The First Sermon.

THESE words are a reason given of what the Apostle said in the former Verse; I am not ashamed of the Gos­pel of Christ; for therein is the righteousness of God re­vealed, &c. i. e. Because God hath revealed in the Gospel what that Righteousness is which he will accept from us in order to our Salvation. The righteousness of God signifies that Righteousness which God requires, and which he will accept from man. And what this Righteousness is, is revealed in the Gos­pel; that is, the Gospel plainly represents to us, what manner of persons we must be in or­der to our Justification. Now there are two [Page 2]things which he lays down in the remain­ing part of the Text.

1. That this Righteousness proceeds from Faith: The righteousness of God from faith to faith.

2. That this principle of Righteousness was mentioned in the Old Testament; As it is written, the just shall live by faith.

And therefore we are first to enquire,

1. What is the meaning of that Passage, from faith to faith? In what sense is the Righteousness which God requires said to be from faith to faith? I answer, that the mean­ing is this, The Righteousness which pleas­eth God, is that which must begin from Faith, which must still proceed from Faith, and which at last must end in Faith: For this is a saying like to that in Rom. 6.19. As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness; For by serving iniquity unto iniquity, is meant adding one sin to another, and daily growing worse: And by serving righteousness unto holiness, is meant, adding one degree of goodness to another, and growing better. And thus here the Righte­ousness which is from faith to faith, is a Righ­teousness which first proceeds from Faith, and is always built upon it afterwards, and [Page 3]is at last perfected by it. For that which the Apostle intimates by these words, is, That the Righteousness of a good Christian, having Faith for the ground and reason of it, does encrease as his Faith encreases; and that the more he is rooted and strengthned in Faith, the better he grows, and he pleases God the more. This seems to be the most natural interpretation of these words, viz. That Faith is all along the Principle and Ground of that Righteousness which God expects, and is pleased with. But then,

2. What relation hath that Passage out of the Old Testament to this matter, As it is written, the just shall live by faith? I an­swer, That the Apostle does hereby design to shew that though the Promises of the Gos­pel are incomparably more excellent than those that were made under the Law, yet it was the belief of God's Promises then, that held good men to the performance of their duty, and intituled them to the favour of God: The words are taken out of Habakk. 2.4. God had promised the Jews, that they should return from their Captivity in his ap­pointed time, v. 3. therefore, says he, though the vision tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come; but the just shall live by his faith, that is to say, The sure belief of this Promise would support good men in the service of God, under the Captivity in an Idolatrous Land, and their Faith should be rewarded [Page 4]with a return into their own Country in God's appointed time. In like manner Christians, who have better promises, viz. of an Heavenly Countrey, do in this Faith work that Righteousness which the Gospel requires; and for thus living by Faith in this World, they shall live for ever in their Heavenly Countrey. Faith was the foun­dation of the Jews observing their Law of outward Works, and it was rewarded with such Blessings as that Law promised: But the Gospel of Christ, as we read in the foregoing Verse, is the power of God unto salvation; and therefore it is still true, but in a much higher sense, that the just shall live by faith, because the Gospel requires an inward and spiritual Righteousness, to which we are brought by the belief of promises of spiritual and eternal good things, and because such Faith shall bring us to everlasting life. Thus much for the Explication of the Text.

And now my work shall be to enquire up­on what ground it is, that the Scriptures do attribute so much to Faith as they do; and to shew, that this is done without any dispa­ragement at all to Godliness and Virtue. And I have chosen this Argument to dis­course upon, that it may appear how unrea­sonably we of the Reformation are charged by our Adversaries, as we often have been, with Solifidianism, as they call it; that is, [Page 5]with attributing all to Faith, and leaving no necessity for Righteousness and good Works. We do indeed with the Scriptures say, That we are justified by faith, and that the just do live by Faith; but we do with the Scriptures also affirm Faith to be the princi­ple of obedience; and there is a righteousness from faith to faith, without which we can­not please God, nor be justified before him: We do also renounce the merit of good Works, and resolve the acceptance of them into the Grace and Mercy of God in not im­puting our sins to us; and when we have done all, they are the gracious Promises of God, and it is not the dignity of our own Righteousness that we rely upon; but then we say, it is the faith of these Promises that maketh us live to God by Repentance and good Works, which are so necessary, that we are dead without them. Now from hence indeed it follows, That where there is that faith which God requires, holi­ness will follow: For if we are justified by faith, if he that believes shall be saved, and yet without holiness no man shall see the Lord, then they that believe, are holy; which if it be found true, then we, not to say the Scriptures, are justified in attributing so much to Faith as we do; that it is by Faith we please God, that we live by Faith, and that we are saved by Faith. On the other hand it seems hard to understand, how those [Page 6]great things should be spoken of Faith, when there are many that do not hold faith and a good conscience, but hold the truth in unrighteousness: And since it follows more certainly, That a man believes because he is holy, than that he is holy because he be­lieves, it should rather have been said, that a Believer shall live by his Righteousness, than that the just shall live by faith; and yet following the Scriptures we say, that we live by faith, and are justified by faith. To clear this difficulty, it will be requisite to consider well these two things.

1. What the Nature of Faith is? And

2. What power it has, or what efficacy must necessarily be granted to it, and when it hath that power and efficacy?

I shall not only aim at making the notions of these things clear, but also profitable unto Godliness.

1st then, As to the Nature of Faith; I do not see that the Scripture means any thing by Faith, but a persuasion of the truth of something that is affirmed, upon the Testi­mony of one that affirms it, or upon some other reason besides sensible evidence, or im­mediate knowledge. And thus Divine Faith is a persuasion of the truth of those things, which we have God's testimony for: And that we are thus to understand these words, Faith or believing in the Scriptures, is very [Page 7]plain, because otherwise the Scriptures must have altered the common sense and signifi­cation of words: But can we think, that when our Blessed Saviour required believing under the penalty of damnation, and that when the Apostles and Evangelists wrote the New Testament, in which they laid the same stress upon Faith, that Christ himself had done before them; that they, I say, should mean something else by the word, than what it signified according to common use, and yet that they should not tell us so? The Wri­ters and first Preachers of the Gospel did in­deed treat of new Subjects, viz. of those new Revelations of God's Will, that had been lately made: but when they made use of words, that had a known meaning, they did not depart from the received signification of those words: But by Faith or believing, men always understood, being persuaded of the truth of some Proposition. And thus Faith is described in the Scripture, where it is de­scribed most fully: In St. John 11.25. says our Saviour, He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; but this is ex­plained, v. 27. I believe that thou art Christ the Son of God, that should come into the world. And again, John 8.24. If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Moreover, that Faith by which the Church should stand, wanted nothing surely that belongs to the nature of Faith, and that is thus expres­sed? [Page 8] We believe and are sure, that thou art Christ the Son of the living God; and this be­cause not flesh and blood, but God had reveal­ed it. Thus Abraham's Faith which was impu­ted to him for righteousness, was his account­ing, that God was able to raise up Isaac even from the dead. And all the holy men mentioned in Heb. 11. are said to have died in faith, being persuaded of the promises.

As to those that think there is more in the nature of Faith, than this comes to, they either return to this in other words, or add something that doth not belong to the na­ture of it; those that say, there must be a particular application of the Promises where there is true Faith, say well; but then appli­cation is nothing else but a persuasion of, or an assent unto a single Proposition: For in­stance, I am persuaded, that God sent his Son into the world to save mankind, is a general persuasion; Christ came for my Salvation, which is the Application, is a particular one; Without holiness no man shall see the Lord, therefore without holiness I shall not. This last is but persuasion, and there is that in the former, therefore Faith in both: A­gain, if resting and relying upon Christ is said to be Faith, the meaning must be, either that I am assured Christ will save me, and this is being persuaded of the truth of that saying, or else that I rely upon his Person; but a Person cannot be believed otherwise, [Page 9]than by believing something of him, or some­thing that he has said. Some there are that think the nature of Faith doth consist in a certain degree of Persuasion; and the Roma­nists tell us, there must be Infallibility in it: But now there is a weak as well as a strong Faith; and though a greater degree of As­sent is more working and powerful, yet the nature of Faith is in the least. Lastly, some good men are apt to think, that the goodness of the Will and Affections, nay, and Holi­ness of Life, belongs to the nature of true Faith; but this cannot be, because although Faith, where it is in that degree that it ought to be, there, as I shall shew, it will produce holiness of Heart and Life; and therefore Faith is sometimes spoken of in the Scriptures as comprehending those good Affections, and those good Works, which it causes, yet sometimes they are distinguished from one another, and therefore they are not the same; so that when all is done, the whole nature of Christian Faith doth consist in this, That it is a persuasion of the Truth of those Do­ctrines which Christ hath made known to us. Now for the second Point.

2. Concerning the power and efficacy of Faith, we are to consider, that there are these two things attributed to it; our Justification, and our Holiness or Obedience to the Gospel. And here we will first consider.

1. What Efficacy Faith has as to the Ju­stification of him that believes; and this I shall shew very briefly and plainly in these following particulars.

1. Faith may be said to be justifying or saving, in that it puts a man into a good way of being justified; and thus believing that Je­sus is the Christ, may be said to be justifying Faith, because it is the first step towards Ju­stification; and believing his Precepts with his Promises and Threatnings, is in this sense a more Justifying Faith, because it brings a man nearer to that state in which he shall be justified. But,

2. If we speak of Actual Justification, and continuance in God's favour, then not any, nor all the proper acts of Faith taken together, but separate from Repentance and Obedience, are sufficient; for where God hath made more conditions than one necessa­ry, there the performance of all but one, will not suffice; and therefore where forgiveness and salvation is promised to one single con­dition, there the presence of all the rest is supposed; He that giveth a cup of cold water to a disciple in the name of a disciple, shall not lose his reward; but shall cold water, wash a­way the treachery of Judas, or the injustice of Pilate? He that confesseth that Jesus is the Christ, hath eternal life; but still to be carnally minded is death; He that believeth and is bap­tized, [Page 11]shall be saved. Nevertheless it is true, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the King­dom of Heaven; and therefore where no­thing less than Salvation is promised to Be­lieving and Baptism, all that which in reason should follow, is meant, though it be not expressed.

3. If we speak of final and irreversible Ju­stification, this is neither to be obtained by Faith nor Obedience, without perseverance in both. God doth in this Life justify true Believers, but not once for all, till they have fought their good fight, and finished their course. As the Lord in the Parable forgave his Servant, and yet called him to account for his Debt, when he proved cruel to his Fellow; for this shewed that his pardon was but conditional; So likewise, says our Saviour, shall your heavenly Father do unto you.

Now I confess, what hath been said in an­swer to the first and second Inquiries, gives no sufficient account why we are said to be justified by Faith so frequently in the Scrip­ture, but rather seems to make it more unac­countable: For if there be no more in the nature of Faith than assent to Truth, this seems to be a very common attainment, not deserving those great things that are spoken of Faith in the Scripture: Can that be the Faith, by which all good men have wrought righteousness, which hath been held in un­righteousness [Page 12]by as many wicked? And then as to the power of this Faith in order to Ju­stification, Can that be the faith of God's elect, which the Reprobates have as well as they? Do the just live by that Faith with which others perish? How is that Faith imputed to them for righteousness, which does but ag­gravate the condemnation of these? Nay, how is that justifying and saving Faith, which the Devils have as well as we; for they assent, and therefore believe, and trem­ble because they believe?

Let us therefore proceed to the second Con­sideration concerning the power and effi­cacy of Faith; viz. To make men attain to that righteousness which God requires and accepts. Now if upon a just examination of this matter it will appear, that Faith, if it be in men, as it ought to be in them, will make them obedient and holy, and therefore that the wicked want Faith that is properly so called, and have not that Faith which God in the Scripture requires, then there will be no difficulty in conceiving why the Scripture so often and so remarkably says, that we are justified by faith. Here therefore I shall represent what those things are in which the force of Faith lies, to govern our Hearts and Lives; and then I may leave you to judge, whether it would not produce the effect of holiness, when they are all together; and consequently, that there [Page 13]is a defect of Faith in all ungodly men. Now,

2. The power and efficacy of Faith to make us holy, lies in these three things.

1. In the nature of the things themselves that are believed.

2. In the manner of believing them.

3. In the permanency of the belief it self, or rather in the dwelling of our mind upon it.

I shall begin with considering what influ­ence it hath by virtue of the things believed.

1. The Truths we believe, do represent good and evil to us; they are not Points of Doctrine, which we are never the better nor the worse, whether they be true or not; but they are of very near concernment to us, and are therefore fit to work upon our desires and affections.

2. What we believe, does represent to us our greatest good on the one hand, and what we have most reason to fear on the other: If a good thing that is offered us, may be dis­paraged by a greater good that stands in com­petition with it, it doth not much inflame or move the Affections: Now he that believeth aright, apprehends the Joys of another Life to be so great, that there is nothing in this to rival them; this is that which made the Patriarchs to count themselves Pilgrims and Strangers upon earth; they desired a better (i. e.) a heavenly countrey.

3. We are persuaded that this Inheritance belongeth to us upon our care and faithful­ness in doing the will of our heavenly Fa­ther. If we had absolute assurance of the heavenly Country, this Faith might well cause satisfaction in the benefit; but if we are to abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul; or we are sure to be excluded, if we assent not only to the truth of the Pro­mise, but to the condition of the Promise, then our Faith works by fear and hope, and puts us upon fulfilling the condition; but if men do not believe the condition, it will be an harder matter to persuade them to obey, because it will be so easy for them to persuade themselves that they need not.

4. We are also persuaded, that the conditi­on, viz. doing the will of our Heavenly Fa­ther, is through the grace of God possible; otherwise the belief of an Eternal Happiness in the Life to come, would not stir us to la­bour for it: This is one reason why the De­vils tremble only though they believe, be­cause they cannot assent to the Promises as made to Them, for they are not made to Them; and if we should want the Faith of the possibility of Salvation, all the rest of our Faith would make us miserable and de­sperate, but not active and careful to work out our salvation.

In short, if we believe the truth wherein the greatest good is promised, and that 'tis [Page 15]promised upon condition of obedience; and that the condition is enforced by the threat­ning of the greatest punishments, and that it may well be performed: then in this Faith there is nothing wanting as to the matter of it, to make us fruitful in holiness & good works: But if we do not believe all this, but only some part of it, our unfruitfulness may well be imputed to want of Faith; but this I con­fess doth not go very far to satisfy the diffi­culty, because many believe all needful truth, and yet remain unholy. Wherefore let us go to the second Point. Viz.

2. The manner of believing Divine Truth; for there is very much of the power of Faith to sanctify us in this very thing. Let us, for instance, take the first Article of the Creed, I believe in God, or I believe that God is. To believe this considerately, and distinctly, is to believe that there is an Infi­nite Being, an Omnipresent Being: and that he is holy, just, and good: But now our be­lieving that God is, hath no power to make us circumspect in our actions, and careful of our thoughts, but by such distinct persuasi­ons and considerations as these, which are truly and properly Faith: Nor will these distinct considerations have much power nei­ther, unless they be distinctly applied to our selves: God is infinite in all Perfections, and therefore I am to serve and worship him; he is Omnipresent, and therefore he is with [Page 16]me, and sees me in all that I do, and knows every one of my secrets, and even every thought of my heart, and therefore how shall I dare so much as to regard iniquity in my heart? He is infinitely Wise and Good, and therefore in this or in any other matter it would be extreme folly as well as sin to fol­low mine own will in opposition to his: Now all this is Faith, or believing true Doctrine; and it is by such distinct apprehensions and applications as these, that we must be ena­bled to overcome the World, and to purify our hearts: But if we believe in that man­ner, as to rest in the general Doctrine, and to go no farther, I do not see how our Faith should be operative much more than if we had none at all; and if the general belief of one Article is therefore fruitless, because it is but general, and not resolved into the awa­kening Considerations that are under it, nor applied distinctly to our selves under such Considerations, then also will the believing of the whole Creed in this fashion, without particular persuasions and applications, be fruitless also; and it may be said of us, that we understand neither what we say, nor whereof we affirm; and then what we say and affirm, can have no great force upon us to make us subdue our Passions, and mend our Lives. But though this will go a great way to re­solve the unholiness of men professing the Faith, into want of Faith, yet I think it [Page 17]doth not altogether satisfy, that where Faith is as it should be, there will be an holy mind, and a godly life; because there are ma­ny men of clear and active thoughts, and conversant in the study of Religion, that do not live by Faith; for as the Faith of such men cannot in reason be thought to be a con­fused and indeterminate persuasion; so it is too plain by experience, that some such do retain the Faith, but make shipwrack of a good conscience. And therefore let us consider the third thing wherein the power of Faith con­sists, viz.

3. The permanence of it upon the mind, or a constancy of frequent consideration up­on what we believe: That is to say, let us suppose a man that doth not only believe all matters of Faith that are needful, and ap­prehend them distinctly and particularly, and with application to himself; but like­wise by very much consideration of these things, hath made them present and habitual to himself; and of such a man I say, That he is under the whole power of Faith, and he it is that overcomes the world: For such a Believer has two advantages, which cannot fail to make him a good man.

1. His Persuasion or his Faith is present to his mind, when he most needs it; (i.e.) upon all oc­casions of temptation; so that he will be ready in the strength of it to say with Joseph, How [Page 18]shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? But now though one believes all the awakening Doctrines of Religion, yet if he does not think of them, nor lay them to heart, when the Devil, the World, and the Flesh are busy with him, tis all one with him at the time, as if he had never heard of the Articles of Christian Faith; and for the present he is as much without the Operation of Faith, as if he had none at all: It is with him, as it is with a man in a swooning fit, there is indeed life in him, but it is without sense and motion; and for the time he differs not from one that is dead; or rather, as there is a principle of sense and motion in the one, without any act of either, so is there indeed in the other a Principle of Faith, but no Act of it, and it is therefore as if it were not at all. Distinct and particular application of what we believe, will do much towards the restraining of a man's lusts; and this is pro­perly Faith; but then that Faith which once was, and now is not, can do nothing at pre­sent; which is the case of too many persons professing Christianity, That their belief of Divine Truth is oftner absent than present, because they do not think of those things which should govern them, and assist them under Temptations, but by chance, or when they cannot help it; their business is to put those things out of their minds, and not to fix them there. And this is the first advan­tage [Page 19]of one that is constant in his considera­tion of the Truths whereof he is convinced, that they are present to him when he stands in need of their help, and indeed never at any great distance from him. The

2d. Is this, and that is the greatest of all, That he hath a true and lively sense of these things, as often as they return to his mind; and he always believes them as he should do, under a vigorous apprehension of his own great concernment in them. To believe that there is a God, and a Life to come; and that the Son of God came to be our Saviour, and will come to be our Judge; that through the Infinite Mercy of God, and through the Death and Passion of our Saviour, we may obtain Forgiveness of Sins, and Eternal Life; to believe these things, I say, accord­ing to their nature, and our concernment in them, is to have a due sense of them, and to be justly affected with them more than with all other interests whatsoever, because these indeed are the greatest of all: Now it is by a Constancy of Believing, (i. e.) of Considering these things, and making them present to us, that we come to that Faith which consists in a right apprehension, and a just sense of them: Nor will any other means do without this; and indeed all means of Grace are ineffectual without it, and they are then effectual when they bring us to this degree of Faith: The Prayers that we make [Page 20]are unprofitable, if they do not help to fix our minds upon God and Divine Truth, and by their frequent returns make a sense of Re­ligion natural and familiar to us: Our read­ing the Scriptures, and hearing good Do­ctrine and Exhortation, and our assembling for the worship of God, is unprofitable to Godliness otherwise, than by accustoming of us to think as we should do; that is, to be affected with the Doctrines of our most holy Faith: Good education and good exam­ples do no otherwise promote the work of God in our minds, than by awakening our consideration of that Truth, which is to re­new us in the spirit of our minds: Afflictions and Judgments, the Fears and Apprehen­sions of Death, the amazing Calls of God's Providence, cannot of themselves work the reformation of an evil heart and life; if they do it, it is by beginning to bring men to that Consideration which they continue after­wards, till they come to a Faith that answers the nature of the things they believe, which consists in a just sense and apprehension of them; but this is not to be gained, but by a constant Consideration, because they are spiritual things, or future things after this life, which are the main Objects of our Faith. If a sick man believes that he shall gain his health by such a method; or a poor man, that he shall get an estate; or a priso­ner, that he shall recover his liberty; or [Page 21]any man, that he shall come to his end in this world by such a course of means, there is no need of much Consideration to per­suade himself to try it, because without any pains taken with himself, he is naturally pos­sest with a lively persuasion of his concern­ment in things of this nature: But in Reli­gion it is otherwise; tho the interest be great, nay, the greatest of all, yet it is not a sensible nor a present interest in comparison, and so our Faith must be renewed day by day, that we may be affected with it, as reasonable crea­tures ought to be; and by much thinking of it, (i. e.) by many Acts of Faith, arrive to such a sense of God, and our interest in Re­ligion, as the nature of the thing deserves. And this is that Faith which overcomes the world, which purifies the heart, and makes a man a new creature.

I deny not, That wicked men believe, and do contrary to a sense of their duty, and of their obligations to God: I acknowledge, that they have so much Faith, as makes them uneasie under their guilt, somewhat loth to commit sin, and ashamed and afraid when it is committed: I grant that they have Faith truly so called; but then they want Faith too, that Faith which is properly so called also, and which the Scripture requires: Ei­ther they want the Faith of assenting to some needful Truth, which perhaps doth not oft­en happen; or they want the Faith of a di­stinct [Page 22]and particular persuasion and applica­tion to themselves, which happens more oft­en; or they want the Faith of frequent as­senting, of a permanent persuasion fixt in their hearts by consideration; which I doubt is the frequent defect: But now the Scripture doth not barely require, that we should once for all persuade our selves of the Truths of God's Word; but moreover, That the word of God should dwell richly in us; and that we should be rooted and established in Faith; that Christ should dwell in our hearts by Faith and the like; which is plainly to require a fixed and lively sense of Divine Truths upon our souls, caused by much conversation with them, and thinking upon them: Now this I say, That every act of Meditation, or Thought upon these things, is a distinct As­sent to them, and is therefore truly and pro­perly Faith: Now because we are to inter­pret Scripture by Scripture, therefore this Scripture, That by Faith we are justified, is to be interpreted by the aforesaid Exhortati­ons; and consequently, by Justifying Faith we are to understand an habitual and perma­nent persuasion of the great Truths of Re­ligion, effected by a frequent and just consi­deration of them; and such Faith will justi­fy, because it will sanctify; it will procure the relative change of putting us into a state of Favour with God, because it will procure the real or personal change of subduing our [Page 23]corrupt affections, and making us obedient to God from the heart: For suppose a man by constant consideration to have gained such a sense of Spiritual things, as by assiduity men come to have in all matters they fre­quently think of, and converse about, how is it possible, but he must be a good man in the rest of his life? But men are but half persuaded, that never think of these things, but by chance, or when they can­not help it: So that this is the great point wherein we exercise liberty in matters of Re­ligion; viz. Whether we will consider or not; (i. e.) Whether we will often per­suade our selves of the great Truths of God, and a World to come; or but very rarely: This is the main hinge upon which our state turns; and here lies the principal power we have, still, under the Grace of God, to help and reform our selves; which seems to be suggested by the Scriptures insisting so much upon it, That we are justified by Faith; for this shews us where our strength lies: Nay, the just himself lives by his Faith; and it is by Faith that he perseveres in Righteousness: And where such Faith is, as I have now de­scribed, it will not fail to influence the mind and conversation: For we are led by persua­sion to evil as well as to good; and when a man doth ill, it cannot be, that at the same time he should be persuaded to do well: No wonder therefore, that the Scripture con­cludes [Page 24]of all wicked men, That they are not persuaded of the truth of those things which they profess to believe: They profess, says, the Apostle, to know God, but in works, they deny him, Tit. 1.16. But works neither de­ny nor affirm any thing, they only shew whether we our selves do one or the other. If then all that are disobedient, are in a true sense unbelievers; then all who fully believe, are holy. By Faith Abraham when he was tried, offered up Isaac; but if the command to offer up his Son, was the Trial of his Faith, then had he not obeyed, his belief had not been true: Therefore also where the belief is true, where it is a fixed and lively sense of God and Religion, where it doth not come in as a sojourner, but dwelleth richly in the Soul, it will sanctify and cleanse it.

In short; This permanent persuasion of the Truths of the Gospel, being that with­out which we cannot bring forth fruit unto God in all good works he hath required of us, and with which we shall, it must necessarily be the faith by which the just do live.

Finally therefore, my Brethren, Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might: put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil; stand, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast plate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the [Page 25]gospel of peace. But above all, take the shield of faith, whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. By all which it appears, That Christian Truth is our Armour against Sin; and therefore let that humble man's Prayer be ours, and our care answerable; Lord we believe, help thou our unbelief. And may the God of Truth increase our faith in us, that it may be fruitful in good works, to the glory of his Name, and our eternal Salvati­on, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Second Sermon.

THE words are the most compre­hensive that I can find in all the Bible, for bringing all that is neces­sary to be said concerning the true nature, the full extent, and proper use of Faith under one Text; which possibly you will acknowledge, if you consider with me the very deep, and yet clear sense of these ex­cellent Words.

The first clause of them contains a general Proposition. But without faith it is impossi­ble to please God.

The second contains a proof of that Pro­position; for he that cometh to God must, &c.

By comparing the Proposition, proved with the proof thereof, we shall come to un­derstand every phrase and word of the Text.

For if we enquire,

1. What is here meant by pleasing God in the general Proposition; let us see what an­swers thereunto in the following words; and we shall find by pleasing God is meant the do­ing of those things whereby God is pleased; for saith the Apostle, He that cometh to God, must believe that he is. Now to come to God is an obvious phrase, signifying to worship God: Wherefore it being supposed (as the Apostle's form of arguing makes it necessary) that to worship God, or to come to him, is to please him; it must needs follow, that to please God signifies the doing of those things whereby God is pleased: But hence we must not conclude, that the worship of God, properly so called, is the only thing that is pleasing to God; because the Apostle's intent in the proof of his general proposition, is to give some particular instance of each part thereof, (as I shall shew all along in the Explication of these words). There are other things which please God besides Wor­ship, viz. all kinds of virtue and moral Goodness; such as Justice and Mercy, Fide­lity and Truth, Meekness and Patience, So­briety and Temperance; and 'tis true of these things, as well as of Worship, that without faith they cannot be performed, be­cause [Page 29]they are all such things as God is pleas­ed withal; and 'tis said in general, That without Faith we cannot please him. From hence 'tis plain, that we are thus to under­stand the phrase of pleasing God, when the Apostle saith, Without Faith we cannot please him, viz. Without Faith it is impossi­ble a man should be a worshipper of God, and a practicer of Virtue: More distinctly thus; Without Faith a man cannot Love God, or Fear him, or Trust in him, or O­bey him, or Honour him, in his Thoughts, Words, or Deeds: Nor can he be Righte­ous and Charitable, Meek and Humble, So­ber and Temperate: Or in a word, That without Faith 'tis impossible a man should be truly Religious in his life and actions. If it be enquired,

2. What the Apostle means, by Faith, without which 'tis impossible to please God; let us look to the following words again, and we shall find the Faith the Apostle speaks of is,

1. In general, a persuasion of the truth of some proposition, or an assent thereunto that it is true; for he saith, He that cometh to God must believe that he is. To believe there­fore, to be persuaded that this proposition is true, viz. that there is a God, is an in­stance of the Faith whereof the Apostle speaks.

Likewise he that cometh unto God must believe that he is a rewarder of them that seek him. To believe therefore, or to be per­suaded of this proposition, That God is a rewarder of them that seek him, is an in­stance of that Faith, of which the Apostle speaks; and consequently by Faith is here meant in general, a persuasion concerning any Doctrine or Proposition, that it is true.

2. By consequence also, as to the nature of those propositions, which the Apostle saith we must believe, if we will please God, we find more particularly, that the Faith without which we cannot please God, is a persuasion of the truth of those propositions, which are proper arguments and motives in­ducing a man to do those things whereby God is pleased; for the Apostle saith, He that cometh unto God must believe that he is. And plain it is, that to believe that there is a God, is a reason why men should do those things which please him: He says also, that he that cometh unto God, must believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Alike plain it is, that to believe God to be such a rewarder, is a reason, or mo­tive, inducing a man to do those things whereby God is pleased; and consequently the Faith which the Apostle speaks of, is a persuasion of the truth of those Propositions or Doctrines, which are proper motives or inducements to the doing of those things [Page 31]whereby God is pleased. But hence we must not conclude, that there are no other Do­ctrines or Propositions besides those here mentioned, that are proper motives to Reli­gion; because all that the Apostle intends (as I noted before) is to give some particular instances to shew the truth of the general proposition. Although therefore there be other Doctrines which are motives to God­liness and Vertue; yet if without the belief of these, a man cannot be induced to do those things which please God; that was suffici­ent for the Apostle's purpose to prove, that without Faith it is impossible to please him: And that there are other Doctrines of like use with these, I shall shew in due place.

If it be enquired,

3. Whether by Impossible, the Author of this Epistle means properly something that is absolutely impossible; or more largely, something that is exceeding difficult, or highly improbable, as sometimes the word is used to that purpose:

I answer; This is to be resolved, by con­sidering also the following propositions to be believed; the former of which is of that nature, that it is absolutely necessary to be believed in order to Worship and Virtue, viz. That there is a God: Without this be­lief it is utterly impossible, it implies a con­tradiction, that a man should be a Worship­per [Page 32]of God, and a practicer of Virtue. But the latter of these beliefs, that God is a rewarder, &c. is not in the same degree ne­cessary that the former is, because it does not imply a contradiction, That that man who does not believe that God is a rewarder of them that seek him, should be a Worshipper of God, because 'tis barely possible he may Worship God upon a belief that there is a God, and a bare hope that he is a rewarder, &c. But then if we consider the woful corrupti­on and degeneracy of Mankind, and the power of those Temptations we are under, 'tis so utterly improbable that without this belief men should set themselves to do those things which please God, that according to the usual manner of speaking, it may be ranked with things impossible.

So that I do thus understand the Apostle as to what he says concerning the impossibi­lity of pleasing God without Faith; That there are some Doctrines so necessary to be believed in order to the practice of Religion and Virtue, that it is naturally impossible a man should be a Worshipper of God, and a doer of Righteousness without the belief of them; and of this sort he hath given us one instance, viz. That there is a God; That also there are some Doctrines so necessary to be believed in order to the practice of Religi­on, that 'tis morally impossible a man should be a Worshipper of God, and a worker [Page 33]of righteousness, without the belief of them: And of this sort he hath also given us one in­stance, viz. That God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Thus I have by comparing one part of the Text with another, given you, as I am persuaded, the true sence of the whole, and that, as I hope, with great clearness of truth and plainness of words. And according to this Explanation, the words of the Text may be interpreted according to this Para­phrase.

Without the belief of some such Doctrines as are proper and suitable motives to the worship of God, and the practice of Virtue, wherewith God is pleased; it is impossible any man should fear God and work Righte­ousness: For some Doctrines there are so ne­cessary in order to that end, that 'tis impossi­ble to conceive how a man should find him­self obliged thereto, without the belief of those Doctrines: Some Doctrines also there are so necessary to be believed in order there­unto, that without the belief of them, no man finds himself encouraged to the practice of Religion: For instance, the Worship of God is a part of Religion, without which he will not be pleased with us; but it is plain that no man can be a worshipper of God, without believing that there is a God; be­cause if he does not believe this, he cannot conceive himself bound to worship God. [Page 34]'Tis also plain, that no man is likely to wor­ship God, without believing that God is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him; because if he does not believe this, he cannot conceive himself encouraged to be a worship­per; and this is as evident in all other instan­ces of Religion, that 'tis impossible men should perform them as they ought, if they believe not those Doctrines whereby they are encouraged to them.

In the words, as they are thus explain'd; several truths there be, which lye couched beside those, the suggesting whereof is the main scope and design of the Text.

1st. Of all, 'Tis plainly implied, that the practice of Religion (i. e.) of Worship and Virtue, is that which pleaseth God: For pleasing of God here, is further explained by coming to him, and diligently seeking him; a very considerable instance of Religi­on. The same thing is true of all other Re­ligious duties, and all Moral virtues what­soever, that they also are well-pleasing to God, and that he liketh and approveth them in us; he loveth and praiseth us for them, that they are delightful and acceptable to him. Were the inculcating of this matter the chief design of the Text, I would here at large represent unto you, why the Religi­ous practice, the holiness and virtue of a Christian, is acceptable and well-pleasing [Page 35]to God. I would make it plain to you, that it must be so, because his Religious Practice is an acknowledgment of the Soveraign Au­thority of his Maker, since 'tis the Christi­ans obedience to Divine Laws; because also 'tis his undeniable confession of the Goodness of God, a plain testimony of his love to God, and a visible demonstration how ex­cellent and profitable the Laws of God are, and how good they render those persons that observe them: Because 'tis in like manner the Christians true and sincere acknowledg­ment of the Divine perfections. I would likewise shew you, that although God can­not be pleased with this honour done unto him by his Creatures, because of any advan­tage he himself receives thereby; yet he is pleased with it, because of the advantage accruing thereby to us, because he delight­eth in the good of his Creatures, in their happiness and well-being; which 'tis as im­possible for them to attain without the wor­ship of God, and the practice of Virtue, as to reconcile light unto darkness, or to make contradictions to be true. If this also were the main scope of the Text, I would not leave this consideration till I had con­vinced you throughly, what a mighty spur to Religion and Virtue this persuasion is, that they are well-pleasing to God. I would not let you go till you granted me, that it is the noblest Ambition which can inflame the [Page 36]Souls of men to become the true Worship­pers of God, and the sincere workers of Righteousness; since this is your way to gratify and please so great and excellent a Being as the Eternal God, to stand high in his esteem, to be greatly accounted of by him, to become acceptable to him, and considerable with him. But this is only the insinuation, not the direct aim of the Text.

2. These words do also intimate to us, that the practice of Religion and Virtue is the end of Faith: For the Apostle plainly speaks of those Doctrines we believe under the notion of means to arrive at Godliness and Righteousness. When he says without be­lieving God 'tis impossible we should come unto him; he implies that it is there­fore necessary we should believe there is a God, because 'tis necessary we should wor­ship him: When he says, without believing that God is a Rewarder of them that dili­gently seek him, 'tis impossible to seek him diligently; he sufficiently implies, that 'tis therefore necessary to believe that God is such a Rewarder, because 'tis necessary to seek him diligently. In a word, when he says without Faith 'tis impossible to please God; he plainly enough intimates, that therefore Faith is necessary, because the practice of Godliness and Virtue is so, i. e. that Religious practice is necessary as the end, and Faith as the means to that end.

I would here have shewn you, what the true Notion of Fundamentals in Religion is, viz. That only is Fundamental in Reli­gion, which is a Doctrine necessary to be be­lieved in order to a Christian life; and all Doctrines necessary to be believed for that end, are Fundamental Doctrines: That the belief of those Doctrines, is laying a founda­tion upon which the superstructure of Reli­gious practice, of Worship and Virtue, may and ought to be erected. But that if it were required what is Fundamental, i. e. necessary to fit a man for Heaven, that then the pra­ctice of Religion and Virtue is the only thing necessary for that end; but that Fun­damentals in Doctrines, are only those be­liefs that are necessary to Righteousness and Godly living. And this I should have in­sisted upon, to confute all the vain pretences and frivolous hopes of all Orthodox believers, that never yet learned to live Orthodox Lives, that have laid a specious foundation of Chri­stian Faith and Knowledge to no purpose in the world, but to proclaim their own folly and madness in neglecting all thoughts of building that superstructure of Christian life and practice thereupon, by which alone we can ascend to immortality of Bliss in that house of God not made with hands eternal in the heavens.

But this also is no more than insinuated in the words of the Text; therefore I shall in­sist [Page 38]no longer upon it, though so plainly hinted, that I could not altogether pass it by.

3. These words do expresly declare, that some Doctrines there be which are funda­mental to Religion, (i. e.) the belief where­of is necessary to the worship of God, and the practice of Virtue; and consequently without the belief whereof, we cannot con­ceive how a man should be induced to a Re­ligious and Virtuous life. And this is the main scope and design of the Text, whereof I shall speak as fully and distinctly as I can, shewing from the Text what these funda­mental Doctrines be, in the assent whereun­to, or the persuasion whereof it is most plain, that the nature of Faith, properly so called, doth consist; according to the lati­tude of which Doctrines the extent also of Faith, as to Fundamentals, is to be measured; according to the influence of which Do­ctrines upon the wills of men to induce them to the worship of God and the pra­ctice of Virtue, the right use also, the true purpose and design of Faith is to be un­derstood.

It remaineth therefore, that we duly con­sider the Doctrines themselves, the necessi­ty also, and sufficiency of them to induce men to Religion and Virtue. And this will fully answer my design, which is to shew the true nature, the due extent, and the right use of that Faith, which is one of those Di­vine [Page 39]Qualifications and Graces whereby we are fitted for Life eternal.

All that can be thought necessary to be said for this purpose, may be reduced to Four heads of Discourse: whereof the

1. Shall be to inquire, What those Do­ctrines be, which are fundamental or neces­sary to the practice of Religion and Virtue.

2. To demonstrate that the belief of those Doctrines is an adequate or sufficient founda­tion thereof, or inducement thereto.

3. To give an account of those other Do­ctrines in Christian Religion, which are necessary to be believed, and why they are necessary.

4. To apply the whole Discourse by an exhortation, To add unto Faith Virtue, and that Life wherewith God is pleased.

1. I am to show what those Doctrines be which are fundamental to the practice of Re­ligion and Virtue. Before I attempt the performance whereof, it will be necessary for me to premise this Apology, That I do not here intend a Catalogue of those Funda­mentals which that Excellent man Mr. Chil­lingworth refused to give, and which he de­monstrated to the Romanists was a vain thing to require, almost impossible to lay down, and if it were never so easy, yet very needless to show: For that Notion of Fun­damentals, wherein he and his adversary [Page 40]used that word, was different from that wherein I now use it. Fundamental with them, was any Doctrine, which upon any account was necessary to be believed by every Christian. These Doctrines I do not speak of at present as such; but I intend in due place to give an account of them, shewing what relation they have to those Doctrines I am about to lay before you.

But by Fundamentals, I mean those Arti­cles, or Propositions, which are necessary to be believed in order to a good Life; and what these be, every Minister that pretends to be skilled in the Gospel, (which is the power of God to salvation), if his pretence be tolera­bly good, may and ought to lay down: For this attempt signifies no other thing, than to shew what powerful obligations the Faith of Christians engageth them by, to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this pre­sent world.

In laying down these Fundamental Do­ctrines, I shall observe no other rule and me­thod than what is offered here in the Text. You are to remember what I even now made plain to you, That it was not the Apostle's purpose to instance in all Doctrines that were necessary to be believed, as a Foundati­on of Religion and Virtue; but only in some that were so necessary; because that was sufficient to prove his general Propositi­on, That without faith 'tis impossible to please [Page 41]God. As for those others which are of like necessity to be believed in order to that end, I shall (as I said) lay them down in that distinct Method to which I am led by the Apostle's Words; the great and deep Wis­dom whereof, the more I ponder, the more I admire.

For here 'tis very observable, that the Apostle when he designs to prove, That with­out Faith 'tis impossible to please God; he doth first instance in a proposition necessary to be believed for that end, which is a Do­ctrine of Natural Religion, viz. That there is a God. He doth secondly instance in a Pro­position necessary to be believed for that end, which is a Doctrine of Revealed Religion, viz. That God is a rewarder of them that dili­gently seek him. But in what sense 'tis a Do­ctrine of Revealed Religion, I must briefly explain to you, to prevent mistakes.

That God will reward every rewardable Creature, is to say no other thing, but God is Just; and this is known by the light of na­ture; but in strictness, no man is rewardable but he that is sinlesly righteous; for he that offends, is liable to punishment. Now of all meer mortals, there is no man that is sinlesly obedient: Whether therefore God will reward us if we diligently seek him, tho we are sinners, this depends only upon the free will and pleasure of God, and consequently cannot be known by us, but through Reve­lation: [Page 42]The belief therefore of this truth, That God is a rewarder of such men as we are, if we diligently seek him, is the belief of a Doctrine that belongs to Revealed Reli­gion.

It is further to be remembred by us, that the Apostle doth instance in this Proposition, of Natural Religion, That there is a God, in behalf of all other Principles of Natural Religion that are of like necessity to be be­lieved with it. Likewise, that the Apostle doth instance in this Proposition of Revealed Religion, That God is a Rewarder of them that seek him, in behalf of all other Princi­ples of Revealed Religion that are of like necessity to be believed with that.

It deserves also our notice, That the Pro­position of Natural Religion which the Apo­stle instances in, is the first Principle and Foundation of Religion, necessary to be belie­ved first of all: That also the Proposition of Revealed Religion which he instances in, is the last Principle that makes up the Founda­tion of Faith, as I shall shew in its place: So that all the other Doctrines of Faith that are fundamental to Religion and Virtue, lye between these two; viz. The first Principle of Natural Religion, That there is a God; and the last Principle of Revealed Religion, That he is a Rewarder.

My business is to shew, What those Prin­ciples be, which lye between the lowest and [Page 43]highest part of the Foundation; and they are discoverable what they are, by shewing what is of equal necessity to be believed with these Doctrines, in order to the inducing of men to the practice of Religion and Virtue.

1. I shall, according to this rule, shew what Doctrines of Natural Religion are fun­damentally necessary to be believed, in order to Worship and Virtue. 2. According to the same rule, what those Revealed Doctrines are, which are of like necessity to be belie­ved for the same end.

The Doctrines of Natural Religion are these; 1. That there is a God; which is here instanced in. 2. That there is a Providence. 3. That some things there be, wherewith God is pleased, and some wherewith he is offended.

Now concerning all these Principles, I af­firm, That they are so absolutely necessary to be believed, that not one of them can be spa­red: 'Tis the belief of all these things toge­ther, from which resulteth the necessary obligation of men to worship God, and work righteousness; so that if the belief of any one of them ceaseth, all sense of obligation to pious and virtuous practice, must withal fail and perish. Some there are which add unto this Foundation the belief of a life to come; but unfitly, upon these two accounts.

1. Because the belief hereof is not in the same degree necessary to the practice of that which is pleasing to God, as the belief of the forementioned things, for if a man had but an uncertain hope of a future life, but firmly believed the other truths, it is barely possible, that by the motive and inducement of such belief, joined with such an hope, he might be persuaded to do those things which he is convinced God would be pleased with­al: And it seems probable that the Apostle in the first place doth instance in a sort of Do­ctrines, without the belief whereof it is na­turally impossible men should conceive them­selves obliged to Godliness and Virtue; and all the Principles of Natural Religion are such: And that in the second place he in­stanceth in a sort of Doctrines, without the belief whereof 'tis morally impossible men should conceive themselves sufficiently en­couraged thereto; and all the Principles of Revealed Religion are of that nature.

2. 'Tis clear enough, That the Faith of a life to come is grounded upon Revelation; for tho it appears exceeding probable to na­tural reason, yet by the discourses of those men that wanted a Revelation, it appears withal, that generally it was an exceeding hard matter to arrive at any certainty about it, while they were only left to the light and conduct of natural reason in this matter: 'Tis only the Testimony of God in the Re­surrection [Page 45]and Doctrine of our Saviour, that hath cleared the world from all Disputes about it: 'Tis only the Gospel that hath brought life and immortality to light. Upon these Reasons I conceive this belief is not to be ranked with those that I have already na­med under the head of Natural Principles; whereof the first is,

1. That there is a God: This, as I said, is the Fundamental Principle of all Religion, without which there is no obligation to wor­ship; and without the belief of which there can be no sense of any such obligation, with­out the belief hereof no man can think him­self obliged to Virtue, since the denial there­of supposes, that there is no authority to which a man can be accountable for his acti­ons. But this thing I take to be so clear, that there is no further necessity of insisting upon it.

Since then the belief of a Deity is the Foundation of all Religion, it would in this place be most adviseable to shew upon what grounds the belief of this most important and fundamental Article of Religion stands, since all the Consequences naturally issuing from it, will have more or less power and effi­cacy with us, according as we are more or less under the power of this belief, That there is a God. Now altho the manifesting of these Reasons, upon which this belief is [Page 46]established in humane nature, the discovering of that Rock upon which this first stone in the Foundation is laid, should be supposed never so needless in this Congregation; yet considering the great and general importance of this Doctrine, it cannot be suposed tedi­ous to any Hearer, unless withal I had reason to suspect there were any persons here to whom the Demonstrations of a Diety bring such evil Tidings, that they would gladly embrace the most frivolous pretences to avoid them: Upon which Supposition no­thing could be more needful, than to wrest their vain and running hopes away from them, That possibly there is no God, by the force of that reason, which shews it to be eternally and immutably true, That there is. Wherefore tho I shall be saved much of that pains which would be otherwise requisite, by the care I have formerly taken in particu­lar Discourses, to guard this part of the Foun­dation, and to establish the belief of it in your minds; yet I must needs observe that decorum, of allotting it as considerable a place in my Sermon, as it hath in the Text, and as the Dignity of the Subject requires.

To believe that there is a God, is to be­lieve that there is a Being infinitely perfect, (i. e.) Infinite in Wisdom, Power, and Goodness, which ever was, and ever will be, and which is the Creator and First Cause of all things: This is that Notion of [Page 47]God, to which Natural Reason leads us, in­asmuch as by that Being which is called God, we are to understand that which is Infinite in all Perfections. Several there be which desire no other Argument to prove there is such a Being, besides that Testimony which every man finds in his own breast. And in­deed, the universal consent of mankind in this matter, even of people whose Manners and Religions being as distant as their habi­tations were remote, shew that they were never united in this persuasion by Compact or Confederacy: Add to this likewise, the Fears of a Diety in them who could only be supposed to invent this stratagem of govern­ing the world, (if an Invention it be) viz. in Philosophers and Princes, who were much to blame to be afraid of their own fancies, if it was but a mystery of State, to possess the people with the belief of a Deity. This, I say, so universal a Confession of this Do­ctrine is a pregnant evidence, that 'tis in­deed written in the very minds, and the sense thereof interwoven into the very Natures of men; and if it be so, there can­not possibly be any other cause offered of so uniform and constant an effect, to satisfy a reasonable man, besides the existence of such a Being, which all men are persuaded of, and who hath wrought into our Souls, when he made us, the Testimonies of his Eternal Power and Godhead.

But although the urging of this Argu­ment of Universal Consent, for the proving of a Deity, together with clear Answers to all Objections that can be brought to weaken it, be according to the most impartial Judg­ment, I can make, sufficient to conclude any but an unteachable mind, that is un­willing to believe there is a God, because 'tis for its interest there should be none. And although I am verily persuaded, that where­as indeed many there are who live like A­theists, yet there is scarce any of them (to the glory of Religion be it spoken) who de­liberately dies an Atheist; yet I confess this Argument from Universal Consent does ra­ther suppose that there is no need of Argu­ments to convince an Atheist, than offer any unanswerable means of Conviction to him: If such a Creature there be in the World, he will say to all this, that the Ar­gument supposes that to be true, which he himself is an example of the falshood of, viz. That all men believe the Being of a God: And though it may be replied, That some few Monsters there are in all the pro­ducts of Nature, and 'tis no more to be in­ferred, that the belief of a God is not the sense of Mankind, because he is of another opini­on, than 'tis the Law of Nature that men should be born with two Heads, because a two-headed Monster once appeared in the World: Yet if he should be so immodest [Page 49]and stubborn, as to conclude against all the rest of Mankind, that they are mistaken, and he (if alone he be) is alone in the right, have we then nothing left to confute this wretched Creature, and by undeniable Rea­son to prove that Mankind is in the right, and that there is a God? Yes, we have: They are the Works of Nature, which there is no man, but must see, and can enquire in­to; and they demonstrate the Being of their Maker. If it be possible (which for ought I know it is) to deface the Testimonies of a Deity which are written within us, it is not yet possible to blot out those Testimonies of his Being which are left without us. Most plain it is, that we find our selves in a World contrived into admirable beauty and order, and furnished with that marvellous variety of things excellent and ufeful, that the whole scheme and fabrick of Nature, to the dullest Observer, appears to be an effect of great Wisdom and Councel, i. e. of an understanding Being. Nothing is more plain, than that this World could not make it self: Nothing is more plain, than that a Cause it must have, if of any great Effect it be rea­sonable to require the Cause, or at least to affirm that it hath one. Whatever the Cause of this World is, it could not make it self, for that is a perfect Contradiction. By inevitable consequence therefore it follows, That something there is which is so perfect, [Page 50]it needed no cause to produce it (i. e.) that there is an Infinite Everlasting Being, which is God the Maker of all things. But to pursue this Argument in a more obvious, but equally convincing manner: We ordi­narily distinguish between the Works of Art, and the Works of Nature: By the Works of Art, we mean those Effects that are produ­ced by the skill of Man; by the Works of Nature, those Effects which are constantly preserved and performed to our hands. Now that those which we call the Works of Na­ture, are the Effects of a Divine Skill (as we confess the Works of Art are of Human Skill) is demonstrable beyond all reasonable Contradiction. If I see a Statue curiously carved, a Picture elegantly described, or a Monument with an Ingenious Inscription engraven upon it, I must so necessarily con­clude, that the Statuary, the Painter, and the Graver, hath been there, that if I should either affirm, that these things came by chance, or were eternally what they are, I should be in danger of being sent to Bedlam. But this I will offer at any time to demon­strate, That the meanest, the most minute, the most contemptible Works of Nature, have really more beauty and uniformity, more variety, and to say nothing else, more wonder in them, than the most exquisite and rich Inventions, the most magnificent and in­genious Contrivances of Human Art. Bring [Page 51]me the vilest and poorest Insect, that flies above the ground, or crawls upon it; bring me the simplest Flower, the most common Plant, that is scattered abroad in the Fields, I will shew beyond contradicti­on, that the beauty, the proportion, the parts, the growth, and the motions of these the most contemptible Works of Nature, do infinitely transcend all the Performances of the richest Humane Fancy. That the nearer we look into the Works of Art, the more unpolished and rude they appear to be, as he that would please himself with gazing on a Picture must view it at a distance; but if he come too near, the ruggedness of the Paint makes it look like an ugly thing, and so it is more or less in all the Contrivances of Hu­man Art.

But as all Philosophers know, the more minutely we search into the Works of Na­ture, even those that are most contemptible to see to, and which vulgar eyes pass by without observing; if they be the Snow that falls on the ground, the Wings of the smallest Fly, or the meanest Animal that creeps upon the Earth, the more advantage­ously and minutely they are seen, the more uniformity, smoothness, beauty of colour and figure, and variety of parts, discover themselves in them; which plainly shews how much the Works of Nature transcend those of Art.

Now shall I, who confess here is more of Councel, Wisdom and Power, seen in these most ordinary Works of Nature, than in the best effects of Human Skill, shall I be asha­med not to confess the Art of Man in these, and yet doubt whether those be the Products of a greater Artist? What shall I then say of the Earth that bears me, and nourishes me; of the Air that is extended for me to breath in; of the Clouds that drop their fatness up­on me; of the Heavens that cherish me; of the Sun that divideth the Day and Night, and gives light and heat to the World, and of all the Ornaments of Heaven and Earth; and what of my self, who am endued with a Body of wonderful contrivance, and with those greater privileges of Reason, Will and Understanding? Are all these things too without an Artist that made them thus? No madness is comparable to the but doubting that they are: He that does so, must either want his Senses, or his Soul. He must ei­ther deny that these things are what he sees them, Effects of great Wisdom and Under­standing; or he must affirm, That such Ef­fects there may be without a Cause propor­tionable to them; he must either say that something made it self, or that there was no need that these things should be made (i.e.) he must affirm, that which is impossible may be otherwise, and hold Contradictions to be true.

Well then might the Apostle say, The in­visible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being known by the things which he hath made, even his eternal power and Godhead. So that when I consider the mighty evidence of those Arguments for the Existence of a Deity, which are drawn from the Works of Nature, I cannot see wherein they differ from Demonstrations, though some there be who are not pleased to call them so; and I do not question, but he that can be an obstinate Atheist against them, would also, if it were for for his interest, deny that three and three is six, or contradict the plainest Proposition in Mathematicks. Up­on the whole matter, when I consider the Works of God, I would rather chuse (if there were any choice in these matters) to believe all the Tales of the Roman Legends, as my Lord Bacon, observes, and I add, tho Transubstantiation were cast into the Scale, than believe that this great Body is without a Mind that inform'd it.

And thus at last I have said something more than I intended upon the first Doctrine of Natural Religion, That there is a God, proving it to be true by natural Reason, as indeed 'tis only to be proved: For we cannot prove it by Revelation to a Gainsayer, since to attempt that way, is to beg what we should prove, viz. That there is a God whose Revelation this is. This therefore is [Page 54]the first Principle of Religion, without the belief whereof there can be no obligation conceived to Faith and Worship, and the practice of Vertue. I proceed to show what the next are, in which I shall be very brief, because the truth of those is very evidently consequent from the demonstration of this.

2. It is fundamentally necessary to Religi­on and Virtue, That we believe there is a Providence, i. e. that God is the Governor of that World which he made, and still pre­serves; and more particularly, that he go­verns Mankind in a way suitable to his Na­ture, by prescribing Moral Laws to him, and expecting obedience from him; that he sees, and takes notice of all our Actions; that he observes all that we do, and all that we suffer, and superintends all the Affairs of Humane Life.

And if there be a God, it is clear by na­tural Reason, that there is such a Providence, and that upon several grounds. I shall in­stance but in one.

It is not consistent with the Divine Wis­dom to make such a frame of things, as were not fit to be regarded and governed by him afterwards, (i. e) to be a Creator, and not to be the Lord and Governor of his Crea­tion. More particularly; It is repugnant to the Truth and Wisdom of God to create such a being as man, whose Faculties teach him, that he is capable of honouring his [Page 55]Creator, and receiving good from him, and then not to regard whether he be honoured by his Creature or no, and to leave him to the Conduct of Chance for the procuring of that which is good for himself. But 'tis also plain and evident from the Continuati­on of the Works of Nature in their service­ableness and usefulness to men, that God does still govern the material World, and that in order to the good of men, which is a clear instance of his Providence over them, and that he minds and regards them. Now without the belief hereof it is evident, that no man can think himself obliged to the pra­ctice of Religion and Virtue; for though there be a God, yet if he minds not our Actions, there is no reason why we should fear to offend him, or take any care to please him; or how can a man be persuaded to worship God, if he believes not that God re­gards his Worship? What reason can be pretended, why he should pray unto him, unless he be convinc'd that God hears his Prayers? What consolation can he have un­der any distress, what trust can he place upon the Divine Power and Goodness, if he thinks that God is not concern'd in Human Affairs, and hath no respect to the Calamities of men, and governs nothing by his Providence? In brief, 'tis most plain, that whatsoever obli­gation to Worship and Virtue ariseth from the belief that there a God, supposeth also [Page 56]the belief of Divine Providence, that God is the Governour of Mankind, and taketh notice of their Actions.

3. It is fundamentally necessary to Reli­gion and Virtue, that men believe that with some things God is pleased, and that with others he is offended (i. e.) that there is a difference between good and evil, which can by no means be altered, and taken away: That some things are so good, that they can never become evil; and some things so evil, that they can never become good: And if we believe there is a God, such must be our persuasions concerning good and evil; for if Justice be an indispensible Perfection of the Divine Nature, then is there an eternal rela­tion between a promise, and the performance thereof; and 'tis impossible that Fidelity and Truth should ever cease to be fitting, lovely, and beautiful things. If the Goodness of God be necessary to his Nature, then the re­lation between Compassion, and an indigent Creature, is Eternal; and Charity and Mer­cy are things immutably good. And thus in all other instances of Virtue it might be made to appear from the Perfections of the Divine Nature, whereof they are the imita­tions, that they can no more cease to be good, than God can cease to be what he is; and consequently, that the Dispositions and Pra­ctices contrary to them, are immutably evil. It can never be good to condemn the Inno­cent [Page 57]to oppress the Weak, to be cruel and implacable, to be sunk into sensuality or worldliness: No Power in Heaven or in Earth, no Will, no Authority can make it ever cease from being a most comely, fitting, due thing for a Creature that is endued with Reason, to praise his God, to honour him in all his Perfections, to love his Infinite Goodness, to trust in his Infinite Power and Wisdom, to reverence his great and holy Majesty, and to obey his Will in all things: the rectitude and duty hereof cannot be al­tered any more, than the truth of a Mathe­matical Proposition; upon this belief depends the persuasion, that Worship, and all Virtue and Goodness is pleasing to God, and the contrary displeasing to him; and this is as certain, as 'tis certain that God is immutably good, and loves that which is most excellent and perfect.

This sense of good and evil is that also which is wrought into our very Natures; the Heathens themselves, who wanted a Re­velation, were yet subject to this Law of their Minds, being terrified and punished by the Conscience of evil, when they transgres­sed that Law; cherished and rewarded by the Conscience of good, when they observed it: It was this sense that gave them courage and assurance when they did well; and that touched their guilty minds with remorse, and made them tremble, when they did ill.

I will not trouble my self to enquire how far 'tis in the power of custom in Sin to blot out these Apprehensions in the minds of men; but let a man's Conscience be seared never so incurably, though he hath no in­ward sense to inform him perpetually of the difference between good and evil, yet that difference is demonstrable to him from the Being of a God, as I have shewn, and that is the most irrefragable way of proving it against the most hardned Sinner. But plain it is, that the belief hereof is absolutely ne­cessary to the pleasing of God: For what though a man believe there is a God, and that there is a Providence which governs the World, if yet he be not persuaded, that some things there are, by the doing of which God is pleased, he will never take care to please him by the doing of those things? If he is not persuaded some things there are, by the doing whereof God is displeased, he can ne­ver be afraid of offending him by the doing of those things: If he thinks there is no diffe­rence between good and evil in the nature of things, he cannot think himself obliged to make, or observe any such difference in his Actions; unless he believes, that to worship God, and practice Virtue, is good in it self, acceptable to God, and rewardable by him, nothing can effectually oblige him thereunto: unless he believe the contrary to be evil, dis­pleasing, and punishable, no religious belief [Page 59]whatsoever can deter him from it; So that to believe this difference between good and evil, between things that God is pleased withal, and wherewith he is displeased, is of absolute necessity to Religion and Virtue, or the doing of those things whereby God is pleased: And all these things are so funda­mentally necessary in order to that end, that it is naturally impossible, and it implies a contradiction, that a man should be a Wor­shipper of God, and a doer of Righteousness, without the belief of them: But from the firm persuasion of these things, there ariseth a full obligation to do all those things where­by God is pleased.

But alas! such is the degeneracy of Man­kind, our propensity to wickedness, the Temptations of the World, &c. that if we believe no other motives besides these in or­der to Religion and Virtue, it is very un­likely that they should have their effects upon us. We know we are Sinners, and should we be ready to justify our conti­nuance in Sin, by pretending that we know not whether God would pardon us upon our repentance: We know our best Actions are imperfect, and we should be ready to question, whether God would ac­cept what we could do, and make that a pretence of neglecting to do what we might: We know our own Frailties, and the diffi­culties of Religion and Virtue, and should in [Page 60]all likelihood deliver our selves from all care of pleasing God, under colour of the impos­sibility of performing it by Humane Endea­vours: We know the enjoyments of pleasures and profits of Sin are present to us, and we should be apt to question, Whether it would be any thing better, if we should forego them, when the conscience of our duty required it. It hath pleased therefore the All-wise and All-good God, out of his tender Mercy and Compassion to Sinners, to remove all these hindrances, and by Revelation to supply all these defects, and satisfy us concerning all these doubts, viz. by adding to the Princi­ples of Natural Religion these following Motives and Inducements to Godliness and Virtue:

1. That God will pardon the sins of all those that repent.

2. That he will accept our sincere endea­vours to please him.

3. That by his Spirit he will assist us in them. And,

4. That he will at last reward us for them.

All which are the Doctrines of revealed Religion, and make up the entire foundation of Faith, having all their dependance upon Faith in Christ.

The Third Sermon.

I Come in the second place to shew, what Doctrines of Revealed Religion are fundamental to Godliness and Vir­tue; those are such which are immediate­ly necessary to be believed in order to the re­moving or subverting of those Doubts which would hinder men from the care of Piety and Virtue, notwithstanding their belief of the natural Principles of Religion. If we sup­pose a man to believe a God, a Providence, and the difference between good and evil, we must needs conclude this man lies under a very powerful obligation to the practice of Worship and Virtue; and if the efficacy of these Motives be not subverted by other Prin­ciples destructive of all care, to please God, it may be expected that the man who be­lieveth [Page 62]thus much, should indeed be a Wor­shipper of God, and a Practiser of Virtue: But if it be most true, that men are, through the sad degeneracy and corruption of their Natures, extreamly averse from that which is good, and prone to that which is evil, even all Mankind, more or less, and conse­quently, that they are very ready to lay hold upon all pretences to excuse themselves the Service of God, and obedience to his Will? If it be true also, that there are several Que­stions in Religion, which unless they be sa­tisfied, the doubting of them will afford so many pretences to throw off all care to live vertuously and godly; and that these Que­stions cannot be satisfied, nor consequently the Doubts removed, by the Principles of Natural Religion: then it follows, that those Principles; though the belief of them be absolutely necessary, yet by reason of the present evil state of Mankind, are not suffi­cient to constrain them to the practice of Re­ligion and Virtue, but must be assisted and strengthned by such Principles of Revealed Religion, the belief whereof will wholly remove all those Pretences which would be alledged in behalf of an ungodly vicious life.

It might be pretended by the natural man, who believes that there is a God, a Provi­dence, and that some things are pleasing, and others displeasing to him: That these are not [Page 63]sufficient Reasons why he should become re­ligious and virtuous; because knowing him­self to be a Sinner, he could not tell whether God would pardon the Sins he is guilty of, without which it would signify little to his advantage to endeavour to please him for the future: Clear it is by Natural light, that God is a hater of Sin, but whether he will pardon a Sinner depending meerly upon his Free-will, the belief thereof must necessarily depend upon Revelation. Almighty God hath by Revelation made known to us, that he will pardon the Sins of men upon their repentance.

This therefore is the first Principle of Re­vealed Religion, that is fundamental to God­liness and Virtue, That God is ready to pardon the Sins of men upon their repen­tance.

But by the natural man, i. e. one that be­lieves there is a God; it might further be alledged, That though he were assured that God would forgive him all his past sins upon his return to obedience; yet he is ignorant what degree of obedience it is with which God will be pleased for the future: A perfect and unsinning Righteousness he knows no man is able to arrive unto in this state of imper­fection; and whether God will accept of our doing what we are able to do, consider­ing all our evil Circumstances, we cannot know, unless he is pleased to inform us that [Page 64]he will: Almighty God hath therefore by Re­velation made known to us, that he will ac­cept of the sincere endeavours of men in the practice of Religion and Virtue.

And so the second Principle of revealed Religion, the belief whereof is fundamen­tally necessary to a good life, is this, That God is ready to accept of sincere obedi­ence.

But considering the great Temptatations we are beset withal, the natural aversation in us to good, and propensity to evil, the bad Examples of the World; the power of Cu­stom, the prevelancy of Passions, the frail­ties of Humane Nature; It is further questi­onable, whether Humane Endeavours can arrive at such a measure of Righteousness and Obedience, which may justly be called sincerity in doing the whole Will of God; and if that Righteousness be impossible to us in our present Circumstances, without which God will not be pleased with us, there is but little comfort in the belief that he will pardon us upon repentance, and accept of our sincere endeavours of obedience; there are but weak motives to those endeavours. Almighty God therefore, to encourage us against the fears of our own frailties, and the tempta­tations of this World, hath been pleased to reveal unto us, that he will afford us the assistance of his Holy Spirit in a manner and [Page 65]measure proportionable to all the Difficulties of Religion and Virtue.

And so the third Principle of Revealed Religion, the belief whereof is necessary to Godliness, and Virtue is, That God is ready to assist our endeavours of doing his will.

Lastly, it is possible to be alledged by the natural man, That though all these things be true, yet he hath no sufficient inducement to Religion and Virtue, unless he were assured, that all his self-denial, his resolution, and overcoming his evil Appetites, his forego­ing the present pleasures of Sin, his diligence and constancy in well-doing, would be re­compenced by obtaining of better things in the room of those advantages he foregoes to please God in the doing of his duty.

To take away this Plea, Almighty God hath moreover revealed unto us, that he will bestow a Crown of life immortal, of endless glory and happiness upon every one that perseveres in well-doing. And the last Prin­ciple of revealed Religion, the belief where­of is necessary to the doing of those things whereby God is pleased, is this, That God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Which is the Proposition or Doctrine of Re­vealed Religion instanced in by the Apostle, and that, as I told you, in behalf of all other Doctrines of Revealed Religion of like neces­sity to be believed.

And thus I have shewn you how all those other fundamental Doctrines of Faith, with­out which we cannot do those things that please God, are comprehended in, and lie between those which are mentioned in the Text, viz. the lowest of them, That God is: and the highest and last of them, That he is a rewarder, &c.

Having thus shewn you what Doctrines of Revealed Religion are fundamentally necessa­ry to be believed, to encourage men to the pra­ctice of Piety and Virtue; I shall speak more distinctly, and yet briefly, to each of them; shewing how they are to be understood, what grounds we have to believe them, and what force and efficacy the belief of them hath to persuade us to Godliness and Virtue. And,

1. That God will pardon the sins of those that repent. Without Revelation we cannot have assurance thereof, because it cannot be concluded from mere natural light, that God will actually pardon a Sinner: The reason is, because a Sinner is obnoxious and liable to just punishment, and to inflict a just pu­nishment is consistent with Goodness: So that we cannot argue merely from the good­ness of the Divine Nature, which is other­ways abundantly expressed to us, that God will remit that punishment, because 'tis not inconsistent with his Goodness not to remit it. That God therefore would pardon the [Page 67]sins of men, and remit his right to punish them, as they deserv'd, depended merely up­on his own pleasure, whether he would or not, and consequently it must be a secret to us, till he was pleased to manifest it to us by Revelation. And we that do believe, that God will pardon the sins of those that repent, do believe it upon this ground, That the Go­spel of our Lord Jesus Christ is the true Re­velation of God's Will to Mankind, in which Gospel it is plainly declared, that God will pardon those that repent. The great and evident design of the whole Gospel being this, to call sinners to repentance upon this motive, That they shall obtain remission of sins, if they obey that call to repentance which God hath given them by his Son Je­sus. That which is promised, is Pardon; the condition upon which it is promised, is Repentance; both which afford a powerful motive to the practice of those things which please God.

For that God will pardon a Sinner, what doth it signify but this, That he will not reckon his former sins to him, and that all his future acts of obedience shall be reckon'd to him, as if he had never been guilty of any sin. Now plain it is, that hereby all those Jealousies of the power and severity of God, which can dishearten the Sinner from seeking to be reconciled unto him by submission and repentance, are utterly removed: Hereby [Page 68]he is assured, that God is neither inxorable, nor implacable; his prayers will be heard, his repentance will be accepted, and there is a certain way opened by which he may re­turn into the favour of God. Now he that believes this, is under the power of a strong motive to live so as to please God for the fu­ture: For as nothing doth more deeply in­gage men in an obstinate and unreclaimable course of wickedness, than the apprehension that they have sinned beyond hope of par­don; so nothing is more apt to soften them into dispositions of repentance, than the kind and merciful offers of forgiveness which he makes, who hath it both in his right, and in his power to destroy them.

This we are sensible of in the carriage of men towards one another; and why should we not suffer as kindly impressions from the Gentleness and Charity of God, as we do from the good nature of men? Certain it is, that no one man hath been so rude and un­grateful to another, as every Sinner hath been to his Maker; and as true it is, that no misery can equal that which would befal him from the unappeasedness of God's an­ger; and therefore no Gentleness and Mercy, no tenderness and Charity is comparable to that which God hath expressed towards him, in proclaiming himself ready to pardon upon repentance. 'Tis true, we see there are such inflexible Natures in the World, as are not [Page 69]to be mended by forgiveness, and the kindest usage; there are men of such incorrigible Tempers, that are not at all the better for God's pardon, or the Kings, but then these are veary hateful persons, and deserve not to be pitied.

But if men are reclaimable by kindness (as all men should be) what can sooner melt them into thoughts and purposes of amend­ment, than that their great and bountiful Creator, against whom no man can sin without being guilty of the greatest baseness, because he sins against the greatest goodness; against whom no man can sin without expo­sing himself to the greatest miseries, because he sins against the greatest Power: that he, I say, should bear so tender a regard to his lost and undone Creatures, as to forbear his right to punish them, and allure them to amendment by declaring that he will do so, because he delighteth not in the death of a sin­ner, but had rather he should turn, and live: This, if any thing, must needs work upon our hearts, and humble our wills, and dis­solve our affections into a disposition of the most ready and dutiful obedience to him for the future.

Again, if we consider the condition upon which this pardon is offered to Sinners in the Gospel, the belief thereof must needs be a strong foundation of Godliness and Virtue. For that repentance, upon the condition [Page 70]whereof pardon is promised, is neither more nor less than a real conversion from the love and practice of Sin and Unrighteousness, to the love and practice of Virtue and Holiness: It is neither made up of confession of sin, and sorrow for sin, or wishing and proposing to be better, nor of external Penances, fruitless Ceremonies, vain Commutations, purcha­sing Dispensations, and buying Indulgencies; not one, or all of these put together, is repen­tance. Any man that hath his eyes in his head, may plainly perceive, that the Repentance to which pardon is promised in the Gospel, is altogether as broad, and as long, as to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live so­berly, righteously and godly in this present world.

So that God Almighty hath not issued out his pardon to any one Sinner in absolute and irrespective terms, and then left it to his good nature, whether he will thank him for it or no, whether he will be kind, and leave his sins; or ungrateful, and continue in them: And they are very foolish, who fancy themselves such Darlings of Heaven, that for their sakes God had no respect to the holiness of his own Nature, the honour of his Laws, and the wisdom of his Government, in de­termining to pardon them, and receive them into his grace and favour. Now to prevent all such presumtion and fond conceit, it is as plainly revealed to us in the Gospel, that God will not lose his right to our obedience, [Page 71]as that he will forbear to use his right to pu­nish us; and that he will forbear that no longer, when he sees his goodness doth not lead us to repentance. The same Divine Re­velation which assureth us God is so good, that he will pardon a Sinner; doth likewise assure us he is so just and wise, as to pardon him only upon his repentance: And indeed, to pardon the incorrigible is not mercy, but weakness; he only is in a compassionable condition, that is sorry for his sins, and sins no more.

Seeing then Repentance consisteth in the practice of Religion and Virtue, and that is the indispensable condition of our pardon, and that out Pardon is infallibly secure upon that Condition: From the belief of all this, there ariseth a most pregnant and forcible engagement to the greatest care we can exert of living in the love and fear of God, and keeping his Commandments.

2. The second Principle of Revealed Re­ligion, the belief whereof is necessary to ex­cite us to the practice of Godliness and Vir­tue, is this; That God is ready to accept of sincere obedience. This likewise is only to be known by Revelation; seeing, if God had pleased, he might have left us to the ri­gour of that original Law of Righteousness which required unsinning duty, and accord­ing to which no Sinner can be justified; (i.e.) he might have measured our Repentance [Page 72](the Condition of our Pardon) by our amendment, according to the strictness of that Law, without making any abatements for Human Frailty, for invincible Ignorance, for surprize, and those unduenesses of passion, and those inadvertencies which are things of daily incursion. But had it been thus, little comfort could we have had from the belief that God will pardon us upon our repentance and obedience for the future, if he would accept of nothing for that repentance and obedience which was short of that absolute perfection, which 'tis morally impossible for any man in this state of imperfection to ar­rive unto: For he that proffers a benefit up­on terms impossible to the Receiver, does but disquiet him the more, taking away with the one hand what he giveth with the other. Therefore Almighty God, further to en­courage us to repentance, and the practice of Religion and Virtue, hath not only promised to pardon our former sins upon that condi­tion, but he hath so described to us in the Gospel, what that life is which for the future he will accept and be pleased withal, that we have no reason to be deterred from attempt­ing his Service by any jealousies of his auste­rity and rigour towards us: That which he requires of us, is to love him with all our hearts; from whence it follows, That the service and duty he expects from us, is no other than what is a natural emanation from, and a real ex­pression [Page 73]of such a love to him, which is to do what we are able, that we may serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. Now to love God with all our hearts, i. e. to love him above all things, is a very possible, and the most reasonable thing in the World; That obedience there­fore must be so too, which is the natural ef­fect of such a love to God: That obedience which is the effect of due love to God, is consistent with sins of mere frailty, of unaf­fected ignorance, of unavoidable surprise; because these sins neither proceed from an evil will, nor are wholly vincible in our pre­sent state; but that obedience which is the effect of due love to God, cannot consist with deliberate, much less with presumptuous sins. It cannot consist with wilful, much less with customary transgressions of known and open Laws; it cannot consist with sins proceeding from affected ignorance, much less with sins against knowledge, which 'tis in a man's power to avoid: It cannot consist with these kind of sins, because 'tis clear, that the reason why men commit them, is not because they cannot, but because they will not forbear them: But he that loves God with all his heart, will do what he can to please him; and he that doth so, is accepted by Almighty God, i. e. he is reckon'd by him a righteous man, and according to the moderation and gentleness of the Christian [Page 74]Law, not accounted a Sinner; in which sense we are to understand those words of the Apostle St. John, He that is born of God, sinneth not: So that as for sins of infirmity, which do indeed stand as much condemned, and will as as certainly exclude us from the fa­vour of God, according to the terms of the Original Law, or the first Covenant, if God should deal with us by those measures, for those sins; I say, they are consistent with the favour of God, to us according to the terms of the Christian Law, or the Second Covenant; because we have an advocate with the fa­ther, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is our High-Priest, and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities; through whose intercession they are remitted upon our keeping from all wilful sins, and our endeavour after perfecti­on: But if we sin wilfully, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin; i. e. the Sacrifice offered for us, will not avail to make such sins con­sistent with a justifiable state: No; they must be actually repented of, and forsaken; 'tis only upon those terms that our Sacrifice remaineth in force and power to obtain our reconciliation to God. Here I confess I have just occasion to proceed upon a Discourse con­cerning the difference between sins of weak­ness, and sins of wilfulness; to shew as ex­actly as the case will bear, wherein lies that sincerity of obedience which God is ready to accept, and which he will be pleased with us [Page 75]for: But this would be to slide into an Ar­gument that belongs not to the general de­sign of that subject I am now upon, and would also draw out the discourse upon this Head into an unfitting length.

To supply therefore the want of a parti­cular discussion of those cases that belong to this matter, I shall need do no more than put you in mind, that the sincere obedience which God will accept, is that which pro­ceedeth from a true Love to God. Now if it be true (as true it is) that the greatest danger of defeating the purpose of this Faith, that God is ready to accept of sincere obedi­ence, to oblige us to obedience, lyes on this side, lest men should mistake that for sin­cere obedience which is not, (i. e.) reckon those to be meer infirmities, which are wil­ful Sins, and indulge themselves in known Vices under a pretence, that 'tis not in their power to avoid them: This danger may be in some sort prevented, by exhorting of you to keep your selves in the love of God, by those many strong and clear Motives thereunto, which every Christian may be under the power of. For he that truely loves God, is under the constraint of an inward Law, though of the highest liberty, yet of the greatest necessity to do every thing whereby God is pleased; his love to God, while he cherishes and maintains it in him, will guard and secure him from all wilful Sin [Page 76]most diligently and carefully: It will keep him far from the brink of danger, and from any approaches to presumption. It needs not be informed, what are the precise limits between good and evil; it is too curious, in doing well to want the knowledge, how far we may go without doing ill: Love is the Noblest Principle of well doing; it gives largely without pinching; it obeys liberally without grudging; it studies not what li­berty may be taken without displeasing, so much as how to please abundantly; and in doubtful cases it always determines on the best and safest side, viz. on that side where our love is a party: And thus we are to un­derstand those words of the Scripture, that love is the fulfilling of the law, i. e. 'tis a safe, 'tis an infallible Principle of sincere and universal Obedience.

Now is not the belief of this Doctrine, That God will accept of our sincere endea­vours of obedience, a mighty encouragement to the practice of Religion and Virtue, since hereby we are assured not only that our for­mer Sins shall not hinder our Reconciliation to God; but neither also shall our infirmi­ties and frailties for the future separate us from the favour of God? How does this be­lief deliver us from all fears of serving a ri­gorous and an austere Master, that will not consider our frailties, nor make abatement for the evil circumstances we are in? No; [Page 77]God is very earnestly desirous of the good of his Creatures; he will not only pardon them, but he will not impose impossible or grievous Tasks upon them; he considers we are but dust, and makes allowance for our degene­rate natures; he requires no more of us, than what such Creatures, as we are able to do, and indeed, than what is necessary to make us justifiable before him, to make us capable of entring into his Kingdom.

How cheerfully therefore should we set our selves to obey him whose Charity to us is so large, whose Government over us is so gentle, whose Yoke is so easie and light? How resolutely should we betake our selves to that practice of Religion and Virtue, which although it will admit of many im­perfections, yet if it proceeds from a sincere disposition to please God in all things, will certainly be accepted by him that is our Ma­ker, and the Lord of all things; by whom to be owned and approved, to be regarded and beloved, to be justified and commend­ed, is the highest Glory that a Creature can aspire unto.

3. The third Principle of revealed Religi­on, fundamental to our encouragement to the practice of Religion and Virtue is, That God is ready to assist by his Holy Spirit the sincere endeavours of men to please him: Though a man were assured that God par­doned Sin upon Repentance; though he be­lieved [Page 78]that Repentance was to be measured by sincerity, which though it excludes wil­ful Sin, yet it excludes not imperfections and humane frailties: Yet if he believed this ve­ry sincerity was above an human attainment, and that it was morally impossible for a man to be universally good, so as to keep himself free from a guilty Conscience, this would very much discourage him from endeavour­ing any thing in this kind.

The truth is, considering the degeneracy of Human nature, the strength of our Passi­ons, the unreadiness of our Reason, the im­portunity of Temptations, and the vigilance of evil Spirits; If men were left meerly to themselves, and the Providence of God was no more concerned for the cherishing and maintaining good Principles and good Affe­ctions in men, than 'tis about any other mat­ter, the happiest temper'd men would make but very inconsiderable Improvements in Virtue and Holiness, if any at all; and the general inability of men towards that which is good, is not only testified by the Scripture but may be collected by experience: Now what can more effectually remove the dis­couragement arising from this Consideration, than to be assured, that if we set our selves honestly and uprightely to keep a good Con­scence in all our ways towards God and man, the Providence of God will be con­cerned for us in so special a manner, that he [Page 79]will bestow upon us the assistance of his Ho­ly Spirit to Crown our Endeavours with suc­cess and perseverance, (i. e.) such Divine help as shall answer our needs, and bear a full proportion to all the difficulties we must go through with: That God will do this for us, is knowable only by revelation; and it being promised, we have no reason to doubt of the reality of the Promise, because we are ignorant of the manner how the holy Spirit worketh upon the minds of men so unpercep­tibly, as that his motions can only be known by the effects of them, viz. our good pur­poses and practices. This ought to be no prejudice to the belief of the Holy Spirit's assisting good men in a course of Religion and Virtue; for though one man cannot perswade another man, or convey his own thoughts into another's mind, but by making way by his senses; yet the holy Spirit can in­form and perswade us by immediate impres­sions upon our minds, without making use of our senses, or any thing else that belongs to our bodily frame: Now that God hath promised his Spirit for all those purposes, which are necessary, to our spiritual improve­ment and happiness, is plainly understood by that saying of our Saviour to his Disciples, If ye being evil know how to give good things to your Children, how much more shall your hea­venly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him? Now the good things which earth­ly [Page 80]Parents are there supposed to be so ready and willing to impart to their Children, be­ing such as are generally necessary for the maintenance of Life, as Bread, &c. In like manner, by the holy Spirit which our heaven­ly Father is so ready to bestow upon his Chil­dren, we must understand all Spiritual helps necessary for our improvement in Religion and Virtue, viz. which hold the same pro­portion to the good of our Souls, which Bread, &c. holds to the welfare of our Bo­dies; this upon our asking, (i. e.) upon our sincere endeavours after it, we may pro­mise our selves from the bounty of God to us, since he hath promised it to us, viz. such grace and spiritual help as shall be suf­ficient for us. God will give to none of us less, and he is unreasonable that expects more: Now is not this evidently a strong Motive to Godliness and Virtue, that God himself will cherish and maintain us, will help and support us, will prosper and guard us by the influences of his Holy Spirit upon us?

Have we such a Patron and Defender to overlook and care for us, that we do not fall by our Spiritual Enemies for want of neces­sary help? and yet can we be disheartned and dismay'd? Can our Courage and Resolution leave us? Can our hearts sink within us, when such powerful Aids are near, when such mighty encouragements are by us? Is it [Page 81]not from hence plain, that no man can fail of doing those things wherewith God will be pleased, and his favour obtained, but it must be through his own fault and slothfulness in not obtaining by his own endeavours, or in not improving by his good Actions, the graces of the holy Spirit wherewith he might have arrived to a Regenerate estate, and perse­vered therein. For God hath not made a feigned, but a sincere promise of his Spirit to work and encrease his graces in us; and if the promise be real, it can imply no less, and it needs not imply any more, than a suffici­ent provision for our spiritual needs; and if that provision be not effectual in the event no body is to be blamed for it but our selves.

The belief therefore of this Article of Re­vealed Religion, That God is ready to assist by his holy Spirit our sincere endeavours to please him, is a Motive of great force to per­suade us to the practice of Religion and Vir­tue; both because the Promise of God's Spi­rit made to us is sufficient to encourage us against all our fears of the difficulties of Re­ligion, and our own weakness to overcome them; and likewise because it cannot but shew us what great aggravation our sins must receive, if we continue in them, be­cause thereby we resist, and do despight unto the spirit of grace.

4. The last Principle of Revealed Religi­on fundamental to a holy Life, is that which is mentioned in the Text, viz. That God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him: This point of belief is not knowable, but by Divine Revelation, because it depends on the will and pleasure of God, whether he will re­ward our diligent seeking of him, or no; for if it were discoverable by natural reason (as it is not) that God would certainly pardon our Sins upon Repentance, that he would accept of our sincere endeavours of obedience, that he would by his Spirit assist our endea­vours to please him; If all this could be con­cluded from the general notion of Divine Goodness, yet Natural Reason could not give us any other confidence about the effects of that pardon, and our sincere endeavours to please God, which are excited and assisted by the Holy Spirit; I say the highest confidence we could arrive unto about the good effects of these things, with regard to our selves, could amount reasonably to no more than this, That hereupon we should be exempted and released from that punishment which is due unto our sins. For that God should par­don Sinners, and that he should prescribe unto them such excellent and useful Laws, as should tend to their advantage in this Life, and which should recompence the obedience of them with a present reward, and thereupon should remit the penalty due [Page 83]to sin; this must needs argue as great good­ness in God, as any Sinner could with rea­son or modesty expect the manifestation of towards himself; but that he should over and above requite our imperfect, if sincere obedience, with free and ample rewards in the Life to come; that those rewards should be the highest and fullest, which our na­tures are capable of; that the continuance of them should be as long as our Beings; that they should be no less than immortal glory and happiness, than an Eternal Crown of Righteousness, than Life Everlasting, than the Society and Fellowship of Angels, than the glorious and happy imployments of Spi­rits made perfect, than the sight and fruition of God for ever; this is such abundant be­nignity and good-will towards Sinners, that it can flow from nothing but self-moving goodness, free grace, and unsought kindness and benevolence! This could never be known by us, but by God Almighty's Reve­lation of his purpose and intention so to do, if we would labour to please him in all things: This with modesty could never be expected by us, if the declared Promise of God thus to deal with us had not given us confidence to believe it, and made it our Duty so to do. That we might therefore want no motive and encouragement to the practice of Religion and Virtue; He who by his Son Jesus Christ calleth us to repentance [Page 84]promising pardon thereupon, and accep­tance and assistance, hath moreover by the same Messenger, who hath declared to us the things of God, his secret and hidden pur­poses of Mercy and Goodness towards Sin­ners; by him I say, he hath assured us, that the righteous shall go into life eternal, into a state of immortal glory and happiness reserved for them in the Heavens.

This also, after all the rest, is a pregnant and strong motive to the practice of Religion and Virtue; since as the rest shew the possi­bility thereof, so this satisfieth us of the great advantage that will accrue to us thereby, since God himself will be our rewarder, if we diligently seek him. If indeed we had no reason to believe, that it would make for our advantage to accept of God's pardon, and to study to please him in all things for the future, the present Pleasures and Profits of Sin would captivate the minds of men, and leave us less reason to wonder at the wickedness of the World; but since the Bountiful and Righteous God hath bid an everlasting immense reward for our poor, and to him unprofitable, but to our selves most beneficial Services; what can be said in our excuse, if we undervalue so magnifi­cent and free a Gift, such rich Grace and Bounty? If this cannot prevail with us to do those things which are so reasonable in them­selves, that a truly good man finds there is [Page 85]little need of any other temptation to do them, what shame will it be to us if we prefer a Moment before Eternity, and those Advantages we see (but which we know will perish in a little time) before those that will never end, which indeed we do not see, but which we believe, and doubt as little of, as if we saw them; if we chuse the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season (and those unworthy to be chosen by us, if there were no danger in them) before those pleasures which remain for us at God's right hand for evermore.

The Fourth Sermon.

NO kind of grief sits so heavy upon the mind of man, as that which is made by the guilt of sin, and a just fear of punishment. And because our Lord in this promise of rest, could not mean to ex­clude those that labour under the greatest weight, but rather to invite them above all others; I shall therefore at this time consi­der, what that Rest is which he promiseth to guilty minds; persuading my self, that as no Argument can be more profitable, so none will be more welcome and grateful to all that desire to be saved.

As for those who are so bewitcht with the pleasures of Sin, that they feel not the stings of it; who drown the cries of their Conscience in the noise of laughter and madness; these, as long as they are able to make this miserable shift, are not in a condition to desire other [Page 88]relief, nor do they care where it is to be had. But they who apprehend how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God, and that their sins have made them liable to his Justice, they indeed are prepared to obey the Call of Jesus, and to try if he will per­form what he promises.

And this is the great Prerogative of the Gospel, that it alone can pacify the Consci­ence, and give ease to a mind that labours under the weighty care of being reconciled to the offended Majesty of God: It gives that satisfaction, I mean, which in the end will not deceive. And no other is to be valued. For what am I the better for a false assurance that all is well, which perhaps will vanish to morrow, and then leave me under an amazing disappointment; which the longer it lasts, makes my danger the greater; and if it lasts to the end of my life, hath all along hindred me from using the true means of safety? What is this better than a pleasant dream that holds a man fast asleep, while the fire is raging in his House, and there is none to wake him till the flames have cut off ever­ry way by which he might escape? There­fore when our Lord promiseth that we shall find rest unto our souls, he does undoubtedly mean, that repose of mind, those comforts and joys that will not betray us in the end. And this is not the least commendation of that Rest which he gives, that it is well [Page 89]grounded, that our Souls shall be staid upon Principles of Truth, and such as we may safely rely upon.

Secondly, The Rest which he promises, is compleat and full, and in that respect also is fit to quiet all those cares and fears that vex the minds of miserable Sinners. For he has promised the forgiveness of all our sins, and given us assurance of God's particular favour and protection; nay, and of eternal life and glory in another state, when this life once va­nisheth away. He hath told us, that his Death was a Sacrifice for the expiation of our sins; He hath required us to be once baptised into his Name for the Remission of Sins; and to repeat the Commemoration of his Death, and our assurance of his second Coming, to give us life and glory by repeating the Commu­nion of his Body and Bloud, and shewing forth his death till he come. The Doctrine which he revealed, and the Authority which he delivered to his Church, is all a Ministry of Reconciliation and Forgiveness: And we have reason to take his word for all this, be­cause he was by mighty proofs demonstrated to be the Son of God. Now thus far all things are as we would have them; and no­thing as yet appears, but that we may dis­charge every unquiet thought in the Arms of Jesus.

But in the third place, let us also consider the Condition required on our part for the [Page 90]obtaining of this rest. And this truly seems to be very easy, since no more is required, then coming to Jesus for it. Come unto me all ye, &c. For whatever is meant by this Condition, we might hope that it is no hard thing which is exprest by so easy a word; and that we need not fear to go to the bottom of its meaning. Elsewhere our Saviour saith, I am the bread of life, he that cometh to me, shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me, shall never thirst. So that to come to Christ, is to believe in him, and therefore to be persuaded of the truth of his pro­mises; which must needs be a gentle Condi­tion, because there is so much reason why we should believe them; and we can have no prejudice against them. And I doubt most men would be glad to rest here, with­out travelling any farther: And so without question they might, if it were not for this one thing, that in the Doctrine of our Sa­viour there are not only gracious Promises, but holy Precepts also; and that so great a stress is laid upon keeping them, that if we do not, we are but where we were before; our sins remains, and the wrath of God abideth on us. For, says our Saviour, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall en­ter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven. Now if we are to believe him in this too, then coming to Christ must of necessity sig­nify [Page 91]more than bare believing, even doing his will also; which in the following Verses is exprest by learning of him, and taking his yoke upon us. And here it is that we begin to fall in our opinion of the Grace of the Go­spel, and our Lord's Invitation, because he seems to take away with one word, what he promises with another. On the one hand he offers rest, on the other he requires labour. But yet, he that is Truth hath said, that if we will come unto him, we shall find rest; and withal, that we have no reason to be dis­couraged with the Condition: Learn of me, saith he, for I am meek and lowly in heart; i. e. be not afraid to submit to my Rules, for I do not impose them in pride, or for my own sake, but in Charity for yours. Take my yoke upon you, for it is easy, and my bur­then is light. And now we are got thus far, we may with this encouragement ven­ture to the end, and dare to look upon every circumstance, which seems to make our duty grievous.

There are but two things of this kind, and they are the perfection of that duty which the Christian Law requires, and the penalty of disobedience.

1. The perfection of the Rule; which requires a more exceeding Righteousness than either the Law of Moses, or the Law of Nature. And this is one reason why the [Page 92]Christian Baptism is the Sacrament of Rege­neration, whether to Jews or Gentiles: Be­cause they must become new men, and as it were born again, by living up to those Di­vine Principles, and holy Rules, which are peculiar to the Christian Doctrine; by pra­ctising that piety, and purity, and charity in all their conversation, which seems to be more than enough for the happiness of single persons, or of Societies, in this World; but which is necessary for an everlasting happi­ness in the life to come.

And here are these causes of complaint.

1. That there is a severe restraint laid up­on our Natural Appetites and Inclinations, which often carry us as violently to those Sa­tisfactions which the Law of Christ forbids, as to those which it allows. There is in every man by nature the love, either of pleasure, or greatness, or revenge, &c. and this In­clination for the most part stifned by custom, so that he cannot be a Christian without self-denial, and putting himself to pain. And the duty of this kind may be so grievous, that as Jesus himself hath described it, it may be like cutting off a right hand, and pulling out a right eye.

2. His Law hath made no allowance for the prevailing Opinions and Customs of the World. In common account, to forgive one injury, is to be exposed to another; to [Page 93]refuse a Challenge, is to be mark'd for a Coward; to use plain dealing, is the way to die a Beggar; and to neglect several op­portunities of gain or pleasure, though for Conscience sake, is to go for a Fool. But though it is a grievous thing to lie under contempt, yet the Doctrine of Christ, with­out consideration of this hard case, has tied us up to contrary Rules, and expresly re­quired us not to be conformed to this world.

3. We must guard our selves against in­numerable temptations to the sins of Lust, Covetousness, Envy, Ambition, and the like inordinate Affections, to which a Chri­stian must by no means consent. The very opportunities of doing ill, are in some cases hard to be refused; and moreover, every sin hath its proper incentives, which beset us in all places. And these are so busy and importunate, that some think it impossible to be religious without retiring from the con­versation of the World. But what rest can there be in perpetual circumspection, and standing upon our guard? And yet Jesus himself thought this necessary for us; Watch and pray, saith he, that ye enter not into temp­tation.

4. The Law of Christ prescribes to the Thoughts and Affections, as well as to the overt Action. He that does not defile his Neighbour's Bed, may be an adulterer in his heart: And he that hates his brother, is a [Page 94]murtherer. If it be hard to forbear the action, what pains must be taken to conquer the Desire, to make it an obedient Slave, and not suffer it so much as to dispute? And yet this is the case, neither body nor mind, nei­ther deed nor thought is exempted from the obligation of this terrible Law; but we must cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit.

5. It is not easy to suffer; yet if need were, we must take up the Cross, and be always in mind prepared to endure reproach, the loss of Goods, yea, and of life it self, for righteousness sake. And the Scripture, speak­ing of this, does acknowledge, that no cha­stisement for the present is joyous, but grievous: So that in giving up our names to Christ, we seem to commit our selves to a Sea of troubles, instead of making to a Haven of rest. He that will be my disciple, saith Jesus, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

This is enough to shew the strictness of the Rule, and the perfection of Virtue and Piety which the Gospel requires; but that which makes all more grievous, is the second cause of Complaint.

2. The penalty of Disobedience; For this is no less than exclusion from the Kingdom of Heaven, and a more intolerable Sentence at the day of Judgment, than those shall receive that never heard the Doctrine of Christ. [Page 95]And the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resur­rection of life; and they that have done evil, un­to the resurrection of damnation. And our Savi­our hath plainly told us, by what Rule the Good and the Evil shall be judged; The words that I have spoken, the same shall judge you at the last day.

And now that we have heard these things, we may be exceedingly amazed, as our Lord's first Disciples were, when they heard the like and say, Who then can be saved? or at least, where is the truth of his Promise? For the condition of his Promise is so hard, and the consequence so terrible, if we fail of the condition, that the extream danger, and the great uncertainty, seems to create a new trouble, not well consistent with the promi­sed rest. He is indeed true and faithful that hath promised; But whilst my Soul is trou­bled, how can I believe that 'tis at rest? How therefore shall we bring these things together? The truth is, nothing has more exercised the wits of men, than to find out expedients for this purpose. And for my own part, I have that experience of Human Frailty on the one side, and that desire to be saved on the other, that I never lend my ear more willingly, than to him that shews me an easy way to Salvation. And I am sure he attaques my Affections to so much [Page 96]advantage, that I can have no prejudice a­gainst his way; and nothing but evident want of truth could make me afraid to trust it.

Some have said, That Christ himself hath fulfilled all righteousness in our stead; and that upon our faith his righteousness is im­puted to us for justification. This, I con­fess, would cut the knot which we would fain unty; for if this be true, the Gospel does not only release me from punishment, but from duty too. But where has our Lord, or his Apostles, said any thing to this purpose? Indeed he has promised to save me from God's angry Justice, and that because he was a Sacrifice for Sin offered in my stead. But I find that he has imposed upon me the keeping of his Commandments, as a condition of that Salvation; and therefore I conclude, that he did not perform them in my stead too. Nor can I conceive how the holiness of Christ should be made an argument in the Scripture to follow his Example, if it may be impro­ved into a good reason why we need not fol­low it. So that the Merit of Christ will not save me the labour of becoming a new man; and if that will not, I am sure no other Merit can. And these men not willing to trust their own Invention, do at last confess the plain truth of the Scriptures, that without holiness no man shall see God. And they say farther, that 'tis not only hard, but impossible for a man left to that freedom which belongs to [Page 97]his Will, to become regenerate. But then what comfort does this persuasion leave? Why, they tell us, that Regeneration and Holiness shall be wrought in our hearts by an Almighty operation of the Holy Spirit, such as that whereby God will at last raise us from the dead. Now I confess that nothing can be more easy, than to become a good man this way, because under the dispensation of irresistible Grace 'tis impossible to be other­wise. And I am not so vain as to refuse so great a blessing, if it were in my power to refuse it. But what if the Scripture hath no promise of such Grace? Nay, what if it had, unless I knew how to obtain it? or that I was one of a thousand, and could not miss it? What if I must be left to the com­mon way of watching and praying, and working out my Salvation! And what if all this will be to as little purpose, as if I had done nothing at all? Is this the rest that Je­sus hath promised we shall find to our Souls?

Let us therefore try another expedient; what may be done by severe fasting and pe­nance. Will the punishing of my Body sa­tisfy for the sin of my Soul? This I think would almost do the business; because 'tis a greater pain to deny a craving Lust, to stop a growing Passion, and to resist a strong tem­ptation to wicked Pleasure, or unjust Gain, or desired Revenge, than to go through a reasonable course of outward mortification: [Page 98]But can these things compensate for the omis­sion of necessary duty, or satisfy for the com­mission of known sin, when under a more im­perfect Law God refused harder things than these? Shall I give my first-born for my transgres­sion, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? No; He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good, and what doth the Lord, &c. Bodily Auste­rities, no doubt, are pleasing to God, and profitable for our Souls, when they are in­tended to express a just indignation at our selves for having sinned; when to break the wicked custom, they are imposed as penalties and revenges to be inflicted as soon as we have committed any wicked Action; when they are added to the inward trouble of the mind, to make us weary of sinning; and us'd to starve and mortify the evil Appetite. For such reasons as these 'tis necessary to keep the body in subjection. But if bodily exercise pro­fiteth nothing, unless it be profitable unto god­liness, and helpeth to make the Soul the bet­ter, we are still driven back to that hard point, which we would fain lose the sight of, That without a new heart, and a new life, there is no hope of God's pardon.

I shall try but one refuge more, which in­deed gives a fair prospect of relief; and that is, what comfort may be had from the power of the keys wherewith Christ intrusted his Church, when he said, Whose sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose sins ye [Page 99]retain, they are retained. Now this assures me, that when the Church received me by Baptism into her Communion, she gave me a right to remission of sins; and that if she deprives me of it by excommunication, she can by absolution restore me to it. And therefore I will never break the Peace of the Church by Schism, nor lose it by contempt of her Censures. But then I doubt the Church cannot forgive sins more effectually than God does; who is thus represented to forgive, in the Parable of the Lord that forgave his ser­vant ten thousand talents: He forgave him indeed, and yet he required the Debt after­ward upon his unmercifulness to his Fellow-servant, which evidently shews that the Par­don was but conditional. So likewise, saith our Saviour, shall your heavenly Father do unto you. And the Church cannot do more than God does, who himself requires Conditions; and therefore has not given to man the power of dispensing absolute Pardons, unless we can think, that to ratify the word of a man, he has obliged himself to disannul his own. And because he has reserved to himself the final Judgment of all, whose sins are either remitted or retained in this World by the Authority of the Church; therefore the Kingdom of God, that is, the Church, is compared to a Field where the tares and the wheat grow together, the time not being yet come for an exact separation. For these Rea­sons [Page 100]all are forced to confess, that the peace of the Church does then only ensure the fa­vour of God, when the Key does not err. But what if my Conscience tells me, the Key doth err; and that whilst I do not forfeit the Churches Peace by scandalous Crimes, I do yet depart from God by hidden Iniquities? Can the erring Key open to me the Gate of Everlasting Life? I would fain believe, that the bringing of these secret sins to light, and purposing to offend no more, would help at last; and that a Death-bed Repen­tance could by the power of the Keys be made effectual to Salvation. But, O Bles­sed Jesus! how can I believe that thy most holy Doctrine should be but a Rule whereby to confess sin, and to purpose against it, in­stead of a Rule obliging me to forsake it!

To conclude this matter; If we leave that one path of Obedience, we may try a thou­sand By-ways; but the Truth, which can­not be corrupted, will send us back again to that plain truth of our Saviour, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments; which like the flaming Sword that turns every way, keeps the way of the Tree of Life against all ungodly and unrighteous men.

If therefore that Rest which our Lord pro­miseth, is not to be had out of the way of Obedience, it remains that we must find it in that way, if we find it at all. Let us therefore try for better success here, than [Page 101]we have yet had. Let us see, whether the exactness of Rules, and the indispensable­ness of Obedience, must needs make us un­easy under the Discipline of Christianity; or rather, if the Grace of the Gospel doth not mitigate all the severity of its Laws, with­out making any of them void. Now the first mitigation I shall consider, is this.

1. That the Gospel leaves room for re­pentance of known and wilful Sins commit­ted after Baptism; a most remarkable in­stance of which Grace we have in the Disci­pline of the Church as it stood in the Apo­stle's days. For when the Incestuous Corin­thian was brought to Repentance, St. Paul commanded the Church to forgive and comfort him, lest he should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. And surely as God forgives those open Scandals for which the Penitent was cut off from the Body of Christ; so upon repentance he will forgive those secret Offences too, which can make no forfeiture of Church-Communion. If after sin there were no hope of pardon upon new obedience, it would indeed be very grievous to be obliged to obey so perfect a Law under so bad a Penalty. For then if a temptation should once prevail, we were ir­recoverably lost; I say, if we have violated the Law of Christ heretofore, we are in a desperate case, though we should never do [Page 102]the like again. But blessed be God, it is not thus with us. Though we have heinously fail'd of our duty, yet we may with good comfort repair our past neglects by future diligence; being assured, that if we do, God will not impute to us our former sins; so that the Law of Christ was not intended for a snare, nor made perfect, that occasion might be taken against us, but that we at length might be perfect too. And for ever blessed be his Name for the Grace of accep­ting Repentance, that Grace which gives the worst of men some good hope, if they will lay hold upon it in time, and without which the best of men could have no hope at all.

2. The utmost perfection which the Go­spel requires, is not expected but upon a gradual improvement, and such improve­ment is by no means grievous. It were into­lerably hard indeed, if we were obliged, un­der penalty of Damnation, to perfect holiness all at once; (which burthen they bring up­on themselves, who leave all to a Death-bed Repentance) if it would not turn to good account, to grow better, to press forward to­ward the mark of our high calling; to die unto Sin daily, and live unto Righteousness. But why is God patient, and long-suffering to­ward us? Why does he allow us one year af­ter another, but that we might recover our selves by degrees, he in the mean time being [Page 103]ready to pardon us as we repent, and to accept us in the way of growing better? And this is great Grace to every man, but most of all to him who is accustomed to do evil, and cannot presently learn to do well, i. e. to do well universally. For he may now begin his Re­pentance well, though he cannot yet com­pleat it: He may forbear the outward sin, though he cannot yet repress the inordinacy of his Desires; he may avoid the temptation which he cannot resist; he may pray for the Grace of God, and read the Holy Scriptures; he may attend to good Exhortations, and make good Resolutions, and think of them afterwards, and desire the Counsels and Prayers of good men. He may do many things in Religion when 'tis not in his power to do all; and by doing those which at pre­sent are in his power, he is in the way of ena­bling himself to do those which at present are not. Now that is no grievous task which will easily go off by degrees, and which we may therefore make easy, by an early begin­ning, and allowing our selves time for it.

3. As we grow more exact in obedience to Christ, so our uneasiness under it, wears away. and at length it ends in the most pure and per­fect delight that the Soul of man is capable of. Self-denial, and the resisting of Temptations, will at first be painful, especially to those that have been used to live without rule and re­straint. And there might be some colour [Page 104]for complaint, if this would always last: But the more earnestly we apply our minds to the duties of Repentance, and a Holy Life, the first discouragements will vanish the faster. But more particulary.

1. It is not so hard to begin well, as our Prejudice and want of experience repre­sent it. For we begin with the help of mighty Arguments, such as cannot be equal­led by the Temptations of the World. Should not the hope of Heaven have a strong influence upon a man endued with free-will, especially when join'd with the fear of Hell? Is there any difficulty in being concerned for Everlasting Salvation, in being afraid of Everlasting Burnings? And yet where this concern is, it cannot be hard to lay a good foundation of a new life. It is not grievous to love him above all things, who is our Creator and Saviour; and therefore why should it be thought a grievous thing, for his sake, especially when 'tis for our own too, to break off our sins by repentance? Besides, God hath not left us to grapple with our unruly Affections by the mere force of our own reasoning upon motives, and the use of our natural liberty; but has moreover promised the assistance of Supernatural Grace and Blessing to those that ask him. And is it hard to have recourse to the Fountain of our Beings, the God of Grace and Mercy, and [Page 105]with earnest Prayers at least twice a day, to beseech him that he would endue us with wisdom and patience, and safely guide us through all the discouragements of this World, the importunities of fleshly desire, and the Temptations of the Devil, till we find every good work habitual and delight­ful: And this one thing, viz. fervent Prayer, makes a wonderful alteration in the mind, and brings a kind of new Soul into a man. Again, No sooner is Repentance well be­gun, but a man begins to look up to Heaven without his wonted consternation; he is no longer in a strait between the dread of God's Justice on the one hand, and a pre­vailing love of his Sins on the other, nor constrained to put God out of all his thoughts, or to be in pain under them. Finally, now that he has conquered his first Aversions, he is sure of a compleat Victory, if he pursues his end, which is a comfort that the wise of this World have not in their way. How many are they that covet wealth and great­ness with the same greediness, labour for it with the same industry, contrive for it with the same wit, and wait for it with the same patience; but this with very different suc­cess; one of them thrives, and another de­cays as fast; and for one that comes to riches and honour, perhaps ten find the greatest part of their care rewarded with nothing but experience of this world's uncertainty. [Page 106]Nay in these things Chance is often seen to do more than Wisdom; and the wary and diligent man is disappointed, while the lazy and foolish prosper. But whoever made it his design and business to be saved, and in order to that to be good, who found it too hard for him? These and many other Arguments and invitations a man shall meet with at his first setting out to run the race of a Christian Life, which wonderfully break the difficulty of his undertaking. But,

2. When he has arrived to a spirit and ha­bit of Obedience, then is the Promise of Christ perfectly made good to him, that he shall find rest to his Soul. Then he can with full advantage compare that sweet freedom he enjoys from the tyranny of lust and passion, with that servitude in which he once was to inordinate desire, to foolish hope, and to those sower affections of malice, envy, and revenge­fulness, which are to the Soul what the Stone and Strangury, and the most tormenting Dis­eases are to the Body. Then he can compare the ease of going by one constant Rule of Piety and Honesty in all his ways, with the labour of serving divers and contrary Lusts, and with the distraction and uncertainty of being still put upon new expedients to serve a present turn. Then he can compare the Comforts of a good Conscience, with that grief of being told by his own mind that he had done ill, which alone is more painful [Page 107]than all the hardships of Religion. But he needs not gather how well it is with him at present, by reflecting upon his former rest­less State: For those very heights of Chri­stianity, which at first troubled him most of all, he now finds to be the causes of the greatest satisfaction and delight. That Com­mand of forgiving and loving Enemies, which once made him almost despair of being a good Christian, now that he has subdued his Passions to it, gives him a world of ease, and makes him feel a tranquility of mind which another man's malice cannot disturb. Thus the purity of his desires and thoughts, and the altering of his natural temper from what it was, makes those good works to be per­formed with freedom and pleasure, which were once tedious and unnatural: And yet he was at first strangely discouraged at that obligation which the Law of Christ lays up­on our Inclinations and Thoughts. Nay, that once frightful condition of taking up the Cross, now that he is come to a resolu­tion upon it, has fixt his tranquility, and left him free to enjoy all the reasonable plea­sures of prosperity, without vain fears of what may happen hereafter, which is a Peace that the World can neither give, nor take away. So that the hardest Duties will give us the most perfect Rest; which plainly shews, that they are not so terrible as they seem at a distance; for if they were, we [Page 108]should be sure to find it, when we make a through trial of them; but then we find that they are a rejoycing to the heart.

But when all is done, what is dry reason­ing upon these things, to a lively experience of them? And how can the Resentments of a good man's Soul be understood, without feeling them in our selves? They are Com­forts too great for common expression: Nay the very best of holy men, and those with the advantage of Inspiration, have been hard put to it to describe them. Oh how I love thy law! saith the Psalmist, it is my medita­tion all the day. I have longed for thy salva­tion, O Lord, and thy law is my delight. Great peace have they which love thy law, and no­thing shall offend them. My soul hath kept thy testimonies, and I love them exceedingly. Thus also St. Paul represents himself, and his Bre­thren, under all the trials of their patience, to be as sorrowful, yet always rejoycing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. What are these ex­pressions, but the overflowing of a pure and sincere Joy, which words cannot reach; and of which we can have no just conception, till we tast and see how gracious God is; till we come to Christ, and learn of him, and take his yoke upon our selves: Then shall we find rest to our souls.

Little thanks therefore do they deserve from Jesus, or from his Disciples, who pretend to [Page 109]shew an easier way to Heaven than that of Repentance, and New Obedience. What need of invention and wit to avoid those Com­mandments, in the keeping of which there is so great reward; that labour in which there is so much rest, unless by Rest we mean Lazi­ness? Why should we at once cheat our selves of that true Rest which Christ promi­seth under his Yoke, and of that Rest too which remaineth for the people of God in a bet­ter Life? And there is no coming to the later but by the former. We may possibly deceive our selves for a time, yet that day and hour is coming that will undeceive us all, as our Lord hath forewarned us, and that in such plain and pregnant words, that if we well mark them, they will not suffer us to be de­luded with false hopes. They are those words wherewith he concluded his Sermon on the Mount; and with them I shall con­clude also. Many shall say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; Depart from me ye that work iniquity. There­fore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock, and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the wind blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock. And [Page 110]every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not (but expecteth to be saved another way) shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the wind blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof.

Thus have I shewn you the old path, and the good way; That was my part; And now it is yours and mine to walk in it. And then we shall find rest for our souls.

Which God grant for the sake of Jesus, to whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed all honour, praise and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

The Fifth Sermon.
A SERMON Preached at WHITE-HALL.

THis saying was at first delivered for the Comfort of those Christians under Persecution, to whom St. Paul administers much Consolation in the latter part of this Chapter: But it is very proper to be insisted upon at any time, for the encouragement of good men, and to perswade all others. For in so uncertain a World as this, what should we desire more than to be certain of this one [Page 112]thing. That all things shall work together for good, which as the Text says, shall happen to them that love God. Now to fasten those good thoughts upon our minds which this Text does very readily suggest; I will di­stinctly consider these several particulars con­tained in them. For,

1. The universality of the expression is ob­servable, viz. that All things shall work to­gether for good. And,

2. The manner by which good comes from them, which is expressed by their work­ing together for good.

3. What that good is for which all things work together.

4. Who they are for whose good all things work, viz. they that love God. And,

5. The certain assurance we have of all this, and that is implied in the first words, we know; we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.

Which things cannot be spoken of so di­stinctly, but that they will sometimes run into one another; but I shall have a particular re­gard to each Consideration, under these se­veral Heads. And,

1. Let us consider the universality of the expression, All things shall work together for good. Now by all things we may under­stand,

1. All that happens in this life, whether it be good or evil; which interpretation will be sufficiently justified by what the Apostle says in the two former Verses; Likewise al­so the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered; for he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, &c. The meaning of which is this, That when we are under any Affli­ction, we know not whether it be best for us to be delivered, or to continue as we are; but the Spirit of God disposeth our minds to submit to his pleasure and wisdom; and whatever our particular desires are, to wish in the general what God sees is best for us, which we cannot utter in particular, because we are ignorant what that is. But God knows it, and withal he knows our hearts, and sees that by his Spirit we are wholly dis­posed to submit to his choice. And then he adds, And we know that all things, &c. i. e. though we do not know in particular what God will chuse for us, yet we know, that whatever our Lot shall be in this life, it shall be for the best: So that by all things, we are led to understand all those things of which we know not what we should pray for as we ought; and thus they take in the prospe­rous as well as the adverse part of our lives. Now because there are dangerous tempta­tions [Page 114]in prosperity, which do often prove hurtful to men in their Souls and Bodies too; it is therefore no small privilege of a good man, that his Piety and sincere Love to God, does not only keep him from the harm which may come of a plentiful enjoyment of worldly Blessings, but also make them truly serviceable to him, and to work for his good; and that God will continue him in such a state, as long as he sees it is best for him.

But then,

2. Although this meaning is by no means to be excluded, yet the principal sense seems to be this, That even all those things which we are naturally afraid of, and would wil­lingly escape, that is, all the evils of this mortal life, shall work together for good. This, I say, is the principal sense, because it was the Apostle's Design in this Chapter to support the minds of the Christians to whom he wrote, under the troubles they endured for the sake of Christ. And as this meaning was chiefly intended, so it represents a truth which would be most desired. For (1.) Re­lief is needful only against causes of Fear and Sorrow, such as the Evils of this World are, and here 'tis given. The best men common­ly have a mixture of good and evil for their portion in this life. But we think that the prosperous part will take care of it self; and that it is the other only that calls for assi­stance and comfort. And therefore all will [Page 115]grant, that this Divine Truth gives security where there is most need of security; and ad­ministers ease and help in every case that re­quires it. And then (2.) because we lie open to innumerable Accidents, and the kinds of misfortune to which we are liable, are not to be counted particularly; the universality of the expression makes our comfort and securi­ty equal to our dangers. For the number of them cannot dismay us, where without exception to any one, provision is made a­against All; where the remedy will not fail, not only if any one, but if every one of them should happen to which we are liable. And (3.) Because all things are not alike grievous to every man, because all men have not the same tenderness in every part of their Na­tures; but one thing affects this man with more grief and smart, and another is more sensibly wounded by other Adversities; there­fore the consolation afforded by this Truth is still more desirable, inasmuch as it brings remedy in this case also; for where all Evils are said, the worst is not excepted. And lastly, Because the affirmation is general, it is an equal antidote against the fear of Evil, and against the bitterness of Sorrow when it happens; it suffers not our present Enjoy­ments to be killed with the fear of the future, and it supplies us with hope and patience when Evil is present. So that if we consider the universality of the Expression, it is a very [Page 116]rich Promise which is supposed in the Text: since as to the occasions upon which a good Christian may need comfort, there is no­thing wanting in it to satisfy him; for all things shall work together for his good.

2. We are likewise to consider the man­ner whereby these Evils of life produces good to them that love God; which, as I take it, is intimated in that expression of working to­gether. All things shall work together for good, &c. For here are these two particu­lars to be observed. (1.) That there is a natural tendency in these Evils themselves to procure us some good. (2.) That never­theless there must be a concurrence of other Causes to effect it.

1. That they themselves do in their own nature tend to do us good; and for this reason they are said to work for good, not only that good is wrought out from them, but that they work it; for indeed they are in themselves not improper and unfit means for this end. And therefore when God afflicts any good man, we may be sure he delights not in the pain which he suffers, no nor does he afflict him merely to shew his Soveraign­ty and Dominion over him; nay not always so much as to shew how by his Power and Wisdom, he can make things produce Effects contrary to their own nature; but because he does in his Wisdom see that the Evils he [Page 117]sends will naturally lead towards a good end. And we know it by undeniable experience, that an uninterrupted prosperity in this life, is that which the weakness of our Nature could bear as little, as the other extreme; and it would be a great deal worse for us than that mixture of one and the other, which is the common portion of Mankind. Now therefore, because in chusing our Con­dition, God has still a regard to that which is for our good; every true Servant of God under distress, may not only conclude in ge­neral, that it is good for him to be afflicted, but likewise in particular, that that affliction which he is under, is more for his good, than another would have been; that it is the pro­per means which God hath chosen for his improvement, and the procuring of those ef­fects which are most needful for him: Therefore also, if more burthens than one are upon him at the same time, or if one fol­lows upon the neck of another, that none of them could be well spared: but that they work together, one for one good end, ano­ther for another, all jointly for his true hap­piness. And if this be true with reference to single persons, it must needs be so with re­spect to the Church, or to any Body of Chri­stians, adhering to the true faith and obe­dience of the Gospel; since the Providence of God is more watchful for a common, than a particular Interest; and since this [Page 118]truth was mentioned by the Apostle in be­half of Believers that felt the same troubles. So that we are as to all Evils of this World, to consider God not as arbitrarily disposing of our Concerns, but rather as wisely chusing fit means for our happiness. And this con­sideration will serve to repel all murmuring thoughts against his Providence, and to dis­pose us not only to contentation, but even to thankfulness, under the Adversities of life; and that because it seems they are so far from being ill meant by Providence towards us, that they are chosen by God as proper means working for our good; not only Adversities in general, but those which happen in par­ticular, more than others would have done. But then,

2. There must be a concurrence of other causes to make them effectual for our good. I cannot certainly tell whether that be meant by that phrase of working together, for I do not know but the Apostle might mean no more in this place, than that all things that happen to God's Servants, shall work toge­ther, that is, one with another promote that which is best for them in the end. But I am sure the thing is true, that other causes must be present to work together with these; and because the Apostle knew that they would be supposed, therefore they are fit to be mentioned.

And (1.) The Grace of God which is necessary to all good effects which his Provi­dence designs to work in and for us; that will not be wanting. For if any thing that is grievous befals us by his Providence, he will not deny us that inward assistance of his Holy Spirit towards a good use of it, which is needful, because the outward means of do­ing us good, is not of our own chusing, but his. And this is one reasonable account of that saying of David, In very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me. For God hath promised to be good and gracious to him; And this Promise was so made good by those Troubles that befel him, and the supports he had un­der them, and by that Grace of God which disposed him to make a good use of them, that he could not but acknowledge the Truth and Fidelity of God upon this ac­count, as much as for all the Glories and Prosperities that ever fell to his share. But then (2.) Something is required of us to con­vert all Evils that do or may befal us, into such advantages as may be made of them. They indeed give us the opportunity, and God give us the ability, but then we must perform our duty. They work as Occasions and Means, God works as the Supream Di­rector and Mover, but it is our part to work as the immediate Instruments of our own good, and that by more Consideration, and more earnest Prayer; and herein lies the ten­dency [Page 120]of Worldly Crosses to do us good, that they do of themselves dispose a good man to those things more than ordinarily. And it is in this sense that we are to under­stand the saying of the Wise-man; Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. That is to say, (1.) It is disposed to consider more seriously; for it takes away all that levity and ariness of thought which in some degree does almost necessarily attend an unmixed prosperity; and it does also suggest many profitable thoughts which seldom come to our minds at another time. This very Di­vine Truth, That all things work together, &c. is not so often thought of when we need not the support of it, as when we do; nor the Infinite Wisdom and Goodness of the Divine Providence, nor the rich Promise of being raised up to everlasting Life. There must be the consideration of such things to make all things work for our good; otherwise this Text were set here in vain; nor need we to have known the truth it holds forth to us, if without laying it, and other things of the same nature to heart, they would work good for us by themselves. (2.) Fervent Prayers are requisite for the same end; for otherwise the Apostle needed not have told us in the foregoing Verse; Likewise also the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit it self ma­keth [Page 121]intercession for us with groans that cannot be uttered. In which words, as I have al­ready intimated, the Apostle encouraged his Christians to earnest Prayer; assuring them, That in their Circumstances, the Holy Spirit of God would guide them to pray for things that were good for them; though in all their Prayers for temporal things, to submit their Desires intirely to the Will and good disposal of the Almighty, who would accord­ingly answer them, by doing what was best for them. Now frequent and earnest Prayer does wonderfully dispose the mind of a good man to a strong dependance upon God, and brings back great Consolations and Strength from him, and confirms it in a stedfast and unmoveable resolution of keeping a good Conscience, and looking for that Mercy of God unto Eternal Life. It is by such Actions of our own, that all things work together for good; and all Evils of life do themselves work for it, by disposing us to these things i.e. to Consideration and Devotion: to con­sider the Soveraignty, Wisdom and Good­ness of God, the Vanity of this World, our infinite concerns in a better life, more serious­ly and closely than we have done; and to pray to God for all needful things more affe­ctionately and heartily. Now where such Dispositions as these are followed, there all the good fruits of worldly Evils will grow plentifully, which, what they are, comes [Page 122]next to be considered; in the mean time we have gone thus far, That there is nothing wanting in them, as they are occasions and opportunities of doing good for our selves; and that through the Grace of God, and our own using them aright, and cherishing those good inclinations and dispositions which they beget in our minds, they will actually produce the good ends for which they are sent.

3. Let us now consider what that good is for which it is said that all things shall work together; what kind of good it is, and what is the degree of it. If we consider the kind, it may be truly said in the first place, that sometimes it is of the same kind with the evil, and that God sends the temporal evil to bring about a temporal good. Thus Jo­seph who was designed by Providence to be so great a Man in Egypt, when it was to be the Granary of that part of the World, was first to be sold like a Slave, and afterwards to en­dure a vile Imprisonment; every new Mis­fortune all the while proving a step to his greatness. Even wise men do seldom chuse for themselves all the ways of doing well in the World; the event is, to shew which are the best means, because our wel­fare here depends more upon God's Provi­dence than our own wisdom. How often is it seen, that a man's best chance that ever he had, arose from a disappointment? And this [Page 123]after those methods of his own designing which he built confidently upon, turned to no account? But then all the Adversities of good men will not admit of this answer; nor does this way of shewing, that all things turn to good for them that love God, if it were generally true, it does not, I say, suit so well with the Design and Spirit of the Gos­pel, which does not raise worldly Expecta­tions, but takes off our Affections from this World, and propounds to us the Rewards of a better for our Contentation, Patience and Self-denial. And therefore we must in the second place lay our stress upon this, That those evils of this World, which have no recompence from it, and those that have, work together for good of another kind, and a far better kind, to those that love God; and that is their Spiritual and Eternal good. For the making out of which, I need to in­sist upon no other ground but this, That there is no Christian Virtue which is not this way plainly improvable to greater perfection.

For (1.) there are some religious quali­ties which an absolute prosperity seems to have little use of, and therefore for want of exercise they seldom grow under it to great perfection. Of this sort we may reckon, Trust in God, Dependance upon his Provi­dence, and Resignation to his Will; but most assuredly, Contentation, Patience and [Page 124]Ingenuity in Religion, in opposition to ser­ving God out of a Mercenary hope of this World's Blessings from him, are for the most part but little used, and cannot be clearly proved till it comes to the trial.

But (2.) whatever Virtues they are that shine forth in a prosperous condition, they are capable of being wrought to a higher degree of perfection under the contrary. For instance, a good man will not fail in thankfulness to God, when he is surrounded with all manner of good things. But when evil happens to him he will be much more thankful, he will more carefully observe what God has left him, and make more grateful acknowledgments of his bounty for a part, than when he had all together. Nay, he wisely considers, that Afflictions are the Tokens of God's Paternal Love to him, and is therefore thankful for that goodness from whence they came. Humility towards God and Man is another Ornament of a prospe­rous state, but it is by no means laid aside under the troubles of Life, which oblige us more effectually to acknowledge the Sove­reign Power and unsearchable Wisdom of God, and with Job to humble our selves be­fore him in dust and ashes; which also be­cause they level us with those that were once below us, do therefore make us see how vain a thing it is to glory in worldly things, and to bear up our selves upon the [Page 12]Opinion of those outward advantages we have above others. Moreover, do we learn Charity and Compassion towards our Bre­thren, by that ability which God gives us to be helpful to them that need? I add also, that we learn it yet more perfectly by feel­ing our selves that which in others proves us to be Merciful and Compassionate towards them. Nay, this is one reason the Apostle gives why our Saviour himself has so great a Compassion for us; We have not an high-priest who cannot be touched with a sense of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are. Finally, if the moderation of our Desires and Temperance in the use of this World's good things, and a quiet expectation of Death may be gained and demonstrated in the fulness of prosperity, the declining and abatement of it will not hinder but rather promote these dispositions; for by Patience we are yet more disentangled from worldly desires, and our sensual Appetites are mo­derated, when they are not so plentifully served; and all the Crosses of this Life make us expect Death with more Tranquility and Assurance. Now since the evil of this Life does not only raise these Virtues, which are very little excited by a confluence of all pleasures, but moreover does equally im­prove all the rest; then it is a spiritual good which they work for them that love God; and consequently the encrease of their Eter­nal [Page 126]Reward. For it is not to the Great and the Fortunate, but to the Meek, the Hum­ble and Charitable, and to those that hunger and thirst after Righteousness, that the Kingdom of Heaven is promised. There­fore saith the Apostle, God chastneth us for the present, that we might be partakers of his holiness; now no chastning for the present is joyous but grievous, nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness un­to them which are exercised thereby. And thus much for the kind of good which out­ward evils may produce; let us consider the degree of it. Now this I say, that if all evils work together for good, then I know the degree of that good which is wrought, to be greater than the degree of that evil by which it is wrought; for if the good were less than the evil, then it had been better that I had not been afflicted; nay, if it were but just equal, I had then been troubled on­ly to be where I was before; and therefore the good must be greater. Wherefore also if the evil be very great, the good will be proportionably greater, and by consequence the greatest evil that can befal a good man, will through the Grace of God and his own Care, redound to a good greater than it self. All which may be true, and yet such a man may not always be sensible of it. For (1.) the change which is made in a good Christian's mind for the better, cannot well be [Page 127]so sensible as the alteration which is made in his outward Correction, by any considera­ble cost or pain. Indeed when adversity proves an occasion of turning every one from a plain and gross way of wickedness, so great an alteration must needs be felt, but the difference between the degrees of Piety and Wisdom, is not so sensible as the difference between a state of Virtue on the one hand, and of Vice on the other. And therefore if a righteous man behaves himself well under any Chastisement, he may con­clude himself better for it; and that the benefit is greater than the evil, though he does not feel them both alike, especially since the improvement of the mind, though in it self not very great, is yet a greater good than the pain that caused it is an evil. A great bodily affliction is not lost, if it has taught us a little more wisdom. If the in­ward man be renewed day by day, we are well recompenced, though the outward man de­cays faster. (2.) God does sometimes send evil to prevent our falling into sin, and then we cannot be so sensible what we gain by it, because we were not aware of that danger we were running into, if God had not appli­ed a timely prevention, who consults our safety, not always by staying till a sud­den remedy is needful, but by keeping off an approaching mischief which he forsees, whilst we have no apprehension of it. And [Page 128]certainly those things work for our good, which keep us from backsliding and growing worse. Upon these two accounts the bene­fit is as real, though not so sensible as the sharpness of the means; and so we may rest, without the trouble of any objection, upon the truth of God's word, That upon our prayer and submission, no ill ever has or shall befal us in this World, without re­dounding to a greater good. I have thus spoken concerning the universality of the ex­pression, all things; concerning the manner whereby good is produced by them; and what is the kind and degree of that good for which they work together. I proceed,

4. To consider the qualification requir'd for the receiving of the benefit. They shall work together for good to them that love God; i. e. to all righteous and godly per­sons, who are said in the very next words to be called according to purpose, that is, who answer their call to Christianity by a stedfast purpose of Heart to live according to it, and if need be, to dye for it. Now when 'tis said, that all things shall work together for the good of such, the meaning is not, that no evil shall work for the good of any other. For the Chastisements of this Life may bring a wicked man to repentance, but it is more certain abundantly that they work for good to the righteous; inasmuch as they desire to be made more conformable to the Image of [Page 129]God; they do already value the riches of the mind above outward advantages; they are already disposed to receive all good instru­ction, and upon all vicissitudes to turn them­selves to God by Prayers and Thanksgiv­ings; they have already lived by Faith, and are therefore prepared to seek Consolations from his Word more diligently, when any pressing need requires; to them it is less hard to obey in suffering, having been al­ready accustomed to do the Will of God; they have had experience of his goodness, and do love him above all things, and there­fore are always disposed to take every thing in good part from him, believing in his Wis­dom and Goodness. Finally, they have a Title to the special Grace and Favour of God already, and therefore cannot fail of more abundant supplies upon all needful oc­casions. Upon all these accounts, which it is sufficient but just to mention, it is evident that a sincere Lover of God hath so many advantages towards making the best use of all accidents of Life, that we may be assu­red they will work together for his good. Which brings me to the last Point, and that not of the least consideration; viz.

5. That we know they will thus work; for this is the Comfort which brings all the rest home to us, that we are well assured thus it will be. If when the evil were pre­sent, the remedy were absent, it were no [Page 130]remedy to us, and it would be absent from us, if we were ignorant of it. As for the evils of this Life in general, we know it is a vain thing to expect a total exemption from them; it was therefore necessary for the relief of our minds to know likewise that they shall work for good to us. As for those in particular which we are naturally most afraid of, we know not certainly whe­ther they will all befall us or not; but under this uncertainty we are again relieved, by knowing that if they do, they shall turn to our benefit. But how do we know it? We know it many ways. (1.) From the good­ness of God, who does not delight in the grief of any of his Creatures, much less of those that love him. He would not there­fore send affliction, were it not to be con­verted into a means of greater good. The troubles and pains of this Life are in them­selves evil, and therefore all that they can be good for, is to be a means of some good or other, for they can never become good in themselves, and for their own sakes; and therefore God would not inflict them, if they were not good in their consequences. (2.) We know it farther, because we are sure our Lord Jesus has made a compleat sa­tisfaction to the Justice of God for the Sins of those that are truly penitent; so compleat, that upon the account of satisfying God's Justice, they are neither liable to Temporal [Page 131]nor Eternal Punishments. But yet God sometimes punishes good men in this World, he often visits them with affliction, since therefore his Justice is already satisfied, it must be resolved into his Wise Mercy and Kindness towards them, that he visits them with his Rod, and suffers them not to go without some Chastisements. (3.) We know it, because good men are so disposed, that it is almost natural for them to reap great advantages by all the Changes and Chances of this Life; it is no more than what the state of their minds, and the course of their Actions has promised all along, as we observed before. But, (4) Above all we know it, because God hath said it; he hath said it, and therefore to be sure he will do all that is requisite on his part to make it good; he hath said it in this very place, and in innumerable places of holy Scripture, as many as contain promises of his Presence, will and Favour to his people in all conditions of Life. Now to sum up all; Seeing all evils of this World, none ex­cepted, shall work for our good; seeing they do of themselves contribute towards it, by offering to us very considerable opportuni­ties of benefitting our selves; seeing the good for which they work is greater than the pain we endure; and that the greater the evils are, the good will therefore be greater; seeing a good man is so disposed as to use [Page 132]those opportunities for his own advantage, which they yield; seeing he is farther ena­bled by the Spirit of God so to do; finally, since we know all this, and are as certain of it as the goodness of God, as the meritorious Death and Passion of our Saviour, as the rea­sonableness of the thing, and as the promise of God can make us; then it is plain that in this Divine saying there is nothing wanting to encourage and comfort all those that truly love God, and do his Will; or to persuade all others to do so too, which I proposed to shew at first.

And now Brethren, what remains, but that knowing these things, we be so happy and so wise as to do accordingly; and there­fore that we be throughly persuaded to secure all the good things to our selves we have been considering, either by keeping always a good Conscience, or by unfeigned Repen­tance. This indeed were a good applicati­on, and this ought to be the conclusion of the whole matter. But time would fail me to insist upon even this Exhortation as the case would bear; which I shall therefore reserve to the next opportunity, intending then al­so to pursue some other Points; viz.

How this Doctrine doth consist with Pray­ers and Endeavours against Adversity, and how far it is a Rule to such Prayers, &c.

How it ought to influence the judgment we make of the happy or wretched estate of man in this life.

How true and profitable a point of Wis­dom it is to reckon upon the uncertainties of this World.

Why a righteous man only can do it with­out sollicitude, and losing the comfort of pre­sent Enjoyments. And lastly,

How seasonably a vehement Exhortaion to Piety may be grounded upon all these Considerations.

The Sixth Sermon.

THE remaining Points are now to be pursued, the first whereof was this.

1. How this Doctrine doth consist with Prayers and Endeavours against Adver­sity, and how far it is a Rule to such Prayers and Endeavours. 1. How it con­sists with them. For if outward pains and troubles work for a good much greater than the evil that belongs to them, and if we have so great an assurance of this as we pre­tend; why does the Church pray against all Adversity? Why do religious men avoid it as well as they can, no less than the rest of the World? It should seem more agreeable to their faith in God in general, and to their belief of this Principle in particular, to force miseries upon themselves, or at least to de­sire God to send them. But they, as well [Page 136]as others, provide for their health, and send for the Physician when they are sick; for their livelihood, and use the Law to secure or recover their Rights; for their welfare every way, and in all their distresses take counsel, and use means for their relief; de­pending all along upon God for success by continual prayers. So that none seem to be­lieve in good earnest what we pretend to know, unless perhaps something of this may be seen in those who affect poverty, re­nounce all propriety in worldly Goods, im­pair their Health by a sparing and ill Diet, and at certain times whip their own Bodies: And yet we are apt to think there is more noise than truth in these appearances; we are sure there is superstition in the practice, and we suspect hypocrisy in the pretence; and that men do these things more to amuse the World, than to benefit themselves. Since therefore we know that evil works for a greater good, why do we avoid evil? I answer,

1. When all things are said to work toge­ther for good, though Evils are principally meant, because the design of the Apostle was to administer comfort under them; yet, as I shewed at first, the good things of this life are by no means excluded. And there­fore the good that comes of evil can be no reason of running into adversity, or pulling it upon our selves, unless good could come to us no other way, which is contrary to what [Page 137]the Text affirms, which says, All things shall work together for good.

2. One principal Reason why all things work together for good, is this, Because it is God that out of all things chuses that which he sees is the best for us. Now the avoiding of Adversity is so far from being inconsistent with this belief, that on the other hand, to bring it upon our selves, would de­stroy a main reason of it, viz. That it is of God's chusing, and not our own. If by any wicked way I compass a worldly end, the good thing is not properly of God's giving. If by my own folly and wilfulness I fall into misery, the evil is not properly of God's sending; in both cases I have been my own Carver, and therefore have no reason to ex­pect good from either. I cannot hope for Gods's blessing upon the one, or the other, since I did not commit the issue of my Af­fairs to his Providence, and Wisdom, but was resolved to be my own Chuser. So that the Operation and Grace of God being one indispensable cause of the profit which good men make of the evils of this life; the good that comes of them can be no reason why they should expose themselves volunta­rily to Evils, but 'tis a very good reason why they should not; and that because we cannot expect God's Blessing, where we lean to our own Wisdom altogether, and will not sub­mit our affairs to the Wisdom of God.

But now if it be said, That by this Arguing a man that contrives for his own welfare and prosperity, cannot hope that it will work for his good, when he has compassed it, because he chuses for himself as absolutely, as if he pulled Calamities upon his own head: 'Tis easily answered, That he is not his own chuser in that case, as he would be in this; for he that brings evil upon himself, or neglects what is necessary to prevent it, does abso­lutely chuse it; but so does not he chuse the good things of this life, that contrives for them within the bounds of Honesty and Re­ligion, for he still leaves the issue to Provi­dence. This can only be said of them that by ways of Injustice, or any kind of sin, grasp at worldly Prosperity; it is of these truly said, that they will be rich, and great, and make their Fortunes here; that they trust not in God, but lean to their own Wills; that they refer nothing to his Wisdom, but will dispose absolutely of themselves. And no less true would this be of a man, who on the other side should abandon himself to Ad­versity. And, as I said before in both cases, God's Wisdom being no way acknowledged, and submitted to, his Grace cannot be ex­pected.

3. To both these Considerations, let us add that of the natural aversion we find in our selves to pain and want, and other evils of the Body; and it will be very evident, that [Page 139]the Doctrine of the Text infers no obligation to inflict them voluntarily upon our selves, but is very well consistent with our Prayers and endeavours to avoid them. As to these Evils, it could never be required that we should not fear them when we are in danger, nor feel them when they are present, nor desire to deliver our selves from them; because these are the necessary results of our Nature. All that could be expected, was, that we should fear them moderately in proportion to what they are, and bear them patiently; admit­ting those comforts under them, which they do not exclude, and removing them by all such means as will not bring greater mis­chiefs upon us.

But let no man think, that because Re­ligion does not pretend to extinguish the sense of bodily Good and Evil, and that be­cause 'tis a natural Sense, therefore it should not require the mortification of Lust, Cove­tousness, Envy, and such inordinate Appe­tites, because they are natural too; and we find that we go down hill, when we give way to them. For there is a vast diffe­rence in the case; for these wretched Incli­nations do not grow from any necessary in­gredient in our Natures, they do not arise from any thing that belongs to our Essence; they are no part of our original Constitution; but they are the Diseases and Corruptions of our Nature, which we have contracted since [Page 140]we came out of the hands of God. But now hunger and thirst, and the pain of heat or cold, and the sense of bodily Evils, is rooted in the very Nature of man, as it was created first of all, and can no more be separated from it, than we can be divided from our selves. And therefore there is good reason why we should be allowed to yield in this case, tho not in the other. If the vicious Inclinations we spake of before, were truly natural, all men would undoubtedly be libidinous or covetous, or envious and cruel, &c. but all men are not so; some have crucified these Affections and Lusts of the Flesh, and are temperate, chast, just and merciful. But hunger, and thirst, and pain, all men feel alike; which shews that this sense, and consequently the fear of these things, and the desire of ease and re­lief, are truly natural, and belong to the pu­rity and integrity of those Natures in which God hath made us. And therefore those Philosophers that would teach men to live without fear, and without pain, let what outward things happen to them that could happen, were mere Romantick Pretenders, and did by no means take the right way to guide Mankind to happiness. True Reli­gion wisely considers humane Nature, and allows it to be afraid of, and confesses that it cannot but feel adversity, and forbids us not to decline it, if prudently we can, if honest­ly we may. But if it is not to be avoided, [Page 141]it represents to us so many Advantages that may be made of it, administers so many Comforts under it, as may keep the bitter­ness of grief from our hearts, and make us patient and contented, nay and thankful to God, for chusing for us that wholsome, tho bitter Medicine, which tho we are loth to take, yet we dare not refuse when it comes from his hand. And what inconsistence is there, between keeping off those Evils by our Prayers and Endeavours, which 'tis im­possible for humane Nature not to recoil from; and believing, that when they cannot be avoided, God will turn them to a greater good, because it plainly appears to be his will and pleasure that we should undergo them? Thus our Blessed Saviour, who was never contrary to himself, on the one hand bad his Disciples rejoyce, and be exceeding glad, when they were persecuted for righteousness sake, be­cause great was their reward in heaven; and yet on the other hand; when they were perse­cuted in one city, he bad them flee to another. Nay, though he himself, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame; he yet nevertheless testified the relu­ctance of Humane Nature in that Prayer, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, which yet was no ways inconsistent with his submission, but made it more worthy of praise. Nevertheless, not my will, but thy will be done. Which puts me in mind of the [Page 142]next Point, viz. That although this Do­ctrine does not reprove, yet 'tis a Rule to our Prayers and Endeavours against all the evils of this Life.

For instance, 1. That our Prayers be with submission to the pleasure of God, as well because he is infinitely wiser than we are, as because he is infinitely above us. And the more particular our desires are, for the most part they ought to be offered with more ex­press reservations to God's supream and wise disposal of us. For it is in worldly things, that that holds true, We know not what to pray for as we ought; and therefore we should add folly to our ignorance, to desire passio­nately this or that, when we know not what we desire, and whether it would work good or evil to us, if we had it. And this is a Point so discernable, that the wise Heathens saw it. What else could Juvenal mean in saying, Charior est, &c? Man is dearer to God than to himself; we, led on by a blind Passion, desire things, and have them not, because God sees how they would prove; but we see no more than what is present.

2. The assurance we have that all things will work together for good, is a close re­straint from the use of all unlawful methods in keeping off the evils of life. To do evil that good may come, is in it self manifestly unlawful; but this is a great aggravation of [Page 143]it, and takes away all excuse, that we know evil will work for good to them that love God. When we prosecute our worldly designs with Heat and Passion, it happens not sel­dom that we strive against God's purpose to do us a greater good by a disappointment; but this may pass for an excusable igno­rance, so long as we keep our selves within the compass of honest and lawful endeavours. But when once we transgress those bounds, we make our selves guilty of inexcusable sin, inasmuch as we break the Command­ments of God, and wound our own Con­science, either to obtain that which may be for our hurt, or to prevent that which may be for our good. In a word, we may upon other accounts be satisfied, that to do evil for a good end is damnable; but he that knows all things shall work together for good to them that love God, if He himself loves God, can be under no temptation to do evil that good may come.

3. And lastly, this belief is a proper means of separating, all our thoughts for this life, from anxiety and vexation. I have al­ready said, 'tis a vain thing to suppose that it should reduce us to a perfect indifference a­bout the good and evil of this World; but it may and ought to temper our cares, and bring us to reasonable moderation about it; for by the same reason that evil must affect us with grief or fear; the good which it [Page 144]will yield, may on the other hand supply us with hope and joy, and the consolation will be stronger than the affliction, because the good will be greater than the evil.

And in the mean time our care and thoughtfulness should be the less, because God himself careth for us, and hath under­taken for the event. Thus much concern­ing the consistency of the Apostles Do­ctrine, with Endeavours and Prayers against the evils of life, and the Rules which it prescribes to them.

2. Let us consider how it ought to influ­ence the judgment we make of the happy or wretched estate of men in this Life. And this is that which we ought to learn from hence, Not to judge of this case by the out­ward appearance only, or by the present state of mens circumstances in this World. As to this point, whether it be well or ill with a man, it is not by any means so considerable what his outward Condition is, as what use he makes of it now, and how it will end hereafter. Take him with all the worldly Prosperities about him, that the heart of man can wish; but do not presently pronounce him blessed, nor wish thy self as he is. There are other things of greater concern than those that appear, which ought to come under consideration. Does not his fulness lead him to forget God? Do not his Pleasures carry him away into Intemperance? Does not his [Page 145]greatness lift him up with pride? Are not his Affections captivated by this World? Are his Fortunes made to administer to Piety towards God, and Charity to men, or to pro­vide for the Lusts of the Flesh? And will he be the better or the worse for them in the end? These are the material Questions. No man is to be envied that abuses good things to his own hurt, and undoes himself with prosperity. And certainly he is in the much happier condition, who converts all Adver­sities to a good use, and grows better within, by being worse without; who turns himself to God more effectually by Repentance and Prayer, upon ever pain or loss that he su­stains; who cleaves faster to his God for be­ing forsaken by the World; and when all things are unquiet without him, takes the more care to keep all quiet and calm within, and to make his true happiness fast and firm to himself. Such a man may seem unhappy to the eye of the World. But happiness is a thing that dwells within doors, and does not often shew it self abroad; we can seldom tell where it lives by outward signs. Therefore do not seek for it any where, but in God, and in thy own mind: Think not that thou hast found it, when thou seest a man encom­passed with all kinds of outward prosperity. It does not pass from one man to another with Silver and Gold; it neither goes nor comes with House and Lands; it does not [Page 146]descend with Titles and Inheritances; it does not wait in a retinue of Servants, nor mingle it self with Flatterers; It is not served up at a plentiful Table, nor is it put on with fine Cloaths, no nor kept or lost with the health of the body, nor does it always go along with a chearful Countenance. It is no visi­ble Estate, but a secret Treasure; and when thou hast found all the former things about a man, still thou must look into his mind, to know infallibly whether he has gained this, or not; and so much reason, and no more, thou hast to believe all is well with him, as thou hast to take him for a good man, one who loves God, and is beloved by him. So that we are not to judge of our whole estate here in this World by outward things, be­cause all the true happiness of men, which they have in present possession, lies in the mind; and if they have it not there, they have it not at all. Much less are we to mea­sure it by outward appearance, when we consider that the greatest part of it is in re­version: When it is once seen to what ac­count the good or the evil of this life turns at last, how a man has improved himself in Patience, in Charity, in Faith, in depen­dance upon God, and in dependance upon the World; then we can more certainly pro­nounce whether it has been well or ill with him all along. And all will understand it clearly, when 'tis once seen who shall ap­pear [Page 147]with Christ in glory. In the mean time, they are in good Circumstances who do not only in all Conditions repose them­selves upon God, and a good Conscience, but to whom all things that befal them are working for a good that is yet unseen, but will certainly be manifested in due time. Especially since it is a good that will shortly begin, and never end. For the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal. But then,

3. If all things shall work together for good to them that love God, then may a good man, without any abatement of his present Comfort, reckon upon all the uncer­tainties and Vicissitudes of this World. For he knows that future Ills will as certainly work for his good, as if they were present; and though they are supposed, and as yet uncertain, yet the good is certain upon sup­position that the evils happen. And it is no small advantage to be able to count upon ad­versities without disturbance; for this is one way to reap all the comfort of present enjoy­ments, without suffering them to do us any hurt. We shall not stake our contentment and satisfaction upon them, when we consi­der how uncertain they are; nor let our Af­fections cling too much to them, because they may slip from us before we are aware. We shall use them with sobriety, and chari­ty, and thankfulness, not knowing but in a [Page 148]little time this may be all the comfort we shall take in them. But most men do not care to think of the future any other way, but in that of Self-flattery. To morrow shall be as to day, and much more abundantly. They put away the evil day far from them, and can­not endure to consider it, till 'tis upon them, and 'tis impossible to put it off any longer. And then how can comfort find a way into their Hearts, whose beloved enjoyments are suddenly gone, and nothing is left but the guilty remembrance of having abused them to Folly and Lust? I know not what differ­ence there may be upon other accounts be­tween the satisfaction which the good things of this life yield to a wise man on the one side, and those pleasures which fools reap from them on the other. But there is this differ­ence sufficiently to the good man's ad­vantage, that the comfort he finds in them is consistent with Principles of Truth; he does not conceal the Truth from himself; he does not go on in a vain presumption, as if these things would always last, but uses them as things that perish in the using, and loves them as things that may be lost; and without trusting them, does from time to time take all the reliefs and pleasures that a reasonable man can desire from them. In the mean time, the uncertainty of these things does not sit uneasy upon his spirit, be­cause he knows that while they last, they [Page 149]shall work for his good; and when they fail, that shall do so too. But on the other hand, how extravagantly soever a licentious man pleases himself, and indulges his Appetites in his prosperity, he is all the while beholden to ignorance, and mistake, and foolish pre­sumption, for his present Enjoyments. Tell him of the fickleness of his Fortunes, and the changeableness of the World in its best estate; that he is well to day, but may be as ill to morrow; and if he believes this, it strikes him into a dulness, and damps his spirits, and spoils all his gaiety. If he be­lieves it not, then 'tis a plain case, that he lives in the Fool's Paradise, and makes a shift to be merry, by keeping himself in ig­norance, and taking care not to think. Be­loved, if a man has nothing but this World to trust to, he has great reason to be melan­choly. And 'tis a very ill sign, if we can­not endure to consider that it will fail us one time or other, but had rather live on with­out presaging the least alteration in our Af­fairs, till it happens unavoidably. And thus many Persons dream out their days, without so much as reflecting seriously upon the most common, and yet most concerning them in the World, viz. that they must die. And therefore when they are almost drawing to the last gasp, the Physician must in Cha­rity give them still some hopes of life, lest they should die with the fear of death; a [Page 150]plain sign that they never counted upon their Mortality to any purpose, but laid the whole weight of their welfare upon this life, and the pleasures of it, without considering how weak a foundation they built upon all along. It becomes us as we are men, and much more as we are Christians, to take this life as it is, and all the Pleasures and Enjoyments of it as they are, and to affect them no farther. And next to the consideration of that Eternal state in the life to come, in comparison to which, this is but a shadow; there is no be­lief that makes a serious Contemplation of the uncertainty of all things here below more easy and quiet, than that of this truth, That all things shall work together for good to them that love God. For surely that belief which supports any man under any evil when 'tis present, will not let him feel any distur­bance at all from the possibility of it when 'tis not present.

4. Let me therefore in the last place con­clude all with an earnest Exhortation to Pie­ty, and the keeping of God's Command­ments; and that upon the present motive, that then the comfort of this Truth belongs to us, that all things shall work together for our good. If we were to study what to wish, and might have it for the wishing, I do not know what we had more reason to desire for the quieting of our minds, and giving us the truest peace and tranquility, than that all [Page 151]things should work together for our good, and that we should know it, and be well as­sured of it. But nothing can be wanting to an absolute assurance of it, but that we love God, and keep his Commandments. If it were left to our choice, whether we would have an assured interest in this Promise, and in that Grace and Providence of God, which will make it good; or whether we should from time to time have the disposal of our own Condition, and be left to our particular Desires, and be always masters of them; we should be very fools to trust our selves in our own hands, and to take our selves out of the hands of God, even this very folly would shew how unfit we are to be our own Carvers; and what foolish work should we make, if we were wholly to dispose of our selves! We should be sure to devise things to our own hurt, and be always gratifying a pre­sent Appetite, and serving a present turn, till we had lost all rule and government of our Passions; we should grow wanton and self-willed, and nothing would be able to please us, or make us happy, but any thing almost to make us miserable. And in whose hands are we most safe? in our own, who should undo our selves even with things that are not in themselves hurtful; or in God's, who will make things that are not good in themselves, to work for our good? Can we be better provided for, than to be taken care [Page 152]of by Infinite Wisdom, Goodness and Power? He that made us, knows our Nature better than we do our selves, and he loves us more wisely than we love our selves, and he can do infinitely more for us, than we can do for our selves; what have we therefore to do, but with intire obedience and submission to put our selves under his guidance and pro­tection, and to beseech him that he would permit us to resign all our Affairs to the dis­posal of his Providence, and that he would please to send us that which he sees is most expedient for us? If my whole Fortune in the World depended upon an Affair too intri­cate for my skill, and far beyond my power to manage; surely nothing could be more welcome than the Assistance of such a Friend upon whose Fidelity I could rely with the greatest confidence, and of whose Wisdom I could make no doubt, if he would undertake it for me. And if he directed me what to do in a plain and easy method, and required me to leave the rest to himself, and wholly to rely upon him for the event, certainly I should at once follow his Directions, and ease my mind of all farther Cares. Such is the Case we are speaking of, with this diffe­rence, that to God only we are to pay abso­lute Obedience, and in God only we can put an absolute Confidence. Our great business is to be happy, and this is a matter beyond our skill and power to effect for our selves: [Page 153]But God hath undertaken it for us; only he has given us a Rule, a plain Rule, whereby we are to walk, which does not require cun­ning and subtilty, but simplicity and honesty to follow it. For the Rest, he hath promised to bring it about, and to dispose all things for the best in order to our good. And there­fore why should any doubt remain in our hearts; why should we doubt to commend our selves to God, by Prayers and Repen­tance, and doing his Will? And then why should we doubt whether it will go well with us at last? If it were possible that any thing should be hid from God, or that his Will should change; if multitude of Cares could distract him, or length of business tire him, or any one passage of our lives escape him; if his Power could be at a stand, or his Good­ness cease; if he were not the same yesterday, to day, and for ever; then indeed we might sometimes question, whether those things that happen to us were for the best. But because he is God, and not Man, we may believe that all his Providences over us are grounded upon Reasons of Wisdom and Goodness, though we do not discern them in particular; and that they will all contribute to the perfection of our Happiness, though we do not see how at present. Only we must love him, and serve and obey him; we must not alienate our selves from him by an evil Heart, and wicked Actions; but con­form [Page 154]our Wills to his Will, and our Con­versations to his Laws. It is nothing but want of this that disables us from casting our care upon him. In God there is strong confi­dence; but if our confidence in him be not strong, it is not because his Providence, and Wisdom, and Power, and Truth, will not bear it, but because our Guilt will not bear it, our evil Conscience, our love of this pre­sent World, or something or other that estrangeth us from God. And 'tis the Cha­racter of wicked men, that they live without God in the world; not only because they live without respect to his Laws, but also because they live without any relief or benefit by his promises; and because they live in this World without loving and fearing God, they sustain the present punishment of living in this World without putting their trust in him, i. e. without the greatest comfort of life, to which the whole World cannot afford the like. Wherefore, Beloved, let us re­member upon whom this blessedness cometh, and be careful not to lose our part in it. To which end we must look back upon our past sins to repent of them, and look forward up­on the remaining part of our life, with an unalterable Resolution not to forfeit our In­terest in the special Grace and Providence of God, for the obtaining of any worldly Good, or the avoiding of any worldly Evil; which to do, were the greater folly and madness, be­cause [Page 155]we know that if we love God, and are called according to purpose, i. e. as I explain'd it, are true to our Profession of Christianity, then all things shall work together for our good. Let us, Brethren, lay these things to heart; for the more we think of them, the more we shall be confirm'd in a hearty belief of them. They will be a direction and a comfort to us as long as we live, nay and they will support us in the hour of death; and then they have done all our work for us, for the last enemy that is to be destroyed is death; and death it self shall work the greatest good of all for us, in delivering of us from this evil body which our Saviour will change into the likeness of his glorious body, according to his wonderful working, whereby he is able to sub­due all things unto himself. Wherefore my belo­ved, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abound­ing in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.

The Seventh Sermon.
A SERMON Preached at COURT.

THE former part of the Text, That which hath been, now is, and that which is to be, hath already been, is in sense the same with v. 9. ch. 1. There is no new thing un­der the Sun; that is, as the Ages of the World go on, the same Events come about a­gain.

The latter part of it. God repuireth that which is past, seems to have this meaning, that God still requireth the same behaviour from us, that he hath ever required of those that have been before us.

Which two Considerations being intend­ed to promote the general end of the whole Book, i. e. to make men fear God and keep his Commandments: I intend to illustrate both, and to shew how useful they are for that purpose.

Now these sayings are to be understood, as many other Moral and Proverbial sayings are, where what is universally affirmed is to be understood as to the greater part. The meaning cannot be this, that there is no Di­versity of Events to be seen in the several pas­sages of mens lives, or in the several Ages of the World; for as the wise man observes in the beginning of this Chapter, To every thing there is a season, and a time to every pur­pose under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted, &c. Nor can the meaning be, that nothing happens in one Age of the World, but it hath happen­ed in every Age. For sometimes God crea­teth a new thing. The Son of God was to come in our Nature but once before the end of the World. There have been Ages of Mira­cles, but we have seen none for many Ages together. Such rare and extraordinary cases [Page 159]as these are not intended; and as to all the rest, the meaning is this, That if we consi­der the diversity of Events which befal Man­kind, and the Vicissitudes of good and evil which they undergo, these varieties are still so repeated in the several Ages of the World, that the difference is not so considerable as the agreement; in the main they are the fame, though the circumstances be diverse: Just as the seasons of the Year are the same, in which nevertheless there may be great di­versity of Weather; not always the like Sun­shine or Rain, fair or foul Weather, barren or fruitful Seasons; yet still the same Spring, Summer, Winter, and Autum, do return in their course.

And as the case of all Ages is much alike as to the Events that befal men, so 'tis not much different as to the Duties required of them. For in all times from the beginning to the end of the World, the Moral part of Religion is the same, viz. to fear God, to be Just and Charitable to men, and to go­vern our Passions by Reason, by the reve­rence of our Maker, and the expectation of a final account. And God has once for all required some Duties by a particular Revela­tion, by which we are obliged to the end of the World. Nay, and the Circumstances which make the doing of these things more or less difficult, are not new, since the same, or the like, have frequently returned hereto­fore; [Page 160]and when we are gone, will be repeat­ed again. So that still God requireth that which is past.

Now because, as I told you, these Con­siderations are of great use; that they may have the stronger impression, I shall try to shew, that it must needs be so; that it can­not be otherwise, if we take one thing with another, but that that which hath been should be now, and that which is to be, al­ready should have been.

1. From the beginning of the World to the end of it, they are the same things of which the good or evil of Mankind is com­pounded. The welfare of the world al­ways did and ever will consist in such things as these; In a just and wise Government; in constant obedience to it; in peace and secu­rity; in prosperous undertakings; in having good Parents and good Children, and good Relations; in a good name; in competent maintenance; in liberty and health, and in agreeable conversation. There are no new sorts of happiness peculiar to one Age, which are not as desirable by another; nor any kind of misery that one has suffer'd, but a­nother must feel the same uneasiness and pain under it, when it happens. And therefore because it is the good and the evil that hap­pens to men, which makes up a great part of the History of the World, they must be in great part the same things that are brought [Page 161]over again. Especially since for the most part one of the contraries is inseparable from us; we must either want, or have enough; live in Health or Sickness, in Freedom or Servitude, &c.

And therefore when we are in great pain, or suffer wrong, when a good Husband or a beloved Child dies, though we complain and lament, as if so sad a case never hap­pened before, and perhaps say so too; yet these are but words of Passion, for there have been the like complaints before, and the same reasons of complaint too. We are not made in a different Mould, and to a different Sense from those that have lived in former times; for they were affected with pain and grief as we are, and from the same causes too. For which reason, when Providence either punishes or rewards in this life, when it either punishes the wicked, and tries the righteous by adversity, or rewards the righ­teous, and insnares the wicked with prospe­rity; it goes the same way to work, either inflicting that which is equally ungrateful to all men, as Pestilence, Sword, Famine, Dis­appointments, Losses, and the like; or send­ing the contrary things, which are always grateful. So that as to the good or the evil which happens in the several Ages of the World, There is no now thing under the sun, but that which hath been, is now, and that which is to be, hath already been.

2. All men have the same natural Passi­ons and Appetites, which they either govern or not govern as they ought to do, and which according as they are well used or not, will perpetually produce the same effects of good or evil. The Affections of Envy, Pride, Ambition, Revenge, Covetousness and Vo­luptuousness, have reigned amongst evil men in all Ages. And injustice still proceeds from the same Covetousness or Partiality: Rebelli­on at home, and unjust Invasions from abroad, from the same Ambition and Desire of Rule. Cruelty from the same Revengefulness, or Fear, or Anger, or Hatred; Luxury from the same inordinate Love of Ease and Plea­sure; and insolent contempt of others, from the same Pride and over-weaning Conceit of one's self. These Vices have their Root in the ungoverned Passions of humane nature, and in the abuse of man's free will. And there­fore since God has left Mankind to a natural liberty and power over their own actions, under the disadvantage of bad inclinations, and with the help only of such grace as may be resisted, no wonder that there is so great a similitude of Events still returning, be­cause so much of the good that happens to us depends upon Wisdom and Virtue, and so many of the evils of this life upon Folly and Vice. It hath always been seen, that Justice and Faithfulness, reverence of God, and good will to Men, Unity and Charity, and [Page 163]good Manners, have enabled men to do well for themselves. But when they dege­nerate, and their Manners are corrupted, then their Prosperity begins to be undermi­ned. And if they grow from bad to worse, God will suffer them to reap the fruit of their own doings, and all their Sins to ripen into those Mischiefs which they naturally pro­duce: In which also it is not hard to trace the footsteps of a Divine Vengeance. In­deed it sometimes happeneth, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battel to the strong; neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill, but time and chance happeneth to them all. i. e. Through the over-ruling Provi­dence of God, things do sometimes happen otherwise than by common Rules, which though it does not fall out so seldom as to be always new and surprizing, yet neither does it happen so often, but that the contra­ry is the ordinary course of things; and for the most part a Faithful man shall be trusted, a Charitable Man shall be loved, a Religious and Virtuous Man shall be honoured, an ho­nest and diligent man shall thrive; the inte­grity of the upright shall guide them, but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the promotion of fools. So that not only the good and evil of this life are in all Ages the same, but the causes of both are the same [Page 164]too; that is to say, the Virtues and the Vi­ces, the Wisdom and Folly of Mankind, and the wise Providence of God superin­tending all, and always governing all for the best. And therefore that which hath been is now, and that which is to be, hath already been.

3. This must needs be so, because they are but few in comparison that learn to be wise by the Examples and Instructions of former Ages. Alas! we do not often take warning by the miscarriages of others, though we saw their course and their end with our own eyes. If we take any notice of their Examples at all, it is but to learn how we may play the fool with more discre­tion; to be as bad as they were, and to come off better than they did; and so we go on as boldly as those that went just before us in the same dangerous way, till we are surprized by the same unhappy end, and all our Expe­rience comes too late to do us any good. But then how much less are we instructed by the Histories of Ages that are long since past and gone? And yet it was for our Instructi­on that God spake at first to the Fathers by the Prophets, and at last to the World by his Son. And when he took the Wise in their own Craftiness, when his Judgments were a­broad in the World, and he visited men for their Sins; These things happened to them for examples, and they are written for our admo­nition [Page 165]upon whom the ends of the world are come. But now do we every where see that fruit of these observations which might be expected? How comes it then to pass, that we see so little Righteousness and Fidelity, Integrity and Uprightness, Unity and Charity; so little of the Fear of God, and the practice of Virtue in the World? As much older as the World is, it seems not to be much wiser than it has been; but as one Generation passeth away and another cometh; that that comes, begins as if it were the first; and learns little or nothing to the purpose, by those which are past away. Of all which perverseness, the people whom God chose to himself were an instance never enough to be admired. When at first he redeemed them from their enemies, they believed his words, and sang his praise; but they soon forgat his works, and tempted God in the desart; they forgat God their Saviour, who had done great things in Egypt; they committed Idolatry, they murmured and rebelled, and they were plagued for it, and God lifted up his Hand against them to overthrow them in the Wil­derness. But for all this, when their Poste­rity came into Canaan, they Sacrificed to the Idols there; and then God gave them into the hand of the Heathen; and upon their Repentance many a time did he deliver them. But all would not do, they provoked him more and more, till Ten Tribes were quite [Page 166]cast away, and the other Two sent into Captivity for Seventy years. After this in­deed they were cured of Idolatry, but they presently fell to corrupt the Moral part of Religion, and to make the Temple a Sanctu­ary for ill Manners. How can we forbear deploring the wretched folly and unteacha­bleness of man, and admiring the infinite Pa­tience of God! At length God sent his Son into the World to bring in the Everlasting Gospel, the clear knowledge of God's Will, the certain assurance of a life to come, and the Doctrine of the Cross; to constitute a Society of Believers, to unite them by Sacra­ments, and to establish the Faith upon Mi­racles and Divine Demonstrations. This dispensation did indeed produce mighty Ef­fects, and so many Heroical Examples of Virtue and Piety in every one of the three first Ages of the Church, that perhaps the whole World for about 4000 years before, was not in all that time able to shew an equa­lity to any one of those Ages. But by de­grees the Purity and Virtue of the Christian Communion abated; and though the Church has in the worst times brought forth some Sons and Daughters unto God, some genuine Children unto our Heavenly Father, yet alas for human Nature! Christendom has been a Stage of as gross Hypocrisy, as scan­dalous Errors, and as great Sins, and Mise­ries arising from those Sins, as ever any part [Page 167]of the Heathen World was. Time wears off the sense of extraordinary things, and we grow to be but indifferently affected with the noble Works that God has done in the days of our Fathers; and by our stupidity we constrain Providence to awaken us to consi­deration by new warnings, and to revive that sense of Duty which is so apt to decay while we are let alone.

All which things being considered, we are bound to bless and praise the Infinite Goodness of God, who has not left us with­out a Testimony of himself, both in the Light of Nature, and the particular Reve­lations of his Word, and the Footsteps of his continued and unwearied Providence over us. For if notwithstanding all this, if not­withstanding plain Instructions, convincing Examples, clear Warnings, and undeniable Testimonies, Mankind is still so apt to for­get God, and to run into all miscarriages; then how insupportable had the Lusts and Vices of the World been, if there had been no Revelation, no Providence, no Faith, or Religion, no fear of God at all; if he had left Mankind to themselves, without his checks and restraints, his controul and government, undoubtedly the Earth had not been able to bear the violence of its Inhabitants, our Rea­son and Free-will had made us but the more dangerous Brutes to one another, and the Societies of Mankind had been long since dissolved.

The sum of what hath been said is this, That good and evil are the same in all Ages of the World; that the liberty of humane nature, and the passions of humane nature are the same too, and therefore the causes of good and evil are the same, in respect of man; That mankind is very apt to forget former instructions, and to need the like warnings that their Forefathers had, which therefore God in his Wisdom and Goodness repeats unto them. So that since we are of the same mould with those that have been before us, and with those that are to come after us, and there is the same wise provi­dence over all, it follows that the like varie­ty of events must still come about again, and that which hath been, is now, and that which is to be, already hath been.

Amongst other good uses that may be made of such Considerations as these, this certainly is one, That we should always dis­pose our selves to receive our portion in this World, be it better, or be it worse, with as much moderation and equality of temper as we can. If thou art prosperous, and thy Affairs succeed according to thy desires, do not for this cherish Pride, and Self-conceit, and vain Opinions of thy self, as if thou only were fit to be regarded; others have been as fortunate as thy self, and yet examples of this World's inconstancy; and perhaps too they thought as highly of themselves, and [Page 169]were as meanly thought of. Art thou in Adversity? this also has been a common case, and therefore do not repine at Provi­dence; evil, men have been punished for their sins, and good men tried by afflictions. We, as well as others before us, carry the causes and seeds of much trouble in our frame and constitution, and we cannot pre­vent a great deal of evil that comes by the free-will of others, nor hinder the operati­ons of Providence which governs all. And therefore we should not suffer our Affections violently to run after any of the desirable things of this World, but take the World as it is, and then make the best on't, according to the wise man's advice in this Chapter, who speaking of the turns and vicissitudes of things, I know, says he, there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoyce and to do good in his life; that is, that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour; that no man should deny himself a supply of his reasonable needs and desires, whilst he has wherewithal; and that upon no pretence whatsoever, he should excuse himself from doing good to others, whilst it is in his power. For this is all the good of this life, that is our portion under the Sun, to use present comforts wisely and charitably; to do good to our selves and others; to take reasonable pleasure in the Gifts of God, and to admit all reasonable comfort under adver­sity; [Page 170]say; and in a word, to take in good part our mixture of good and evil as it falls out, but at no hand to expect more from the world than it will yield, and to lay a grea­ter stress upon it than it has been ever able to bear. This undoubtedly is one design of the Wise man in this Book, to shew the vanity of this world, and thereby to lessen our fondness of it, and yet to teach us us how to make a wise and good use of the comforts it affords; remembring all along, that the greatest good of all, is to fear God and keep his Commandments.

And so I proceed to the second particular, That God requireth that which is past; that is, as 'tis exprest in the foregoing verse, That men should fear before him; for there­fore does God in the variety of his Provi­dences bring about the same things, because 'tis the same end which he designs from first to last, viz. to teach us the fear of God, and to bring us to Religion and Virtue. This he hath required from the beginning of the world, and will do so to the end of it; and therefore no wonder that from first to last he useth much what the same variety of methods, by which men should learn to fear before him.

The main thing intended I conceive is this, That we should be as far from being dis­pleased with the Duty that God requireth of us, as with the circumstances our worldly­ly [Page 171]condition in which he hath set us; and that upon the same account, since as he go­verns by steddy Rules of Providence, so he governs by steddy Rules of Duty; and our condition in both respects is very much the same with theirs that have been before us. And we cannot be in such circumstances, making our Obedience hard to us, but others have been in the like. To forgive injuries, though they be great, is no new burden, for no man perhaps has lived in the world but has met with great provocations. To ab­stain from unlawful pleasures, though our Appetites prompt us never so violently to pursue them, is no strange Duty; for those that have been before us had the same natu­ral Passions and Inclinations that we have. To live by Rules that are contrary to the Customs and Examples of the Age we live in, may seem unreasonable to an inconside­rate man; but this has been the case of good men in almost all Ages of the World. Nei­ther is thy Duty a new thing, whatever it be, nor the difficulty of performance new, whatever that be: still God requireth that which is past.

Let therefore no man think, that he would be a good Christian, if he had a good Estate; that he would be an honest man if it were not the way to die a Beggar; that he would be very humble, if he were once great, and a­bove contempt, that he could forgive wrongs, [Page 172]if his Enemies were not very spiteful and im­placable; that he would serve God, if he would make a Hedge about all that he had; and observe the Rules of Religion, if he were not under unusual Temptations to the contrary. Say not thou, that the Age in which thon livest, and the Circumstances in which thou art, will not bear the practice of strict Piety and true Virtue. Say not thou what is the cause that that the former days are better than these, for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this thing.

For, 1. There is no end of these pre­tences and excuses; such things as these may always be said, and there will be always more or less occasion to plead them, and therefore they are never to be allowed. It seldom happens that we conclude truly, when we compare our own Circumstances with other mens, and conclude to our own disad­vantage, as if God requir'd easier things of them than he does of us; and therefore it is not wisely done to begin with an inquiry, which is almost certain to end in a false Judg­ment, especially when we make a false Judgment to excuse an evil practice.

But then if it were allowable for men thus to argue in excuse for themselves; The World is not so good a World as our Fathers found it, for my Affairs in it do not succeed so well as another man's, and my Tempta­tions [Page 173]are greater than his, and therefore I am excusable, if I do not come up to the Piety and Integrity of others. If this I say were once allowed, how hard would it be for God to please man, and to keep him to his Duty, and that, if nothing else were to be said, because of the perpetual false Judg­ments we should make in comparing our selves with others? Every man being sensi­ble of his own Temptations, and the incon­veniencies of the Times in which he lives, and of his own Temper, and of his proper condition and circumstances in the World; would think Providence had been partial a­gainst him, and that the Duties of Religion pressed harder upon himself than upon any other person: A poor man would think his rich Neighbour had more time, and greater obligations to serve God than himself: The wealthy man would believe that the poor man has more leisure for Prayer, and fewer Temptations to earthly-mindedness than he has; God would lose the thanks of every man, that could fancy another more happy than himself; and the Duty and Service of every man, that could fancy his own Temp­tations to be stronger than all other mens; and because we feel our own good and evil, and do but guess at other mens by their out­ward appearance, we should run into all manner of false judgment in comparing them with one another; but that there might be no pretence [Page 174]for this wretched way of arguing, God hath not only tied us up all strictly to the same Piety and Duty, but is pleased to let us know, as the truth is, that upon the whole matter, there is nothing new under the sun; that upon the whole matter he hath made no difference between the present and former Ages, between our selves and other Persons: Thy Neighbour perhaps has not all those very Temptations thou hast, but then he has his own; he has perhaps some obligations in one kind, which thou hast not, but thou hast the advantage of him in another: Every condition of life has not only its proper inconveniencies, but its pro­per advantages; and what is lost in the dif­ference of our state from others, or in the change which we may suffer our selves, is made up another way; prosperity and suc­cess should make us love God better; but dis­appointments on the other side, and adver­sities, do very often make it more easy for us to love the world less; in a word, seek no excuses for neglecting Piety and Virtue, from the difference of Times, Fortunes, Temptations, and the like, between thy self and those that live in this, or that lived in former. Ages, for thou art likely to make but a foolish judgment, and wilt unavoid­ably run into great mistakes in making the comparison, and the reason of thy sin will not bear the judgment of the All-seeing God, [Page 175]nor the examination of the last and terrible Day: But do thou believe God to be impar­tial, and to have tempered the Seasons and Ages of the World, and the different con­dition of Persons with a wise equality, with an unerring judgment. And do thou give up thy self to follow and to comply with his wise Providence. And though his judgements in respect of others be unsearchable, and his ways past finding out, yet thou shalt find that all his ways towards thy self are so wise and so good, that at last thou shalt not wish there had been the least alteration of them; And therefore I proceed farther, and in pursuance of what has been said, add in the second place:

2. Suppose that in some notable respects thy case may differ from another man's, yet this difference is not so great, as to make any material difference between thine obligation and his, to do that which God requires: Nor can we be less obliged so to do, than our Forefathers were; for in every Age it may be said, That which hath been is now; and in every Age God requireth that which is past, and that under the same Motives and Obli­gations, without any difference so conside­rable, as to turn the Ballance one way or other; for let the World go which way it will, an Impious man is a Fool and a Wretch, and the Righteous man is Happy and Wise for himself, and therefore certain­ly [Page 176]that is a very good condition, and a good World for thee, in which thou maist be as good as thou pleasest to be.

What condition can be better for a man, than that which puts him under the imme­diate Protection and special Providence of God, who is not only the disposer of long Life, and Wealth, and Honour, and Secu­rity, but of a greater thing than all these, and that is, a contented and chearful mind; nay, if thou wilt go and learn thoroughly all the qualities of a good man, and a good Christian, some of them, as thou wilt find, will guard thee against the anger and dis­pleasure of others; others will conciliate their friendship and good will, and all to­gether will breed reverence and high esteem, and thou wilt find that to be true which St. Peter said of his Times, Who will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? Let it be once plain, that thou art ready to good, but especially that thou art a Friend to the miserable, and all men will rise up and call thee blessed, and if need were, thou shouldst be assisted by those that have not the heart to do such things themselves, and shalt feel the benefit of what humanity they have, if they have any left. Let it it be once plain, that thou art averse from doing the least injury, but canst forgive the greatest, and do seasonable good turns to all Persons upon occasion; that thou art candid in thy [Page 177]Censures, and discreet in Reproofs; and that the affectation of seeming wiser and bet­ter than others, has nothing to do in thy Wisdom, and in thy Concern for the Ho­nour of God, and the happiness of Men; this will go a great way to make a bad man ashamed to be thy enemy, so that he will not abuse that man's name who seeketh not his own Honour, and yet is tender of ano­ther man's; nor do ill offices to one who is known to do none but good ones: Every one will probably shew himself a Friend to him that is a Friend to all. Finally, let thy De­votion to God be inartificial and unaffected, let it be exprest by all decent signs of reve­rence and seriousness, without ostentation; and withal, let it be shewn by an universal regard of thy actions as done in his presence; let it infuse manliness into all thy Mirth, and guard thee in all thy Pleasures from any approach to Intemperance and a brutish Sen­suality; let it be seen in governing thy Pas­sions, in tempering thy Discourse, in mo­delling thy Behaviour, in making thee a good Man or Woman in all thy Conversation, and then thou maist venture thy self abroad in an ill-natured World, and in a degenerate Age, and the odds are very great on thy side, that tho others may be flattered, thou shalt be reverenced, and that even those who will not afford to give thee a good word, will be more unwilling to give thee a bad one; if [Page 178]they will not do you any good, yet that they will do you no harm. All which is not only probable in the speculation, but for the most part verified by experience. And therefore upon this account it should seem that God lays no heavier burden upon one than another, but that he still requireth that which is past.

But suppose things should not always hap­pen according to common Rules, but some­times leave their ordinary Course; as sup­pose a righteous man must suffer for his righ­teousness; then I say, we must leave the con­sideration of this world, and go to that of a better. And why should we not suppose that so incomparable a state of Blessings re­served for a good man in the World to come, and justly esteemed, and earnestly desired by him, should not only make all present in­conveniencies very light, but in comparison none at all. Most certainly the Blessedness of an Everlasting state, does in it self infinitely out-weigh all the transitory pleasures of the world; and if we believe and live accord­ingly, they will out-weigh them in our esteem and affection; and then inward peace and the hope of Heaven will satisfie us, that true Religion is a means of the best happi­ness that can be attained here, though it does not bring worldly prosperity. And it does indeed make me very happy, though it does not bring me to honour; if it does but [Page 179]teach me humility, though it does not make me wealthy, if it does but make me con­tented, though it does not give me the a­bundance of outward pleasures, nor free me from injuries and wrongs; if it does but bless me with a quiet Mind and a good Con­science, with a steddy government of my Passions, with meekness and easiness to for­give, with the sweet hope of a better Life, which when all is done is the true ground of a quiet and serene Enjoyment of our selves in this. Now these in all Ages of the world, have been the Reasons upon which good men have built their resolution and their practice of Virtue.

For they lived in all good Conscience, not because they expected the Riches and the Pleasures of this world in recompence of their Piety and Justice, not that they thought their Virtue would be a fence about all they had to secure their Goods from Rapine, their Names from Reproach, their Persons from Affronts and Injuries, and this course of Life from common or uncommon Troubles and Afflictions. They did not hope to make a gainful Traffick with Heaven by their Pray­ers and Charity, for the encreasing of their Treasures upon Earth. 'Tis true, God has often blest good men with strange Prosperi­ty in this world, but that was not their end, nor the reason of their dependance upon [Page 180]God, and doing his Will. But they were such as they were by Faith. By Faith they wrought righteousness, i. e. they did the thing which God required, because they ex­pected an heavenly Countrey, and believed God to be a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, tho not always with the Idolized Pleasures and Greatness, no not always with the ease and quiet of this Life, yet without fail, with those pure and ravishing Joys of a better World, which will shortly begin and never end.

So that the Duties which God requires of us are the same; and whether the Temp­tations be exactly the same or not, which make our Duty any thing difficult, yet the Motives and Reasons are the same which take away the difficulty, and make it equal­ly easy again. And if as to God's Grace and the Reasons of doing well, and the encou­ragements which good men always find in his Love and Favour, we are upon equal terms with all that have been before us, we may be very well content that we are as lia­ble and obnoxious to all the untoward acci­dents of Life, as any of them ever were. For here is the same Reason Encourage­ment and Assistance to do what God re­quires, and to be happy therein, as there ever was.

And why should not the same causes still produce the same effects? For on the one side, those holy Men and Women that are now with God, had the same Appetites and Pas­sions to govern, that we have; they endured the same Temptations, and overcome them; they had the same natural sence of good and evil that we have; and were encompassed with infirmities; and yet they walked by Faith, and performed their Duty to God, not to be admired and courted by men, but to be seen and rewarded of God. On the other side, we have the same God to trust that they had, the same holy Word of God to direct us, the same Promises to inflame us, the same holy Spirit to assist us, the same Everlasting Reward to encourage us, which they had: So that God hath made no difference between them and us. And let not us, I beseech you, make so great a diffe­rence between our selves and them, as to miss of that peace and satisfaction which they once enjoyed in this World, and of that infinite Reward which they have in part attained to in a better. A Reward so vast, that 'tis all one within a trifle, whether with or without Tribulation, whether with ease or difficulty, with pleasure or pain we enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. For which God of his Infinite Mercy prepare us by his his holy Word, by his gracious [Page 182]Spirit, by his wise Providence, through our Lord Jesus Christ. And now to God Al­mighty, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, be ascribed all Thanks and Praise for ever and ever. Amen.

The Eight Sermon.
AN Assize Sermon.

I Am very sensible, that the Duty here prescribed is so contrary to the Lusts and Passions of men, and to some Princi­ples of Honour and Wisdom which are cur­rant [Page 184]in the World, that it will be no very easy matter to persuade most men to practice it. We are beholding to them, if they will allow it to be a speculation fit for the Pulpit; but if we pretend to offer it as a Rule for daily use, we must pardon them there; for it does not seem by any means to be accommo­dated to the state of Mankind; and 'tis pur­sued without any respect to, or regard of, the daily Occurrences of life. What living would there be for us in the World, if we should forgive Injuries and Wrongs as fast as they are done, and put up Affronts as often as they are put upon us? This would in­courage the insolent man that hath done us one injury, to offer a greater; and by our tameness in bearing the injustice of one man, we invite another to deal as ill by us, or worse than the former; which is the way to be affronted by every Scoundrel, and tram­pled upon at every man's pleasure. No, but let us make men afraid of presuming to do us any harm, by letting them see what others have gotten by it; we must make them Examples, that dare put any contempt upon us, if we would live quietly, and main­tain our Honour; and when others sees how dangerous a thing it is to provoke us, we shall be respected and courted by them, they will be afraid to offend us, and think them­selves happy in our friendship: But to sit down quietly under Abuses, is the way to [Page 185]be scorned and insulted over by every body; Tell them of forgiving Injuries that want a Spirit to resent them, and have not Courage enough to revenge them; this is a Principle fit for none but Cowards, or Fools; either for those that are so dull as not to under­stand an Affront, or so fearful that they dare not return it; but it comes too late for men of Honour and Mettle, that know what is their Interest, and are able to defend it: And there is no reason in the world why they should expose themselves to Injuries and Abuses, when they have Strength and Courage e­nough to guard themselves from them. Thus in truth they say in their hearts, as they plainly shew by their Actions, revenging every little Disrespect, or Affront, or Inju­ry of any kind, by returning an equal, or very often a vastly greater mischief upon the wrong-doer, and this to secure themselves, as they pretend, from further wrongs, by making all that observe it careful to forbear offending them in like manner, as they would be encouraged to do, if the present In­jury were tamely past by, and nothing done to revenge it.

But in the first place, This Objection was well foreseen by our Saviour; he knew it would be pretended against the Duty of for­giving Injuries, that this would be to pull great inconveniencies upon our selves, and invite every body that had any thing to get [Page 186]by it, to multiply Injuries against us: And therefore he prescribed the Rules of Forgive­ness in those very terms that imply he consi­dered the Objection well enough. But I say unto you, resist not evil; resist not the evil, or the injurious man; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. The latter words are not to be taken in a literal sense, as if I were to offer my self to a second stroke after I had been struck once: But in a moral sense (i. e.) venture a second injury, rather than go about to be revenged of the first, though it should be never so probable that the wrong-doer would take heart by thy meekness to add another abuse to the former, thou shalt not secure thy self by revenge for all that: And so if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. Not that I am presently to part with more to him than he has unjustly gotten by a wrong Verdict; but that I am to venture another loss, rather than be reveng'd for the first: And so is the other instance to be un­derstood: From whence it is plain, that our Blessed Saviour was not unmindful of the Objection that one would be apt to make a­gainst his Rule, though if this matter had not been so plainly implied, one would think a little modesty would serve to acknowledge, that God is wiser than man, and it is better for us to be governed by his Will, than by [Page 187]our own foolish Reasonings; at least, if we would be thought to be Christians, we should not think much to take the Authori­ty of Our Lord and Master for a sufficient Reason to do as he hath commanded us. And yet I do not think it difficult to give such an account of the goodness and reasonableness of this Law of our Saviour, that when we have considered it, we shall find, that we have far more reason to thank him, than be offended with him for it: To which purpose I shall first endeavour more particularly to explain what duty that is which is required of us in these Precepts.

1. And in the first place, Let us consider what Light is offered to them from that Law of the Jews: It hath been said, An eye for eye, and a tooth for a tooth: from whence our Saviour takes occasion to introduce his own Precept, But I say unto you, Resist not evil: From which we shall learn what we are to understand by not resisting: The Passage to which our Saviour refers, we find in Exod. 21.24. There was a Law, That if a Woman with child was hurt by men striving toge­ther, the Judge should return according to this Rule, That life should go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot: Which Law of Retaliation was al­so to take place against the false Witness, that he should suffer the same punishment [Page 188]which his Neighbour was in danger of by reason of his Testimony; Deut. 19.21. Thine eye shall not pity, but life shall go for life, eye for eye, &c. But in Levit. 24.20. The Rule is general; If a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done unto him, breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. So that this was the Law by which their Courts of Judicature were to proceed in redress of Injuries; That he who had injur'd another, should suffer as much injury as he had done himself: Wherefore, when our Saviour does from hence take oc­casion to say, Resist not evil, his design was to abridge his Disciples of some liberty that was allowed to the Jews in the matter of im­pleading their Adversaries in Courts of Ju­dicature: For if by these words, Resist not evil, he had meant only, that no private per­son should upon an injury received, proceed immediately to ease himself, and redress the wrong by doing the like to the injurious man, but stay till the Cause was heard, and the Law had decided the Matter; he had then forbidden no more than what the Jews knew was unlawful already; wherefore it is plain, that something is here prohibited, which was formerly allowed. For, says our Saviour, But I say unto you, Resist not evil: But this is not to be understood, as if he had prescri­bed to places of Civil Judicature, how to proceed against Offenders that were brought [Page 189]into them, but he has still left them to pro­ceed according to their several Laws and Cu­stoms: For his Kingdom was not of this World, he came not to reverse or alter the Forms and Methods of Government, but left them upon the same foundation standing as they did before. So that although here is an abridgment of some liberty that the private Jew had before; yet if after this Prohibition of our Saviour, had any of his Disciples de­manded Justice according to the Law of Re­taliation against an Offender in some case where he ought not to have done it, accord­ing to his Master's Doctrine, yet it had not been only lawful, but requisite for the Magi­strate to have given Sentence according to Law: and the same holds true in all Chri­stian Kingdoms and Commonwealths.

Thus much concerning the sense of not re­sisting evil.

2. But in the second place, Although the Precept seems to be general, yet I shall make it plain, That 'tis not all sorts of Injuries that we are required not to complain of, but to sit down tamely and silently under them, And that 1. By shewing the nature of those Injuries that are particularly instanced in; And 2. By proving from thence, that they are only Injuries of that nature which we are not so much as to resist by course of Law.

1. Let us consider the nature of those In­juries which are the instances of that evil we are not to resist. And,

1. It is plain, that they are only private Wrongs, not direct Offences against the pub­lick good and safety, not Contempts of Au­thority, nor the violation of Laws made purposely for the security of Government.

2. And these private Wrongs are sup­posed also to be of a light and supportable nature, such as may very well be born by a Wise man, without suffering any considera­ble prejudice, while he neglects to prosecute the Offender at Law; And that you will see by the following Instances, which I come now to explain.

The first is, That of smiting on the cheek; Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, &c. To smite upon the cheek, signi­fies proverbially that smiting which was intended for a disgrace, or a mere affront; and this usually was by striking with the Palm of the hand; which because it was mostly used by the Greeks towards their Slaves, it came to be a Proverbial Expression of using a man scornfully and imperiously, and to include any kind of smiting, which, according to the common interpretation of the word, redounded only to the disgrace of him that suffered it; not endangering the [Page 191]Life, or hurting the Limbs. So that the In­juries which our Saviour notes in the first place, are those which go no further, than the exposing of a man to the laughter of the People, who take it for a mean and disho­nourable part to put up a meer Affront, to bear the lightest Indignity, or to be content under any contumelious Words or Actions: And his Rule in this case is, That we should rather venture the suffering such another In­jury, than make it a matter of publick Com­plaint.

The second instance is this: If any man shall sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. The Inju­ries that are intended under this instance, are against a man's Estate and Possessions, as the former were against his Body and Repu­tation. And here likewise it is plain, That the damage sustained by this Injury, or the like, is very supportable, and such as can hardly be felt by a man that enjoys a competent Estate, as he is here supposed to do, who is not to re­venge such a loss. For the inner and upper Garment, which were tokens of men that were well to pass in the World, shews that he would be much to blame to trouble him­self, or any body else, about a loss so inconsi­derable to him. And our Saviour's meaning in this Instance, is, That if a Controversy arise between thee and thy Neighbour about some little matter of property, where thou [Page 192]art sure the right is on thy side, and the Mo­ney, Goods, or Land, in dispute, is as much thine, as the Cloaths on thy back, and if by a Suit at Law he orders the matter so, as to rob thee of thy right, Thou shalt trouble thy self no further, but sit down quietly by the loss which thou art very well able to bear. And if another man be in possession of something that is thine, detaining thy right from thee, and the matter be not consi­derable, then if thou hast no other way to re­lieve thy self but by Law, thou shalt not in such cases as these run presently to Counsel, and commence a Suit, but bear such lesser Injuries with silence and patience: So that a Christian ought not to go to Law for small matters, not only when his Right is uncer­tain, but when 'tis clear; not only where there is no danger of inviting such another Injury as he bears at present, but where there is: And the words of our Saviour are as plain to that purpose as any thing can be, and nothing less can be understood by them.

The third instance is this: And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain; And under this Instance are con­tained all little infringments of our Privi­leges and Immunities which some men are exceedingly tender of, and are ever ready to make a great Combustion, rather than suffer them to be invaded in the least degree. The [Page 193]meaning is, That if the Officer that is to press men for publick Carriages should com­pel thee to go a mile unjustly, that is, one fourth part above the ordinary Stage that the Law appoints, which is but a small matter, thou shalt not make a quarrel about it, tho thy patience may prove an occasion of his compelling thee the next time to go two miles more than there is reason for: So like­wise in all matters of this nature, If our Freedoms and Immunities are lightly inva­ded, if too much service be required; if an Office be put upon a man which is some breach upon his Privilege (though he may sustain it without great inconveniencie) in these, and the like Cases, it is the plain Command of our Saviour, That we should make no publick Complaint, nor prosecute the Person at Law, for the maintaining of our Privilege. This I take to be a plain and true Account of the meaning of the Instances.

The manner of our Saviour's Expressions was suitable to the Customs of the Place where he was, and to the way of discourse in that time; but the Doctrine he delivers is a Rule for all times and places, and obliges every one of his Disciples, i. e. altogether, to remit tolerable and small Injuries, whe­ther against Body or Reputation, as in the first instance; or Estate and Possession, as in the second; or Freedoms and Privileges, as in the third.

And now I proceed to shew, That the limitation of the Rules belongs to the gene­ral Prohibition, Resist not evil. And that

1. Because if our Saviour had meant, that no kind of Injuries were to be resisted, there had been no need of adding any particular instances of evil that were not to be re­sisted.

2. If the greatest as well as the least In­juries were not to be redrest by course of Law, then seeing our Saviour was pleased to tell us, under what Injuries in particular he would have us to sit down quietly, we can­not imagine, but he would have instanced in the greatest; for all men are certainly more unwilling to bear a greater than a less wrong. If therefore no kind of evil were to be re­sisted, if this had been his meaning, he would have said, If thine Enemy seek to take away thy Life, or to ruin thy Estate, or to deprive thee of thy Liberty, thou shalt not guard thy self against him by the Laws of thy Coun­trey; and then these instances had certainly shewn, that the general Prohibition was to be understood without any limitation at all: For this is a true Conclusion, I must bear the greatest Injuries without complaint, therefore I must bear the less; but it cannot be concluded, I must bear the less, therefore I must submit to the greater. Wherefore, I say, since it had been our [Page 195]Saviour's Intention, that we were not to right our selves against any Injury by course of Law, the Instances mentioned do not come home to the purpose; it is therefore plain that was not his meaning.

From what hath been said, it will now be very easy to represent from our Saviour's Rule, what a Christian may, and what he ought to do, when he is provoked by the rudeness, or injured by the malice, or any way usurped upon by the Power and Policy of his Neighbour. And,

First of all, It is very plain, that all pri­vate Revenge, whether of greater or lesser Wrongs, is utterly unlawful: And the truth is, for men to go about to right themselves any other way after an Injury received, than by course of Law, that needed not to have been forbidden by our Saviour, for it was unlaw­ful before; and 'tis unjust in every man, tho much more unbecoming a Christian, than any one else, since he is obliged to set an Example of that forgiveness and meekness of spirit, as for some Injuries to seek no re­dress at all, no not by Legal Proceedings.

How strange a thing is it then, that the way of personal Revenge should grow into fashion and credit amongst Christians! a way of revenge so directly contrary, not only to the Law of our Saviour's Religion, but to right Reason, and the common Principles of Justice. For let but this Principle be [Page 196]once admitted, let it be published in the World, That every man may right himself his own way, when he is injured by ano­ther, and what horrible consequences must it needs produce? For when one man has wrong'd and abused another, to allow the injured Party to right himself in the way of personal revenge, is to provoke the wrong-doer to a new attempt against him, and by consequence to prolong and continue the quarrel, till it be ended in the destruction either of the one, of the other. What a woful thing is it, that if once an Injury be done, and contention be begun between two men, to conclude that they must never be reconciled, but proceed to mischief each o­ther till one of them be utterly destroyed! and yet that is the natural consequence of private Revenge, which therefore no man should give the least countenance to, that pretends to Reason and Humanity. Besides, it is in it self an unjust thing to do evil to another, because I have received injury from him; for a man cannot justly be both a Judge and a party in his own Cause, as every man is who presumes to vindicate his own Wrongs; he that complains, is not to give Sentence, and then to execute it; but to refer the mat­ter to indifferent Persons, or to Common Ju­stice, that the Redress may be according to Reason and Law: But if he takes Revenge for himself, as he is not fit to be a Judge in [Page 197]his own Cause, so neither has he any power to be so: Whatever evil he determines to in­flict upon his Enemy, he is unjustly resolved upon; and if he succeeds, 'tis unjustly done, for it belonged not to him to punish his Ad­versary: Vengeance is God's only, and theirs to whom God hath committed it, viz. Kings and Magistrates. But Because another man hath done evil, it is not lawful for me one jot the more to do evil too: He hath injur'd me, but I must not therefore be unjust to him, by assuming a power over him that I have not; nor be injurious to the Common­wealth, by bringing many Disorders into it; or to the Soveraign Authority, by usur­ping some part of it; or to the Law, by put­ting it out of office: Nay, I might add, to my own Soul, by breaking the Law of God, by doing despite to Religion, by casting scorn and contempt upon the best and most excellent Rules of it. In short, private and personal Revenge (be the Injury what it will) is of most pernicious consequence; it is a savage and barbarous Custom, it is extremely unjust in it self, and monstrously impious and unchristian. But,

2. It does not follow from this Doctrine of our Saviour, as I have already shewn, that we must lay our selves open to all man­ner of Injuries and Wrongs whatsoever; but if great injustice be offered, or considerable damage be done to us we may guard our [Page 198]selves against the former, and redress the lat­ter by proceeding according to the Laws. Were it not that the Law gives relief and re­dress to the Innocent, and allots punishment to the Evil doer, every thing almost would be out of order, and hardly any body secure, but he that makes himself so by Iniquity and Oppression; and things would soon be brought to that pass, which the worst of men can desire to see.

Therefore if a man be greatly injured by his Neighbour, it is but reasonable for him to make publick Complaint of it, that the Injury may be redrest; or if it be but de­sign'd, that he should guard himself against it by such means as the Law provides; and that not only for the sake of a man's own Interest, which in great matters he is not to neglect in wisdom for himself, but in chari­ty also to the Evil doer, that if possible, a check may be given to his evil course: The hands of the Violent are to be tied up, and the mouth of the Slanderer is to be stopt, when they proceed to commit great Iniqui­ties; that whether they are either restrain'd, or punished, they may bethink themselves of the evil they have done, and by shame, and fear, and suffering, be driven to repentance: At least very necessary it is for the good of the World, and for a caution to others, that they who meditate mischief, and are Exam­ples of great Injustice, should be Examples [Page 199]of the unsuccessfulness, and the punishment of it too; that those who would be inclin'd to imitate the former, may be aware of it in consideration of the latter. And there­fore we are to thank God, that there are tem­poral Laws to restrain men, or at least to punish Offences and Wrongs that men may commit one against another. And if we are to be thankful for them, most certainly it is very lawful, yea very prudent and necessary to make use of them for the redressing or guarding our selves against great Injuries: For if we should not use them, in this case there would be no use of them at all: Now this it is that plainly shews our Saviour's Rule here in the Text, to be no hard and grievous thing, that although it certainly bars all private Revenge, and restrains men from making the utmost advantage of Hu­man Laws, yet it leaves every man free to secure himself, against great Injuries, or to redress himself, after they have been done him, by the benefit of the Laws; and there­fore it is no great trial of his patience and meekness, that our Saviour has here re­quired. But,

3. In the third place it must be added, That in prosecuting him that hath greatly injured us, or defending our selves against one that would, we must beware of a re­vengeful and bitter spirit; for this is as much against the reason of the Law, as retaliating [Page 200]the smallest Wrongs; which a man would not do, if it were not more to ease an angry mind, than to get reparation for the wrong, if he did not design the troubling and vexing of his Adversary, and the pleasure that comes that way, more than any real profit to him­self: Therefore to perform our Saviour's Rule in righting our selves upon the greatest Wrongs, we must turn out all ha­tred, malice, and revengefulness out of our minds, designing no more harm to our Ad­versay, than what is necessary for the right­ing of our selves, or for the ends of Common Justice; and when we have a man, that has deserved any ill of us, at an advantage, we should use it moderately, and rather be satis­fied with less reparation than is due to the nature of the Offence, than exact the extre­mity of what may be due by Law. But,

4. We are bound in duty to our Saviour altogether to remit less Injuries and Offences, viz. such as he has mentioned in the parti­cular Instances, i. e. not only to forbear righting our selves by our own Authority, but even by troubling Courts of Justice a­bout it, although the Magistrate were bound to do us right, if we complained of the light­est Offences that were by Law punishable. In short, As to meer Affronts, and incon­siderable Debts, and ordinary Trespasses, and such Injuries as may easily be born with­all, this Rule of our Saviour holds generally [Page 201]and universally true: But I say unto you, Re­sist not Evil.

The only difficulty in the understanding of our Duty in this point, is, that of being always able to determine between Injuries that are so little, that we must absolutely re­mit them, and such as we may redress by just appeal.

But to this, I say, where the Case is plain, as 'tis very often, there is no room for pre­tending the difficulty: He that offers at a man's Life, or at his Estate, or at his good Name, by a dangerous Calumny, he doth exceed the degree of doing wrong, which is not to be resisted: But on the other hand, a meer Contempt, and such a light Encroach­ment upon our Priviledges, or Freedoms, or any of our Rights, as our Saviour here men­tions, can yield no matter of doubt, whether they are little enough to be past quite over. And therefore in the first place, be sure to perform thy duty of this kind in all cases, where 'tis plain; and if thou gainest so much honesty and ingenuity, as that comes to, it will give thee some light and direction where the case is doubtful.

There is indeed such variety in the Cir­cumstances of Men, that that which to one man would be a very small and inconsidera­ble Injury, would happen to be a very great one, and hardly supportable by another: But if it be really difficult to know whether [Page 202]the Injury committed be little or great, all things considered, To this it might not be unfitly said, That in doubtful Cases it is al­ways best to take the safest course, and to chuse that side which will secure our Consci­ence, rather than that which we are prompted to by our worldly Interest.

But I add further, That if a man be ho­nest and discreet (which such Rules as these suppose men to be) it is no hard matter to know what Injuries are so small, that accord­ing to our Saviour's Rule, they are totally to be remitted. There is a natural sagacity in a good mind to discern between good and evil in these things, and by which it can apply general Rules to particular Cases. It is not said in Scripture, or any Law, how much Wine is lawful to be drunk at a time, and yet Drunkenness is forbidden; nor how many hours in a day are to be spent in honest labour and industry, and yet I am not to be idle: Nor is it possible that any such particular Rules in these matters should be laid down, which can reach the Case of every man in every circumstance: So is it in this matter; that may be a very great inju­ry to one man, that is but a little one to ano­ther: And that he may be able to discern the difference, he must either make use of his own honesty and discretion, or of some bo­dies else: The latter way may be very good, either when a man is in danger of being par­tial [Page 203]to his worldly Interest, and over-valuing a small Injury, or of leaning too much to a scrupulous. Conscience, and undervaluing a great one. It may then be very fit to take advice of a man of known wisdom and in­tegrity, who being indifferent, is best able to judge in the former; and being honest as well as discreet, may also judge of the latter case, and then to follow his Judgment. This is the best way a man can take, and God re­quires no more, than the using of the best means we can to apply Rules given in gene­ral terms to our own particular Circum­stances; and he that does accordingly, may and ought to be satisfied in his own Consci­ence, that he hath done his Duty. But if a man's mind be furnished with the Princi­ples and Reasons of his Duty in the matter of forgiveness of Wrongs, if also he be a dis­creet man in the ordering of his other Af­fairs, there is no reason to fear, but he will be likewise able of himself to discern between Injuries that may be altogether born withal, and those that may and ought to be redrest: But the truth is, that which men are chiefly wanting in, is a sense of their Duty. And therefore what I have further to say, shall tend to the awakening of us into such a sense, by representing the Reasons and Motives to the meekness and patience which our Saviour requires of us: And if these do prevail in our minds, there is no great reason to fear on the [Page 204]other hand, lest we should be so indiscreet as to suffer great harm, without using law­ful means to help our selves. And there­fore,

First of all, Let us consider the Example of God himself towards us, whom we have daily provoked by our sins, and yet he has born with us hitherto, and patiently waited for our repentance. If God were so hasty with us, as we are apt to be with one ano­ther, we had been long since consumed in his displeasure. It is most certainly true, that his forbearance and long-suffering is the ground of mens presumption in going on to offend him. If sentence were always speedi­ly executed against an evil work, the heart of the sons of men would not be set in them to do evil: And yet although he knows that forbearing to punish us when we deserve it, very often proves the occasion of multiply­ing provocations against him, he notwith­standing is patient and long-suffering to­wards us; not only forbearing to inflict those punishments which we every day de­serve, but continuing those blessings to us which we every day forfeit. But what a great deal of sin and presumptuous disobe­dience had been prevented, if God had been so ready to take fire against us, as an angry man is to prosecute his Neighbour with re­venge? But then who of us could thus long [Page 205]have stood before him? which of us had not long before this perished under the strokes of his angry Justice? and who are we, that no­thing can ease our minds under the sense of any petty wrong, but present revenge? that we must have immediate satisfaction for every Affront, or secure our selves against possible Injuries for the future, by making an example of every man that trespasseth upon us? What pride and haughtiness, what foolish and overweening conceit is there in this one thing! If we do but consider that our Maker (infinitely great as well as good) has been infinitely provoked by us, and has yet thus long mercifully spared us: If his good­ness, his forbearance, and long-suffering leadeth us to repentance, namely, to repent of all our other sins, much more of this, which is so di­rectly contrary to his Example, much more, I say, of a proud malicious and revengeful spirit, especially if we consider, that he that is for judgment without mercy, shall have no mercy; that this is the Rule by which God will proceed against us in Judgment, That he will not forgive us our trespasses, if we from our hearts do not forgive every one his brother their trespasses; and therefore, un­less we will deprive our selves of God's mer­cy in that day, when we shall be most sensi­ble that we need it; unless we chuse to be judg'd in rigour, and dealt withal according to the extremity of Justice, we must lay aside [Page 206]anger, malice, and revenge, and put on bowels of mercies, kindness, meekness, long­suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, even as God for Christ's sake hath for­given us.

What should I speak of the Example of our Blessed Saviour himself, who suffered the greatest indignities, who bare the most Contumelious Reproaches, who was pro­voked by the most Outragious Affronts and Injuries, who yet when he was reviled, revi­led not again; when he suffered, he threatned not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously; who at last underwent the most ignominious death of the Cross, and even then, when the sense of his pain and reproach was most bitter to him, prayed to his Father to forgive his Enemies, and excused as well as might be, their inexcuseable wickedness, by saying, They know not what they do.

It is a great shame for us to make any dif­ficulty of passing by ordinary Wrongs and Trespasses after such an Example, or at least to pretend that we are his Disciples and Fol­lowers, while we are so contrary to him in temper and disposition.

2. Neither are we left without all guard against future Injuries, if we silently pass over those that are committed against us at first; for this is in it self a proper way to se­cure us against wrongs for the time to come; [Page 207]although it is pretended, that patience will but expose a man to further Abuses, yet ge­nerally it is true, that revenge exposes him to a great many more: For hereby the quar­rel is continued, which else in all probabili­ty would have been at an end; but if we fall to revenge, we put our Adversary upon new attempts against us, whose anger or pride had been in likelihood satisfied, if we had not again provoked him: Besides, if he be one that seeks our mischief, he will not fail to multiply abuses and wrongs upon us, be­cause he sees, his Designs take place (i. e.) that we are inwardly moved and disquieted at his ill using us: Whereas by patience and forgiveness we shew him, that it is to no purpose for him to go about to molest us, and that he is ever like to be disappointed, when he would create us any harm or trouble: By deep resentment of a little Injury, we make it a great one; and if we are resolved to be even with every foolish and inconsiderate person, we shall be sure to vex our selves, and to be revenged on our Adversary at our own cost: He that lightly passes by an Offence, has done with it, but he is still in pain that cannot rest till he is reveng'd; and therefore if we would consult our own ease, and disappoint our Enemy, we must get the bet­ter of an angry and turbulent spirit, and let Vengeance alone, which such Creatures as we are cannot pursue, but to our own harm [Page 208]and vexation: And indeed this is the proper way to gain our Enemy, and to make him be at peace with us, when we forbear to pro­secute him, and make him smart for his fault, especially if it be in our power to be re­veng'd; that is a likely way of melting him into sorrow and repentance that he hath wrong'd us at all; for though there are some so cross and inflexible, that they grow worse by forbearance and gentleness; yet sure the generality of men are not so savage and un­tractable: There are few men, but if you give them time to consider it, will repent of ha­ving done you the least harm, after they see you have forgiven them, and that no rancour is left in your mind against them: The true reason why one man that hath abused ano­ther is apt to meditate more mischief against him afterwards, is, because he imagines, that now a breach is made, it will never be repaired, and that the unkindness will ne­ver be forgotten; and therefore his last way is to secure himself, by adding more injuries to the former: But therefore, if he were in­deed convinced, that thou bearest no ill-will against him, and art fully reconciled to him, it is probable, that he would be very glad to give over doing thee any wrongs, and take the opportunity of becoming thy Friend, and then thou hast gained thy Brother to thy self; and which is more, thou mayest have gained him to God too. But if this [Page 209]Course should fail, there is another which seems to be so effectual, that it cannot but take place, and that is to do him a good turn that hath wronged thee; which is the Apostles Advice, Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good: which implies that this may be done; and indeed 'tis mo­rally impossible, that this way should not take place: For although ordinary kindness and good turns may be despised, yet one of so exceeding a nature, as doing good against evil, seems to have an irresistible force to prevail with an ill man: Every good turn that thou dost to an Enemy, is doubled by this consideration, that he hath not deserv'd it, but the contrary; and surely he will be ashamed till he hath requited thee in some measure, not only by acknowledgment of his fault, but by returning the benefit: There­fore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; so shalt thou heap coals of fire upon his head, i. e. Thou shalt melt him into sorrow, that he hath wronged thee in the least, and make him thy Friend for the future. So little reason is there to suspect, that unless we be revenged of every Injury and Affront that is offer'd to us, we expose our selves to more Injuries and Wrongs than we have suffer'd already: And therefore that Objection which our Sa­viour saw would be made to his Doctrine concerning forgiveness of Injuries, does in [Page 210]conclusion appear to be no real Objection a­gainst it.

And now let no man suppose that this Rule of putting up Affronts and Contempts, Wrongs and Injuries daily, with patience and forgiveness; is rendred fittest to be preached to men of mean Spirits and Callings, who are in good manners to be content with Af­fronts, and to put up all Injuries that are offered them by their Betters; but that it is not proper for men of Quality and Honour, to whom it would be a disparagement to sit down under Wrongs and Abuses as tamely as a Peasant ought to do, for this is a most unreasonable pretence. On the other hand, There is nothing that becomes men of birth and breeding, of great place and renown in the World, more, than forgiveness of Inju­ries: This is an argument of so much great­ness of mind, and command over our own Passions, that nothing can be greater; and to leave it to men of lower degree, is to dis­parage themselves, and to lose one of the greatest advantages of their high Estate in the World. 'Tis the glory of a man to pass by an Offence, saith Solomon; and we all know, that the Royal Prerogative is in no one thing more eminently seen, than in par­doning Offences, and extending mercy to those that are under the Sentence of the Law: And why should it be thought dif­honourable to do that which God does, who [Page 211]is good to the unmerciful and the unjust; to do not only that which he requires, but that, I say, which he does; and if any man can be so foolish as to think meanly of us for so doing, we cannot help it, and should not be troubled at it upon our own, but only upon his account: For he is the wise and exact Person, whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Thus have I endeavoured to recommend to your meditation and practice a Rule, which, if it be one of the hardest, is also one of the most excellent Rules of Religion: It is for the glory of the Gospel that we can shew it in our Bibles: It will be for our glory if we can shew it in our practice: But let us not forget the absolute necessity of submit­ting to it, if ever we hope to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; and there is no Argu­ment so powerful, as that which is drawn from necessity: So necessary it is, that our Saviour thought fit to make us acknowledge it every day in our Prayers, and has put it in as a Condition, that we must our selves undertake for, when we ask forgiveness of God: Forgive us our Trespasses, as we for­give them that trespass against us. Such great care has he taken to inculcate the great necessity of this practice, that though he repeated no other part of his Prayer; and although this seems to be the plainest, yet he repeats the substance of this; For if ye for­give [Page 212]not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your tres­passes. But then with what face can they pre­tend to be Christians, with what quiet can they think of a Future Judgment, who take pleasure in the doing of Injuries and Wrongs, who are as forward to trespass a­gainst their Brother, as they are backward to forgive their Brother's Trespasses? If I were to describe what a true Christian is, by taking some one point of Christian duty, the performance whereof does in all rea­sonable construction imply all the rest, it should be this, That he is one▪ who would not for the world do the least injury, but can forgive the greatest. And God grant that this may be our practice for the rest of our lives.

The Ninth Sermon.
AN Assize Sermon.

THat Religion and the fear of God, and a sense of his Authority, are Principles supposed by the Laws of God, is from hence evident, that in great [Page 214]part the process of our Courts depends upon Testimony given under the obligation of an Oath; for though the use of an Oath there is required by Humane Authority, yet the peculiar obligation it lays upon us to speak the Truth, is antecedent to all Humane Laws, being founded originally upon our Duty to God; wherefore though an Oath in respect of some use and end of it, may be a Civil Act, yet in respect of the reason whereby it ob­ligeth, it is an Act of Religion; for this reason it is highly conducible to the end of Civil Government to maintain a sense of Religion in the minds of men; and parti­cularly it must be of great use to make them observe those Laws of God, which are plain­ly designed to secure the reverence which is due to an Oath, and to keep men at a wide distance from the danger of Perjury: Such is that Law of our Saviour, which I have read to you, which therefore doth not tend more to the Honour of God, than to the Common Good of Mankind; and this no man can be ignorant of, who considers what a vast influence the use of an Oath hath upon all the Affairs of Humane Life. This is that whereby we come to confide in one another about things of the greatest moment to our lives; this is that which is so often necessa­ry to secure our Properties, to save us from wrong, and to make even our Enemy to do us right; it is this which all Processes in [Page 215]Courts of Judicature are governed by, which is supposed to all Administrations of Justice, and gives an end to all Contro­versies about matters of Fact, which will be no otherways decided; it is this which must either direct or misguide the wisest Magi­strates, and make their Sentence it self ei­ther right or wrong; and by which we are either strongly guarded against Injury, or almost inevitably exposed to it; of how great consequence therefore must it be to the good of all men to have the reverence of an Oath secured, and to make every man tremble at the thought of Perjury, since the World cannot be well-governed, nor the Ad­ministrations of Justice go forward, with­out the use of Oaths; and yet we had better be without them, in as many cases as there are wherein Men are not afraid to be Forsworn; and yet alas! it is the daily complaint of our Age, that the fear of an Oath is almost banished out of the World: And although it be really a thousand times more dreadful to profane the Name of God, by calling him to be a witness to our Lies, than it would be to play before the Mouth of a Canon while it was Firing; yet, if we may be­lieve the Reports which are sometimes made from Courts of Judicature, there are very few Peasants so pusillanimous but they are hardy enough to Swear [Page 216]to any thing; and with equal confidence to contradict one another in the plainest mat­ters, and when under an equal obligation to speak the Truth, by the Invocation of the dreadful Name of God. Now if we would enquire how the sacredness of an Oath is grown into such contempt, I do not questi­on, but the common and frequent use of Swearing in our ordinary Conversation, would be found at least accessary to that dishonour which is done to God, and that mischief to men by the so frequent Perju­ries of our Age. Oaths are grown so familiar with us, that men have forgotten the nature and true use of them, and are not sensible, that they call the Divine Vengeance upon them­selves, if their Testimonies be not exactly true; they have been prostituted to the meanest Services, and profan'd by common use, and then no wonder if the Sacred Obli­gation peculiar to them be forgotten, when they are used in those special cases, for which they ought to be reserved; therefore if we would do any thing to recover the fear of an Oath amongst our Countrey-men, we must endeavour to do it by means contrary to those, whereby it hath been so generally lost, that is, by abstaining our selves, and not on­ly so, but by disswading and restraining others as much as in us lies, from that familiar and fashionable Swearing, which is one of the great reproaches of our Age; to which end I shall [Page 217]endeavour to explain the meaning and reason of these words of our Saviour.

And in them I shall consider,

1. The Law it self, Swear not at all, but let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay.

2. The sanction and reason of this Law, viz. 1. The Authority of our Saviour, But I say unto you. 2. The nature of the thing it self. For whatsoever is more than this, com­eth of evil.

In the Law it self we are to consider the Prohibition, and the Precept.

1. The Prohibition; which contains,

1. A general Rule, Swear not at all.

2. Some particular instances whereto the Rule extends, Neither by Heaven, nor by Earth, nor by Hierusalem, nor by thy head.

3. The Reason why the Rule extends to these Instances; not by Heaven, for it is God's Throne; not by the Earth, for it is his Footstool; not by Hierusalem, for it is the City of the great King; not by thy Head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black.

Let us begin with the general Rule, Swear not at all; from which words the Anabaptists and Quakers have contended, [Page 218]that an Oath, or an Appeal to God, that what we say is true, is in no case lawful: I shall here shew the contrary, and prove that the meaning of the Rule is this, That we are not to Swear in our common and daily Conversation with Men; and this will appear,

1. By comparing the Prohibition with the Precept.

2. With the particular instances whereun­to the Prohibition extends.

1. With the Precept, But let your commu­nication be yea, yea, nay, nay, (i. e.) let this be the manner of your ordinary dis­course, barely to affirm or deny, or if need be, sometimes with vehemence, which per­haps is intimated by the repetition of yea and nay.

Now it is plain, if this be the sense of the Precept, that the Prohibition doth not ex­tend to Cases which belong not to the com­mon and ordinary Conversation of Men, such as the deciding of Controversies for the security of the publick peace, the assuring of sidelity to the Government, and the ratify­ing of Leagues, &c. which are cases pro­perly excepted from this Rule of an usual and ordinary communication with each o­ther, because they are no part thereof; but I confess, I do not lay the stress of the proof [Page 219]upon this Argument only, but on this toge­ther with the second, which is founded upon comparing the general Rule with the parti­cular instances, whereby the use of it is ex­plained, neither by Heaven, for it's God's Throne, &c. Our Saviour's design in these words cannot be better understood, than by considering what those corrupt Principles concerning the matter of Swearing were, which had crept in among the Jews; and first, as their own Authors tell us, it was generally held amongst them, that they ought not to Swear by the Name of God in light and trivial Cases, but they believed it was no Sin to Swear upon any occasion by a Creature, that was a remarkable instance of God's Favour and Providence, as by Hea­ven, or by the Earth, or by Hierusalem, or by their Head, which are the Instances here noted by our Saviour. Secondly, some of them, and particularly the Pharisees, taught, that the Guilt of Perjury was not incurr'd, when a falshood was attested by these kind of Oaths, excepting only in the Cases of Swearing by the Gold of the Temple, and the Gift upon the Altar; by which Oaths they acknowledged themselves to be bound, as we find Matth. 23. (i. e.) either to speak the Truth, or to the Penalty of False-Swear­ing: Hence, I say, that our Saviour's words, Swear not at all, neither by Heaven, &c. be­ing spoken to Persons who well enough un­derstood [Page 220]the Doctrines and Practises of their Countreymen in this matter, could not rea­sonably be thought to have any other mean­ing than this, That they ought not to Swear by the Creatures of God in any of those Ca­ses, wherein it is unlawful to Swear by the Almighty himself, (i. e.) in their usual Communication with one another: For it seems the Jews themselves were not arrived to that insolence, which it is so dreadful to think, that Christians now-a-days should not scruple, of profaning the Name of the most high God, by calling him at every turn to be Witness of their talk: And there­fore our Saviour found it needless to forbid them Swearing by his Name, for they al­ready believed that to be an impious thing; but he tells them, they must neither Swear by Heaven, nor by any thing else; as if he had said, You have been allowed to liberty of Swearing as oft as you please, provided you do not use the Name of God himself; it is ordinary with you to Swear by Heaven, and Earth, and by the Temple, and your Lives and Souls, and that in those Cases where­in you rightly believe it would be a profane rudeness to invoke the Majesty of God di­rectly; But I say unto you, Swear not at all, you shall not henceforth take the liberty of using any kind of Oaths in those Cases wherein you are not to appeal to God him­self; but upon all these occasions, whatever [Page 221]you assert, or whatever you promise, use the simplicity and plainness of some affirmation or denial. And thus our Saviour restrained the licentiousness of those common Swearers, that thought they might safely Swear by Hea­ven, and use the like Oaths at any time, and upon any occasion; and withal corrected that abuse which the Doctrine of the Phari­sees had brought into this Practice, viz. That Men were not liable to the guilt of Perjury by such Oaths as these were, which I shall more distinctly shew under the third Head. The meaning then of our Saviours Prohibi­tion is not this, That it is unlawful at any time to Swear by the Name of God, but that it is unlawful to Swear by any Creature in any Case, wherein it would be so to appeal directly to the Knowledge and Justice of God him­self.

2. As to those Instances by which the gene­ral Rule is explained, it is observeable,

1. That Swearing by any of the Creatures is forbidden, not only by Heaven and Earth, which with the rest are particularly menti­oned by our Saviour, because these forms of Swearing were most in use amongst the Jews.

2. We are to note, that our Saviour calls it Swearing, to use these forms of Speech in at­testing what we say; they are not so many words lost, as we may be enclined to think, [Page 222]but we bring upon our selves the obligation of an Oath by the using of them, as shall pre­sently appear. If indeed any ways of speak­ing have obtained amongst us, which look like Swearing, but are not, being altoge­ther unapt to excite any Thought of Divine Justice, I do not question, but they are to be laid aside too, because surely the Prohibi­tion of Swearing at all, excludes not only all real, but all broken, apish and insignifi­cant Oaths; but if it were not so, one would think that a small measure of Sobriety and Wisdom should keep a man from debasing and vilifying the acknowledged forms of speaking that are peculiar to Oaths, by ap­plying them to such sensless sounds, as make them to signify nothing: 'Tis a good Rule which a wise man hath given, That all forms, besides those wherein there is an immediate appeal to God, are better avoid­ed, when there is need of Swearing, and when there is no need; we should not Swear at all, neither by Heaven, nor by any thing else: Let us now consider,

3. The Reasons why the Prohibition ex­tends to these instances, and the like, not by Heaven, for it's God's Throne; and he that sweareth by Heaven, sweareth by the Throne of God, and him that sitteth thereon, Matth. 23. Not by the Earth, for it is his footstool; it is a remarkable subject of his Providence; and to Swear hereby, is in effect all one as to appeal [Page 223]to God, that upholds it by his Power: Not by Jerusalem, nor any holy place that hath a peculiar relation to God for the same rea­son; nor by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black, (i. e.) thou hast no power over thy life, and art so unable to sub­sist independently upon God, that thou canst not so much as alter the colour of thine Hair: Now since thy Head, thy Life and Safety depends upon the Divine Providence, to Swear by thy Head, and by thy Life, and consequently by thy hope of Life and Sal­vation, is indeed to Swear by him, upon whom thou dependest for thy life, and who only hath all power to save and to destroy; so that the general reason why these Oaths are to be avoided, is because they are equi­valent to formal Swearing by the Creator of all things, and contrary to the Opinion of the Pharisees, brought an equal Obligation upon him that used them, with Swearing downright by our Maker: Now they acknowledged, that Swearing directly by the Name of God, and where that was used, was not lawful in their ordinary occasions of speaking, our Saviour proceeds upon this supposition, and infers therefore it is not lawful to use those other Oaths upon those occasions, because they im­plied an appeal to the Justice and the Omni­presence of God himself. And thus I have endeavoured to explain the Prohibition con­tained in this Law of Christ.

As for the Precept, But let your communica­tion be yea, yea, nay, nay, it needs no farther inquiry into the sense of it, the plain meaning of them already appearing to be this: Con­tent your selves with bare affirming and deny­ing whatever you have occasion to speak of, without adding thereto any kind of Oaths and Imprecations.

And thus much concerning the Law it self, which one would think were as easy to be practised, as it is to be understood; and certainly it is great pity that any man should need much perswasion to keep it; but if it should be so, we do not want Ar­guments clear and strong enough to prevail with any considering Person; and these are contained in the Sanction of this Law, which is the second thing I am to speak to, and which I have already told you is foun­ded,

1. Upon the Authority of our Blessed Lord and Saviour.

2. Upon the reason of the Law it self.

1. The Authority of our Saviour, who established this Law by these words, But I say unto you. I do not find any such express Prohibition of Swearing in ordinary Conver­sation as this, before our Saviours time; not but that I think the unlawfulness of that liberty which here he abridgeth his Disciples [Page 225]of, might by good consequence be inferred from the Writings of Moses, and the Pro­phets; but what need we look for any other Rule in this matter, besides this which is so plain and express, and which we have re­ceived from the Son of God himself; there can now be no dispute, whether we may lawfully Swear in those Cases wherein an Oath is needless; for our Lord's Command is so full against it, that a question hath been made, though upon no just ground, Whe­ther it be lawful for a Christian to Swear at all; now if the sense of our Saviour's Au­thority can prevail with us to do any thing in obedience to him, it will not fail to go­vern us in this matter, where the perfor­mance of his will is so easy, and the violation of it is not rewarded by any gain or pleasure, nor sollicited by any Temptation that can fasten upon our sensual Lusts and Appetites; nor can be resolved easily into any other Cause, but a Spirit of Contradiction to the Gospel of our Lord; which may make us astonished, that in an Age pretending to the Worship of God, in a Nation formed into a Christian Church, so many should be found of almost all Qualities and Degrees, who bid defiance to the Authority of our Saviour, by refusing to make so small an acknowledg­ment of it, as the keeping of a Law so easy, as this, that we should thus put into our Discourse a peculiar Character to let the [Page 226]World know, that we are no Christians, though we were Baptized into the Name of Christ; least it should not be observed by our practices, that we should take care to dis­cover it by our language, that we are none of those who believe Jesus to be the Son of God: If we had no other reason, but the Will of our Lord and Saviour to rule us in this matter, that certainly should be enough to conclude us; he that should want a far­ther obligation, deserves to be ranked with Heathens and Infidels; and yet the thing which our Saviour here forbids, is evil in it self too, and contains many foul and detesta­ble Immoralities in its own nature; and therefore the common Swearer's Sin, how enormous must it needs be, who refuseth to do a very small matter to avoid so great a guilt! That the heinousness whereof may yet farther appear, I shall proceed to the

Second Consideration under this Head, viz. The Reason of the Law it self, which is contained in these words, whatsoever is more than the plainness of affirmation and denial in common discourse, cometh of evil; I will therefore endeavour these two follow­ing things.

1. To make it appear what those evil dispositions are which this practice im­plies.

2. To examine the pretences that are only possible to be alledged in excuse of it. Now if men are led to it by no good Principle; if the dispositions thereunto are wholly evil; if evil be implied in the very pretences brought to excuse it; nothing can be farther desired to demonstrate that this is to be concluded, viz. That it is an Immorality to Swear in our Communication; and whatsoever is more than that simplicity of Language which our Saviours Rule confines us to, cometh of evil.

The true Principles and Causes enclining men to this practice, are these.

1. Want of Reverence towards God.

2. Carelesness of avoiding the Crime of Perjury.

3. Immodesty and Pride.

4. Lightness and vanity of mind. And indeed there must be all these things toge­ther to make up a common Swearer; for if he either had reverent Thoughts of God, or feared to be Forsworn; or if he had but a little modesty and good manners, or any to­learable measure of a steddy and serious spi­rit, any one of these things would secure him.

1. Customary Swearing betrays great ir­reverence towards God; for unless a man had very mean and dishonourable Thoughts [Page 228]of God, how durst he make so bold with him, as to affirm nothing so silly, and tran­sact nothing so trivial and mean, but he must summon God to be his Witness? Reverence of the Deity is always expressed by separa­ting holy things from vile and common uses; and because an Oath is an appeal to the Knowledge and Justice of God, it is grea­ter rudeness to press it to unnecessary Ser­vices, than it would be for the meanest of People to call the King out of his Throne to hear every idle Tale they brought against one another. If an Oath be an holy thing, let us use it as we do those holy places, which we do not put to all Imployments, but reserve them for their peculiar use. What a contempt of Religion would it be for men to bring their Markets into the House of God, and pretend to sanctify their worldly Affairs and Pleasures, by transacting them in the place of his Worship? I do not see but 'tis altogether as irreligious to mix our talk with Oaths upon every occasion; for hereby we make as cheap with God, as by prostitu­ting any other Sacred thing to a common and trivial use.

2. It argues a man not to fear that hor­rid Crime of Perjury; for if he were afraid of it, how cautious and deliberate would he be, e're he ventured to affirm any thing up­on Oath? He would consider whether it were exactly true, whether it were certain, [Page 229]or only probable; whether he was not liable to mistake, or misinformation, in the case, and many other things which are often ne­cessary to come under consideration with that man that trembles at the thought of Perjury; but the light is not more clear at mid-day, than that common Swearers trou­ble themselves with none of these Thoughts; what they say at a venture, they boldly Swear; what they rashly utter, they as rashly add Oaths and Curses to; their habit of Swearing makes them not one jot the more wary in their talk; and the slipperiness of their Tongues, not at all the more afraid of an Oath; which is a plain Argument, that they have little apprehension of Perjury, and are not afraid to be Forsworn; for I say, did we ever find that those who are given to Swearing, are more deliberate and slow to speak than other men? Do they weigh their words with more exactness? Do they re­frain from loosness of talk, and dissoluteness of Mirth and Jollity more than those who are content to speak upon their honest word? No, but on the contrary, they are usually more free and prodigal of their discourse; their words are guided with less considerati­on and judgment, and their Tongues hang more loosly in their Heads than is observeable in other men; nay, it is well known, that they are then most plentiful of their Oaths, when they are least able to govern their talk [Page 230]with discretion, (i. e.) when they are drunk either with Wine or Passion; and what nu­merous Perjuries then in all likelihood are these men guilty of! nay, it is not improba­ble but some of them may be Forsworn eve­ry day they rise; for though men may please themselves with thinking that they do but swear in jest, yet the obligation of an Oath is not to be laughed away; when men swear they will do this or that, which it may be, they intend not at all; or that such a thing is true, which they know is false, they are never­theless guilty of Perjury, for not minding that they are so, since a Sin ceaseth not to be what it is, meerly by the stupidity of a man's Conscience; but all that can be said in this case is, That they are not apprehen­sive of the guilt, nor afraid of the crime of Perjury, which is that Immorality, that I charge the common Swearer withal; and this St. Austin was so sensible of, that the reason which he assigns why our Saviour prohibited unnecessary Oaths, was this, ne perjuri simus, lest we should be forsworn, which every man is in apparent danger of, who promiscuous­ly adds Oaths to his Talk, as I have already noted: And doubtless he that refuseth to secure himself from Perjury that way which our Saviour hath prescribed, declares plain­ly enough that he is not so careful against it, as a due sense of the foulness of that Sin would make him; That in the business of an [Page 231]Oath men are obliged to proceed with great care and deliberation, is a thing so plain, that I should be ashamed to go about the pro­ving of it: And I am consident, if men would tye themselves to weigh the Truth of every thing they affirmed, before they would ven­ture to Swear to it, they would spare a great many of their Oaths; and if they found it were exactly true, they would be immedi­ately sensible, that it deserved not so so­lemn a confirmation, and be ashamed of the vanity of doing so great a thing to no purpose, which is a consideration that I shall by and by more particularly offer. In the mean time,

3. Needless Swearing argues Immodesty and Pride, and an arrogant spirit. Few things are more unseemly in a man, than to affirm every thing with confidence, and to be peremptory in all his talk, for this is to impose upon his Company, and leave no room for any body to be of another mind; and such Companions are shunned by all wise Persons, as being void of that modesty and sobriety which make men sociable and conversible; but what shall we say to those who are not only positive and dogmatical in their common discourse, but assert every thing almost which they say, upon Oath? Cer­tainly in this kind of Behaviour there is as much ill Manners towards men, as there is rudeness towards God; for what greater in­stance [Page 232]can be given of an imperious and a peremptory temper, than to seal our talk with Oaths, and leave no room for another to doubt of what we say, under the pain of accusing us of Perjury? A modest and wise man, when he delivers his judgment in ma­ny things, where possibly he might, without fear of being accused of Arrogance, be pe­remptory and conclusive, yet chuseth to de­clare himself, with that reservedness, as may invite another man to shew all his reasons to the contrary, without fear of displeasing him; and this we all know is a great Ornament to any man's Conversation, and of excellent use to maintain peace, and good will, and good correspondence in all Societies; But light is not more contrary to darkness, than the cu­stom of Swearing is to this human and gentle temper; wherefore it betrays immodesty and arrogance.

Lastly, it proceeds also from great vanity and lightness of spirit, which appears in these two plain instances of it.

The first is, in making no difference be­tween matters of serious importance and con­sideration, and such as are frivolous, and of little consequence; in treating those with the same spirit and behaviour, that are suitable only to these, which is an undoubted argu­ment of childishness, and a frothy mind; this is that which the Swearer is apparently [Page 233]chargeable with; for otherwise how could he in the same light humour, wherein he is delivering something to make the Company laugh, presume to prophane so sacred a thing as an Oath is, by accompanying a poor silly Jest with it: Does the taking of an Oath re­quire no more seriousness than is necessary to the telling of a Tale? Or can it be fit to tye so grave a thing to a sentence, which if it were written down, would within an hour after, perhaps, appear hatefully ridiculous? And yet nothing is more common with those that allow themselves in this Sin.

Secondly, It is an Argument of vanity to take more pains for the confirming of what we say, than the thing doth at all deserve. It is plain, that the greatest part of our Conver­sation with one another by discourse and cor­respondence, doth not require any solemn confirmation of the truth of our words, much less the Testimony of an Oath; which being the greatest security we can give, he must be a very light-headed Companion that will throw it away at every turn, who cannot tell what was done yesterday, or make a Promise to his Friend or Acquaintance about the ordinariest matter, but out comes an Oath, or a Curse, to bind his words withal: Methinks I could convince any man of ordi­nary sense, that there is that levity and mad­ness implied in this custom, which if it were but seen in other things, would bring a man [Page 234]within the danger of Bedlam; for suppose a man were to make a Promise to his Friend of that kind which ordinarly happens in our Conversation, as that he would give him a Visit, or a Meeting where he should ap­point, but for the present would not suffer him to go, till he had gotten an hundred of his Neighbours together to be Witnesses of his Promise; what a ridiculous Fancy would this be? And if a man should ordinarily do thus, he were likely enough to be beg'd, if any thing were to be gotten by it; for no­thing is more plain, than that the ordinary assurance of a man's word is sufficient for these matters, and will either pass for them, or he had as good be banished out of human Society, or sent to some other place at least, where being not so well known, he may be the better trusted; but 'tis as clear as when the Sun shines, that he that will not make such a Promise under an Oath, nor let his Word go without calling God to witness it, by invoking his Justice and Vengance if he falsifies, (for that's the meaning of an Oath) he does really ten thousand times more to confirm his Promise, than if he had sum­moned Town and Countrey together, than if he had gotten all Mankind, nay, and all the Angels in Heaven together to be Wit­nesses between him and his Neighbour. Can there readily be a more ridiculous vanity thought of than this, to give away the best [Page 235]security I can afford of my fidelity, upon eve­ry trifle? I wish all those who have been guilty of this Sin, would so endeavour after an ordinary Reputation amongst men, as to be ashamed of it for the future.

Thus have I shown what those evil Prin­ciples are from whence Swearing in ordina­ry Conversation proceeds. It comes of irre­verence towards God, carelesness of being Forsworn, Immodesty and Arrogance, Light­ness and Vanity of spirit; that is to say, if a man hath either the fear of God, or a de­testation of Perjury, or Modesty, and a good Manners or any Sobriety and Seriousness, any one of these things will be sufficient to keep him from using needless Oaths, and therefore the common Swearer is destitute of them all; and consequently it must needs be a foul Immorality, which groweth out of a Complexion of all those evil Principles that are contrary to these good and virtuous dis­positions.

I am in the

Second place, to examine the pretences that are only possible to be alledged in the excuse, or for the mitigation of this Crime; and if I can shew, that evil is implied in these also, the conclusion will yet be more evident, that whatsoever in our ordinary Conversation is beyond affirmation and denial, cometh of evil. I do not think that any excuses will be heard [Page 236]for that man who goes on in any known sin, much less in his behalf who lives in the vio­lation of so plain and easy a Law as this which forbids common Swearing; but be­cause there are many given to this sin, who are ready to excuse themselves presently when they are admonished, and to ask your pardon, if you seem to be offended and grie­ved, and then think that they have given you reasonable satisfaction, as they hope they have done the like to God, by confes­sing that truly they ought not to swear in this fashion, and God forgive them for it, but yet they go on still to do the same thing; one would think there were some notable Temptation to this sin, which would go ve­ry far to extenuate the guilt of it, and which rendred the avoiding of it so very difficult, that all the regard which could reasonably be expected to be given to that Law of God which forbids it, is to confess our fault, and cry God's mercy every time we commit it; and that a good natur'd man ought to be ve­ry well satisfied with the acknowledgment. I have already shewn, that this is a Sin which stands in need of an excuse as much as any: I shall now shew, that there is none less capable of an excuse, by examining what is usually pretended for it. I never heard that any Swearer ever fancied his Oaths to be for his Health, or his Wealth; that they pro­long his Life, or encrease his Estate; that they [Page 237]give the Wine a brisker flavour, or bring the Gamester any good luck; that they ease him of his pains, or set off his Pleasures. I sup­pose you are all sensible, that these pretences would be very ridiculous, and truly they are not much better that follow; as,

First of all, That they are an Ornament to a man's discourse; that they set off his lan­guage; and if they are well placed, they make a sentence run the better. I should have been ashamed to mention this excuse, but that they say it goes a great way with some people. Now this very excuse betrays Fan­tasticalness, and Pride, and comes of a foolish affectation to be counted a Wit, which eve­ry body almost knows to be an argument of a mean and degenerate spirit; the reason why at any time Oaths and profane Talk are affected for this purpose, is, because they are sometimes observed to surprize the Hearers, which makes the profane Person conceit that his Wit is acknowledged, when in truth it is only the extravagance and boldness of his Talk that is wondered at. Folly, that is some­thing out of the road, is more commonly apt to provoke laughter, than a surprizal that is truly ingenious; and therefore for a man to have an Opinion of himself, meerly because he is able to make the Company stare upon him, ariseth from nothing but a mixture of Pride and Ignorance: As to this particular [Page 238]matter of Swearing, it is plain that an Oath signifies only to the affirming or denying of what is said, but adds nothing to the weight of the sense, or to the stile wherein it is ex­prest; it may startle a modest man, but it cannot please any wise man, because it nei­ther mends the matter, nor helps the phrase. But it is not strange, that that should go for Wit, which the very basest of the People can make use of with as much freedom and dis­cretion, and with as good a grace as a man of the best quality and breeding can do? for the truth is, there is nothing required to this kind of pleasantness, but to get ones for­head furnished with Impudence: which if the meanest Peasant be capable of, he is then qualified for a good Companion, meerly by having a memory large enough to take in half a dozen Oaths, and a Tongue in his Head to use them as occasion serves; which, experience shows, may be done, without any natural Sagacity, or Rules of Art.

2. It is sometimes pretended by common Swearers, though I think but rarely, That men will not believe them without an Oath: and what is this but to confess, they have been so notoriously given to Lying, that no body dares trust them upon their bear word? for a man that is known to make conscience of speaking the Truth, finds no difficulty of creating a belief of what he says amongst a­ny of his Friends, without making any appeal [Page 239]to God. Besides the Oath of a common Swearer, gives indeed but very little assurance of the truth of what he says; if I know a man to be afraid of an Oath, his Oath shall satisfy me beyond any other testimony that he can give; and upon the Oath of such a man, a Court of Judicature may proceed with confidence; but what regard can rea­sonably be had to his Oath above his simple and bare word, as we use to say, who is known to swear upon all occasions? if he does not lie, 'tis well, but of this I have no peculiar assurance by his Oath, because it is as ordinary with him to swear, as to speak; and therefore in Athens, a Common Swearer's Oath was not allowed, nor accepted of in their Courts; and sometimes the testimony of a man of known Probity and Honour was admitted without it; this last seems to be imitated by the wisdom of our Laws, which suppose the Asseveration of a Peer to be equi­valent to the Oath of another man; and therefore for another man to Swear needlesly, is to disparage the Reputation of his Fidelity; but for a man of Honour to do so, is to re­nounce his Priviledge; and for any man to do thus, is not only to bring the honesty of his Word, but the truth of his Oath also into question.

3. The most usual excuse framed for the extenuation of this Impiety, is that of sudden Passion; thus when some men are a little [Page 240]provoked, or when they are surprized with some unexpected good Fortune, or any un­look'd-for misadventure befals them, either their Rage or their Joy bursts out presently into Oaths, and they pretend they cannot help it; for they have no other way to dis­charge their minds, and give vent to their Passions, but by Cursing and Swearing; now is not this a plain confession, that they have lost the government of themselves, and have no rule over their own spirits? So common it is for men, while they are framing an ex­cuse for one sin, to betray themselves guilty of another; what greater argument can lightly be given of an impotent mind, than that every petty accident is able to bereave one of all consideration, and make him cease to be his own man till the fit is over? And the truth is, though Passion be brought in to mitigate the business, yet it is plain enough, that any trifling occasion is able to set these men a swearing, that make this excuse for themselves; when provocation is alledged to mollify this Crime, one would think it must arise from no less a cause than if he should find his house in flames, or his friend attempting the honour of his bed; but upon examination, this same emotion and heat of spirit, is pleaded for the begging of your pardon, when a man swears upon the most trifling and inconsiderable occasions: And what can excuse that childishness and [Page 241]impotency of mind to which these men have thus given themselves over? But let never such extraordinary causes of joy, or grief, or anger happen, it is an unmanly thing to set no bounds to these Passions, and they are never less unbridled, than when we make such undue expressions of them, as Oaths and Curses are; St. James gives us this Rule, Above all things, my brethren, swear not, nei­ther by heaven, neither by the earth, nor by any other Oath, James 5.12. But the particu­lar Case wherein he thought this Rule was useful, was that of Affliction, for he had be­fore exhorted them to whom he wrote, to take the Prophets for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience, and particularly re­commended to them the meekness and pati­ence of Job for their imitation, ver. 10, 11. But if they could not perfectly equal such great examples as those were, yet at least he strictly enjoins them not to be transported so far into Anger and Impatience as to break forth into Oaths: But above all things, my bre­thren, swear not, but keep your selves within the bounds of modest and Christian Lan­guage; and that they might see that he allow­ed them to have a sense of the good and evil of this World, and was far from thinking it a Virtue to be stupid, and dull, and uncon­cerned about either the Comforts, or the Ca­lamities of human Life; he directs them how they may convert the Passions which [Page 242]are thereby excited, to an excellent and pro­fitable use; Is any man among you afflicted? let him pray; Is any merry? let him sing Psalms, ver. 13, 15. If any man be over­taken with worldly misery, let him turn him­self to more devout and earnest Prayer, that God would either remove his burden, or give him patience under it; if he be sur­prized with some new blessing, let him break forth into the Praises of God, to whose Bounty and Goodness he stands obliged for it. Thus to improve the excitations of joy and grief within us, is a demonstration that our Passions have not overwhelmed our Rea­son and Understanding, but left us the free use of our selves, to do what becomes us as Men and Christians; but in either case to lash out into Oaths, is a plain token of an impotent mind, that hath no rule over it self, but is hurried away by intemperate Passions, which is matter of so much shame to a reasonable Creature, and much more to a Disciple of Christ, that we should blush to confess so much evil against our selves, as to make it the excuse of any other Sin.

4. If Swearing be excused under the noti­on of a compliance with the custom of other men who are our Friends and Companions; this pretence indeed carries a shew of civi­lity and kind nature; but for all that, is the silliest that can readily be thought of, and the making of it argues a mean and degene­rate [Page 243]mind; for although in things of an inno­cent and indifferent nature, 'tis commendable for men to remit of their own way and hu­mour, and to suit themselves to the customs and manners of those whom they converse with, yet to be complaisant in all things with­out exception, is the way to grow as profligate and vile as the Devil would wish any man to be; for what wickedness could want Autho­rity, if this pretence were once admitted? What is this but to proclaim that a man hath lost all sense of difference between good and evil? And that he hath left off to judge all things according to their own nature; that he hath no more use left for his Reason; that his Conscience is no longer in his own keeping, and that he is now fit to herd with the Beasts that follow the foremost without discretion. The Laws of Truth and Good­ness are immutable; and another man's vio­lation of them, gives me no dispensation to do so too; I may not prostitute my Consci­ence to the Lusts of other men, who are to be governed by the Laws of God as well as I; if they call my resolution not to provoke my Maker, an humour, in this matter I were a Fool not to be tenacious of my own hu­mour; in this case there can be no reason why he that is in the right, should go over to him that is wrong, unless he that sets the evil example could change the nature of things, and made evil not to be evil, and sin [Page 244]and punishment to be other things than what they are.

Lastly, The common way of excusing rash Oaths, by pleading an habit, implieth the greatest evil of this nature that can be; for this is but to confess that a man is guilty of this sin in the highest degree, an evil cu­stom being the heighth of wickedness.

Thus both by shewing what those dispo­sitions are which lead to common Swearing, and by considering the excuses that are usual­ly framed in the behalf of it, I have discover­ed the Immorality thereof, and that it cometh of evil.

I might here add the Authority of wise men, who had no particular Revelation, to guide themselves by, and yet condemned this practice, and disswaded all men from it; for these Persons could discover the evil of it only by the light of Natural Reason, which they could not have done, if it had not been evil in its own nature. Plato wrote smartly against Swearing upon light causes; Hierocles tells us, It is a dishonour to truth to confirm it lightly with an Oath. Epicte­tus gives this advice, Avoid Swearing alto­gether, if thou canst, if not, as much as thou canst. In a word, The wise and sober Heathens were generally of this mind, That an Oath was to be reserved for Cases of ne­cessity; and the practice of common Swear­ing was not in use amongst any but Stage­players [Page 245]and Slaves; nor do we ordinarly meet with Oaths in any of their Writers, ex­cepting the Comedians, and some of their dissolute Poets; but the grave men and Phi­losophers took not the liberty themselves, and dehorted others from it. And this may serve to confirm us in the belief of its Immo­rality; for what so many wise men agreed in condemning, seems to be condemn'd as evil, by reasons common to all men, and possi­bly such as I have offered to your considera­tion; so great a shame and ignominy it is to Christians to allow themselves in a Custom so easy avoidable; that is condemned by the light of Nature, however by the Authority of the Son of God, whose Disciples we pro­fess our selves to be.

Thus have I finished what I had to say up­on this subject, having been willing to say all that was any way proper to oppose a cu­stom tending so manifestly to the dishonour of our Nation, and the discredit of our Church, and the scandal of Christian Socie­ty, and finally, to the ruin of Mens Souls for ever; for without universal obedience to the Laws of Christ, whereof this is one which I have been preaching to you, we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; for which reason if I had chosen any other com­mand of our Lord and Saviour to discourse upon, I had been as vehement in urging you [Page 246]to the obedience of that, as I have been in pressing this.

Now the God of mercy grant that we may walk before him blameless, and be holy in all manner of Conversation as becomes the follow­ers of Jesus; To Him with the Father and the Holy Spirit be ascribed all honour, praise, and glory, now, and for ever. Amen.

The Tenth Sermon.

THE Point determined in these words is of the highest concernment to us in the world, viz. Who of those that hope for Salvation by Christ shall not, and who shall enter into the kingdom of hea­ven. The former is described in that part of the Text, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord; The latter in the close of it, But he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Let us first consider the former part, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord; which being compared with the Clause opposed to it, is evidently to be thus interpreted; Not any one that saith, Lord, Lord, and does no more than say so, but neglects the doing of God's Will, not any such person shall enter into the King­dom [Page 248]of Heaven: By calling Christ Lord, is meant an open profession of Christianity; and by calling him, Lord, Lord, is meant a vehement profession of it, such a Profession as is to be seen in all the ways of making known to the World what Religion we are of. For instance, When we do not only not renounce our Baptism, and suffer our selves to be called Christians, and call our selves so, which is common to the most care­less Professors of Christianity in the World; but when also we do solemnly confess that Faith in the Assemblies of the Church into which we have been baptized, and frequent the Table of Our Lord to shew forth his death, and join in publick Prayers, and are zealous for the purity of Christian Profes­sion, and contend against Error, then we are those that call Christ Lord, Lord, (i. e.) who make a vehement profession, that we are his Servants and Followers: Now where­as our Saviour says, Not every one that doth this, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, the plain meaning is, That he doth not exclude this outward profession as unnecessary, but that he makes it insufficient of it self in order to salvation.

1. He doth by no means exclude it as un­necessary, or as a Condition that may well enough be spared, he said upon another occa­sion, Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye say well, [Page 249]for so I am, John 13.13. And St. Paul tells us, That as with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, so with the mouth confes­sion is made to salvation, Rom. 10.10. Nay, it is so necessary, if we will be saved, to con­fess Christ and his Truth publickly in the World, that no danger will excuse us from it: For the doing of this, if need be, we must venture all that is dearest to us in this life, nay, and life it self: It was on this ac­count that our Saviour told his Disciples, Whoever will come after me, must take up his cross, and follow me. It is the confession of the true Faith added to holy living that hath made Martyrs of Saints: since it was pro­perly for confessing Christ with their mouths, for contending in the behalf of Truth against Error, for serving God in Religious Assemblies according to the Go­spel, for their common Prayers and Worship, for celebrating the Holy Communion, and for doing all those things in which the outward profession of true Christianity stands, that they laid down their lives, and have been tormented many of them, not ac­cepting deliverance; and therefore our Savi­our, who here says, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter, &c. hath also said, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the son of man also confess be­fore the angels of God; But he that denieth me before men, shall be denied before the angels [Page 250]of God, Luke 12.8, 9. So that although confessing Christ be not of it self enough for salvation, yet it is always necessary to it; and sometimes it is of that force, that one may conclude nothing else is wanting, and that is, when we confess with great hazard to our selves in this World. But one reason why 'tis sometimes so exceedingly praise­worthy, and signifies all other necessary qua­lities, is because it is always a duty; for if it were in it self but indifferent, and might be omitted without breach of our duty to God, it were a foolish thing not to omit it, when our own safety and welfare in this World required us to forbear. In a word, Confession with the mouth, assembling our selves together for Prayer, Baptism, and the celebration of the Holy Communion, and every other part of outward Religion, in which the profession of Christianity stands, are all of them required in the Scriptures; which we are not to wonder at, since it is evident, that the Honour of God, that Cha­rity to men, and the Interest and mainte­nance of Christianity, do require it also.

1. The Honour of God doth plainly re­quire it; for if it be fit and necessary that God should be honoured by us (i. e.) con­fessed, praised, and prayed unto, who doth not see, that all this ought to be done not only in private singly, but in publick joint­ly, [Page 251]unless one should think, that we have Reason and Speech given to us for trans­acting common Affairs of the least moment, and not of the greatest, viz. those which concern our dependance upon God, and our subjection to him: Hence it is that David in the Psalms called his Tongue his glory, because he did therewith praise, and confess, and glorify God amongst men. And in the New Testament we are not only exhorted to glorify God with our Mind, but with our Mouth too. Nor can any thing be more plain at first fight, than that without this, it is impossible that God should be honoured, as it is most fit he should be in the Socie­ties of Mankind. And,

2. The outward profession of Religion is no less requisite to the good of the World, to which we in charity are to contribute what we can: For there is nothing more necessary for the common welfare of Man­kind, than a sense of God and Religion, which although it has its foundation in our very Natures, yet as many other natural In­clinations, may be strangely weakned, and in danger to be lost, if it be not supported by use and exercise; and what is there more necessary for the maintaining of a common sense of Religion, than a common profession of it? And therefore in a matter of so great moment as this is, every man ought to be an Example to his Neighbour, [Page 252]and all men should encourage and animate one another: Nor can any one single person withdraw from the profession of Religion, but in so doing he grows an enemy to Man­kind, and as much as in him lies, he teaches others to be so too. But then,

3. Above all, The interest and mainte­nance of Christianity requires a publick pro­fession of it: For Christianity doth not only consist in the belief of such and such Do­ctrines, but in meeting together also for the Worship of God according to them, which is the most comprehensive instance of out­ward profession; for when our Lord insti­tuted a Church, and his Apostles did after­ward gather men to it, nothing could be more plain, than that he made a profession of his Doctrine, and the outward Service of God according to his Gospel, a part of Chri­stianity; for without this, it is impossible that Believers should be a Body or a Society, as they are: And therefore that man that lives without Christian Communion, or which is all one, without Christian Profession, can­not rightly be called a Christian, but hath rather renounced his Baptism, by declaring in effect, that although he was admitted by Baptism into the Body of Christ's Church, yet now he will have nothing to do with it: But if the secret belief of the Doctrine of Christ, without any appearance of Profession of it, were enough to make a man a Chri­stian, [Page 253]as I think it is not, yet such a person would deserve very ill of Christianity to conceal his belief; for it is by our profession of it, that it must be upheld in the World, and propagated amongst those that do not yet receive it; and he that dissembles his Faith, doth therefore his part, and gives his consent, that the True Religion should fail from among the Children of men: And there is no doubt, but that amongst other Reasons, the Gospel requires, that Believers should profess their Faith, and be a visible Commu­nion of Worshippers, that so the Doctrine and worship of the Gospel might be upheld and maintained in the World. The truth is, there is that wickedness amongst men, that so holy a Doctrine as that of our Saviour's will not be readily entertained; and there is that folly and superstition every-where, that so reasonable and excellent a Worship, as that which the Gospel prescribes, is not apt to take with most people; and for this rea­son, Error and Superstition are things that men will run into of themselves. When therefore our Lord brought into the World the knowledge of Divine Truth, and of the way how God would be worshipped and served, he did therefore make his Disciples a Society of men professing the way of Truth and Purity, that his Doctrine might spread in the World, and keep all the ground it should gain by every man's making profes­sion [Page 254]of the common Faith: For which rea­son Origen thought, that when Our Saviour said, Ʋpon this rock will I build my Church, he meant by the rock every Christian that should do as St. Peter had done, (i. e.) who should make open confession of that Truth which St. Peter confessed, because the Pro­fession of every Christian did something to support the Interest of the Gospel in the World.

A great many more things might be said to this purpose, to shew, that what is meant here by saying unto Christ, Lord, Lord, (i. e.) an outward profession of true Chri­stianity, is so far from being an indifferent thing, that it is a most necessary duty, stand­ing upon plain Commands and plain Rea­sons; nay, so necessary, that without it we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; no, though it should bring never so much trouble upon us in this World, and therefore to be sure when it brings little or none at all: And upon this account it had doubtless been a true saying, if it had been said, Notevery one that in other things doth the Will of my Father, shall enter into the Kingdom of Hea­ven, but he that also saith unto me, Lord, Lord (i. e.) who doth moreover make an outward profession of being my Disciple: This, I say, had been true, but then it had not been so instructing and useful an Admo­nition as it is in the Text, because it is in­comparably [Page 255]more certain, that he who doth the Will of God in all other things, will out wardly profess the truth of the Gospel, than that every one who doth profess it, will live according to it. And therefore our Saviour laid his Caution, where the danger was; and so I come to the

2d. Point, That an outward profession of Christianity, is not of it self sufficient in or­der to our Salvation, inasmuch as it is more­over necessary, that we should do the Will of God (i. e.) that we should do his Will in all other things; and in general, that our Affections and Practices should be answera­ble to the truth we profess, which is a thing so plain, if we once come seriously to consi­der it, that there is as little need of proof to make it out, as one would think there was of this Caution of our Saviour, not to trust in outward profession, when our hearts and lives are contrary to what we profess: What is a professed Christian, but one that declares himself to believe, That the unrighteous, the unmerciful, the unclean, the ungodly, shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; one that declares to the World, that his chief business is to be saved, and that without holiness no man shall see the Lord: And therefore whilst himself lives in ungodliness, and is led away by worldly Lusts, he is the most absurd person in the World, and so much more ridiculous, than a man that has [Page 256]skill in any thing but the proper business of his Calling by which he must live, as the Concerns of another World are above all our Interests in this: For such a man to maintain the hope of Everlasting Life, is a contradiction to his own Faith and Pro­fession, such a contradiction to his Professi­on, that he exposes himself to have the lie given him by the World; such a contradi­ction to his Faith, that his own Conscience one would think should give him the lie too: But yet as plain a case as it is, that meer pro­fession, without doing the Will of God, is not enough to save us; our Saviour nevertheless thought fit here and elsewhere plainly to ad­monish us of it, that we might not deceive our selves: And the Apostle foretold, there would be men having a form of godliness, and denying the power thereof; and therefore it should seem, that how plain soever the mistake is of trusting to profession without a practice answerable to it, yet men would be very apt to fall into that mistake.

There are these two things, which I shall hereupon take occasion to speak to.

1. That Experience has proved the prone­ness of Mankind to this folly of presuming upon mere profession, that God is pleased with them.

2. What are the causes and occasions of so wretched a conceit, so void of all shadow or pretence to reason.

1. As to the proof of it, that it has been so, I shall need to insist but little upon it, because, alas, the thing is too apparent in our own days, and every man that is guilty has a testimony of it from his own Consci­ence, if he will hearken to it, too plain to be denied: Our Blessed Saviour himself found a great deal of this folly and madness among the Jews, especially amongst the Scribes and Pharisees, when he came into the World: Their Fathers had for 400 years been cured of Idolatry, and the fondness of the gods of their Neighbours round about them; they had smarted too severely for that, ever to return to it again: But they soon fell to make the Profession and Worship of God according to the Law, a dispensation for Luxury and Injustice, and Unmerciful­ness and wicked living, instead of a restraint from it; plainly shewing thereby, that their Fathers did not like the True Religion, be­cause it was too good for them, since their Posterity not daring to revolt from the out­ward profession of it, yet soon learned to re­concile it with a licentious practice. Nay, if we will take St. Paul's word, who did not use to reprove without cause, they thought that the same sins which they were guilty of with the Gentiles, would not have so bad a construction made of them, nor be so displeasing to God, as they were in the Gentiles. For as it appears from Rom. 2. [Page 258]they judged the Gentiles for doing evil things, and did them themselves, thinking all the while to escape the righteous judgment of God: And what was the reason of all this? They had the Temple of God amongst them: the Promises made to Abraham and to his Poste­rity; God's Service according to the Law, of Moses, Sacrifices according to the Law, and Washings, and divers Ordinances, in the observation of which they put their trust, and believed that no Israelite should go with­out his portion of happiness in the life to come: In this state our Saviour found them; they trusted in Moses, and said, we have Abraham to our Father, they built and garnish­ed the Tombs of the Prophets, those very Prophets that had been so ill entertained by their Forefathers for declaring against their sins; and because they did this external ho­nour to the Monuments of those good men, they excused themselves from following their Instructions, being full of hypocrisy and ini­quity, and all uncleanness. Now this being so notorious in our Saviour's time, and ha­ving been so for some Ages before, it seemed needful that his Disciples should be warned against the like fatal mistakes, into which there was no little reason to be jealous they would fall: For by how much a greater Person Jesus was than Moses, and his Sacrifice more excellent than the Sacrifices of the Law, and his Religion a more rational and [Page 259]perfect Religion, than any that had been before, so much greater danger there might be, least men should trust to their relation to Christ, and to the Sacrifice of Christ, and to the profession of the Faith of Christ, with­out an holy heart and life: If the Jews could say, We have Abraham to our Father, and this were enough to quiet their guilty fears; it was to be feared Christians would say, We have Christ Jesus our Lord and Master, our Deliverer and Saviour, and make the same use of it: If they trusted in Moses, there was some reason to suspect that others would hereafter lay hold upon Christ, and think themselves safe enough by making their boast of him, no less than the Jews had done before of Moses, and consequently great reason for this earnest admonition, Not eve­ry one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, &c. Nay,

2. Notwithstanding this and the like forewarnings, yet men have, and do in this manner delude themselves; inasmuch as our Saviour upon this occasion told his Disciples before hand, Many shall say unto me in that day, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? which certainly was spoken of those Workers of Ini­quity that lived in the early days of the Church, whilst Mirales were yet continued in it: And this was a terrible instance of the [Page 260]proneness of men to fall into this kind of pre­sumption; That some of them who did not only hear, but preach the Gospel of Christ; who did not only see, but do Miracles in the name of Christ, should yet be workers of ini­quity; that they who had faith to cast out devils out of others, should not have faith enough to dispossess themselves of their vile Lusts, and to cleanse their own hearts and ways. But when Honour, and Power, and Wealth became the Rewards of professing Christianity, the instances of this folly and madness grew still more numerous, and more open, and men more easily passed for Christians, than in former times, though they were as lustful and revengeful, as vain and insolent, and altogether as worldly and vicious, as other men, they then came into the Church with more ease, and were turn­ed out of it with more difficulty, and they continued in it under a Discipline less severe than in former times; and no wonder then, that upon the encrease of Bad Examples, there were still more and more who looked for Salvation by the Name of Christ, that had little or nothing of his Spirit, and were themselves Christians in nothing else but in name and profession. And now let us consider,

2dly, How it comes to pass that men can thus deceive themselves, as to rest upon so [Page 261]false a foundation of hope and comfort, as a mere profession of the Name and Religion of Christ, without being such persons in life and soul, as their profession requires. Now,

1. The first and most general cause is this, That men are willing to be thus de­ceived; and no man is in greater danger of falling into a mistake, how pernicious soever it be, than he that has a mind to believe it no mistake: Our Saviour in this Sermon, whereof the Text is a part, speaks against causeless Anger, and an adulterous Eye, and a revengeful Spirit, and Vain-glory, and Worldly sollicitude, and a great many other things, which are often as hard to reform, as it would be to cut off a right hand, and to pull out a right eye, especially where a corrupt Inclination is confirmed by custom in sin: This is indeed the principal cause why men will conceit any thing, though it be never so foolish, rather than they will feel an in­dispensible obligation to repent and reform their wicked ways. 'Tis true, when a man has had some experience of it, the practice of Religion in all his conversation becomes the joy of his life; and he finds more pleasure in a constant course of piety towards God, of justice and mercy towards men, of a so­ber and temperate use of the good things of this life, than can possibly be had in the ways of sin; but whilst one is under the [Page 262]power and lust of Passion, his indulgence to his own Appetite, is like drink to a man in a Feaver, who, till he recovers his health, knows no other pleasure, nor is there a grea­ter torment to him, than to be denied it: Now they are those Rules of Christianity which concern the government of our Affe­ctions and Passions, our Manners and Pra­ctices in the general course of our conversa­tion, that are directly contrary to those cor­rupt Inclinations of Mankind; whereas the obligation to profess a Religion, and to wor­ship God amongst those that do so, doth not of it self thwart them, otherways than it brings the other part of Religion to mind, which is, to act accordingly in all our conver­sation: And therefore men would fain be­lieve, that their care in one part shall supply the defects in the other; that is, That say­ing, Lord, Lord, shall stand them in good stead, although they do not the will of our heavenly Father. To this we may add,

2. That there is as great a difficulty on the other side to throw off all fear of God, and all concern for a Life to come, as there is to come up throughly to that which Religion requires. And we have infinite reason to bless God for this difficulty, (i. e.) that he hath made it, I will not only say as difficult, but more difficult, for us to become mere Atheists and Infidels, than even bad men have made it to become true and sincere Christians: For [Page 263]he hath left those natural impressions of his own Being upon our hearts, and hath given such evidence to the World of the truth of the Gospel of his Son, that it must needs be an hard thing for us to grow downright A­theists, or even Unbelievers; and for the most part, do what we can, we are held un­der the sense and awe of Religion; and if we will make an evil course of life easy to our selves, it must not be done by throwing off all pretence to Religion; for then we should be self-condemned without any re­lief, and have nothing at all to trust to; but it must be done by putting some cheat upon our selves, consistent with the profession of Religion; that is, by flattering our selves, that a diligent profession of it will serve the turn; and they are these two things taken together, viz. the unwillingness of men to leave their sins on the one side, and the un­avoidable apprehensions of God, and a Life to come, and a general conviction of the truth of Christianity on the other, that have not only made many Persons take up this false way of comforting themselves, but have also made them easy to receive divers Errors which help to support this, to expect spiri­tual relief from things blest by man, without any appointment from God, and to place Religion in things which have neither rea­son of their own, nor Divine Authority to make them valuable. Certainly if it were [Page 264]either easy for Mankind to throw off all pre­tence to Religion on the one hand, or if they could easily be persuaded to break off their sins by repentance on the other, it had been a much harder thing to corrupt Religion, than Experience has shewn it to be: But so long as there will be Conscience, and a sense of God, and an apprehension of a life to come, as there will be while the World en­dures; and so long as there will be lust and passion, vice and wickedness more or less amongst men; so long also they will be very desirous to believe those Doctrines that pro­mise security, without an effectual reforma­tion: And in the company of more mistakes tending to the same comfort, it will be a very hard matter indeed to convince a man of that mistake, that his form of godliness will supply the want of the real power of it: But alas! where Truth is professed without the mixture of any Doctrinal Errors of this kind, there is still too much room left for this practical Error, of holding the truth in unrighteousness: For whilst some men are led into sin by Error, do not others who are guilty of the same sins, hope that they shall be overlooked for the sake of their opposition to those Errors, and the professing and main­taining the contrary Truth? 'Tis true, that our Church, according to the truth of the Scriptures, and the clearest reason that there is for any thing in the world, holds forth a [Page 265]necessity of actual reformation, in order to God's Pardon, and eternal Life; and we disclaim all manner of ways to supply the want of effe­ctual repentance, and a thorough change of heart and life from Sin to God. But, my Brethren, let us lay one Particular seriously to heart under this General, and that is this, That our very Profession of this Truth, in the natural and proper sense of it, That without holiness no man shall see the Lord, will not serve our turn, without the practice of it; our profession of the necessity of an holy life, is not that holy life which is necessary: And if the unavoidableness of professing some Religion, and the desire we have to keep our Sins too, works this way upon us, as to make us trust in the purity of our Pro­fession, we are guilty of one Error as perni­cious, if we continue in it, as if a thousand more were added to it. I say, if we conti­nue in it; for there is this advantage of a true and pure profession of Christianity, that whosoever makes it, to use the words of our Saviour in a sense something different, he is not far from the Kingdom of God; there is less to do, to recover him to repentance; no false Principle being in the way to hinder it: he lies open to Exhortation, and Persuasion, and every serious Instruction and Admonition smites his very Conscience; he feels the truth that is delivered to him; there is that within him which confesseth it all, and will not [Page 266]easily let him be quiet, till it hath made him a new man. But to proceed.

3. In some Persons a dishonourable opini­on of God may be the reason of expecting his Rewards, without performing the Duties of Purity and Charity; I fear there are those in the world who think, that God hath ap­pointed the confession of his Name with Prayer, and Thansgivings, and other holy Offices of Religion, that by these things men might give him the satisfaction of hear­ing the greatness of his Perfections, and the excellency of his Works applauded by his Creatures; and therefore that these things being performed, they have entitled them­selves to his thanks and favour: But this is in truth to have but a very low and mean opinion of the Divine Majesty, and seems to suppose God to be altogether such an one as our selves, who, perhaps, are so vain, as to take great delight in our own praises, and love to be flattered into a great opinion of our selves: If we believe worthily of the Divine Nature, we must say, That because God is holy and good, therefore he will have men to be so; and that he expects to be glo­rified by us, to be confessed and adored; not that he needeth us, or is taken with our commendations of him, but because it is in­finitely fit and reasonable, and equitable, that we should thus worship him; and because this is a necessary means also of forming our [Page 267]minds and actions into the likeness of what God is, and of what he does in the World: We are mistaken, if we think that our Savi­our is beholden to us for keeping up the pro­fession of his Name, or that some great In­terest of his is served, when Religion gets ground upon the World, because there will be more and more to speak his Praise, and to celebrate his Goodness, and his Greatness; as if he were like some one of those great men, who, if they have Flatterers enough, and can make others seem to honour them, though there be no such matter, are very well pleased: The Religion of our Saviour was not sent into the world for the ostenta­tion of his Power and Greatness; and he plainly told us, that he sought not his own honour: It is indeed our indispensible duty to honour him before all the World with all expressions of gratitude and humble reve­rence; and we are most inexcusable and wretched Creatures, if we do it not: But the end of his Religion was to turn us from our iniquities, and to make us a peculiar peo­ple, zealous of good works; and so far as this Design takes, so far he approves of us; otherwise he hath plainly told us what we are to expect from him, even that Sentence, Depart from me, ye that work iniquity, I know you not.

4. The conceit and expectation of some unpromised mercy of God, must necessarily [Page 268]be one ingredient into the presumption o [...] those men, that hold the truth in unrighteousness For the Threatnings of God's Word are so un­deniably plain, that a man of sense, who be­lieves the truth, as it is in Jesus, can have no ease under a guilty Conscience, but upon a suppo­sition, that God will, or may at least, abate something of the rigour of his threatning and accept of less, perhaps, a Death-bed Repen­tance; of less, I say, than he hath required: This seems to be at the bottom of their Con­fidence, of whom our Lord foretold, that they should say, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, &c. that is to say, they had been in­strumental to maintain and support his Do­ctrine in the World, and expostulate now with him, as if they always had some secret hope this would at last be accepted, though there was no promise of it before-hand. But to pre­vent this presumption, Our Saviour hath said before-hand, Then will I profess to them, I never knew you, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity; which plain dealing was very necessary: For though it is true, that he that threatens pun­ishment, doth not delight in taking punish­ment, but intends to prevent the fault; yet when God threatens for this end, and adds moreover Declaration upon the Threatning, That he will not spare, if the fault be not pre­vented; 'tis an affront to him to presume that he will spare for all that.

To conclude; Let us seriously lay to heart [Page 269]these words of our Saviour, which are an answer to the most concerning Question in the World, who are they that shall be saved? Not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, but he that doth the will of our father which is in heaven. He that can say, I was by my natural temper and in­clination thus and thus, but the Religion of Jesus, and the Worship of God according to the Gospel, hath given me a new heart, and a new nature; and though I was addicted to sensuality and uncleanness, and to the Vices of my natural Constitution, yet by the Grace of God, and power of Faith, I am what I am, quite another man than I was by my corrup­ted Nature. So much as there is of this in the World, so much true Religion there is in it, and no more, and so many as there are, who can thus approve themselves to God, so many shall be saved, and no more: All other Reliefs will fail, all other Foundations will ruin a man in the time of his distress, they will de­ceive him at the hour of death, or at the day of Judgement; and therefore that men might not deceive themselves, our Saviour concludes his Precepts and Cautions in this effectual manner, Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them, I will liken him to a wise man, that built his house upon a rock; And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house on the sand, and the rain descended, and the flouds came, and the winds blew, and beat [Page 270]upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. But let not that happen to us, which St. James saith, He that is an hearer of the word, and not a doer thereof, is like to a man that behold­eth his natural face in a glass, and for the time knoweth himself, but then goeth away, and straight­way forgetteth what manner of man he was. Which Similitude is not so much intended to expose the nature of the folly in hearing and believ­ing, and in doing nothing; as to assign the reason of it, (i. e.) If ye would not be hearers only, but doers of the word, take care that the con­victions of Truth, and the impressions which it makes upon your minds when you hear it, do not slide away, just as the Image of a man's Countenance, which the Glass hath made in his imagination, vanishes away when he turns from the Glass, and he does not so well know his own, as any other man's face: The Do­ctrine of our Saviour doth represent us to our selves, and sheweth us our own Actions, what they are; and our Consciences witness there­to, while we hear those plain and powerful words of his which are laid up in the Evange­lists▪ But if we straightway forget what we are, and what we should be, and take no care to make his word abide in us, then, as the same A­postle says, we shall be hearers only, but not doers of the word, deceiving our own selves.

The Eleventh Sermon.

AMongst the many Arguments in Scripture persuading to an upright Intention, and honest Conversation, this in the Text is fit to be propounded, and considered; as being not only weighty in it self, as all the rest are, but adapted to allure the curious temper of man, and most proper for them who are most in­quisitive after knowledge; and likely to be effectual with the most prudent, who aim at the best knowledge. For,

1. The knowledge spoken of in the Text, is that of the Wisdom of God, or his Reve­lations to Mankind by Jesus Christ; and it is of infinite importance to us, for it concerns the welfare of our immortal Souls, and this should invite us to endeavour after it through the most difficult methods that could be pro­pounded: But,

2. For our great encouragement, the me­thod laid down in the Text is easy to appre­hend, and obvious to all Capacities; it is easy [Page 272]likewise to put in practice; it requires nothing but a willing mind, If any man will do the will of God; if he will but walk according to his present light, if he intends to learn that he may practice, he shall know.

3. The Promise is universal in respect of the Object, being made to all, If any man will do his will; no man who is capable of being sincere and honest, is excluded, therefore every man is concerned in the Promise; the Con­dition is not only possible to all, but being performed, the Promise is sure to all; there­fore this method will fail no man. For,

4. The promise is made by him, who is the way, the truth, and the life; he himself, whose Doctrine it is that we would learn, and best knows that method by which we may learn it, hath given us this assurance, That if we make Piety and Virtue our first design, we shall know.

5. The Promise is universal in respect of the matter of it, he shall know of the doctrine (i. e.) of the whole Doctrine, whatsoever is necessary or greatly profitable to the end of knowledge: He shall not therefore only learn in general, that the Doctrine of Christianity is of God, but the particular Doctrines that are so: so likewise he shall know the same things bet­ter than he did before; this method will con­firm us, and give us the best assurance; it will keep us from wandring, and doubting afterwards; and if we shall know the Truth, [Page 273]and know the same more perfectly, then the motive is proper to be used in all Ages of the Church, and we have reason to think our selves concerned in it.

Lastly, It is yet a greater encouragement to follow this method, if we consider that no man can possibly miss of Happiness in that way, which our Saviour here prescribes for the attainment of the best knowledge; what reason have I to take that way of arriving to sound knowledge, which hath not only so great a promise to secure me that I shall not miss of that end, but which undoubtedly, will secure a farther end, and one much better, and more desirable than that, the love of God, and the compleat happiness of Soul and Body for ever! But now although a man could by o­ther methods arrive to knowledge, yet if in the mean time he neglected to do the Will of God, he doth not at all provide for his Hap­piness; for tho he had as clear an apprehension as an Angel, though he received Revelations from the mouth of our Lord himself, or by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost: though he had an Infallible Guide to determine all Con­troversies for him, and to clear up the darkness of every doubt; yet if all this, while he hath a perverse and vicious Will, and is carried a­side by wandring and unruly Affections, and leads a wicked life, he is certainly in a way of error as damnable as Heresy; but he that ar­rives at knowledge this way, doth thereby [Page 274]also secure his Salvation, and Eternal Happi­ness; which certainly is a most powerful re­commendation of our Saviour's way, especi­ally if you add this consideration, that it hath the advantage of all other methods by which we can hope to gain a fight under­standing in Religion.

I know it will be objected, That Impious and Profane men have apprehensions as capa­ble of judging what is true, and what is false, as Good men, and oftentimes their Abilities are greater, and their Parts quicker, than those of the sincere and godly; and moreover, that some wicked men have arrived to greater knowledge in Religion, than thousands of Religious persons ever had.

To this Objection I answer,

1. That supposing an equality of other means and abilities, he that is sincere towards God, hath many advantages above a wicked man in order to the gaining of that knowledge, to which the wicked may possibly arrive.

2. That there is some knowledge in Reli­gion proper to the godly, which the other continuing as he is, can never gain: Now if that which is possibly to both, may be more easily and certainly attained by the good man, supposed to be equal in other respects to the wicked; if there be something also that can­not be attained by the wicked, though in o­ther respects never so superior to the good man, then is not the Rule of our Saviour [Page 275]disparaged by the pretence now mentioned, but we have still as great reason to take his method, as there seemed to be at first.

Now there are these two things, which I hope to make out by the following Discourse.

First of all, That supposing the good and the bad to be equally endued with natural A­bilities of understanding, and equally to en­joy the external means of knowledge, the former hath great Advantages above the lat­ter, for the gaining of that knowledge in Re­ligion which is possible to both; this will appear from these two general Arguments.

1. That sincerity of heart, with a religious life, is in it self a fit means to attain know­ledge; and that the contrary disposition and course of life, renders a man very unfit to discern divine Truth.

2. That there are many great promises of knowledge and wisdom made to godly men, and to none else; but that, of his Justice, he hath threatned, and by the same Justice doth often infatuate the understandings of the wicked.

1. That a sincere intent towards God, and doing his Will, is a fit means of it self to at­tain knowledge. For in the

1st place, It takes in all that is good and profitable in any other way of coming to the knowledge of the Truth: For is searching the Scripture a good means? doing the will of God includes that, for it is his will that we [Page 276]should search the Scriptures. Is hearkning to our Sipritual Guides another way? It is the will of God that we should know them that labour amongst us, and are over us in the Lord, and admonish us. Is an impartial exami­nation of those grounds upon which the se­veral Parties in Christendom pretend to hold the truth? It is the will of God, that we should prove all things, and hold fast that which is good; that we should not believe every spi­rit, but try the spirits whether they are of God. Is it the use of our own reason, and arguing from Principles of natural Religion? This is plain­ly supposed in the command of trying their Doctrines, who pretend to instruct us in Re­velation. Is it of any use to enquire into the sense of Ancient Churches, if we are able to do it? this is not hindred, but furthered by do­ing the will of God, which always supposeth a sincere desire to know the truth; for this sincerity gives a prosperous influence to the labours of the diligent and learned; whereas, if the interest of ambition, or covetousness, does mix it self with the studies of men, and infect them with a secret disloyalty to the truth; it doth most commonly blast their endeavours, through the corruptness of their end, making them bend their wit not so much to know the truth, as to serve their Cause. This is the first consideration, That whatever is good and profitable in any other way, is in­cluded in this.

2. The obedient and honest mind is peculi­arly fitted for the evidence of Divine Truth, which is enough to satisfy the prudent and considerate, and those that are willing to learn, but not to bear down the prejudices and pas­sions of the untractable. To this purpose we may consider, That our Saviour accommoda­ted his Instructions to the tempers of the humble and willing: But when he met with the captious Pharisees, he returned them An­swers like their Questions; designing rather to silence their Arrogance, than to inform them, and convince them of the truth; for he perceived all that labour was lost upon men of their perverse minds, which was abundant­ly sufficient to satisfie those there that were wise and modest, and disinterested. Thus after they had been cavilling at his Doctrine, he asks them, whose son Christ was to be? they said David's; if David then, says he, call him Lord, how is he his son? where he left them speech­less, without explaining the difficulty; for he knew Reason would not serve them: So when they asked him, By what Authority he did those things which he did, and this after they they had known his wonderful Works, he did not vouchsafe to give them a direct An­swer, but replies to their Question with ano­ther; The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? He knew they would say, They could not tell; Neither tell I you, says he, by what au­thority I do these things. How evident and rea­sonable [Page 278]soever the institution of the Gospel is, it was not delivered in such a way as should certainly prevail against the obstinacy of the wicked, and enlighten the minds of them that love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil, but in such a way as would satisfy all that love the truth, and are resolved to follow it: Hereby God hath made great di­stinction between the humble and honest on the one side, and the proud and insincere on the other, while the best knowledge is easy and ready to the former, but in comparison hard to the latter.

3. Due reverence, and love of God's Word, is it self apt to promote the understanding of it, which is a great advantage which the good man hath above all others: what a man ad­mires and delights in, engages his whole Soul, and makes it all attention; and in that po­sture the mind apprehends more readily and clearly. On the other side, no man makes a good proficiency in that which he studies with an alienated mind; and indeed it is im­possible he should, since he doth not put his strength to the work, and his Soul is hardly present with the business he is about: What o­ther reason can we give, why men that are ac­curate at one sort of business, are heavy and in­apprehensive at others? for the Soul in it self hath a capacity equally open to the embracing of all Reason, that therefore which makes the difference, must be their value of, [Page 279]and delight in one subject, and their aversion from the other: It is no wonder then, if David, as he speaks of himself, was wiser than all his enemies, and understood more than the an­cients, and had more understanding than his teachers themselves; For, saith he, I have kept thy precepts, I love thy law, it is my meditation all the day long, and the commandments of God are ever with me. We see by experience, that men arrive to great skill in the business which they have in liking and esteem, because they frequently exercise themselves in it, and daily employ their thoughts about it. Now that veneration of Divine Truth, that value of Christian Knowledge, which is implied in a sincere intent to do the will of God, is in­comparably greater, and more operative and effectual, than that which is founded either upon desire of praise, or preferment, or the mere pleasure of speculation only; Therefore that esteem which the good man hath for Di­vine Truth, will enforce a more frequent and attentive meditation thereupon; and that as­siduity will procure a better understanding of it; and this again more delight and plea­sure in it; and if such proficiency and such satisfaction do thus whet one another, and if they are not caused but by a great value and esteem of Divine truth, then the good man who values it most, has a singular advantage in his study and search after it.

4. Every prevailing Lust and Passion is in [Page 280]it self an impediment to the knowledge of the Truth: For instance, the affection of the praise of men is that which frequently per­verts a right judgment of things; it was our Saviour's own Expostulation with the Jews, How can ye believe, that receive honour one of a­nother, and seek not that honour which com­eth of God? John 5.44. One would wonder what a strange delusion the Pride of the Pha­risees kept them under; the Delusion was so great, that they could not judge whether they believed or disbelieved what they read in Mo­ses; for our Saviour tells them, v. 46. Had ye believed Moses, ye would also have believed me, for he wrote of me. Could we, or could they them­selves have thought, that they who trusted in Moses, that they who were the great Teachers of the Law of Moses, that they who rejected Jesus, because they thought his Doctrine o­verthrew the Law of Moses, should be mista­ken in their own belief of Moses? and yet he adds, v. 47. If ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? By which we may learn these things:

1. If vain glory had not infatuated these men, if the conceit of their own wisdom, had not kept them from doubting of what they once thought, if they had been humble enough to permit the Writings of Moses to convince them, they must needs have read there, that Jesus was the Christ.

2. If one sin be predominant in a man's [Page 281]heart, as Pride; he may be so deluded by it, as not to believe that to be in the Scripture which is plainly there, and this too in a matter of great importance and concernment, as the case now mentioned plainly shews.

3. Much more will the judgments of men be perverted by several Lusts and Vices in conjunction with one another, if to Pride and Ambition, Covetousness and Envy, and Re­vengefulness be added; the fatal influence whereof upon the Understanding is so plainly discernable in the gross mistakes of those men that are engaged to serve a by-Cause, and to maintain a Party against all the World: Did we not know it by experience, we should think it incredible, that in these circumstan­ces, men of learning and subtilty should not be able to judge of the strength or weakness of Arguments, of the true or false interpre­tation of Scripture, of the pertinent or im­pertinent application of it, even where the case is so plain, that it requires neither subtilty nor learning to make a judgment of it. Could any disinterested man believe, that from the saying of Saint John in the conclusion of his Revelation, If any man shall add unto the words of the prophecy of this book, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in it; that from this Saying the unlawfulness of all Human Forms and Constitutions in Divine Worship might be inferr'd? that is to say, Because a Curse is threatned to any that shall attempt to [Page 282]corrupt, the Bible, by making any alteration in the Revelation of St. John, therefore nothing is to be done in God's Worship, which is not positively required in the Word of God. And yet by such applications of Scripture as this, the pretence hath been carried on by men of name and authority in the World. Would it ever have come into a mans head to suspect, that the Power of the Roman Bishop to de­pose Kings and Emperors, might be argued from those words of our Lord to Peter, Feed my sheep? If Ambition and Covetousness, and the serving of a Cause, had not interven'd, he would think the Sheep of Christ were to be fed with wholsome Doctrine, and to be in­structed in the duties of Patience and Con­stancy under Persecution, and not with those inhuman Principles, which turn them into Wolves; and it is plain enough, that without any wit, and with infinitely greater probabi­lity, the quite contrary conclusion may be se­veral ways inferred from these words; the quite contrary, I say, to what they of the Church of Rome would infer from them. I shall not stand to expose their arguing from those words, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, in behalf of the univer­sal Supremacy of the Roman Bishops, and that because of the allusion of Petrus to Petra, which if it would hold good for St. Peter's being the Rock, how it will serve to make Boniface or Clement the Rock too, would be [Page 283]hard to say; or if it did, that Rock implies Universal Supremacy, would not suddenly have been thought of, if it had not been to serve a Cause; there would be a little more colour in those words, and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; were it not plain, That when the Keys were given to him, as they were not till after the Resurrection of Christ, they were given to all the other A­postles, as fully and effectually as to him: But suppose that had been said of Peter, which St. Paul said of himself, that the care of all the Churches was upon him, which is a Saying more likely to conclude an Universal Pastor­ship from, than the other, how many learned Treatises may we think had been written upon it before now? But for all that, if any man should in earnest offer that place to prove that St. Paul was Christ's Vicar-General on Earth, he would be answered no other way than by contempt: So foully are the understandings of men overruled by their affections, after they have wedded a Cause, and resolved to go through with it, and to maintain it right or wrong; but that which is still worse is this, that where the Spirit of Faction prevails, and worldly Interest is carried on under the pre­text of Religion, the understandings of men are frequently disabled from judging right between good and evil; otherwise how were it possible for men to believe that Hypocrisy and Lying, and Perjury, and Murder, and [Page 284]Treason, are in some cases not only excuseable but laudable? that they should commit such Crimes as these, not only without regret and horrour, but with a chearful Conscience, and the expectation of heaven in reward of their actions? Wherefore, that I might not lose the use of my understanding in most plain and evident matters, that I might not be weaker than a Child, or an Idiot, I would never engage my self with the Contentious and Factious; I would not dare to trust my self with a Party, and would not serve a Cause, but acknowledge a mistake, though it were my Friend, and fol­low truth where-ever it led me: For nothing is more evident in the experience of the world than this, That when men are led aside by their worldly Interests, when their Reputations are engaged, and they are made fast to a Party, their understandings are so disabled, that in a short time they confidently put themselves upon defending things most unjustifiable, and believing things that are most incredible and impossible: Let us therefore allow St. Peter's direction, to lay aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisy, and envyings, and evil speakings, and that for the reason by him given, viz. that we may desire the sincere milk of the Word; that we may desire and aim at the knowledge of the Truth; for where that Assembly of Sins is got together, or indeed where any one of them is, it is apt to extinguish that very love of Truth, the very desire of knowing it.

To proceed; Luxury also, and Voluptu­ousness, and an impure course of Life, is a very great impediment to the knowledge of the truth; sometimes by introducing such Diseases as shatter the understanding, and dull the ap­prehension; they that always swim in sensual delights, meet with rough and tempestuous Seas sometimes, that shake their Bodies, and at length Reason lik a drowning Pilot drops off, and is drowned in pleasures; it often happens that the Epicure grows crazy before his time, and when his airy Fancy is evaporated by the heats of Youth, and his Wit is grown flat and unweildly, he himself becomes contemptible to the younger Debauchees that reign in his stead; Temperance and Regular living have a kind influence upon the Intellectual Abili­ties of men to nourish and preserve them, and lengthen them, and all the while to make them more fit for their proper imployment; but much more are they requisite to qualify us for a good understanding of Divine Truth, be­cause it requires a serious consideration, & di­ligent attention, which the Epicure is a stranger to, because she is spiritual, and the mind cannot converse with her, while it meets with the fumes of sensuality; because she is of a puri­fying nature, and not more an Enemy to un­cleanness, than the Voluptuary is averse from her; good reason therefore had St. James when he shewed how we should receive the Word with meekness, to exhort us, that we lay a­side [Page 286]all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness.

In a word, The bent of the will and affecti­ons have such a sway over the understanding, that daily experience shews how the same things appears differently to men, nay to the same men according to the temper they are in; for instance, if persons that have lived long friendly together, chance to fall out, immedi­ately former actions and speeches are remem­bred and commented upon, and an ill con­struction put upon them, though till that time they were taken well enough, and yet the things are the same, and the understandings of men were as able before as now, only there is dislike now instead of the kindness that was before; no wonder then if a vicious inclinati­on, and a guilty Conscience to obstruct the en­trance of truth and sound knowledge into the mind, since they must needs create an aversati­on to it; discourse to a greedy worlding, of Im­mortality, and laying up treasure in heaven, and he can hardly understand what you say, 'tis as insipid talk to him, as a Lecture of Philosophy to a Child, that understands nothing but play; but fall upon some discourse that tends to get­ting, drop but the hint of a good Bargain, he greedily embraces every word, and is as appre­hensive as heart can wish; and guilty men are apt to fortify themselves against all that can be said to disswade them from their beloved sins; and that is reason enough, why sin doth more or less bar up the understanding against [Page 287]Divine Truth; Men love darkeness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.

Now the conclusion from all this is evident, on the one side, one habitual worldly Lust is enough to hinder the true apprehensive of heavenly things; and then how can they who drink iniquity like water, who labour to quench the Spirit, be fit to receive Divine Truths, and to understand the things of the Spi­rit of God? On the other side, a sincere inten­tion towards God, removes all those impedi­ments which obstruct the force of truth, and moreover gives several advantages of its own towards the attainment of sound knowledge; therefore it is in it self a fit means for that end; A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not; but knowledge is easy to him that understandeth.

2. There are many great Promises of Know­ledge both in the Old and New Testament peculiar to good men, but God hath in Justice threatned, and by the same Justice he doth of­ten infatuate the understandings of the wicked. Now if goodness doth of it self lead to know­ledge; if there be a supernatural blessing that goes along with the sincere man to prosper his endeavours after knowledge; what greater advantages can we desire in order to this end, than those which sincerity towards God inti­tles us too? Thus the very Text hath the force of a Promise; If any man will do his will, he shall know; we have our Saviour's word for it, and to be sure he will make it good; and it appears by [Page 288]other places, that something more is here meant, than that knowledge is naturally pro­moted by goodness; in Psal. 25.9. it is said, The meek he will guide in judgment; and imme­diately again, The meek he will teach his way: Now certainly here is something promised to the meek that is not common to others; and the guidance and teaching which is promised, denotes clearly a blessing on their understand­ings. But now if this be promised to meekness, we cannot doubt but God will more plenti­fully fulfil his Promise to those who add to meekness, purity and temperance; and to that, an universal love and fear of God, and charity towards man, especially considering that this Promise is repeated again to such Persons, ver. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his Covenant; where God's Covenant explains what is meant by his secret, and by his way, ver. 9. That way of God in ver. 10. is said to be mercy and truth; the Cove­nant of Mercy revealed by Christ, which was a secret in former Ages; so that the good man, he that sincerely loves truth, and intends obedi­ence, is here promis'd a signal blessing on his en­deavors to know the Covenant of God reveal­ed in the Gospel, whether enjoining the Duty he expects from us, or promising those benefits and rewards in this or the other life which we may expect from him; this very Promise we have again repeated, Prov. 3.32. His secret is with the righteous; it had been enough if God [Page 289]had passed his but once, but since he hath so often repeated it, we cannot doubt but that good men shall be blessed with a better appre­hension of the things of the Gospel than others. In John 8. the like Promises are made, and the like Conditions upon which they are made, are annexed, ver. 12. He that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life, shall know all things requisite to Life Eternal, ver. 32. Ye shall know the truth; but 'tis upon this condition, ver. 33. that ye continue in my word, and John 14.21. I will love and manifest my self to every one that loveth me, and keep­eth my Commandments. Upon the account of these and the like Promises, as well as upon o­ther grounds, we may say with the Psalmist, Psal. 111. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; it is the best, most auspicious en­trance upon it; and they that do thereafter, have a good understanding, having good security that they cannot fail of it.

To conclude this particular: From all these Promises we may be most assured, that every man following the rule of Christ, shall not fail of so much knowledge as will secure his Eter­nal Life, and even that is a mighty encourage­ment, to observe this Rule. If any of us were sure that some Angel attended us constant­ly, observing all our actions, insinuating good counsels, and exciting good thoughts, when our Passions grow wild, and we are on the brink of sin; it would infuse a great regard of [Page 290]all we did into us, and we should reckon our selves happy men: Certainly it is more happy to be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God; what can be more desirable than to have him who is Wisdom it self opening our ears, and sealing Instruction to us; blessing our searches into holy things, and accompanying our meditations with a ready and prosperous apprehension? And this is that we are sure of, whilst we are in the way of doing God's will, because we are sure he is not slack in his Promi­ses: But this advantage will appear so much the greater, if we consider that God doth sometimes deliver up wicked men to darkness of under­standing, and hath threatned that he will do so. That he has done so, St. Paul shews plainly, Rom. 1. by the example of the Gentiles, because they detained the truth in unrighteousness, ver. 19. and did not glorify God with that knowledge which he had given them, they first became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkned, ver. 21. So they fell to Idolatry, ver. 22. and then we find that he gave them up to vile affections, and a reprobate (i. e.) an undis­cerning mind, which knew no difference be­tween good and evil; and that God will deal so with us if we deny him by our works, 'tis but reasonable to expect, tho' he had not said it; but he hath given us sufficient warning in the threatning to the Church of Ephesus, Rev. 2. Repent and do thy first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and remove thy candlestick [Page 291]out of its place; their Candlestick is removed, and now they are in Turkish darkness, and so the burden of Ephesus is fulfilled. But why, I be­seech you, should that admonition be so often repeated in the second and third Chapters, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the seven Churches; but to let us know, that the threatnings there denounced, belong to the Churches of Europe, as well as of Asia; and to England, as well as to Ephesus: And seeing every one has ears to hear, and there­fore ought to hear, therefore every particular man is as liable to the same severity as whole Churches; and therefore as by the sins of a Nation, God may be provoked to deliver it up to darkness and delusion, and to believe lies; so for the sins of particular persons, he may give them over to a Lying spirit, and suffer Se­ducers to prevail upon them, so that they shall not see the plainest truths in Religion, nor dis­cern the most gross and monstrous Errors; Be­cause they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved; for this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie, that they might all be damned who believ­ed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighte­ousness, 2 Thes. 2.11. It is not therefore unreasonable to conclude, that the contempt of all holy things that reigns amongst many wicked men, is from the Judgment of God, giving them up to a reprobate mind; their habitual Vices have violated their natural [Page 292]Instincts, and raised out the sense of good and evil; and moreover the vengeance of God's wrath is upon them, giving them over to their own vileness, permitting them to run on in wickedness without the checks and restraints of his good Spirit, and to defy the goodness of God, and to laugh at Coun­sels and Admonitions, and to make haste to their own perdition, thereby fulfilling that Prophecy of Daniel referring to the Times of the Gospel, The wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wiched shall understand, Dan. 12.10.

Of what hath been said, the sum is this, If godliness be in it self a fit means to pro­mote the knowledge of truth; if it hath moreover a sure word of promise, which the unrighteous have not, That the righteous shall be assisted in the search of truth, and if on the other hand, ungodly men are under so many natural impediments that obstruct the knowledge of the truth, and moreover lye un­der such severe threatnings of blindness, it must needs follow, that supposing the Good and the Bad to be equally endued with na­tural Abilities of understanding, and equal­ly enjoying the external means of know­ledge, that the former has vast advantages yet above the latter, which was the first thing to be shown. The

Second is, That there is some knowledge of Divine things, that cannot be attained by [Page 293]the wicked man while he so continues, though in other respects he be never so much superior to the righteous, and that is, the experimental knowledge of Religion, which does above all other things confirm the Faith of a good Christian; he that doth the will of God, understands the power of good Princi­ples to fortify him against temptations, to restrain him from sin, to keep him to his Duty, to render it pleasant and delightful to him, to moderate him in his prosperity, and to support him in adversity, and by all this he understands the great worth and excellen­cy of true Religion incomparably better than any man, who can talk learnedly, and argue dexterously about it, but never felt the life and power of it in his heart; for this reason it is that the Faith of good Christians, who are not so well verst in subtle reasonings as in religious practice, cannot be shaken by the objections of a Sophister, because they have that inward sense of the power and excellen­cy of Divine Truths, which is above all other argument: They know by experience, that in the keeping of God's Commandments there is great reward, and cannot therefore be entangled by any artificial objections against it; but that I may not be mistaken, I do not pretend, that the pleasure which a man finds in believing any Doctrine, is always an argument that the Doctrine is true: There are some Doctrines in the World that tend [Page 294]to licentiousness, that weaken the obligati­ons to an holy life, and therefore are sweet to the carnal man, because they can put him in possession of great joy in himself, before he has that good title to it, which can only be founded upon repentance and holiness; therefore it is neither false nor allowable al­ways to argue from the experience a man hath of the sweetness and pleasure of his per­swasions to the truth of them, as many mis­guided Souls have done; but for all that, it is most certain, that Religion consisting in the belief of truth, and the practice of good­ness, a man shall understand the power of the one, and the excellency of the other by experience, better than he can by meer spe­culation; for the nature of things that are to be done, is never so fully understood as by doing them; and the force of Truth is ne­ver so thoroughly felt as when it makes the Will and Affections, as well as the Under­standing, submit to it; now the best way to avoid arguing to our selves fallaciously from our own experience, and being imposed up­on by the joy and pleasure which those per­swasions yield, that tend to carnal security; the best way (I say) to avoid this, is to follow our Saviour's rule, by laying the foundation even of experimental knowledge in doing the will of God, and applying our selves with all sincerity to the keeping of his Commandments, because then we shall ne­ver [Page 295]argue from experience, but in favour of the truth, (i. e.) of true Virtue and Holi­ness, and of those Principles which lead to the practice of it: And most certainly, there is that comfort and satisfaction in believing Divine Truth, there are those Joys in living according to it, which can never be tho­roughly understood, but by the practice of Religion and Virtue, which no man can have a just conception of, till he hath tasted and seen how gracious God is. Solomon says, That the ways of wisdom are pleasantness, and all her paths are peace; but then we shall never thoroughly understand this, till we walk in them: in the keeping of God's Com­mandments there is great reward; but how shall we find this reward, but in keeping of them? It may be described to us by others but as imperfectly as the Pencil doth Life and Motion, the best descriptions will fall short of the subject; and if we be alienated from the life of God, we cannot fully con­ceive it: Nay, most commonly the delights of the righteous are things flat and insipid, and the representation of them is nauseous and irksom to the carnal worldling, and he is hardly in a better condition to understand it, than one that is born Blind can appre­hend that saying of Solomon, Truly light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is to behold the Sun.

The sum of all is this, That if sincerity to­wards God in doing his will, is a great advan­tage towards the obtaining of that knowledge which is possible to the wicked man, the knowledge of speculation, if also that know­ledge is gained by it, which the insincere have nothing at all of; if the righteous do not only better apprehend the weight of argu­ments, but understand more, by having their senses exercised to discern between good and evil; then have we great reason to follow our Savi­our's method, If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God.

Only let us remember, that this know­ledge is not to be gained, this blessing is not to be procured to our selves, either by my discourse, or by your hearing, what hath been said concerning our Saviour's words, no nor by granting the truth and reasonable­ness of what hath been offered in illustration of them; but only by putting our selves se­riously upon the trial of this way, by doing the will of God; for what hath been said of Divine Truths in the general, holds good of this in particular, That the excellency of our Lord's method for the gaining of good know­ledge in the things of God, cannot be tho­roughly judged, till we have applied our selves to the use of it; and I doubt not, but those that have made trial, do acknowledge the truth of what hath been said.