Concern for our own Safety *, and 'tis only the Fears of Suffering his Juftice, that reftrains us from provoking it.
But how is it poffible fuch a Principle as this, if we carry it no farther, fhould procure us the Favour or Friendfhip of God ? It may indeed command the Knee, but what has it to do with the Heart ? It may make us fall down before God, and extort from us /fuch a Form ot Worlhip, as the Jndiafis are faid to pay their D^mow^, when they follow them, with dif- mal Howlings, and weeping Eyes •, or it may put Men upon certain rigid, tho' ridiculous Aufterities •, upon long Fallings and Pilgrimages, and upon wear- ing their Nails as long as their Fingers, or fome other outward Femnce ond hdlly Exercife-^ but what are all thefe Things to that living and holy Sacrifice, that reafonahle Service^ which God requires of us i and which is animated by a free and generous Prin- ciple of Charity ?
So
SERMON VII. 153
So that we may believe God will bring us to Judg- ment •, and with thofe Apoftate Spirits, who are al- ready judg'd in part, we may tremble at the Ap- prehenfion of it \ but except our Faith be fuch as worketh by Love^ it will be wholly fruitlefs, and in- effeftual to our Salvation.
And yet I would not be thought altogether to condemn even fuch a Fear of God as reftrains Men from Sin, purely from the Apprehenfions of Suffer- ing ^ 'tis well if Men can be prevailed upon to pre- ferve their Innocence upon any Motive whatfoever ^ all that 1 intend is, that fuch a Fear is a very low and imperfed Degree of the Duty I am explaining, and infufficient , if we carry it no further , to re- commend our Obedience to God.
The Fear of God, in the jufl and proper Notion of it, is fuch a Fear as a dutiful and loving Child pays to his Parents, fuch as will reftrain us from (in- ning againftGodjtho he had threatned noPunifhment againft our Sins : In a word, 'tis only a more awful Kind of Love, which excites us to obey God, upon the Account of his own Perfedions, and to hate Sin with a perfeft Hatred, not only as it makes us liable to Punifhment, but as it is difpleafing to him. But,
^dly. The Fear of the Lord includes in it a Gene- rous Hope and Confidence in him : For Hope is the great Spring of Induftry ; and the ftronger it is, the more adive and induftrious it will render us. And therefore, to inflame our Zeal, and quicken our Obe- dience to God, we muft endeavour to get juft No- tions of his Nature and Attributes. We ought fre- quently to meditate on his Wifdom and Goodnefs, and the Rewards he has promifed to thofe who faithfully obey him.
Without conceiving thus of the Divine Perfeftions and Promifes, we fhal], efpecially in Times of fe- vere Trials, be tempted to entertain unworthy and
diRruIt-
154 S E R M O N Vir.
diftruftfiil Thoughts of God : Our Fears will be apt to fuggeft to us, that 'tis in vain for us to endea- vour to pleafe him ^ or that we have no Interefb in the Rio^hts and privileges of his Eled. If our Fear of God give way to fuch defponding Apprehenfions, inftcad of exciting us to a vigorous Obedience, 'twill render us incapable of performing fome of the moll important Duties of Religion to him : For to what end fhould we offer up our Prayers to a Being, that we believe will not hear us ? Or, how can we chearfully refign our felves up to the Difpofitions of his Providence, who, we cannot think has any good Will or Defign towards us?
And therefore Holy David argues very well, when he makes the Goodnefs of God the Foundation ofc our Religious Worfiiip and Service •, There is Mercy with thee, O God^ therefore Jloalt thou be feared. Ac- cordingly Solomony Chap. 14. 26. reprefents a Holy and Generous Truft in God, as naturally flowing from this Duty of fearing him. In the Fear of the Lord^ fays he, is flrong Confidence. To which I fliall only add the Words of the wife Son of Syrach j The Spirit of thofe that fear the Lordjljall live ^ for their Hope is inhiinthat faveth them.
We fhould therefore be very cautious, how we en- tertain fuch Doftrines, as reprefent the Dread So- vereign of the Worjd adminiftring the Affairs of it by a blind and irrefiftible Decree ; condemning fome Men to Eternal Flames, and faving others to be the Choltn Veflels of his Mercy, merely becaufe 'tis his Tlcafure to do ^o, and that he may make an Oflentationof his abfolute Will and Sovereignty.
God indeed is a molt Abfolute Sovereign, and his Creatures are not to give Laws to his Will ^ hut then his own Nature is a Law to it felf. And tho' there is nothing afore or after God, yet according to our Modes of Conception, and Human W^ays of Reafon- ing, his Will mult follow, and be regulated by his
^ Inf.-
6 E Pv Tv^ O N VII. 155
Infinite Wifctom and Goodnefs. And if we will resfon concerning the Divine Attributes, we muft reafon after the manner of Men : ■ So that whatever is inconflftent with the Divine Wifdom and Good- nefs, we miv rationally conclude, can be no Part of the Divine Will.
And therefore thofe Principles, which would in- finuate to us, that God, by Right of his abfolute Dominion over his Creatures, has from all Eternity decreed the grcateft Part of Mankind to everlafting and unfpeakable Mifery, without any Regard to their Sins, or Demerits ^ thofe Principles, I fay, muft in all Human Reafon be judg'd as falfe^ as they are locking and dangerous. Except' it could be made appear, that fuch a Decree is highly agreeable to the Wifdom and Goodnefs of God •, which, one would think, no wife or good Man fhould undertake to do.
So far as we can judge of the Reveal'd Will of God, we muft finally be judg'd by it. ft was given us to be the Rule and Meafure of our Obedience ^ and there are certain Marks and CharHfters in it, whereby we may judge of our State and Condition, and come to know whether we are of the Number of the Regenerate, or not : For in this the Children of God are mamfeft^ and the Children of the Devil *, whofo- evcr does not Right eoufnefs^ is not of God, i ]oh. 3. 10. If we fo fear God, that we fincerely endeavour to obey his Laws, and pleafe him, we may depend up- on it, that he has not upon the Account of any fecretand unknown Decree, any Difpleafure againfi: US', we have here, and in many other Places of Scripture, a plain Rule to prove and examine our felves, whether we be in the Faith ^ or in a St;itc of Grace and Salvation : And we are rcquir'd upon fuch aa Examination to frove our own felves ^ that is, make a Judgment of our Spiritual State. But what the Se- crets of God are, is unknown to us t And can we
imaizine
1 5(5 SERMON VII.
imagine, that he has commanded us to try and exa- mine our felves by a Rule, which 'tis impoffible for us to come to the Knowledge of ? Mofes has very well refolv'd this Point, and agreeably to the Rules laid down in the Gofpel : Deut. 27. 29. Secret Things belong to the Lord our God *, hut thofe Things that are re^ veaVd belong to us and our Children-, that we jhould do all the Things of this Lav?.
What the Secret and Eternal Decrees of God are, is known only to himfelf, and, for very wife Rea- fons, no doubt, conceal'd from us : But what it con- cerns us to know in order to our Salvation, God has made known to us •, and that is his Reveal'd Will in the Holy Scriptures, whereby we mull judge our felves here, and be finally judg'd hereafter. And if we take care to do all the Works of this Law., and regulate our Lives and Aftions by it, we have no- thing to fear from the Vifionary Schemes of Abfolute Reprobation.
This I thought proper to lay before you, in or- der to the Removal of thofe Scruples, which fome honeft and well-meaning Perfons are too apt to en- tertain concerning their Condition. Their Fears fuggeft to them, that for ought they know, they may be of the Number of thofe God has eternally reprobated : And if this be their Cafe, then, not- withftanding all their Endeavours to pleafe him, they Itill lie under an unavoidable Decree of ferijhing ever- laftingly. A Principle, which as 'tis highly incoa- filtent with the brighteft Ideas we have of the Attri- butes and Perfedlions of the Divine Nature, fo it has a vifible Tendence, inflead of an Awful Love, and Gerjerous Truft in God, to produce in the Minds of Men black and unworthy Thoughts of him, and to paint the moH frightful Images of Horror and De- fpair upon them. But I proceed in the next place to
Secondly')
SERMON VII. 157
Secondly^ The Influence which the Fear of God Jhas to fupprefs in us all envious and difquieting Thoughts at the External Condition of Sinners in this World. For, fo we do but take care, by a Holy Awe and Fear of Offending God, to fecurc to ourfelvesanlnterefl: in his Special Providence, and Protedion, and Grace here, and in the Promifes of Glory, and Eternal Life hereafter ; I am fure we can have no Reafon to repine at the moft powerful or profperous State of Wicked Men in this World, or to comfUin of our own : A great many Moral Rea- fons may be given, why Vice is fometimes crown'd with the proper Rewards of Virtue, with Length of Days, with Riches and Honour. According to the ordinary Courfe of Things in this World, except God were to interpofe by a continued Series of Mi- racles, it cannot otherwife be, but that frequent Difappointments Ihould happen to Virtuous and Good Men, in the Condudl of their Affairs ; and on the other Hand, many favourable Hits and Ac- cidents meet wicked Men, in the Profecution of their worldly Defigns.
Now feeing Time and Chance, upon which the Fortunes of Men fo vifibly and generally depend, happen indifferently to all, we ought not to wonder if fometimes the moft profligate Sinners are feated at the Upper-End of the World, and flow in all the Delights of it % much lefs ought we to envy them up- on this Account.
For to mention none of thofe other Arguments whereby Sefjeca and Plutarch endeavour to juftify the Providence of God, with refped to the Impunity and Profperity of Sinners in this World •, 'tis a great Miftake t6 think, that Men are really happy in Pro- portionto the Temporal Advantagesthey enjoy. Our Lord himfelf hasdttermin'd, that a Man^s Life^ or the Happinefs of Human Life^ confifieth mt in the a-
hun dance
158 SERMON VIL
hundance of the things that a Man pjfejfeth. There are a great many Things to embitter the Enjoyments. of the mofl; profperous Sinners. The Pafilons of An- .ger and Revenge, of Envy and Malice ^ the Lult of Pride and Ambition, are as high in them, ordinarily, indeed infiam'd to a greater Height, than in Perfons of a lower Form. We have a remarkable Inftance to this Purpofe In Haman, the Firft Favourite of the .Greateft Mf^narph in the World ^ who having re- counted to Zenji} his Wife, and his Friends, Efiher 5. II. the Glory of his Riches, and the Multitude o£ his Children, and the Special Favours whereby botit the King and the Queen had diftinguifh'd him, inge- nuoufly confelTes, hehasnoGuft or Relifii of any of thefe Things, while the fuppos'd Indignity that was offer'd him by Mordecai went unreveng'd, All thisy fays he, avaiUth me nothing (v. 13.) y^ long as I fee lidordecai the Jew fitting at the Kings Gat€.
And it muft be granted indeed a fenfible Mortifica- tion to this afpiring Favourite, to fee the very Per- fon he w7orf^//y hated, and whofe Death he hadcon- fpired, rifing by juft Degrees to that full Credit and Favour with the Prince, from which he apprehended him felf continually falling. But to fee the Rival of his Greatnefs daily advancing fo high, not as a Child of Fortune y or by the Force of Interefl, but by his own Perfonal Worth, and in Regard of the many Eminent Services he had done the Prince^ particu- larly in unravelling the clofe and dangerous Defigns that had been form'd again ft him ^ to fee the Prince delighting to honour this excellent Perfon by the firf6 Teftimonies of his Eftcem, and in the moft publick Manner : Why, this infiam'd Havian to the laft De- gree of DifconLent, and render'd him incapable not only of ferving any longer with Fidelity, ex«- cept Mordecai were remov'd, but of taking any En- joyment in the F.o^al Favotirs he was flill fuffef d to poffefs.
It
SERMON VII. 15^
It may be pretended at leaft, to excufe our envy- ing the Temporal Grandem* and Profperity of Sin- ners, that they deferve not to enjoy them, or make an ill Ufe of them to the Difhonour of God, and perhaps to the Prejudice both of the Publick, and of private Perfons •, and if any Conlideration would juftify fo weak and dangerous a Paflion, this might have fome Pretence to do it : Yet as Envy is a Paflion of //f//,and fet on Fire by it,it never perhaps burns or rages to a higher Degree, or preys more upon it felf, than under the Apprehenlion of Superior Merit.
3. But what I intend is, not fo much to fliew that the Diforders of the more violent Paffions are com- mon to Perfons of all Diftindtions ^ but that Sin- ners cou'd they have every thing their Hearts defire atComm.and, yet can never wholly free themfelves from the AnguifnandRemorfe of an evil Confcience; they carry That about them, which let them do what they can to flifle the Evidence of it, will be ever and anon troublefome and difquieting to them. They may perhaps in the Hurry of Bufinefs, or in the ea- ger Purfuit of their Pleafures, put on an Air of Gaie- ty and Chearfulnefs ^ but {till, as Solomon obferves, in the midfl of their Laughter there is Sadnefs of Heart : And cou'd we fee what pafles within them, in their Solitudes and Retirements, when their Thoughts are cool, and the Fermentation of the Blood ceafes for a whiles cou'd we obferve what haunts their Dreams and breaks their Sleeps, and what like a Death's Head fcrv'd up at an Egyptian Entertainment, often ftrikes in upon them, even while they are re- galing their Criminal Appetites \ we fliould find Rea- fon to change our Thoughts concerning their Condi- tion, and to conclude, that thofe who enjoy the moil of this World, many times enjoy the kafl of themfelves.
But
i6o SERMON VIL
But whatever the Enjoyments of Sinners may be in this World, if we take a View of them in the lalt and concluding Scene of their Lives, we fhall be fo far from having any Occafion to envy them, that they will then appear to be the greatelt and moft wretched Objeftsof Pity. When the Man of the Earth, whofe Thoughts have been all his Life long taken up with the finful Gains or Pleafures of this World, is drop- ping into Eternity, and fummon'd to appear before the Tribunal of God ; when all the gilded Vapours, and empty Scenes of Worldly Glory begin to vanifli, and all his Thoughts of thofeThings,whereinheplac'd his chief Happinefs, ferij\ and he has nothing before his Eyes but Horror and Confulion, and the Wrath of an Almighty and Avenging God j why, upon this View, cou'd we fuppofe a Sinner fucceeding in all his Defigns and Deiires in this World j and that not only for the ordinary Terra of Human Life, but for many Ages ; yet this laft Fatal Cataftrophe, I fay, is fufficient to undo all, and to fhew us what a foolilh Part he has been for fo long a time ading •, and what a miferable Choice he has made, in preferring the Pleafures of Sin, to the Fear of the Lord ! How little Reafon then have we to envy the Impunity, or Pro- fperity of fuch a Sinner? And therefore it was a ve- ry wife Conclufion of 5o/<jw2o«, and very pertinent to the prefent Confideration, Ecclef 8. 1 2, 1 3. 'Though a Sinner do Evil a hundred times^and his Dniys be prolonged^ yet furely I know it Jhall he well with them that fear God^ which fear before him : But it Jhall not be well with the wicked^ neither JJiall he prolong his Days^ which are as 4 Shadow^ becaufe he feareth not before God.
I fliall now, according to my Method propos'd, conclude with fome proper Motives and Argumcats» to enforce this Duty of fearing God. And,
I. From the Confideration of his infinite Power and MajeHy.
The
SERMON VIL i6i
The main Support of the Authority of Human Laws, is, generally fpeaking, the Power they are back'dwith, to punifh the Violation of them. This is the AdoiVi^ow which all Society and Government is fuftain'd : Without this, wicked Men would foon break through all the Ties of what they call Con- ffience and Honour, and there would be i\o living for good Men ^ nay, the better Men were, their Condition wou'd be fo much worfe, and expofe them the more to Violence 'and Injuftice.
But now if the Apprehenfion of being call'd to Account, and undergoing a Temporal Punilhment, be many times fufEcicnt to keep wicked Men with- in the Bounds of their Duty : How much more awful and tremendous muft the Thoughts of that Divine Power be, which in a Moment can crufh Sinners into Nothing, or into a State infinitely worfe than Annihilation? 'Tis upon this Confide- ration our Saviour reprefents the greatefl Power of wicked Men, and the lafi: Efforts of their Ma- lice in this World, rather as Matter of a generous Contempt than Fear. Fear not them, fays he, which kill the Body^ and after this have no more that they can do -, their Power at the moft extending to cut the Thread of a Life Ihort, which is every Moment run- ning off apace : But fear him, let the Power of that great God ftrike you with the moft awfal and awakening Apprehenfions, 7vho is able to dtfroy both Body and S.oul in Hell.
'Twas to create the greater Reverence to hisLaws, that God deliver'd them on Mount Sinai^ in fuch a dreadful and aftonilhing manner, in the Language of Thunder and Lightning j Vnto thee it was f^evo'd^ fays Mofes, fpeaking of the fLirprizing Effefts of God's Power and Majefty in the Delivery of the Law, that thou mightefi know the Lord, he is God, Deut; 4. 43 ♦ Accordingly, he exprefly tells the Jews^ Exod. 20. 20. upon thofe terrible Appearances •, God is come toproze
' ' ■ M thenr,
i<52 SERMON VIL
them, and that his Fear may be before their Faces^ that they fift not.
'Twas to excite this Religious Fear, that the Lace.- demonians reprefented the Images of their Gods in Armour, that their Votaries might be poflefs'd with a more profound Regard, and Dread of that Divine Power •, which ftood always ready arm'd to take Vengeance on thole, who fhould provoke or con- temn it.
2. Another Motive to the Fear of God fhall be taken from his Omnifcience ^ his intimate Know- ledge, I mean, of all our Thoughts, Words and AdionSa and the fecret Springs of them. And there- fore this Confideration alone, if duly attended to^ might, one would think, be fufficient to put a flop not only to the external Ads of Sin, but to the very firft Motions and Tendencies towards it.
Sin is fo (hameful in it felf, and fo much below the Dignity of Human Nature, that all Perfons, except fuch as glory in their Shame ^ endeavour to keep their Sins as private as they can ; but to what End are we fo careful to conceal our Vices, and even the leaft Indecencies we are guilty of, from the Eyes of Men ; when the Eye of God is always upon us, when we can go no where from his Prefence, but all things are naked and open to him ?
'Twas upon this Confideration Holy Job was pof- fefs'd with fo awful and pious a Reverence towards God \ therefore, fays he, am I troubled at his frefence^t when I conjlder, I am afraid of him-, job 23. 1 5.
Sinners, 'tis true, as counterfeit Coin pafles under a fair Impreffion, may drefs themfelves up in a Hy- pocritical Shew of Religion, and by that means put a Cheat upon others, tho' the greateft in Reality up- ou themfelves : But God is not to be imposed upon ; he knows our Hearts, and underftands our Thoughts afar off, he perfeftly fees upon what fecret Motives,
and
SERMON VII. 1^3
and for what Ends we aft, whatever falfe Turn or Colour we may give our Adions, to outward Ap- pearance.
Holy David, upon this Divine Attribute, FfaL 1 39' I, 2. has very jultand fublime Thoughts. 0 Lord^ thou hafi fearched me out and known me • thou know^ fl my down fitting and up-rifing ^ thou underfiandeji my Thoughts afar off^ &c.
'Tis to the Force and Influence of this Confidera- tion, that the Pfalmlft elfewhere afcribes the Triumph of his Innocency over the Power of Temptation, Pfal. 1 6. 8. I have fet the Lord always before me -^ for he is on my right Hand-, therefore I ^all not fall : And, no doubt, the fame Confideration of God's continual Prefeiice and Infpeftion over us, would, if duly im- prov'd, have the fame Effeftupon us too.
If the Prefence, not only of a Perfon for whom we have an Efteem, but even of a Fool or a Child, be fometimes fufficient to reftrain us from a finful or in- decent Adion ', how much more careful ought we to be of our Behaviour, before that Holy and Divine Majefty, who fills Heaven and Earth, and whofe Notice nothing can efcape ?
Do we really conlider, my Brethren, what it is to have the Eternal God a conftant Witnefs and Ob- ferver of all our Adions, and even of all our Thoughts and Intentions ; and that he keeps a perfed Regifter of them, and enters them into thofe Books which St. John tells us will be opened at the Great Day of Accounts, and out of which we mult be judg'd ? If we do confider thefe things, and yet thereby are not efreftually reftrain'd from finning againft God, there is but oiie /'.rgument which can be fuppofed to worii upon our Fears •, and that is,
3. The Confideration of God's Juflice : And indeed the Two former Attributes, the Power and Omni- fcience of God, if he proceeded wholly by an Arbl^
M 2 trary
1,54 SERMON VII.
trary Will in Judging the World, and not upon the Reafons of Jiiftice and Equity, would render him rather an Objed of Terror, than of a Filial and Re- ligious Fear : But when we are aflur'd from exprefs Revelation, that God hath appointed a Day, where- in he will Judge the World in Right eoufnefs \ and that an Eternity of Happinefs or Mifery depends on the Judgment he will then pronounce, according to the good or evil Anions of Men in this Life: This is an irrefiflible Argument, to excite us to the Pra- ftice of piety, and to work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling.
Wicked Men, I am fenfible, are apt to flatter them- felves, becaufe all Things go fmoothly on with them here, with the Hopes of Mercy and Impunity here- after : And this is no more, than what Solomon long iince obferv'd ^ Becaufe Sentence ■"nainfi an evil Work is , not ffeedily executed^ therefore the Hearts of the SonsofA^en are fully fet in them to do Evll^ Ecclef. 8. 1 1 . Whereas the Inference ought to be made direftly contrary ^ that feeing God, in this World, fufi^rs Sinners to efcape with Impunity \ therefore there is another World, wherein, for the Vindication of his Juftice, he will call them to a ftrift and fevere Account, for all their profperous Sins and Impieties.
Accordingly Solomon-y in the Conclufion of this Ex- cellent Book of Ecclefiafies^ makes the Confideration of a Judgment to come, the great Motive to excite us to live in the Fear of God, and Obedience to his Laws. Let us, fays he^ hear the Conclufion of the whole Matter : Fear God and hep his Commandments \ for this is the whole of Man : And then adds in the next Words, as a Reafon to enforce all he had faid, and wherewith I ihall conclude, as the frrongeft Ar- gument, to the fame End : For God jhall bring every Work into Judgment, with every fecret Thingy whether It be Good J or whether it he Evil,
SER-
1^5
SERMON VIII.
The Circuniftanccs of Chrift's Appear- ance in the World^ no Objefiion asaiiift the Truth of the Chriftian Re- ligion^ but highly conducing both to confirm the Truth^ and enforce the Duties of it.
ISAIAH LIII. 2.
And when we (Jj all fee him^ there is no Bemty^ that we fhould dejlre him,
THESE Words are a Prophecy of the low Cir- cumftances, wherein our Saviour made hisfirft Appearance in the World, and of the Prejudices, which the Jews more particularly entertain'd againffc him on that Account.
Now among other Arguments whereby we prove that Jcfiis of Naz^areth was the Chrift, the Accom- plifnmcnt of what was written of him many Ages before he was born, is of the greateft Importance.
But of all the Prophecies concerning him, there were none more clearly or fully exprefs'd, or more remarkably fulfiird than thofecontain'd in this Chap- ter. The very cAfiderapon whereof, is faid to have
M 3 open'd
i66 SERMON VIII.
open'd the Eyes, and made the firft Step towards the Conviaion of a known Atheiftical Wit, the brigheft perhaps and the moft lively, that diftinguifh'd him- felf in the late Age.
And indeed this Argument for the Truth of the Chriflian Religion, taken from the Accomplifhment of the Prophecies concerning Chrift, and particular- ly thofe before us, cannot fail of convincing all Per* fons, who are in a Difpofition to beconvinc'd.
Notwithftanding this, the Prophet forcfaw, as he complains in the firft Verfe, there would be fome who wou'd nor believe his Report^ but rejeft the Truth and Auchonty of the Prophecy it felf ^ as all Atheifts and Infidels do in general : Others, that tho' they be- iiev'd his Predidions (concerning the Mejfiah) to be divinely reveal'd, yet would not fee, tho'' 'twere ne- ver fo vifible, the Accomplifhment of them *, and thefe were more particularly the Jews : And he gives the Reafon of it in the Words of my Text, that rvhen they jhovld fee him^ there would he no Beauty^ that they jiwuld defre him\ i.e. how excellent and amiable foever he might be in his Perfonal Appearance, as to be fure he was, confider'd only as a Man, above all other Men that ever liv'd, yet he would not come at- tended with that outward Pomp and Splendor the Jews expected \ and wherein they thought all the Beauty and Glory of human Life confifted : In this Senfe we are to underftand thele Words concerning the Blefled Saviour and Redeemer of the World, Arid when we Jliall fee him-^ there is no BeaiJty that we fijould defre him.
In difcourfing therefore on the Words, I fnall,
Firfiy Shew againft Unbelievers, That the Accom- plifhment of the Prophecies (and particularly thofe of this Chapter) which concern d Chrift or the Afefflah, area convincing Argument of the Truth of the Chriftiaa Religion.
SecoftMyf
SERMON VIII. 167
"Secondly^ Againfl; the Jews^ That the mean Ap- pearance ofChriJ} in the World, is no good Ob- jedion or Argument againfl the Chriftian Reli- gion J or of any Force to prove, that Jefa^ of Nazareth was not the Chrlfl. Thirdly^ And laftly. Shall endeavour to make fome Improvements from the whole, and fo con- clude.
And (Firfl) I am to (hew againfl: Unbelievers, That the Accomplifhment of the Prophecies, &c.
'Tis agreed on all Hands, and even by the Atheift himfelf, that there can be no human or natural Rea- fon affign'd for fuch future and remote Events, as have no vifible or natural Caufe to produce them ; but are of a cafualand contingent Nature, and many times depend on the free Choice and Will of Man •, and therefore the Predidion of fuch Events (fince it cannot beafcrib'd to any Human or Natural Reafon) muft be fuppos'd to proceed from fome fupernatural Revelation. So that 'tis a good Argument of Cicero^ Si divinatio efi^ Dii funt ^ if there be fuch a thing as Divination or Prophecy, it mult proceed from a Di- vine Power. The EfFed muft bear the Charader of the Caufe.
'Tis the Argument whereby God proves himfelf to be the i.<7r<^, and that there is no other Saviour be- fide. I have decUr'd^ fays he by the Prophet, and have fav^d^ and I have jliewed^ when there rvas no flrano-e God among you • therefore ye are my Witnejfes^ Ifa. 43. II, 12.
By the fame Reafon, he proves the Gods of the Nations to be Idols, and no Gods, becaufe they could not foretell future Events. Produce your Caufe ^ faith the Lord : So the Prophet challengeth the Idols of the Heathen, in the Name of God, Bring ftnh your firong Rtafons. Let them pew us what JImH haf^en-, and
M 4 dc'
1(58 S E R M ON VIII.
declare to us Things to come j jl)ew the Things that ^e hereafter^ that we may hnow that ye are Gods.
To have done this would indeed have been a con- fiderable Proof of their Divinity.^ and a Vindication of their Pretenfions to it v and therefore the Prophet is willing to put the Txial of their Cauie upon this lillie. . .
Butbecaufe they were not able to do any thing in tliis Kind, he conclndes, Behold^ they are all Vanity^ their hjpltCfi /mages are Wind and Confuji on ^ If^i.^i . 29. So that both Rcafon and Revelation confirm this Truth, That the Knowledge of fuch Things as have r,o neceflary Connexion with the Chain of Natural Caufes, -but lie loofc and independent of it, and at a great Diftance of Time, is too excellent for human Underftanding to attain vnio^ or indeed, for any other created Being.
'Tis the Prerogative of God (or of fuchas are im- mediately infpir'd by'him) to foreknow fuch Things : And therefore Prophecy is frequently e,xprefs'd in S>ripture by a Vidori v whereby fomething is repre- fented to the Mind, that of it ielf it cannot attain to the Knowledge of;, fome Difcovery made of Tuch- Things or Elfeds, asare no ways vifible to the Eye of Human Reafon in their Caufes.
Wile Men, 'tis true, may make fnrew'd Conjeftures concerning tne Succcfs of certain Things or Adions th:it lye, as it were, before them, by comparing them with what has formerly pafs'd on the like Occa- fions by confidering the Power and Intereft, the Prudence and Capacity of the vifible A6lors. • And this was the Policy of the Oracles of Old, when they were confulted about the Succefs of a Battel or Ex- pedition, they would make a nice Enquiry concern- ing the Strength and Power of the Enemy, the Num- ber of their Forces, and the Condition they were in; or any other Circumftance which- might give %i\tm a Light into theiv Aflairs : And on which fide
SERMON VIII. 169
Viftory was moft likely to incline, they would de-j dare themfelves more plainly •, but according a? the Event was more doubtful, the Oracle was fo too.
But now the Prophecies of Scripture, vv'hich re- ferr'd to the Mcffiah^ were of Things at fuch a Di- ftance, and of fuch a Nature, that there could not be any probable Reafon affigned, or tolerable €911- jedure made of them.
And yet there was^ not one Tittle of all the Pro- phecies which relate to the Manner or Delign of Chriit's Appearance in the World, that fell to the Ground. But in* t\\Q Fulnefs of Time ^ the moft mi- nute Significations of them, had their full and per- fect Accomplifhment ^ as is evident to any one that compares the feveral Circumftances of his Birth, his Manner of Life, his Sufferings and Death, with the ieveral Prediftions concerning him in this Chapter: Nay, there is one Prophecy in it relating to him, the fulfilling whereof was fo far from being vifible in any Natural Caufe, that it w^s abfolutely above the Power oi Nature. You will find it at the loth Verfe, where ill confequence of his Meritorious Death and Suffer- ings, God promifes to reflore him to Life again, that he may rtap the glorious Fruits of them \ yet it pleas'' d the Lord to hrtiifehim'f he hath ptit him to Grief '^ when thou fijalt make his Soul an Offering for Sin^ he jhall fee his Seed *, he fmll prolong his Daysj and the Pleafvre of the Lord JImll pro/per in his Hand.
So that not only thofe Things, to the Produftion whereof no vifible Caufe in Nature concurr'd, but fuch alfo as were above the Power of Nature, were foretold of the Mejfiah^ and accordingly accom- plifh'd in him. And therefore the Predidion of them muft be afcrib'd to an immediate Revelation from that God, to whofe Knowledge all Future Events, and to whofe Eternity all future Time, with refpedtous, is not only prefent, but whodircds the Courfe of Nature by a fccret and invifible Hand, and
over-
170 SERMON VIII.
over-rules the Defigns and Anions of Men to what finds and Purpofes he pleafes.
Now to fum up what 1 have faid on this Head *, See- ing the Prophecies which referr'd to our Blefled Sa- viour, were concerning very remote and cafual Events, whereof there could be no probable or natural Rea- ibn given at the Time they were writ •, nay, feeing Ibme of them could not be accomplifh'd, but by the Concurrence of a Power Superior to the fecond Cau- les, a Power altogether Supernatural: And laftly, fteingallofthem notwithftanding were fully accom- plifh'd in Jefus of Naaareth : Then I think I have fuf- ficiently made out my Argument againft Unbelievers, that He is the Chrift, the Meffiah.
I proceed now in the next Place, to fhew againft the Jewsy That the mean Appearance of Chrift in the World, is no good Objection or Argument againft the Chriftian Religion, or of any Force to prove, that Jefus of Naz^areth was not the Chrift •, and that upon the two following Accounts.
1. As the Grounds upon which the Jews exipc^ed a Temporal Mejfiahy were falfe, and indeed impra- cticable.
2. As the State and Condition of Life our Saviour chofe in the World, was moft agreeable to the Great Snds and Defign of his Coming into it. And,
1. As the Grounds upon which the Jews ex- pe<^ed a Temporal Mejfiah^ were falfe and impra- cticable.
The Prophecies concerning the Mejfiah^ being at the Time of our Saviour's Appearance in the World to receive their Accomplifhment, there was then, 'tis true, a General Expedtation of his Coming, by all thole who waited for the Confolation of IfraeL : And they who were in any meafure converfant in the Scri- ptures, knew, that the Great Period was then at hand,
where-
SERMON VIII. 171
wherein DanieCs Seventy Weeks were expir'd, and the Glory of the Second Temple was to be greater than the' Glory of the Firft -, with refped to the Magnificence of which, it fell much fliorr ; and therefore could only be greater than the Firft, with refped to the Prefence of the Saviour of the World, the Son of God in it ^ TToe Brightnefs of his Father*s Gloryj and the exfrefs Image of his Perfon,
But the Jews generally thought of nothing left, than that this Great and Glorious Perfon fhould take upon himtheForw of a Servant^ and appear ia fuch a mean and low Condition. They look'd for a Mejfiah, who fhould fight their Battles, and conquer all before them '-, and having delivered them out of the Hands of their Enemies, who ?t that time had them in Subjedion, (hould make Judea the Seat and Miftrefs of the Empire of the World. And this they were the more confirmed in, becaufe the Spe- cial Favours of Providence feem'd in a great mea- fure to have been confin'd for many Ages to that People •, the reft of the World, as they were ^Uajs to the Commonwealth, fo were they alfo to the Spe- cial Mercies of JfraeL
The Difciples of our Saviour themfelves were car- ry'd down with the Current of this popular Preju- dice ^ Yhey trufied it had been he, who would have rs- deernd Ifrael, Luke 24. 2 1. And what Kind of Re- demption they meant, appears from the Queftion they put to him, j4^s l . 6, Lord, wilt thou again at this time reftore the Kingdom to Ifrael r And probably the Mother of Zebedee's Children deflgn'd no more, by defiring of Chrift that one of her Sons might fit on his Right Hand, and the other on his Left, when he came into his Kingdom ^ than that, when he took the Adminiftration of his Government upon him, they might be his Firft Favourites, or Minlfteis of State.
But
1 72 S :E'Pv,M ON -Vlir.
But no fooner did the Difcipks of Chrift under- ftandthat God alfo, = m his Name, had granted Re-, miffion of Sins to the Gentiles^ hut. thGy were con- vinc'd of their Error. For Pardon of Sin being the greateft and higheft Aft of Aathority -, our Lord, by being invefted with it, gave an undeni- able Proof of his being the Saviour of the World, the King of the Gentiles as well as the Jews •, and that the Special Afts of his Grace and Government Ihould not be confin'd to One Nation or People^ but that all the Families of the Earth fhould be blef- ied: thro' him •, and, that Repentance and Remiffion of Sim (hould be preach''d in his Name-t through all Na- tions^ , > • ; ^ • ' ; ; . .
' So that the Kingdom of Chrifl: • being not only of a Spiritual Nature, but what all Perfons in the World, who would come into it upon the. Evangelipal Terms of Faith and Repentance, Ihould be admitted to the Privileges of ^ I conclude, that the Qrounds upon which the ^eir^ ex pefted a Temporal :4/(fjf/;^/7,;weref not only falfe, but impradicable :•, Falfe,. with re- fpeft to the Spirituality of his Kingdom ^ and im- practicable, with refped to the. Extent and Univer- fality of its BlefTmgs and Privileges.
1 now proceed, idly, to fhew. That the State and Condition of Life our Saviour chofe in the World, was mod: agreeable to the Great Endsiand Defign of his coming into it.
1. As if gave a llrong Confirmation to the Truth of that Holy Religion he came , to plant in the World. ■ M ':;.!■•;-
2. As it vvaS a Wife and Excellent Method to re- commend the Pradice of Religion to the World. And,
3. As he was to offer up himfelfa Sacrifice and Propitiation for the Sins of the Wori4»
\ In
SERMON Vm. 173
In all thefe Refpefts, the mean, and, in the Eyes of the Jews, contemptible Appearance which onr Sa- viour made upon Earth, was fo far from being any Objection againft his being the Mejfiah^ or againft the Truth of the Chriftian Relig;ion, that we ought to admire the Reafons and Wifdom of his Condefcend- ing Gnodnefs herein.
And Tj?, As hereby he gave a ftrong Confirm ition to the Truth of chat Holy Religion he came to plant in the W:>rld.
Had our Sj^'iour appear'd among the Jervs with all the Pomp and Pageantry they expeded •, had he been a Vidorio^s and Triumphant Prince, that had given Laws to the World, and back'd the Authori- ty of them with the Sword ^ the Atheifl: might then have pretended that the Ciuiilian, as well as other Rclic.ions in the W :rld.^ was the Daughter of Power and Force, and a mere Politick Invention, contriv'd by its Author, (as it lays down the mofh ftrid and excellent Rules for fecuring the Obedience of Sub- jeds) the better to fettle and confirm his Govern- ment to him, if he Ihould find a favourable Juncture to poirefs himfelf of it.
But now the Effefts of the Chriftian Religion on the Minds of Men, and the Methods of propagating it, cannot be afcrib'd to any Human Power or Au- thority. Inftead of Employing the Secular Arm to compel Alen to come into the Church, God put a Sceptre of Righteoufnefs into the Hands of Chrif!: : He authoriz'd him to give fuch a Body of Holy and Righteous Laws to his Church, as might be proper to work upon their Minds by the gentle Methods of Reafon and Perfuafion. To which End, our Lord fpoke indeed as one having Authority -^ he open'd his Mouth, and taught with the brighceit Evidence and Convidion :i but after all, he left Men to the free Determination of their own Choicej v/hcther
they
174 SERMON VIII.
they would embrace, or rejed his Doftrine. He us'd no Force to engage them to follow him whether they would or no. Nay, he chofe fuch Circumftances of Life, that he neither eould^ nor might appear to ufe any Human Methods of Bribing or Corrupting the Judgments of Men, of Opening their Eyes to let them fee the Truth of his Dodrine, by {hewing them ^the prefent Advantage or Interefts, that might in- duce them to become Difciples to it.
For the fame Reafon, he made Choice of fuch for his Companions and Difciples, as were Men of mean Occupations, and low Fortunes •, a Company of il- literate Galileans, and poor Filhermen : Men, as to their Natural Capacities, no ways qualified for ib difficult and high an Undertaking, as the Eftablifh- ing a new Religion againfl: the fettled Laws and Powers, the Prejudices and Paffions, the Vanities and Vices of a Corrupt World.
The Defign of the Holy Jefus in all this, was to fliew. That the Excellency of the Power which at- tended himfelf and his Apoftles in Preaching the Dodrine of Salvation, might not be afcrib'd unto Men, but unto God. He would make way for the Reception and Eftablifhment of the Gofpel in the World, by no other Means, but by the Evidence of its Truth, the Excellency of its Morals, the Num- ber of the Miracles wrought to confirm it, and the Simplicity of thofe who were the firft Preachers and Promoters of it. And indeed, that the Chriftian Religion, by fuch mean and unlikely Inftruments, Ihould in fo fhort a Time extend it felf fo wide, and that they (hould reap fuch a Harveft of Triumphs over fo many Enemies, feeras to have been the greatefl; Miracle of all.
Accordingly, the Apoftles triumph in it. That the Weapons of their Warfare were not carnal, but mighty thro^ Cod^ to the fulling down of ftrong Holds 5 cafiing down
€very
SERMON VIII. 175
every Imagination, and every high Thing-^ that exalteth it felf againfl the Knowledge of God.
And as they were deftitute of Power, fo were they alfo of thofe other Popular Arts of Perfuafion, Hu- man Eloquence and Learning • except St. P^m/ j who yet, upon all Occafions, difclaim'd them : And there- fore, in a high Admiration of the Growth and In- creafe of Chriftianity by fuch improbable and weak Means, he breaks out into that open Challenge to the Philofophers of his own^ and a\] fvcceeding Ages^ Where ^ fays he, ii the Wife? Where is the Scribe ? Where is the Difputer of this World ? Hath not God made foolijh the Wifdom of this World ? i Cor. 1 . 20. That is. How ineffedual are all the Prefer! pts and Applications of Philofophy, in order to heal the Wounds, and repair the Diforders of Human Nature ; in Comparifon of this foolifh Way, as you term it, of Preaching the Gofpel of Chrift, by a Company of poor illiterate Men, that are altogether Strangers to Philofophy and the Sciences ?
I need fay no more to Ihew, that not only the Ap- pearance of Chrift in the World, under fuch mean Circumftances, but his chufing for hisDifciplcs and Followers Men of no Fortune or Figure in any Re- fped, gave a conliderable Confirmation to the Truth of that Holy Religion he came to plant in the World : And therefore I proceed in the
id Place to fhew. That the State and Condition of Life our Saviour chofe in the World, was alfo a wife and excellent Method to recommend the Pradicc of Religion to it.
Naked Truth operates but very (lowly upon the Minds of molt Men: We muft therefore cloath it in a vifible Drefs •, we muft give it a Body \ we mufl exemplify it j we mu-ft, if I may fo fpeak, incar- nate it.
This
1 7^ SERMON VIII.
This was the Method the Holy Jefus took ; he did not think it enough to reveal the Will of God to Mankind ; this he might have done, as God deliver'd the Law in the Moum^ by fpeaking to fome extraor- dinary Prophet, and committing what he fpoke to a ftanding Writing, without rendring himfelf vifible. But God gave him a Body^ that Men might from his own Mouth hear the Words of Eternal Life, and nve fo much the more earnefi heed. As the Apoltle ex-- Jnorts, from the Confideration of the Dignity of Chrifl's Perfon, to the things that were fpoken, lefi at any time they jhovld let them Jlif^ Hebr. 2. i.
To this End, among others, the Son of God took upon him our Nature ^ was manifefted in the Flelh, and fo became in a true Senfe incarnate, and ihew'd his Sacred Body to the Eyes of Mortals.
But this was not the fole End, or the End I here chiefly defign, in mentioning the Incarnation of Chrifl. He became Incarnate, not only that Men might with open Face behold his Glory, The Glory as of the only begotten Son of God y but that he might converfe familiarly with them.. In a word, he took our Nature upon him, that he might at once teach with a more vifible Authority, and vifibly exemplify what he taught, in the Manner of his Life and Con- verfation.
This is what I chiefly mean, by faying, That if we would teach Men the Truth effedually, we muft render it as near as we can vifible to them, and make it obvious to their very Senfes. Now 'tis evident the Circumftances of Life which our Saviour made Choice of, gave him the greateft Opportunity of an Exemplary Vertue and Holinefs.
There is indeed no State of Life, wherein Men have not frequent Occafions of letting the World fee the Principles they aft upon, bythcM^inner of their external Condud and Behaviour • yet the move fplen- did and heroical Vertues are only for rreat perfo-
nages ;
SERMON Vlir. 177
nages : The Rich, the Noble and the Powerful have indeed, in their feveral Provinces, excellent Advan- tages of recommending Religion to the World, by doing Good, by their Moderation, their Affability, Clemency, and the like.
But as to the more ordinary and paffive Vertues of Human Life, fuch as Patience and Refignation, under Circumftances of Want and Difgrace of In- juries and Affronts, of Temptations to Envy and DifcontcnX, and the like \ It muft be own'd, gene- rally fpeaking, that there is a greater Scope for the Tryaland Exercifeof our Vertue, in Proportion, as we are in a lower State and Condition of Life.
Our BlelTed Lord, who defign'd his Religion for the general Good of Mankind, wifely made ufe of fuch Means as were mofl: agreeable to this End ; and chofe fuch a condition of Life, as might render his Example of molt general Influence.
Befides, had he^ while he preach'd up a generous • Contempt of this World, and caution'd Men fo fre- quently againfl the Love of it ; had he, I fay, aC the fame time, \i there be no Impiety in the very Suppofition, indulg'd himfelf in Luxury and Plea- fures •, all his wife Difcourfes would have had much lefs Weight and Efficacy, in order to convince Men of the Vanity and Precarioufnefs of worldly Enjoy- ments.
But when he accommodated the Circumftances of his Life to the Precepts he deliver'd, efpecially when it lay in his Power to have been the Richeft: and Greateft Ferfon upon the Earth j this was an Argu- ment, that he was ferious and mgood Eameft in what he taught-, and that whatever Conveniencies ther^^ may be in the Things of this World, yet we ought to let our Thoughts and Affedions fit loofe upon them, and take care that the Love of God and of our Duty be always fupperior to them.
VOL. n. N For
1 78 S E R M O N VIII;
For this Reafon it was, the Son of God became Poor^ that we thro' his Grace might become nVfe j rich in all thofe good Works and Heavenly Vertues, which he chofe a poor State of Life, as m'ofl proper to exemplify to us. I might more particularly ob- ferve the fame Reafon for the Manner of our Savi- our's Appearance, with refpeft to the other Duties he was fo bright and illuitrious an Example of ^ 'uiz,. his Humility, his Patience, and his entire Refignation to the Will of God. But leaving the Improvement of thefe Hints to your own Meditations, 1 halten to my
3^ and Lafi Particular; viz.. That the Circum- ftances wherein our Saviour made his Appearance in the World, were moft agreeable to his Defign of be- coming a Sacrifice and Propitiation for the Sins of the World : For tho' our Redemption is attributed more efpecially to his Sufferings and Death upon the Crofs, as his Sacrifice was there finilh'd, yet we ought to look upon it as begun as foon as he was born into the World. For fo great a Perfon to be born in a Stable, to be laid in a Manger without Retinue, with- out Attendance, without the common and ordinary Conveniencies, which the meaneft Perfons are pro- vided of, on fuch Occafions : This, 1 fay, as 'twas fo vifible a Part of the Humiliation, ought alfo to be confider'd as a Part of the Sacrifice of Chrift : So like- wife his Circumcilion, the Difficulties he was ex- posed to in zAigyft^ and by the Way thither , the in- numerable Injuries and Afii-onts he met with in the Courfe of his Miniftry, his Fading and Abftinence, his having not fo much as where to lay his Head, his being derided and fpit upon, and the reft of thofe preparatory Pains and Indignities he fuffer'd before he was naiPd to the Crofs ; all thefe things, I fay, ought to enter into the Notion of that Sacrifice, which Chrifi; pffer'd up for us, and which was then and there coafummated. Thi»
SERMON VIIL 17^
This was the Notion which Ifaiah, who fpeaks of our Saviour more like an Hiftorian than a Prophet^ had of his meritorious Sufferings and Performances for us •, He is, fays he, defpifed and rejeBed of Men^ a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief', and we hid, ai it were, our Faces from him •, he was deffifed. and we efieern'd him not. Surely he hath born our Griefs^ and carried our Sorrows ', we did e fie em him firicken^ fmitten of God, and affiled. Then our Evangelical Prophet proceeds to the Confummation of Chrill's Sacrifice ; but 'tis plain, includes his preceding Suf» ferings under the Notion of it.
And thus having fhewn, that the State and Coii» dition of Life our Saviour chofe in the World, was moft agreeable to the great Ends and Delign of his foming into it :
Sdly and Lafily, Let us now fee what Praftical Im- provements can be made from what has been faid^ and then I fhall conclude.
ifi. If the Accompliihment of the Prophecies con- cerning our Saviour be an evident Proof of his being the Mepah^ the great Prophet that was to come into the World ; then whatever Dodrines he taught, are certainly true and divinely revealed ; Heaven and Earth fhall fooner pafs away, than one Jot or Tittle of what he has fpoken fhall fall to the Ground. Then 'tis as true, as th^t J efm Chrifi came in great Humi- lity into the World, that he fhall one Day' come again, in his Glorious Majefly, to judge us. Then 'tis true,that all Nations at that Day fhall be gathered before him, to give an Account of their Actions, and receive Sentence according to the Works done in the Body, whether they be good or bad ; They th^t have done Evil pall go into everlafiing Vuniflomcnt, but thi Righteous into Life eternal^ Matt. 2^. 45.
In a word, if we believe in Jefus Chri^, we muft believe what he himfelf has foexprefly declar'd. That ihe Ward he has ffoken unto i^^the fame Jljafl judge all Men
I? 2 fit
iSo SERMON VIII.
at the lafi Day, Joh. 1 2. 48. The Woman of Samaria had this Notion of the Mejfiah, That his Office was to make known the Will of God, and eftablifh the great Truths of Religion ^ / know, fays fhe, that the A'feffiah cometh which is called Chrifi j when he cometh he will tell m all 'things^ Joh. 4. 25. This Mejfiah we profefs to believe is really come ; we are met in a fo- lemn Manner to celebrate his coming : He has told us in the Holy Scriptures the Things I have mentio- ned unto you •, and indeed, this was the great End of his coming into the World, that he might teach us to flee from the Wrath to come, and work out our Salvation by leading a holy and good Life; Once in the End of the World, fays the Apoftle, hath Chrifi ap- peared to fut away Sin.
But are you, my Brethren, fully convinc'd of thefe important and great Truths? Do you really believe the Scriptures ? I know that you believe them ; but my Meaning is. Do you believe them effedually ? Do you regulate your Lives and Converfation by them ? If the Truths of our Holy Religion lie floating and unadive in your Underltandings, without affefting your Conlciences, this Article of your Faith, That Chrift: is come into the World, inftead of being Mat- ter of Joy and Gladnefs to you, will one Day be the very Sting and Aggravation of your Guilt.
Better had it been for you that he had never been born into the World, and made known the Will of God to you, than that you fhould negleEt fo great Sal- vation. He will only be a Saviour to thofe who obey him as their King, and live in a faithful and fincere Obedience to his Laws.
xdly. From the Circumftances of our Saviour's Ap- pearance in the World, let us learn the Duties of Pa- tience, Charity and Humility. And,
ifi. From the Humiliation of Chrift, let us learn a patient Submifljoa and Refignation to the Will of God.
What-
SERMON Vm. i8i
Whatfoever State we are in, let us be therewith content; and we cannot have a more powerful Rea- fon to perfuade us to be fo, than that Jefus Chrift, while he was here upon Earth, was expos'd to lb many and great Sufferings. This gives us a comfor- table and certain AfTurance, that whatever our Con- dition be, yet if we faithfully endeavour to pleafe God, he can have no Difpleafure againft: us on that Account ; nay, that thofe who are the moft dear to him, who make it their Endeavour to walk before him in all Tr?//-pleafing, yet for one End of his Grace and Providence or other, are many times exercifed with fevere Tryals and Affli6tions ^ which fhould teach us, as on the one Hand, 72ot to defpife the chafl- ving of the Lord ; fo on the Other, not to faint when we are rebuked of him.
idly J Let us learn the great Duty of Charity and Beneficence.
It was for us Men, and for our Salvation, Chrift fo humbled himfelf : Let his Love to us, when we were Enemies, to him, when upon all Accounts we fo little deferv'd it, teach us to love one another.
It was the conftant Bufinefs and Employment of his Life to do Good ^ as if this had been the only End for which he was born, and for which became into the World. Let us, in Purfuance of his Delign in it, follow the Steps of this his moH Bletred Ex- ample, and refolve from this Moment to do all the Good we are capable of doing to all Men.
But there is indeed another Argument before us, proper to the Time, to enforce this Duty : We are not only commemorating the ^dverjt of our Saviour, and the Circumftances which preceded his Birth, but preparing to celebrate the ftanding Memorial ot his Death*, that Blefled Sacrament which he infiitutcd as a lively and vifible Pledge of his Love to us, and a Focderal Right, whereby we profefsand engage our Loving-Kindnefs to oae another.
N 3 Kov^
t$2 S E R M O N VIH.
Kow Love is an aftive and generous Paffion, and where-ever 'tis fincere and founded on Chriflian Prin- ciples, it will difcover it felf in real and fenfible
Effedt^. ' ■ '." /.
3^/y, In order to humble the Pride of our Hearts,^ when we are tempted to bear our felves high upon any Worldly Advantages, v/hich give us a Superio- rity above our Brethren ; let us confider how Jefus fhrifl^ the Belt and Wifeft, and infinitely Greateft Perfon that ever appeared in the World, judg'd of thefe Things ^ hov^r little he efteem'd them \ how ineek and lowly he was in Mind j how affable, and condefcending in his Temper and Converfation. Certainly after this, as nothing we can ftoop to, de- ferves to be call'd a Condefcenfion ^ fo the higheft Condition of Life we can climb to, cannot deferve the Name of Greatnefs.
Let us then be particularly careful to cloath our felv#s, in this folemn Seafon, with that Grace which is fo fuitable to it •, let us learn of the Holy 'Jefus^ and be meek and lowly in Mind as he was, when he came to vifit us in fo great Humility •, that at the iafb Day, when he fhall come again in his Glorious Ma- jefty, to Judge both the quick and dead, we may rife to the Life Immortal ; through him who livethand reignethj with the Father and the Holy Ghoft, now" an4fQrever. Amen^
'8ER'
83
SERMON IX.
In what Refpcfts AfRiflions are for our Advantage.
i-^'\'
^
ROM. VIII. 28.
And rve know that all Things work together for good^ to them that love God^ to them who are the calPd according to his Promife,
EVER Y thing is to be confider'd Co far proper or prejudicial to ns, as it tends to promote or ob- it ruft our principal End. 'Tis with an Eye to this that we are conftantly to regulate our Choice, and make a Judgment of the good or unhappy Circum- Itances we are in.
Upon this View, Pain, Poverty, and Difgrace it felf, Things in themfelves naturally Evil, have not- withftanding a moral Ufe and Expediency in them, as they may prove the Occafion of exerciling our 'Virtues, and redlifying our Meafures •, and indeed would always do fo, were we to take them right, and carefully obferve the Defign of God in them.
This is the Argument whereby the Apoftle would here encourage the Romans to undergo thofc SufFer-
i^ 4 i^Sf.
184 SERMON IX.
ings and Perfecutions, to which they were expofed, with a Conftancy and Force of Mind fuperior- to them. And to give the greater Weight and Confir- jn^tion to what he fays, he fpeaks it not as a Matter of Doubt, or probable Conjedure, but as a moft af- fur'd and evident Truth.
j4nd we know that all things work together for good^ to them that love God^ to them who are the caWd according to his Purpofe.
To love God, and to be calPd according to his Pur" pofe^ are only different Expreflions of the fame Im- port and Signification, There are not two Exprefli- ons in the Bible more appofite^ or convertible : For whoever loves God, is calPd according to his Purpofe ; and whoever is cairk according to his Purpofe^ does for the fame Reafon love him. Except we could fuppofe with the Cahimfisy if it be not too (hocking even to be mentioned, That God purpos'd from all Eternity to call the far greateft Number of Chrillians to the profeflion of Chriftianity, not that they might be Holy and Vnblameable before him in Love, EpL 1.4. but on- ly that by their neglefting fo great Salvation, hisju- ftice might take Occafion to triumph, and difplay it felf the more in their greater Damnation.
But indeed there is no Neceflity of referring the Purpofe here fpoken of, diredly or immediately to God. In the Original 'tis limply y^ 'zr^9^i<Tiv nKsnoii^ to them who are calPd according to purpofe : Which may be explain'd either with Refpeft to the Delign of the Gofpel, and the Terms propofed to us in it, or elfe to thofe firm and fettled Refolutions of our own Hearts to obey God, which our taking upon us the Profeflion of Chrifl:ianity fuppofes.
But whichfoever of thefe Senfes we explain the Words in, the Conclufion holds fl:ill good, that the very Sufferings and Difappointments of this Life, tho' grievous for the prefent in themfelves, yet upon the whole Matter, and all Things confider'd, fhall
ccr-
SERMON IX. 185
certainly turn to the Advantage of thofe who love God.
And this is what I (hall endeavour to make appear in a more diftind and particular Manner from the two following Confiderations.
Firfl^ That the Sufferings of thofe who love God, have of themfelves a proper Tendency to pro- mote their fpiritual and fupreme Good.
Secondly^ That God is pleas'd to further this natural Tendency of them, by fpecial Ads of his Pro- vidence and Grace.
Tirfi^ The Sufferings of thofe who love God, have of themfelves a proper Tendency to promote their fpiritual and fupreme Good. Yet I do not hereby in- tend, but that God may, and often does defign, the Sufferings of thofe that love him, for their prefcntln- tereft or Advantage ^ and that in the natural Order of Things it frequently happens, that our very Mif- fortunes by one unthought-of Calliality or other, prove the Occaiion of the greatelt temporal Felicity we enjoy in this World. There are few Perfons but have had an Opportunity of obferving how much and how often the Succefs of their Affairs has been more owing to Accident than Defign , and that when they have had the lealt of Human Profpefts, the fecret Difpofitions of Providence have been molt' favourable, and if 1 may fo fpeak, fortunate to them.
I might exemplify this in the ftrange and furpri- •7/mg Turns, which the Scriptures acquaint us v/ith, in the Affairs of fome of the belt and greatefl: Per- fons, whofe Names they record ;, and whofe Hiff:ory in this Particular, was written without doubt for our Infl;ru6lion j that where the Removal of any prefent Calamity is really for our Good, we may pioufly hope God in his due time will find means to rcnjove it, tho'
we
.i8(5 S E R M O N IX.
we have no vifible Profped of our Deliverailcc from it.
This is what is ilgnified to us by thofe Words of the Pfalmift, To the V fright there arifeth Light in the Bark- ssefsy Pf. 112. 4. in the moll difmal aad difconfolate State of their Affairs •, and when they fee the leaft Appearance of it, God frequently opens to them a way to efcape. And in the Language of another Prophet, Gives unto them Beauty for Ajhes, the Oyl of Joy for Mournings the Garment of Praife for the S^it of Heavinefs.
But what will be the Confequence of a Change in our temporal Affairs, and whether we may make a good or ill Ufe of it, being known to God atone, who has a per fed View not only of all future Events, but of what would happen to us, under any fup^fed Circumftances, we ought not to pre fume on fuch fpeciallnterpofitions of his Providence, nor even to delire them, but with the molt abfolute and entire Refignation to his Will.
This being premis'd, I fhall confider the Tendency which the Sufferings of thofe that love God, have to promote their true and fupreme Intereft, in the fol- lowing Refpecf s.
1. As they are proper, to raakeusrefied on our paft Condud.
2. To humble our Pride and Vanity.
3. To make us more fenfible of our Dependanee on God.
4. To difcover to us the Sincerity of our Love to God. And,
5. To raife our Thoughts to the Contemplation of a future and more perfeft State of Happinefs.
Thefe vifible Benefits of an afflided State, haVQ
appear'd in fuch a Light to many pious and devout
Chriflians, that they have earneftly defir'd of God to
vifit them with fome fliarp and fenfible Affiidion:
■ Others have ftudied very Itrict and even curious Me.
' ' thods
SERMON IX. 187
thods of affliding themfelves. 'Twould undo a loofe and effeminate Beau to tell him, How fome of the greateft Figure in Church Hiflory, who were born £0 no inconfiderable Expeftations in the World, and wanted not the means of knowing it, yet chofe to Withdraw from it into fome difmal Solitude, where they liv'd after a moll poor and auftere Manner, not fo much in want of the common Conveniencies, as jthe feeming Neceflaries of Life.
How far God might approve their well-meant, tho' perhaps in fome Inftances, indifcreet Zeal, we do not take upon us to determine •, neither do we recom- mend their Example at large to Imitation ^ what we would perfuade Men to, is, That when God pleales to ftretch forth his Hand, and touch them with any heavy AfBiftion, if they make the Improvement of it they ought, and whick it naturally leads to, they will find according to their feveral Exigencies, one or more, or all thefe beneficial Effedsof it I have men- tion'cl.
T . An afflided State is proper to make us refleft on our pall Condud. The bell of Men, and whofe Charity is the moll inflam'd, have a great many pri- vate Failings and Efcapes to account for : They are perhaps confcious too of fome more notorious Sins, which yet they have not confider'd in all their aggra- vating and dangerous Circumftances.
Inconfideration is one ordinary Eflc^ft of an eafy and opulent Condition. And the Sun-fhine of Pro- fperity fo dazzles the Mind, or fills it with foreiga and fenfible Amufements, that it has both lefs Capa- city and Inclination for the fpiritual Exercifes of Re- ligion.
But the Rod of Affiiftion is proper to awaken us out of this fupine and indolent State ^ to make us look upwards towards God, whom we have offend- ed, and backward, upon the Nature andQjiality of
our
i88 SERMON IX.
our Offences. This is the proper Ufe, all wile and pious Perfons will make of their Afflidions •, as God inftruds us in thofe Words of the Prophet, Mic. 6, 9. Hear the Rod, and who hath appointed it. That is, take this Occafion to bring your own Ways to Re- membrance, toconlider wherein you have provok'd God Almighty, and vfhcre^ore he eontendeth with you. It will be, in the firft place, a natural EfFeft of his Fatherly Corredions, to enquire more narrowly, whether fome more private Sins have not efcap'd our Notice ? Or if they have not, whether we have exercis'd a true and hearty Repentance for them ?
Job, notwithftanding he infilled fo much on his own Innocence, yet let fall feveral Exprellions which intimate, that he had the Guilt of fome lefier, and, probably till that time, lefs obferv'd Sins lying upon his Confcience. Thus he confefTes, Chap. 7. 20. / have finned, what jhali I do unto thee^ O thou Preferver of Men ? And Ver. 20. If I juftify my felf mine one mouth fliall condemn me. And again, Chap. 1 3. 23. i/oip many are mine Iniquities^ and my Sins ? Afake tne to know my Tranfgrejfion and my Sin.
When therefore this Excellent Perfon ftands fo much up for himfelf ^ when he appeals with fo great Confidence to God, in Teftimony of his Innocence, T'hou knowefl that I am not wicked^ Chap. 10. 7. in or- der to account for thefe feeming Inconfiftencies, we mufl: fuppofe, that tho' in the General Courfe of his Life he was a very Holy and Good Man, yet he was confcious to himfelf of many private Errors and Mifcarriages, which probably in the Day of his Profperity he had too flightly pafs'd over his Ac- counts of. But his Sufferings, it appears, were a Means of making him enquire more particularly in- to the Reafons of them ^ of bringing him to Refle- dtion, andyf;m«^ him up to the proper Exercifes of Repentance for his Sins, by putting him in Remem- brance of them.
Yet
SERMON IX. i8p
Yet alas, Sins of Inadvertency and Surprize, or, as they are call'd, of daily Incurflon^ are not the only Sins which good Men have been permitted to fall in- to. We find fome of them in Scripture charg'd with Sins of the higheft Nature, and with committing them deliberately. If the Afflidions then, which God lays upon us for our more private and fecret. Sins, be fuch proper Monitors to Self-Examination and Repentance \ how Itrift and careful ought we to be in the Difcharge of thefe Duties, when the Hand of God is upon us, and we are under the Apprehen- iion of having committed fome very great and grie- vous Crime, or Crimes, againft him ^ As it will be natural for us on fiich a moving Occafion, to call our evil Ways more diftindly to Remembrance, fo our Minds cannot but be fill'd with a proportionable Re- gret for them, and render the Burthen of them fo much the more intolerable.
This was the Efied Holy Z)^^;/^^ confefFes which his Affli(^ions had upon him, Pfal. 38. 4. This made him take up that pious Refolution, v. 18. / wiU declare my Iniquity^ and J will be forryfor my Sin. As if before the Hand of God prefled him fo fore, he had been too remifs in thefe Duties, and unwilling to give himfelf any Pain or Uneafinefs about them.
They were the Troubles, as is ufually obferv'd, which befel Jofeph\ Brethren in <iy^gypt^ that awa- ken'd them into io lively and piercing a Senfe of their cruel Ufage towards him. Then their Confciences, like fome dreadful Flafli of Lightning, flying in the Faces of all of them at once, feverally ftruck them with Terror and Amazement. And they [aid one to another^ We are verily guilty concerning our Brother, ( aS if before they had been infenfible of their Guilt ) in that we faxv the Anguijl) of his Soidy when he befou/ht tu, and we would not hear ; therefore is this Diftrefs come vv- cn tif^ Gen, 42. 21.
So
xpo S E R M O N IX.
So forcible is the Power of Confcience to put Men, when under the PrefTure of any great Afflidion, not only upon refleding what might be the particular Sin which provok'd God to lay it upon them, but upon confidering further, after what manner, and with what degree of Malice or Defilement it was committed. As, Whether 'twas done deliberately,, or againft the common Sentiments and Obligations of Humanity ; againft wholfome and feafonable Ad- vice, or any extraordinary Reludance of our own Minds : For thefe are Circumftances, which are ma- ny times more galling and grievous to the Confcience, thanaSenfe of the Crime it felf
Our Sufferings are ftill the more apt to bring us to Refledion, when they are the dired and natural Confequences of our Sins, or have any vifible Con- nedionwith them.
Thus David's unlawful Commerce with Bathjheha^ was not only punifh'd with the Death of the Child he had by her, and for whofe Recovery he was To impatient j but by the open and notorious Difho- nour that was done him, by Abfalonis going in be- fore all Ifrael to his Women, according to what God had threaten'd him by Nathan the Prophet, 2 Sami
12. 1 I, 12-
And if we look back a little on the forecited Paf- fage concerning Jofeph''s Brethren, we may obferve, that the ftinging Refledion there made by them, was particularly occalion'd by Jofefhh peremptory De- mand, that one of them ihould be left bound, as an Hoftage, whilft they went to bring their youngeft Brother down to him. This brought their unnatu- ral Treatment of Jofephy and the Defign they had form'd againft his Life, diredly Home to their Thoughts : For they feem to have been under an Apprehenlion, from the Condud of Jofeph towards them, that he had a Defign upon their own Lives, or ' that feme of them at leaft might fall a Sacrifice to his
Stifpi-
SERMON IX. 19 r
Sufpicion of their being Spies. This is highly proba- ble^from the Words of ^^m^^w, v. 22. Spake I not unto yoUy ^f^yi^gj J^o not fin again fi the Child j and ye wonid not hear } Therefore behold alfo his Blood is recjvird t Or, therefore fhall his Death, as feme expound the Words, be reveng'd upon us by our own.
, Yet I do not fay, that the Sufferings of good Men always point diredly at fome particular Sin, or Sins they; have been guilty of-, for I am to fhew in the Se- quel, that there are a great many other good and wife Reafons befides that, which l am obferving, why- God fliould vifit thofe that love him, with his Father- ly. Chaftifements.. Yet if we narrowly enquire into the Nature of our Sufferings, or trace the Occafion of them as far as we can, 'twill frequently appear to be- the, Defign of God in; them, that we may know^ that wherewithal a man finneth^ by the fame alfojhall he be pu- Tnjhed^ Wifd.i i .16. This was w'hat the Author of that excellent Book. fo long fince obferv'd -and he grounds his Gbfervation on Two or Three known and remar- kable Fads; That God puniffi'd the Cruelty of the Egyptians^ with turning their Rivers into Blood, and their Purfuit of Ifrael with their own Deff:ru6tion ^ as he had done their Worfhipping .Serfe?ns void of Reafon^ and vile Beafis^ with the feveral Plagues of Frogs and Lice, of Flies and Locufts, v. 6, 7," 15.
, idly^ An affiifted-State is prnpef to humble our Pride and Vanity. An uninterrupted Flow of Pro- fperity is apt, upon Two Accounts cfpecially, to give us high Airs, and infpire us with great Thoughts of our felves. Firfi^ As it flatters an Opinion we are in truth too forward at all times to entertain of our own > Abilities : And, in the Second place, of the Power which Wealth has to command all Things.
As to the former of thefc Provocations to the Luff of Pride, it hath been well aljferv'd, that how much foever Mea are tempted to complain of the
wnequji!.
ip2 SERMON IX.
unequal Diftributions of Providence towards them,' with refpeft to the external Bleffings of Life j yet few Men think, but they have at leaft a competent Share of the inward Endowments and Qualities of the Mind.
This Vanity of Thinking more highly of their own ' Parts and Capacities than they ought to think, runs thro' all Orders and Degrees of Men. So that could we fee what fine Images of themfelves Men paint upon their own Minds, and had no other way of making a Judgment of them, the Diftinftion of Learned and Illeterate, Wife and Foolifh, would be from that Moment utterly confounded. Nay, as the greatelt Cowards are obferv'd to be the moft noify, and high- elt Pretenders to Courage, fo thofe who have the leaft Capacity, have frequently the greatefl AfTurance of themfelves.
And to do them right, there appears indeed to be fom,e Reafon, why ignorant Pretenders fhould be more alTuming, than Men of a more extenfive and acquired Knowledge : Becaufe the farther Difcove- ries of Truth or Art any Perfon makes, he difcovers the Compafs of his Knowledge to be at the fame time fo much the narrower •, there being nothing worth the Endeavour or Application of the Mind, but what in the Search after it occafionally gives us innumerable Hints of Things we were altogether Strangers to, and are glad to pafs by, without taking any further Notice of.
There is this further Conflderation to humble the Pride of much Learning, efpecially in Men of a copious and lively Thought-, That the more exten- five their Knowledge is, the more fpecious Appear- ances of Truth, and probable Conjedures on both Sides of the Queflion, are apt to diftrad and per- plex them •, and fometimes to confound them in fuch a manner, that t^ey are willing to fit down quiet- ly.
S E R M O N IX. 193
iy, with fufpending their Judgment, and taking up with Uncertainty at lall;.
.Shall we fay then, that Men of Letters, becaufe they are confcious for thele Reafons they ought to be modeft, are therefore vvholl v free from this common Fehle of human Nature, ramty ? No ; Original Cor- ruption difcovers it felf in nothing more, than in this General Charader of Mankind. • The beft of Men are not apt to be very much difpleafed in hearing them- felves decently flatter'd ^ and the wifeft of Menare not always able to diflemble the Satisfadion they take in feeing themfelves efteem'd.
So that whereas particular Perfons have their pre- dominant Pafllons and Inclinations, ariling from Natural Temperament, or the Evil Habits they have contracted ; Vanity afpires, as it were, to Univer- fal Empire ; and feems, if I may fo fpeak, to be the Compledional Vice of Human Race^ and that: from which, if all the other Pafllons of Hu.ma« Nature do not take their Rife, yet they com- monly owe their Force, and more violent Difor- ders to.
And as this was one Reafon why the Son of God ( the Delign of whofe Religion is to new-model Hw man Nature} laid the Foundation of it in Humility, fo it difcovers ro us v/hy this Virtue was fo little thought of by the Philofophers among the Heathens, and is indeed at this Day Co little undei flood, yet lefs praftifcd, by the generality of Chriltians.
Now there is nothing feeds this Tumor of the Mind more, than when all Things fucceed to our E^'pedations, and according to the Schemes we have laid. Succefs, tho' nothing can be more falla- cious than to argue from it, has a ftrange Power to bribe and influence the Judgment, even in Favour of thofc who have no dired or immediate Interefi: in It. If a General gain a Vidory, tho' contrary to all the Maxims of military Prudence ; yet his happy
VOL, II. O rc?v€-
IP4 S E R M O N IX.
Temerity fhall be the Effeft of a wife and wondrous Conduft. If a Miaifter, by Favour of fome extra- ordinary Circum fiances, fucceed in a Defign wliich was ill form'd, his Succefs fhall notwithftanding be afcrib'd to deep Counfel and Defign.
Yet a Man would be thought very whimfical and capricious, who fhould endeavour to. argue againffc fuch popular and corrupt Judgments. The Multi- tude, who judge of Things according to Appearance, and do not look into the Reafons or Circumftan^ ces of them, will always declare on the Side of Fortune. But the wife and brave ^ow^wj governed themfelves by other Maxims, when they blam'd Lu- cttllus for the great and fignal Overthrow which he gave Tigranes. And indeed, what could have been a greater Reproach to the Wifdom of that People, than to have approv'd an Adion which ought not to have fucceeded ?
If we are fo ready to .flatter the Vanity of other Perfons, upon the Succefs of their Defigns, we fliall not probably be lefs inclin'd to judge advantageoufly of our own Condud, when Things fucceed to our Meafures : For the Motives upon which we are in- duc'd to efteem or admire other People, feldom lofe any thing of their Force, when they are influenced and fupported by Self-love.
How apt we are to bear our felves high upon the Succefs of our Defigns, appears from thofe feveral Cautions in Scripture to the Jews i That they fhould not let their Hearts be lifted vp^ and forget the Lord their God^ and fay in their Hearts, the tnight of their Hands had done^ what was his Work, Deiit.%. 17. That the wife Man fliould mt glory in his Wifdom^ but in thisy That he underflandeth and knoweth that God is the Lord, "who exercifeth Loving-kindnefs^ Judgment^ and Righteouf- nefs in the Earthy Jer. 9. 23, 24. That is, who di- reds and over-rules all Things in this World, even the molt cafual Events, to what wife, and good, and
SERMON IX. ip5
Jufl: Ends, he fees molt proper. So that when our Defigns, according to the Maxims of Human Pru- dence, feem to be the belt concerted, yet one unex- pected Accident or other often fiarts up in our way, which utterly baffles and defeats them j but which tho' we could not forefee or prevent, we ought to believe the Hand of God in them ^ becaufe the Hap- pinefs or Misfortunes of Human Life, in a great Mea- fure, depending on what we call Accidents j fhould we exempt them from the Providence of Gd9, feveral Events of the ^r^^ff/Confequence to '■ in this World would befal us without hisDifpofal. There are fev^", Perfons who have not had an Opportunity of obfer- ving how often Chance rather than Defign has con- tributed to favour their Endeavours ; and that what-' ever Advantages Nature has given them, yet with- out what v/e call Fortune, they would -have been able to do very little for them.
' To fhew us that all the Wit and Penetration, the Contrivance and Experience of Man, are but vain, when God does not favour them, it has been further obferv'd. That almoft in all Profeffions, Men of the flovveft Parts, and lowelt Expeftations, have very often the greatefl Share of fortunate Hits, and at fmoothRun ofBufmefs; and that on the other Hand^ it fometimes happens that none are more embarafs'd or perplex'd in their Affairs, or meet with fo many Difficulties, as they who guard with the moft Cau- tion and Dexterity againll them.
So that when Fortune, to fpeakthe common Dia- jeft, defigns to advance any Perfon, his very Errors
^and Failings become fubfervient and inftrumental to his Advancement: But when Providence, to fpeak more juftly, thinks fit to difappoint the Defigns of any Perfon, the very Meafures which .ne laid with the greateft Care and Art to effed them, frequently prove the Occafionofobftrudling them,
O % 'Tis
1^6 SERMON IX.
'Tisfaid, that by thefe Methods of his Providence God brings Mankind more upon a Level, as to the external Bleflings of Life, and fo fupplies what is de- - fedive one way by a more liberal Donation another. Tho' I am not certain indeed whether it be a true kefleBion^ That, " Whatever Difference there may " appear to be in Mens Fortunes, there is Hill a cer- " tain Compenfation of Good and 111 in all, that " makes them equal.
It may (however be pioufly admitted as one Reafon, why the Advantages of Mind and Fortune are not al- ways found together, That God by fuch a Difpoliti- on of his Providence brings Mankind nearer to a State of Equality, But no doubt, another Reafbn hereof is, That God by this means makes Men more fenfible, that 'tis he who governs the World. That v^hilQ^tx tjoe Preparation of Mens Hearts may be, yet 'tis he ivho direcieth their Steps^ who brings their De- ligns to EfFed, or difappoints them^ as he thinks fit, i fo that they are not able to perform.
Yet vain and ungrateful Man, becaufe he does not fee the Adion of God in the Condudt of his Deligns, attributes the Succefs of them to his own Conduft ; and fo' inflead of doing Honour to God, arrogates Power and Wifdom, and a kind of Self.fufiiciency to himfelf. Or if the Providence of God be not left wholly out of the Account, he has yet a Right at leaft, as he fuppofes, to fharein the Stateof it, and to fay, Ady Ha-ad is hig-h, and the Lord hath not done all this, Devt. ^i.iq.
'Tis therefore a wife and worthy DefignofGod to make Man more fenfible of his Vanity and Ingrati-^ tude, by fhewing that "time and Chance happen to all \ That the moil; confummate Wifdom of Men cannot always bring even their molT; probable Defigns to; I bear, nor the niceft Precautions in the World obviate, adverfe Accidents.
Whf
S E R M O N IX. 107
Why then fhould we value our felvesupon a Pru- dence which cannot fecure to us the leaft Event, and the Rules whereof have very ofren an accidental Ten- dence to fruftrate the very End we propofe and pur- fue by them ? Wc ought notwithftanding to ad upon human Profpc3:s, and the mofl; likely means of Suc- cefs-, BecaufcGod, for the Encouragement of indu- Itry, ordinarily mils that they fhould fuccecd : But we ought not to truft too much to them, becaufe he may difippoint tliem •, and to humble fuch a vain Con- fidence, frequently <:/(?f J difappoint them.
Another Temptation to Pride and Vanity, is from the External Advantages of this World : That a pro- fperous and plentiful Condition contributes very much to our Eafe and Comfort \ That it frees us from many Calamities of Life, and pulsus in a Ca- pacity of being more ufeful Members of Society in feveral Rofpeds, is the moft needlefs thing in the World to be prov'd. And it was a very wife Defign of the Providence of God, to prevent the ill Effeds of an univerl:il Idlenefs, that Plenty and Profperity, the dedre of which is the main Spring of Induftry, fhould be attended with thefe Advantages. For Men are for the moft part very flow and averfeto take Pains, where there is no Profit to be got.
But while we afcribe to the outward Comforts and Conveniencies of Life, what is due to them, we muft take heed and beware of repohng too great Trull and Confidence in them-, and yet 'tis a Vanity too com- inon under the Sun, for Men in a Flow of Profperi- ty to imagine they fiull never be caft down •, or with the rich Man in the Gofpel, to bid defiance to all Misfortunes, and fay, Soul^ now take thine Eafe. And yet 'tis probable, he was not the only Perfon under this agreeable DeluGon ^ I caH it fo, becaufe we ea Illy believe what flatters our Self-love*, and there is no- thing we covet more than Power and Independency. JSIow experiencing that a plentiful Eltate gives us
O 3 Coma
ipS
SERMON IX.
fome Degree of Superiority above other People, and makes us in certain Refpeds lefs dependent, we are led to imagine, that we are out of the Reach of evil Accidents, and have nothing to fear.
We have, 'tis true, numerous Examples before us of the uncertain Changes and Turns of Fortune in the Affairs of other Men, or we fee them in one Point or other uneafy : But this does not difcourage us ; we look upon fuch Accidents as foreign to our own Cafe, and at a Diftance. Like Men who be- lieve they fhall certainly die, (and this was another Delufjon the Rich Man feems to have been under) yet do not apprehend or confider themfelves the nearer Death for living the longer ^ To unwilling are we to apply the moft evident Truths home, when they con- tradid or oppofe the Motions of Self-love, fupported by Pride.
To fhew us how apt Men are to repofe themfelves, and place their Security upon the outward Advan- tages of Life*, Job puts the Queftion in Vindication of himfelf, Chn^. 3 1 . 24. If I have made Gold my Ho^e, er have [aid to the fine Gold^ thou art my Confidence. If Jrejoyc'^d becaufe my Wealth was great ^ or becaufe my Hand had gotten much. For tho' he fpeaks this to juftify his own Conduft, yet the Words imply, that 'tis no ex- traordinary thing for Men in a fuperior Condition of Life, to have their Hearts turned from the living God •, to grow very vain and felf-confident, as if there v;ere no coming at them by any thing, that may diilurb or take them down.
To abate this Pride of Man, God is pleafed by pro- per Chaftifements, to make him fenfible, that 'tis He who ruleth over all ; that Riches and Honour come of Him-, that he humbles and exalts*, gives and takes away, and that there is no refilling his Will.
Sometimes therefore he deprives Men of what they place their chief Glory and Confidence in^ At other times amidit all the Pomp and Splendor, with which
they
SERMON IX. ipp
they are environ'd, he caufes them to drink deep of the Cup of fome perfonal or domeftick AlHiftion. Thefe are fenfible Arguments to convince the moft worldly-minded, how vain it is to truft in uncertain Riches^ or if there could be any Foundation for fuch a Truft, how unable they ftill are to protect or fe- curethem, from fome of the greateft Evils incident to human Life.
But Phis leads me to confider in the next Place •,
3. That AfRidions are proper to make us more fen- fible of onr Dependance of God. And this indeed is a Conilderation which naturally arifes out of the former •, for when we experience how vain a thing it is to truft in uncertain Riches, or any other Advan- tage in this World, what fliould we turn ourThoughts upon but the Living God^ who giveth tis richly all Things to enjoy? I Tim. 6. 17. that is, all things we cande- iire, that are proper and convenient for us : And cer- tainly if they be not fo, we cannot think them delirc- able ^ tho' the Words may becommodioufly, if they ought not primarily to be interpreted, of the inward Joys and Confolations of his Spirit, which God vouch- iafes to good Men in their greateft Diftreftes. 'Twas with thefe fpecial Favours of his Grace God vifited David^ when all human Profpeds and Supports were given over. So himfelf confclles, PJ'al.'j^. 25,25. Whom have 1 in Heaven hut thee <* And there is none upon Earth I dcfire bcfides thee. A^y FlejJ} and my Heart fail' eth '^ but God is the Strength of my Heart and my F onion for ever. Again, Pfal. 94. 19. In the Multitude of my Thoughts within me ^_thy Comforts delight my Sold.
The Scnfe of his Dependance on God, together with that of the inward Delights of Grace, made this Holy Perlbn give himfelf up fo continually to Prayer, and infiam'd his Devotions to fo great a Height •, and it is to his Troubles which we owe a ve- ry confidcrable Part of them : For it fccms to have
O 4 bc\;i|
200 SERMON IX.
been a fettled Rule to him, when any Calamity be- fel him, to fly to God immediately for Help ^ or ra- ther we are aflur'd, that this was the Rule he pre- fcrib'd himfelf, from his own Words •, / will cry mto God with my F'oice^ even vnto God will I cry with my
Ynlce In the Time of my Trouble I fovght the Lord .
When I am in Heavinefs I will think vpon God 7%en
cryd 1 unto thee-, 0 Lord^ arid got me to my Lord ri^rht humbly^ Pfal. 77. 1,2, 3. 30. 8. ' "
Indeed this n;itiiral Flight and Application of the Soul to God in any great Diftrefs, that requires ready i/f?//), does not only difcover it felt in good Men.j, whofe Piety gives them greater Confidence towards him •, but even the mofi- profligate Sinners, who have quellion'd with themfelves, What is the Almighty that we fhould fear him ? Or who have in their Works deny'd him: Yet when Anguilh and Diftrefs come upon them under the Apprehenfion of any great and imminent Danger; thefe very Enemies, 1 fay, of God, find themfelves on fuch Occafions very ftrongly, I had almofc faid invincibly mov'd to call upon him, and take Sandtuary in his EteVnal Power and Godhead. *
And it may be queftion'd, whether any Perfon un- der violent Circumftances of Diftrefs, and in his right Senfes, was ever able wholly to fupprefs this jiatural Motion of the Soul to God, whatever he pre- tended.
'Tis reported indeed of a known and famous Pro- feffor of Atheifm, that as foon as the Flames, to which he wascondemn'd for his Blafphemies, touch'd him, he ftirunk a little back and cry'd out, 0 OW, O God ! And tho' upon his being orderd by thofe^ who had the Charge of the Execution, to be with- drawn, the Qiieftion was put to him, v;hether he now relented, and would procure his Pardon by a Re- cantation 'j he obftinately refufed the Condition, and ' pretended
S E R M O N IX. loi
pretended, that 'twas nothing but a Word of courfe which fell from him, as Oaths and Imprecations in- fenlibly do many times from thofe who really believe a God. Yet tliis Inftance, after all, I take it, is not fo proper to overthrow what has been obferv'd, as to fhew the ilrange and unaccountable Extravagancies, which Vanity fometimes pufhes Men upon : For had not that been the predominant PafTionof this Athei- flical Hero^ is it probable, that he who bcliev'd no- thing of a future State, or the moral Diftind^ion of Virtue and Vice, would have flrain'd at a little Difli- mulation to fave his Life from a cruel and prefent Death ? 'Tis much moie probable, that he dillembled his real Sentiments, to fave himfelf the Vain-glory, the vaineft certainly that ever entered into Man's Heart, of dyir?(r hard.
But as to the Confideration I am upon, we need only confult our own Experience, if the Love of God iiave reign'd in our Hearts as it ought, whether in any very dangerous or other afflidingCircumftances, |:he Spring of our Soul has not been as it were forti- fy'd, and in the Motion of our Defire towards him we have not felt a more tlian ordinary Force and Adivi- ty ? Or whether God has not fometimes been pleas'd, in a more fenfible manner, to make bare his everlaft- ing Arms, and ftand, if I may fo fpcak, as if he were extending them towards us.
I have already obferv'd what EffeQ; the Sufferings of David had upon him, in turning his Heart to God, and tuning all the Powers of his Soul to the nobleft and mofb exalted Strains of Devotion. Job felt the fame blefled Effedt from his Affliftions-, / would^ fays he, feek unto God-, and v?jto God wl/l J comniit my
Caufe. 'Surely f J would fpeak to the Almighty /
TVi/l fpcak in the Bitternefs of my Soul j / will fay unto God, do not condemn me. I have heard of thee ^ by the Hearlngofthe Ear \ but now mi?je Eye fc 2th thee -^ Ch. 50 8. 10.^1, 2. 13. 3. 42. 5.
The
202 SERMON IX.
The Friends of this Holy Perfon, who cdme to comfort him, tho'thcy appear on fome Occafions to jhave reafon'd lefs juftly and from popular Prejudices, yet had right Sentiments, not only of the Power of ,God tofupport, but of his Goodnefs to adminifter thcTe inward Confolations to thofe that love him, under the moft preHing Calamities^ and therefore fhey advife Joh^ above all things, to enter into a flrid and intimate Correfpondence with him ^ ^c- ^uahit now thy felf with him^ and be at Peace^ Chap. 22. 21.
As I cannot go thro' the feveral Particulars I pro- pofed to fpeak to at this time, 1 Iball conclude with a fliort Recommendation of the fame Rule to all the Sons and Daughters of Affliction ^ as prefcribing the beftand fliorteft Method, in order to enable them to hear their Sufferings patiently, and with a Mind en- tirely redgn'd to God.
For to acquaint our felves with him, is not merely to contemplate the Eternal Excellencies and Perfe- dions of his Nature, to reafon in a fubtle manner on the Order of his Providence or Grace •, to difllnguidi nicely upon the Doctrines or Duties of Religion ^ or to be able to refolve difficult Cafes of Confcience. All thefe things have their Ufe ^ but as the moft wick- ed Men, out of a natural Defire of Knowledge, joyn'd with a fine Capacity, do fometimes excel in them ; and probably, as the Devil himfe!^, with his Angels, would far out-do the moft refin'd Wit, or profound Clerk in the World, in point of mere Specu- lation upon thcfe Subjeds ; fo they can, of them- felves, be no Argument of our being acquainted with God in fuch a manner, as to give us any particular Favour or Intereft in him.
Neither is our entertaining Venerable and Hono- rary Thoughts of God, to have that Acquaintance W'th him, which ia tlie Day of ^^^verfity, is the " -') Foun4a-
SERMON IX. ao3
Foundation of our Truft and Confidence in him : For we may highly value Merit in Perfonswe have no Re- lation to, or any Expectations from. The moft wick- ed Men therefore, will fometimes be willing to offer God this night Sacrifice of an inward Veneration, and pay him the Duties of fimple Efteem ; even thofe who deny his Providence, or that they have any Depen- dance on him, and niaintain that he no ways con- cerns himfelf in the Affairs of Men, yet will grant, . that we ought to think of him with Reverence and Honour, out of pure Refped to the Dignity and Ex- cellency of his own Nature.
But to acquaint our felves with God, imports fbme- thing more than a general Knowledge of him, or paying him the Duties of fimple Efteem ^ 'tis to make him our Friend, by conforming every Motion of our Hearts to his Will, as well as by entertaining our Minds with high and bright Ideas of his Power and Wifdom, and the other Glorious Attributes of his Nature , it is to have the fame Inclinations, the fame Defigns and Interefts with him ^ it is not only to con- fider him as the moft Amiable and Excellent Being in himfelf, but in the Relation he bears to us ^ 'tis to Ibok upon him as having a particular Concern for our Good and Happinefs, and to be able in all our Prayers and Addrefles to him, to fay feverally with an humble Confidence, A^y God, and my Lord -^ in a word, it is to have our Souls at once fill'd with Light and Love, with Grace and Truth ; and in a lively manner to tafte and fee how good and gracious the Lord is.
And if our Acquaintance with God give us, as it certainly will, if we feek it as we ought, thefe in- ward AfFurancesof his Favour; if in their fevereft Tryals he is thus pleafed to make Light fpring up to the Upright, and joyful Gladnefs to fuch as are true- hearted, why fhould we faiot under any AfHidion
he
204 S E R M O N IX.
he is pleafed to lay upon us? Or what can harm us, fo long as we have his Countenance and Approbati- on y whofe Will nothing can refifl, and the Defigns of whofe Wifdom and Goodnefs towards us nothing can prevent? If God^ as the Apoftle argues, ver. 31. be for tiSy who^ or what, can be ugainfl m? But if he beagainftus, alas, what Comfort or Satisfaftion can we take in any thing befides ? Let us then, whenever we are under any alHidling Circumftances feek to him^ as our only Saviour. Let us acquaint our felves wobs *vith him, and be at Peace.
SER.
20^*
SERMON X.
A Continuation of the fame SubjcS^ with feveral ufeful Inferences from it.
ROM. vm. 28.
Afi^ we know that allThings work together for goody to them that love God^ to them rvho are the called according to his Promife,
I Proceed, according to the Method wherein I pro- pofed to difconrfe of thcfe Words, to a Fourth Advantage of an afflidled State •, namely,
4thly, That 'tis proper to difcover to us the Since- rity of our Love to God.
Men that have no true Senfe of Religion, will perform many Duties of it, not only with Cheer- fulnefs, but fome Degree of Zeal, when they find their Account in them, and are under no Trouble or Dillradion of Mind. For indeed Religion, in moft: of the Branches of an Aciive Obedience, is fo highly reafonablc in it fclf, and fo adapted to fome of £he Itrongelt Pafllons of Human Nature, as well as
our
^o6 S E R M O N X.
burprefent Intereftsj that, confidering hOvv deceit- ful the Heart of Man is, 'tis not always eafy to di- llinguifh, upon what Motives our good RefolutionSL areform'd, or ourogood Adions proceed. For we are fomctimes apt to imagine, that we are ferving God, and doing our Duty, when we are only pur- fuing our Advantage, or confulting our Inclina- tion.
But the Va^ive Duties of Religion, when we are call'd upon to exercife them, are the true and proper Trials of our Love \ they Ihew whether Religion has really any Power over us, and what we are at the Bottom.
The Hope of Reward, the Fear of Punilhment; the Defire of Praife, the Awe of Superiors • a Senfe of Shame, Natural Temper, and the like, may ex- cite us to offer fome flight Sacrifices to God, in cer- tain External, and lefs difficult Inftances of Obedi- ence. There is nothing more ordinary, than for very wicked Men to put on the Appearance of Sin- ctity and Religion, by pradtifing thofe Duties which coft them, nothing, or give them little or no Inter- ruption in the Purfuit of their Criminal Pleafures and Defigns.
The Devil was fo fenfible, how great a Share thefe Human Views and Motives fometimes have in the Religion of thofe who are reputed very good Men, that he much fafpeded whether "job were really the perfed and upright Man that he appear'd to be; and therefore put the Queftion with fo great Con- fidence to God, If Job ferved him for nou^ ? As if he had faid. Are not all thefe Temporal Bleflings 'Job enjoys, and which he confiders either as the Natural or Providential Efteds of his Piety, fuffi- cient to engage him in the exterior Service of Re- ligion, and make him pradife fome outward and commendable Duties, without any fincere and tru- ly Religious Difpofition of Mind, fepara-te from ^
merce-
S E R M O N X. 207
mercenary Temper, and a fpecial Regard to his own Interefts ?
In order therefore to bring the Religion of Job to the Teft, the great Enemy of Mankind, who knows how apt we are to be impofcd upon by Human Ap- pearances of Virtue, moves God Almighty that he would put forth his Hand, and touch all that this reputed Saint had, and then it would foon appear, how well his Religious Pretences were grounded, and what they would come to. And though the Event fhcw'd, that the old Serpent, with all his Wifdom, was in this Particular out of his Calculation, and miftook his Man •, yet what he propofed was not without a reafonable Foundation, but proceeded up- on whcdC he had frequently obfervM^ that Profperity is apt to call a falfe Luftre on the Adions of Men, and even to hide many Faults and Imperfedions both from themfelves and others, which Adverfity feldoni fails to difcover.
And therefore, AfRiclions in Scripture are repre- fented by God's ff"K»j;)i*/wg- and pro-y/wg- Men, and trying their Hearts^ as Gold is trfd in the Furnace^ Frov. 1 7. 3 . Job makes ufe of the fame Allufion: Wken he hath trfd me^ I jljafl come forth as Gold^ Chap. 23. IC.
Our BlefFed Saviour, tho' he perfectly knew what was in Man, and what way he would take, yet as it was neceffary that thofe who embraced the Gofpel, fhould alfo know whether they aded upon fincere Motives j becaufe the Profefllon of it would expole them to fo many feveve Trials j for this Rcafon, I fay, he told them beforehand what they were to expecl. He did not go about to invite Men into his Service, by fpecious Pretences of advancing them, or tnking Care of their Interefts in this Life (the ufu- al Method of thofe who have ill Defigns, and would engage others in them) •, but he gave them plaii-ly to underftand, that whoever would be his Difciple, Jkould deny hlmfelfy and take tip his Crofi^ This, as i'c
gave
ao8 S E R M O N X.
gave a great Confirmation to the Truth of his Holy Religion, fo 'twas a proper Tefh to difcover whether his Followers were truly difpofed to adhere firmly to liim, or in time of Temptation to fall away, and' walk no more with him.
When the young Man, who came to enquire of him what he might do to" inherit Eternal Life, wa^' put tothis Teft •, tho' he had perform'd many good Duties, and difcover'd himfelftobea Perfonof very good Difpofitions:, yet then it appear'd, fomething was flill wanting to perfed the Sincerity of them. And upon this our Lord took occafion to obferve, how hard, or rather impoHible it was for a rich Man, without the fpecial Grace of God, to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven^ Mat. 19. 23, 24. that is, to take upon him the ProfelTion of the Chriftian Religion. For in this Senfe we are here, as is plain from the Context, to underftand the Kingdom of Heaven j as we are in thefe other Paflages I refer you to, Mat, 3. 2. 10.7. 13. II, 24,
To frofefs this holy Religion flncerely, there was not only requir'd the greatell Self denial and Humili- ty, as it denotes Poverty of Spirit, unknown Duties to rich Men in their natural State, and in Truth to a great Number of thofe who call themfelves Chrifti- ans: But when the Kingdom of Heaven was firft preach'd, it was a further neceflary Condition of en- tring into it, that Men fiionld be oblig'd to part with their Riches, to fieri fice their nearelland deareltln- terefts in this Life, if the Csufe or Interelts of Chri- itianity might be thereby advanced.
I know thefe Words may pionflybe af^lyd to fiiew, how apt Chriftians, who flow in Wealth and Plenty, are to be corrupted by them ; and ^o by Confequence to forfeit theirTitle to that blefled and glorious State, which the Scripture more commonly exprefies by the Kingdom of Heaven. And this iliould teach rich Men, conlidering the Temptations they are furround-
SERMON X. ao^
ed witlij to be the more Circumfpefl:, and keep a ftrider Guard upon themrelves. But let us not terri- fy and difmay them too much, by thundering out a Pafiage indiftindly againfb them, which at prefenc does not diredly affeft them, but only byway of a pious Condrudion. It being the original Defign of thefe Words, How hardly pall they that have Riches enter into the Kingdom of Heaven ? &c. to fliew, that in the Infancy of the Church, rich Men would with great Difficulty be brought to embrace Chriftianity ^ nay, that 'twould beimpofTible for them to doit, without thefpecial Grace of God, upon thofe hard Conditi- ons, as they then appear'd, of forfaking all to follow Chrift \ of parting with Houfes and Lands, and Wives and Children, yea, and Life it felf for his fake.
We are not now, thank God, expos'd to thefe le- vere Trials ^ yet there are few who love God, whom he does not one Time or other, or in one Degree or other, exercife with fome trying Afflidion. And the Sum of all is. That whether we are perfecuted for Righteoufnefs fake, or vifited with any other Cala- mity, to keep the Mind ered towards God under it,' and to be able to ferve him cheerfulr/, when he feema molt to abfent himfelf, and hide his Face from us, without giving way to impatient and defponding Thoughts ; why, this is at once the molt generous and Heroic Initance of our Chriftian Obedience, and the molt bright and comfortable Evidence that we are lincere in difcharging it.
'^thly and laflly, to raife our Thoughts to the Con- templation of a future and more perfcdt State of Hap- pinefs. For the Defire of Hnppinefs in all Men i9 invincible. 'Tis through a MIfapplication of this ve- ry Defire, that in truth Men render themfelves cver- laftingly miferable : For they fiiid fome fortofHap- plncfs, fach as it is, in gratifying their finful PalTions
V 0 L. II. P and
210 SERMON X.
and they feel a certain Pain and Uneafinefs in oppo-* fing them. Now as they would be happy, and al- ways adually happy, they blindly prefer the Plea- fures of Sin, which at the Inftant they are fenfibly mov'd and afFeded with, to the Expeftation of a fu- ture Happinefs, which feems to lie at a great Di- ftance, and which they have at prefent no fenfible Tafle of. For the fame Reafon, they chufe rather to avoid the prefent Pain of denying themfelves and their ungodly Lufts, than to take thofe ungrateful Methods as they appear, which Religion prefcribes them, of getting to Heaven, and fleeing/row the Wrath to come.
Nay, when the Terrors of the Lord, astheyfbme- times do,fet themfelves in Array againftthe Awaken- ed Confcience of very notorious Sinners, and make them with judas attempt to relieve themfelves, by putting a Period to their wretched and miferable Ciondition : This very Adion, which throws them headlong into the Flames of Hell, proceeds at the Bottom from the general Inclination they have to be happy, or however to be lefs unhappy. They fup- pofe probably, that the Soul in a feparate State may not feel thofe grievous and flinging Refledions, which ihe does at prefent •, but there is much greater Rea- fon to believe, on the other fide, That when the Soul is enlarged, and ads with her full Force out of the Body, (he will both fee her Mifery in a clearer Light, and feel it in a more powerful Manner.
An Inclination to be at Reft is common therefore to the beft and the worft of Men. And tho' we fome- times feekour Happinefs where it cannot be found, being amus'd and impos'd uponby.falfe Appearances of it, yet ftill we ad upon this general Principle, and cannot indeed do otherwife.
To prevent fuch dangerous Miftakes in good Men, whereby their Minds may be blinded with the Love of this prefent World, or they may be tempted to
think
SERMON X iii
think from an uninterrupted Profperity, that 'tisgood for them to be here, God is pleas'd by fome wholfome Chaftifement to imbitter the Enjoyments of Life to them, and fometimes by a long continued Series of ^ one Trouble upon another. This wife Method, in Proportion as it makes them more fenfible of the Va- nity of this deceitful World, raifes their Deflres, and carries their Views forward, towards that blefled and glorious State, which God has prepared for thofe that love him, and wherein alone they can find Reft to their Souls.
Ariflotle in his Ethlch rhakes it an Argument, why Men are defign'd to ad for fome End, becaufe their D^/i>fjcarry them towards it. For Nature, fays he, ivhich is here only to be confider'd as another Name for God, does nothing in vain. Had this Philolb- pher improv'd this Confideration, as he might have done, or follow'd it but a little further, 'twould have led him into a Proof and Convidion, upon his oWn principles, of a future State. For he could not haVe fuppofed, that God had given Men fuch ftrong, fucK invincible Defires and Inclination s to wards Ha ppinefs^ without putting them in fome Method and Capacity of attaining it •, which yet his own Experience plain- ly difcover'd to him, was not attainable in this Lifci It had then been a moft natural and eafy Confequenc^^ that there is another Life wherein it may be at- taint.
What t am obferving, is. That this Defire of a fu- ture Happinefs feldom operates, even in good Men^ with greater Force, than when they fenfibly feel^ that they are here in a painful and uneafy State; or , when they ferioufly reflect upon it, that this World is {o far from affording theni any folid or perfe£^ Hap- pinefs, that were it not for further and higher Expe- Nations, there would be nothing to reconcile them, I do not fay to the prefent Sufferings and Troubles, but to the very Enjcfy merits of Life- 5ut when weconli- iP* 2 der.
212 SERMON X.
der, that they arc not only in themfelves unfatisfa- ftory, but very uncertain and precarious •, that any bodily Diforder, or Inquietude of Mind from with- in, any crofs Accident or Difappointment Abroad, and fometimes even a cloudy Day is fufEcient to fpoil our Tafte of them : Such Confiderations have a natu- ral, and, one would think indeed, anecelTary Ten- dence, toraifetJur Thoughts up to that happy, that ever happy State, whereof the loweft Reprefentatioti that the Scripture give us, is. That a final Period will be put in it to all the Troubles and Miferies of this World : That God will then wife away all Tears from our Eyes^ and there Jliall be no more Death^ neither Sorrow nor Crying^ neither jhaJl there he any more Pain^ Rev. 21.4.
This is only a negative Defcription of the State of the Blefled ^ the Gofpel in other Places raifes our Ideas of it infinitely beyond an £p/c«rf<^w State of In- dolence. A Happinefs neither fuited to the Organs ' of the Body, nor the Powers of the Soul •, both which, as Plutarch very well obferves, in Confutati- on of that abfurd Notion of Epicurus^ are viiibly made and fitted /or Adion.
But the Gofpel, I fay, further reprefents that fu- ture Happinefs, for which we were originally made and defign'd, as abounding with all the Delights and Satisfadions proper to the feveral Faculties and Pow- ers of a glorify'd Soul, ading in a glorify'd Body. And tho"tis true, we have no perfed or adequate Idea of this glorious State, yet we know in general fo much of it, that 'tis the moftdefirable Objed of our Thoughts, and that the Sufferings of this frefent World are not worthy to he compard to it.
We know, in a word, but this Confideration never comes fo home to us as in the Day of Advcrfity, that we are here as in a State of Exile, and in a barren and dry Land, where no Water is •, this fhould, and certainly will, if we have any true Love for God, or
for
SERMON X. 113
for our felves, infpire us with fecret Defires and Im- patiencies to quench our Thirft at thofe Rivers of . Pleafure, which water the City of God, and flow at his Right Hand for evermore. The Sufferings of JDavid had this Effed too upon him : He vvifhes that he had the Wings of a Dove^ upon which he might flee away and he at refl^ Pf. 55. 6. And again. My Soul thirfleth for God, for the Living God, when pall I come and appear before God^ Pf. 42. 2.
Thefe are the genuine Effeds and Benefits of Af- fliftions, when thofe that love God are vifited with them. I proceed in the next Place to fhew,
Secondly, That God is pleas'd to further this natu- ral Tendency of them, by fpecial Ads of his Provi- dence and Grace.
I. Our Afflictions not fpringing out of the Duft, but coming from the Hand of God, and being wife- ly defign'd by him for fome good End to us, we may comfortably aflure our fekes, that he will wifely difpofe all Accidents and Events in fuch a manner, as may molt eff^ftually conduce to that End. »
We cannot indeed always fee the particular Rea- fons of God's providential Difpenfjtions tov;ards us, becaufe we do not know the Dependency which one thing has upon another, and what would follow up- on our being put under fuch C.ircum fiances. 'Tis from our Ignorance of this, that we often defire with the greateft Impatience, and think our felves happy in the Enjoyment of fuch Things, as in the Confe- quence draw a Train of many fad Calamities after, them. We think our felves at other times, very un- happy under fuch Difippointments, as terminate at laft vifibly to our Advantage.
For God who perfectly knows the Order of Cau- fes and Events, and fees what, all thtags conHder'd, and upon tlie whole Matter will be rea'ly good for us, is pleas'd to lay the Scheme of his Providence ac- cordingly 3 and fometimes to opea the Delign of it
P 3 i«
214 S E R M O N X.
in Co plain, but withal fo beautiful a Manner, as parti- cularly difcovers, that thofe very Things, which gave us the mofi: melanchoUy and difconfolate Apprehen- iions, were meant to us for Good.
The Providence of God, at other times, orders Matters fo, that in Proportion to the Greatnefs of our Affliction in one kind •, for the better Support of our Patience and Truft in him, he alleviates it with fome fpecial Bleffingor Advantage in another Kind. You are afflided with the Lofsof a Child, or which perhaps is more affliding to you, you never had any j but you have acquir'd a plentiful Eftate, and have thereby the Means, if you have but the Heart to im- prove them, of exerciiinga moreampleand diffufive Charity ^ of difperfing more liberally abroad, and gi- ving to the Poor, and doing Good on Occafions which are continually prefenting themfelves : An Advantage, which if you have not apply'd to thefq Ends for which God defign'd it, you are with all your Wealth as yet a Stranger to one of the greateft, one of the moft fenfible and generous Pleafures of Human Life. Or perhaps your Condition is the very Reverfe of this : You have Inclinations to good and beneficient Actions, but no Capacity •, a great Charge of Children, but little or nothing to fup- port them •, yet you would not want thefe Bleflings, or any of them \ and remember withal, 'tis a much greater Bleifing, that God has given you thofe good Inclinations, than if you had gain'd the whole World without them.
I might obferve the like Compenfations of Provi- dence, with refped to all the other Evils, Pefefts, or Misfortunes incident tons in this Life; but the fpecial Grace of God, as I am further to obferve, does alfo co-operate to render the Afflidions of good Men beneficial to them. For,
2. Whea
S E R M O N X. -15
2. When he appoints us to the Combat, he pro- portions his Afllftances to the Nature and Difficulties of the Service: He does not leave us to fight it out with our own Forces • as a famous Prince of our own is (aid to have declin'd relieving his Son, in one of the molt Glorious Adions this Nation can boall, that he might have the Honour of the Day wholly to himfelf. No, were this our Cafe, all the fine Say- ings of all the Philofophers put together, upon For- titude and Conftancy, would avail very little to fup- port us under our Sufferings. God therefore, who knows our Weaknefs and Frailty of our Nature, is al- ways pleas'd to fend his Staff with his Rod^ and to grant us fuch Strength and Protedion, as may fup- port us in all Dangers, and carry us through all Ad- rerfities.
Nay, when we confider the advantageous Things, fpoken in the Gofpel, of anafflided State, it feems as if God defign'd it for the proper Poll of Honour to thofe whom he more particularly favours, or would fet fome known Mark of Diftindion upon % and therefore when they are commanded to it, fo they do what is incumbent on them, nothing,_to be fure, will be wanting that is neceflary to their Re- lief or Support.
1 Ihall now proceed to make fome ufeful Inferences from what has been faid, and fo conclude.
And i/, If AfHidions have both in their own Na- ture a Tendency to promote our Good, and be de- fign'd by God to this End, then we have great Rea- fon to be patient and refign'd under them : As ia other Cafes, the Profped of any great and certain Advantage will make us chearfully undergo many Difficulties, and (J^enexpofe our felves to many vi- fible and imminent Dangers.
And I draw the Parallel from fuch Cafes, becaufe
as nodiing can be of greater Benefit tousthanwh^t
P 4 i«
2i6 S E R M O N X.
is fo defign'd for us by God, {b nothing is more cer- tain, than that the Means he employs are always adapted to the End he propofes.
What then, if as the Apoftle obferves, no Suffer- ing for the prefent be joyous, but grievous ? Yet fo long as we know in general, that all things will end v.'ell at laft, as they certainly will, if we do not ob- ftrud the Defign of them our felves •, then we mult grant, inftead of repining or being impatient under our AfBidions, we have much Reafon to be fatisfy'd with our Condition, and even to blefs God for it.
What again, if we are not able to find out the Work of God from the Beginning to the End ? What if his Ways are fometimes paft: finding out, and the particular Methods of hisafflidling us do notappear to us in all the Reafons of them ? Yet let us not give way to any anxious or dillruflful Thoughts of him, fo long as we are afTur'd, that he knows and wills what, all things confider'd, is really belt for us ^ and thlt, all his Ways are Mercy mid 'Truth tofuch (U keep his CoTjenam and hisTefiimon'ies^ Pfal. 119. 75.
When our Affairs lie in the Hands of any Perfon of known Ability and Affeftion to us, we promife our felves a good Account from his Condud and Ma- nagement, and leave the Meafnres upon which he proceeds to himfelf ^ yet the w'ifefl: of Men may be deceiv'd in their Meafures, and the moft faithful of our Friends, by one Accident br other, be unable to effeet what they defign for us : But God is wife in Heart and mighty in Strength. Nothing can elude his WifHom, or refilt his Will •, he perfedly compre- hends the Progrefs and Powers of fecond Caufes, and over-rules them to what Ends and Purpofes he pleafes.
So that we are not to be fnrpriz'd, if we be not able to penetrate into the Reafons of his Conduft towarr^« lis ^ \\ 1 e appear fometimes even to go about in the Executioii of his Deflgns, as he did in leading
-, • the
SERMON X. 1217
the Children of Ifrael thro' the Wildernefs, when there was a nearer and readier Padage to tiie Pro- mis'd Land : And had that People been left to their own Meafures, without Queftion they would have taken the dired Rout to it. But God had wife Rea- fons for his own Method: The Jnwbythe many fignal Dangers they were expos'd to, and the no lefs ilgnal Deliverances that were wrought for them in their way to the Land of Promife, and at laft by ta- lking PoiTcflion of it after having fuffer'd fo many Afflidlions for the Space of Forty Years-, by this means, 1 fay, they were poflefs'd with a more awful SenfeofGods Providence, which is the great Foun- dation of all Religion. A/(?/>jaccordingiy afhgns it as the Reafon why God fuffer'd them to go aftray fo long in the Wildernefs, and as the/y^/wZ/^exprenes it, out of the Wiiy^ namely, that he might humble them^ and that he might frove them^ to do them good at their latter End^ Pfal. 107.4. Deut. 8. 16.
2dly^ If God defign AfHIdlions for our good, then if we would not oppofe or fruftrate his Defign in them, vremufl endeavour to profit by them: For, like all other Means of Piety, they do not operate of themfelves to our Advantage, without our own Con- currence \ but as in the Red-Sea^ the Jews found their Deliverance and the Egyptians their Deftrudlion •, fo, according to our different Qiialitics or Difpofitions, they will have different Effefts upon us.
If we find, that they have put us upon examining more ftridly into the State of our Souls ; that our Pride or Vanity has been humbled by them ^ that they have made us more fcnffblc of our Dependance on God •, that they have difcover'd to us the Since- rity of our Love to God ^ or ^W they have been in- ftrumental in weaning our Affedions from x.\\isWorld^ and raifing them more to the Defire of Heaven and heavenly Things •, then we may comfortably hope,
that
2i§ S E R M O N X.
that the Defign of God has been effefted in them, and that we are fo much the wifer and better for them.
But if, on the other Hand, we do not experience in our felves thefe good Effefts from our Affliftions ; if neither our Vices are reform d, nor our Graces improv'd by them : Particularly, if we ftill continue in the Pradice of any Sin, or impenitent for it, which the Nature of our Sufferings more direftly points to: Ah! then in Head of our profiting by our Afflictions, they have only difcover'd our incorrigi- ble Temper, and prov'd the Occafion of provoking the Anger and Difpleafure of God fo much the more.
The Prophet reprefents thofe who are infenfibleof the Judgments of God, when his Hand is upon them , as at once the moft obflinate of Sinners, and the moft ignorant of the Methods of Divine Providence. Thus he expoftulates with God, con- cerning them, O Lord^ are not thine Eyes upon the Truth? Thau h^ji firicken them^ hut they have not grieved : Thou kafi confumed theniy but they have refused to receive Cor- re^iion ^ they have made their Faces harder than a Rock ; tkey have refused to return : Therefore^ J faid^ furely thefe mepor^ they are foolifh \, for they know not the Way t^f the Lard^ nav the Judgment of their God.
The CharacVer of Pharaoh was very agreeable to this Defcription : And therefore 'tis no \A^onder, if the Afflictions God fent upon him, occafion'd, by de- grees, his final Obdurancy. Some indeed have inter- preted thole Words, and God hardned Pharaoh^s Heart \ as if it were by a pofitive Aft of God's Will, that his Heart was hardned, and that this was the Intention cf God in affliding him •, which is to fay. That the Providence of God may be diredly, and defgnedty fubfervient to the Sins of Men -^ than which, no- thing can be faid more to the Difbonour of his Pro- vidence,
SERMON X. 2ip
vidence, or which tends more to make Men queflioa the Belief of it.
'Tis a far more pious and reafonable Interpretation of thefe Words;, to fay, That they are not to be under- stood of the De/ign of God in thofe dreadful Plagues, wherewith he vifited Pharaoh^ but of the accidental Effed they had upon him ', that is, God might, ia an improper Senfe, be faid to harden Pharaoh's Heart^i' as thofe Plagues were the Occafon of hardning it.
Our Saviour fpeaks after the fame Manner, when he fays, He came not to fend Peace vpon Earthy hut a Sword: 'Tis certain his real Defign and Intention was to promote Peace on Earth, Good-will towards Men; and not to fet them at Varience, by fowing the Seeds of Enmity andDivifion among them \ but only as he forefaw his Religion would occajionally produce thefe Effedts, he fpeaks after a Manner, as if he had really come to produce them himfelf.
But tho', out of regard to the Honour of God, and the Holinefs and Goodnefs eflential to him, we cannot fuppofe him defignedly hardning Sinners, by any afflifting Circumftances his Providence brings theni. under \ it concerns us however, in an afflifted State, to humble our felves under his mighty Hand, left inftead of reforming, by revolting more and more^ we prove the wretched Inftruments at laft of hard^ ning our felves.
^dly^ If Afflidions have fo proper a Tendence to promote our Spiritual Good, 'twill concern us by rea- fonable Afts of Mortification and Self-denial, fre- quently to afflid our felves. As the Wifdoim of God has, on many Occafions, prefcrib'd this Method in the Holy Scriptures, fo the beft and holicft of Men have, in all Ages, praftis'd it. St. Paul^ tho' he gives us fuch a large Catalogue of his Sufferings and Affli- dions, and Perils from without, i Cor. 1 1. 27- ^o
large
220 S E R M O N X.
large indeed, that we juflly wonder how he was able to bear and go thro' them all •, yet does not omit to mention among them the voluntary Pains and Re- ftVaints he laid upon himfelf. He tells in another Place, as if all the Difficulties and Dangers to which he was expos'd, had not been fufficicnt to keep his Bodily Appetites under a due Regulation, what Rules he pioully and ftridly obfervM to this End, I Cbr'. 9. 27.
The Reafon of affliding our fe Ives by fuch volun- tary Ads of Piety, appears from hence : That the Soul and the Body, in our prefent State, have very different Inclinations and Interefts •, they are conti- nually clafhing and fighting with one another •, the Body never moves nor fpeaks but for the Body •, that is, in order to gratify fome Appetite proper to it : And the Soul, which originally govern'd the Body with an abfolute Sway, and could at any time put a flop to its Motions, or filence it, rarely does any thing now without firit advifing with it ^ and not often without foUovving its Advice. The Primitive Order of Nature is in great Meafure inverted : And if the Bodily Appetites do not abfolutely reign, yet whenever they apprehend themfelves flirted or hard- ly urcd,they pretend at leaft a Right to refill;. Nay, their Infolence is fometimes fo great, that they treat Reafon with Difdain and Roughnefs, and exped Ihe iliould not only connive at, butjuftify their Irregu- larities- like a Regent Miniflrry, that has wholly en- grofs'd the Power, and makes ufe of the Prince's Name, to fign their unjuH Orders.
That we may reinitate Reafon in her Throne, that we may fee her again in the full Poflefllon of her Original and Juft Rights, 'tis necelfary that the Pa(fions fhould be mortify'd and difabled from ma- king the I'une rebellious Attempts for the future. To this End Vi/e muft: facrificc the Eody, to which they
owe
S E R M O N X. 121
owe their Force: We mufl; bind this Ilrong Man,and make him fenfible of the Violence and Difordcrs he has been guilty of-, we muft (hew him, if we can, that his Strength is, to fit Hill. There can be no other way of fettling or confirming Reafon in her New Empire ; 'tis not enough for her to advife, or remonftrate : No, the Paffions are grown heady, too heady for fuch mild and gently Ufage.
Thefe are the Reafons why we ought to mortify the Body, with the Affedionsand Lufl-s: But not to purfue them any further by Metaphorical Allufions, they are in general confirm'd by the greateft of Au- thorities. JefpuChrift-t whoperfeded his Bodily Sa- crifice at his Death, ofFer'd it up continually through- out the whole Courfe of his Life •, he begun it in his Cradle, and he never wholly intermitted it, till he expir'd on the Crofs ^ he was a Man of Sufferings^ and acqiuiinted with Griefs fays the Prophet very emphatically •, yet befides the Afflictions God was pleafed to lay upon him, in the ungrateful and in- jurious Treatment he met with from the World, he chofe fuch Circumftances in it as were afflicting of themfelves, and Arguments of a contlnu'd Self- denial.
But becaufe we are too tender and delicate of our lelves to follow his Example, or to offer any Vio- lence to our Bodily Appetites or Interefts ^ God gra- cioufly applies proper Means to mortify us to them, by the more fevere and affliding Difpenfations of his Providence.
4?/;/)/, If God means Afflidlons to us for Good^ under which I all along compiehend Difappoint- ments : Then there is no forming any certain Judg- ment of the Wifdom or Folly, of the Vertuous or Vicious State of Men, from all that goes before them.
Not
321 S E R M O N %.
Not of their Wifdom or Folly ^ becaufe Time an^ Chance, which happen to all^ are of fo great Force in order to the Succefs of our Defigns ^ that as the wifelt Meafures we can take many times contribute nothing to it ; fo the moft weak and foolifh are not always able to obftruQ: it.
I do not fay, that the weak Reafons of a Mdn's Condud never appear to us in his Difappointments for they often do •, but we muft fee at the fame time, very particularly, what Way he took, what Cir- cumftances he was in, and upon what Motives he aded. Without the Knowledge of thefe things, 'tis impoffible to judge certainly concerning any Perfon from the Event, whether he has governed himfelf by the Maxims of Prudence or not : For it fometimes happens, that a Man is obliged in Reafon and Juftice to do thole things, which appear to others the moft iinreafonable •, he muft: however adt irrationally on a Thoufand Occafions, who has a greater Regard to the Opinion of other Men, than to the fatisfying his own Mind,
We (hall ftill be lefs able to judge, from what be- fals Men in this World, concerning their Virtues or Impieties. If there be any true judgment to be made of Men, with refped to their Spiritual Con- dition, from their Circumftances of Life, we ought rather to judge inFavour of the Afflicted and Unhap- py : For there are feveral things fpoken very much to their Advantage in Scripture. Solomon addrefles himfelf to the Afflidled, as having a peculiar Intereft in the Paternal Care and Favour of God ; My Son, de/pife not the chajlnino- of the Lord, neither be weary of his Corre^ion \ for whom the hard loveth he correBeth^ even 06 a Father the Son in whom he del'ighteth^ Pro v. 3; It. St. Vaul cites this Paflage in his Epiflle to the Hebrews, and very fignificantly ftiles it an Exhorta- tion, which fpeaketh wno them, as unto Children. And
the
SERMON X. 225
the Reafon, whereby he proves it an Argument of God's Love, and of our Spiritual Adoption, is, That he chaftens us for our Profit^ to the End we may be
Partakers of his Holinefs^ Heb. 12. 5 10. St. Jamesy
in his General Epiftle to encourage Chriftians to bear their Sufferings paitently, refers them to the Prophets who have ffoken in the Name of the Lord^ for an Example of fvjfering A^iBion^ and of Patience. Be- hold^ fays he, in the next Words, he fpeaks it as a known and commonly receiv'd Maxim, we count them happy which endure ^ 'twere endlefs to cite all the Palfages and Examples of Scripture to this Purpofe.
Shall we fay then, that 'tis unhappy for Men not to be in one kind or other under unhappy Circum- llances? Or that they have great Reafon to que* ftion, whether God loves them, becaufe they are notvifitedby him with any fenfible Affliftion ? We do not abfolutely fay £0. There is a wide Diffe- rence bctwi\-t the State of Chriftians at prefent, and in the Infancy of the Church: 'Twasthen aftand- ing Rule, That whoever would live godly in Chrifi Jefus^ fhould fuffer Perfecution , but fince Chriftia- nity is become the Religion of Nations, and incor^ ■porated into our Laws and Liberties, we are not fo ordinarily expos'd, tho'fometimes weare, to Diffi- culties and Perils in the Difcharge of our Chriftiaa Duty. There are therefore a great many Paffages in the New Teftament relating to this, and indeed to many other Particulars, which are not to be promif^ cuoufly apply'd to all Chriftians in all fucceeding Ages ^ and the Mifapplication whereof, fomctimes occadons great Errors and Scruples in the Minds of Men.
Yet fo far our Sufferings are ftill an Argument of God's Paternal Love to us, as they tend to make us more Obedient to him : And fo far, no doubt, ' is
224 S E R M O N X.
is Profperity it fclf But it being known only to God which of thele Two States is real]y better for us, and more conducing to this End, we ought en- tirely to refign our felves to his Wifdom, and be- lieve that the belt v;hich he chufesforus, and even to receive it with Thankfulnefs : For what the Apo- ftle particularly advifes, with refped to an opulent or indigent Condition, is in the Reafon of it ap- plicable to every other State and Condition of Life. Let the Brother of Low Degree rejoice in that he is ex- alted^ hut the Rich in that he is made loWf James i. 9, lo.
Thefe are the Inferences which, I take it, natu- rally arife from the Method of God's dealing in fo fevere a Manner, as they are apt to think it, with thofe that love hirn : And I hope what has been faid may be of fome Ufe to teach us, what I chiefly propofed to recommend to you, an entire SubmifTion to the Will of God under the greateft Afflifiions he is pleafed to lay upon us. I know but one ill Ufe that can poflibly be made of the Ar- gument 1 have infifted fo particularly upon ^ and fhall beg leave, in a word or two more, to obvi- ate it.
As there is nothing more ingenious than a fordid and covetous Temper, in exculing what it has no mind to: It may perhaps be faid, that if Afflidions be both in their natural Tendence for our Good, and defign'd by God to this End, then by contributing to relieve People in an afflifted State, we feem at once to do them a very great Injury, and to oppole theDefignsofGod.
To which I anfwer, in the firft Place, That if there be any thing in this Objection, it proves too much ; and contrary to what is acknowledged by thofe very Perfons who make it. It follows from this way of arguing, that we ought not on any Oc-
calion
S E Pv M O N X. -25
canon to relieve PeiTons in Diftrefs ^ in particular^ that 'tis unlawful for us toadminifter Phylick to the Sick, or to procure the EaPe of our Friends in Pain, becaufe the infliding of Sicknefs and Pain being con- ilder'd as the ^c7- of God, and tending to the Exer- cife of their Patience and other Vertues ; to attempt the Cure of their Sicknefs, or the Removal of their Pain, is in effed, as the Objection fuppofes, to act contrary to both the Will of God and their own Good. Yet no Man thinks this a fufficient Reafon, why he fliould let his Friends or neareft Relations lie under fuch Circumftances, without making them any manner of help.
It may be faid, this is only an Argument ad Ho-- minem \ but does not feem to cledr the Difficulty pro- pofed, or to fatisfy us how it comes to pafs, that the Commands of God appear fo repugnant to the Defignsof his Providence. It is his Will, his effica- cious Will, that good Men Ihould be affiidcv' \ and yet 'tis his Command, That we fhould do what we are able, to comfort and fapport them under their Affliftions.
'Tis fufficient to fay in general. That the Com- mands of God are the Rule of our Obedience -, and that pretended Difficulties ( were there really any in what is here objefted ) are not to be admitted againft plain and indifpenfible Duties, But we are able,
2. To give a more particular and diflinCl: Anfwer to what is propofed •, by faying. That as God fends Afflictions on Men, fo he wifely proportions the Meafure and Degree, and Continuance of them to the End for which they are fent : And therefore ha- ving commanded us to communicate to tiie-Necefii-- ties of other Men, we are pioully to prelume, that in Proportion as we contribute to alleviite or remove
VOL. II. Q. their
iz6 SERMON X.
their Sufferings, 'tis his good Pleafure that they Jhould be alleviated or remov'd.
This Confideration, which has occafionally offerM it felf, is not without its proper Ufe j but further dif- covers to us God's tender Care and Concern for thofe he is pleafed to afflid •, feeing he has laid ib many powerful Engagements on all Chriftians, and made it indeed one Principal Telt of their Chriftia- nity, to (hew Mercy and Compaflion to the Afflifted, according to thofe Words of St. James^ wherewith I fhail conclude, Chap. i. 27.
Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father^
ii this^ to vijit the Fatherlefs and Widows in their -^ffii' ction^ and to keep himfelf unfitted from the World* Amen.
SER-
Il-J
SERMON XL
The true Notion of Pfcdcftination ftated.
ROM. VIII. 29, 30.
¥or whom he didforekmrv^ he alfo didpredefilnatsto be conformed to the Image of hii Son^ that he flight be the fir[t-born among many Brethren,
Moreover whom he did predejlinate^ them he alfo calPd ; and whom he calPd, them he alfo jujlify d ; and whom he jufif/d, them he alfoglortffd^
WE have, fay the Calvinifls, in thefe Words the golden Chiin of Predeftination •, that is, in their Senfe of Prcdeftination, the Eternal and Irre- fpeBive Decrees of God to fave a certain and fcledt Kumberof Perfons, without any previous Regard to their doing Good or Evil.
We fay on the other Hand, That the Predeftinati- on of good Men to eternal Life, is upon Forenght of what they will do ^ and that according to Ongen^ and all the Fathers before St. Aufimi the Decrees of God, concerning the Salvation of Men, arc not «>- reflective or abfolutc, but conditional ^ and prefuppo- fed Faith and Repentance in fuch as fhal! be favcd. And St. ^w/?/« himfelf, before he was engag'd in the
Q. 2 Heat
228 S E R M O N XI.
Heat of pifpnte with Pelagim^ and the Defire of Vi- dory inclin'd him to take up with other Principles, appears to have been of the fame Opinion.
This being^ the State of the Controverfy, aridng from thefe Words, 1 ihall difcourfe of them in the following Order.
ivV/, I Ihall fhew in what Senfe they may be pro- perly explained, and moft agreeably to the De- fign of the Apoftle.
Secondly^ I fhall fhew that the Senfe, which the CatviriiJJ-s put Upon them, is neither proper nor agreeable to the Apoftle's Defign, nor reafona- ble in it felf.
TljiyMy, I fhall conclude with fomeufeful Improve- ments from what has been faid.
F/V/?, I am to fhew, in what Senfe thefe Words may be properly explain'd, and moH agreeably to the Defign of the Apoflle.
That I call a proper Explication, which arifes from the natural Senfe and Order of the Words, without putting any Force upon them. And thus I take it, the following Paraphrafe of the Text will rife.
For whom he did foreknow ', thofe, whom God from all Eternity forefaw would be in time obedient to his heavenly Call (for they only are the Perfons defcrib'd in the former Verfe, who love him, and are calPd ac- cording to his Purpofe) Them he alfo fredej}inated ^ he de- termined, upon his Forefight of their Obedience, to be conform' d to the Image of his Son *, or that they fhould be like Jefus Clirifl in a State of Suffering •, to which God was pleafed to appoint him, that he might be the Firji-born atnong many Brethren : Or that by his frfi Suf- fering, he might leave them an Example^ that theyjhould follow his Steps, I Pet. 2 21. lu which Place, 'tis ob- fervable that the Apoftle, in a ftri^ Senfe, makes a State of Suffering one fpecial Evidence of our Chri-
ilian
SERMON XL 029
ftian Vocation. Or our Saviour might be flird the Firfl-born among his Brethren^ from the Merit and Dig- nity of his Sufferings, as the Apollle excellently ar- gues ^ For it became him^ from whom are all Things^ and by whom are all "Things^ in bringifig many Sons vritu Glory-, to make the Captain of their Salvation perfe^ through Sif- ferings. For both he that fanBifeth^ and they who are fan- ttifiedy are all one ^ for which Canfc he is not apam'd to call them Brethren, Heb. 2. 10, 11.
Moreover^ whom he did predeflinate^ them he alfo call'd. Thofe whom he thus defign'd to follow the Example ofChrifl:, he ^^W/y call'd to profefs the Dodlrine of the Crofs, and in Confequence thereof, to a State of Suffering. u4nd whom he called, them he alfo ji/Jliffed : Their Faith which fupported them with fo mnch Con- Itancy and Refolution under their Sufl~erings, was like that of u4braham's, reckon'd unto them for Righteouf- nefs ; or fuch at leaft as God highly approved : For fo to juftify in Scripture fometimes fignifies no more than to exprefs our Favour, or good Liking of any thing. 'Tis us'd in this Senfe by Job to his Friends, Chap. 27. 5. God forbid that I fliould ^uflify you. By So- lomon^ Prov. 17. 15. He that jufiifeih the Wicked^ and he that condemneth the jufl^ even they both are j^bomina- t ion to the Lord. And by our Saviour himfelf, Mat. 12. 47. By thy Words thou Jlialt be juflifyd., and by thy Words thoujlialt be condemn d. To be jiiftified can her? import no more than to be approv'd or applauded, in the Opinion of thofe very Perfons, whofe Principles 1 am oppodng. Arid whom he jufliiied^ them he alfo glo- rify^d^ or will glorify, for an Ennallage of Time, whereby that which is future is fpoken of as already efleded, will here bc.admitted on both Sides.
I know there has been another Senfc put upon theft Words ; Them he alfo glorified \ as if they were to be underitood ftridly with RefpeS: to the Time pad: And a Learned Divine, who has lately writ a very ufcful Difcourfe on the Five Articles, fcems to
Q^ 3 prefer
oqo S E R M O N XI.
prefer this way of interpreting them. He fuppofes God might properly be faid to have glorify'd thofe, ■whom he enabled by his Spirit to work the greateft Miracles^ he fupports this Interpretation by a great many appolite Texts of Scripture \ particularly by what Chrift fays to his Father concerning the Apo- ities, who were endow'd with this Power, I have given them the, Glory, which thou gavefi me^ John. 17. 22.
Yet tho' the Words confider'd in themfelves might very well bear this Senfe, there lies a material Obje- ftionagainft admitting of it here-, for they are de- fign'd as an Argument to fupport Chriftians ingeneralj under their Sufferings and Perfecutions. Except therefore all thofe whofuffer'd for the Faith oichrifl^ had thhghriom Power of working Miracles *, which will not, I fuppole be pretended •, then there will be no due Order or Connexion of the Words of the Text. The former Part of it will relate univerfally to perfecuted Chriftians •, the latter Part, without any vifible Reafon for fuch a Difcrimination, only to a particular and feleft Number of them : \A^hich would render the Apoftle's Argument in the laft, and molt important Branch of it, concerning a State of Glory, of no Force to the greateft Number of Chri- ftians, who were under Perfecution then •, nor to any Chriftian, that we know ^f, in the World at this time.
And yet it is acknowledg'd, That the whole Pmpofe of this Chapter is comfort Chriflians^ ( Chriftians I take it in general, and not thofe of them only who wrought Miracles) a^ainfl the Sufferings they were expo fed to in this World. Which that Learned Author, towhofe La- bours the Publick is fo much indebted, obferves very juftly from feveral PafTages in this Chapter ^ and which indeed is fufncienrly obvious to any one, that impartially conHders the main and general Scope of it. Whithfs Difcourfey &C. P. <^5.
Let
S E R M O N XI. -31
Let us now put the feveral Parts of this Explicati- on of my Text, as it has Relation to the Context, to- gether ; and let us fuppofe the Apoftle addrefling himfelf to the Romans in thefeor the like Words :
" 'Tisthe Will of God, that thofe who love him,' " and are obedient to his heavenly Call, fhould un- " dergo many Afflidions and Perfecutions in this *' World ; tor whom he foreknew thus qualify'd for a " State of Suffering, he wifely made Choice of, as " the fitteft Perfons to follow the Example of Jefus " Chrift *, who was made perfeft through Suff^ering : " To this End, he adually, and in his due time, call'd " them to fuffer ; and they behaving themfelves un- " der their Sufferings as became them, he was pleas'd " to look upon them as righteous Perfons, or at lealt ^' highly to approve the Labours of their Love, and *' will one Day crown their Patience and Fidelity f' with Glory unfpeakable.
As this Interpretation, it mult be confefs'd, is plainly agreeable to the A poftle's principal Defign in thefe Words -^ fo it feems to arife very naturally, and without any violent or forc'd Conftrudion, out of them.
I proceed to fnew, in the next Place,
Secondly^ That the other Interpretation, in Favour of God's abfolute and irrefpedive Decrees, is neither proper nor agreeable to the Apollle's Delign ^ nor reafonable in it felf.
i/. It is not proper or natural •, becaufe t fuppo- fes that God Almighty has eternally decreed a c:rtain and felect Number of Perfons to Salvation, without any Confideration of what they would do ; or of the good or ill Ufe they might make of their Liberty ^ whereas the very Order of the Words fuppofes the contrary •, That God's predeft:inating Men to be fiv'd, is founded in his Foreknowledge of their complying
Q. 4 with
-jc SERMON XI.
with the Means of Salvation. For whom he did fore- knoiVj he did alfo predefiinate.
We conclude therefore from the Words, That the Foreknowledge of God, concerning our Faith and Obedience, whereby we may be qualified for fieaven and liappinefs, is prior to his predeftinating of us to Life. The Cdvinifls. on the other Hand will have it^ That God predeftinates Men to Life, before he knows or enquires how they will behave themfelves : And that he firft decrees them worthy to enter into Life, and thenrefolves upon the Means how tomake them fo.
Whether of thefe Interpretations be more reafona- ble in it felf, will appear afterwards. What I am to obferve at prefent is, that the latter of them, accord- ing to the natural Order of the Words, is not only improper, but prcpofierons.
1. Neither if this Senfe of the Words could be ad- mitted, is it agreeable to theDefign or Scope of the Apoftle in them; which, as we-haveobferv'd, is to comfort and fupportChriftians in general, under their Sufferings. But admitting the Calvimfiical Hypothe- fis to be true, that there are few in comparifon of thole who profefs Chriftianity, that are predeftinated to Life, the Argument of St. Paul in thefe Words to the Romans^ in order to infpire them with Conftancy and Refolution under their Sufferings, would run to this EfFed:
"• Thofe whom God forelmvp , according to his " eternal Decrees, to be the chofen Veilels of his *' Mercy, he thinks fit to exercife with many grie- " vous Troubles and AfRiftionsin this Life : But this " Confideration is fuiFicient to make you more than " Conquerors, and raife you above the grcatefb of '^ them, that they will terminate at lafl in your Jufli- *''■ ficatio-n^ and a glorious Immortality. But to pre- " vent your being deceiv'd, I mull: tell you withal, *' that 'tis but here and there one of you, fufler what
*' you
SERMON XL 253
'* you will, or do what yon can, that has any Inte- " reft: in thefe Decrees : As to the reft: of you, you *' muft: bear the Sufferings God is pleafed to lay on " you, as well as you can. You are in another Decree, *' or to fpeak more foftly, tho' it comes all to one '' thing, perhaps in no Decree, but a perfeft State of *' Preterition : What I have therefore faid, docs not " appertain to fuch Perfons j they are equally exclu- " ded the Afeans of Grace, and the Ho^e of Glory.
This way of arguing, 'tis granted, might have had fome Encouragement in it to thofe, who were of a Sanguine Temper, and could more eaHly perfuade themfelves of their Interefi: in the eternal Favour of God •, yet for others who were more modeft: and dif- fident of their fpiritual State, fuch a Declaration, in- fteadof adminifiring Comfort to them, would tend rather to fill their Minds with anxious and defponding Thoughts •, left; by profefljng Chriftianity they fhould render themfelves of all Men mofi: mlferahle in this Life^ and ftill be no nearer the Happinefs of the next.
To this it can be only reply'd. That all Men, what- ever the fecret Decrees of God may be towards them in particular, ought notwithftanding to believe, that they have an Interefl: in the general Promifes held forth to them in his revealed Will. But infl:ead of anfweringone Difficulty, this confounds us with an- other •, it fuppofes. That a Man may be under an Obligation to believe a /.<> ; nay, that Godhimfdf, the God of Truth, has ohligd the Generality of Chrifti- ans to make wrong Judgments. But,
idly^ The Dodrine of God's abfolute and irrefpc- d:ive Decrees is not reafonable in it felf.. And,
I. Becaufe 'tis inconfiftcnt with the Wifdom of God. It reprefents him as predeftinatiiig Men, with- out any Confideration of their Faith and Obedience, to eternal Life, and then making Faith and Obedi- ence
234 SERMON XL
ehce the Conditions of attaining it; and without ■which, notwithftanding his Decree, it cannot poffi- bly be attain'd. As if you were to fettle an Eftate by an abfolute irrevocable Deed of Gift on any Perfon^ and afterwards declare to him. That tho' you have fo fettled it, yet except he behave himfelf very well, he mull never exped to be the better for it.
But God does not only tell Men, That except they believe and repent, they (hall certainly perilh, whate- ver Decrees he has made in their Favour •, but he ex- horts, he invites, he perfuades them to lay hold on. eternal Life. He is pafllonately concern'd, left they fhould negled fo great Salvation. But to what wif^ or reafonable End? If he knows it impoffible for them after all to mifcarry, and efpecially, if by any pro- per Evidences of their Converiion, they have arriv'4 to know as much themfelves. . Let us fiippofe any Perfon who has the Reputation ofWifdom, ading in a like manner, with Refpect to his Child, his Friend, or his Servant*, andletii_s; fee, how fuch a Condud will anfwer hisCharader ; pr whether, in cafe any of them were ill inclin'd, it niight be a probable Method of fecuring their Fide- lity and Obfcrvance. And therefore we fay,
2. That this Dodrine which fuppofes God prede- ftinating Men abfolutely to Life, and then fetting be- fore them Life and Death, and putting it to their own Choice, whether they will prefer ; befides, that it b©ars hard on the \A^ifdom of God, and looks like ConufiOPM it tends to make Mencarelefs and remifs in their Duty. For the great Spring of Induftry is the Profped of feme Advantage ; but where Men are aifur'd before-hand, that the Advantage they propole to themfelves, is either infallibly fecur'd to them ; or after all their Endeavours impoffible to be attain'd, they will be apt to grow very cold and remifs in what they do towards the attaining of it.
I know
SERMON XI. 235
I know fome Solutions, fuch as they are, have been ofTer'dto this ^ but 1 dare appeal to the Judgment of the very Perfons,, by whom they are offer d, whether it be not natural for thofe, who believe theDoclrine of God's abfolute Decrees, to argue after this man- ner : If I am in the Decree of Election, I fliall cer- tainly be faved *, and therefore tho' 1 gratify fome prefent criminal Inclination, or defer my Repentance a while longer, yet this need not give me any great Pain-, fo long as all's fafe at the Bottom, and I am ajfur d of becoming a Penitent one time or other, and getting to Heaven at lafi. But,
1. 'Tisfaid, that where God determines the End, he always directs the Means, and that by an efficaci- ous Will. But this, we fay again, leaves the Objedion juft where it was. For if the Means God propofes in order to the End he defigns, operate injalUhlyy they cannot be frultrated, whether we endeavour to co- operate with them or not ^ but if they do not operate infallibly, the Dodrine of abfolute Predeftination can be no longer tenable ^ for there can beno certain and abfolute Decree of an uncertain Event.
2. 'Tis faid further. That when Men apprehend themfelves to be the chofen Veffels of God's Grace and Mercy, a mere Senfe of Gratitude will fecure their Obedience. And we grant, This is a very ho- nourable, and to ingenuous Minds, a very powerful Motive to Religion : Yet the Wifdom of God has not thought it fufficient of it felf to engage us to our Du- ty •, and therefore we are exhorted to be zealous and diligent in our Chriflian Calling, both from the Hope of Reward, and the Fear of Punifhment. We de- ilre, fays the Apoftle to the Hebrews^ Chap.6. i i,t 2. ^hat every one of you do Jljsrv the fame DHlgetice^ to the full j4ffurance of Hope unto the End^ that ye be not flothfvf but followers of them.^ who through Faith and Patience inherit
the
25^
SERMON XI.
theProwtfes: And therefore he profefTes concerning himfelf, Phil. l. l6. he had not run in vain-, neither U' hotired in vain^ in Hopes that he might rejoice in the Day of Chrift. He afTigns it in another Place as the Reafon, but it could have been no juft Reafon, if he was already infallibly fecur'd of his Salvation, that he kept his Body in Subjedion, left that by any means when he had preach'd to others, he himfelf fhould he a cafl-away^ i Cor. 9. 27. We muft either here fuppofe the Apoftle reafoning and afting upon an ;w- foffible Suppofition \ or conclude, that he was a Stran- ger to the Dodrine of God's abfolute and eternal De- crees. But what I cited all thefe Paflages for, is to ihew, That the principal Motives to a vigorous Obe- dience, in Scripture are taken from the Sandion of future Rewards and Punilhments ^ and that could Men once perfuade themfelves that their Condition, as to thefe two different States, has been from Eterni- ty abfolutely fix'd and determin'd, the Force of thefe Motives would be very much leiTen'd and impair'd.
3. 'Tis faid, That all wife Perfons will, tho' they are alfur'd God's Decree of faving his Eleft cannot be frultrated, yet for their own Comfort and Satisfa- ction endeavour to evidence their particular Calling and Eledion, by a faithful Difchargeof their Duty : And we grant it very reafonable, that Men fhould endeavour to fatisfy themfelves concerning their eternal Condition, what fide of the Queflion foever they take •, but we fay, that Men, under the Power of any Vicious Inclination or Habit, do not always confult the Peace of their own Minds, as they are fen- fihle they ought to do •, and that thofe who believe their Condition is already fix'd by an eternal and un- alterable Decree of God, will of the two be the lefs concern'd to evidence their Hopes of Heaven by a Holy Life^ than thofe who believe, that the Promi-" fss of jSod concerning a future State of Glory are / con-.
S E R M O N XL 237
conditional ; and that they have nothing to depend upon but their own Endeavours, in Concurrence with the Grace of God, to worlc out their own Sal- vation.
For in the former Cafe, if Men be tempted to commit, or are confcious of any notorious Crime, they may comfort themfelves at leaft with thefe or the like Confiderations, which flow naturally from their Principles ; That God fees no Iniquity or Per^ verfenefs in his Chofen ; That in them the greateffc Sins do not deftroy a State of Grace , or perhaps. That their Day of Grace is not yet come, but that when it does come, as it certainly will, if they be ia the Decree of Eled^ion, it will bring them to Re- pentance •, and all the happy Confequences of their Repentance, the Pardon of their Sins, their San^ifca- tiofiy and the Salvation of their Souls will unavoidably follow.
But in the latter Cafe, where our Title to Hea- ven is fufpended upon our living in a linful or impe- nitent State, tho' a Man may pofllbly indeed deceive himfelf, and Sin on with the Hopes of an after- Re- pentance-, yet he cannot flatter himfelf, upon any poflible Suppofition, with an ahfolute Afliirance of it.
As they are therefore the dangerous Shifts and Evafions, whereby Sinners impofe upon themfelves in this Article of delaying their Repentance, which betray them intomoft or all the Sins they are guilty of ^ the more, we fay, any Doftrine encourages fuch Delays, the more it favours Vice and Corruption. Now whether of thefe Dodrines tend more to the Encouragement of procraftinating Sinners, is, I think, fufficiently plain from the Reafon I have mentioii'd, as well as from many others ; which 'tis not further neccflary for me to mention.
3. This Doftrine of abfolute Predellinatlon is con- trary to the natural and proper Notion wc have of a
Reward j
238 SERMON XI.
Reward ; which always prefuppofes fomething to be done, in Confideration of whichitispromifed: Ac- cordingly the Scriptures reprefent our future Happi- iiefs in feveral Places, and in diredt Terms, as the Reward of our prefent Obedience, Heb. t o. 3 5. 1 1.26. Rev.li> 12. But with what Propriety can that be call'd a Reward of our Obedience, which God has abfolutely determin'd for us, without any manner of Regard to our Obedience •, or fo much as confidering ( for fo this Doftrine fuppofes ) whether we would obey him, or not ?
\A^ould you call the abfolute Promife of a Favour, which from a pure Motive of Generolity, you make to any Perfon whom you never faw or heard of be- fore, and who never was in any way of ferving you, the Reward of his former Services to you ? Such a Promife may indeed be a means of engaging him more faithfully in your Interefts for the future •, but to tell him you m.ake it freely, and upon no fuch View, and yet that he muft either ferve you in fuch a Manner, or exped no Benefit of it, becaufe he is not to confi- der it as a free Gift, but a Reward, is in my Appre- henfion to talk altogether unintelligibly.
Either therefore we muft fay, that the Rewards of Heaven are promis'd and afTur'd to us conditionally, and then the Dodrine of God's abfolute Decrees is given up ; or elfe we muft fay, that the Scriptures, in calling them Rewards, fpeak contrary to the com- mon Senfe and Notions of Mankind ^ and then in- deed, there can be fo far no arguing from them, ei- ther for or againft fuch Decrees.
But the Nature of a Reward, according to our Notion of it, does not only require fomething to be done, but to be done freely, and without Conftraint ; for nothing, properly fpeaking, but free Agents, are capable of being rewarded ^ there cannot, 1 con- ceive, be a more evident Truth. Let us examine a little the Dodrine of abfolute fredeftination by it.
God
SERMON XL 239
God then is rejirefented by an irreveiTible Decree^ determining free Agents, who may make a good, or ill Ufe of their Liberty to a State of Happinefs, as a Reward of their Obedience. This, we fay, im- plies a direft Repugnancy, not to fay Contradidion, in the Nature of the Thing •, for here is a fix'd and vnfruflrahle Reward fecur'd to thofe, who, after all, may or may not comply with the Means, which are neceflary to qualify them for it; and which, at the fame time, confider'd as a Reward, necejfarily infers fuch a Liberty in them ^ or in other Words, what in the very Reafon of the thing fuppofes the Freedom of our Choice, cannot, we think, be infallibly made over to us, till it be known how we v;ill determine our Choice.
But we are told, that this is not Matter of a real but pretended Inconfiftency ; becaufe God will effe- ftually and infallibly operate in us the Condition, if it may be call'd fo, which is pre-requir'd to entitle us to the Promife.
Yet this again is anfwering an Objedion in diffe- rent Terms, with the very thing objefted againft ; For that, we fay, can no more properly be call'd a Reward, in order to which our Choice is over-rul'd. in what we do, than that which is promifed us with- out Confideration of our doing any thing at all. See- ing if God operate in his Eleft by a conftraining in- vincible Grace, the Faith and good Works he re- wards in them, are not properly, no nor in any Senfe upon the Principles of thofe I am arguing againflr, to be afcrib'd to the Eledt, but wholly and abfolutely to God.
For fo they reprefent us, as wholly paflive in the feveral Inftances of our Duty ^ and to magnify the Power of God's Grace, deftroy the proper Ufe and Freedom of thofe Faculties he has given us. Thu? they infer from thofe Metaphorical Expreffions in Scripture, wherein our Convevfion is reprefented by
a Re-
zA,o S E R M O N XL
a RefuneHion^ a Creation^ a New Bit^h^ a putting off the Old Man and putting on the New \ that we can no more contribute to the good Works we do, than No- thing did towards the Creation of the World, or a dead Man can do towards his being raifed to Life again.
My Bufinefs is not to fhew, that notwithftanding thefe Figurative Allufions, which are ill apply'd, we are ftill at Liberty to comply with or refift the Mo- tions of God's Grace : All 1 would obferve at prefenc •is, that this Way of arguing, were it really juft, ne-- cefTarily fuppofing that we are wholly paffive in all the Liftances of our Obedience -, except we are ca- pable of being rewarded for doing nothings there caa be nothing promifed us in the Gofpel properly call'd a Reward.
The Sum of what I havefaidis, That if God have made any abfolute Decrees concerning the Salvation of a particular Number of Perfons, he has, by virtue thereof, oblig'd himfelf to execute the Orders of his Will, contrary to the Original Order and Frame of Human Nature^ which he has made free-, and to the very Nature of Rewai-ils, as well as Punifhments, which fnppofes it free : Not to add, that the tender Expoftulations of God in Scripture with Sinners, can have no intelligible Account given of them, if a Freedom of Will in Man to chufe the Evil, and refufe the Good, be not admitted.
What I here afTert concerning the Nature and Rea- fons of Rewards in general, is exaftly agreeable to the Sentiments of Gregory Nyjfen in his greater Cate- chifm *, in Anfwer to the Objeftion, why does not God give Repentance to all Men, feeing nothing can refifl: his Will ? He fays, that God may indeed for- cibly over-rule or compel inanimate infenfible Crea- tures, to ferve the Defigns of his Providence. But were rational Creatures, who are endued with a Liberty of Choice, not to follow the Motions of their
own
SERMON XI. ^41
own Will, but to be w i'lolly determin'd ia what they do, by an over-powering Grace -^ this would deftroy their Liberty, and by Confequcnce the Praife ori^e- ward of what they do well.
We are therefore to underftand this Father, as fpeaking of rational Creatures in a State of Trial and Probation •, for we do not fuppofe 'tis abfolutely ef- fentUl to Man, but only in his prefent Condition, that he fhould have a Power of chufing Good or Evil ia- differently. God hirnfeli^has not this wretched Li- berty ^ the Holy Angels, and the Spiritsof juft Men made perfedl, we pioufly prefume, have it not ; but the ReafoD, we fay, is, becaufe they are no longer in a State of Trial, they have receiv'd their Reward, and are not now under Circumftances of Temptati- on : There is nO arguing then from their Cafe, to that of Meh, who are yet to give Proof of their Obe- dience, and work out their own Salvation, and have no further Title to it, than they acquit thenifelves faithfully, and come off with Viftory, inthefeveral Trials and Temptations they are expos'd to.
We mufl fay therefore, either that Man is not at prefent in a State of Trial •, or if he be, we mufl: ne- cefiarily fuppofe him capable of performing or neg- kding his Duty : For there cannot be a greater In- confiltency, or any thing we are lefs capable to ap- prehend, than that God fhoUld make Trial of the Obedience of thofe Men, whom his Grace con fl:rains to Obedience, by a Power, which 'tis impoffible for them to refill.
Thofe on the other fide are Ca fenfible of this, that in effect they deny Man is here in a State of Proba- tion •, and tell us, that the Commands of God in. Scripture to his Ele£t, are only to be coafider'd as fo many Promifcsto them, whereby he engages hinifeit to perform v/hat he commands for them : So that when he fays, Do this and thou fidt Uve^ the Meaning is, thou (halt live whether thou wilt do it oT not ;
VOL. II. R for
-42 SERMON XL
for what I command thee, is not to make Trial of thy Choice, but only to fliew the Power of my Grace in over-ruling it. If fuch a Latitude as this, in inter- preting Scripture, may bt- admitted, and there be no manner of Difference between a Command and a Promife ^ there is an End of our reafoning, if we would reafon from common Kotions, upon the Senfe of Divine Revelation.
1 have endeavour'd, upon all thefe Confiderations, to* (hew that this DoQrine of abfolute Predeftination to Life is without any good or reafonable Grounds: But I Ihall now proceed to fhew,
^thly, T\ut as it is commonly explained, 'tis not only unreafonable, but altogether intolerable. I mean, as it is explained to have an immediate and neceflary Connexion with the Dodrine of abfolute Reprobation : For if God have, by a fix'd and un- changeable Decree, predeftinated a certain determi- nate Number of Perfons to Life, then 'tis concluded, that all thofe who are not in that Decree, muft ne- ceflarily fall Ihort of Life: And there being no mid- dle State between Heaven and Hell, mult for the fame Reafon unavoidably and of Courfe be damn'd. This, 1 fay, is what I am going to confider as a com- monly receiv'd, tho' I grant it, as I fhall have pcca- fion to obferve afterwards, not to be a neceflary Con- fequence : And indeed were it not for the Depen- dency, one of thefe Doftrines is fuppofed to have upon the other, that of abfolute Predeltination to Life might be much better tolerated •, for how con- trary foever it' may appear to the Wifdom of God, the Defign of the Gofpel in laying the moll; power- ful Obligations upon Men to Obedience, and to the Sanftion of Rewards, or the Nature of a probationary State •, Yet God's Goodnefs and Juftice feem ftill to be fafe, and in great Meafure his Holinefs v nay, his preventing Men from falling into Sin by an irreiifti-
ble
SERMON XI'. 245
ble Power of his Grace, appears fo far rather to mag- nify, and do Honour to this Attribute. Neither caa it be contrary to his Goodaefs to defign Men to an eter- nal State of Happinefs, and to prepare them by pro- per Methods for it-, nor to \\\%'jufiice to maice them happy, whether they will comply with the Terms of Salvation or not :, becaufc they arc fuch, as he had an unqueftionable Right to command.
But this Doftrine on the left Hand, which falls under our prcfent Confideration, belides that moft, brail the Reafons I have already mention'd indiffe- rently hold good againfl: it, is direftly contrary to all thele Attributes of God'5 Holinefs, Goodnefsand Juflice.
With refpcd to the Supralapfarians, t\\Qvc needs no- thing more to be done, in order to evince this, than to fet their Principles before you in a true Light.
They argue then, that the Glory of God being the ultimate End of all his Adions, and he confidering it would conduce very much to his Glory, that his Juftice fliould difplay it felf in the Dellrudion of Sin- ners, defign'd before he created Mankind, that a cer- tain Number,, the far greater Number of them, Ihould be condemn'd for their Sins to a State of Eternal Mifery and Torment. This abfolute Decree being pafs'd, the next Thing to be conlider'd, was the Means whereby it might be effeded : And to the End it fhould not be fruftrated, Adam^ who (hould fuftain the Perfon of all Mankind, was to be created, and a Law given him*, which by an illUfe of his Liberty he fhould be effedually permitted, or rather accor- ding to this Doftrine determin'd, to tranfgrefs : And all his Pofterity being involvM in the Guiir of his Tranfgrefilon, a Way was made for the' fare Exe- cution of God's Defign, in making his avenging ju- Itice triumph eternally over them *, fome f:w ofthcni excepted, whom for the Glory of his Mercy, he was
R 2 pleased
-44 S E R M O N XL
pleasM to relque out of this dfeadful and miferabic Condition.
Upon this Scheme, God is reprefented as decree- ing Men to fuffer endlefs and unfpeakable Torments, before they were created ; and, as it were, laying a form'd Delign, in order to circumvent and enfnare them, that his Decree might operate., and certainly have its Effeft.
I am fenfible how difficult ic is, to reprefent Do- ftrines which are fo injurious to the Honour of God, in Terms worthy of him *, or of that profound Reve- rence we owe to his Divine Majefty. Yet fuch Do- drines mu(t either be faithfully reprefented, or in vain we endeavour to expofethem; and there is no way of reprefenting them faithfully, but in fuch Terms as thofe that efpoufe them muft be fuppos'd to ufe, were they to fpeak out and difcover their real Sentiments.
'Tis to be hoped therefore, a good and merciful God will pardon the Effeds of a particular Zeal for his Goodnefs and Mercy^ if the Manner wherein we are oblig'd to fpeak of him in the prefent Argument (if we will fpeak to it all) be not fo Exaft and Expref- llve of our awful Regard and Veneration for him, as might be wifh'd. Yet left I Ihould exceed the Mea- fures of them too far, I Ihall only add as to the Sufra- lapfarians, that their Theory of God's Decree is equally repugnant to the common Notiom of Mankind ^ for he mult be of a ftrange Make, who has not a more (grateful Idea of Mercy than Juftice, efpecially of vindidive juftice : And t<7 the current Teftimonies of Holy Writ, wherein God Almighty delights to exalt his Attributes of Mercy and Goodnefs, wherein he declares hi mfelf^^«»<^/««r in them, Exod. 34. 6. and calls avenging juftice his firange Work^ Ifa. 28.21. So that had there really been a Competition between Mercy and juftice, in drawing up his fuppos*d De- crees, we have great Reafon to conclude, that an
equal
S E R M O N XI. :i45
equal Number, at lea ft, if not a vaft Majority of Mankind, would have been brought over to the Side of Mercy.
The Sublaffarians looking upon this Dodrine as a little too harfh, which reprefents God as creating Man with a form'd Defign of making him fall a Sa- crifice to his Juftice, have endeavour'd to fofren it, by fuppoflng Man in his lap''d State the Objedt of God's abfoliite Decrees •, and upon this Scheme they athink there can be no Imputation, either on his Holinefs, his Goodnefs, or his Juftice. Not on his JHoUnefs^ becaufe Man being now confider'd as a Sinner, and fallen from a State of Grace, God is not oblig'd to reftore him by an irrefiftible Power of his Grace- Not on his Goodnefs^ becaufe A6:s of Mer- cy are free ^ and 'twas more than fufficient, for the Vindication of this Attribute, that God out of his good Pleafure favd £o many out of the corrupt Mafs. Nor laftly, to his Jvftice •, becaufe Sin may be juftly punifli'd.
This being the more plaufiblc Opinion of the two, tho' in Effed: they come both to one thing •, I fliall, in Coijfutation of it, and in Anfwer to what is here faid, (hew,
I. 'Tis contrary to the Holinefs of God. There is nothing in Scripture reprefented more odious to God than Sin, or to fpeak ftrictly, there is nothing but Sin really odious to him ; yet according to the Dodrine ofabfolute Reprobation, or if you pleafe, to call it by the more gentle Name of Preterition^ the greateft Part of Mankind are fallen into a State, not, as will appear afterwards, originally by their own Fault, wherein they are under a Neceffity of Sinning ; for God has decreed to deny them the necen>iry Akis pf his Grace to reftrain them from Sin :, and without which they can do nothing but what is Evil and Of- ^nlive to him. How can we reconcile this with the
R 3 Purity
1^6-
SERMON XI.
Purity and Perfedions of the Divine Nature •, or with what God has declared of himfelfin hisreveal'd Will, that he is a Lover of Righteoufnefs, and a Ha- ter of Iniquity \ That the Sins of Men are an Abo- mination to him \ That he abhors them ; That he con not away with them •, That he is not able to bear them ? But efpecially how can we account for the Conduft of God towards Chriftians, whom he has by an exprefs Law call'd not to VncUannefs^ hut unto Holi- vefs; if after all, he has determin'd to leave the grea-fc* ter Number of them, without thofe Means of Grace, which are abfolutely neceflary to fandtify and make them holy •, and who notwithftanding partake of thofe Ordinances, which are inftituted as the Means of Holinefs, and are oblig'd to communicate in them ? May we not juftly fay, That fuch Inftitutions, if they be not intended for Perfbns worthy of them, as no Reprobate, to whom the Grace of God is not dif- penfed, can be, have inltead of promoting Holinefs, a dired and vifible Tendence to encourage Profana- tion ? Why then, for Inftance, are Reprobates indif- ferently exhorted to hear the Word of God ^ to pray to him for his Grace •, to prepare themfelves for the Reception of the Holy Sacraments? But above all, why are Infants promifcuoufly admitted to the Sacra- ment of Baptifm v^fince the Baptifmal Efficacy cannot be imparted to fuch of them, as are in the Decree of Preterition •^ for they too, poor Innocents, are many of them fuppofed to be included in it ? And yet this Suppolition makes Baptifm, which the Apoftle ftiles in general the Lover of Regeneration^ not an Inftituti- on, vyith Refped to thern^ worthy of the Wifdom or Holinefs of God, but only a more pompous and £0- lemn Piece of Pageantry. And this probably may be oneReafon, why the AnabaptiRs, who are generally Cdvini(lical in this point, do not admit Infants to Baptifm \ and they are fo far, I humbly coriceive, not without Realbn.
We
S E R M O N XI. 247
We grant what was faid, That the Holinefs of God does not require he ihoiild convert Sinners by an Irre- iiftible Power of Grace, becaufe the Adion of God miifl; always bear the Charader of his Attributes \ he has made Man free, and it does not become his Wif- dom to deftroy his own Work, which the Exercife of fuch a Power upon Man in this State of Trial would do. Now the Attributes of God do not interfere one with another \ as all the Afts of his Holinefs are wife, foall the Acls of his Wifdom are holy.
As for this Rcafon God does not convert Sinners by an irrefiftible Power of his Grace, v/e fay fuch a Power is not nccedary to their Converfion ^ 'tis fuf- iicient for the Vindication of his Holinefs, that he afford them fuch a Meafure of his Grace, as may en- able them, if they be not wanting to thcmfelves, to perform'd the Duties requir'd of them : And without a competent Meafure of it to this End, we cannot In- deed comprehend how any thing can be Matter of ftrift Duty to them : For there does net feem to be a more clear and evident Truth in the World than this, That no Man is obliged to do what is abfolutely impoffible to be done.
2^/y, ThisDoftrine of abfolute Reprobation is no lefs repugnant to the Good nefs of God. .Goodnefs, according to our Idea of it, does not oi/ly import an Inclination to do good, but will on all proper Occafi- cns exert it felf in real ^(^^ of Kind nefs and Benefi- cence. 'Tis in a manner agreeable to this Idea, the Scriptures fpeakof God, as that He is good^ and docs good •, that his Mercies are over all his Works \ that the Earth is full of his Cocdnefs •, and that he would havs all^ Men tobe fav^d. ' ^nO
Were we not to argue from that Good ncfs, which iseffential to the Divine Nature ^ yet what Account can be given of thefe ex^refs Declarations concerning it? If after all, it had beeu good for the far greater
R 4. P^it
a4S S E R M O N XL
Part of Mankind, that they had never been, born > not thro' any Fault of their own, but an utter Inca- pacity they were to be put, or fiiffer'd to continue under, of being fav'd. Such a Conduct, inftead of declaring the Wonders, which the Goodnefs of God does for the Children of Men, would rather fill their Minds with anxious Thoughts of his Defigns towa^rds them, and reader him a perpetual Objed of Terror unto them.
As to v^'hat we were told , that Acls of Mercy are free^ and therefore 'twas no Imputation on the Good- nefs of God, that he decreed to leave Sinners to them- felvcs in a State of Sin, which would unavoidably^ end in their eternal Defl:ru(^ion : We grant theTi"Uth of this fo far, as to fay, the Goodnefs of God does not ftridly oblige him to refcue Sinners out of the State they have brought themfehcs into by Sin, and efpecially by finful Habits, where a competent Mea- fure of Grace has been given them to reftrain them from finning. But this is not the Cafe of Reprobates, who, as we are told, are left to follow the Motions of natural Concupifcence without any fuch Reftraint, and to whom God has decreed never to grant it. So that they arc under an unavoidable Neceflity of be- ing loft and undone forever. And upon the whole Matter there feems to be very little Difference, be- tween a pofitive Decree, that a Man fhould be damn'd, and a negative One which debars him thofe AfTiftan- ces, whereby alone he can efcape Pamnation. If Reprobates are in Confequence of God's Decrees ne- ceflarily to Hiffer eternal Torments, 'tis much the fame thing whether his Decrees take Effect againft them diredlyorrW/Vc^/y.
But this Doctrine more particularly affefts the Goodnefs of God, with refped to Chriftians, as. he fo frequently,and with muchCompafnon, exhorts and invites them to Repentance •, as he fo tenderly expo- ftulates with them, Why they wtH not come imto hirn^
that
SERMON XL 249
th^t they may have Life : And declares, he is not wiUi'fjg that any fhould perijh^ but that dWjlwuldcome to Repen- ta»ff, 2 Fet. 3. 9.
Qod by all thcfe Methods not only publilhes a ge- neral Ad of Grace, as I may fay, and without Ex- ception, to Chriftian§, but he invites them in the molt engaging Manner to lay hold on the Benefits of it. And thereby in effect declares.fo far as Words can de- clare, That no Man Ihall be damn'd for want of the necefTary Means to lave him. For to apply himfelf in fo tender and affectionate a Manner to all Men, and yet only to intend the Benefit of fome Few by his Applications, is to raife in Sinners reaformhle Ex- pectations, without any Pefign of anfwering them ; and To to enhance their Mifery by a pifappointment of thofe Hopes, which appear'd fowell grounded.
The Diffindion of a fccret Will in God contradi- ftind to his reveal'd Will, is here of no Ufe-, for tho' it lliould be allow'd, againfl: all Reafon, to acquit his Veracity, yet what we obferve concerning his Goodnefs will ftill hold true • for how could we, up-- on any Account, think him worthy the Reputation of a good Man, who after all the repeated Expref- fions of his Favour to us, fhould give us at lafl: to underftand, that h^ had no good Defign in them to- wards us ?
But in Truth this Diffindion of a fecret Will ffrikes at the very Foundation of that Doctrine, which it is brought to fupport. For if God may Will contrary to what he has plainly declar'd, admitting the Do- drine of abfolute Predeftination were clearly reveafd in Scripture, yet how could any Man be allur'd, that God defign'd it to have any Effed ? Nay, as to the darker fide of it, which relates to Reprobates, there would be much greater Reafon to believe God fecrctly defign'd it to have no Efit:d, than there is to imagine, that the greatefl: Part of Chriftians have no intercfl; in the general Overtures of Grace, which arc ten- dered
2^0 SERMON Xr.
der'd to them in the Gofpel, and which they are ilti- portnn'd to comply with.
In the former Cafe, fhould the Scriptures accord- ing to this Diftindion deceive Men,their Error wpiild do them no wrong ^ nay, 'twould be happy for them to be deceiv'd : But in the latter Care,the Wrong they fuffer'd would be vifibly heightned by their being de- ceiv'd. How far I have Reafon for this Remark, ap- pears not only from the Confideration of God's Good- nefs, but, in the next Place, '^^
3. From his Juftice. We have not, I take it, a clearer Notion of any thing, than that no P6rfon ought to fuffer for what he cannot help. Provided his Sufferings be not medkind^ or fuch as exceed the Benefits he receives from thofe, who have Authority to inflid them. This, with a little Improvement, will eafily anfwer all the Arguments objeded to us, from the Sufferings of young Children and Ideots.y'
But vindictive Juftice, which falls at prefent under our Confideration, never punifhes but with Regar^i to the Tranfgreflion of fome Law, which it was in the Offender's Power to obferve. Yet this Doftrine of Re- probation reprefents God as decreeing to punifh Sin- ners eternally for their Difobedience to thofe Laws, which they were never in any Capacity of obeying. Such a Procedure being diredly contrary to our com- jnon Notions of what is Juft, and the Pradice of all well regulated Courts of Juftice in the World, we cannot fuppofe it confiftent with the Juftice of the moft high God \ all whofe Ways are equal, and who appeals to us, that is, to our common Notions of Ju- ftice, for the Equality of them : And we have no other way of Judging concerning them, but accord- ing to our common Notions.'
When 'tis faid therefore in Vindication of this Do- ctrine, t\\:M Sin 7nay he jvftly funijiid : We do not de- iry the Aflertion in general, becaufe if it be undcr-
'ftood
S E P^ M O N XI. 251
ftood concerning thofe Sins, which proceed from the Arbitrary Choice of Man, and which it was in his Power to avoid, nothing is more true. Yet when we fpeak of thofe Sins, if they may be properly call'd Sins, which Man was under a NecefTity of commit- ting, a Neceffity he did not bring himfelf under, we think what is afTerted, fo plainly repugnant to the Juftice of God, that it cannot pofTibly have any jull or reafonable Foundation.
And yet this, according to the Decretaliflrs, is the miferable Cafe of poor Reprobates ^ God requires of them impofiible Conditions of Obedience, and then pafles a Sentance of eternal Deftruftion upon them for not complying with thofe Conditions Is not this in other Words to fiy, That God expcds to reap where he has not fown ? And will demand under the fevereft Penalties, an Account of thofe Talents from Men, which they never received ?
No, fay thofe we are arguing againfl, all Mankind had originally in the Perfon of Adam a Power of obeying the Law, the Breach whereof was juftly threatned with the Lofs of that Power. But as Adam was their Reprefentative, his Difobedience is charg'd upon them as their perfonal Aft ^ and they are an- fwerable for the Confequences of it, an utter Inabi- lity to do any thing that is good or acceptable to God here, and eternal Death hereafter. So that they may properly be faid to have brou,2,ht themfclves under the prefent NecefTity that is objeded, of their living and dying in a linful State.
All this is fpoken precarioufly, and concludes no- thing, evcept it could be prov'd, that all the Pofteri- ty of Adam, formally or virtually at lealt, confented that they would (land by what he did, according to the Covenant he was entred into with God j one Part of which was. If he eat of the forbidden Fruit he fhould forfeit for himfelf, and all his Defcendants, that original Redtitude of his Nature, or State of In- ^ iiocence,
252 8 E Pv M O N Xr.
pocejice, wherein he was at firll created. But as it cannot be prov'd that there was any fuch formal or pxprefs Covenant on the Part oi Adam^ fo neither, if it could, is there any Reafon, why all thofe that were to defcend from him, but knew nothing of this Tranfadion, fhouid be concluded by it. For it feems equally unjuft to punilh Men for what they cannot help, and for what is done by another Perfon with- out their Knowledge and Confent ; and to which perhaps, in an Afrair of fuch Confequence, they ought not to have given their Confent. Why then, will you fay, did a juft God punifh the Sons of Adam for his Offence, with temporal Death? 'Tis anfwer'd. That if this mjght be call'd a Punifhment, 'twas on- ly in a ftri(3: S<i^^Q fo to Adam himfelf •, for he only that Sins can properly be faid to be Punilh'd. But we fay further. That the Immortality of our Bodies, were Men really to have continu'd immortal in C^i^Q Adam had not finn'd, being a free Gift pf God, he might or might not difpenfe it to the Sons of Men, without doing them any Wrong, as he thought fit. ]^ow 'tis plain, it can be no Imputation on the Juftice of God to do that, after Adam had finn'd, which he might iullly have done, in Cafe Adam had never finn'd. Whe- ther therefore God fliould take Occafion from the Sin of Adam to inflift temporal Death on his Pofteri- ty, was rather a Cqnfjderation of Wifdom than Ju- ftice. 'Twas fulTicient to the Vindication of this At- tribute, That the Evils which the Sin of Adam'occdi- iionally brought on Mankind, fhouid not exceed the Benefits of their Creation •, and that, we affirm, they did not. But they pufh the Objeftion further ^ 'Tis vilible, 'tis confefs'd, that we derive from our fir ft Pa- rents a ftrong Propenfion at leafl to Sin. We do fo ^ but we do not think fuch a Propenfion flriElly a Sin, becaufe 'tis involuntary, and what by all their Care and Cciution the beft of Men cannot wholly free themfclvcs from- We may call it therefore our Un-
hap-
SERMON XL ^53
bappinefs ^ but fince God only pnnifhes us for our vo- luntary and adual Sins, and for thofe too after our frequent Provocations, by withdrawing the necefTa- ry Aids of his Grace from us, his Juflice is not only acquitted, but his Mercy and Goodnefs highly mag- nify'd by fuch aCondud: Efpecially fince by a due tJfe of our Liberty in Concurrence with his Grace, he has notwithftanding this natural Pro/?f»//tf;7, put us in a Capacity of a greater Happinefs, than that to which we were originally created in a Terrellrial Pa- ra dife.
There is hut one Argument more of any Weight which is brought to acquit the JuRice of God in his Decree of Reprobation, and that is founded on the Diftindion of fufficient Grace : 'Tis faid, That God might juftly pafs an eternal Decree of Damnation to be executed in time, againfl: Reprobates, becaufe he defign'd at the fame time to afford them a fufficient Meafure of his Grace, in the due Ufe of which they might perform the Conditions requir'd to their Sal- vation.
But this is -a Diftinftion which 'tis impolTible for us to comprehend the Reafons of, from thofe thac urge it. For 'tis a plain Contradiftion to fay. That a Man is under an abfolute Sentence of Damnation j and yet that he has fufficient Grace given him to avoid it. Becaufe what is fufficient to any End, muft have at leafl; a pojfible Tendence to produce it •, from whence it will follow undeniably, That the irrefifti- ble Decrees of God may after all pofibly be revers'd. We think it not only poffible, but indeed highly pro- bable, that if God afford all Men fufficient Means of his Grace, it will operate at lealt effedtually in fome of them. For can that be called fulScient, which in Millions of Inftances never had any Effed, nor is ever like to the End of the World to have any ?Should we call him a fufficient Architeft, who after a hundred Trials, never built one regular or tolerably compact
Houlc,
^54 S E R M O N XL
Houfe, and who we are aflur'd, whatever he po/Ji^/jr may, yet never will build one ? Miich lefs Reafon is there to imagine, that of fo many Thoufands and Thoufands of Men, to whom God has afforded fuffi- cient Means in order to their Salvation, not one of them fhall finally be fav'd.
Others therefore being fenfible of the Weaknefs of this Diftindion, have contriv'd a New Scheme : They fnppofe that the Decrees of God, to fave a certain and determinate Number of his Eled, are abfolute; but that it does not neceflarily follow, and fo far they appear to be in the right, That therefore God had pafled an abfolute Decree of their Damnation, upoa all others : For a Medium may be found between his electing fome Perfons certainly and infallibly to Sal- vation, and his. abfolutely excluding thofe, who are notfoelefted, from all Means and Capacity of being fav'd. They hold then. That fome few Perfons may, by agoodUfe of the common Grace, which is dif- pehfed to them, "get to Heaven at laft-, and that others, who negle(9: to improve under the fame Means of Grace, can have no Reafon to murmur againft God, becaufe their Damnation is of themfelves, and therefore >_/?:''■ ^ ■ ^^ '■
Now this Opinion feems pretty fairly to acquit,not only the Juftice of God, but his Holinefs and Good- nefs too ; and where it not for other Reafons falfe, it appears to be of no very dangerous Confequence to Religion or Morality •, but the Dodrine I have ap- ply'd my felf more particularly to confider, by giving us wrong Notions of the Moral Attributes of God, vifibly undermines the Foundation of both. Nay, upon this Suppofition, that the Doftrine of Repro- bation is taught in the Scriptures, 'twill be impbUible to convince an Unbeliever, that the Scriptures are Divinely reveal'd j for we can bring no Proof for the Divine Authority of them, more clear, than that a Dodrine which is inconfiftent witli the cleareft Ideas
we
SERMON XI. 25^
V;e have of the Holinefs and Goodnefs, and Juftice " of God, can-not he true.
But has this Dodrine then no Foundation in Scrip- ture? I anfwer : There are fome Paflages in Scrip- ture, which at firfl; View may feem toft vour it, and have been too frequently interpreted in Favour of it. That I may therefore render a Difcourfe, which was compos'd for private Satisfaction, of as general Ufe as I can ; 1 fliall take Two or Three of the moft Po- pular and Remarkable of t)iojre.j^a(rages:intO! QQajTi- deration, . ^ .i;. . - ",: .: -Iduv^jmu:. V - • ; ^;
' The; Firfi\ fbaH briefly fpeak to, is that of the next Chapter, x'. 13. Jacob have I lovsd^ and Efau have I hated. God being reprefented, as fpeaking thefe Words, before the Children were yet born, or had done Good or Evil, 'tis concluded from them, that he may by Right of his abfoluteSovereignty, deter- mine as he pleafes, and without ijcndring any other Reafon for it, concerning the future Condition of Men, whether in a State of endlefs Mifery or Hap- pinefs. : But thisr is putting a very harlh Conftrudioa upon the Words, which, of themfejves, they will not reafonably bear : For God's Love to Jacobs and Hatred to £jQ«, ought -to be explain'd in a Senfe agreeable to the Words immediately foregoing, which are thefe i^ theE.Uer^yallferve the Tomgcr. So that 'twa? only a 'temporal Privilege, that God, in whom ail Property is veiled, conferr'd as a Teftimony of his Lpye on 7^cfl^,arjd -depriv'djEy^w of, as having k£s l^avour for him : ^dx fo to /;^f/>, muft neceflarily iig- nify, in other Places of Scripture, only a lower De- gree of Love. As w,I)en our Saviour makes it a Qiia- lUtf:ation of thoie'wiio would , be his Difciples, tliat they fhould, hate Bather aiid'l^lother, and Wife and tihilvlren, ,aird Brethren and Sifters, Lukei^.zS. Jfihn 11. 2$; chis.'.Mcaning.i^^no.nioie, than that their ii0.v^ej:o him Ihould be prcfcrr'd'to all Confidcr^tipifc ?c> whatever :
2$^
SERMON XL
whatever*, and fo he ex'plains himfelf, Mat. 10.37. He that loveth Father or Mother itlorG than me^ is not worthy efme^ ^C.
Why then fhould thefe Words, which relate only to a Temporal Conflderation, be extended to fhew. That God may jiiftly exercife an arbitrary Power in the eternal Deftrudiion of his Creatures, withotit any regard to what they do ? Is there no Difference be- tween depriving a Man of what he has no abfolute Right to, and without which his Life may be very happy and comfortable to him; and condemning hiiil to a State of eternal Torments, where fcife it felf becomes in a true and proper Senle hateful to him ? If we confider the Hiftory of Efau^ tho' he was not perhaps one of the beft, yet he does not appear, by any Means, to have been one of the worft of Men : 'Why then fiiould he be fingled out above all others, at every turn, to juftify this Dodrine ; and for no other Reafon ^ as if he were certainly a Reprobate, and there were no rocJm to enttltain Charitable Thoughts of him ?
Yet I own the Apoftle had a further Defign in thefe Words; and that they do not fo much Perfonally concern Jacob and Efau^ as their Pofterity. God, out of his good Pleafure, determin'd to make the Seed of Jacob hii chofen^ and admit them into a fpecial Cove- nant with him, exclufive of the Pofterity of Efau : And this too, we think, he might juftlydo, becaule it being a free and arbitrary Ad of Favour, there was no Obligation of Juftice, why £/<«'$ Pofterity (hould (hare in the Privileges of it.
That the Words are to be thus explain'd, appears from thePaflage of Malachi, Chap. 1. 2. to which the Apoftle here refers: For 'tis plain, the Prophet is there fpeaking of the De(cendants of Efau, the Edo* mites^and oi I frael, in general -.y not of thePerfbnof £/4»«^ QV Jacob in particular. And this way of fpeaking is highly agreeable to the Words of God to Rebecc^i^^vt
of
S E Pv M O N XL 2^7
of which the Apoftle here cites , Ccn. 25. 23. Two Nations arc in thy Womh^ and two manner of Pcopic jlja/l be feparated from thy Bowels ^ and the one People Jl}all be ftronger than the othcr^ and the Elder Jhall ferve the Toungtr.
Now if thefe Words import any thing beyond the prefent Difpenfations of God to the Houfe of facoh ov Efau^ in this life, and may be ftretch'd to fignify God's Love or Hatred to them, with refpeft to their eternal Interefls *, it will follow, that all the Pofte- i'ity of Jacob were to a Man ele^ied to eternal Life % contrary to what will be admitted on the other fide ^ contrary to one principle Argument of St. Vaid ia this Epiftlc, which is to fhew the Blind nefs and Ob- ftinacy of the f/nr;, in rejecting our Saviour and his Holy Religion ; and laftly, contrary to the exptefs Words of "this Apoftle at the Sixth Verfe of this Chap- ter, They are not all Ifrael^ who are ofJfrael. 'Twill like- wife follow, that all the Line of Efatt were Repro- bates, contrary to what is very probably fuppos'd, that T(^^and his Friends were of that Line ; contrary however, to what in all Reafon and Charity, in regard to fo many Thoufands of Souls, ought to be fuppos'd.
But what fhall we reply then to tliofe Words of thd next Chapter ? v. 20. Shall the thing forrnd fay to him that furnid it. Why haj} thou made me thus ? H^ith not the Potter Power over the Clay of the fame Lump-, to make one f'^ejfc'l unto Honoitr^ and another to DlCiionour? Do notthcfe Words plainly import, that we are to refolve all the Proceedings of God towards his Creatures into no other Reafon, but that of his Arbitrary Will, and ab^ folntc Dominion over them ?
\\'e anfwer •, That the Words dfe tone explain'd in the fame Sen fc with thofe foregoinj^, the Apofl-le flili continuing the Thread of the (aine Argument^ wea'C therefore to underftand them, as only refpcdi* ine^ fome peculiar Dillinctions of God's Favour to Men
V Q L H. S in
258 SERMON XL
in this World, and his excluding others ffpn^fliaring in the Benefits of them."' " ' ••
1. As to the arbitrary Diflribution of his Favours, 'tis eafily accounted for: For 'tis manifeft, That by fuch a Procedure he does no Perfon any Wrong ^ and fo far^ as our Saviour argues, 'm lawful, for him to do what he will with his own^ Mat. 20. 15. But fhall we infer from hence. That ail thofe, to whom the dillinguifh- ing Marks even of his Spiritual, Favours are notdif- pens'd, mult be the Objeds ofhis Hatreii and Repro- .bation ? 'Twill be granted, I fuppofe, a fpecial Fa; vour to be admitted within the Pale of the Church by Baptifm • Shall we therefore conclude, that all the Children born of Chriftian or of Heathen Parents, who dy'd unbaptiz'd, are certainly damn'd ? No.Man will fay fo. We argue then. That Ads of Spiritual Favours themfelves may be difpens'd to Men, with; out any Advantage drawn from them in Favour of this Dodrine •, provided at the fame time, thofe to whom God does not difpenfe them, are not left in 3 State wherein they mufb unavoidably and eternally perifh, or be in a worfe Condition than if they had never been.
But does not the Apoftle, in faying.the Potter has alfo Power to make a Veflel to Difhonour, feem di- rediy to intend that God is not only arbitrary in dif- penling his Favours, but in the Execution of his Wrath and Vengeance.
To this we reply, in the next place,
2. That Comparifons do not ru^i, in all Refpeds, exadly parallel \ and therefore 'tis a common Max^ im, that they are not llridly argumentative: But however, the Arguments drawn from them are to be carry 'd no further, than agrees with the Reafon and Principal Scope of them y and that we have obferv'd,
as
S fe R M O N ?CL i^^
as to the Text, relates only to God's Temporal Deal- ings with Men in their prefent State.
'Tis therefore pudiing the Parallel further than the Apoftle defign'd, to argue fi-om it, that God may, if he pleafes, put Men, after he has brought them into the Wbrld, into a worfe Condition (a Condition in- finitely worfe) than if they had never heen-^ becaule this is a Confideration which affeds the Jufticeof God : But the Clay in the Hands of the Potter is no Object of Juftice ; it has no Senfe of Pain or Mifery, in the pifhoaour done to it,
Tho' 'tis certain then, That God's Power o'er in- fenfiite Matter is wholly arbitrary and defpotick •, be- caufe the Exercife of fuch a Power is no ways repug- nant to the Attributes or Perfedtions of his Nature : Yet the Cafe is very different as to his dealing with ratio- nal Creatures, v/hom he has made capable of Happi- nefs or Mifery •, becaufe not only his Juftice, but his Wifdom, his Holinefs and Goodnefs, are concern'd in his Proceedings towards fuch Creatures : And tho* they cannot indeed reflfi his Willy or prefcribe Laws to him, yet his own Nature is a Law to it felf •, and without denying bimfelf, which 'tis impoffible foi* him to do, he can will nothing, but what is agreeable to thefe Attributes j what is every way wife and jult^ holy and good.
Might not God however, without any Injury to his Attributes, predeftinate rational Creatures to d perfeft aud endiefs State of Happinefs? 'We do not deny, but abfolutely fpeaki'ng he might. Yet with refped to the prefent Condition of Men, whom he has put in a State of Tryal, wc think God has not fo predeflinated them, becaufe this would be contra- ry to the very Ends and Reafons of his putting them into fuch State-, and we are affur'd, he can will do- thing contrary to his Wifdom.
Si 3' Tq
^6o S E R M O N XI.
3. To juftify the Doftiine of Abfolute Reproba- tion, thofe Words of Solomon are more particularly "^ made ufeofi^ God made all things for himfelf^ even the wicked for the Day of Evily Prov. i<J. 4. 'Tis argued from thefe Words, That God decreed to make lome Perfons with a dired Intention of glorifying his Ju- fbice in the^Punifhment of their Wickednefs ^ which is, in effed, to fay, he difpos'd the Order of Caufes in fuch a Manner, that they fhould certainly make an ill Ufe of their Liberty, for otherwife his Decree might have been frullrated : And this is, in other Words, to fay what ought not to be imagined ex- cept in Confutation of fo Blafphemous an Error, that God made Men wicked. Were this the Defign of Solomon^ he had put an unanfwerable Argument into the Hands of the Manichees, to fupport their Do- ctrine of Two Gods : For a good God could never have dedgnedly created Man, to make him the ever- laiting Objeft of his Hatred and Indignation ; as the Author of the Book of Wifdom argues very juftly. That God Uveth all things that are^ and abhors nothing that he has made '^ for neither would he have made any- thing, if he had hated ity Wifd. 11.20.
The molt therefore that can be inferr'd from the Words is. That wicked Men who have abus'd that Mercy and Goodnefs of God, which fhould have led them to Repentance, fhall finally feel the Effeds of his avenging Juftice •, but tho' this Interpretation is very true in it felf, it does not feem to give us the proper Senfe of the Place.
Solomon is here fpeaking of the Providential Dif- penfatioiis of God in this Life, and the Rcafons of our acquiefcing entirely in them : And therefore 'tis moffe agreeable to his Defign, to explain the Words thus -, That God can ferve the Ends of his Provi- dence by wicked Men, without being the Author of their Wickednefs, and make them the Inftruments of his juftice to puailh other wicked Men -, or of his
Fatherly
S E R M O N XL 261
Fatherly Chaflifements, in the Day of Evil j that is, of Adverfity or Perfecution, to exercife the Faith and Vertues of good Men.
3. As to thofe Texts of Scripture, wherein God is faid to have blinded the Eyes of Men, that they fhould not fee, and to have hardned their Hearts : 1 fliall only obferve, that thefe Exprcffions are not to be underftood of any pofitive Aft in God, but of his permifTive Will : 'Tis from his Clemency or Forbear- ance, or the Lenity of his judgments towards them, that Sinners take occafion to harden themfelves; and this way of fpeaking in Scripture is agreeable to the common Forms of Speech among Men. 'Tis ufiial for us to attribute an Effedt to our felves, as the Caufc of it, tho' it happens diredlly contrary to our Intention : As when we fay to a Friend, we are come to trouble him, when we have no fuch Dcfign, but are only apprehenfive that our coming may occafion fome Trouble or Inconvenience to him. So again, when an undutiful Child makes an ill Ufe of the In- dulgence of his Parents towards him, they are apt to charge themfelves with having fpoil'd or ruin'd him ; that is, with what was the fartheft thing in the World from their Dclign and Intention. I have ob- fervM, on another Occaiion, that our Saviour fpoke after this I\lanner, when he faid. He came not to fend Peace but a Sword. His real Intention was to fend Peace, but (whicli occalion'd his fpeaking afrer this manner) he forefiw his coming would fometimes ac- cidentally produce a different Effect.
We are to fuppofe God ufing the fame Form of Speech in the fore cited Texts*, which are brought to prove, that he blinds and hardens Reprobates, in order to the Execution of his Decrees againll them and then thofe Texts may be eatlly accounted tor without admittijig a Dodriqe, equally unreafon-tblc ftild impious.
S3 > *
1^2 SERMON XL
3.1 fhall now in the Third and lafl Place, with a§ jnuch Brevity as poffible, make a ufeful Improve- ' jnent or two from what has been faid. And,
I. If onr Title to eternal Life be not abfolute but pondidonal, let us take all imaginable Care to per- form the Conditions upon which it is proms'd. 'Tis the Apoftle's own Inference, from what he had affert- ed concerning the Incapacity impenitent Sinners are under, of entering into the Kingdom of God ; Let ta ^herefar^ fear, fays he, lefl aPromife being left us of en- tring into his Refi^ any of you fiwuld fecm to come jhort of k, Hcb. 4. I . *Tis now in our own Choice, whe- ther we will be eternally happy or miferable. So that by the Grace of God, which is always ready to prevent and follow us, and make us continually diA pos'd to every good Work, we may effedually apply to our felves thofe comfortable Words of our Apoftle in another Place •, Behold now is the accepted time j b^' hold now is the Day of Salvation^ 2 Cor, d- 2.
And fhall we make it a Qiieftion, whether we fhaU lay hold of, or negledl fo great Salvation ? Or is it an indifferent thing, when Life and Death are fet be- fore us, which of them we prefer. Not a Life of a few Moments continuance, and chequer'd with Va- riety of Troubles and evil Accidents : Not a Death, which will bringusto aState of Infenfibility, where all Things are forgotten, or which will put an End to our Being, and to our Mifery at once •, but a Life wherein we may be properly faid to live, and like our felves : For we fhall then live up to the Or- der, and Perfedion, and Dignity of our Nature ; we fhall then more intimately know the only true God, and Jefus Chrill-, whom he has fent ; and we fhall love them in Proportion as our Knowledge of their Excellencies is enlarged, and be entirely belov'd by them. A Defithy on the other Hand, v^hich inllead
of
S E R M O N XI. i6g
of terminating in Lofs of Life, will confign us over to all the Miferies that are terrible to our Apprehen- fions, and greater perhaps than we do or can at pre- fent apprehend.
When two fuch different Profpects are open'd to ns, one would think there fhould be no Room for De- liberation, which of them we fliould turn our Eyes upon. Let us therefore refolve to acquit our felves like Men, and chufe the better Part. And I cannot better enforce fuch a Refolution, than in the Words of Godhimfelf by Mofcs^ deliver'd after fo very fo- lemn and awful a Manner \ I call Heaven and Earth to Record this Day^ that I have fet before you Life and Death ^ Blcjfmg and Curfing\ therefore chufe Life^ Deut. 30. 19.
2. Let us frequently and impartially examine our felves by the Rule of God's Word ^ Whether we have perform'd the Conditions upon which Life is promis'd, or not. And if we have been faithful in the Difcharge of our Duty, there will be no great Difficulty in coming to a Refolution as to this Point. For there are certain and plain Evidences in Scri- pture, upon which we are to proceed in the Trial of our felves. In this, fays the Apoftle St. John, the Children of God are manifefly and the Children of the De* vil \ xvhojoever doth not Righteoufnefs is not ofGod^ I . Joh. 3. 10. And /^(?r. 21. If our Hearts condcmmis not, then have we Confidence towards God. Accordingly in the former Chapter, he exhorts Chriltians to perfevere in their Duty, That when Godjljallapt)ear, they may have Co/if dence, and not he afiaraed before him at his Coming ^ becaufc, {kyshQ, yeicnow, that every one that doth Righ" teovfnefs, is born of him, Ver. 28, 29.
Does it not then moft highly concern us, tho' it were only for the Peace and Satisfadtion of our own Minds, to know what good Evidences we are able to produce of our Title to Heaven ? How can a Man indeed, who thinks at all, have any eafy or compos'd
S 4 Thoughts
2^4
SERMON XL
Thoughts, who at the fame time he believes a.i L^.rciiiity of Happinefs or Mifery to come, confiders himfelf, 1 do not fay in a damnable or very dange- rous, but even in a doubtful State? Let him examine himfelf, in Cafe any Difficulty Ihould arife, which might affed his Lite or Eftate, what Diligence he would ufe to get clear of if, and then let him an- fwer it to his own Keafon and Confcience, if he can, that when Life eternal is the thing in Queftion. and he knows his Title to it, at the belt, to be very preca- rious, yet he can be eafy and chearful, as if all were fecure, and he had nothing to fear.
If we would then be wife, in a Matter of the laft Importance to us ^ if we would not deceive our fejves by falfe and delufory Hopes of Heaven, faying peace^ Peaccy where there is no Peace, vv-e fnall think it a puty incumbent on us, frequently to examine into the State of our Souls, and to judge of it by thofe Laws here, whereby we mull be finally judg'd hereafter. And which all along fuppofe our Happinefs or Mife- ry under the Direction of God's Grace in our own Choice.
I cannot conclude all that has been faid more per- tinently, than in the Words of the wife Son ofSyrach^ '' Sav not thou, 'tis through the Lord, that I fell " away ; for thou oughteft not to do the thing that " he hateth. Say not thou, he hath caufed me to *' err *, for he hath no need of the linful Man. The '^ Lord hateth all Abomination ^ and they that fear *' God love it not, He himfelf made Man in thebe- *' ginning, and left him in the Hand of his Counfei
^c He hath fet Fire and Water before thee,
«' ftretch forth thy Hand to whether thou wilt. Be- " fore Man is Life and Death, and whether him li- l\ kethfliall be given him, Ecclnf. 15. 11, — -17-
2^5
SERMON XII.
The Sin and Folly of all fraudulent or unjuft Praftices. The ordinary Me- thods of God's az'eriging Juitice againft them in this World : Wich the Reafbns of it.
I THESS. iv, 6.
Th^t no Man go hejond or defraud his Brother tn any Matter j for th^ Lord h' the Avenger of all fuch,
THefe Words are fometimes explained in a Senfe very different from the literal and more obvi- ous Meaning of them •, and it muft be granted both the original Words, and the Scope of the Apoflle^ feem to juftify that Senfe. Yet as I pioully hope, 'tis of no great Ufe at prefent to mention it in any Chri- ftian Auditory, I fhall dircf^ly proceed to difcourfe on the Text in the Acceptation, which the common Verfion of our Bible plainly intends. And therefore in the marginal Note, to defraud is reijder'd to o^pef or over-reach,
IHiail
i6S SERMON XII.
I Ihall therefore confider the Words as a Caution to i]s, to avoid all Ads of Fraud and Injuftice in our Bealings with other Men, - -
Let no Man go beyond or defraud, his Brother in any Matter., for the Lord Is the Avenger ofallfuch.
Here then we have a Prohibition, and a very pow- erful Reafon to enforce it. I Ihall tpeak to both of them particularly.
As to the Prohibition, 'twill be proper to fpeak to thefe three Things.
Firfi, The Extent of it, with Refpedto theSub- jed •, Let no Man go beyond, or defraud.
Secondly^ With Refped tOithe Objed \ Let»o Mm go beyond or defraud his Brother.
Tlnrdly^ With Refpect to the Occafion or Circum- ftances of committing any Fraud ; Let no Man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any Matter.
FiVy?, This Prohibition is of univerfal Extent to all Mankind. That the Laws'ofreveal'd Religion ex- prelly condemn all manner of Fraud and Injuflice, by whomfoever committed, is too evident to need any Proof There are many plain and particular Precepts, both in the Old and New Teftament to this End : What I would obferve, is, That to be fin- eere in our Words, PromJfes, and Contracts, to be luH; and righteous in all our Dealings, are Duties which arife from the natural and eternal Laws of sight Reafon.
Nay, the Atheift himfelf, who difowns all natural Biftindioa of Good and Evil •, yet if we will fhew any Reafon why he Ilioiild be fufl^r'd to live in Soci- ety, mult upon his own Principles come within this Prohibition. For by pretending that Religion is on- ly a Contrivance of Policy, the better to keep Man- kind in Avve, and fecure their civil Rights and Pro- perties from Violence or Invajion ; he plainly con- ^ • felTes
SERMON XII. ^^7
fefles thefe two Things, ij?. That the Belief of a God, and of the other common Principles of Reli- gion', have a proper and dired Tendency to make Men jnfl: and faithful in their feveral Callings and ProfelTions. And, idly^ That if Men were under no Obligation to obferve the Rules of juftice, or mu- tual Fidelity, the good Order and Peace of Society- could be no longer prefcrv'd. For as Cicero well ob- ferves, and lays it down as a Maxim, Jus & Equitas vincvla Civitatis. A Principle of Juftice and Equity, where Men regulate their Condud by it, is that which preferves.Civil Government from falling into utter Confufion and Diforder.
So that the Atheift, tho' he believe himfelf under no Engas^eraent, from any Religious Confiderations, to praftife the Rules of Juftice, ought however to obferve them on a clvU Account, or elfe to own him- felf unfit for human Society and Converfation.
'Tis therefore a Rule, which takes in all Mankind, Chriftians and Jews -^ Perfons who are guided by the mere Light of natural Religion, and even thofe v/ho do not profefs a?jy Religion j That no Man go beyond and defraud.
Secondly, I proceed in the fecond Place to conflder the Extent of this Prohibition, with refpecl: to the Object j Let no Man go beyond or defraud his Bro- ther.
All Mankind are in a very proper Senfe our Bre- thren. We have all one Original, and one common Father. Of one Blood God has made all the Nati- ons of the Earth. And this of it felf is a ftrong Heafon to perfuade us to all mutual Offices of Huma- nity and Kindnefs. The Relation of a Brother is very engaging : It fhould in Proportion oblige us to acquit our felves with all Tendernefs and Fidelity to- wards our common Brethren. The Prophet parti- cularly makes it an Argument, why he ftiould not
go
258 SERMON XII.
go beyond or defraud our Brother, Maf. 2. 10. Have we not all one Father ^ hath not One God created ?«, why do we deal treacheroujly every Man againji his Brother ?
If the Diftance and Diftinftion of Nations do not cancel or deftroy the common Obligations of Huma- nity, much lefs does the Differenceof Condition de- ftroy it, among Ferfons of the fame Community. In order to the Welfare of which, the different Circum- ItancesofMen are wifely appointed by God, and in- deed abfolutely neceflary. All Men^ fays the Son of Syrachj are from the Grmmd'^ and Adam was created from the Earth. In much Wifdom hath the Lord divided them^ and made their Ways diverfe^ Eccluf. 23 10, il. This Confideration, which refolves the Diftinftionof high and low, rich and poor in this World, into the wife Reafons of God's Providence, Ihould teach the rich to bear themfelves with Temper and Moderation up- on the Superiority of their Condition, and not to look upon poor People with Contempt and Difdain, much lefs to imagine, that they have a Right to infult or opprefs them. For tho' 'tis an Effed: of the wife Bifpofitions of Providence, that the Rich and the Poor fhould meet together in this World •, it being impoflible, except God were to interpofe by a conti- nued Series of Miracles, that it fhould be otherways; or that the common Good and Happinefs of Society could be fo well provided for, upon the levelling Scheme : The Rich ought notwithftanding to pay the Poor all the common Ofnces, both of Juftice and Charity, tho' it were but from this one Confideration, That the Lord is the Maker of them ally Pro v. 22.2.
We are oblig'd for this general Reafon to walk ho- neftly to them who are without ^ that is, to do Juftice to all Men we have any Commerce with, coniider'd merely as Men : Yet Chrillianity ftill enforces this Duty, from a new and fpiritual Relation, with Re- fpedt to our Brethren in Chrift Jefus^ in whom we .'ire therefore faid by the Apoftle to he all one^ at what
piftancq
SERMON XII. 16^
Dlftance foever God has plac'd us in our outward Circiimftances or Condition of Life, CaU 3. 28.
Thefame Apoftleis very particular, i Cor, 12. in reprefenting the Nature of this fpiritual Relation, and the proper Duties arifing from it. He there fhews us, after what manner we are incorporated under Chrift our Head, and how we ought by Virtue of this Union, like the Members of the natural Body, to have a reciprocal and tender Regard to one ano- ther's Interefts. Which may be one fpecial Reafoa why, in all his Epiftles, his common and ordinary Appellation of Chriftians is that o{ Brethren.
Let us therefore refolve to keep ftridly to the Rules of Juftice, in all our Dealings with other Men, both as they are Men, and as they arc Chriftians : Both on the Account of our natural and fpiritual Relation to them. Let no Mango beyond or defraud hk Brother^ in either Relation.
Thirdly, I am toconfider the Ex-tent of this Prohi- bition, with Refped to the Occaiion or Circumftan- ces of committing any Fraud-, Let no Man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any Matter : That is, upon any Account, or in any kind v/hatever.
T. We are not permitted a fraudulent or unjufi: Action on any Account. There are two Cafes efpecially to mention no other at prefent, wherein Men are apt to think themfelves very exxufable at leaft, in the Meafures they take to defraud or circumvent thole they have to do with. As, i. When they labour under any very prefling Neceffities ^ when they want thofe neceffary Supports of Life for themfelves, or their Dependants, which their Neighbours may well be fuppos'd to fpare out of their Abundance : Or idly. When they have an Opportunity of makintj Reprifals upon their Enemies, and injuring thofe in their turn, who had firit injured or defrauded them.
As
27Q S E R M O N Xll.
As to the former of thefe Cafes, whatever Extre- mities People are under, 'twiil by no means autho- me a Criminal Adion-, and fuch is every fraudulent and unjuft A^ion. We muft not do Evil upon any Pretence or Profped of doing the greateft Goodj or Service to Mankind in general *, much lefs uport any private Views of Advantage to our felves. , The wife Difpofer of all things, who has brought Men under fuch hard and unhappy Circumftances, is able, when he pleafes, to relieve them : He can do it by a great many fecret Methods of his good Provi- dence, tho' they are not able to difcover them ^ and if they live in his true Faith and Fear, if they com- mit themfelves unto him, in well-doing;^' ^s, unto a Faithful Creator, they may coaifortabiy hope from the Goodnefs of his Providence, that he ivill do it. To encourage them in fuch a Hope, there are innu- merable Exhortations in Scripture: I (hall here only mention Two of them •, Cajt thy Bvrthen upon the Lord^ fays Holy David^ Plal. 55. 22. and Htlhallfujlain thee. To the fame Efied is that Excellent and Comfortable Advice of the Prophet Ifaiah^ Chap. 50. to. Who is amonc you that feareth the Lord^ who obeyeth the Voice of his Servant ^ and hath no Lights i. 6/ no vifible Means or Profpe<5t of Deliverance \ let him trvfi in the Name of the Lord^ and ftay upon his God.
Neither 2^/y, will a Pretence, tho' we have never fo fair an Opportunity for it, of making Reprifals on thofe who have injur'd us, juftify an injurious or fraudulent Adion, In this, I am fenfible, the too general Praftice of Mankind isagainft; me:, but if we profefs our felves Chriftians, we are not to follow the Maxims of a corrupt World, but the Rules whicK Chriftianity prefcribes •, tho' indeed fuch a Retalia- tion is not to be examined by the Rules of a pure and ftrid Morality.
SERMON XII. 271
. ■ Yet not to ejiquiie into the Condud of thofey who are big with great Defigns^ and travel the high Pvoad of the World,) in order to make their Court'or their Fortune •, 'tis; thought even in the ordinary Affairs and Commerce of Life, not: ouly reafonable, but ia fome Degix;e commendable, for a Man to take ,his Eaemy, or any one that ftands in his Way, iipon ail the Advantages, he can»j,',So thajt it,fi|equently hap- pens, he who is the mofl: vers'd in the H4den things of Diponefiy, or , the beft skill 'd in therti/ickilh Arts of unjufl; Gain ^ th^t i«, he who .has Xhe hajidfomefl: Addrefs in chedting and defraudingy jn lying and difl'embling, in circun. venting, and ppprefling ^ in a " ,wGrd, in. worming others outof Bnil-nefs, and wind- ing himfelf jU:.>ieff5eGially if they'ha\'':ecdone: him iny- real or imaginary Wrong: He, I fay.,' in the Vogue of.The Worlds' has the Reputation,. /wr^ as it is^oi beingthe fnrewd Man, and the. wife Manager, 'y.' > It /cannot be difiemblcd, that Patience under. In* juries, and a fincere Difpofition to forgive them, are in a mdiwntv . ttnknown Duties to a great Number of Chriftians : Not that Chriftianity forbids us to re-r •drefs our felves for the Wrongs done us in a Legal Way ^ tho'in fome Cafes, according to the Rule of the Apoftle, i Cor. 6, 7. Chriftian Charity rather obliges us to take Wrong., and fttjfcr our' felves to be de- fraiidedy than to have recourfc to a Le^al Redrefs : Kay, in Cafes which do not contcrnusin our near- elt Interefts, even common Prudence, confidcring ,the corrupt Methods which are crept, into the Pra- dice of the Law, will dircd us father to depart from our own Rights, than to feck Reparation by it : But livhatl intend is, in' molt Cafes nf Injury the Law is 'open to us-, and where it is not, or where by Rea- fon of the Power and IntercH: of thnfe that have wrongM us, we ar^ in Danger of being crufh'd or over- fway'd •, yet we are by no means in an extraju- dicial
crja SERMON XII.
dicial Way to retaliate the Wrongs done us, or to take upon us to revenge our felves.
In Cafes where Legal Methods fail, or are not pra- dicable, God has exprelly referv'd the Power of vin- didive Jufticetohimfelf ^ Fengeance is mine^ I will re- pay, faith the Lord. Upon which Reafon the Apoftle backs his Exhortation, that Chriftians fhould not avenge themfelves, but rather give Place unto IVrath^ Rom. 12. 19.
General Laws cannot provide againft all particu- lar Cafes, wherein Men may happen to be injur'd ; and therefore Government being the Ordinance of God, his Providence feems in a rrtore peculiar Man- ner concern'd, to fupply the Defeats of Human Laws, and where no Legal Red re fs can be had, to take the Matter into his own Hand, But,
idly. As upon no Account, Co neither let any Man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any Kind. There is no Indulgence or Difpenfation for "the leaft Ad of Fraud and in juftice : We mufl: not go beyond or de- fraud our Brother in a great Matter or a fmall \ That which ij altogether right jjjalt thou follow, fays God by Adofes, Deut. i5. 20. that thou may fl live and inherit the Land, which the Lord thy Godglveth thee.
The Promifes made to the Jews under the Mofaick. Difpenfation, chiefly refpeding their Temporal Peace and Profperity, nothing could more effedtually tend to promote thefe Ends, than a faithful Difcharge of the Duties of Juftice in all their Relations and Capa^ cities, and in the utmoll Extent of it. Chriftianity, by opening to us a clearer Profped of a future State of Happinefs, does not diminifh but heighten our Obligations to all thofe Moral Duties, and Civil Offices, which tend to the mutual Advancement of our Happinefs in this Life : And therefore our Savi- our, in that one comprehenfive Precept, of doing to others, as we v/ould they fhould do unto us, has ait once reinforc'd this Duty upon Giriltians, and ex- tended
SERMON XII. .a73
tended it as far as it can pofTibly be cirryM. For by this Rule we exchange, as it were, Perfons and Cir- cumltances with our Neighbour ^ and in this fuppos'd Exchange, he is to have the fame Ufage from us, we could reafonably expeft from him, were his Cafe really our own. So that no Man, who ads by this Rule, can on any Occafion form a Deflgn of going beyond, or defrauding his Brother, except under the like Circumftances, he Ihould think it reafonabletd be circumvented or defrauded himfelf ^ and even if we could fuppofe him fo far capable of perverting this Rule, as to think fo, his Error would not alter the Nature of an unjuft Adion.
Having confider'd the Extent of this PropofitioU in the feveral Refpedts I propos'd to fpeak to^ I am,
Secondly, To confider the Reafon here added to efl- force it, taken from a Confideration of the juft Judg- ment of God againft fraudulent and unjuft Men. Fop the Lord is the Avenger of allfuch.
The great Day of the Vengeance of the Lord li referv'd to another World •, and there are many dreadful Denunciations of God's Wrath to be execu- ted in that Day againft wicked and unrighteous Men,- efpecially fuch o^them as are in any Eminei^t Degree uncharitable or OpprefTors of the Poor : As, that the Mighty fhall be mightily tormented •, th^t he who iheweth no Mercy (and what obdurate Wretch or Oppreflbr can think of thefe Words v/ithout Terror)? Jhall die without Mercy : That Riches (h Til not profit Men in the Day of Wrath j that the Ruft of'their Gold and Silver fhall be a Witnefs againft them •, that they have heap'd up Treafnre againft the laft Daysv and that the Cries of thofe they have injur'd or op- prelTcd are already enter'd into the Ears of the Lord,' James 5. 1,2, 3.
VOL. IL t But
^74 SERMON XII.
But becaufe unjuft Men, who have fet their Hearts upon this World, and appear to center all their De- lires in it, are more affedted with the Confideration of Temporary than of future Evils, which they took upon as Things at a great Diftance, and not m.tich concerning them at prefent, I fliall, in treating of thefe Words,
1. Obfcrve to you fome of the ordinary Methods of God's avenging juftice againft fuch Sinners, even in this Life ^ and,
2. I {hall endeavour to affign Two or Three of the principal Reafons, upon which God may be induced to deal thus with them at prefent.
In fpeaking to the former Particular, I fliall confine my felf to thefe following Confiderations.
1 . That God feldom permits Fraud and In juftice to fucceed long.
2. Where they do fucceed for any confiderable Time, or perhaps throughout the Courfeof a Man's Life, yet they render the Circumftances of his Death fo much the more wretched and deplorable.
3. Where wicked and unjuft Men are fuffer'd to live long, and, it may be, to die without any vifible ligns of God's Wrath and Vengeance upon them j yet they ordinarily, if not conftantly, according to the juft Meafures of his Providence, entail a Curfe upon what they have unjuftly acquir'd. And,
F/r/?, The Providence of God feldom fufTers Fraud and Injuftice to fucceed long. This, Holy David ob- ferv'd in his Days, and in a very Elegant Mantier re- prefents to us, Pfal. 37. 35. how he had feen the Power and Profperity of unjuft Men, all of a fudden, and by infenfible Means, vanifh and come to nothing ^ as if he had been entertain'd with a mere tranfient Vifion, or airy Scene of Imagination ^ They pafs^d hy^ and lo^ they TV. re gone '-, I fought them^ but they could
no
SERMON XII. ^75
no where be fam/d. Agreeable to which is the Obfer- vation of the Wife Zo^har^ Job 20. 5. The Triumph of the Wicked Isjliort^ and the Joy of the Hypocrite but for a Moment. Andi'. 17. They which have feeti him jliall fay J Where is he ?
And does it not frequently fall out within theCom- pafs of our own Obfervation, that they who would be Rich, or have Recourfe to indired and unjuft Means to be fo, frequently fall into fuch Snares and Temptations, as not only render all their great De- ligns abortive, but in the Event really /jre/M^/aW to their own Intcrcfts. God himfelf reprefents it as an ordinary Method of his Providence, that he will call unjufl Men, who enlarge their Dellres as Hell, one time or other to a fevere Account, and blalt their wicked Defigns and Expectations in this Life. Wo to him-, fays he by the Prophet, that increafeth that which is not his : how long t and to him that ladeth hlrnfelf with thick Clay. Shall they not rife up fuddenly thatJJjall bite thee \ and awake ^ that fliall torment thee? and thou flmlt he for Booties unto them^ Hab. 2. (5, 7.
And indeed had not God declar'd, that his Provi- dence is concern'd in bringing to Light, and punifh- ing unjuft: and illegal Prafticesi^ efpecially fuch of them as are attended with Violence and Oppreffion ; yet fuch Practices in the common and natural Effects of them, are apt to difcover and confound themfelves. He that is refolv'd to pufh his Fortune at any Rate ; mu ft often engage himfelf in oppofitelntercfts, and be oblig'd to profefs Love where he haies •, uici fonic- times, to humour thofe in whofc Hands hislnteiell lies, to profefs Hatred where he loves. Lying, Dif- fembling, and Double-dealing, areabfolutely necef- fary to a Man that is rcfolv'd to raife his r.'rtune, tho' it be on the Ruins of his Confcicnce yd Ho- nour. *
Now 'tis impolTible for a Man, how nicely»foevcr he may lay his Schemes, to practife thcfe Arts for any
T 2 coa-
o.'j6
SERMON XII.
confidcrable Time, but the Difguife will, at long. run flill OiT, and difcover him in a true Light. Nay, the falfe Colours he put out will fometimes betray him into thofe very Dangers, he fought to efcape by them. They (hall rife up fuddenly by one unexpeded Acci- dent or other, that Jha/l bite him. And, therefore Ho- ly Job very well reprefents fuch a Perfon, as forming ingenious Defigns for his own Ruin. The Steps ofhi^ Strength^ fays he, Jh.ill be flraitned^ and his ownCounfel fijall caft him down ', for he is cafl into a Net by his own. Feet^ and he walketh vpon a Snare^ Job i8. 7, 8.
Knavifh and unjufl Arts commonly difcover them-* felves ^ but 'tis the Interefl: of thofe, againfl: whom they are defign'd, to difcover them too. Now Inte- refl: is an awakening Principle, few Men are willing to be deceiv'd in what relate to it : And if they ap- prehend themfelves deceiv'd, nothing is apt to irri- tate or provoke their Refentments more. And Re- venge, which is too natural an Effed of great and violent Provocations, will, if pofllble, find an Ene* my out J and where he is found out, is noteafily ap- peas'd. Which is the Reafon of that Wife Obferva- tion, Job 20. 22. In the Fulnefs of his Sufficiency^ he^ that is., the fraudulent and unjuft Perfon, jlW/ be in Want. And every Hand of the V/ic\ed.^ thofe very Men perhaps that formerly engag'd in his Defigns, f^all be fifon him. The Meaning is, that when any one who lias been guilty of notorious indired Pradices to the Prejudice of others, or it may be of the Publick^ is prefum'dupon clear and evident Grounds obnoxi- ous, all Perfons indifferently, but efpecially thofe he has more immediately injnr'd, take a fecret Kind of Pleafure in hunting him down, and feeing Juflice done upon him. For which Reafon, as is farther ob- ferv'd at the 1 8th Verfe, he is often oblig'd to make what Raparation he can •, for SatisfaBion may be im- pofllble, for the Wrongs he has done : That which he laboir/dfor-f fmll he yejiore. an^d fiall not fwallow it dorm ^
acccrd'
S £ R M O N XII. 1-jy
according to his Subfiance pail his Reflitiition be^ and he jlull not rejoice therein-
Thus, even fetting afide the Confideration of God's juft Providence, if we do but confider the natural Tendency of a knavifh Pradice it felf, particularly when it is grown notorious, it cannot reaionably be expeifled, fo long as the Paflions of Men are con- cern'd for their Interefts, tbsit Fraud and Injuftice fiionld fucceed long. But,
zdly^ Where they do fucceed for any confiderable Time, and perhaps throughout the Courfe of a Man's Life, yet they render the Circumftances of his Death fo much the more wretched and deplorable.
The longer a Man continues in the Pradice of any Sin, the Guilt of it, when his Confcience is awaken'd, mufl; needs, upon a moral Account, lie heavier and more difquieting upon him. But there is Reafon ta believe that the-Guilt of dyiug and profligate Sinners is further very often infiam'd, by an immediate and juft Judgmentof God j and efpccially of known and publick Oppreffors.
There are no obfcure Intimations in Scripture to this Purpofe. " As, that Fear (hail come upon fuch " Enemies to the common Rights and Liberties of "■ Mankind, like a Whirlwind ^ That Deftruciion " and Anguifh fhall come upon them ^ That they " fhall call upon God, but he v/ill notanfwer ; That " they fhall feek him early, but they fhall not find " him, Prav. i. 27, 28.
For that Solomon here intends fuch Perfons more particularly, as give themfclves up to bafe and difho- neft Practifes, appears from their being defcrib'd at the nth Verfe, as lurking privily for the Innocent -^ to the End {ver. it.) that they may find all precious Subftance, and fill their Houfes with Spoil. For Co are the Ways of every one (yer. 19 ) that is greedy of Gain. ^
T3 Holy
278 SERMON Xir.
Holy Job feems yet more full and exprefs upon this Article : What^ fays he, (Chaf. 27. 8, 9. j is the Hope of the Hypocrite^ when God taketh away his Soul? Will God hear his Cry when Trouble cometh vpon him ? When the Terrors of Death, and an enrag'd Confcience, com- pafs fach a Sinner round about, and the Pains of Hell take hold of him •, when a juft and avenging God is calling in his Accounts, and he is a [ham -"d or afraid to produce them •, or perhaps by reafon of t.heKum- ber and Diverfity of his Oppreffions, and the Wrongs he has done, knows not which way he fhould fet him-, felf to make them up; when after all, the Tempter with his evil Spirits is let loofc upon him, and fuffer'd to fill his Mind with black terrifying Scenes of Hor- ror and Defpair ^ how can we fiippofe the moft vile and miferable Wretches in this World under Circum- ftances, which can give our Minds more (hocking or difmaying Appreheniions? And yet r/;;V, as we are afUir'd, at the 13th Verfe, is the Portion of a wicked AfAn with God^ and the Heritage of Oppreffors^ which they (hall receive of the Almighty.
An unjuil Man, who for fome trifling and inconlT- derable, or even for the greated Advantages of this World, has endanger'd the Lofs of his Soul, would then, no doubt, give the whole World, were he Ma- iler of it, for the Teltimony of Innocency and a good Confcience • or for one Beam of the Light of God's Favour and Countenance to fliineupon him.
The Scriptures do not obfcurely intimate further, that the Injuftice of Men docs fometimes provoke God to cut the Thread of their Lives (hort.
That Intemperance and Senfuality, or Difordersof any other Kind arillng from a criminal Indulgence of the PalTions, (hould iliorten the Lives of Men, natu- ral and obvious Reafons may beadign'd. And fome Keafons alfo, from the Nature of the thing may be given, why Men who follow unjufl' and irregular Arts of Gain, fhould be inltrumental in (hortning the
Kum-
SERMON Xir. --j^
Number of their Days. And that is from the per- plexing Cares and Anxiety of Mind which does aI- ways, and the inward Remorfe and Fret of Confci- ence, which muft of Neceflityyo^wmwfj, accompany fuch aCourfe of Life.
The Abundance of the Rich, fays Solomon^ wi/l not fuf- fer him to fcep. But the Reafon holds much ftronger, with Refpeft to fuch rich Men, as accumulate Wealth by fraudulent and indired Arts. And efpecially when they meet with Difappointments in any thing they violently thirfl after, or have fet their Hearts upon. Such Mortifications are apt to bring them, with Ahab, under great Diforder and Diilradion of Mind, I Kings 21. I, 2, 3.
But what I intend is, That God by a fpecial De- fignation of his Providence, does frequently cut wicked Men (hort in the Career of their Sins and Villanies •, not only by delivering them into the Hands of Piiblick Juftice in this World • which he fometimes does :, but by his fecret Judgments and Vifitations upon fuch Delinquents in this kind, whofe Power, or Intereft, or Policy, keeps them out of the Reach of Human Laws. Horv oft, fays Holy Job to this Purpofe, is the Candle of the rvicked put out ', and how oft cometh their DeJlntUion tipon them ? And again-. What Flea fur e hath fuch a Man in his Hovfe after him, when the Days of his Months arc cut of in the midfi ? fob 21. 17. 21.
The Words of the Prophet J^rfwjV? are very re- markable on tliis Occafion: As the Partridge fitteth upon Eggs, and hatcheth them not ', fo he that getteth Riches^ and not by Right ^ fliall leave them in the midfi of his Days^ and at the end be a Fool: i.e. His De- figns, after all his Care and Pains, and Brooding up- on them, fhall prove abortive: He fliall not fee the Riversy the Floods, the Brooks of Honey .ind Butter •, He fhall not live to cnj^y that Flow of Wealth, or Pleafure, which he has fornfd to himfelf f:> many
T 4 fin#
^8o S E R M ON XII.
fine and delightful Schemes of. When he ii about to fill his Belly (that is, according to the Delign of this Metaphor, when he feems to have brought all his Defigns to bear, and is full of Expeftation to reap the Fruits of them-, ) God flmll cafl the Fury of his JVrath upon him^ and pall rain it vpon him while he is eatings Chap. 20. 23.
Yet do we not fometinies obferve, that Wicked Men have not only acontinu'd Run of Succefs thro* the Courfe of their Lives, but that they alfo live long, and feem at laft to go down to the Grave in Peace ? I anfwer. That God, for wife and good Rea- fons, does fometinies difpenfe with the general and ordinary Rules of his Providence ; but this can be no Reafon for any Man in particular to encourage himfelf in wicked and unjull: Praftices : Efpecially if we con- iider in the next Place,
^dly^ That where wicked and unjufl: Menarefuf- fer'd to live long, and (it may be) to die without any vifible Signs of God's Wrath or Vengeance upon thera j yet they ordinary, if not conjlantly^ en- tail a Curfe upon what they have unjufl'ly ac- quired.
The Scriptures every where confirm this Truth. The Prophet lays it down as a certain and known Obft?rvation •, That thofe who feek to enlarge their PofiefTions by unjufl Methods, jhall leave their Houfes dcfolate^ even great and fair^ roithnit Inhabitant^ Ifa. 5 . y. And the PfJmift fpeaking of fuch Men, fays, that they heap up Kiches^ and cannot tell xvho pall gather them. But Solomon goes further, and fays, they gather them for thofe, vvhich (of all Perfons) they leaft defign'd them for. He that by vnjufi Gain increafeth his Sub- f-.tKce^ pall gather it for them that will pity the Voor^ f^rov. 28.8.
It were endlefs to cite the feveral Texts of Scrip- ture tothisFurpofe: And indeed, had not the Ho- ly
SERMON XII. 2S1
ly Scriptures declar'd in thefe Texts I have already cited, and in exprefs Terms, Trov. 1 3.1 1. that Wealth gotten by P^anity pall be diminiped j yet there is no- thing more agreeable to the common Obfervation of Mankind in aH Ages. 'Tis very fignificantly ex- prefTed concerning fuch Eltates, that they trouble a Mans own Houfe^ Chap. 15. 27. Inftead of aggran- dizing his Poflerity, an unjuft Man provokes God to vifit hislnjuftice upon his Children to the Third and Fourth Generation. Not that a Man's Chil- dren are chargeable with the Guilt of his Crimes 5 yet God m.ay very juftly deprive them of the EfTeds of his Crimes, and make his Children refund, what he having no jufl Right in himfelf, could devolve no Right of upon them. Accordingly Job fays expref- ly concerning fuch Men, "they lay v^ Iniquity for their Children^ Chap. 21. I9«
But 1 haften to what I propos'd in the next Place ^ (viz..)
idly^ To aflign One or Two of the Principal Reafons, upon which God may be induc'd to deal thus with fraudulent and unjuft Men in this Life. And,
i/. Fraud and Injuftice are Sins, which if the Providence of God did not curb and reftrain by wholfome Methods of his Severity, would over- throw all Order and Government in the World j and there would be no living, efpecially for Good Men, who are the peculiar Charge of God's Providence, in a State of Violence and Rapine, which would ne- cefTarily follow upon a general Amnefty, or Impu- nity of fuch Sinners.
For tho' Human Laws ordinarily make the belt Provifion they can againfl; Offences and Diforders in this kind, yet powerful and profperous Sinners often find Means to evade them. And befidcs, the
Ma-
282 SERMON XII.
Magiftrate cannot take Cognizance of the hidden Things of Diihonefty, and fuch illegal Wrongs as are done by wicked Men in Secret. 'Tis the Pre- rogative of God to fee and know every thing : His Eyes are in every Place, beholding the Evil and the Good. And the Pfalmifl makes this a Reafon, where Human Methods fail, of his Executing Jufticeupon wicked and unrighteous Men himfelf: Surely thouhufi feen it ; for thou behold^fi Vngodlimfs and Wrongs to re- <piit€ with thine Hand,
idty^ Fraud and Injuflice very often involve Men in other heinous Crimes, highly provoking to God ; as of OpprefTing the Poor, the Widow, and the Fatherlefs ^ of Perjury and Subornation ; and fome- times, in very profligate Wretches, of Murder it felf.
Now OppreHTibn of the Poor, to fay nothing of the Cruelty and Inhumanity of.it, is highly provo- king to God, as it refleds Difhonour upon his Providence. He th^^t opprejfeth the Poor^ reproacheth his Maker, This may be explain'd in Two Senfes. He that oppreileth the Poor, reproacheth the Wifdom, and Goodnefs of God : As if he had made Man, and then taken no Care of him •, or made no pro- per and competent Provifion for the Support of the Life he had given him •, and fo left him in a worfe Condition than that of the moft wild and favage Creatures, for which Nature has provided all necef- iary Supports of Life.
Or, idly^ An Oppreflbr of the Poor reproacheth his Maker:, As Man is created in the Image of God, Ire thatcruflies the Poor, or infults and treats him with Contempt, as if he were a Creature of a diffe* rent Species from himfelf, offers an Affront and In- dis;nity to God, in the Perfon of Man. Job makes this a Reafon, whv in his greatelt Profperity, he did not defpife the Ciufe of his own Servants, even
when
SERMON XII. 283
when they contended with him. Did not he who made me in the ■womb, make them ? And did not onefajlnon us in the womb f
We are commanded not to opprefs the Poor for this very Reafon, becaufe he is Toor. 'Tis a horrid Thing then, that Men fhould take Advantage from the NeceflTities of Poor People, and mahe their very Poverty a Reafon of Oppreffing them ^ which God has made, and which is in its own Nature a ftrong Reafon, why they in particular Ihould be protedled from all manner of Oppreffion.
An OpprefTor therefore of the Poor is a perfed Bealt of Prey, under a Human Shape-, and cannot be fupposM to have reach'd fuch a Pitch of barbarous Injuftice, except behave firftdivefled himfelf ofthe common, and fome of the mofl: tender Sentiments of Human Nature.
So likewife 'tis a high Aggravation of any Fraud or Injnftice, when it tends to the Injury or Oppref- fion ofthe Widow •, who being depriv'd of the Afli- ilance of her Husband, and lefs capable on many Accounts of Solliciting her own Affairs, moreeafily becomes a Prey to wicked and defigning Men. But let them hear that ftrift and fevere Charge of Gcd by Mofes^ and the Reafons upon which 'tis enforc'd, j[)^j/r. 22. 22, 23. Te pall not ajjliB any Widow, cr fatherlefs Child : If thou ajjliB them in any wife^ and they cry at all vnto me ', I will fur ely hear their Cry, and my Wrath jliall wax hot ; and I will kill you with the Sword: And your Wives pall be Widows, and you Chil- dren fatherlefs.
Holy Job, in juflifying his Innocence with refpeft to this, among other heinous Crimes, reprefents to us tiie provoking Nature and Guilt of it. Jf, fays he, / have held the Toor from their defire, or cavfed the "Eyes of the Widow to fail-, then let mine Arm fall from the Shoulder'hlade,and mine Arm he broken from the Rone, Chap. 31. 16. 21. To exprefs his juft Indignation at
the
284
S E Pv M O N XII.
the very Thoughts of fuch a Crime, he doubles the Imprecation , and makes ufe of Two Expreflions, which both fignify the fame Thing.
Injuries done to poor defencelefs Orphans, cry aloud to Heaven for Vengeance on the Authors of them •, and therefore God is in a peculiar manner ftil'd their Helper. And for this Reafon, Solomon ex- preflydilTuades wicked Men from all unjuft: Invafion upon their Rijihts, that God will take upon himfelf to avenge the Wrongs done to them. Enter not into the Fields of the Fatherlefs, for their Redeemer is mighty j he pall plead their Caufe with thee^ Pro v. 23. 10, 11.
As to Perjury, Subornation, Murder, and the like, theie are Sins of a Scarlet Dye ^ and we need only mention them, to (hew the Enormity and crying Guilt of them : And yet wicked Men, in the Pur- fuits of their unjuft Defigns, are fometimes drawn in to commit them.
We have a remarkable Inftance to this Purpofe, ia the Firfb Book of Kifjgs^ Chap. 2 1 . ^hab's Firft Overtures to Nahoth for his Vineyard, had fome Ap- pearance at leall of a good honeft Intention ; for he offers the Value of it in Monies, and more than an Equivolent in Lands : But when he found his Propo- sals rejefted, Methods are taken to compafs that by Violence, which could not be obtain'd by fair Means. JReligion, and it was not the only time it has been made Ufe of to cover barbarous Defigns, is preten- ded ; and, in the firll place, a Fall proclaimed. Up- on this follows a Train of Villanies, anfwerable to fuch a prophane Beginning : Falfe Witnefies are fu- born'd,an4 folemnly perjur'd,and ^oor Naboth there- upon ftoned to Death. 'Tis true, all this was done by the immediate and fpecial Procurement of Jt^^- hel : But becaufe^'j^^ confented to what fhedid \ and afterwards openly approv'd her wicked Meafures, by taking Poffeffion of the Vineyard j He alfo is dired-
SERMON XII. 185
ly charged with having kill'd Nahoth^ v. 19. as if it had been his proper and perfonal Aft.
I mention this to fhew, that we are flriflly ac- countable in Foro ConfcientU to God, for all thofe Sins wherein our Confcnt or Concurrence is exprefs'd or imploy'd, as well as for all thofe, other Perfons arc drawn to commit by our Advice or Command.
Zdly^ and laflly, Fraud and Injuflice are very flrong Arguments of an obdurate and corrupt Heart. For,
I. Every Man that is guilty of them, contrads a new and frefh Guilt on all the Occafions he has of making Reparation for the Wrongs he has done. His detaining what belongs to another Perfon, does not deltroy that Perfons Right to it. So that every Moment he has it in Pofleflion, and may reftore it, he docs in Effed approve and repeat the firft Injury. Which therefore without Reftitution is not to be con- fider'd fo much as one (Ingle Sin, as the firft Link of a continued Chain of Sins combin'd together, and granting upon one another. . .
A Man that is guilty of thefe Si\is, and conti- nues in them, cannot be fuppos'd ever to exerciie any true Ad of Repentance, or indeed to think fe- rioufly of ever repenting at all.
In order to Repentance, Reftitution is necefTiry where it can be made^ abfolntdy necelfary ; and there- fore, if ever a Man defigns to repent, he muft de- iign to reftore what he has defrauded other Perfons of i and then what End could he have in defrauding them ? 'Tis true, a Man that comm.its an Ad of Fraud or Injuftice, in order to fupply a prefent Ke- cefhty, may pofTibly be fuppos'd to do it with an In- tention to fatisfy for the Injury he has done, when he is able: Bnt for your great and v.'ealthy Oppref- fors, if ever they defie^n Reftitution, there can be no imaginable Reafbn given, why they do not make it immediately, and out of hand j and confequently
■ they"*
c:86 SERMON XII.
^hey ought to look upon all their Purpofesof an Af- ^er-Repentance, if they have any, to be one of the moft vain, and empty, and chimerical Delufions in the World.
So that above all other Sins, there feems to be this peculiar in thofe of going beyond and defrauding our Brother, that they feem to be, nay, they are dired- ly inconfiftent, efpecially where Perfons are not un- der neceffitous Circumftances, with ihQ very Thoughts and Defigns of Repentance.
I fliall now conclude all that has been faid with 3 Word or Two of Exhortation. And,
I . To thofe rvhofe Confciences charge them with any frau- dulent or unjufl Dealing. 1 would exhort fuch Perfons to repent without Delay of it, and to teftify their Repentance by making a plenary Reftitution, if it be in their Power, to thofe they have injur'd.
I would advife them to confider farther, that every Ad of Fraud and Injuftice, how iaconfiderable fo- ever it may feem in it felf, is a Snare and Temptati- on to further Irregularities in this Kind. The Rule, Frincipiis ohfta^ holds in this, as in all other Cafes ; we mufl beware of the Beginning of this Sin •, and if we have been fo unhappy as to fall into it, immedi- ately apply proper Remedies.
An unjufl Man is commonly under a NecefHty, ci- ther of quitting what he has already got by indirect Means, which he cannot prevail with himfelf to do •, or elfe of covering one Ad of Injuflice with ano- ther ', which he therefore refolves to do. So that he cannot know where he will ftop, or what other Ad- vances in Sin 'tv;ill be neceHary for him to make ; till by Degrees he grows harden'd, and the Spirit of God gives him up to work all Manner of Iniquity with Greedinefs.
idly^ To thofe who are not already engag d In any illPra-
'^i'-u^of this Kind. I vvpuld advife fuch Pe- fons Itill
^ "* to
SERMON XII. 287
to keep their Confciences void of Offence, and be- ware of the very firit Approaches to all fraudulent and unjult Actions towards their Brethren. For one Aftof Injuftice, we fee, naturally leads to another 5 the Reafon for the Second is as good as for the Firft ; and the Temptation ftronger, the more we comply with it.
How many Perfons are there in the World, who would have abhorr'd the very Thoughts of thofe Practices, which by Decrees are become fo habitual to them, that they commit them without either Shame or Remorfe ? Beware left by giving way to the Arts of unjuftGainat firft, this do not in time be- come your own Cafe.
3^/y, To all Verfons in general, my Exhortation is, that they would fincerely and ftridly refolve to pra- diict the Rules of Juftice. An honeft and confcien- tious Regard thereto, will give a fecret Blefling upon our Endeavours, by fecuring to us an Intereft in the Divine Favour ; and tho' our Condition may be low, yet 'twill be eafy and comfortable, and fweeten'd with the inward Teftimony and Applaufe of our own Minds. But wicked and unjuft Men can never have any Sitisfadions of this Kind : How fmoothly foever they may carry it, the Fears of an avenging God ( they know what I fay to be true) are now and then amidft all their Enjoyments very trouble-, fome and difquieting to them.
The Blejfing of the Lord maketh Rich^ to all the belt Ends and Purpofes of Life \ and if it do not raife us to a Diftindtion in this World, yet it has this Advan- tage above the greateft Revenues without Rights that it bringeth no Trouble with it j and that the End thereof Ihall be blefTed.
SER.
1%c,
T O
Mr. Edward Chaloner,
O F
GISBROUGK
S I R,
IN Ackrjoroledgment of the Favours^ wherewith Ton have fo ptiblickly honoured me^ I hai'c taken the Freedom to infer the this Difeourfe to Ton ^ not from any particular Ex- cellency in it, which I could have wifli^d^ onfo inviting an Occafiony but becaufe I bad the Charatler of a Gentle- man pretty much in my Eycj when I compos' d it.
And indeed, whatever fat fe Notions of Honour may ob- tain intheWerld^ f/;e Idea of a Gentleman, and that of a Chrifiian, the more we examine and compare them^ will Jlill be found the more infeparable.
I do not fpcak this. Sir, as if you. had learned to diftin- guif) between thefe two Characters ; you perfc^ly under- Ji:and that they cannot fubffl a-part : Had not the A-Iethod^ of your Education, and the good d-rlnciplcs you derive from your Father s Houfe, and the Ancient Family of Fowjis, taught you the NeceJJlty of uniting them^ you think too juft- ly not to have difcovcr^d it your felf.
VOL. II. U Imufl
opo DEDICATION.
I tniijl own there is one fdfe Principle of Gallantry ^which / have taken upon me to attack^ that is difficvltly rooted out of the Minds, of Gentlemen^ who in all other RefpeBs fljexo a reafonahle and lively Senfe of Religiony and would ftiffer any thing rather than aEl contrary to the Rules of it.
I have refolv^d the Reafon of this prevailing Error into a, natural Bravery of the Britifh Nation^ and the fcrupulous Nicety we are apt to difcover^ in relation to every thing that may affect our Reputation or flonour- Thefe Confidera- tlons may ferve ifi fame Meafure to take off the Odium of a finful ABlon at prefent^ but they will never he able ta jufiify it, according to that Word where our Lord has dc' clar''d he will judge all Men at the lafi. If we profefs our felves Chrijlians, we muft regulate our ConduB by the Laws of Chrijllanity^ and not by the Alaxims of a corrupt World, whofe Vanities we have renounced.
A due Regard to this Rulejlwuld be had under aU other Circtimflances of Temptation to criminal Compliances, Touth efpecially, which dreads nothing fo much as to appear difagreeable^ as it is more apt out ofafalfe Shame to be betrayed into fuch Compliances, ought to guard with the greater Caution and Sedtdity againfl them.
Tou will pardon me. Sir, the Freedom of an Advice, which the more Complaifance and good Nature ayewng Gen' tletnan has, the more he will have Occafionfor.
Tho' in Truth, what I obferve is not defign' d fo much for your InflruBion as your Applaufe ', and that J may encou- rage you to proceed in forming your Mind by the Principles, and your Heart more and more to the PratJice of Reli- gion.
This you are fcnfible is incumbent on You as a Duty, give me leave to obferve further^ That notwithftanding the Cor- ruption of the Age^ Religion ha^ very much the Advantage of Vice in common Repute and Efieem.
Thofe who defire to live in any Credit in the World^ do what they can to diffemble their Vices ', or are ajlmm^d at leafl to own them. And tho"* there may be vicious Perfons^ who look upon certain Irregularities as very excufable in the
Young
DEDICATION. apt
Voung Fellows, and who are therefore fo far fi-om making a Secret of the Diforders they havefalfn imo themfelveSy that their Hy^ocrify lies the other way^ and they think it a viece of Bravery to take Faults tifon them they never cbm- mitted \ yet fuch profligate Libertines are inconfiderable'^ either for their Capacity or Ouality. They are only to be found among your raw thoughtlefs Bcaus -, or fuch as have had little or no Education ^ or who are funk in Ignorance^ and corrupted in their A f orals to the lafi Degree.
It may-, I hope^ be truly faid^ 'that a more jufl and refind A'lorality begins tofpreadit felf among vs ^ that <« vicious Charalier IS generally grown more flwcking than vi>e have formerly known it : In a word^ that nothing is more neceffary to make a yovaa Gentleman appear with any Lufire or Advantage in theWorldy than the Chara^er of Virtue and Sobriety.
"the Author of the Book of Wifdom, who by hisKnoW' ledge of the World, and the gentile "turn he gives his Thoughts^ feems to have been a Perfon of Condition him- felf^ was fo fcnfible in his Time of the great Advantage of fuch a CharaEier^ that he refolv^d betimes to make Virtue his Choice^ and to contraU himfclf to Her. I lovM her, fays he., and fought her out from my Youth : 1 de- lir'd to make her my Spoufe ^ and 1 was a Lover of her Beauty. For this and many other Excellencies he ad' mir^d in Her^ he takes up a further Refolution of actually efpoufing Her-, of Cohabiti-iig with Hkr^z/ind en all proper Occafons of confulting Her. Therefore I propos'd to take her to me, to live with me, knowing flie would be a Counfellor of good Things, and a Comfort in Care and Grief
This Excellent Ferfon-, from an Allufion to one of the tnofl tender and Aelicflte Pajjions of human Nature, with great Art infinuates to young Aden, who are not fuppos''d the leajl fenfble of that Pajfion, how lovely and defirablc a thing Virtue ts, and what Happinefs may be efcpe^ed from her Society..
V 1 'Tti
292 DEDICATION.
^Tis not^ Sir, for want of Matter, that I have accojied, you in the Language of a Preacher rather than of a Pane- gyric • for to fay nothing of your other good Qualities there cannot be a more cofiom or engaging Sub je^ for Pane» gyricy than a Candid Jngenuom Temper of Mindy and a Spirit of tcniverfal Benevolence : But I have rather con-r fulted what your Modejiy would hear^ than what was real- ly due to your CharaUer*
I have only to add^ That J am with thegreatefi ^ime- rky and Ref^e^^
S"i R,
Your mofi; obliged.
4nd very Humble Servant,
Kia FIDDES.
2p3
SERMON XIII.
The Rcafonablenefs of Forgiving Inju- ries ^ The Coninion Pretences againft it enquired into^ And the Cafe of DUELLING particularly con- fiderM.
LUKE xvi. 37.
ForgivCy and. ye jl jail be forgiven.
XT has been difputed; whether the Forgiving of Injuries be a Duty of Natural Religion, or on- ly of Pofitive Inftitution. That it does not arife from any clear or evident Principles of natural Rea- fon, is argued from the Writings of the Heathen Mo- ralifts. Ariflotle^ Cicero^ and Seneca^ Three of the greatefl: Authorities among them, are particularly cited to fhew, that tamely to put up ill Ufage and Af- from:s, is fo far from being Matter of Moral Obliga* tion, that 'tis an Argument of a mean and narrow Soul, and contrary to the great Fundamental Law of Self-Prefervation. For tho' 'tis granted we meet in the Works of thel| Celebrated Authors with many fine
■\j ^ 3ay-
ap4 SERMON XIII.
Sayings upon Clemency '^ yet they fpeak of it rather as an Heroick Virtue, which glitters in the Eye of the World, than as a Duty of ftrid Morality. So that they feem'd to have had the fame Notion of it, which the Pap! (i-s have concerning WorJ^s of Superarogation ; they confider'd it as a generous and commendable Thing, on fome Occafions to pardon an Offence ; but what upon no Occafion any Perfbn was really oblig'd to.
But Chriftianity gives ns more Jult and Refin'd Sentiments of this Duty, and, as will appear in the Sequel, more agreeable to the Natural Reafon of the Thing it felf. Yet becaufe we do not always follow either Authority or Reafon as wc ought, with- out fome further Profpeft •, our Blefled Saviour is here pleas'd to encourage our Obedience to his Command of pardoning the Offences of other Men againft us, by a moft gracious Promife, that this will be a means of procuring the Pardon of our own Offences againlt God. Forgive, and ye Jliall be for- ^Iven-
" In Difcourfing therefore upon the Words, I fhall purfue this Method.
ifl. I fliall Ihew, that this Duty of Forgiving In- juries, is reafonable in it felf.
idly. I fhall confider fome of the Chief Difficul- ties which are pretended againft the Reafonablenefs of it.
3,dly. 1 ihall obferve with what Reftridiion we are here to under Hand the Promife of Forgivenefs to thofe who forgive others. And,
ji^thly. and Laftly. I will conclude with Laying down Two or Three proper Directions, in Order to qualify us for the better Difcharge of this Duty.
ifl. I am to fhew, that to forgive Injuries is .1 pi]ty reafonable in it felf, in Order (o which, it will
be
SERMON XIII. 2p5
be neceflary to enquire by the way, what we arc to underftand by this Duty ^ and how far we are under an Obligation to it. ^
By Forgiving Injuries, then, I intend our pardon- ing any Offence committed againft us, fo as to en- tertain no Motions of Revenge againft the Offender. ISJot but that we may, and in fome Cafes indeed (where our Reputation or Interefts are nearly con- cern'd) ought to feek Reparation for the Wrongs done us ^ but ftill we are to bear no Malice or Hatred to the Perfon that did them : Nay, we are to fhew him all the common Offices of Humanity and Refpecl, to wifh well to all his real Interefts, and if it lie in our Way to promote them. Particularly, if he be under any Circumftances of Diftrefs, we are to con- tribute, as we have Opportunity, to his Relief^ ac- cording to the Rule of Solomon^ Prov. 25.21. If thine Enemy be hungry^ give him Bread to eat , and if he be thirfiy^ give him Water to drink.
Now the Reafonablenefs of Pradifing this Duty in the Senfe 1 have ftated it, will appear from the fol- lowing Confidcrations : As it is an Aft both of Pru- dence, of Goodnefs, andof Juftice. And,
I. As it is an Ad of Prudence. There is no PaT- flonofour Nature more turbulent, or which fets a keener Edge upon the Spirits, and hurries us into greater Diforders, than that of Revenge. But how- difficult is it for us, where we do not freely, and from our Hearts forgive any Perfon the Injury .he has done us, to have no Defire of Revenging it, in one way or other, upon him. And therefore, a Temper of Mind, which frees us from all the ill and natural Effeds of a revengeful Temper^ cannot but for that very Reafon, have an Intrinllck Virtue and Excellency in it. And indeed, if according to ^,/- fiotle himfelf in his Ethicks, Moral Virtue principal- ly confilt in moderating our Paffions, ir mii;h!
U 4 iC'v.m
^9^
SERMON XIII.
feem a Quellion not fo much, Whether a Difpofition to pardon Injuries be a Moral Virtue ? But, Whe- ther, SLS yicjimios ])Uts it^ {"lid. Quefi. 157.) it be not the principal of all other Virtues ? Seeing there is not any PafTion more violent or unruly, than that which a forgiving Mind teaches us to keep within due Bounds.
But I obferv'd, that to forgive an Injury, does not only import our Stifling all Revengeful Motions in Prejudice of the Party that injur'd us, but likewife an Inclination to do good to him. And in this Senfe, 'tis Prudence to make our Enemies fenfihle that we really forgive them. For he mult be a Perfon of a very obdurate and infenfible Temper in- deed, who is not mollify'd by Afts of Kindnefsand Condefcenlion, in Return of his ufing us ill. Our Saviour compares fuch a Method of gaining upon our Enehiies, to the Melting down hard Metals, by pouring Coals of Fire upon them. But whether our Enemies are to be foften'd by this Method or not, 'tis certainly a more prudent Courfe to try it, than to provoke them to new Injuries, by doing them all the ill Offices in our Power. For this is to feed and inflame a PaiTion, which we find it difficult enough to fiibdue upon the fir (t (tho' perhaps flight ) Pro- vocation, with continued Aggravations of it \ and which therefore we Ihall fl:ill be lefs able to fit qui- etly down, andcompofe our Minds under the Senfe of For Revenge is one of thpfe Paffions which preys upon it felf, and vifibly defeats its own Defigns.\A/hat we propofe by it, is to make our Enemies underfl:and that we do not lie at their Mercy *, that we are in a Condition to make Reprisals ^ or that we are in one Refped or other <2&ow them. And yet there is no- thing which more difcovers to them the Power they have over us, or aftbrds them, if they really hate us, a fairer Occafion of Triumph, than when they obferve how great Pain and Uneafinefs the Endea- vour
SERMON XIIL -97
vour of Revenge gives us, and what Diforder they have been able to throw us into. So that all Per- fons, who would not betray that Weaknefs they feek to hide, are concern'd, at leaft in point of mere Prudence, to put themfelves upon Dillembling the Paflion of Revenge, how much foever they may be inclin'd to aft it. But without doubt, the mod pru- dent Method of all is, by a hearty Forgivenefs of thofe who haveinjur'd us, to avoid the Occafions of Dijfemhling it.
idly. To forgive is an Aft of Goodnefs : Thaa which there is nothing in Human Nature more ami- able, or praife-worthy. Nay, without this Qiiality, all the other Advantages and Talents of Mankind would lofc their Value, and turn to no Account to their common Benefit, but rather tend to their Ruiii and Deftriiftion.
Now 'tis needlefs to prove, that, if to do good in general be a Perfcftion of Human Nature, a good Aftion changes not its Qiiality when 'tis done to an Enemy. No ^ this, in the Senfe of all Mankind, has ever been look'd upon as the very Perfcftion of Goodnefs it felf, to do Kindneflesnot only without Merit, but in Dcfpite of Provocation.
Thefe are the Terms, wherem God Almighty is pleas'dto fpeakof his Goodnefs: That he i% flow to A.iger^ full of Compajfion •, That he is jjatietit and /ow- fuff'ering ', That he will be merciful to our Tranfgnfmis^ and remember our Sins and Iriicjvitles no mere.
And had not that All-glorious Being, who t<good and does good, recommended his pardoning Gocd'^iellj particularly to our Imitation *, yet this being one of the Moral and Communicable Attributes of'his Na- ture, the very Reafon of the thing lliews, that wc ought to imitate it, and look upon it, not only as our Duty, but as one of our greateil Pcrfcft-ions ro do it J as our Saviour argues in a molt admirable and
per-
398 SERMON XIII.
perfuafive Manner, Mat. 5. 44, &c. But I fay vntoyou^ love your Fnemies : Blefs them that curfeyou ^ do good to them that hate you^ and pray for them which defpitefufly ■ufe you and perfecute you ^ that you may be the Children of your Father^ which is in Heaven : For he maketh his Sun to rije on the Evil^ and on the Good'^ and fendeth Rain oii the Jufi^ and on the Vnjufi. For if ye love them which love you^ what Reward have ye i* Do not even the Publi- cans the fame <" Andifyefaluteyour Brethren only ^ what do you more than others \ do not even the Publicans fo ? Be ye therefore PerfeB^ even as yQur Father^ rphich is in Heaven^ is perfeB.
The Heathens indeed by their Encomiums on Cle- mency, feem'd to have had a Notion, as if there were fome peculiar Perfe^ion, and of a Divine Extraft, in this Virtue. And tho' they did not think them- felves Tinder any ftrift Obligation to pradife it in private Life •, yet they made it one principal and fhi- iiing Charafter of their Heroes. But certainly, if it be an Argument of true Greatnefs and Bravery of Mind, in a Prince or a Hero, to pardon his Enemies ^ 'twas fo proportionably, and in the Reafbn of the Thhig, in private Perfons.
All the Difference lay here, that the Anions of Great Men, in a publick Capacity, were more con- fpicuous, and expos'd to the View of the World : Whereas the private Affairs of Life, being of lefs Confequence to the Honour, or Reputation of Men, . they govern'd thenifelves in them by other Rules. There is nothing, for Inn:ance,acfr(7 ftrain'd his Elo- quence more in, than the Praife oiC^fars Moderation and Clemency towards his conquer'd Enemies. And yet this Orator lays it down as a reafonable Rule for his own Gondu^ ^ I will revenge the Wrongs done me, in Proportion to the Qiiality and Degree of them: Ouemadmodum a Ouibufcf^ fumprovocatus.
May we not fay upon the like Inconfiflencies, which we find in other Heathen Authors upon this
Article
SERMON XIII. 2P9
Article of pardoning Injuries, that as Vain-Glory was at the Bottom of all their Hearts, fo it appears frequently from their Writings, they form'd their Judgments of PeiTons and Things upon the fame Principle ? Or fliall we fay that thefe fage Heathens argued as to the Matter we are upon, and as Chrifti- ans fometimes do, not from their true Principles, but their Interefts ? So that when they conflder'd it as a Qiieftion, which particularly concern'd themfelves, whether they fhould forgive thofe that injurM them ? They look'd upon it as a mean and unreafonable Thing to do it. But when they examin'd this Qiie- ftion by the pure Light of Reafon, and without any Self-Regards, then they plainly difcover'd the Rea- fonablenefs of pardoning Injuries, and made it an Argument, as it really is, of a generous and great Mind.
3. To forgive is alfo an Acl of Jullicc, The Per- fon who has injur'd you, is your Fellow- Creature, and created after the Image of God •, both thefe Con- fiderations give him a Right to the Duties of com- mon Benevolence and Eftecm •, however he may be^ have himfelf towards you, yet there is a Refpc<^tdue to the Dignity of Human Nature, without violating which you cannot hate or dt'fpife his Perfon. So that the Argument of /^/£'/t.< holds good againft all People that endeavour to gratify their Revenge upon oVie another : Why do ye Wrong to one another^ feeing you are Brethren^ Afts 7. 16.
Or your Enemy is to be confider'd as a Member of Society, and having for that Reafon an Intercft in the Laws of it. Now the Publick Laws arc delign'd to protect all Perfons from private Infults, or .\t\s of Revenge. For any Perfon to take upon himfelf to call his Enemy to Account, or to award fuch Pnnlfh- ^lent as he thinks di'.c to him, is to ufjrp an Autho-
riiv.
300 SERMON XIII.
rity, which does not belong to him, and which he can- not, without great Injuftice, exercife.
And therefore 'tis ftrange, that thofe Great Men before- mentioned, who make no Scruple of allow- ing private Revenge, never thought of fo plain and obvious an Argument againlt it. For as they liv'd un- der Government, and were all of them well vers'd in Political Matters, they could not but know, that; Vindiftive Juftice is, under God, the proper Preroga- tive of the Civil Magiftrate ; and that if private Per- fons might, at Difcretion, take it upon them, and make themfelves Judges in their own Cafe, no Go- vern Bient could long or well fubfift.
I have mention'd nothing of our Obligation ta the Duty lam recommending, as we are Chriftians, and which Charader enforces it upon us, by many peculiar Confiderations-, becaufe I was to fhew the Reafonablenefs of it, as incumbent upon all Men m general. Let us,
2. In the Second place, confider fome of the chief Difficulties, which are pretended againft the Reafo- nablenefs of it. And,
Firfi^ It is faid, that by pardoning thofe that have injur'd us, fo as not only to forbear fhewing them any Refentment, but to give them frefh Teflimonies of our good Will and Refped, is to encourage them to grow ftill more infolent and troublefome to us.
I anfwer, that this is an accidental Effed of a Dif- pofition to pardon the Wrongs done us, and contra- ry to what in all Reafon may be expefted from it ; there being a much greater Probability of making our Enemies to be at Peate with us^ by fuch a kind and ge- nerous Treatment of them, than that we jQiould pro- voke them thereby to new Infults.
But becaufe this fometimes does happen to bean
' Effect of our putting up Injuries done us by Perfons
of a bftfe and untractable Temper , we add further,
that
SERMON XIII. 3ot
tliat no Inconveniencies, which may attend the faith- ful Difcharge of our Duty in any Kind, are to be pleaded againll the Reafonablenefs of it. Were fuch a Plea to be admitted, there is fcarce any Duty, ei- ther of Natural or Reveal'd Religion, which we might not on certain Occafions excufe our felves in the Breach of.
Yet why (hould we only confider the Inconvenien- cies that may poflibly attend our pardoning an Inju- ry, without taking into the Account thofe other In- convenienqies which will certainly attend our Endea- vours to revenge it ? Let us weigh thefe Two Evils, if we cannot wholly avoid either of them, one againlb the other •, and thatbn the Side of Revenge, will up- on Trial be found much the heavier.
For befides, that this is a Paffion, which if we once give way to, is apt to betray us into great Indecen- cies, and fometimes the mofl; horrid Crimes •, 'tis ex- tremely tormenting and vexatious of it felf. Or ra- ther indeed, it is not fo much to be conlidcr'd as a ilngle Paflion, as a Magazine of all the irregular PaC- fions fet on Fire of Hell at once.
'Tis objecled further, that where we fincerely and entirely pardon any Offence, we fhall be reconcii'd . to the Party who gave it, as if he had never offended ^ and that this feems to be the Gofpel- Notion of for- giving the Injuries done us, appears from hence ; that we are taught by our Saviour to pray, that God would forgive us our TrefpafTes, as we forgive thofe of other Men ^ and are requir'd, by the Apollle, to forgive one another^ even as God for Chrifi's pike hath for- given us^ Ephv4. 32. Now thofe whom God for- gives, he does not only receive to Pardon, but to Grace and Favour. From whence 'tis argu'd, that even thofe, who have prov'd falfe and unfaithful to lis, ought, upon our pardoning them, to be admitted ..to the fame Share iii our Friendfliip and Confidence, " Xil\\c\\ they had before^
But
5oa SERMON XIIl.
But this appears to be a very unreafonable Condii- tion of forgiving our falfe Friends, who are general-^ ly our worft and mofl dangerous Enemies^ becaufe however we may be oblig'd in Prudence, or Chari- ty, or Juftice, to forbear all Ads of Revenge againft them, and pay them the common Duties of Huma- nity •, yet Ads of mere Favour being Arbitrary, and depending wholly on our own Choice, why fhould •we be under an Obligation to put thofe who have already abufed them, in a further Capacity of betray- ing us, and perhaps of working our Ruin.
This being a material Difficulty, and which de- ferves to be confider'd, I fhall fpeak to it in as clear and diltind a manner as I can.
'Tis granted then, that Repentance being the Con- dition upon which God not only pardons Sinners, but receives them to Grace and Favour ; it feems to follow, from what has been faid, that where our Friends difcover a real Concern for their ill Ufage of lis, and are willing to make us any proper or reafd- nable Satisfadion, we are oblig'd to a perfed and hearty Reconciliation with them. Our Saviour him- felf appears to have put a Diftindion between our forgiving Injuries in common, and thofe we receive from Perfons we are under fome near Relation to, or have contraded any particular Intimacy or Friend- fhip with. With Refped to the former, it feems fuf- iicient, that webanifh out of our Minds aU revenge- ful Thoughts, and obferve all the ordinary Rules of Charity towards the Authors of them : With Refped to the latter, a friendly and entire Accomodation iS indifpenfibly requir'd. This we gather from thofe Words of our Lord, Luke 17. 3. If thy Brother trefpafs ag.t'mji thee^ rebuke him *, and^ if he repent, forgive him. 'Tis certain, whether our Brother or Friend repent or no of the ill Offices he has done us, we are oblig'd to forgive him in the former Senfe ^ his Breach of Friend fhip or Infidelity to us, does not deftroy the
com-
SERMON XIIL 503
common Obligations we owe to him, as a Man and a Chriftian. However he may treat us, we are to wifli well to him, to pray for him ; and, if his Circum- fiances require, and our own permit, relieve him. This is a Debt we owe to him •, both on the Account of his Natural and Spiritual Relation to us, and which no Confideration can difcharge us from the Payment of. The Meaning therefore of our Saviour in thefe Words, is, that to forgive our penitent Friend, im- plies fomething more, than our paying him the Du- ties of common Humanity f, and fuppofes, that we take him again into our Friendfhip, and give him proper Tellimonies of it. Nay, as it appears from the following Words, we are to obferve the fame Meafures towards him, how oft foever his Offence be repeated. If he trefpafs againfi thfe Seven Times in a Day^ and Seven Times in a Day turn again to thee^ f^y^^^'i I repent \ thou f\i alt forgive him.
But does not the Difficulty return here upon us with greater Force ? Can any thing be more unreafb- iiable, or contrary to the Maxims, whereby the weak- efl:, as well as wifeft of Men, govern themfelves,thaa that we Ihould be oblig'd to continue an intimate and friendly Correfpondence with thofe, who have not deceiv'd us once, or twice, or Seven Times, but per- haps Seventy Times Seven^ as our Saviour puts the Cafe, ^/^f. 18.22. What iffuch a Friend fliould be really forry for what he has done •, what if we could be aflur'd, that he is fully refolv'd, according to the prefent Difpofition of his Heart, to do fo no more : Yet why fhould we truft any longer to fo frail and mutable a Temper, and of which Experience has fo often convinc'd us, there is no Hold to be taken ?
To this we fay again, that Reveal'd Religion im- pofing no Duty on us, but what is under the^Regula- tion of Prudence •, thefe Words of our Saviour arc to beexplain'd, as importing no more, than that an of- fending Brother, or Friend, upon his Rcpentancr,
Ihau
304 SERMON Xlir.
fhall be admitted to all thofe Teftimonies of our Love and Refped^, which do not, by reafonableConflru- dion, expofe us to fuch Inconveniencies, as we can very ill bear.
God himfelf, when he pardons penitent Sinners, does not admit them to an equal Share of his Spiritual Favours. Tofome he communicates more Gifts, and intrufts greater Talents than to others ^ and many times, we pioufly believe, as they are prepar'd to re- ceive and employ them. So that if we may ftill ar- gue from the Condud of God towards us, to the Meafures of our Behaviour towards fuch Friends, as have fail'd in their Refpeds to us, and are heartily forry for the Offence they have given •, it feems in- cumbent on us, ftill to confider them as Friends, and to give them proper Teftimonies of our Friendfhip ^ yet, as to the Nature and Meafure of the friendly Offices we do them, much feems to be left to our own Difcretion, according to the good Qualities we difcover in them, and the different AfTurances we have of their future Fidelity, and good Behaviour.
This, I conceive, is all our BlefTed Saviour can here be fuppofed to intend, except his holy Religion could be thought to deftroy all the Rules of Moral Prudence : Contrary to what the Scriptures them- felves teach, when they require us to unite the Wif- dom of the Serpent, with the Innocence of the Dove % and make it the Charader of a Wife Man, by a pru- dent Forefight of any Evil, to employ the proper Means of preventing it.
In fhort, how diffufive foever our Charity may be to our Enemies, to our Falfe Brethren, or Friends ; yet it cannot be extended fo far, as to make them Maflers of our Lives and Fortunes : We are to love and do good to them, and receive them to Favour fo far, as not to forget the natural and juft Rights we owe to our felves. So that in this Cafe, the Argu- ment of Solomon certainly holds good, and may be ap-
ply'd
SERMON XIII. 305
ply'd to every Chriflian, Be not righteous over-much ^ why Jhffulde/} thou defiroy thy felf?
I do not fpeak this, as it Men were in any great Danger of neglcding their own moll important In- terefls, and becoming profufe in their Favours to- wards thole that have long or much abufed their for- mer Confidence and Friendfhip : No, the common jjnd natural Inclinations of Men lye dire(5lly the othet way. I am only to obferve, that the Chriftlan Reli- gion, in the Senfe we are commanded to forgive In- juries, requires nothing of us that is contrary to Rea- iow.
Not but that God Almighty, 2s abfolute Lord and Proprietor of all we have, might have made it a Con- dition of our pardoning Injuries, to depart in many Cafes from our natural Rights. But whatever God by Right of his Sovereign Authority might have done, there is no NecefTity, I take it, of fuppofing, with ibme Perfons, that this Duty of Forgiving thofe that have injured us, has no clear Foundation in Reafon or the moral Law, but only in pofitive Inftitution. But,
^dly^ What if it fhould really prove in fome Cafes prejudicial to our Intcrefts to praftife this Duty, and to iuch of them as ought to be mofl dear and valuable tons? What, for Inftance, is there in this World it concerns us more to preferve, than our Reputation and. Honour? And yet to put up any notorious In- dignity or Affront when they are attacked, is fo far from being a Method Of preferving them, that ac- cording to certain Maxims which obtain in the World, it only expofes us to a more publick Con- tempt. Thefe Maxims fometimes difcovcr them- lelves among the Vulgar ^ but they chiefly prevail and have the mojjb dangerous Effects among Ferfons of fome Diftindtion for their Birth or Fortune. So that without allowing a Gentleman, when he is ill us'd, VOL. II. X to
3o6 SERMON XIIL
to rcveng;e himfelf, where Satisfadion is not othef- vvays made him, on the Perfon who offere'd the In- jury, tho' it be by fliedding his Blood, or an Attempt at leafl: to do it : Without allowing, I fay, a Gentle- man this Liberty, he will be look'd upon as very in- confidcrable, either in his Enmities or his Friend- fhips-, Inlhort, he will be reputed, what of all other Charadlers renders a Perfon the moll infignificant.
If this happen to be a Gentleman's Cafe, as it lometimes does, what Ihall he do ? Or which of thele two Ways fhall he take ? Shall he expofe himfelf to publick Contempt and Shame, or to all the fatal Con- fequencesofpufhing the Life of his Adverfary, and perhaps loling his own upon the Spot ? That is, of dying in a very finful Adion, deliberately commit- ted, and without any convenient Time or Compo- fure of Mind, it may be without any Time oi' good rifpofition at all, to repent of it.
Tho' this feems a hard Cafe upon a Gentleman, yet the Refolution of it is very eafy. There can be no Difpute, but the Evil of Sin, of a Sin which may probably de- Itroy him both Body and Soul in an Inftant, and for ever, is rather to be avoided than the Evil of a Tem- porary Pain or Difgrace, which after all, he ought not to incur. For the falfe and corrupt Judgments of a wicked World, do not alter the Nature of Things* Jult Praife or Blame does not arife from popular Mi- Itakes, but from a Condud praife-worthy or blamea- ble in its felf. If a Man be fatisfy'd in his own Mind, that he ads as becomes him, and does nothing but what all wife and good Men will approve and ap- plaud him for, why fhould he upon a fantaftic and imaginary Notion of Honour, do a real Ad of Dilho- nour to God, by finning againft him, and involving himfelf in the greateft of Sins, and which more di- redly ftrikes at the Image and Authority of God, that of fliedding human Blood.
If
SERMON XIII. 307
If ftill your Ears be too tender and delicate to beat the Reproach of Men, a Reproach without any juft or reafonable Grounds, but you are notwithllanding refolv'd to comply with a wicked and unreafonable Cuftom out of a talfe Shame : Conlider, I befeech you, how you will be able to bear thofe Words of our BlefTed Saviour, wherein he delivers himfelf in ib moving and awful a manner, Whofoever fjallbe afhatnd of me or of my Words in this adulterous and jinfvl Generati- on^ of him alfo floall the Son of Man be aihara'd ivhen he comes in the Glory of his Father^ with the holy An^els^ Mark 8. 38.
But the Objedion is pufh'd further. 'Tis preten- ded, that Gentlemen are not only concern'd in Poin.6 of Honour to take this Method of vindicating their injur'd Perfons or Reputations, but out of a necefla- ry Regard many times to their Interefts. They mull otherwife tamely fuffer themfelves to be kick'd out of an advantageous Poft, and without which they know not how to fubfifl \ or they mult be oblig'd in certain Cafes to give up the moft fair and Juft Expeftations to make way for the very Perfon that defpifes them for it.
I anfwer again, all thefe Conflderations, tho' 'tis great Pity there fhould be any Occafion for them, on the Account of a popular Error, yet are foreign and accidental to the main Qiieftion. We do not en- quire what Inconveniences a Man may draw iipcii himfelf by revenging an Affront, in the way we are fpeaking of, but whether he may lawfully revenge it \ and in Cafe he do not, whether in the Reafon of the Thing thofe Inconveniences ought to folloxv. We fay they ought not, becaufe 'tis contrary to all Or- der and Equity that a Man fhould fufter fordoing his Dutyj and no private Confideration whatever, no View of publick Intereft can jullify or excufe a fin- ful Aftion. We muft not on any Account do Evil that Good may come of it, tho' it be the grcateft
X 2, Good
3o8 SERMON XIII.
Good we can poffibly propofe to our felves or others. If we might be difpens'd with in the Breach of our Duty, whenever any temporal Inconveniences at- tend a faithful Difchargeofit, what Crimes might it not be lawful for us, under fome Circumftances to commit ?
So that the Qiieftion, Whether a Gentleman, when he has received a feafible Affront , may demand Satisfaction in. the ufual Method, can only be re- folv'd in the Affirmative, by faying that 'tis lawful for him to do it. For 'tis abfurd to fay, that a Maa confider'd as a moral Agent (and I hope every Gen- tleman is to be confider'd as fuch) may do, what he cannot lawfully do.
But how does the Lawfulnefs of fuch a Pra^icc a pnear ? It muft either be agreeable to the Law of Nature, or to the Conftitution we live under, or the Principles of reveal'd Religion.
How Men ought to behave themfelves in a pure State of Nature, is not of prefent Concernment to us. Except perhaps to fuch among us as hold, that our Hand cannot be ty'd by any fubfequent or human Compads, from defending our natural Rights and Liberties. So that if it be lawful for the Hotentotes to fight and devour one another, in pure Point of Ho- nour, I do not fee how the Advocates of thofe Gen* tlemen, can deny the fame Privilege to thofe who live under a regular Government ^ for tho' there are pofitive Laws againft fuch a Praftice, yet the Rights of Nature being facred and inviolable, thofe Laws mull be prefumed ipfo FaBo void, and invalid, or to have been made by the Reprefentatives of the People, without their Confent.
I (hall not in this Place fay any thing further on
fuch airy and wild Schemes of Government : But
ohferve, that the Laws of the Conftitution we live un-
<1er, ex prefly condemn fuch a Pradice ^ and to thofe
vho believe Government the Inftitution of God,
the
SERMON XIII. 30P
the Laws of it have in Effeifl, and by necefTary Con- ftrudlion, the Force of a Divine Authority to them.
And if we live under Laws, we muft obey them, and refer all Adts of Judicature, and fuch are Ads of Revenge, to them. Efpecially of a Revenge which puts the Sword, the proper Inftrument of I'le Civil Magiftrate, into the Hands of private Perfons, as if they were the Arbiters of Life and De-th -t.:^. had a Ri^ht independent of the State, to execute 1-1 many of its Members as might think fit to afflc; them.
This is not only to pretend a CommifTIon we have no Claim to, but to take it upon us in the lalt and liigheft Inftance of Civil Authority *, and of fo high a Nature indeed, that fome have even made it a Que- ftion, Whether the Civil Magiftrate himfelf have really fuch an Authority ? But if, as I make no doubt, this great Power of Life and Death be committed to him, what I intend is, that the Offence of any Per- fon in ufurping it, mufl; neceiTarily arife in Propor- tion to the Greatnefs of it.
And therefore, when the Apoftle exhorts us, Rom. 12. 19. if we are aggrieved or ill us'd, not to avenge our felves, j^ut rather to give Place unto Wrath ^ be- caufe Vengeance is the proper Prerogative of God, or of the Magiftrate commifllon'd by him, who is therefore call'd in the following Chapter ( v. 4.) a Revenger to execute Wrath : This Argument, the' it con- clude indeed againfl: all Ads of private Revenge, yet holds as we fay, a fortiori^ againft fuch of them, as are a diredt Invafion of the Magiftrate's Office in the raofi; Important Branch of it.
Yet it cannot be diffembled, there lies an Obiefti- on which feems to be of fome Weight agafnft what 1 have faid. 'Tis obferv'd that thofe, who have the Execution of the Liws, are generally very favoura- ble towards fuch Perfons, as take this Method, for fo they call it, of doing themfelves jultice , tho' it
X 3 termiaatl
5IO SERMON XIII.
terminate in the Death of their Adverfary, provided, as they foften the Matter with another Term, they kiird him fairly. From whence 'tis inferr'd., that the Laws in this Point feem rather enaded in Terrorem^ than with a reafonable Defign of being executed.
But we ought rather- to diftingii^fh between the Clemency of the Minifters of the Law, and the Rea- fonablenefs of the Law it felf. If in Condefcention to a wrong, but popular and prevailing Notion of Honour, among a People naturally brave and jea- lous of their Reputation, an undeferv'd Favour be fhewn to Criminals in this kind, this does not alter the Nature of their Crime, or prove that the Laws may not juftly punifli it j but only difcovers how averfe Authority it felf is to fhed human Blood •, and how much more private Perfons are concern'd to llifie all thofe Mot ions of Revenge, which may tendi tembrue their Hands in it.
But need I argue againft the Unlaw fulnefs of a corrupt Pradice, which few, even of thofe who give into it, will pretdnd to juftify ? May they not as well ingenuoufly own, that what they doj they allow not ; that one of the meanefl: and mofl; unmanly of all the PafTions, that of a falf^ Shame overcomes their Rea- fon '^ In a word, that tho' they know themfelvea wrong, yet in Cafe they fhould retreat, they do not know how to anfwer that formidable Q-Ueftion , What mil the World fay ? Some Perfons have indeed the Ingenuity to own all this; but where is the Ingenui- ty, where is the Spirit of a Man, in afting out of a fervile Compliance with an unjuft Cuftom againffc the clear Light and Conviftion of their own Mind? Is not this plainly to difcover, that they hearken vnto Mcny more than tintQ God ^ and however they may pre- tend to Greatnefs of Mind, yet in the true and molt generous Trial of their Courage, which confifts in a refolute Difcharge of their Duty,- their Strength is but fimlU They may as well therefore confefs what they
are
SERMON Xm. 311
are confcious of, whether they will confcfs it or no, that while they defire to appear brave unto Men, they are notorioufly Cowards to God.
Yet after all we can fay againfta wicked Cuflom of fo long Eftabliihment, and which Men who pro- fefs a Senfe of Religion are fometimes cariyM away with *, 'tis not Reafon, but the Severity of the Laws, or rather perhaps the fixing fome Mark of Piiblick Infamy upon it, which will be able totally to fup- prefs it : The Fear of Shame having a much greater Influence on Perfons of much natural Courage, than the Fear of Suffering any other Punilhment.
'Twill be needlefs for me to fhew, that this Pra^- ftice being foinconfiflent with the Notion, as I have ftated it, of forgiving thofe that injure us, is ijo lefs contrary to the Nature and Laws of our Holy Religion, and indeed to the very Condition, which it teaches us is abfolutely necefTary to the Forgive- nefsofour Offences againft God. But this will ap- pear further, from what I am to conlider in the next place: (viz..}
sdly^ With what Reftriction we are here to under- ftand the Promife of Forgivenefs to thofe who for- give others. For tho' our Saviour fays here abfolute- ly. Forgive, and ye JJuili be forgiven ■■, yet we are not to fuppofe, that there is nothing further requir'd in or- der to the Pardon of our Sins, than that we fliould be of a Generous and Charitable Difpofition to- wards thofe, from whom we have receiv'd any III Ufage. This indeed is one Excellent Qiialification to recommend us to the pardoning Grace of God ; but 'tis not a meritorious one-, and without qualifying our felves in other Refpec'^s for it, we are yet-in our Sins, and in a State of Enmity with God.
Nothing is more ufual in Scripture, than abfolutely to afcribe an Effedt to a Partial Caufc, or Quality proper to produce it. Thus our perfedl Reconcilia-
^ 4 t^ion
312 SERMON Xm.
tion with God, is attributed to the Apoftle to 4 fimple Confeflion of Sin, i John 1. 9. Our Savi- our, in his Excellent Sermon on the Mount, parti- cularly, and without any other Condition, promifes the Merciful, that they II11II obtain Mercy ^ and the Peace- makers, that they fhall be call'd the Children ofGod. Shall we conclude from hence, that bare- ly to acknowledge our Offences againfl; God, or to be of a merciful and pacifick Temper, is fufficient of it felf (tho' we live in other Refpeds in a finful State) to reconcile us to God, and make us worthy to be call'd his Sons ? Ko •, there is fcarce any Im- portant Duty of Religion, which has not fome ab- lolute and particular Promife of God's Favour made to it : But were fiich a Promife to be undcrflood ex- clvflve of other Duties, we Ihould make fhort Work of the whole Duty of Man, and reduce it in^o a yery narrow Compafs indeed.
A Notion, 'ti^ true, obtain'd among fome of the Jevpifj Rabbles^ as if a perfon, who fet himfelf ftrid- ly and inviolably to obferve any one Rule of the Law, fhould be interpreted to fatisfy the whole Law which gave Occafion for that Maxim, Qui operam dat TreceptOj liber eft a PreceptOf As to other Duties, which had no immediate Conneflion with that which he pitch'd upon as the Tell of his Obedience, he might iafely allow himfelf in the Breach or Negled of them.
Tho' no Chriftian will openly advance or main- tain fuch a Notion •, yet it may be faid, there are few Chriftians who have not their particular Reli- gion ', that is, one Favotrite Virtue or another, moH; agreeable to their Temprr and Complexion, their Way of Life and Educacion, upon which they lay the main Strefs of their Obedience, and deilre to difl"ingui(h themfelves. Efpccially when they difco- ver in the Scriptures any particular Promife of GodV Grace and Favour, to what they find themfelves mofl:
iuclin'4
SERMON XIIL 313
inclin'd to. Thus one Man is for Pious Adls ^ ano- *.t ther for Charitable ^ a Third for Contemplation ; ^„ a Fourth for Prayer *, a Fifth for Hearing of Ser- ^^ inons •, and fo others, as comports with their diffe- ^y^ rent Sentiments or Inclinations, give the Preference toother puties. I do not know whether the belt of us^ if v/e will retire a little into our felves, and examine our own Condudl:, may not obferve fome Reafons, at leaft in the fecret Motives of it, for this
Refieaion.
I fhall not here take upon me particularly to ex- pofe the Folly,, and fatal Confcquences of a Partial Obedience : Every Man may be fenfible, how in the Natural Order and Rcafon of the Thing, any one Sin impenitently liv'd in, does, by rendring him more infenfible both to the ImprelTions of God's Grace, and of his own Confcience, lay him ftill more open to frefh and further Temptations. For as the Author of that molt Excellent Book, ( except perhaps that itabounds with too much Wit) The Decay of Chrifiian Piety^ juRly obferves, '' Every Sin, tho' " never fo fmall a one, is like thofe little Thieves, *' which being put in at the Window, fet the Door *' open to all the reft.
But the Imprudence of fuch a Conduft, with re- fpedt to the dangerous Confequences of it, is not all 't it diredly puts us out of the Favour of God, and renders us incapable of his Pardoning Grace. For, fays theApoftle St. Johj^ 1 Eph. 3. 4. He that committeth Sin^ (that is, Sin in any kind) tranfgrejfeth the Law : For Sin is the Tranfgreffion of the Law. And to the fame Efteft we are told by St. Jamcs^ That whoever fliall keep the whole Law, and yet off'cnd in one Voint^ is gvilty of all^ Chap. 2. 10. A Truth, which if we had not a Divine Authority to confirm it, is founded upon a clear and inideniable Principle of ][leafon. For, it being the fame Authority which
ena^s
314 SERMON XIIL
J'^enads the whole Law ; the Breach of it in any one 3(irlnftance, is a diredt Affront and Difobedience to the *»/Legiflature.
jf Tho' we fhould then endeavour to perform our Duty in many, or in the very molt Refpefts ^ nay^ tho' we have gain'd fo great a Power over our Incli- nations, as to be able freely to forgive our moft in- veterate Enemies, who not only have done, but continue to do us many ill Offices \ yet let us not deceive our felves, that God will for that Reafon, if we continue in the Pradice of any known or habitu- al Sin, forgiye us. No, in fuch a Pradice, all our Righteoufnefs fhall not be mention'd \ but in the Tref- pafs we have trefpajfed^ and in the Sin we have finnedj and iiv'd impenitently in, in thatjljall we die.
Or, idly^ Thefe Words, Forgive and you Jhatt he for-, given, may be underftocd as importing Forgivenefs of Injuries, not properly as an inftrumental or effi- cient, but only as a conditional Caufe ; Forgive, and by this Means you will render your felves capable of being forgiven •, but otherwife how confcientious fo- ever you may appear in the Difcharge of your Duty, you cannot, according to the Terms of the Gofpel, hope that God will forgive you.
And this Confideration lays fo powerful an En- gagement upon us to this Duty, that if we have the ieaft Senfe of ^^eligion, or any Fear of God before our Eyes, we cannot difpenfe with our felves in the Breach of it^
We cannot indeed, while we harbour any revenge- ful Motions or Deflgns againft our Brother-, nay, while we are not fincerely inclin'd to wifti well, and to do good to him ^ we cannot, I fay, under fuch^ Difpofition, pray intelligibly, \^hen we repeat the Lord's Prayer. And fo long as our own Hearts con- demn us, and tell us, that we want a ncceflary Con- dition of God's forgiving us, 'tis no lefs impious and
irr^-
SERMON XIII. 315
irrational to defire of him the Forgivenefs of our Sins, in any other Prayer.
For this would be to Petition Almighty God, that in favour of us vile and finful Wretches, he would difpenfe with his known and ftanding Laws •, that he would revoke the Word he has fpoken, and for our Sakes in particular, alter the general Terms and Con- ditions of the Covenant of Grace.
Ko Man will be fo wicked and audacious as dired-
ly to put up fuch a Petition 'to God *, and yet every
Man does in Effed, and by necelTary Interpretation
doit, who defiresGod to pardon his Sins, while he
is in an unreconcil'd State to his Brother, or docs noc
from his Heart forgive him. For, fays our Saviour
exprefly. Mat. 6. 15. Jf ye forgive not Men their Tref-
fiijfes^ neither will your Father forgive your Treffaffes.
And after what manner, and with how fincere a Dif-
pofition we ought to forgive, he takes Occafion to
obferve, Cha^. 18. 31. from the Condemnation of
that wicked and infenfible Wretch, who fhewM no
Compaffion to his Fellow- Servant •, 5o Ukewife fliaW
my heavenly Father do alfo unto you if ye from your
Hearts, forgive wt every one his Brother their Trefp^iJJes.
I fhall now,
4. In the fourth and laft Place conclude with tvva or three proper and fhort Direftions, in order to qua- lify us for the better and moreeafy difcharge of this Duty, which after all, it mull be granted, there is fome Difficulty in difcharging as we ought. And
T. To prevent the ill ImprefTions of any Injury o*- Affront, that may be done us, let us not think too highly of our felves, either as to the juftice and Re- gularity of our Condud towards othei s, or our per- fonal Merit.
la
^i6
SERMON Xni.
In the former Refpeft we fhould confider how ma^^ ny our own Failings and Efcapes are : How ordina- ry it is for us, either through Inadvertency, or De- iign, or a falfe Complaifance, to fall into the com- mon Topick of Converfation, Scandal \ or to ufe thofe other Freedoms of it to others, which we complain of as injurous to our felves : For 'tis rare, I'm afraid, to find that Perfon who obferves fb very ftrift and exad a Decorum in what he fays of other People, as never to of^nd with th*e Tongue.
If our Interefts be more diredtly ftruck at in the Wrong done us, it may be proper to confider whether we have always fo great a Care of our own Aftions, as never to take Advantage of the Ignorance or In- difcretion, the Credulity or Neceffity of other Men. Or whether in the eager Purfuit of what we propos'd to our felves feme confiderable Advantage, or Ho- nour, or Satisfaction from, we have not been fome- times tempted to ftrain a Point of Chriftian Chari- ty, and even of ftrid juftice.
In either of thefe Refpeds it may be proper to take us down, when we begin to rife in our Refentments, that we ihould impartially refledon our own Con- dud, and confider our jfelves as Men of like Paflions with thofe we converfe or have to do with.
Another Occafion of carrying our Refentments too high, and which we fhall do well to prevent by more fober Thoughts of our felves, proceeds from an Opinion of their own Merit. A proud Man thinks every thing his due, and any little Slight or Injury offer'd him, is magnify'd in Proportion to the great Thoughts he hasofhimfelf Only by Pride, fays 5<7- inmon^ Cometh Contention. I won't fay, that Pride is the fole Caufe of our giving way to the Motions of n revengeful Spirit j but it may be faid, that Revenge is never fooner fet on Fire, or inflam'd to a greater Height, than when Pride blows the Coals. So that' ;cvvas a very wife Defign of our Saviour, to recom- mend
SERMON XIII. 317
raend to us in the fame Precept, as if they were Qiia- lities infeparable, a meek and a lowly Temper of Mind, A<fat. II. 31.
2^/y, Let us put the molt favourable Conftrudion on the Words and Adlions of other Men. A Perfon of Ingenuity, if any thing be faid to his Difadvantage will confider whether it were fpoken deiignedly j or through Inadvertency, through Ignorance, or Mi- ftake, or out of a mere Inclination to divert. I'berc is oney fays the Son of Syrach^ that pj>peth with his Tongue^ but not from his Heart *, and who is he that hath mt offended with his Tongue ? As if he had faid, the Errors we are apt to fall into, when we give our Tongues a more free Scope in Converfation, are fo common and natural, that we fhould never interpret any thing as fpoken with an ill Intention, till upon Examination we plainly difcover it to be fo. And even then, 'tis reafonable before we fly out againft the Party of- fending, that he (hould be permitted toreccoUed him- felf, and have fome convenient time given him for owning or excufing his Fault , for as 'tis further ob- ferv'd by the fame excellent Author, If thou blow the Sparky it will burn ^ but if thori fpit vpon it it will go out. His meaning I fuppofe is, that when we are provok'd by any rafh or indecent Language, if he that offers it have any Ingenuity, our good Temper will be a likelier Method to bring him to a Senfe of his Fault than a pafllonatc and indifcrect Refentment of it. For 'tis much more agreeable to the Vanity of Man- kind, to acknowledge any Error they commit, out of Inclination, or a Senfe of good Manners, than to be oblig'dtoit. Ecclus. 19. 15.28. 12.
We (hould judge with the fame Candor concerning any ill Adion that is done to our Prejudice; and fuppofe, where the contrary is not notorioufly evident that he who did it, had no malicious or unjult Inten- tion*, that he apprehended ijo Inconvenience would-
ariie
5i8 SERMON Xllt
arife to us from it, or if it did, 'twas accidental 1:6 his Defigri ^ his Interefts happen'd perhaps to inter- fere with our own, and he is not accountable for the Confequences of a reafonable Purfuit of them, be- ing under no particular Obligation to us from Grati- tude, or Dependance, or Refped, to relinquifli them.
Would we regulate our felves by thefe Rules iil judging of any Injury that is done us by Word or Deed, we fhould cut off many Occalions of Enmity and Revenge, and find our felves in much better Difpofition to pradife the Duty I am recommen- ding. But to render the Praftice of it ftill more eafy and agreeable,
3^/y, Let us be cautious of believing any thing, faid or done to our Difadvantage upon the Report of others. There are People in the World, who ligna- lize themlelves in nothing more than in making it their great Bufinefs to fow the Seeds of Enmity and Divifion among their Neighbours: Or if there be already any Mifunderftanding between them, to make the Breach wider. To this End, they find nothing more fiibfervient, than to give a malicious turn to the Stories they have taken up, or the Secrets they pretend to reveal. Solomon complain'd in his Days of thefe little Emiffaries of Revenge, as the molt pernicious to the common Peace and Happinefs of Society : Where ^ fays he, fjo Wood is^ there the Fire coeth out. So where there is no Tale-bearer-, the Strife cea- feth. As Coals are to burning CoalSj and Wood to Fire^fo ii a contentious Man to kindle Strife^ Prov. i6. 20, 21.
A prudent Perfon therefore who defires to prevent his falling into any paffionate Heat againft his Friend or Neighbour, will either wholly difcountenance fuch Incendiaries, or if he have private Reafons for employing them, will think himfelf concern'd at leaft to fufpend his Judgment, and confider what is faid
only
SERMON XIII. 319
only a^aWhifier^ till there be an Opportunity of ha- ving Matters fairly Scann'd. To this purpofe too, ex- cellent is the Advice of the Son of Syrach^ Admomfi a Friend-i it may he he hath not done it *, and if he have done it^ that he do it no more. Adtnonijli thy Friend^ it may he he hath not [aid it ; and if he hath faid it^ that he fay it no more. Admoni^i a Friendyfor many times it is a Slander 3 and believe not every Tale^ Chap. 19. 1 3, 14, i 5.
4t/3(y, If the Injuries that are done us will admit of none of thefe favourable Conftrudions ^ if they are perfonally offer'd to us, and vifibly with an ill In- tention, and are moreover perfifted in, then let us confider the Obligation we are under, to forgive them, I. From the great and fundamental Duty both of natural and revealed Religions Charity. One principal Charafter whereof is, that it fuffereth long and is kind *, that it does not behave- it felf vnfeemly.j feehth not her own-f is not eafdy provoked j thinketh no Evil' Or,
Secondly^ From the Example of the great and eter-' nal God, who patiently bears with us in fo many known and deliberate Offences againft his Divine Ma jelly \ and never deals with us after our Sins, nor rewards us after our Iniquities. Or,
Thirdly, FromtheExampIeof theSon ofGod, Je- fus Chrift, our mofl merciful Saviour and Redeemer. Who in Return of the greatefl: Bleffingsand Favours to the Age wherein he appear'd, was treated in many Refpefts with an Indignity which human Nature ought to exempt the very worfl of Men, and the vi- left of Malefaftors from. Yet even in the Agonies of that cruel and infamous Death he fuftcr'd, he put upa palTionate Prayer to his Father for the Forgive- nefs ofthofe who were the chief and immediate In- ftruments of it. Or,
Fourthly^
320 SERMON Xnt.
Fourthly^ If we are not ftill prevail'd upon by any of thefe moving Gorifideratidns to pradtife this Duty, let us confider further, that we have no other Choice left us, according to the Terms of the Gofpel, but ofrefolving either to do it, or of perifhing everlaft- ingly, that is among other endlefs and unfpeakable Torments, to be caft into that outer Darknefs, where Envy, and Malice, and Revenge, operate with their full Force, and the Effeds whereof are fignificantly exprefled by gnaflnng of Teeth : In a word, where an innumerable Company of damn'd revengeful Spirits, like fo many Snakes and Vipers fhut up in fome dark Hole, will be continually hiffing at, and biting one another.
There is no way of avoiding thefe dreadful and eternal Effeds of a Spirit of Revenge in this World, but by reconciling our felves to God, and having our Offences againft him pardon'd. And yet, as we have feen, there is no way of procuring fuch a Reconci- liation, without a hearty and lincere Forgivenefs of thofe who have offended us. But,
5f/;/y, and laftly. Since without the dracfe of God, all other Rules and Confiderations will be of little Force towards enabling us perfedly to difcharge a Duty fo contrary to the Motions of corrupt Nature and the Maxims of Self-love *, Let us under all Pro- vocations put up our moft fervent Prayers to God, that he would enlighten our Minds with that tVifdom from ahove^ which is pure^ gentle^ and eajy to be intreated j and that he would pour into our Hearts that moft ex- cellent Gift of Charity , the very Bond of Peace, and of all Perfedion.
'Tis a very juft Remark which a Learned Divine of our Church makes on this Occafion, of fiiewing how neceffary it is we (hould have Recotirfe to a fu- pernatural AfCftance, in Order to qualify us for the Performance of a Duty, naturally fo difficult and di- ftafteful to us. Jbe
S E R M b I^ XIV. 9^1
The Light of Nature, fays he, will convince a Man of many Duties^ which it will never enable him to perform \ and ifwef)ouU look no further than bareNature^ this feem$ to be one cut ovt rather for bur Admiration than our PraU- ice. What follows, tho' thefe is fomething in it of that fine Spirit of Satyr, which diilingiiinies this Author, yet is no lefs true : It bei?ig^ continues he, not more dificult, where Grace docs not interpofe^ to cut ojFa right Hand, than to reach it heartily to the Relief of an invetc rate implacable Enemy, South, Vol. III. p. i6i .
But whatever Difficulties there may be in this Du- ty, the Grace of God is ftill fufficient for us, and we have nothing to do to qualify our felves for a Con- queft over them, but to pray fervently, and not after the manner of DiOemblers with God for his Grace ;_ the huffed arid genuine Fruits where of, Zi'i the Apoftle defcribes them, are, Love^ Joy, Peace, Gcntlenefs, Coodnefs^ Aieeknefs. ,
1 fhall conclude with the Words of that excellent Perfon, I have had fo often Occafion to quote •, as you find them, Ecelus. iS. i, 2, 3i 4? 5» ^}j'
He that revengeth fhall find Vengeance from the Lord, arid he will furely keep his Sins in Remem- brance. Forgive thy Neighbour the Hurt he hath done unto thee, fo Ihall t1iy Sins alfo be forgiven when thou , pray eft. One Man beareth Hatred againft another, and doth he feek Pardon from the Lord ? He fheweth no Mercy to Man which is like himfelf^ and doth he a'^k Forgivenefs of his own Sins? If he that is but Flefn nourifli Hatred, who will intreat for the Pardon of his Sins? Remember thy End, and let Enmity ceafe. Remember Cor* ruption and Death, and abide in the Command- ments. Remember the Commandment and bear no Malice to thy Neighbour. Remember the Covenant 6f the Highcit, and wink at Ignorance,
VOL. II. Y TO
3^3
TO
Sir Richard Osbaldefton; Kt.
SIR,
7 Was at once prevaiPd with to make this Sermon -* pihiicky and determin'd in the Choice of your Patronage ', not that I have any thing to jay in Be- half of the Performance^ but that ^tis rveli and p* oufly defign^d, I have endeavour"* d to Vindicate and Efiablijij a Truth of great Importance to Religion, and which ha^s a dArefi Influence upon the Practice of it. Were Authority of any Weight in DifquiJItion^ of this Nature, I (Jjould have been ft lent in an Jr-i gumentjwherein Idijpntfrom Monjieur'M.d.lcbrd.nch^ who has defended his Opinion with that moving Force and Penetration of Thought, which is peculiar to him, and whofe very Efcapes are entertaining above all things in the World, to thof'e who do not prefer Truth above every Thing, But I follow no Man, nor any Number or Diflin^ion of Men, againfi the Evidence of Things^ or what I apprehend to be fo,
u4nd therefore, Sir, I would not Entitle any thing in the following Difcourfe to yowr Protection, any
Y 2 ///r-
924" DEDICATION.
farther thm jou judge it Reafo/^able ; fiot excepting rvl^t I have offer d^ by way of Inference^ in Rela- tion to the Church of England. Tho^ Iknow^ there is no Gentleman in the Communion of ity more fin- cerely de fires to fee it upon a Lajling Foundation of Peace and Security.
Tet I hope my Zjal for its Service^ has not car- ryd me beyond the Bounds of Decency, ^Tis hardy under Violent and Publick Provocations^ in Things which affeB us in our near eft Intereftsy and mofi ten- der PajfionSy to obferve a Temper : But nothing is impoffible to the Ingenuity of that Spirit ^ rvhich actu- ates all the true Members of the Church ; and rvhich the Charitable Principle j that runs thro* all her Do- Brines^ and the Candor of her Difcipline^ have fo Peculiar a Tendence to injpire.
Tour Sentiments in Favour of fo Excellent a Con- flit ution^ are founded upon Reafon, but ^tis your Happinefs toOy. that they defcend to you by Inheri- tance y and that you have been all along confirmed m themy by Tivo Powerful and Living Examples, We ought to follow no Precedents again jl the Light of our civM Minds ; but "^tis the Glory of a Gentleman-y to maintain the Character of his Family y in a jufi and reafonable Condji^, Did not the Name you derive from your Worthy Father oblige you to Juch a Con- dufiy you cannot forget your Relation to that of "Wentworth.
M^ere I not refolv'*d totranfgrefs againfi the Ordi- nary Rules of Addreffes in this kindy I fhotild re- prefent Tou in thofe other fJualifcations^ which ren," der you fo Happy in the Efieem and Love of your Country \ A jup Return for your faithful and Con-
ft ant
DEDICATION. 3^5
finnt JpplkaUOf^y in all the Capacities you Serve it.
But tho* you mil not permit me to pursue this Sub* ieci^ the Motives to Gratitude from my own particu- lar Obligations ; are invincible : I cannot fiifl(--, or forget them^ while I remember 1 am A Chriftian^ Next to the Pious Office and Honour you did me at my Bapttfm into the Qhrijlian faith ^ and the Furefi Communion of it, J embrace this Publick Occafion of Thanking you^ for the particular Care you took to fee me Confirmed in it. Would all Gentlemen confder their Obligations under the fame Trufi^ there might he Hopes of bringing the People to fome Senje of a. Dutyy Tvhich they Engage themf elves in the mojl So^ lemn Manner to perform. For, after all the Schemes of Reformation^ the Examples of Perfons pf Di- jlinciion will mofl effect ually recommend Religion to the World, Her Majefly was fenfible of this, when She took up that Noble Refolution, of Honouring none but Perfons of known Principles and Probity^ with Her Diftinguiffjing Favours, The Thoug hts , ^f Men are generally fo taken up with what comes in the way of their Senfes, and fo little accuftom^d to Abfhaci Reafoning, that Naked Truth operates but very flowly upon them : The Proper way of Injlrucf- ing them, is byfenftble Arguments ; by fjjowing them Virtue alive, and in Motion ; and by drawing the Rules of Religion before them, as it were tn Co- lours,
^Tis to be attributed to the Influence of your own^ and your Family* s Example, in aConflant and Dt- a.'out Attendance on God's Publick Worftjip, that you have the Happinefs to fee every Lord''S'Day^ and on
y 5 "//
32^ DEDICATION.
nil other Occafions^ one of the mofi Regular and Con-^ formable Congregations that I knorv^ for the Qualify of it.
For Ifpeak nothing. Sir, l^ut upon my Knowledge and Obfervation, Flattery is a Vice, which almofl all Dedications difclaim, and are full of: But a. Clergyman ought to difclaim his Chara^er, that in- curs the Imputation of it. There is nothing more my Averfion ; or which I am confident you would be lefs difpos'^d to pardon : And therefore I hope yon Will believe rne^ in all Sincerity ^
S I R,
Your moft Faithful,
' Obedient Servant,
ilJC. FIDDES.
SERMON XIV.
A Thankfgiving-S e r m o K owAugufttht 23d, 1705*
o 11,
A Difcourfc, flicwing that God^ in the Government of the World^ aSs by Particular Wills.
PSAL. Ixv- 7.
Who ftilleth the Raging of the Sea, the Notfe of his WaveSy and the Madrjefs of the People.
TH E Principles oF Athdfm are given up by all Philofophers as untenable. And if God nuide the World, there arc Invincible Rcaibns, from the Ends of his Making it, to fiievv that he j^o- verns if, efpecially Mankind*, who are at once i he molt Needful, and the molt Koblc Objects of his Go- yernracnt.
y 4 Tiic
928 SERMON XIV.
The Qiieftion is, Whether God, in the Courfe of his Providence, afts only in purfuance of certain Ge- neral and Uniform Laws ^ or by Immediate and Pat- ticular Wills?
That he proceeds in the latter Way, both with re- fpeft tp his Government of thp. Material and Moral World, I think I have fufficient Reafon to deter- mine, from the Authority of the Royal Prophet in thefe Words: Who, to convince us more effeftually of a Special Interpofing Providence, inftances ia Two A6ts of it, which of all others are the Icafb ac- countable for, from any P/jo-wwf;?^ of Natural or Mo- ral Gaufes i, and therefore are immediately to be af- crib'd to him, who has all the Powers of Motion, an4 Hearts of Men in his Hand :
Who fiilleth the Ritgitig of the Sea, the Noife of his W.-tvesy and the A-fadnefs of the People.
So that the Truth I fhall endeavour to eftablifh arij confirm from thefe Words (and what, I doubt not, was the Scope of Holy David in them) is this: That God, in the Government of the World, ads by Immediate and Particular Wills,
Hr/?, In the Government of Nature, or the Mate- rial World. One would think an Argument upon this Principle needlefs •, but a late Specious Hypo- thelis, which I take to be of ill Confequence to Religion, has engag'd me in it. 'Tis pretended. That God Almighty having form'd a Defign of Crea- ting; the World ^ and having at the fame time a per- fect View of all pofiible Meaiisof Executing his Defig/i in a Vv^ay moft worthy of him, would proportion his Work to his Wifdom, and lay down fuch a fimple and uniform Scheme of it, that the Great Machine he vvas about to ercc^, fhould regularly perform all its .Motions, without his Interpofing every Moment to diredl, or vary them ^ as Mechanick? arc forc'd to do with Artificial .Movements.
I"?
SERMON XIV. 329
In Proportion to the Wifdom, tlie lefs complica- ted are the Wills of any Agent 'Tis the Charader of ForefigJit and Penetration, to form and proceed to the Execution of our Deligns, without EmbarraP ling them, and obliging our felves on every Occaiioa to take New Meafures.
Few Perfons will entertain qmy great Opinion of
• the Prudence of that Man, who builds, or plants;
and yet is continually altering the Model of his Houfe,
^ or Garden, a4id proceeds by no fettled Rule or iMe-
fhod in his Contrivance.
And if God, when he had made the World, and eftablilh'd certain Laws of Motion , mult yet be i;pnceivM at .every Turn to inter pofe- in the Regu- . lation of them j what will become of the Wifdom y and Perfedion of his Nature? Or how fiiall we rccon- .^,cile fuch a Ccnduft, with the Idea of a Being, who at "one Vievy takes in all poflible Means of effcding hi? Defigns in the mofl admirable and exquilite Manner ? This being tfie Principle Objedion againll the Pro- polition I have laid down, I flu 11 endeavour to con- fute it-, I. By Expoling the Errors and in Con- fequence of it, z. By Conlidering the Ef lefts of the Fall. And 3. By fhewing, that the whole Tenor of the Scriptures is on that Side of the Qiieftion I have undertaken to defend.
17?. This Objedion is fallacious. 'Tis a SophifmJ as Logicians term it, of imperfcd Enumeration: It proceeds wholly upon a Confideration of the Di- vine Wifdom in the Creation of the World, withouc Regard to his other Attributes, or the Ends he had jn Creating it. Had there been no Communica- tion of Motions betwixt Bodies and Spirits, or be- twixt the Natural and Moral World ^ the Wifdom of God, abftraftedly confider'd, ought perhaps to have fettled fuch a Conftant and Uniform Order, as is contendsd for ; So that r.Iatter «nd xMocion Ltjqg
330 SERMON XIV.
fet to work, they might have gone regularly on without his Interpofition. But God having rais'd this Noble Fabrick, not merely for the Manifeftation of his Wifdom in the Art and Contrivance of it, but of his Goodnefs, and many times his Juftice too, in adapting the Motions of it to the State and Con- <Jition of Free Agents •, if thefe Ends cannot be at- tain'd, without his Interpofing by Particular Wills ; then 'tis no Defeft in his Wifdom to do it. On the other Hand *, 'twould rather be a Reproach to his Wifdom, for the Sake of the Regularity of his Work, to lofe the moft Beneficial and Confiderable Ends of it.
Now nothing in the World feems more obvious, than that a General Law cannot be fuited to Acci- dental Emergencies, and Particular Cafes: Or, in other Words, that Brute and Infenfate Matter, whofe Motions are fuppos'd immutably fix'd and determin'd, cannot accommodate it felf to the feveral Exigencies of Free and Mutable Agents, fo as to become the Proper Inftrument of Rewards and Punilhments to them.
They who are in the contrary Hypothefis, do in eHeft confefs this ; when they tell us, that God, upon certain Extraordinary Occafions may, without Derogating from the Wifdom of his Conduft, exert a Miraculous and Supernatural Power. Which is a tacit ConfefTion at leaft, that we ought not to form an Idea of the Wifdom of God, merely from the Sim- plicity of his Laws, and the Regularity of his Work j but from the Ends and Ufes he propofes to ferve by it.
Now the Government and Good of Mankind be- ing the Great Ends of the Divine Oeconomy, and to which all other Laws ought to give place -^ God iray be induced, in innumerable Cafes, and in Fa- vour of innumerable particular Perfons, to vary or fiifpend the General Laws of Motion. A Gene- ral,
SERMON XIV. 531
ral, by whom He has fome Great Defigns of his Providence to ferve, is prefer ved in a furprizing man- ner ; God covers his Head in the Day of Battle, in the Midfl: of Dangers, and the Inftruments of Death ^ Tho^ a "Thoufand fall bejide him^ and T'cn tboufand at his right Hand.
. A Perfon of Eminent Parts and Piety, whofe Ser* vice the Church Hands in need of, efcapes an EpU demical Infection : He is exempted from the com- mon Malignity of the Peftilence^ that walkcth in- Darknefs^ and from the Sic km fs that dejhoycth at Noon- day.
The Order of Providence, which is God's Princi- pal Defign, requires, that fuch Pcrfons fliould be di- ftinguifli'd in common Dangers and Calamities. But according to the Order of Nature, a Cannon-Bal!, or a Peftilential Vapour, neither knows, nor can make any fuch Diftindion. We fliould theretbrcY according to the Senfe of the wifefl: Men, and the Hiftories of all Ages, afcribe fuch Signal Deliveran- ces to the Special Favour and Proteftion of Heaven Indeed particular Perfons, vvhatfoever Charafter they fuftain, are only to be fav'd, in General Calamities, by particular Providences. • .
And herein the Divine Condud is highly agree- able to the Natural Reafon and Practice of Man- kind. All Wife Men pollpone a Lefs, to a Great- er and more Noble Dclign. And the Wifdom of God obliges him, for Ends fnperior to the Order ofe' Kature, to alter or fufpend the ordinary Courfe of it.
If it be faid, this will introduce a conllant Series of Miracles: I (hall not contcft much about Words. Miracles are God's Referv'd Prerogative, which be never makes ufe of but upon very Extraordinary Oc- cafions, and that without the Concurrence and Sub- ferviency of Second Caufes : So that his Adion is always vifible in them, and particulary delignd to
be
533 SERMON XIV.
be fo. But in the ordinary Courfe of his Provi- dence, he direds and afllfts Nature in a Way more agreeable, and which offers lefs Violence to the vi- fible Order of it : But vve have no lefs Reafon, as I ihall make appear afterwards, to believe his Special Interpofitions, becaufe his Operation in them does not always ftrike our Senfes. We find in a Thou- fand luftances, we have a Power our felves to flop or retard, or haften the Motion of Bodies, or to al- ter the Diredion of their Motion. Shall we deny this Power to God, who moves them? The belt Philofophers being now compell'd to refolve all Mo- tion into his immediate Impulfe : Or fhall we deny this Power to thofe Superior, Minifterial Agents, God ^lay employ to this End ? For what Reafon ?
2dly. That God ads by Particular Wills, appears &om the Effeds of the Fall. The Work of an infi- nitely Wife and Powerful Being, ought (in it felf confider'd) to have no Defeds. But the World, as appears from Monftrous Produdions, Abortive Births, and other Diforders of Nature, is not without them^ VVhat fhall we afcribe thefe Irregularities to? To the Simplicity of the Laws of Motion ? If fo, they would have happened, had not Mankind Sinn'd : And by this means Innocent Perfons had fuffer'd without their Demerits ^ which is contrary to Order, and fome of the moft clear and diltind Ideas we have of the Divine Attributes.
We muft therefore attribute thefe Evils of Punifhment to the Pofitive Will of God ^ and the Curfe, which the Sin of Man provok'd him to in- f.id on his Works. This ChaPjge of the Primitive Or- der andlnftitution of Nature, is not only evident from Scripture, but has been obferv'd by thofe who un- derftood not the Reafons of it. Philofophers could not reconcile it with the Honour of the Deity, that Le fhould difmifsa Work from his Hands, whprein
they
SERMON XIV. 335
they thought there were fiich manifeft Marks of Im- perfeftion. 'Twas to little Purpofe, to afcribe the Diforders of Nature to the Sins of Men, as Natural EfFefts and Confequences of it : They mufl have been very hard put to't, to drfcover the Conne<^ioa betwixt Hurricanes and Earthquakes^ and the Violent and Irregular Motions of our Appetites. 'Twould puzzle us extremely to Ihew, that becaufe Adam eaC of the forbidden Fruit, therefore Beafts immediately withdrew their Subjeftion, and were difpos'd to feed and prey upon one another. This is to pulh the Con- fequences of the Fall too far. 'Tis much more reafon- able to impute thefe Deviations from the firft Or- der of Nature, to i\\^ Adcfakk Accownt^ and the Spe^ cial Maledidion of Heaven. Which, by the way, feems a good Argument, that God does not by a Fix'd and Determinate Law, difpofe the Order of Things for the Punifhment of Free Agents, before they have adlually merited fuch Punifhment. I ob- ferve this, becaufe great Pains have been taken to Ihew, that the Deluge, according to the Eftablifh'd Courfe of Things, muft inevitably have happen'd a£ the Time, and in the Manner it did : Which fuppo- fes, God had laid a Fix'd and Immoveable Scheme for the Deftrudion of Mankind before he created them, and which they might not have deferv'd. 'Tis true, God Almighty forefees their Demerits-, but this does not altogether reconcile a Stated and Pre- determin'd Punifhment with the Liberty of a Free Agent. A great many Difficulties might be urged againft fuch a Procedure, which 'tis not eafy to fur- mount. 'Tis more human at leaft, and level to the Apprehenfions of Men, to fuppofe God proceeded in bringing the Deluge, as he did in bringing the Curfe upon the Earth •, and that was, by an imme- diate and particular Change of ths Order of Na- ture.
'Tis
334 SERMON XIV
'Tis faid indeed, and may be iirg'd in Favour of the contrary Opinion, that the Effeds of the Curfe did not take place till the Time of the Deluge *, That 'twas the great Fecundity of the Earth, which con- tributed fo much to the Luxury and Corruption of its Inhabitants : As if there were not Temptations enough to fin in a Degenerate World, befides thofe arifing from Eafe and Plenty. But this Notion is dirediy contrary to the Mofaick Account of the Fall- It appears from it, that the Execution of the Cuvfe immediately follow'd the Sentence : When thou tUlefi the Ground^ fays God to Caltiy it flhill not henceforth yield unto thee her Strength. Now, tho' we ought not to envy Men the Ingenuity of their Theories and Spe- culations^ yet if we allow God may recede from the Simplicity of his Laws on any Occafion, why not iiponfo extraordinary an Event, as the Extirpation ofthe whole Race of Mankind from the Face of the Earth, but One Family, at once.
But whether the Diforders of Nature are to be imputed to the Fall as Moral, or Natural Effefts of it •, 'tis vifible, Things are in a diforderly State. This is the moft reafonable Account of the Words of the Apoftle 'j That the whole Creation groaneth., and travel- ieth in Pain^ Rom, 8. 22. There is not now that Har- luonious Communication of the Motions of Bodies, which was originally eftablifn'd j but Things are ve- ry much out of their Natural State and Situation. And indeed, 'twill be bard to aflign any tolerable FvCalbn, or End of Providence, in Peftilence, Fa- mine, and Earthquakes, but in Confequence of the Fall. Now upon this Suppofition, that Things are in a diforderly State •, God may not only very con- liftently with his Wifdom, but' his Goodnefs fcems in a peculiar manner to oblige him to prevent, by Par- ticular Wills, the Effeds of thefe Diforders upon Good Men, and to exempt them from thofe com-
moa
S E Pv M a N XIV. 335
moil Calamities, which were inftitutcd only for the Punilhment of Sin.
To this it may be objeded. That the Laws where- by the World is govern'd, being Uniform and Gene- ral, and every way fuited to the Dignity of their Author, they mull neceflarily be attended with un- happy Confequcnces with refped to particular Men : And 'tis thought no Reflexion on the Goodnefs or Jultice of Human Legijlators^ that the Effects of their Laws fall heavy on certain Perfons, befides the In- tention of them. 'Tis fufficient to anfwer. That Human Legiflators cannot forefee all the particular Grievances of General Laws ; if they could, Juftice would oblige them to make particular Claufes and Exceptions in Favour of the Perfons aggriev'd.
I fhall conclude the Argument with Applying this to the Conduft of God ^ whofe Wifdom directs him to make ufe of the molt Simple; General, and Com- prehenfive Laws •, but always in a Way congruous to the reft of his Glorious Attributes, and worthy of him.
I proceed, in the Third Place, to confider the Senfe and Authority of the Holy Scriptures in this Argument : Which, indeed, abounds with fo many plain and full Proofs of the Truth I am alTerting, that there is no poffible Anfwer to be given to them, but by faying they are fo many Anthropologies , whereby God Almighty accommodates himfelf to the common Notions and Apprehenfloas of Men. Which is an Argument, that this Principle is founded at once in the Natural Senfe and Reafon of Man- kind, and agreeable to the Intention of God in Holy Writ. So that fuppofing the contrary Hypothefis to be true, I think Philofophers ought to keep it to themfelves; thofe efpccially, who profefs any Vene- ration for the Divine Oracles, or the Wifdom of God in them.
The
33^
SERMON XIV.
The Defign of the Holy Scripture is to qiiicke'/i' our Faith, and inflame our Devotion towards God; Who does not perceive thefe Graces will be moft na- turally and eiTe<5lnally ex'cited in us, if we believef God acts by Special Interpofitions of his Providence, , and that he has refery'd to himfelf a Power over Se- cond Caules, to regulate or reftrain their Influences as he fees fit? If wc be firmly efl;abli(h'd in this Belief,^ the Reafons of Prayer and Devotion are riot only plain and level to our Appfehenfions, but the Mo- tives to them irr^fillible. And perhaps there is no better Account to be given of the General Indevotiou of Men, than that they are not fully convinced of this important Truth: 'Tis a Jufl: and pertinent Re- mark Svetonius makes on the Emperor Tih'erim : Circa Deos &" Religidnes negllgeritior erat^ quiff e addiUm Ma- tpjematic'f-, fcrfuafionifque plenus omnia fato agi. And indeed, if all Effeds come to pafs by a fatal and fix'd Chain of Natural Caufes, 'twill be hard to evince the NecelFity of Prayer to Ghriftians, as a Means of Averting any Evil, or Deriving any Blefling upon* them. Kay, upon this Perfuafion (which has always been fo juftly fufpected of Irreligion) it feems not only vain, but impious, for a Man under any Mortal Di- ftemper, to pray to God to deliver him from the Ef- feds of it, or to give ,any Efficacy to the Medicine betakes-, feeing in Order to this, God mult change the Settled and General Method of his Adting •, which' isfuppos'd inconfiftent with his Wifdom, sind repugnant to his Decrees for him to do*, and confequently, in- confiftent with that profound Honour and Regard we owe to his Attributes, for us to ask.
'Tis to remove a Principle which fo diredly tends to Impiety, but which lies at the Bottom of the Hearts of too many Men, that God in Scripture rej^ prefents himfelf as doing whatever is done by tnW Mediation of Second Caufes v and as affifting our Prayers, not by any Difpofitioa of Mechanical Laws-
upoa
SERMON XIV. 337
Upon the Forefight of them, which is altogether in- conceivable, but by Immediate, E?cecutlve Acts ot his Power. 'Tn the Lord that killeth^ and maketh dive ; 'm he that brinaeth down to the Gravt^ and hrwgeth upj I Sam. 2. ^Tts he that hlcjfeth Men with the Iruits of their Labours and Endeavours in the Field, and in every thing they pa their Hand tinto^ Dent. 12. i8. T/> he that confidereth the Poor, and delivereth him in time of Trouble ', that preferveth and keepeth him alive, and blej- feth him upon the Earthy and delivereth him not into the Hand of his Enemy ; that jlrengthens him upon his Bed of Langmjlmg, and maketh all his Bed in his Sicknefsy Pfal. 41. 1,2, 3. In a word, 'Tis he that directs the Or- der of thofe Things which are the moftcafudl and fortuitous, and the Difpolition whereof feems whol- ly to depend on the Arbitrary Choice and Wills of Men^ as the Cafting of Lots, or Drawing them forth : The Lot is cafi into the Lap, but the whole difpofng is of the Lord^ Prov. 16. 2 • 'Twill be hard to explain thefe Paflages in an intelligible manner •, much more to difcover the Wifdom and Dedgn of them, but up- on the Principle I am maintaining.
If it be faid. That in the ordinary Courfe of Things, we fee no Motions communicated to Bo- dies, but according to the Eftablifh'd Laws of Na- ture : I anfwer ; God would have Faith in Men to be the Effeft of Choice, and not of an Invincible Force upon their Senfes. And therefore, tho' we do not fee his Adion in the Over-ruling Difpenfa- tions of his Providence, we have no lefs Reafon to believe it on that Account : Particularly as to his Go- verning the Operations, and Direding the Influence of thofe Things, the Springs of whofe Motion lie more remote from Human Knowledge and Obfervation ; as of Rain, the Wind, and the Seas : Concerning which, the Providence of God in Scripture is re- prefented more particularly converfant andemploy'd, and the greateft Difficulties in Natural Philofophy
VOL. IL 2 pro-
538 S E P^ M O N XIV.
proposed. Th\isJobiS.6. Hafi thou entred into the Springs of the Sea r Or hafi thou walked, in the Search of the Depth ? And not only in the Words of my Text, but Pfal. 89. the ffaimifi magnlHes it as a fpecial Ad of the Divine Power and Providence, that he calms the Rage of the Seas, when no Vifible ( and per- haps, after all the Efforts of Philofophy, no Natu- ral ) Caufe can be aflign'd for their fudden Recefs. O Lord God ofHofts^ whoisaflrong Lord like unto thee^ or thy Faithful nefs round about thee? Thou rulefi the Raging of the Seas ^ when the Waves thereof arife^ thou fiillefi them. Particularly as to the Wind, our Lord himfelf has determin'd, that the Motions of it are not to be ac- counted fro,m any known natural Principle: 7he Wind hlovoeth where it Ufleth^ and thou hearefi the Sound thereof^ hut canfi not tell whence it cometh^or where it goeth^ Joh. 3. 8. The fame Difficulties may be obferv'd concerning the Clouds and Rain. Job puts it as an infiiperable one, Chap. 35. 29. Can any nnderfiand the Spreading of the Clouds ? Indeed, the belt Account Natural Philofophy has given us of this Matter, ieems to leave it a Problem ftill. After all the fine Sphe- rical Bubbles, which are faid to compofe the Clouds, and the fubtle fpirituous Matter enclos'd in them, 'twill be hard to demonftrate, that the Air they fwim in is not fpecifically lighter, efpecially when 'tis much rarify'd. And therefore Job^ who had doubtlefs a great Infight into the Secrets of Nature, chofe rather to refolve the Sufpenfion of the Clouds in a Medium lefs grofs than themfelves, into the im- mediate Aftion of God. He bindeth vp the Waters^ lays he, in his thick Clouds ; and the Clouds is not rent under them^ Job 25. 8. _ However this be, we are ai- fur'd, God in a peculiar manner appropriates to him- felf the Difpofition of all the Rain that falls upon the Earth. Lev. 16. He promifes the Jews^ he will give them Rain in due Seafon. Accordingly he tells them by the Prophet, Joel 2. 23. That he hath given them
the
SERMON XIV. 339
the former Rain moderately^ and xvill cavfe to come down for them Rain^ the former Raln^ and the latter Rain. On the other Hand, ^tis he that roith-holdeth the Shorvcrsj Jer. 3.3. And fmtteth vp Heaven that there he no Rain^ 2Chr. 7. 13. So peculiar is the Prerogative of God in the Diftribution of the Rain, that the Prophet feems to exclude even fecondary and natural Caufes from contributing any way towards it. Are there^ fays he, any among the Vanitiei of the Gentiles^ the Ce- leftial Bodies, that can cavfe Rain ? For fo he explains himfelf in the next Words \ or can the Heavens give Showers \ art thou not he^ 0 Lord Cody therefore we will wait on thee? ]er. 14. 22.
But it is faid. if God in the Government of Na- ture aded by particular Wills, all Events would bear the Charadler of his Adion •, he would never do any thing unneceflary and fuperfluous, or to no purpofe : For Inflance, if he (hould immediately caufe the Clouds to Rain, the Water would only fall where 'tis needful to fructify the Earth, or is Commodious to its Inhabitants, but not on Houfesi or Highways, or Places where 'tis fuperfluous. This is no new 6b- jeftion, 'tis as old 3.SJoh-y that God jlwidd caufe to rain on the Earthy where no Man is^ on the H^ildernefs^ wherein there is no Man^ job 38. 25. But to this we are able to give a fatisfadory and particular Anfwer : Befides that we cannot comprehend all the Motives upon which the molt perfedt Being adls, and that 'tis im- pious to alfert any Event ufelcfs, becaufe we perceive not all the Ends and Ufcs of it \ belidcs this, I fity, there are very wife and particular Reafons to fhew, why God in the Fall of the Rain, and other provi- dential Difpenfitions, does not make fo viHble and remarkable a Diltindion as the Ohjedion fuppofcs requilite: Namely^ as 1 intimated before, that fuch a conftant Series of Miracles v/ould be too grcit a Biafs on the Liberty of human Anions, deflroy the Merit of Faith, and be contrary to that fupcrior Or-
7 y dcr
340 SERMON XIV.
der God has eftablifli'd for the Government of tfitr moral World ^ which is to perfuade Men, but not irrefiftibly to over-rule their Choice : Upon others perhaps fuch miraculous and extraordinary Methods would have different Effeds •, they would put philo- fophical Heads on forming new Schemes and Theo- ries to account for them, upon mechanical Princi- ples ;, which fome atheillical Wits have attempted to refolve Miracles into, notwithftanding their Infre- quency, and Paucity of their Number : But if Mira- cles were frequent, and came down in Showers of Rain or Hail, they would more apparently lofe their Force and Efficacy, and the Power God hath referv'd to himfelf to fignify his Will and Pleafure by them in a peculiar manner, for the Confirmation of the Truth, or the Convidion of Infidels, would be ren- der'd Infignificant. If Men won't be perfuaded by certain miraculous Facts, that happen very rarely, and upon particular Reafons and Occafions ^ there would be lefs Hopes of removing their Prejudices, if fuch Fads occur'd every Day. They might then have fome better Pretence to afcribe them to the Laws of Mechanifm, or certain unknown Combina- tions of Matter and Motion ; which is at once a ve- ry good Argument for God's confirming any Reve- lation or particular Commiflion from him by Mira- cles •, and for his ceafing or difcontinuing the Power of Miracles, when once fuch a Confirmation is made. The moft confiderable Authority I know of, which is urg'd from Scripture in favour of the contrary Hy- pothefiSjis that of the Pfalmifi^ /y? 148.6. where God is faid to have given natural Bodies fuch a Law as Jhall not be broken. But there is no Difficulty in giving a So- lution to thefe Words •, they are, as appears from the Context, principally to be undcrftood of God's pre- ferving theceleftial Bodies, particularly the Sun and Moon in their proper State and Order • but not of his over-ruling their Motions and Influences. To ex- plain
SERMON XIV. 541
plain the Words in this Senfe would be contrary, (as 1 hope I have fufficiently made appear) to the general Current and Delign of the Scriptures.
I proceed in the fecond Place to fhew, that God adts by particular Wills in the Government of the moral World. But this I fhall not long infill: upon: All Pagan, as well as Chriftian Theology and Reli- gion, fuppofe and proceed upon it. The Govern- ment of the Jewsy what is it for fo many Years but a continu'd Theocracy, wherein God Almighty de- termin'd the Succefllon of their Princes, prefided in their Councils, and went forth with their Army ? But there was one fpecial and ftanding Monument of his Refidcnce among them, which I cannot omit ob- ferving to you, and that was, his proteding them from the Incurfions of their Enemies, when their Males went up, at three ftated times of the Year, to Worfhip. What was it that reftrain'd the Enemies of Ifraely when they knew the Nakednefs of their - Land, from making a Defcent upon it ? The Nati- ons that ufed to meet the Armies of the Living God in the Field, decline the Advantage of entring an open, a defencelefs, and adjoining Country •, to what fhall we impute a Condud fo irreconcilable with the fettled Maxims of human Wifdom, and Policy ? To what? But to the fpecial Interpofition of the Su- ' preme Deity, Who does according to his Will^ among the Jnhahitants of the Earthy Dan. 4. 35. ylf/d who boxvetb when he fees fit, the Hearts of a whole Natio/i^ or Peoplej Ai the Heart of one Man .^ 2 Sam. 19. 14.
And indeed if God do not over-rule the Inclinati- ons, and Defigns, and Adions of Men, 'twill be hard to give any tolerable or intelligible Account of feve- ral Texts of Scripture. Solomon who feems to have defign'd nothing more, than to eftablifh the Belief of a particular Providence, tells us, that the Preparation of the Heart is of the Lord^ and that the Anfwer of the Tongue is of the Lord^ Prov. 6. i. And Verfe the ?d,
2 3 '7'ts
542 SERMON XIV,
"'TIS the Lord that efiahli(heth the Thoughts. And Verfe the pth, A Mans Heart devifeth his Way^ hut the Lord di- reUethhis Steps. And again. Chap. 2g. 24. Mans goings are of the Lor d^ he direds our Motions to Ends and Events we never thought of, Hovo then can a Man un- derstand his own Way ? 'T would be as endlefs to cite Human Authors to this Purpofe. Cicero^ who under- ftood, and fpoke the Senfe of human Nature, as well as any one of them, lays it down as a general and fundamental Rule ^ Sit hoc a principio perfuafum homi- nihus^ Dorninos ejfe omnium rerum^ & moderatores Deos^ eacf^ (ju£ geruntur-, eorumgcri ditione, acnumine: And elfewhere, that without the fpecial Communications and Influx of Heaven, no Man ever reach'd any ex- traordinary Excellency, in any kind. Nemo unquam 'vir magniis extitit^ f^ atiquo Divino numinis afflatu.
Butliaving infiftea fo long upon my former Parti- cular, I Ihall not purfue this Argument, ( which I wi(h there were no Occafion for, any further ) but proceed to make fonie feafonable Inferences from it.
And F/V/, If God interpofes by particular Wills, in the Government of Mankind, Princes upon whofe Adminiftration the Intereft of Human Society more immediately depends, muft be efteem'd the peculiar Charge of his Providence; not only as to his pro- teding them from vifible Dangers, and unfeen Acci- dents and Confpiracies, which the Annals of all Go- vernments afford us fignal Inftances of :; but what I more particularly intend here, his infpiring them with Heroick Motions and Refolutions, and his di- recting or infatuating their Counfels as he fees fit. So the wifefl: of Princes tells us, That the King's Heart is in the Hand of the Lord ^ oi the Rivers of Water he turneth it whither foever he will, Prov. 2I. i. And Chap. 1 5. 10. A Divine Sentence is in tht Lips of the King. Which tho' it be a very bad Argument of the Romljh
Doftors
SERMON XIV. 343
Doclors for the Infallibility of the Tope^ 'tis ?.n excel- lent Inflruftion to Princes to purfue the Path: of Vir- tue and Religion, and implies at leaft to fuc ■ ? as d^o.^ a liberal Promife of God's infpiring them lu a f.ngu- lar manner with the Spirit of Government. Such was that Spirit, which came upon Saul when he was Anointed King, which d\vt^t A Solomon in his Deter- mination concerning the true Mother of the Child ; and what David upon his great Offence, Tfd. 51.12. is fuppos'd to pray for the Reftitution of.
'Tis to be afcrib'd to the Condud of this Spirit, that Her Majefty had no fooner afcended the Throne, but a vifible Succefs attended Her in all Her Conful- tations at Home, and Her Operations Abroad. So that we foon obferv'd a general and happy Turn of Affairs to the Advantage of our Allies, the Mortifi- cation of our common Enemy, and the Glory o^ Eng- land •, thefe were vifible Effefts of the Favour of Hea- ven upon HerMajefty's Adminiftration and Arms; being indeed Effeds, when we confider'd the united Powers of France and 5/?^/?/, beyond vifible Caufes, beyond our Hopes, and the Fears of our Enemies; and in one Adion particularly, confider'd in all its Circumftances, (except thofe wherein God fo fignal- ly fought the Battels of Ifrael\ beyond Example, tho'it ought not to obfcure the Glory of that gallant Adion, whereof we now rejoice.
Let us rejoice in Hope, that the fame Spirit will prefidein Her Majefty's Councils of State and War, while She fits upon the Throne of Her Fathers. If we cannot always penetrate into the Motives of Her Condud, let us acquiefce in the Submillion that is due to thofe who reprefent the Sovereign Power : Princes may have wife Reafons for the Meafures they take, tho' thofe Reafons do not appear to us. 'Twas never the Charader of Churchmen to entertain Jea- loufies and Sufpicions, much lefs to foment them, and
Z 4 ^ give
544 SERMON XIV,
give Umbrage to the Government. Tho' one would imagine by the violent and virulent Manner where- with the Church is fo openly infulted, that Church- men and Fanaticks had chang'd Sides with refpect to their Notions of Government, and Principles of Obedience.
This appears particularly from a Libel, call'd. An An[vccY to the Memorial of the Church o/England, where- in every Man is reprefented as an Enemy to the Go- vernment, to Her Majefly, and the Proteftant Suc- ceflion, that the Libeller is pleas'd to term a High- Churchman-, and every Man is in diredt Terms re- prefented a High-Churchman that aflents to, or ap- proves the Fifth Canon of our Church, that is, (or I am fure ought to be) every Miniller of it, that is not guilty of Collufion, and a Prevarication he is afham'd to own : So that by this Account, Her Majefly has not one confcientious Clergyman in the Kingdom, that ought to have the Benefit of Her Protedion. Were fuch a forry Anfwer worth the Notice of the Church of England^ it deferves the fame Treatment the Memorial met with.
But I hope we are not to be banter'd out of a Prin- ciple the Church has always diftinguifh'd it felf up- on \ or out of thofe juft Hopes- we have of Her Ma- jefly's Defigns, for the Benefit and Glory of it. Her known Affedion to the Church before Her AccefTioa to the Crown, in times when it was moft dangerous to own it, and the Royai AiTurances of Favour to it iince, are inconteftable Proofs of the Sincerity of Her Defigns. Her Majefly will never forget a Pro- mife, which Her faithful Subjects, and Sons of the Church of England^ will always think themfelves oblig'd to remember.
Secondly^ From what hath been faid, we have an excellent Argument to fupport usagainfl the Infults of Popular Fury and Ijjfatuation. God frequently
opens
SERMON XIV. 345
opens the Eyes and turns the Heart of a People in the full Career of their Diforders •, tho' their Reco- very indeed is more hopelefs, when they are under the ImprefTions of a heady and miftaken Zeal ^ when they confound the Names and Diftindions of Virtue and Vice, call Evil Good^ and Good Evil '^ fut Bitter far- Sweety and Sweet for Bitter. A Man that thro' In- advertency, or being agitated with a violent Paffion, engages in a criminal Adion, is in a hopeful way of repenting and correding himfelf when he comes to confider^ but when we do ill Things under the No- tion of doing God and Religion, our Friends and Country good Service, here the Difeafe is more la- tent and difficultly remov'd, as being feated both in the Will and AffedHons, and in an erroneous Judg- ment : And therefore the great Deceiver of Man- kind never puts Men upon ill Defigns, but he colours them with fpecious Names, and fplendid Appearan- ces; and gilds over the Fiend as it were with a Glory.
'Tis wonderful to conHder what great Things have been done by the mere Twang of two or three good Words in the Mouths of Men, whofe Bufinefs was another thing. Reformation, Liberty and Property, and the Work of the Lord, have been very Service- able in their Time and in their Way ;, but they muft all bow before the grave Cant of Moderation : By Virtue of this Jargon (which 'tis no hard Matter to decipher, but which ferves well enough to bubble the Populace) Men of truly Chriflian and Chaiitable Principles, (by which I underftand Moderation,) are drefs'd up in fo horrid and frightful a Difguife of Vio- lence and Perfecution, that our venerable Mother feems almoft at a Lofs to diflinguifh her true and ge- nuine Sons from a fpurious and foreign Brood, but there is certainly a Medium bctwixt^a fneaking and a perfecutlng Spirit^ and a Criterion to judge of ir. Chriltiaaity at the fame time it difpofes us to al) Of-
34^
SERMON XIV.
fices of Charity, Meeknefs, and Forbearance, in- fpires us with a Spirit of Fortitude, andGreatnefs of Mind. If nothing will content Men, but to make the Virtue of Moderation confift in low and poor Submiffions, in ftifling the Sentiments of Honour, and Confcience, and Gratitude, we (hall not envy them the Charafterand Reputation of moderate Men: Tho' in the true Notion of this Virtue, there is no Church in the World can put in fo good a Claim ; none of any Age, that in Condefcention to the Pre- judices of Men, ever fuffer'd its Doftrine and Difci- pline to be fo openly and publickly affronted, as the Church of England, 'Tis an Objedion our Adverfa- ries with all their Artifices cannot get ofFj that they never difcover'd an equal Temper towards the Church, when they had Power in their Hands : We have a frefh, but God knows a melancholy Inftance of this in a neighbouring Kingdom ; and the fame Principles will every where difpofe Men to the fame Pradices.
But while the Hearts of Men are in the Hands of God, we have the lefs Reafon to fear the Effecls of Violence, and an intemperate Zeal. The Vfalmifi in the Words of my Text, makes it an Argument of equal Power to calm the Rage of the Seas, and of an infatuated People. But God has more than once re- markably interpos'd in favour of this Church and Nation, to ftop the Current of popular DiIlra(ftions ^ and when he fees good, can do it again.
Thirdly^ If God in the Government of the Moral World interpofe by particular Wills, we ought upon all Occalions to do our Duty, and to truft the Event to him : No Exigency of Affeiirs will juftify our re- courfe to finful Meafures, neither are we to be divert, ed from appearing in the neceflary Defence of Truth and Religion, from any Coniideration of Interelt, or the Iniquity of the Times. 'Tis 'no wonder cor- rupt
.SERMON XIV. 347
I'upt Statefmen take their Ply from fuch Confiderati- ons ^ they have done it in all Ages. But the great Scandal to Religion is, when Men who ought to di- ftinguifh themfelves by their Piety, fall in with fuch vicious and loofe Politicks. We are not to tempt God by dangerous and unneceflary Expedients: But where the Honour and Intereft of Religion, or the Preven- tion of fcandalous Arts and Praftices, require proper Meafures, there lies an Obligation upon us to them: And while we ad confcientioufly, we have a much furer Anchor of Hope in the Divine Providence, than in the trickifh Arts and Subterfuges of the molt cun- ning Men. Corrupt Politicks may fucceed for a time, but pure and undefiled Religion is a fafe and ftable Foundation to build our Hopes of Peace and Profpe- rity upon : Tho' were this a falfe Maxim, no Obje- dion againft afting upon a Principle of Confcience, is of any Weight to a Chriflian. Were it a good plea, that the Times, or other fecular Views, will not bear a faithful Difcharge of our Duty, Chiiftiani- ty had been ftifled in its Infancy ; and if it do not ftill raife us above fuch low Regards, we had better be lilent, as to the Power and Efficacy of it. . •
There was no Perfon condefcended more to the Prejudices of the Times, and the Imprefiions of u mifguided Zeal, than th^e^reat Apollle St. Vaui \ yet he was fo far from thinking it a Toleration to conve- nientCompliances,that theTimes would come where- in Men would not bear found Dodrine, 2 Tim. 4. 3. That for this very Reafon he charges Tlwo^'^^' in the mofl; awful and folemn manner, before Cod and the Lord Jefus Chrifi^ that he preach the Word^ that he be in^ flant in Seafvn and out of Seafon : Whatever Difficulties or Oppofitioii he might meet with, that he reprove^ re- buke^ exhort. There is a Seafon for bearing with Men in their Errors in indifferent Things, and whikthcy act upon the Principle of a well-meaning, tho' erro- neous
5# SERMON XIV. .
neous Confcience ; but there is no Seafon for; Hypo- crify and Prophanenefs, or for the Violation of the inofi: facred Inftitutions of Religion, and Religious Tells, or for tolerating Men in them : If it be our Duty at all times to rebuke fuch Offences, no time can be inexpedient for Authority to reftrain them.
'Tis very hard, that worthy Members of our Churchy for ading conformably to this A^ojiolicd Charge, are reprefented under abufive Characters, and invidious Names of Diftindion. Not that there is, we hope, any fuch Grounds for the Diflindion, as our Adver- faries would have us think, and pleafe themfelves with the Thoughts of^ the Bufinefs of the difcrimi- nating Names, contriv'd by ill Men to create Mifun- derftandings among us, is to point out thofe who were for or againfl; a Law, which generally was acknow- ledged reafonable on both Sides ^ the main Objecti- on lay againft fomc particular Hardfhips of it. Others thought Indulgence to the Diflenters the only means to mollify them., and bring them to a Temper of Confideration ^ of which we have feen no great Effedts, where we feem'd to have had the beft Ex- pectations of that Kind. We ought not however to conclude from either of thefe Reafons, that all thofe who went upon tbem had Defigns to the Preju- dice of the Church \ nothing can be more unjuft, than fuch an Imputation: Perfons may have the fame Ends, tho' they cannot agree about the Means of coming at them. If there be any that defire to go into the Diftinftion of Low-Church, upon ill De- ligns of reducing the Church to a Level, in favour of a Faction, or to fhow their Gratitude to it, or out of an Inclination to embroil themfelves, we hope they are inconfiderable for their Number ^ the Church does not ftand in need of Men of turbulent Spirits, lull Reafoning is a much better Qiialification for iker Service, than Noife and Harangue. But as to
the
SERMON XIV. 349
the main Body of our Clergy and Laity, we prefnme they have their Eyes open *, and are Both fo Wife and Confcientious as not to be impofed upon, and alienated in their Tempers and Affedions, by a Sett of unhappy equivocal Diftindions, contriv'd on purpofe to> foment Enmity and Divifion among them.
I fhall conclude all with the Excellent Colled of our Church. O Lord we hefeech thee^ let thy continual Pity cleanfe and defend thy Church ^ and hecauje it camiot continue in Safety without thy Succour^ preferve it ever^ more by thy Help and Goodnefsy through Jefus Chrifi our Lord. Amen.
T O
'^
5^
T O
Walter Strickland, Efq^
S I R,
7 Shall make no Apology for Puhlifljing a. Sermon •* you were pleased, to judge favourably of. My Defig'/i in ity is to recommend the VraBice of Rell- gioKy upon a Principle which irrefijtibly perfuades thofe, who Believe and Confider it with Attention,
Tou will obferve, I have taken fever al Hints from what has pajs* d between us in private Converfation ; wherein I have with great Satisfaciion heard you expofe the Folly of Atheifm, and ajfert the Funda- mental Truths of Religion, upon Reafons that were Jufi and Solid.
^Twould be your Glory, Sir , always to employ thofe admirable Talents God has (fiven you, to the janie excellent Ends,
. The flarting of nice a?!d intricate ObjeclJons againfi Religion, tho* only out of Curiofty, or for Argument-jake, is of dangerous Conf'equence to it ; efpecially in Men of Parts, and of a lively Ima- gination, The Beautiful and Surprizing Turns of their Thoughts dazi^lc and confound weak Minds, and
gain
3^2 DEDICATION.
gain their Ajfent before they know what it is they ajfent to. Jll Men are not capable of Keafonin^ jhiBly^ or carrying a long Train of Vroofs ; but A Brisk Strifture of Fancy, ^ Witty Allufion, a. Smart Refle£lion, have afirange Power of Impo^ fmg almoH tqion every Body : It requires a great Strength of Mind to Judge well of what pleajes u^ very much,
I obferve this. Sir, to fhow you the Particular Engagements you are under ^ on all Occafions to E/poufe the Caufe and Interefis of Religion. Touy who are fo happy in the Vivacity of your Thought Sy the Facility of Exprejftng them-^ and an Engaging AirofAddrefs.
Thefe are Advantages which would more effeBuaU ly recommend Religion to the JVorld, than Curfory Dtfcourfes from the Pulpit ^ which are looked upon as mere AmufementSy that our Office obliges m to ; And are frequently read with no other Defign^ but to know how the Preacher comes off".
As to thaty I fh all not much concern my felf : If what I here prefent you with have but the dejir^d Effect y and tend in any Meafure to promote a Senfe of Religion^ andperfuade us to the Practice of it. For there isy Sir, there certainly ' is fuch a future StatCy as I have endeavour"* d to evince the Belief of: And if there hey the Confequence is clear and undeniable y that this is the One Thing necejfaryfor us to concern our f elves about.
Not that I think Religion inconftfient with the reajonable Enjoyments and Pleafures of Life, The Fanaticks indeed of our Saviour"* s Timsy the Phari- fees, affe^ed to diftingaijh themfelves by a Singu-
. larity
DEDICATION. 353
Idyky of Behavwarj and a [ulien Refervednefs of Temper : And rve want not JnfLinces of Modern XsalotSy who, by making Ill-Nature and III- Man- ners the Principal Tejt of their Piety, have occa^ Jion*d a too General (thd* very groundlefs) Preju- dice agai?jfl Religion, as if it tended to deprave and embitter the Spirits of Men, and render the?)t imft for Free and Generom Converfation*
But our Lerd ha^s Uft m another Example. His Temper was Eajy and Cheerful,^ Jjfable and Obli- ging' He thought it not below the Dignity of his Perfon and Character, when Opportunities offered, to converfe with the greatejl of Sinners \ and thefrjb Miracle he wrought^ was upon a Publick Occafwn of teflivity and Mirth.
We may be Good Chrifliafts, without being Cy*-- nicks j fo we do but take care to keep within the Bounds of Decency and Sobriety, and remember that there are Proper Seafons alfo for Recollection and Retirement, for Calling our own Ways to Remem- brance, and Judging our felves here, that wherl God comes to 'Judgment we may fnd Mercy ^
For that he will come, I hope I have fufficiently made appear from the Principles of Natural Rea- fon : And it had been eafyfor me to have multiplfd Citations from the beft Authorities -, particularly CiceroV, who was equally happy in the Ju(lnefs ofhH Thought, and the Beauty of his Language, Tour T1V0 Celebrated Poets, and the Greatell Wits in the World in their different Characters,^ ivgi\and Ovid, are entirely in the Sentiments of the Roman Ora- tor. As to your Friend Horace, whom you fojuflly admire for the Inimitable Delicacy of his Expreffion,
VOL. 11. A a I had
3^4 DEDICATION;
I had rather be filent. Some Interpreters from that Papge,
Non omnis moriar, multaq; pars mei Vitabit Libitinam, Liky Ode 2^0. would c&nclude that llova.ce believed the Soul immor- tal. But others with greater Ingenuity fuppofe^ that he dejigns nothing more by thefe Words^ than a Com' flimentto himfelfupon the Immortality of hisVocms. ^Tis better to fay nothings than to go about to fupport Truth by weak ReafanSy or ufonjalfe and fufftcious Evidence^ which there is no Occafionfon
But^ Sir, / had another invincible Motive to the Publication of this Sermon : A Senfe of Gratitude for the late very great andfgnal Obligation you were fie 06' d to confer on me^ without w; Soil ici ting it'y without fo much as my Knowledge, and while 1 was under Misfortunes. Generofity ts the Chara^er of your Family : But thefe arejuch uncommon and ex- traordinary Circumfiances of a generous Action^ that I do not know whether I ought to be more thankful for the Honour you did me^ or your Manner of doing iti And yet^ Sir^ after [uch a noble Inflame of your Kindnefs and GondefcenfiOnj "^twas a little hard I could not obtain to fay you my fublick Acknowledge mentsfor it. But I mujl beg your Excuje for ex- ceeding my Cormtiiffion non only upon thisj but ufon all other Occafwns J /ball have of fr of effing my felf^
S I r/
Your moft Faichfulj
and Humble Servant^
KIC. fiddeS.
355
SERMON XV.
The Proofs^ and Influence^ of a Future JUDGMENT.
AGTSxxiv. 25.
A^d as he reafoned of Right eoufnefsy Temper ance^ and 'judgment to comey Felix trembled*
TH E Law of Religion is the Law of Order and Convenience ^ and tho' it chiefly defign our Future Happinefs in another Life, is admirably ac- commodated to our prefent State and Condition in this. So that fetting afide the Confideration of a Judgment to come, and the Rewards and Punifh- ments confequent upon it, 'tis every Man's Concern that truly confults his Intereft, his Reputation, or Pleafure, to pra^ife the Duties of Righteoufnefs and Temperance, and to live within the Bounds of Mo- ral Virtue and Honefty.
There are indeed particular Cafes, wherein our Duty may interfere with our Intereft. It fometimes happens, that a Man for the prefent finds his Ac- count more la a Knavilh, than an Honeft Pradice:
A a 2 But
35^ S E R M O N XV.
But wife Men do not take their Meafures, or form General Rules from Particular Accidents, but from the moft probable and common Event of Things. And generally fpeakiisg, I do not doubt but .the Ad- vantages even of Temporal Profperity and Succefs, will be found on the Side of Honelty and a good Con- fcience* ^^ -
With Kefped to our Reputation^ a Sober and Reli- gious, is certainly the molt prudent Conduft. Hy- pocrify it felf does Religion this Service, that it IhowsViceis not very reputable, even in the Opini- on of thofe who give tliemfelves up to it. 'Tis an uneafy Thingto be always a6ling a Part^ and no Man would put himfelf to the continual Trouble of Diflembling thofe Vices which do not affed him ia Point of Interelt, were it not for the Scandal of them. There is an innate Turpitude in all finful Ani- ons, which no Sinner can wholly ftifle the Senfe of, that has any Regard to the Dignity of Human Na- ture : But Virtue fhineswith a genuine Luftre and Beauty, which thofe very Libertines, whofe Hearts are not captivated with it, cannot but efteem and admire^ fo that there are few Perfons fo Vicious, but they entertain a fecret Veneration for Good Mo- rals, (which is only another ExpreflTion for Good Manners) and for thofe that praftife them. Hence it is that Vice can effeft nothing, but when it affumes the Name, or dreiles it felf up in the Habit of Vir- tue. Moft Men are fofenfibleof this, that they en- deavour to keep their Sins as private as they can. Accordingly, the Scriptures reprefent the Wicked- nefs of Men by the Works of Darknefs ^ and fup- pofe it the Higheft Aggravation of the Folly md Stu- pidity of Sinner Sy when they make a mock at Sin^ and glory in their Shame^ Prov. 14. 9. Phil. 3. 19.
Religion contributes no lefs vifibly to all the Rea- fonable Pleafures and Delights of Human Life ^ not only from the Influence it has upon the E^fe, and
Peace,
SERMON XV. 357
Peace and Freedom of our Minds j but as it natu- rally tends to preferve the Body in a firm State of Health, and to keep up the Vigor and Gaiety of the Spirits: In both which Refpedts, it evidently gives a higher and more grateful Relifh to all our Enjoyments. Upon which Account, the great Apo-" ftle of Atheifm and Impiety, Epcurus himfelf, was forc'd to confefs, that the true, folid, and fubflantial Pleafures of Human Life, confdled m the Exerc^fe of Moral Virtue and Honefty. This was the Prin- ciple of one, who deny'd the Providence of God, and a future Account to be given of the Anions of Men i of One^ who had no Views beyond this World, and who employ'd all his Wit and Philofophy iii thcTljeory of Pleafure, and in finding out what con- tributed molt to a Life of Luxury and Senfual Gra- tifications.
And indeed, his -^ Sentiments concerning Moral Virtue, are founded in the immutable Order and Na- ture of Things : For Reafon being the Law of Hu- man Nature, whenever we follow the Diftates of it, we are in our natural and proper State, doing that which we were made and defign'd to do. Now all natural Aftions arc eafy, fweet, and pleafant •, and cannot indeed beotherwife, without Reproaching at once the Wifdom and Goodnefs of the Author of Nature. 'Tis a great Millake therefore to think that Religion is inconfiftent with any of the Moderate and Reafonable Enjoyments of Human Life: And if Men will contend for fuch Diforders as are unreafonable, they muft argue by themfclvcs, for there is no Rea- foning with them.
* Ftr fd Cicero, Lib. 2. de Finibus, reprefcnts it m 1 Mixun of hit ; Non poffe jucunde vivi, nifi fapienter, fobric juflcque vivatur.
A a 3 But
358 S E R M O N XV.
But tho' almofl: all Sinners are convinc'd of the Reafonablenefs of Religion, and the general Ten- dency it has to promote all the Interelts and Defigns of this Lifei yet few Perfons, thro' a ftrange Infa- tuation of their Minds, or by reafon of the Corrupti- on of their Hearts, are prevail'd upon by thefe Mo- tives to embrace a Religiom Life. They are the Terrors of the Lord which, after all, moft effeftually perfuade Men -, and whereby perhaps the beft of Men, in Cafes of great and violent Temptations, find themfelves moft irrefiftibly penetrated. But there is no Conflderation apt to ftrike a greater Awe and Terror into the Minds of Men, than that of a Judgment to corne : If any thing be forcible enough to flop the Career of our criminal Paffions and Inclinations, to reftrain us from an Unrighteous and Intemperate Courfe of Life, from Walking after the ways of our Hearty and the fight of our Eyes', it muft be a firm Perfuafion, that for all thefe Things God will bring m to Jvdg' ment'
And therefore, tho' no Qucftion Telix was fenli- bly affefted with the Apoflle's Difcourfe of Righte- oufnefsand Temperance, and fully convinc'd of the Folly and Scandal of the contrary Vices he was fo no- tor iou fly guilty of; having * marry M Prw/?//^, another Man's Wife •, and committing much Cruelty and In- juftice in the Adminiftration of his Government : Yet that which is generally fuppos'd to have made lb vifible and powerful an Impreffion upon him, was, the Apoftle's Backing his other Arguments and Mo^ tives to Religion, with the Confideration of ajudg^ ment to come. '
And Oi he reafon d^ &:C.
So that my Defign from thefe Words, is,
' ' '' ' , ■ III ■ I 'ii I III I
* Tacic. Ancal. Lib, 12.
Firfi,
S E R M O N XV. 35P
Firjlj To evince the Truth of this Fundamental Principle, that there is a Judgment to come.
And Secondly, To fliew, tliat the main Intinence Religion has upon the Minds of Men, proceeds from the Belief of it.
And Flrfi, I fhall endeavour to evince the Truth of this Fundamental Principle, from the Three fol- lowing Particulars.
ifi. From a Confideration of thofe natural Noti- ons and Expeftationsof it, wherewith the Generali- ty of Mankind are poflefs'd.
idly. From a Confideration of the Wifdom and Goodnefs of God :.
And sMy. Of his Juftice. ^
jfi. From a Confideration of thofe natural Noti- ons and Expectations of it, wherewith the Generali- ty of Mankind are poflefs'd.
If we do but refled upon what pafles within us, we experience a certain Confcioufnefs, which bears witnefs to all our Anions, v*?hether Good or Evil, and acquits or condemns, us accordingly. Every Man whofe Heart is not altogether corrupt, or whom the Spirit of God has not given over, is fen- fible of this.
Upon the Difcharge of our Duty, and a good. Confcience, our Thoughts are naturally eafy, and fill'd with Joyful Eulogies and Reports. But upon the Commifiion of any notorious Sin, our guilty Minds are ever and anon haunted, and purfu'd with the Terrors of an unfeen Vengeance: Dif- mal Apprehenfions and Diftradlions of Thought break in upon us^ and the Fears of Hell, and a_
Aa 4 Judg-^
5<5o S E R M*0 N XV.
Judgment to come, are very troublefome and difqui- eting to us.
And thefe Fears are incident to the molt powerful, and profperous, and fecret Sinners. Thofe who are in a Condition to give Laws to others, or to bribe off and efcape all WitnefTes from without, yet cannot avoid the inward Challenges and Rebukes of their • own Minds.
They may perhaps, in the Hurry and Purfuit of Bufinefs, or while they are taken up with fome vain and impertinent Amufements, divert their Thoughts from thefe troublefome Refledions -^ but whenever they are cool, and at Leifure to recoiled themfelves, (and there is no Sinner, but has now and then his Sober Intervals) thefe Ghaftly Fiends will return upon them, and follow them into all their Solitudes and Retirements.
B^ now, if there be no Life after this, or no fu- ture Account to be given of our Actions ^ why do we trouble and difquiet our felves with thefe Fears and Apprehenflons, ariling from the Senfe of a fu- ture judgment ? Whence do they proceed ? Or what ean be the Reafon of them ? Can we imagine God has implanted thefe Natural* Apprehenfions in us, mere- ly with a Defign to delude and impofe upon us ? Is it confillent with the Perfections of his Nature, that ' he Ihould fo univerfally miflead Mankind, and over- rule them into a Belief of what there is no Solid Rea- fon or Foundation for ?
In Anfwerto this, the Libertine fays, That thefe Fears we fpeak of, are not natural, but the Effeft of Prejudice and Education : 'Tis early inftill'd into our Minds, that there is a Terrible and Almighty judge, who fits at the Helm of Alffairs, with a Rod of Vengeance in his Hand, and who will not fufFer the Sinner to efcape with Impunity. 'Tis llwo' this Prepofleirion, that wc are mifled into the
Belief
SERMON XV. 5^1
Belief of a future State. The Nurfe tells the thild ftrange Stories of Speclres and Apparitions-, and the Priefl: afterwards of Hell, and the Devil : And fo 'tis not God Almighty •, but the Nurfe^ the Priefi^ and the Child, that impofe vfm the Man.
But to this 1 anfvver •, If thefe Apprehenflons which arife in our Minds concerning a future Judg- ment be all a Jelt, and owing to the Prejudice of Edu- cation •, why cannot Men free themfelves from this Prejudice, by the Ufe and Exercife of their Reafon -, efpecially thofe Men, who pretend to difcover the Cheat and Unreafonablenefs of it ?
In other Cafes Men frequently efface the Impreffi- ons of Education, and correct thofe Errors they have been train'd up in from their Infancy, and confirm'd in by all the fnbtle Arts and Methods of Pn'cficraft : But how many have we heard of, who have been able wholly to difcard the Belief of a fu- ture Judgment ? Tho' there have been Perfons, who have taken upon them to difabufe the World in fo Important an Affair, yet were they never able to gain any Number of Profclytes, or to reafon others, I may add, themfelves, out of a Perfuafion ella- blifh'd by the General Seiife of Mankind. Nay, fome of them (and we want not modern Inftan- ces of this Kind) who have fet up for the grcateH: Patrons of Atheifm, being flartled by fome Extraor- dinary Providence or Danger, have given up the Caufe of it, and felt thofe Inv/ard Convi(flions, which they could not ftifle or difiemble, Calijrula^ though he laugh'd at the Gods, yet when they thun- der'd, exprefs'd an Unmanly Fear, and was' glad to faeak any where out of the way. And perhaps a Flafh of Lightning, or a good Clap of Thunder, ftill is fulHcicnt to awaken the greatefl Libertine into a Senfe of what he pretends to believe no- thing of.
If
5^2 SERMON XV.
If there have been fome particular Inftances oi Men who have dy'd Hard and I/»pemtent^ this is noObjeftion againft what we aflert of the natural Kotions and Apprehenftons of Men concerning a future State. In other Cafes, we do not judge of the Nature of Things from uncommon and particu- lar Defers. Becaufe fome Men are born blind, 'twould be ridiculous to conclude, that Men have not naturally the Benefit and Ufe of their Eyes, As irrational would it be to conclude, in the pre- leat Argument, againft the General and ]S3aturai Senfe of Mankind ^ becaule fome Men are fo infatua- ted by their Prejudices, or their Paffions, that they da not fee Things in a true Light •, or, becaufe, after their numerous and repeated Provocations, God has at laft given them up to a Judicial Blindnefs of Mind, and Hardnefs of Heart.
Is- k not much more reafonable to believe, that a. future Judgment, being agreed upon by the Belt, .and Wifeft, and Greateft Part of Mankind in all Ages, is one Fundamental Article of Religion ; and that therefore the Inward Teftimony of our own Minds concerning it, is the Voice and Language of Nature, underftood by all Mankind^ the Weak and the Wife, the Illiterate and the LearnM, indifierently aflenting to the Evidence of it ?
Wat idly. As Wicked Men are pofTefs'd with thefe Fears and Anticipations of a future State of Punifh- ment, fo God Almighty has implanted in the Minds of good Men, natural Hopes and Expectations of a future Happinefs and Reward. And this Confl- deration has h:id fo great an Influence on the Minds of Men, that they have made it their Choice, rather tO' fufler the greateft of Miferies and Calamities of this. Life which human Nature is capable of Suffer- ing, than to be guilty of ameananddifhonourable
Adion.
•• lean
SERMON XV. 3^3
I cannot think all thofe noble heroick Inltances, ,of the Roman Bravery in particular, proceeded mere- ly from a Principle of Knight-Errantry and Vain-glo- ry : That Men fhould voluntarily facrifice their dear- eft Interefts, their Lives and Children, and freely undergo the molt exquifite Torments the Wit or Malice of their Enemies could invent ^ thefe, I fay, were Aftions which mufl; have had feme higher Mo- tive, than merely to be talk'd of. There is no Pro- l)3bility, that Men who believe their Souls mortal, Jhould devote themfelves to voluntary Sufferings and Death, merely to im.mortalize their Names. Ac- cordingly ^ Cicero^ who underflood Human Nature, and the Springs of Human Aftion fo well, makes the Third of Glory, and thedefireof perpetuating our Memory by fuch memorable Deeds, a fecret In- timation and Proof of the Soul's Immortafity.
'Twas upon this Profpeft Socrates fupported hira- felf fo well under his Sufferings, and reiign'd up his Breath in that Saying-, If there be a Life after thi^, I have aTitle to Happinefs '^ hut if none ^ I cannot be mi(cra- bte. Which he faid, not fo much put of a Diftruft of the thing, as fuppofing it were really a. Queltion, yet the Belief of it is infinitely the furer and the fafer Side, on which every wife Man ought to deter- mine himfelf.
Which very well agrees with thoTe Words of -j- G- cero^ Jf^ fays he, I err in believi'ig the SouVs /minortality^ J err willingly ^ neither while I live will I fujfcr thi^ happy Delufion^ if it he one^ tohe wrefledfrom me j hut if when
* Fro Archia PoetXf fub finem^ i. Tufc. Nemo unquam fine magnii fpe immortalitatis fe pro patria ofFertad mortem.
And ag^xin, Qiium optimus quifq; maxime pofteritati fer- viat, effe aliqaid verifimile eft cujus is port mortem G^nfum fit habicurus.
f Quod fi in hocerro, quod antmos hominum imraortales efl'ecredam, libenter erro, nee mihi hunc errorem quodile- aor, ^«cc.
/ dye.
3^4 S E R M O N XV.
^ dye, J jlmll he void of all Senfe, as fame vulgar Philofo' fhers think^ my Error alfo will die with mCy and I (hall not be ridicufd by the Dead,
Both "thefe great Men fuppofe here, only as proba- ble, what was their firm and fettled Perfuafion % but even upon this Suppofition 'tis the highelt Madnefjf in any Man, to difclaim his Title to Happinefs, and adventure to be damn'd, upon a bare may he^ that there is no future State of Rewards or Punifli- ments.
For if a good Man die, the worft that can befal jhim, is, his Confcience will die with him ^ and there is an end put to a Life, which has little to recomr mend it, but the Hopes and Expectations of another. But on the other Hand, if there be, as moll certainly there is, fuch a future State, what Confufion will the Unbeliever find himfelf in, when it is too late to re- trieve his Error ; when there is no After-Game to be play'd ; no further Overtures of Mercy or Conditions of Pardon, but Judgment is ready to be pafs'd, and he has nothing to plead in Bar againft it?
It mull be own'd indeed, that the main Evidence we have of a future Judgment and State j ( * for I all along indifferently ufe Two Terms, which have fo neceflary a Connexion and Dependance upon one another, even in the Opinion of thofe, who have endeavour'd to undermine the Foundations of them both^) the main Evidence of them, I fay, is from the Scriptures ; which therefore tell us ; "that Chrifi hroiight Life and Immortality to Light through the Go/pel^ 2 "Tim. I. lo. From whence we mufl at leafl con- clude, that the Gofpel has given us a more full and exprefs Aflurance of a future State, than was ever be-
* Letters to Serena, p. 40. HiUfiJcn mi H:l} depend upon the Immonalitj of the Soul.
fore
SERMON XV. 3^5
fore made known fo certainly to the World, either by Reafon or Revelation.
Yet it cannot be deny'd that the Generality of Mankind, were all along under very lively Notions and Apprehenfions concerning it. The whole Pagan Theology is an inconteftable Proof of this ; and fet- ting afide fome few Epicureans among the Greeks^ Pli- ny the Elder, and two or three loofe vicious Poets among the Romans^ the Hiftory of the Soul's Immor- tality might be deduc'd in a continu'd Current from the belt and moft celebrated Writers of the Ancients. Nay, two of the greateft * Men among the Romans make this univerfalConfent of Mankind, efpecially of the beft and wifeft of Men, in the Belief of a fu- ture State, a convincing Argument for it.
From all which, I fhall draw this Conclufion, that had we no exprefs Revelation of a future State of Rewards and Panilhments, it feems very reafonable to believe it, from a Conlideration of thofe natural Notions and Expedations of it, wherewith the Ge- nerality of Mankind are pofTefs'd.
2^/^, From a Confideratlon of the Divine Wifdoni and Goodnefs. God has created Man with a Defigu to make him happy i a Defign worth the Idea we liave of him, and the Perfedtions of his Nature : 'Twere perhaps better with the Atheift to fay, That Man is the Produft of blind and fenfelefs Chance, than with fome Chriftians, that God without Re- fpedl to the Sins or Demerits of Men, and even An- tecedently to his Decree of creating them, deftin'd
* Cicero. Nee me foliim ratio acdifputatio impulitur it a crederem fed Nobilitas etlam rmnmorum Philofophorum & Authoritas, Ve Setiec Setieoa. Cum de animarum im-
jnortalitate loquimur, non leve apud nos habet cor.fenfus ho- minum. Utor hac perfuafione publica. Sp,
the
^66 S E R M O N XV.
the far greatefl: Part of them to eternal Flames and Mifcry : This is to reprefent the Deity not under the Notion of a kind and loving Father, but of a ftern and dreadful Tyrant.
And as God has created Man to be happy, he has imprefs'd on him a continual and invincible Defire of Happinefs. We can love, we can unite our felves to nothing but to real or apparent Good ^ when we are betrayed into Sin, when we procure our own Death and Deftruftion, we ad in Pnrfuance (tho' upon a niiftaken Application) of this Principle : 'Tisimpof- fible we fhould do otherwife •, the Love of Happinefs is irrefiftible.
Kow, if God has made Man to be happy, if he has infpir'd him with an invincible Defire after a State of Happinefs, how Ihall we reconcile it with the Divine Wifdom and Goodnefs, if fuch a State can no where be found ? Yet fo it is, that if there be no other World wherein it is attainable, there are no Hopes of attaining it in this.
For this World is nothing but a Theatre of Mifery and Trouble, of Folly and Diforders, of uncertain Changes and Turns of Fortune ^ it can neither afford us any folid and fubftantial Happinefs, nor fe- cure the Continuance of it unto us. To feek for Happinefs here, is to feek for the Living among the Bead. The Depth (the whole Extent of the mate- rial Worldj fays it is not in me : The Eye^ the noblelt and moft extenfive of all the Senfes, is not fatufied tvith Seeing -^ nay, the Ufe of it is many times dan- gerous ^ one indifcreet Look is enough to deftroy us ^ and we ought on feveral Occafions, if we confult our Happinefs, to fhut our Eyes. I might obferve how unfatisfactory the Entertainments of the other Senfes are, and what Errors and Difordersthey fre- quently betray us into, efpecially when we indulge them the molt : We cannot have a better Authority lu the Cafe, t\nn that of Solomon j he had rang'd all
the
SERMON XV. 3^7
the Fields of fenfual Pleafure and Delight •, he had Power and Wealth to command whatever he had a mind to ^ and he feems to have given himfelf up to fo great Excefs, with a particular Defign, that he might be able to determine, from his own experi- mental Knowledge, how far the greateft Luxury, in ronjunftion with the greateft Fortune, could con- tribute to the great Happinefs of Man. For, what can the Man do^ fays he, that cometh after the King ? Eccl. 2. 12. Who is fo competent a judge in this Ar- gument as my felf, who by the Splendor and Superi- ority of my Condition could command all the De- lights of the Sons of Men^ and with- held not my Heart from any of them ? Yet upon a particular and delibe- rate Review of his Actions, he writes at the Foot of the Account, Vanity and Vfxation of Sprit,
But the Supreme Happinefs of Man is that of his fuperiorand more excellent Part, his Soul. And if we enquire what Advances we can make towards the Perfeftion of our Minds in this Life, fhall we fucceed much better ? To fay nothing of the Depra- vation of oiir Wills, and after what an ira perfect manner our Hearts and Affedions are united to God, the True, the Only, the Eternal Source and Foun- tain of Happinefs-, let us but a little confider how Ihort the Compass, and how many the Errors of our Underftanding are. A Pile of Grafs, or the Stones we tread upon, are fujfficient to humble and confound all the Philofophers in the World. The little Progrefs we can make in feveral Parts of ufeful Knowledge, ferves only to difcover our Ignorance, and to open to us a wider Profpedt of foieign and unknown Ob- jeds. Now, what Light is to the Senfible, the fame is Knowledge to the Intellectual Eye ^ the Joy and Refrefhment of it, the proper P^w/wwon which it dcllKhtc to feed. And yet this brighteft Jewel and Oi .lament of human Nature is fo rough caft, fo dif- ficult to come at, and fo full of Flaws aBdlmperfe-
diOJQS,
368 SERMON XV.
ftions, that the wifelt of the Heathens, in the OpU Bion of the Oracle, frankly confefs'd he knew no- thing : And the wifeft of Men, in the Judgment of Heaven, has left us this Aphorifm, That he which in- creafeth Knowledge^ increafeth Sorrotv^Frov.i.iS. Which 1 cannot render better, than in the Words of a very Learned '[- Bifhop of our Church ? *' Though Know- *' ledge be the inofl excellent of all earthly Goods •, being *' the Ornament oftheJMind, which is the beft Part *' of us *, yet this alfo is'fufficient for our Happinefs; *' becaufe after it hath colt a Man infinite Pains, **■ and fometimes exhaufted his Spirits, and made *' him melancholy and morofe, nay thrown him into *' many Difeafes, to acquire that little Wifdom he " can attain, which raifes alfb more Doubts than it " can refolve, and meets with troublefome Oppo- *' fition, from various Opinions that clafh againft *' it : It cannot but fill him with Indignation, to " find Folly generally more applauded than his Wif- " dom, and grieve his very Soul, to fee that it is *' dangerous for a Man to know'more than his Neigh- " bours j and that he is fo far from being able to re- " medy whatisamifs, that he is hated if heendea- *' vour it, and rewarded with Reproaches, for his t' Care of the Publick Good.
And can we imagine God Almighty has deflgned fuch a World as this, for the Scene of our Happi- nefs, wherein the Improvement of our noblelt Fa- culties tends only to fliow us our Defers, and many times to betray us into Inconveniences ? Has he in- fpir'd Men with fuch an impatient Defire of Know- ledge, in order to put them firfl: upon tedious and difficiilt Refearchcs after it, -and when they have g^in'a a fmall Smattering of it,then to expofe them to iil ufage for their Pains ? Is it congruous to the Wif-
t Bp. PAirUk, in locoia.
dom
SERMON XV. 369
dom and Goodnefs of God, that he (hould endow Mankind with fo general and invincible Inclinations, for which he has provided no fuitable Entertainment; that he fhould excite certain PafTions in us, only with adefign to deny us the Pleafures of their Gratificati- ons : Or Ihall we fuppofe, Man the molt noble and excellent Part of the vifible Creation, the leafl: ca- pable of all other Creatures of attaining his End?
So indeed the -f- Philofopher thought, and made it an Article of Impeachment againft Nature , that whereas fhe had granted to certain Beaftsand Birds, whofe Life is of no great Significancy, a Term of many Revolutions of Years ^ Man has but a Leafe of a very Ihort Duration, for the Improvement of his Knowledge, and thofe intellectual Attainments, wherein his Happinefs confifts.
But there is no Difficulty in the Obje6:ion, if we believe, that as God has made intelligent Beings, there is another Life, wherein he has abundantly provided agreeable Entertainment for all our intel- ledlual Powers and Appetites -, which the nobleft Fa- culties of human Nature, our Underftanding and Will, may eternally feed and center themfelves up- on.
This is what Reafon, when we confult the Idea of an All-wife and good God, dictates, and Revelation confirms to us : Forfowe are told, that whereas we fee only as through a Glafs darkly^ we (hall then fee God Face to Face ^ now we know only in Part, but then we [hall know Him, even as we are know*i. Our Minds will be united to him in perfed Vifion, and be conti- nually enlightned with the glorious Communicatioii of the Beauty and Perfections of his Nature : Our Sight and Knowledge of him will be clear and di- Itindt 5 we jliall fee him as He is. The Mind is here in
\ Theophraftus.
VOL. IL Bb abar^^
370 SERMON XV.
a barren Wildernefs, wherein there is no Spring to quench or fatisfy its Thirft : But then we (hall freely drink at thofe Rivers of Pleafure which Water the City of God, and flow for evermore : Then we Ihall feed on Angels Food, the Beams an Invigorations of Divine Light and Glory : Then we fhall freely Philofophize, and know all Things worthy to be known ; without the Difficulty of Study, or the Danger of Error. This is what Solomon elegantly reprefents to us, when he tells us of IVifdorns Killing her Beafis, and furnljinng her Table, and inviting Men to eat of her Bread, and to drink^of the Wine jhe has mingled* And if the Queen of the South thought the Servants of this Prince fo happy in Standing before him, and Hearing his Wifdom •, how infinitely more happy ihall we be, in having the Treafures of Divine Wif-' dom continually open'd to us ! When we Ihall under- ftand all Myfteries, and all Knowledge, and fee the moll Perfeft and Glorious Objefts in the moll Perfed Manner. How fhall we then cry out with Her, that Half of thefe Things have not been told us •, and that they far exceed the Fame and Report we have heard of them ? Prov. 9. 6. 2 Cron. 9. 7.
Thefe are Rewards, worthy of God to bellow on, thofe who are prepar'd for them *, on thofe whom his Goodnefs created to be happy, and whom his Wif- dom has render'd fo capable, and infpir'd with fuch invincible Deilres of Happinefs.
The only Ufe I fhall make of this, is, to reprefent the Folly of the Atheill ^ who has Pride enough to think himfelf a Genim of deeper Penetration than the befl, and wifell, and greateft Part of Mankind in all Ages^ yet can entertain fo low, fo narrow, and for- did an Opinion of his own Soul, as to imagine (and to value himfelf upon it) That he fhall dye like a Beall •, That the Noblefl Powers of Reafon and Un- derltanding> were given him only to forage for the * Senfes j
S E R M O N " XV. 371
Senfes ; And that when the Mechanifm of his Body Is broke, they will evaporate into Air, and leave him nothing for ever to turn to, but a cold difmal Bed of Duft and Darknefs : A Principle fo contrary to one of the Prime and Eilential Inclinations of Human Na- ture, that were it pofilble to be afcertain'd of the Truth of it, one would think a Man (for his own Sake) fiiould be forry to make the Difcovery ; and that for the Sake of Mankind in General, and oiic of a Principle of Good Nature, and Good Manners, he fhould keep it to himfelf.
TheDelireof Self-Prefervation and Happinefs, is to ftrongly implanted in us, that all the other Paui- onsof our Nature are governed by it, and take their Ply from it: And therefore the Philofophers of old made it a Quellion, Whether it were better not to Be, or to be Miferable? And fome of them con- tended for an Unhappy Being, rather than none at all. And perhaps it may be itill a Queftion, Whe- ther fome Degrees of Mifery are not more eligible than Annihilation?
So that the Atheifl, one would think, tho' he be- lieve nothing of a God of of a Future State, and the Immortality of the Soul, yet iliould wifli his Hy- pothefis falfe, out of a Greatnefs of Spirit, and Ge- nerolity of Mind; out of pure Refpedt to the Digni- ty and Excellency of his own Nature, and the Com- mon Inceieft and Happinefs of Mankind.
la other Cafes, our Advantage and our Inclinatl^ 6n govern our Belief: And the Principles of Reli- gion want nothing to recommend them to our Rea- fon and Approbation, but that we examine them with a wl/lif7g Mind ; and the greatell Motives of In- tercfl in the World, engage us to do that.
It mult be own'd indeed, while a Man refolves to
live and dye in a Sinful Impenitent State, 'tis reafon-
able enough for him to wifh that there may be no
Future Lifej and this is the only Reafon why Mea
B b 2 uks
572 S E R M O N XV.
take Refuge in Atheifm. 'Tis for this f Lucretius fo much extols his Mafter Epcurus^ that he deliver'd Men from the flavifh Fears and Imprefllons of Re- ligion. But alas! the Errors and Opinions of Men do not alter the Nature of Things : Thofe ftill re- main the fame, tho' we break a thoufand Jefts upon them. If there be fuch a Thing as Hell, all our Hopes, and Wifhes, and Fine Thoughts, will not extinguifh the Flames of it : And 'twill be but poor Confolation to aSinner, who ridicules the Torments of the Damn'd, to find hirafelf at laft confuted in the midft of them.
In the Ordinary Concerns of Human Life, we think it more advifable to prevent the Danger, than to run a Hazard : And certainly in an Affair of the laft Importance to us, and on which an Eternity of Happinefs or Mifery depends, it concerns us to be infinitely more cautious ^ even tho' we had not thofe Afiurances of a Future Judgment which we have ^ and which will appear yet further from my Third Conlidcration.
Sdly. That of the Divine Juftice.
Juftice confifts in the equal Diftribution of Re- wards and Punifhments, according to the Virtues or Demerits of Free Agents. But if there be no Fu- ture Account to be given of the Adions of Men j how can God be faid to Reward or Punilh them ac- cordingly ? For as the Scene of Affairs is laid in this World, the Scales of Juftice feem to be many times hard : Vice rides triumphant, is courted and carefs'd, and bears down all before it j whilft Virtue is crufh'd.
•f Primum Graius homo mortaleis tollere contra Eftaufus. HI/. I, ' "
and
S E R M O N XV. 375
and opprefs'd and appears with meagre Looks, and a dejefted Air.
Wicked Men raife their Fortunes upon the very Ruins of their Confcience, their Honour and Inte- grity ^ whillt good Men, upon a Principle, expole themfelves to the greateft Troubles and Inconveni- ences of Life : So that nothing is more evident, than that the Rewards and Punifhments of this Life, are not proportion'd to the Virtues and Sins of Men.
Seeing therefore we are aflur'd, both from Reafon and Revelation, that there is a God who judgeth in the Earth •, that he is a lover of Righteoufnefs, and a hater of Iniquity ; but yet according to the ordi- nary Courfe of Things in this World, Solomons Ob- fervation (Ecdcf. 6. i .) holds ftill good. That a Man cannot judge of his Love or Hatred^ by all that goeth before him •, it follows, in Order to the Vindication of the Divine Juftice, that there is a Life to come, v/here- in Rewards and Punifhments fliall be difpens'd afccr another manne': ; wherein God Almighty will coni- penfate the prcfent Sufferings of good Men, with a Happinefs worthy of his Goodnefs ^ and call wi6ked Men to a fevere Account for thofe fnccefsful Sins and Villanies, which efcape with Impunity here.
This feeming Inequality of the Divine Favour to the Wicked, and of the Sufferings and Self-Denials of good Men, has been the Objedion of ^ Athei- ftical, and the Complaint of -(- Pious Pcribns in all Ages.
■* 7hus Minucius Felix introduces Cascilius, reprcackirg t'a Coi of the Chriftians, that be took no better Care of his Servants ; Egetis, algetis, opere, fame laboratis; & Deus patttur, dif- liraulat: Non vult, aut non potelt opitulari luii s ergo auE invalidus, aut iniquus eft. P. 34.
■fPfal. 73.5. Ecd. 7. I. Jer. 12. 1.
B b 3 Pui;
374 SERMON XV.
Our Saviour himfelf thought fit to obviate the Difficulties that may aiife in our Minds from the Confideration of it, i^ the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, which the Houflioulder would not fuf- fer to be pluck'd up, but order'd that they fhould be let alone, and enjoy in common with the Wheat the Benefit of the Sun and the Rain, till the Time ofHarveft. Plainly intimating to us, that God, in the Ordinary Courfe of his Providence, in the Di- Itribution of Rewards and Punifhments in this Life, makes no very Vifible or Remarkable Diftindtion ^ betwixt Wicked and Good Men. And our Saviour af- ilgns the Reafon of it, Fer. 19. Left, fays he, ye root 7if the Wheat with the Tares, i. e. kn End would foon be jjut to the whole Race of Mankind, if none but Good Men were fufferM to live. Befides that, there would be an End too of all Virtue and Merit of Faith, if God iliould interpofe by a coiitinned Series of Miracles, tq driver Good Men from the common Accidents and "Dangers, and Misfortunes incident to Human Life : Efpecially when he vifits the World with Publick Calamities-, as PeHilence, Famine, and the like; Such a continued Train of Miracles, is contrary to that Wife Order of Things he has eftablifh'd •, and therefore he caufes the Clouds to Rain, and the Sun to Shlne^ on the Evil, and on the Good \ and they indifferently partake of the kind Influences of the Heavens, and the Produdions of the Earth. But then the Time of Harvefb, which our Lord explains to- be the Laft Judgm.ent, is drawing on ; when he^will make, not only a more Vifible, but a Final Di- ftindion between them, and eternally feparate them from each other : "the Wheat he -will gather into his Barn \ hut the Chaff" he will burn With wujuenchable Fire,
So that tho' we cannot aflign particular Reafons
for many Events of Providence, for many feeming
Inequalities of the Divine Diffenlations here-, yet
' 'we
S E R M O N XV. 375
we may be affiir'd, that at the Great Day of Retri- bution they will be perfectly clear'd up, and appear every way worthy of God \ every way Jult, and Wife, and Ilea fon able unto Men.
'Tis for this Reafon the Apoflle calls the Procefs of the l.aft Day, the Revelation of the Righteous Judg- ment of God. Whereby he tacitly iniinuates the Is^e- cefTity of believing a Future Judgment, in Order to a Vindication of the Divine Juftice •, and that we can upon no other Principle, account for feveral Dark and Myflerious Paflages of God's Providence in this World ^ the Promifcuous Diftribution of the Bleflings, and Evils of Life ^ the Impunity, and Prof- perity of thegreatelt Sinners ^ and the Sufferings of the bed of Men.
So that in all our Rcafoning concerning the Diffi- culties of Providential Events in this Life, let us with the Prophet, Jer. 12. i. lay it down as a pre- vious and immutable Truth, Righteous art thou^ 0 Lordy when we plead with thee.
But to conclude this Particular. Tho' we cannot enter into all the Reafons and Arcana of that Go- vernment, which God exercifes upon Mankind ; yet this One Confideration is fufficient to acquit his Ju- ftice in it : Tho^ Darknefs is hi( Secret Flace^ and his Pavilion round about him are Dark Waters-, and Tl-)ick Clouds'., impenetrable to Human Eyes-, yet Righ- teoufnefs and Judgment are the Habitation of hii Seat*
I proceed to my Second Particular, to (hcw^
2. That the Great Influence Religion has upon the Minds of Men, proceeds from the Belief of a Fucure Judgment.
pb 4 I need
37^
SERMON XV.
I need not much infift upon the Proof of this : If there be no Future Life, the Supreme Good, the great End of Man, mult lye in his prefent Happinefs and Enjoyment. And who can blame Men, for pur- fuing their great and main Intereft, tho' it be to the Ruin of thofe who ftand in their Way ? Is it not eve-f ry Man's Wifdom to provide for himfelf, and to aft upon one of the moffc ftrong and invincible Inclina- tions of Human Nature ? This Confideration feems to give us the moft probable Account of that PafTage ; where 'tis faid, The Lord comme?7ded the Vnjuft Stevpard^ hecaufe he had done wifely^ Luke 1 5. 8 . that is, upoa Suppofition that Men believe nothing of another Life, which likely was the Cafe of the Unjuft Stew- ard, 'tis reafonable, and then I fee not why it fhould not be commendable too, for them to confult their own Safety and Advantage, by all the Ways and Means that conduce to them ; becaufe the Law of Self-Intereft and Prefervation, is the Primary, the Sovereign, and moft Inviolable of all others.
Accordingly the Author of the Book of Wifdom, very naturally reprefents the Atheifts in thefe Words, encouraging one another to the moft inhuman Ads of Violence and Injuftice. Let z^, lay they, opfrefs the poor righteous Man ^ let vs not [pare the Widow^ nor re' t'erence the Ancient grey Hairs of the Aged \ let our Strength be the Law of Juflice \ for that which is feeble^ is found to be nothing worthy Chap, 2. V. lo, it. The Senfe of which is,^that no Atheift can be bound by any Laws or Engagements, when he can with Safety and Impunity tranfgrefs them, and 'tis his Intereft to do it : The greateft Security of the Civil Rights, and Intereft of Men, is an Oath \ which yet 'tis a Contra- didion to fuppofe, that a Man who believes there is no Tye upon Confciencej (hould make any ConRi- cnce of.
From
SERMON XV. 377
From whence I infer, that a Man who profefTcs himfelf an Atheift, is no longer fit to live in the World, at leaft in Society, and under Government ; but ought to be thankful for a Toleration to turn Her- mit, and to pafs his Days in a Defart, or under Ground.
And as vifibly do the Principles of Atheifm tend to corrupt our Minds, and open a Door to all man- ner of Intemperance and Difordcr. For this we have the Authority of the Apoftlc, i Coy. i 5. Where upon the molt folemn Occafion, and in one of the moft moving Difcourfes in the whole Bible, he brings in the Epicurean pertly objefting to him, Let us eat md drinkj for to morrow we die •, i. e. What is all this Do- ftrineofthe Refurredion, and the Preparatory Du- ties to it, to thofe who believe nothing of the mat- ter ? Is it not better to divert fnch crabbed and trou- blefome Notions by Eating and Drinking, and fol- lowing our Plcafures ; and feeing our Time is fo fhort and uncertain, to make the bcft Ufe and Improve- ment of it, while 'tis in our own Difpolltion ? This; is the language of the Atheifl;, in the Sen fe of the Apollle, and in the Experience of all Mankind.
There are but Two Pretences, upon which the Atheift can lay any Claim to Morality : The Firfb is from the natural Tendence (as we have obferv'd) that Moral Virtue has to promote our Happinefs, and Well-being here. To which I anfwer, that tho' this is generally true, yet it fails in a great many particu- lar Inftances •, and in fuch Cafes, the Atheift is fo far from having any Engagem.ent upon him, to obfervc the Rules of what we call Moral Virtue, that he is oblig'd, upon his own Principles, to aft in Oppouti- on to them: It generally conduces to our Interell, our Reputation, and Eafe, to live Righteoully and Soberly ; but yet a Man, who only confults bis pre- fent Advantage, in all thefe Relpeds, will find it convenient, on certaiii Occafions, to alter his Mea-
lures
378 S E R M O N XV.
fures again. 'Tis certainly more for the Good of the Community, for a Man to be Honeft and Regular in his Condud : But this can have no Influence upon an Atheift, when his private Advantage by an indire^ and criminal Pradice, will more than compenfate, the Lofs he fuftains in the Publick.
So that all the Atheift has to fay for himfelf, and why he fhould be fufFer'd to live in Society, is this, that an inbred Greatnefs of Mind, and a Senfe of Honour and Generodty, will fecure him from the ill Confequences which we charge upon his Princi- ples.
Thefe are all fine Terms, and it muft be own'd, the Heathen Moralifts, who abhor'd Atheifm, have faid many Things well upon the Credit of them, in Or- der to enforce the Pradice of Moral Duties. They tell us, that Sin is the Scandal and Reproach of Hu- man Nature •, that we ought not to be guilty, merely for the fake of its own Reflexion ^ that Virtue has in- trinfick Charms and Beauties, to recommend it felf to our Choice •, and that it is its own Reward ab- ftrafting from the Regards of a Future Life.
But thefe, how plaufible foever, were found in the Tryal to be but Airy, and ]ejune "Notions ; which, when Men were ready to perilh with Hunger or Na- kednefs, afforded them but fmall Relief Jslature, on thefe Occafions, was too llrong for a fine Thought \ and a Senfe of Honour, and Greatnefs of Mind, ea- sily gave way to the craving Aj^petites of it.
And indeed, in Cafes of great and preffing Temp- tations, when our Paffions are violently agitated, when our Eyes are fill'd with the vifible Glories of the World, and we aretouch'd with the foft Allure- ments to Pleafure, the Names of Virtue and Vice, of Honour and Scandal, have but a feeble Operation ^ nothing under fuch Solicitations can protedour In- nocence, and bring us fecurely off, but the Powers of the World to come y and thefe, by the Grace of God, w;7/doit. No
SERMON XV. 37^
Ko one had a greater Idea of Honour and Genero- fity of iMind, or was a nobler Inilance of it, than Jofeph: He had a jiifl: Senfe of his Obligations to his Mafter, of the Favours conferr'd on him, and the Confidence repofed in him ^ yet he durft not truft his Virtue wholly upon a Point of Honour, under a Temptation he v/as Day by Day importun'd with; a Temptation impregnated by all the infinuating Arts and Careiresofaiafcivious Woman, his Miftrefs, and a Pcribn of Diftini^ion •, but he wifely takes the Confideration of God into the Account, and that determines him in his Noble and Pious Refolution ; HotVj fays he^ Jhafl I do this great Wkhdnefs^ and Jin againji God ?
Befides that, this innate Greatnefs of Mind, which Atheiftical Wits pretend to found their Morality up- on, is a Term of great Latitude and Extent, and is frequently made to llgnify quite contrary to its pro- per and genuine Senfe : which imports a generous Difdain of every thing that is mean, and bafe, and below the Dignity of Human Nature: But if we look into our Stage- Performances, Comedies efpeci- ally, which have tended fo much to Corrupt and De- bauch the braveft Nation under Heaven, we fliall there find Honour frequently, in the principal Cha- rafters, underllood only with Refpecl to External Decency and Reputation.
A Lady of Honour engages in a vicious Intrigue *, a fine Gentleman abufeshis Friend, his Patron, and Benefactor j but all the DiOionour lies in the Difco- very : Nay it often happens, that the offending Par- ties go off with Impunity end Applaufe, and the whole Difgrace falls upon the Head of the Party in- jur'd. •
So much has the Stage, which was originally de- fign'd to give Men Jull and Noble Sentiments of Vir- tue, contributed to unfettle the very Notion of it, and confound the natural Diilindtion of Good
and
gSo S E R M O N XV.
and Evil : For here it is that the young Fellows, the Flower of the Nobility and Gentry, too frequently ttiodel their Conduct, and take the Charaders of what is Honourable and Brave : Here it is that they oblerve Virtue and Vice fignify little or nothing in themfelves, but only in common Opinion *, which, if they take Care to govern their Condud by, they are at Liber-* ty to comply with all the popular and prevailing Vi- ces of the Age ; for that they who govern the Mode, have the fame Power which Bellarinin afcribes to the Pope, of calling Good Evil, and Evil Good, and pafTing it into a Law when they have done. But ad- mitting the popular Notion of Honour was lefs pre- carious, and that we were afted by a true and genu- ine Senfe of it ; yet in this degenerate State of Hu- man Nature, there is fbftrong a Byafs caft upon our Will, that without Regard to a higher Principle, all the Didates of Reafon and Underftanding are not a fufficient Counterpoife for it. Thofe who live in the Hopes of a Glorious Immortality, thofe who believe the Terrors of the Lord, and a Future State of Punilh- ment, find it hard enough to guard their Innocence againft the Temptations, which fo frequently occur in a corrupt World, and which corrupt Nature io powerfully difpofes us to.
He that made us, and beft knows the Force and Strength of our Minds, has thought neceflary to en- force our Duty, by the Propofal of Rewards and Punifhments •, and thofe Myfiicks, who would dif- card the Pafiions of Hope and Fear, as fervile and un- PiCcelfary Motives to Piety, have done as little Ser- vice to Religion, as Honour to the Wifdom of God. The Apoftle, whofe Zeal and Charity were fo fla- ming, had other Sentiments : "This (fays he) ij the Vl" iiory that overcometh the World^ even our Faith^ i John
I have
S E R M O N XV. 381
I have in this Difcourfe principally confider'd the Influence of a future Judgment, without refped to the Authority of Divine Revelation ^ but this opens to us a new Profped, and difcovers feveral Circum- ftances of it, which natural Reafon could never have given us any certain Knowledge of. As that the Per- lon who (hall judge us, is Jefus Chrifl; -, He, who has done and fufFcr'd fo much for us Men, and our Salva- tion ; and furely no judgment is fo heavy, as that which comes from the Mouth of our Saviour, no Condemnation fo infupportable as that which is de- nounc'd by one, who has left no Method of Kind- ncfs unattempted, to deliver us from it.
The Holy Scriptures further reveal to us, what was not fo eafily made out by the Light of Natural Rea- fon, that thefe frail and corruptible Bodies fhall, at the great Day of Retribution, be raifed to life again, a Life immortal as the Soul, to which they fhall be reunited.
Thatthe Soul was immortal, the Philofophers ar- gu'd very well, from the Properties and Operations of it -, which they were never able, and I believe no Man ever will be, to reconcile with the Idea of fe- parable extended Subftance. This was a jull Reafoa for them to conclude, that the Soul being a fimple, pure, uncom pounded Eflence, was not fubjed to Death or Diflblution, but that after this Life it re- tir'd to fbme Place of Happinefs or Mifery, accord- ing as its Virtues or its Vices entitled it. Cicero^ as he confefles from Plato^ urges this -^ Argument with his ufual Force and Perfpicuity.
*Et cum fimplexanimi natura t^.cU neque haberet, in (!• quicquam admixtum difpar fui atq; dilRmile non pofle eunu dividi quod fi non poll'er.non poffe in teiire. De fenedute. Anl agiin, Tufc. Queft. animatum nulla interns origo inveniri jpoteft, nihil enim ell in animis mixtura atg,ue concretum, &c.
Thole
582 S E Pv M O N XV.
Tiiofe who veprefent the Dodlrine of the SowVi Immortality as mere heathenifh Invention, fuppor- ted ftili by Chrillians, efpecially Ecclefiafticks, up- on the Hime fcandalous Motives it was firlt taken upy thefe Men, 1 fay, before they bad advanc'd fiich d bold and infalent Charge, which afFeds the bell and wifeft of Chriftians in all Ages, ought, after ano- ther manner at leaf};, to have confuted thofe Argu- ments the Heathens themfelves havefurg'd for the im- morality of the Soul. 'Tis not a Breach of Charity to fuppofe that Men have no great Devotion for Re- veaFd, who endeavour to overthrow the Foundations of Natural Religion, without Ihewing any Reafons for it, or fuch Reafons as are worfe than none.- For fo we are told, without any Regard to the Proofs upon vfhlch the Heathens alTerted the Immortality of the Soul, that the Dodrine of it took its firft Rife in £^7pf, from the Funeral Rites of that People, and the Care they took in preferving their Dead. So that liad it not been for the Egyptian Mummies, that gave the firll Hint to this Notion, it may be a Queftion, whether all the Wit and Ingenuity of Men could have hit upon it to this Day. 'Tis a wonder how Men of Parts can banter the World, and trifle fo feriouf- ly ; but 'tis more ftrange, that a Principle, founded upon fuch Reafons as could never be confuted, and which it fo nearly concerns every Man to enquire into the Truth of, fnould not be known in the World, before the Egyptians found out the Secret of Embalm- ing ^ that is"^' for fome thoufands of Years. Men that would fearch impartially into the Nature and Origin of Things, would rather have confider'd the Care the Egyptians took of their Dead, as an EfTedt of their believing the Soul Immortal, than the Caufe of fuch a Belief^ nay, if there be no Foundation in Nature for the Belief of the Soul's Immortality, it feems as reafonable that the Egyptians^ by fo careful- ly preferving their Dead, fhould have given Occafl-
SERMON . XV. 3S3
on for as general a Belief alfo, of the Refuvredion of the Body. And yet the JthcnUm^ who were no Strangers to the Manners or Learning of the Eg)'pu- ms^ tho'they mocked at St. Paul, when they heard of the Refurreftion of the Dead ^ nay, fome of them iinderftood [b little what it meant, that they took it for a God : Yet when the Apoflle difcours'd to. them, J4ifs 17, 32. 6. 31. of a Future Judgment, which fup- pofes the Future Life of the Soul, they made no Di- fpute of it. That there is a Judgment to come, was an Article of their own Creed •, their own Confci- ences, and the univerfal Senfe and Reafon of Man- kind, had already inltruded them in this Princi- ple.
I Ihall now fpeak a Word or two by way of Infe- rence, and fo conclude.
And 17?. Either you do believe there is a Judgment to come, or you do not ? If you do not, then that which I have faid, may, by the Bleffing of God, be proper to convince you of the Folly and Unreafon- ablenefs of your Infidelity, in rejefting a Principle fo agreeable to the natural Notions and Apprehen- Hons of Mankind^ to thofe natural' Defires all Men have after a State of Happinefs; to our Ideas of the Divine Attributes j and laltly, of fuch dangerous Gonfequence to thofe, who do not believe it, in cafe it fhould prove true: And I hope ITiave fufficiently evinc'd the Truth of it.
But on the other Hand, if you do believe there is a Judgment to come , pray confider the great and powerful Engagments you are under to a Virtuous and Holy Life : All the Advantages of Fortune and. Wit, of Learning and Politenefs, which Men are fo a|3t to value themfelves upon here, will at the Great Day of Account do us no Service, any further than they have render'd us more inllrumental in promo- ting the Honour of God, and the Interefts of Reli- gion:
384 S E R M O N XV.
gion t Nay, if our Returns be not anfwerable to our feveral Receipts, 'tis but juit God Ihould proportion his Punifhments, according to the Meafures of his defpis'd and abus'd Mercies. Let us therefore Co en- deavour to improve the Time, and the Talents com- mitted unto us, that when God comes to call for our Accounts, we may not be afraid or afham'd to give them in ^ that our Confciences may have no negleft or abufe of them to challenge and reproach us for.
Let us conlider what manner of Men we Chrifti- ans efpecially ought to be, in all godly Converfati- on and Honefty, looking for the Coming and Ap- pearance of the Lord Jefus Chrift, to whom the Fa- ther hath committed all Judgment ; we Chriltians, I lay, who befides the natural Light of our own Minds, have an infallible Authority, a fure Word of Prophecy to confirm the Truth and Certainty of a Future Judgment to us. We to whom the Wrath of God is reveal'd from Heaven againit all Ungodlinefs y and Unrighteoufnefs of Men, but more particularly againfl thofe who hold theTruth in Unrighteoufnefs; fo that it will be no Advantage to us, to be Members of the beft conftituted Church upon Earth, both for the Purity of its Dodrine, the Primitive Order of its Gpvernment, and the univcrfalAdvanqement of Pie- ty, without afting conformably to the Engagements thefe Advantages bring us under. How ihall we efcape if we negled fo great Salvation ? If we fin againfl fo much Light, againft fo many gracious and peculiar Favours of Heaven ?
2^/y, If we believe a Future Judgment, let us not defer our Preparation for it •, Time runs off a-pace, and the Night comes on wherein we cannot work v we know not how foon Death may furprize us, and as that leaves Men, Judgment will certainly find them. We are apt; to flatter our felves in a finful
Courfe
i\ R ?ii^6'N XV. 585
fcoutie of Life, with the Hopes of a Repentance in Reverfion ;, but there is no Shiner who makes any Reflexions on his awn Conduct^ but perceives, the longer he defers his Conyerfion, the greater Difficul- ties and Temptations he has ftill to conflid withjl*, and cer(;ainly 'tis the greatefl Imprudence Men can be guilty of, to defer a Work, which of all others is fhe'moft necelTary to be done, and which doubles up- on our Hands^ the longer we delay to do it : Befides, that the fame Pretences, upon which we now fhifc off our Repentance, will, ia all Probability, be aa prevailing hereafter •, for the only Reafon why Men do not immediately reform their corrupt Manners, is this, That they find themfelvesat ptefentunder the t^bwer of fome vicious Inclination, or indifpofed to the Duties of Religion •, but when that Future Tim.e comes which they have affign'd for their Repentance, the fame Reafbns will return with it : Their vicious PafTions will ftill furnifh them with the fame Preten- ces for a further Delay ^ fo that, if there be any good Ground from the Power of a prefent Temptation, or dur Indifpofition to the Duties of Repentance, why we fhould ftill put it off, we muft lay afide the Thoughts of ever repenting at all. Some Libertines feem to be fo apprehenflve of this, that they refolve to give themfelves no troijble abouE their Converfion, till the Time of Temptiition, as they imagine, is over ^ till they Experience in themfelves the Decays of Na- ture, and the near Approaches of Death : That is, they will be willing to furrender themfelves when they can hold out and maintain their Rebellion no longer ; when they are paft the Service of their Sins, wherein they have fpent the Flower (Jf Life, they will ficrifice the Dregs of Old Age, or a few of their laft Moments, to the Service of God. Now this is fo unworthy, fo provoking an Abufe of the Divine Goodnefs, that tho' I will not pofitively determine, whether God after all may forgive fuch Sinners ; yet VOL. H. C c if
386 SERMON XV.
if they have any Senfe of Ingenuity, one would think they fhould not be able to forgive themfelves.
I Ihall but make one Improvement more of what has been faid *, and 'tis this. That feeing our Lord, at his coming to judge the World, does particularly reprefent himfelf as punifhing or rewarding Men, according to the good OJEces they have done, or omitted to do, in Adls of Mercy and Charity, we ought to be particularly careful to perform thefe Duties, to embrace all Opportunities of expreffing our Compaflion and Beneficence ; of having Mercy upon one another here, that God, when he comes to Judgment, may have Mercy on us. Am(n.
FINIS.
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