THE Words that I have now read from the Holy Scripture, are part of a very Majeſtick Preface or Introduction to a favourable Prophecy concerning Judah and Jeruſalem, which is underſtood to foretell the Times of the Maccabees; the diſtreſſes of thoſe times, and the mighty Deliverances which God would give the Jews by the Conduct and Courage, and Reſolution of thoſe Men. In ſo great and lofty Expreſſions, the Prophet was directed to introduce it, that he might encourage the Faith, and raiſe the Expectations of that People, who were now in a very weak and low Condition: For they were but newly returned from their Captivity, and were envied, and hated, and oppoſed in their preſent Intereſts by wicked and powerful Neighbours. He reminds them herein of the great Works of that God in whom he would have them now put their truſt. The whole Verſe and Preface contains thus much; The Burden of the Word of the Lord for Iſrael, ſaith the Lord, Who ſtretcheth forth the Heavens, and layeth the Foundations of the Earth, and formeth the Spirit of Man within him.

That which we may obſerve in this Text is; That the Prophet places this work of God, His forming the Spirit of Man within him, together with his ſtretching out the wide and ſpacious Heaven, and his laying the Foundations of the ponderous Earth; and that, when he deſign'd to repreſent the Greatneſs of God, his ability and fitneſs to do what he had promiſed, by ſhewing them the works he had already done. This then we may reckon is here intimated to be a workparallel with thoſe that are mentioned with it, and fit to be mention'd with them to the ſame purpoſe: This is a great and mighty Work as well as the other two. All God's Works of Creation do declare their Authors Greatneſs, and (as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks) Praiſe him. But ſome do this more than others as they are more excellent, and greater than others. Elſewhere alſo the Scripture mentions the making of Man as one of the more excellent and wonderful Works of God, and ſets it together with his making the Earth, and ſtretching out the Heavens: As, in Iſa. 45. 12. where God, to magnify himſelf in the Eſteem of that People, and to aſſure them that he could raiſe up one that ſhould deliver them from Captivity, ſays by his Prophet; I have made the Earth, and created man upon it: I, even my Hands have ſtretched forth the Heavens. Now when the making of Man is here ſpoken of as one of the greateſt Works of God; this muſt needs be underſtood with relation to the Soul of Man. For certainly a thing ſo ſmall and weak, ſo groſs and heavy, and ſo dark and ſo decaying, as is the Humane Body, cannot juſtly be reckoned worthy of this great compariſon. Were there nothing in the Conſtitution of Man but that, he could not be worthy to be compared with the vaſt bigneſs of the Earth and Heavens, with the conſtant Motion, the brightneſs and durableneſs of the Heavenly Bodies. But the Soul of Man is in a Senſe vaſter and larger than theſe, as it is capable to comprehend them: It is of more unwearied motion than they, it moves its ſelf, it is brighter far, and far more durable than any of them. It is then upon the account of the Spirit in Man that the making of him is thus ſet together with thoſe great operations of the Creating Power.

Upon theſe grounds we may conclude that the Prophet Zachary does in our Text intimate the great excellency and dignity of the Soul of Man. It ſhall be the buſineſs of this Diſcourſe to inſiſt upon ſome Proof and Application of this Truth: And let us now perſwade our ſelves for a little while to turn our Thoughts inward, to view and conſider our ſelves, to know what a ſort of Being God has given us: Of all knowledge this may be reckon'd ſome of the moſt uſeful and important: Hereby we ſhall come to underſtand what it becomes us to do, what our true Intereſt is, what great things we are capable of, and ſhould therefore purſue them.

To demonſtrate the Excellency of the Soul of Man, I ſhall inſiſt only upon theſe two Heads of Diſcourſe, as containing what is ſufficient for the preſent purpoſe; They are, the Nature of the Soul, and the Capacities of it, which do ariſe from, and are the Conſequents of ſuch a Nature.

In the firſt place, Let us conſider the Nature of the Soul of Man: And this I ſhall repreſent to you briefly under two Particulars. 1. It is a Spirit. 2. It is Immortal.

1. The Soul of Man is a Spirit; and therein it is an Excellent Being. It is Inviſible; A thing that cannot be ſeen by the Eyes of the Body through the Excellency of it. It is ſaid of God in Praiſe of him, that he cannot be ſeen. The Apoſtle Paul calls him by way of Eminency, the Inviſible God. 1 Tim. 1. 17. This then is an Excellency, and does greatly recommend the Soul: It is too pure and ſublime a thing to fall under the groſs apprehenſion of Bodily Senſes: It is a Pure, Uncompounded and Unmix'd thing: It is all the ſame, is not made up of worſe and better Parts: It is in a ſort all Light, and has no Darkneſs, is a bright celeſtial Ray, ſprung from the Great Father of Lights and Spirits; Or at leaſt it was very full of light and brightneſs in its Original State, and before it was ſullied with ſinful Pollution in the Fall of our firſt Parents. It has not diverſity of Parts deſigned for divers Actions, ſo as that what one Part can do, another cannot, which is the uſual diſparagement of Bodies; But all the Soul can do, whatever the Soul can do: It can, all of it, underſtand and will; apprehend or remember; it can all chuſe or refuſe. It has not ſome parts heavy and ſome active, ſome to move, and others to be moved, but is all full of Action, and is always working and buſie: It knows no wearineſs, it needs no reſt or refreſhment: It knows its own Actions, and chuſes what it does, and acts freely and from its own Motion. Theſe are the Properties and Advantages that belong to it as it is a Spirit.

That the Soul of Man is a Spirit, the Holy Scripture does abundantly declare. When a man dies, it ſays of his Body, The Duſt ſhall return to the Earth as it was; and of his Soul, The Spirit ſhall return to God that gave it. Eccleſ. 12. 7. This is a thing diſtinct from the Body; it was not raiſed from the Duſt as that was, but came from God immediately; nor does it return to the Duſt, but returns to God at our Death. The Apoſtle ſays; What man knoweth the things of a man, that is, the purpoſes, wiſhes, deſigns, ſave the ſpirit of man which is in him? ſpeaking of the Soul of Man, 1 Cor. 2. 11. And in the Fifth Chapter of that Epiſtle, at the 5th Verſe, he directs the Corinthians to excommunicate an Eminent Perſon among them who had been Inceſtuous, for the deſtruction of the Fleſh, that the Spirit might be ſaved in the Day of the Lord, meaning his Soul. I ſhall add no more to this particular, but proceed,

2. To what was next mentioned, as declaring the Excellent Nature of our Souls, which was, that they are Immortal. Theſe Beings have a beginning indeed as every thing elſe has, but One who is the firſt Cauſe and Author of all others, But the Souls of men ſhall never come to an End. When a man dies there is only a ſeparation made for a while of his Soul from his Body, with a diſſolution indeed of the Body, but the Soul remains the ſame that it was. That lives ſtill, though not here, and continues to be, though it has changed its Habitation. Do not imagine (ſaid the dying Cyrus to his Children) That when I depart from you I ſhall be no where, nor any longer; For whilſt I was with you, ye could not ſee my Soul, only ye knew, by the Actions ye obſerved, that it was in my Body. Be aſſured then that it is ſtill the ſame, tho ye do never ſee it. Thus the Learned Heathen could ſpeak of the Soul: And it is in the Nature of this to be Immortal as it is a Spirit. It has nothing in its ſelf to put an end to its being as it is an uncompounded thing: It cannot be deſtroyed by any thing elſe but only by God that made it. The Soul of man knows no decay, it admits of no encreaſe of its Subſtance; It remains always the ſame, and is herein a Noble Image of the Unchangeable God. It ſhall out-laſt the ſtrongeſt works of Humane Art: It ſhall endure longer than the Heavens and the Earth: It ſhall weary time, and then run on with Eternity. This is a very great and important Excellency of it, That it ſhall never ceaſe to be: and certainly if we are in any reſpect Immortal, this deſerves our very ſerious conſideration.

And this alſo the Holy Scripture (that ſource of all Saving-Knowledge and Wiſdom) does ſufficiently teach us: When it ſpeaks of our Being after this Life, and even before the Reſurrection of our Bodies; As when Chriſt ſaid to the penitent Thief when he was dying, This day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe: He was to Be, therefore his Soul was not to be diſſolved with his Body, and he was to be in Paradiſe, in a happy State. When the Scripture calls Death a Departure out of this World, it ſeems to intimate this. The Apoſtle Paul who was to leave his Body in this World, as all other dying Perſons do, yet ſpeaks of his Death as a Departure, 1 Tim. 1. 6. And in Phil. 1. 23. He ſpeaks of his Death as what he deſired, in theſe words, I deſire to depart and to be with Chriſt: Which does moſt plainly ſhew, he expected to Be ſtill, and to be more happy after Death than he was here. Again, this is alſo plainly ſuggeſted by our Saviour in the Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus, Luke 16. 19 Verſe to the End. The Soul of Man, then, is at his Death diſpoſed to ſuch Abodes as it deſerves and is ſuited to, till the time of the General Reſurrection of the Bodies of Men, and then it ſhall be united to its own Body again, and live with it for ever in a State of endleſs Happineſs, or endleſs Miſery. Thus much may ſuffice to ſhew the Excellency of the Soul of Man from its Nature.

OUR Care and Endeavour to live well muſt begin within us, or it will prove vain and ineffectual. We muſt keep the Heart with all diligence, for out of it are the Iſſues of Life, Solomon ſays, Prov. 4. 23. According to which, our Saviour teaches us, That out of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh, and out of the good or evil treaſure there proceed good or evilactions. We muſt then take notice what our Thoughts are, if we would have our Life good, and not neglect them, as Men too commonly do; and this is what the Pſalmiſt plainly intimates in theſe Words; I hate vain thoughts, but thy Law do I love.

I ſhall not trouble you with long Criticizing upon the words, leſt I ſhould be guilty my ſelf of what I intend to diſcourſe againſt. It ſhall ſuffice to obſerve for the juſtifying of our tranſlation, that the Original word here tranſlated Thoughts, is uſed with that ſignificancy in other places of Scripture; Particularly 1 Kings 18. 21: Where it ſeems to ſignify unſetled, and irreſolute Thoughts; ſuch as could not determine them to a fixed and ſteady Obedience to the Truth; and in Job 4. 13. where it ſignifies ſuch Thoughts as the roving Imaginations of the Night are wont to be employed in: In both theſe places it ſignifies ſuch as are not well guided, nor directed. And by reaſon of this uſe of the word in thoſe places, I doubt not but it is very fitly done, that our Tranſlators have added the word Vain in the Text, to determine, and ſignify what ſort of Thoughts the Pſalmiſt meant by the uſe of the word here. I ſhall therefore underſtand this Text, according to the import of the word Vain in our Language; and ſhall repreſent it as ſignifying thus much; I hate all idle, roving, and uſeleſs Thoughts, ſuch as are not conſiderate, and deſigned, and directed to ſome good and worthy purpoſe; all inconſiderate Thinking. As there are a great many idle, impertinent words ſpoken among Mankind; many very uſeleſs and unprofitable converſations; and as there are, eſpecially in the briskneſs and activity of Childhood and Youth, a great many very idle, and trifling actions done by us; ſo there are in moſt of us, much rather a vaſt multitude of idle and uſeleſs Thoughts; there is a great deal of inconſiderate Thinking among men. Every man that will but carefully obſerve himſelf, may find that his Mind is always buſie, that it frames a multitude of Thoughts, and entertains its ſelf with them; but that a great many of theſe are apt to be undirected and unchoſen ones. The vain and inconſiderate Mind acts within it ſelf, and thinks without government of its ſelf; and frames Thoughts juſt as a Tree ſhoots forth many ſuperfluous, and unbearing Branches: And the Word here tranſlated Thoughts, does ſometimes in the Sacred Language ſignify ſuch Branches of a Tree. One therefore very fitly calls Vain Thoughts, Surculi mentis infructuoſi (Stearn de Obſtin. Pag. 224.) The fruitleſs Suckers of the Mind.

Such employment of the Mind as this, and the Temper which is apt to produce it, the Pſalmiſt ſaid, he hated; but the Law of God he loved. To ſtudy and meditate on that, to learn it, that might conform his Life and Actions to it; to conform his Mind and Life to that Rule he deſired; but theſe roving, unguided Thoughts, he hated: And by this ſetting thus theſe two together, he plainly intimates their oppoſition to each other; that he hated Vain Thoughts, as contrary to the due obſervance of the Law of God, and a hindrance of that.

To make the Diſcourſe on this Subject, as ſerviceable as I can, I ſhall,

1. Endeavour to make it more plain and evident, what ſort of Thoughts, or what a Diſpoſition of Mind the Pſalmiſt here ſpeaks of, and I ſhall diſcourſe againſt.

2. To ſhew the Miſchief of theſe.

3. To propoſe the proper Remedies of them.

In the firſt place, that I may render it plain and evident, what I do at preſent diſcourſe againſt; and ſo may convince every man, that there is ſuch a Diſtemper of Mind, as I ſpeak of, which all of us are liable to, and which we may call, The Vanity of the Mind, or inconſideration: I ſhall give you ſome Inſtances of Vain Thoughts, which are common among men, and in which this Temper of Mind is wont to exerciſe its ſelf.

And Firſt; Such are thoſe Thoughts, which have no deſigned end nor purpoſe. A multitude of theſe is apt to entertain our Minds. There are very few men, if any, but if they look back upon themſelves, after they have been a good while thinking, they would often find that their Minds had been engaged in ſuch employment, as they can give no reaſonable or good account of. If the Mind be not ſet to buſineſs it employs its ſelf, but without deſign, and without fruit; it is buſie ſtill, and always ſo; but often very idly buſie, and employed, as we may juſtly ſpeak: It is true, there may be ſome relaxations of the Mind, and theſe are neceſſary to the Health of the Body, and to relieve the Animal Spirits, that would be too much ſpent and diſturbed with continual commanded thinking; this is neceſſary to the better peformance of our Tasks of Duty when we ſet about them: At ſome times the Thoughts muſt be unbent (as we may ſpeak) that is, not directed nor confined to any particular Employment or Duty. But that which is condemned is this; when a Man's Mind is habitually ſo; when it is never, nor can well be fixed to any good purpoſe; when a Man ordinarily ſpends a great deal of time thus relaxed, and ſo neglects his Duty, or through the wandering levity of his Mind performs it ill: Eſpecially does it condemn an idle, unprofitable courſe of Life; when a man never ſets himſelf to any honourable, or uſeful Buſineſs or Employment. As how great is the multitude of thoſe, who thus live at eaſe (as a very pious Man laments in a ſad Catalogue of the Sins of our times) who rather paſs away their time, than they do live; who are every way unprofitable; who have no tasks of Duty to God, or of goodneſs and ſerviceableneſs to Mankind ever in their thoughts, or in their hands. Yea, in our degenerate Age it has been counted gentile and noble, according to the Mode of the Times, to have nothing to do, to be idle and uſeleſs; (tho thanks be to God we have better Examples over us now, from whence we hope a wiſer and nobler Faſhion will take place) And indeed the ſoft Education of many under the management of an indulgent Mother, who is her ſelf perhaps as uſeleſs as one that is dead, while ſhe liveth; 1 Tim. 5. 6. does betray them to a contemptible worthleſneſs; while the little Maſter muſt learn no more than it pleaſes, 'tis a chance whether he learns any thing or not: If the Child happen to have a good natural Judgment, and to diſcern the neceſſity, and uſefulneſs, and credit of good Accompliſhments betimes, then he has ſome; but otherwiſe he ſhall forſake his Tutor, that teaches, for his Livery Boy that flatters him, and then the Gentleman is no better accompliſht than the Beggar: And with ſuch Perſons the Thoughts, Words, and Actions of their whole life are in a ſort undirected and unguided; they live by no rule, and they think and act by chance; and as the Objects that preſent themſelves, or as the motions of Luſts, and ſenſual Appetites lead them; juſt as other Animals live.

Again, we may often catch our ſelves at the vain Suppoſitions of what is perhaps never likely to come to paſs; thinking needleſly, what if ſuch or ſuch a thing ſhould be, when there does not appear even the leaſt probability of it: We are often ſuppoſing our ſelves in the Circumſtances which there is no likelihood, or perhaps no poſſibility of our coming into; and then tormenting or pleaſing our ſelves with the thoughts of them, according to what they are. One fancies himſelf a King, and pleaſes his Thoughts with the great and ſplendid circumſtances of ſuch a Condition; and if he be an angry, revengeful Man, he is killing his Enemies; if he be good natured and beneficent, he is advancing and preferring his Friends. Another it may be, in his Melancholly Mood, is fancying himſelf a Beggar, and is gratifying himſelf with the eaſe and careleſneſs of ſuch a Condition, or afflicting himſelf with the Thoughts of the contempt and wretchedneſs which belong to it. Often do we loſe a great deal of Time, and many Thoughts, in muſing upon the Condition we deſire, and deſign, and may probably come into, before it comes.

Again, of this ſort too are thoſe Thoughts for the moſt part, which correct, and cenſure the Carriage of other Men in the Stations different from our own: As when private Men will be directing a King how to Govern, and they that ſit at home will be teaching a General abroad, how to order his Marches and Battels. When we ſtudy the Duties of other Men rather than our own, and cenſure what we cannot underſtand, we are then very vainly and fruitleſly employed. All conſideration and ſtudy of the Duty of others in their places, is vain and impertinent; but when it is intended, and directed to the inſtructing of our ſelves, for our own good Behaviour in thoſe Circumſtances, when they are ſuch as we are in, or are likely to come into: Or when our Neighbour, whom we cenſure, is ſuch an one, as we may be ſuppoſed able to adviſe, and direct him; and whom it is not a thing above us to pretend to direct him; as it is certainly above the Subject to direct, and dictate to his Governours in Church or State.

Further, the Thoughts that are unſeaſonable, and do interrupt us in our preſent Duty, whatever it is, are in that reſpect vain Thoughts; and theſe proceed from the Vanity of the Mind, theſe are commonly at that time unconſidered and unchoſen; and ſuch as the roving of the Mind accidentally falls upon. But if they are choſen and deſigned at ſuch an unſeaſonable time, yet are they vain and fruitleſs, becauſe they divert a Man from that which is his preſent Duty; they either hinder him from doing it at all, or from doing it well. Such are the Thoughts of wordly Affairs and Buſineſſes, which may be lawful enough, and fitting at another time, when we are or ſhould be engaged in the worſhip of God, and in Exerciſes of Devotion; and doubtleſs ſuch may alſo be thoſe that are upon Divine and Religious Matters, when Men are in the Affairs of an honeſt Calling; as when they intrude and mingle themſelves ſo with a mans Buſineſs, as to diſturb his mind, to beat him off from, or hinder the due performance of it. We are not bound to be actually thinking of God and Heaven, or the Day of Judgment, at all times, or to have our Diſcourſe when we are in Company, always taken up with Speculations in Religion, which ſome unjuſtly appropriate the name of good Diſcourſe to. It is good diſcourſe to direct, and adviſe, and aſſiſt one another in our Duty of any kind; and then it is good Diſcourſe which does direct or encourage a Neighbour in his worldly Buſineſs, and Calling, in its proper Seaſon. They have a wrong Notion of Religion (and it is juſt ſuch an one as that of the Papiſts, when they call a Monkiſh Life by way of Eminence, a Religious one) who think no Thoughts or Diſcourſe good or religious, but when the Myſteries of our Religion, or our future hopes, and paſſages of Scripture are the Subject of them. A man may be religious in the Actions, and ſo in the Thoughts about the meaneſt Trade; becauſe he may do all that he does to the Glory of God; and he does in his worldly Buſineſs, that which God has commanded, and ſet him to do; accordingly the Thoughts about thoſe things, ſo far as they are neceſſary, and in their ſeaſon are dutiful, obedient and religious Ones: they are ſuch as Religion does allow, and indeed oblige a man to have. He that ſhould neglect his Trade, tho it was the meaneſt Handicraft, to meditate on Divine things; or that ſhould do his work ill, by reaſon of having his mind unſeaſonably employed, and taken up with theſe things would tranſgreſs as truly as he that ſhould neglect the due acknowledgment of God, to apply himſelf to his worldly Buſineſs, or ſhould perform the worſhip of God ſlightly, by reaſon of having his mind wandering from that to his worldly Buſineſs.

In a word, thoſe Thoughts which are looſe, and undirected, which do no way concern our Duty, or which do impertinently divert us from preſent Duty; they come under the name of Vain Thoughts: And theſe were they which David hated; together with, by conſequence, that vain, roving, inconſiderate Diſpoſition of Mind, which produces them. Thus much may ſuffice to ſhew diſtinctly what it is the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks of.

IT is the natural and common deſire of Mankind to be happy, and is the End which they aim at, and propoſe to themſelves in their ſeveral Purſuits and Endeavours. But, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks here, There be many that ſay, who will ſhew us good? The Many, the moſt of men are at a great loſs in this Matter, and do not know where their true Happineſs lies, nor in what courſe or way to attain it. Their uncertainty in this Matter is repreſented by theſe words of the Pſalmiſt, and is too evidently ſeen in the common Practice of the World. The Human Nature is the ſame in all Mankind; we have all of us reaſonable, immortal Souls; we have all the ſame Capacities; And our Happineſs rightly, and truly conſidered, muſt be, to all, the ſame; The ſame Object muſt make all men Happy, and they muſt obtain that in the ſame way. But alas! how is the World diſtracted, and divided in the purſuit of Happineſs? Some of them running one way after it, and ſome another, and the moſt of them neglecting, and diverting from the true Object. With ſome there is no Felicity like the heaping up of Wealth; like the ſight of full Bags, or great purchaſes, and they delight in nothing ſo much as in gainful Bargains: With others there is nothing ſo pleaſant as to ſpend; and they delight in this as much as the others do in getting. The Pleaſures of this World are their beloved Felicity; to eat and drink, and riſe up to play. With others there is no Heaven like Honour and Command, the having Authority and Power among Men, the being courted, and ſought to, reſpected and obeyed. With ſome, how great a Felicity is it to be fine, and to have all things about them ſo? To have Themſelves, their Houſes, their Entertainments, and all that belongs to them gaudy, and pompous, and much adorned. Thus are Mankind diſperſt, thus they wander in the purſuit of Happineſs: And thus the Many are taken up and employed in this great Concern.

Having expreſt the Uncertainty, and intimated the wandering of the Generality in this Affair: The Pſalmiſt next expreſſes what he ſought as the Object of Happineſs, in theſe words, Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us. Which is as much as to ſay, Lord let us have an Intereſt in thy Favour, regard us with kindneſs and Love; let us enjoy the Exerciſes and Benefits of thy peculiar Favour and Mercy. It might be ſhewn you by the uſe of this Phraſe in other places of Scripture, that this is the ſenſe and meaning of it.

When he had made this Requeſt, he adds the Reaſon of it in the following words of the Text; Thou haſt put gladneſs in my Heart, more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine encreaſed. Which words intimate, that he had received more Joy and Gladneſs from what enjoyment of the light of God's Countenance had been afforded him, that any others could ever derive from their Corn and Wine, or from the greateſt Encreaſe of them. He intimates that God is the true Object of our Happineſs; that the Favour of God expreſt and exerciſed towards us, is a far better Spring and Source of Content and Comfort, than the Profits and Pleaſures of this World can be. We may reckon that this is what we are taught in theſe words.

HOW well did the Bounteous Creatour of all things contrive the Nature of Man, for the making him exceedingly Happy! He put into our Conſtitution an Immortal Spirit, join'd to a Living and Senſible Body: And ſo he made us capable of the Delights of both Worlds, the Spiritual, and the Material. By our Souls we are capable to enjoy, and delight in Spiritual Objects, and their Properties and Qualities: We are capable of a rational, ſpiritual Delight in ſenſible Objects; and we are capable to enjoy, and delight in God himſelf, and his Infinite, Eternal Perfections. And by our Bodies, which are allied to this World, we are capable of a ſenſual Delight in the things of it; to enjoy and pleaſe our ſelves with the Properties, Vertues and Qualities belonging to Material things. So bounteous and kind was the Creatour to Man, in the Forming of him.

But, alas! Man has not been kind to himſelf: He did not remain long in the happy State which he was firſt ſet in; but by following too much the Pleaſures of his Senſe, he loſt all the greateſt Pleaſures of his Mind. By eating the Forbidden Fruit, he ſinned againſt God; loſt his Favour, and the Enjoyment of him; became alienated from God; and his Mind became ſubject to the ſhameful Diſeaſe of Senſuality. A low, and ſordid Propenſity to Earthly things, did from henceforth poſſeſs him, and a wretched Incapacity, and Averſeneſs towards Heavenly and Spiritual things. We are condemned to enjoy only the loweſt, and weakeſt, and the leaſt part of our Happineſs; to gnaw, as it were, on the Shell of Pleaſure, and enjoy no more than the Brute Beaſts do. We following the unhappy Fall of our Nature, do amuſe, and entertain our ſelves only with the poor Objects of Senſe, utterly forget, and neglect our higher Capacities, and our true Happineſs. It is the whole Buſineſs of our Religion in all the parts of it, to recover us from this ſhameful, and deadly Fall; to draw us off from this our wretched Attachment to this World; and turn us from a falſe Happineſs to a true one. The ſcope and aim of all its Doctrins, Precepts, Promiſes, Threatnings, Motives and Aſſiſtances is this, to make us truly happy: And the Sum of all is, to bring us to what the Apoſtle here exhorts to, in ſaying; Set your Affections on Things above, not on Things on the Earth.

By Things above, he means thoſe very things which were recommended to you, by the Diſcourſe immediately foregoing this, as the chiefeſt, and the true Objects of our Happineſs: He means God himſelf, who is our Chief Good, and the Expreſſions, and Exerciſes of his peculiar Favour and Love. He me ••• the Graces which the Holy Spirit works 〈◊〉 the Souls of Men, which perfect, and adorn, and compoſe the Mind: He means the everlaſting Bleſſedneſs which is to come, the Happineſs and Joys of Heaven.

By adviſing to ſet our Affections on thoſe things, he means they ſhould be much the Objects of our Minds; he intends the Application of the whole Soul to them, and the employing of all our Powers about them. The Original word, which we render here ſet your Affections, has this large Import, and Signification, and might be rendered, Mind thoſe things which are above: Let your Judgments eſteem them, your Wills chuſe, and your Affections follow them.

And not on Things on the Earth: that is, rather than the Things of the Earth. It is according to the Cuſtom and Phraſe of the Hebrew Language, to expreſs thus, when it only intends to prefer the former things it ſpeaks of, before the latter. So in Hoſ. 6. 6. The Prophet, in the Perſon of God, ſays; I will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice: that is, rather than Sacrifice, he intended to expreſs God's preference of Mercy before Sacrifice. Here then the Apoſtle, who was an Hebrew of Hebrews, ſpeaking after the Phraſe, and Manner of his own Language, muſt be underſtood to mean, Set your Affections on Things above, rather than on Things on the Earth: Mind thoſe Things moſt; let them have the preference with you. He does not forbid, nor does our Religion forbid the moderate ſeeking, and enjoyment of the Good things of this World. We are not bound to be unſenſible of their Goodneſs, to take no delight in them, nor abſolutely, and wholly to refuſe, or reject all ſenſual Pleaſures. The things of this World are good in their Kind and Degree, and are uſeful and neceſſary to us in our preſent State, and we may enjoy them with delight, and give God Thanks for them. But ſtill we muſt prefer the things above, to theſe below; Spiritual Things to Material, the better, and nobler things to thoſe that are worſe, and of a meaner Nature.

It ſhall be the Buſineſs of this Diſcourſe (by God's Aſſiſtance) to explain or expreſs to you more largely and particularly, the Import and Meaning of the Apoſtle's exhortation here: And then to urge our Obedience to it, with a few proper Motives: And thus will this Diſcourſe (as it was intended) be very Applicatory of that which goes before it.

Explication. In the firſt Place, I ſhall ſhew you how we ought to mind and apply our ſelves to the things above: With how much Concern and Care we ſhould ſeek the Favour of God, the matchleſs Bleſſings of his Love, and the enjoyment of him therein. This I ſhall repreſent to you under theſe three Heads;

1. The Things above muſt have the Preference of our Judgments: We muſt eſteem, and value them before all other.

2. They muſt have the Preference of our Wills and Affections; We muſt chuſe, and love them, deſire and delight in them, more than in any other.

3. They muſt have the Preference of our Actions, and Courſe of Life. We ſhould ſeek, and purſue them more than all other things.

I ſhall particularly inſiſt and enlarge my Diſcourſe upon each of theſe ſeverally, for the better Illuſtration of them.

1. Thoſe things ought to have the Preference of our Judgments: We ſhould eſteem and value them as the beſt things. We muſt account God our Chiefeſt Good, and the enjoyment of him in his Love the higheſt Felicity: This ſhould be the ſetled, and fixed Judgment of our Souls; a Concluſion deliberately, and firmly made. The Apoſtle who gives this Direction in our preſent Text, expreſſes thus concerning himſelf, when he ſays, Phil. 3. 8. I count all things but dung, that I may win Chriſt, and be found in him; that is, That I may through him have an Intereſt in God, and in the Bleſſings of his peculiar Love. This has been the conſtant Practice and State of all good and rectified Souls. Thy loving kindneſs is better than life, ſays David, Pſal. 63. 3. More to be deſired are thy Commandments than Gold, yea, than much fine Gold, ſweeter alſo than the Hony, and the Hony-comb, Pſal. 19. This preference and eſteem of things above, is ſeveral times expreſt by Solomon, in the words which he puts into the Mouth of a Holy Soul, in his Book of Canticles, in Chap. 1. Verſe 2. She ſays to Chriſt, Thy Love is better than Wine. The expreſſions and exerciſes of thy Favour are better far, and more chearing and refreſhing to the Mind, than the richeſt Wines are to the faint and thirſty Body. Again, ſhe ſays, Chap. 2. 3. As the Apple Tree among the Trees of the Wood, ſo is my Beloved among the Sons. He is to be preferred before all other. Yea, ſhe ſays in plain Terms, Chap. 5. 10. He is the chiefeſt among Ten thouſand. Theſe are all of them the expreſſions of ſuch Souls, as mind the things above, rather than thoſe below, and prefer Spiritual Objects before Senſual. God muſt have the Aſcendant in our Souls. He who truly is the Chiefeſt Good, muſt be accounted ſo. We muſt believe him the Center and Source of all Goodneſs; the Fountain and Giver of all that which is in the Creatures. And that he has not given away from himſelf what he has communicated to them, but is ſtill an inexhauſtible Fulneſs of Good: That in him does all deſirable Fulneſs dwell; and that he alone is able to afford full Content and Happineſs to the Soul of Man. We muſt account it a much happier State to enjoy the things above, than the things below: Much better to be vertuous and good, than rich and great, to enjoy the Favour of God, than the Eſteem of Men. And if we have the greateſt value and eſteem for the things above, we ſhall value all other things according to the relation which they bear to them. Thoſe things which have a ſubſerviency to them, and are means of attaining them will be valued next to them, and will for their ſakes be in great eſteem too: Such are Prayer, Hearing the Word of God, Reading, and Meditating on it, and the Attendance upon Sacraments. And again: Thoſe things which are contrary and oppoſite to theſe, which hinder the enjoyment of them, will not be lookt upon as Indifferent, they will be accounted very evil things, and be abſolutely rejected from all eſteem with us; Such are all manner of Sins and Wickedneſſes. Thus muſt the things above have the Preference of our Judgments.

2. They muſt alſo have the Preference of our Wills and Affections. We muſt chuſe them before all other things; love, deſire, and delight moſt in them. When thoſe things are propoſed, deſcribed, and offered to us, we muſt not regard them with indifferent, and careleſs Minds. Our Souls muſt be moved towards them, in chuſing, accepting, and deſiring above all things to be Partakers of them. This alſo has been the Temper of good Souls, as the Expreſſions that have fallen from ſuch do abundantly declare. The Holy Author of Pſal. 73. ſays to God, Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none on Earth that I can deſire beſides thee. The Spouſe in the Canticles ſays, Cant. 1. 2. Let him kiſs me with the Kiſſes of his Mouth. That which I chiefly deſire is, to receive the expreſſions of thy matchleſs Love. And in Verſe 4. ſhe ſays. We will be glad, and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy Love more than Wine. If we can enjoy thy Favour, Oh Jeſus, lover of Souls; This is that we moſt value, This is all we care for, This is that will be moſt pleaſing to us. Ardent Deſires after God, the Pſalmiſt expreſſes, Pſal. 42. 1, 2. As the Hart panteth after the Water Brooks, ſo panteth my Soul after thee, O God. My Soul thirſteth for God, for the living God; when ſhall I come and appear before God!

If we are not aſſured of an Intereſt in the peculiar Love of God, we ſhould moſt earneſtly and inceſſantly deſire this: We ſhould make it the chief ſubject and matter of our Prayers. The want of this ſhould not be ſatisfied, and madeup with any thing elſe. Let us never ſay to our ſelves upon the moſtplentiful Enjoyment of theſe things, as that Man whom our Saviour deſcribes, Luke 12. who ſaid, Soul, take thine eaſe, becauſe thou haſt Goods laid up for many years. Our Souls muſt take no Eaſe, nor ever be at Reſt, till we have Goods laid up for Eternity. God muſt be the only Center of our Hopes and Aims: We ſhould love him with a tranſcendent Love. Nothing ſhould grieve, or trouble us, ſo much as what does damp our Hopes of Heaven; nothing ſo much tranſport and pleaſe, as what does raiſe, and promote, and confirm them.

If we have been ſo happy as to gain an Intereſt in his Favour, and to be in ſome meaſure Partakers of the Bleſſings of his Love, it will be the Temper of our Minds to delight greatly in the things above; highly will the Thoughts of our Happineſs pleaſe us; we ſhall be able to ſay of God, as David did, My Meditation of him ſhall be ſweet, I will be glad, or rejoice in the Lord, Pſal. 104. This will be the chief delight and ſolace of the Heavenly Soul to think; God loves me, the most High has a peculiar favour for me; This God is my God, for ever and ever: With higheſt Pleaſure will the Soul ſay, My Beloved, is mine, and I am his: There is laid up for me a Crown of Righteouſneſs.

And if ſuch be the moſt welcome and pleaſant Thoughts, it cannot be but they will be very frequent ones. Oh how I love thy Law (ſays David) It is my Meditation all the Day, Pſal. 119. 97.

When we can let many Days paſs over our Heads, without one ſerious and ſenſible Thought of Heavenly things, this is a Symptom of an Earthly, and Carnal Mind. The Heavenly Mind is neceſſitated, and drawn to other Thoughts, but it enclines to theſe.

And the Sabbaths, and publick Worſhip of God are a great delight to ſuch a Man: When he may be ſeparated from the Concerns of the World, to contemplate the Riches of God's Love, to taſte the ſweetneſs of it, to conſider the Beauty of Holineſs, and the Joys of Heaven. The Senſe of his Soul is the ſame with that which David expreſſes, Pſal. 84. 10. A Day in thy Courts is better than a Thouſand; I had rather be a Door-keeper in the Houſe of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedneſs. And Solomon puts a mighty value and eſteem for the Worſhip and Sacred Ordinances of God, and an exceſſive delight in them into the Character of a devout Soul, which he gives us in his ſublime Song, Cant. 2. 34. 5. where after he had made her ſay, As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood, ſo is my Beloved among the Sons: She carries on the Metaphor, and ſays, I ſate down under his Shadow with great delight, and his Fruit was ſweet unto my taſte. He brought me into the Banquetting-houſe, and his Banner over me was love. And being thus entertained with his Love, ſhe is tranſported with delight, ſhe is, as it were, overwhelmed with Joy: Stay me with Apples (ſays ſhe) Comfort me with Flaggons, for I am ſick of love. Which is as much as to ſay, Thy Love, dear Lord, is great like thy Self, and far greater than my narrow Capacity! When I conſider, when I feel it, when I enjoy the exerciſes of it in Holy Communion with thee, I am, me thinks, my ſelf, all Love; I am tranſported in Extaſies of Love; and the Love I feel in my ſelf, and the delight I take in thine, are a Pleaſure even too great forme without thy aſſiſtance to bear it. If our Mind and Heart were truly ſet on things above; we ſhould go from Publick Devotion to Private, either in our Cloſets or Families: Certainly, he that loves thoſe things, and wiſhes to be employed to Eternity about them, cannot think One whole Day in Seven too much to be ſeparated entirely from the World, for the enjoyment of them. And the Heavenly Soul will be often diſcourſing of Heavenly things. It is a Pleaſure to ſpeak of that we extreamly love: The Holy Soul repreſented in the Canticles, does ſo often extol her Beloved, and ſo ſtay and dwell upon the Deſcriptions, Commendations and Diſcourſes concerning Chriſt, as does ſufficiently ſhew, He is indeed her Beloved. The Society therefore wherein ſuch an one may beſt diſcourſe of his Heart's chief Joy, will be always moſt acceptable, and deſirable to him. Thoſe that value highly the ſame things that we value and love, will be moſt agreeable to us, eſpecially in ſuch caſes where there can be no rivalling of each other, as it is in this. Heavenly Souls will be moſt acceptable to the Heavenly. And the Joy and Pleaſure which attends the Thoughts and Remembrance of thoſe heavenly Things, which they are partly poſſeſt, and partly in expectation of, will be able in a little time at leaſt, to overcome every worldly Sorrow.

Laſtly; If we value and love Heaven, and things above, more than things on the Earth, we muſt greatly deſire to be in Heaven. We muſt needs deſire to be advanced to that State where we ſhall more perfectly enjoy thoſe things than we can here; where we ſhall be ſatisfied with the communicated likeneſs of God in our perfect and compleat Sanctification, where we ſhall enjoy perfect Reſt and Bleſſendneſs; we cannot chuſe but deſire that State, where, as we ſhall have a fuller enjoyment of the things we moſtly love, ſo the enjoyment of them ſhall be more conſtant and uninterrupted; where we ſhall have the light of God's Countenance always ſhining bright upon us; where no Clouds, no Eclipſes ſhall hide, or any Night ever take it from us, but it ſhall make a continual joyful and glorious Day. The Soul then that does truly reliſh and delight in theſe Divine things, cannot be ſatisfied to be here, but will, with ſubmiſſion to the Will of God, long for the time of his removal to that better State. He will not think his Life on Earth too ſhort, but rather too long: and be ready to ſay, When will this my tedious Pilgrimage be over? When ſhall I come and appear before God! He is not only contented, but even deſirous with St. Paul, To depart, and to be with Chriſt. He can willingly forſake, not only a poor, mean, and laborious State on Earth; but even a rich, proſperous, and eaſy one, for the better Enjoyments of Heaven: For that which he enjoys of Heaven here, is that which he chiefly delights in. And ſince the ſecond Coming of Chriſt is that which brings him his full Redemption, and the perfect Fruition of all that he deſires, he will greatly long for that; he will be one of thoſe that love his Appearing. He has the Spirit of the Bride in him, who ſays, Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly, in Rev. 22. Or as the holy Souls before his firſt Coming, in longing deſire after that, Cant. 8. 14. He will ſay for his Second, Make haſte, my Beloved, and be thou like a Roe, or to a young Hart upon the Mountains of Spices. Thus muſt our Will and Affections prefer the Things above.

3. Thoſe things muſt have alſo the Preference of our Actions, and Courſe of Life. And it is a certain conſequent and fruit of the other two Particulars, and the beſt Indication of them in us, that we chiefly endeavour after, and moſtly ſeek and purſue the Things above.

It is neceſſarily included in the minding thoſe Things, that we ſeek them, and endeavour to be Partakers of them. We muſt ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait gate; we muſt give diligence, to make our Calling and Election ſure; we muſt work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling. Strong and true deſires after any other things, will excite ſuitable Endeavours; therefore it muſt be ſo with us in this Caſe. And thus it was with the good Soul, whoſe Affections towards God, Solomon deſcribes; who is repreſented by him, as very Inquiſitive after him: She lov'd in his abſence; as reſtleſs in her enquiry and ſearch, till ſhe had found him whom her Soul loved, Cant. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4. Lazy wiſhes are of no value: Till we come to active Deſires and very vigorous Endeavours, we have not an Heart ſet upon the Things above. We muſt very diligently uſe the Means that God has appointed, and does afford us for the making us Partakers of thoſe things: The ordinary Means of attaining the Sanctification of our Nature; the aſſured Pardon of our Sins; the Beams of Divine Favour, and a Title to Everlaſting glory: And they are Private, and Publick Prayers; the Preaching of God's Word, and his Sacraments. Theſe muſt be valued as Means, as I ſaid before; and alſo, I ſay now, they muſt be very diligently attended upon, and uſed. It muſt not be an indifferent Matter with us, whether we enjoy them or not.

If we rightly, and heartily deſire heavenly Things, we ſhall be very diligent and induſtrious in that Courſe of Duty, which the Providence of God gives us; whatever Station we are in, we ſhall endeavour to adorn it, to glorify God by our Behaviour in it: VVe ſhall be ſteadfaſt, and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, and ought to be ſo; as knowing, That our Labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord: As believing, that the glorious and eternal Rewards of Heaven deſerve our greateſt diligence, and labour in our Duty.

HOW common a thing is it, among thoſe that have heard the glad Tidings of the Goſpel, for Men to take up a preſumptuous reliance upon the Merits of Jeſus Chriſt, with neglect of Obedience to the Commands of God! Some of the moſt profligate and careleſs Sinners will hope to be ſaved! And if one ask them how? They will ſay, by the Merits of Jeſus Chriſt. Many indulge themſelves in their darling Sins, and yet hope to be ſaved by the Merits of Chriſt. And moſt certain it is, that the Doctrins of ſome Teachers give occaſion to this preſumption: They occaſion Men to think there is nothing neceſſary to their Salvation but ſtrong Believing, and ſo to endeavour nothing but that; and to rely upon the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, ſo as to neglect all Endeavour after any Righteouſneſs of their own: And this Error and Deluſion where it obtains, does often prove able to harden a Man againſt the moſt earneſt Exhortations to leave his Sins, yea, and even againſt the moſt plain Rebukes of Providence for them, and to fruſtrate all other Means of Grace, and Converſion whatever: It is therefore of great Importance to remove it out of the way, and this I ſhall endeavour by diſcourſing on theſe words of our Saviour, which, if they had been well conſidered together with many other plain Scriptures, it had prevented the entertainment of ſuch Imaginations in the Minds of Men.

He had been in a long Diſcourſe, enforcing many of the Commands of the Moral Law. And now towards the cloſe of this Diſcourſe, he begins in this Verſe to tell them of what importance and neceſſity it was to them to practiſe what he had taught. He plainly teaches, that no belief in him would avail them any thing, if they did not together with it keep the Commands of God. Not every one (ſays he) that ſaith to me Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, that is, Not he that only believes I am the true Meſſiah, and the Redeemer of the World, not every one that pretends to rely upon me for Salvation ſhall be ſaved; But he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. This is required to Salvation as well as the other: I come not to ſave Rebels continuing ſuch, but to ſave them who ſet themſelves to do my Father's Will, and to obey his Commands. And from henceſorth to the end of his Sermon on the Mount, and to the end of this Chapter does our Saviour very evidently ſet himſelf to enforce, and urge the ſame thing.

The following Diſcourſe on this Subject, I ſhall divide into theſe 3 Parts.

In the firſt place, I ſhall make it evident that it is neceſſary, and required of Chriſtians, that they ſet themſelves to keep the Commands of God. This is required of all thoſe who are grown Perſons, and are come to the exerciſe of their Reaſon; they who have opportunity to do this, muſt do it, and they cannot be ſaved without this by any Merits or Mediation of Jeſus Chriſt. Indeed Infants baptized, and dying in their Infancy, may be ſaved by the Merits of Jeſus Chriſt, without the exerciſe and practice of good Works which they had not capacity or opportunity to perform; but grown Perſons cannot. Good works, or the keeping the Commands of God are neceſſary to our finding Favour, and to Salvation as Conditions required to precede and concur, tho they do not gain Favour and Salvation for us, as efficient or meritorious Cauſes. For proof of this, I ſhall, to make the Diſcourſe as ſhort as I can, only inſiſt upon two Arguments, omitting many other which might be produced to this purpoſe, and they that I ſhall inſiſt upon are theſe,

1. We ſhall find the Duties of the Moral Law frequently urg'd and enjoined to Chriſtians, by Chriſt and his Apoſtles.

2. So far is the Goſpel from excuſing our Obedience to the Laws of God, that it makes this the neceſſary Condition of our having an Intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt, or in the Benefits of the Covenant of Grace.

1. We ſhall find if we look fairly into the New Teſtament, that the Duties of the Moral Law are there very frequently urg'd, and enjoin'd to Chriſtians by our Lord, and his Apoſtles.

Our Lord himſelf ſays, He came not to deſtroy the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfil them, Mat. 5. 17. How can it then be a Doubt but that Chriſtians are obliged to keep the Laws of God, when our Saviour ſays, He came not to deſtroy, but to fulfil them? That is, He came not to take away the Force and Obligation of any, but to fulfil and obey them Himſelf, and to enforce the Obſervance of them by his Followers. His whole Sermon in the Mount, contained in the 5, 6, and 7th Chapters of Matthew, is made up of Moral Inſtructions; wherein he reſcues theſe from the corrupt Gloſſes and Interpretations of the Phariſees, and eſtabliſhes, and confirms the pure Precepts themſelves. Again, our Saviour does enjoin at once the Obſervation of the whole Moral Law, as neceſſary to Salvation, under theſe two general Heads. The Love of God, and of our Neighbour. In Luke 10. it is ſaid, Ver. 25. A certain Lawyer ſtood up and tempted him, ſaying, Maſter, what ſhall I do to inherit Eternal Life? Jeſus anſwers in the next Verſe, What is written in the Law? How readeſt thou? He anſwering, ſaid, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Strength, and with all thy Mind; and thy Neighbour as thy Self. Jeſus replies, in Verſe 28. This do, and thou ſhalt live: Intimating that he knew no other way to Life, that he could take, than by a diligent Endeavour, and Application of himſelf to the keeping of the Commands of God: That this was the way always appointed to the Jews, and that he came not to teach or procure a new way of Salvation; He therefore intimates, that he might learn in what was then written the way of Salvation, that is, in the Writings of the Old Teſtament. Jeſus Chriſt came not to alter the terms and way to Salvation, which had been appointed to all the World ſince the Fall of Man, but only to teach that way more perfectly.

Further; the Apoſtles alſo after Chriſt, and by the Direction of the Holy Ghoſt poured upon them, do urge and require the Obedience of Chriſtians to the Precepts of the Moral Law. Out of the many Inſtances which might be produced from every one of them to this purpoſe, I ſhall content my ſelf to take but one from the Writings of St. Paul, and another from the Epiſtle of St. James, to ſhew how well theſe two Apoſtles agree in this Matter, and to contract this head. The Apoſtle Paul in Eph. 6. 1. 23. ſays, Chidren, obey your Parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honour thy Father and Mother (which is the Firſt Commandment with Promiſe) that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayeſt live long on the Earth. We may ſee he preſſes there the ſame Duty which is enjoined in the 5th Commandment: And we may obſerve moreover, that he preſſes it as enjoin'd there. He quotes the 5th Commandment as an obliging Law, and a Rule ſtill in force: And herein he plainly allows, and eſtabliſhes the Force of all the Law that is Moral.

St. James alſo in the 2d. Chap. to his Epiſt. does enforce and urge the Obedience of Chriſtians to the Moral Law: Nothing leſs can be the meaning of the 8th Ver. If ye fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture, Thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf, Thou ſhalt do well: And in the following Ver. he further urges the Obedience to this general Precept; and ſays, He that offends in one Point, is guilty of all; and brings his Diſcourſe to this Point, That he who deſpiſes his poor Neighbour, and neglects works of Mercy, tranſgreſſes the Law, as well as he that ſhould kill, or commit Adultery; which things are alſo forbidden ſtill, as he there intimates.

Thus we ſee that Jeſus Chriſt and his Apoſtles have unanimouſly urg'd the Chriſtian Church, to obſerve the Precepts of the Moral Law.

2. Another thing that proves the Neceſſity of Obedience, and a good Life under the Times of the Goſpel, is this: That even the Goſpel its ſelf makes this the neceſſary Condition of an Intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt. Good works indeed do not conſtitute a juſtified State; but they are neceſſary to the attaining it, as they are the neceſſary Conditions of our being juſtified by Chriſt.

We are certainly not admitted into the Covenant of Grace, without a ſincere Engagement to be the Lord's: Or without a ſolemn Vow and Promiſe to keep God's Holy Will and Commandments, and to walk in the ſame all the Days of our Lives. And our Church rightly teaches us the neceſſity of Obedience, in order to our being partakers of the Benefits purchaſed by Chriſt, by putting the ſolemn Promiſe and Reſolution of it into the Baptiſmal Covenant. But I ſhall make this evident from the Nature of that Faith which is requir'd, and from the Command of Repentance, and from ſome very direct Texts of Scripture.

1. This will appear to us, if we conſider the Nature of that Faith, which is required to make us partakers of the Benefits of the new Covenant. 'Tis ſaid indeed, He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting Life. But we muſt let the Scripture tell us what it means by believing in him. To believe in Chriſt is to rely upon him for Salvation; but 'tis relying upon him upon ſuch Conditions as he appoints, and will admit of. And that Faith which will give us an Intereſt in him muſt purify our Hearts, and reſign our Wills, and make us deny our ſelves, and take up our Croſs, and follow him; which are things that he plainly requires of his Diſciples: And this Truth was taught in the Jewiſh Types and Shadows: The Altar indeed did ſanctify the Gift, yet every thing might not be offer'd upon the Altar; it was only permitted them to ſet thoſe things which were clean upon it, for an Offering to God. This Faith is expreſt in Scripture by receiving Jeſus Chriſt; And this muſt needs mean the accepting and cloſing with him as he is offer'd to us in the Scriptures: That we receive him as a King, and ſubmit to his Laws, as a Teacher, and follow his Inſtructions, as well as that we receive him as a Prieſt, and rely upon the Merits of his Sacrifice. And even St. Paul himſelf does not ſay that any Faith will ſave a Man; but he defines the profitable and ſaving Faith to be that which works by Love, Gal. 5. 6. So that 'tis only Faith join'd with Obedience that can help us.

2. Again; This appears in that Repentance is required as neceſſary to our partaking in the Merits of Jeſus Chriſt. St. Peter ſays to the Jews, who were made ſenſible of their Sin in Crucifying the Lord of Glory, that they muſt repent, and be converted, that their Sins might be blotted out, Acts 3. 19. And St. John preaches repentance as neceſſary to an Intereſt in Chriſt in 1 Joh. 1. 8, 9. where he ſays, If we ſay we have no Sin, we deceive our ſelves, and the Truth is not in us; but if we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs. He makes forgiveneſs of Sin, and the Grace that delivers from the power and pollution of it to depend upon an humble and penitent Confeſſion of Sin. Now what is Repentance but a hearty Sorrow for Sin, and hatred of it for the Evil that is in it, and a reſolution and endeavour accordingly to forſake all that is ſinful and wicked? This then is abſolutely required of them that would have the Pardon of their Sins, and would find Favour with God through Jeſus Chriſt.

THere is an exceeding great evil and diſorder, which we may too frequently obſerve in the World, and which every Man's reaſon condemns in others, and yet all are apt to be often guilty of it themſelves: It is, that we we do commonly remember long, and retain a very deep reſentment of an Injury, whether it be a real, or but an imagined one; but we ſoon forget the Benefits we receive, and loſe the Impreſſions of them. Thus do Mankind often deal with one another, and thus alſo do they behave themſelves towards God. Tho he cannot wrong or injure us, yet we are apt to think he does ſo, when he does in any thing diſpleaſe us, and we behave our ſelves towards him, as if he did: We murmur againſt him, and grow diſcontented and froward, are ready to think 'tis in vain to ſerve him, and to throw off our Duty. And on the other ſide, we do at the ſame time forget his Benefits, and take no notice of what we have, many times, through deſire of what we want. We are very earneſt and importunate in our Requeſts for what we would have, and are cold in our Thankſgivings, or neglect to be thankful at all, when we have obtain'd it. The Spirit of God, taking notice of this Fault in Mankind, repeats his Inſtructions in Holy Scripture to the contrary. He bids us take care to join with all our Prayers, Thankſgivings, in Phil. 4. 6. he ſays, by the Apoſtle, Be careful for nothing, but in every thing, by Prayer and Supplication, with Thanksgiving, let your requeſt be made known to God: However deſirous ye are, however ſollicitous to obtain what ye want, of God, be ſure to be thankful for what ye have. Again, in this Chapter where our preſent Text is, he joins the Command of Thankſgiving with that of Prayer; the 17th Ver. bids us Pray without ceaſing, and this 18th ſays, In every thing give Thanks; whatever your condition be, recommend it to Almighty God by Prayer; and how long ſoever it pleaſes God to deny or delay what you deſire, yet continue to pray: And with your Prayers, remember alſo to give Thanks. In every thing give Thanks, that is, in every State and Condition, endeavour to retain always a Senſe of the Divine Benefits, to praiſe him for what he has done for you; and be free from all hard Thoughts of God, and undecent Murmurings againſt him. I confeſs this Command in this place ſeems to be chiefly directed to thoſe Holy and good Men, who are the peculiar Favourites of Heaven by the Intereſt of Jeſus Chriſt. But, becauſe this Duty is urged more generally elſewhere, and there is no Duty requir'd of ſuch good Men, but it is alſo required of all Men, at leaſt by conſequence, and as all Men are required to be good; I ſhall therefore take the words as exhorting to an univerſal Duty: And I conclude from them, that all Men are bound to expreſs a thankful Acknowledgement unto God of the Benefits they receive from him; and that in all Eſtates and Circumſtances whatſoever.

In diſcourſing upon this Matter, I ſhall endeavour theſe 2 things.

In the firſt place, I ſhall endeavour to make it evident, That every Man has ſome reaſon to be thankful to God; ſome reaſon to praiſe and love him, and to be patient and contented in every Condition. And this, I think will evidently appear upon the making good the following Particulars.

1. Let us conſider, That all Men are in ſome meaſure Partakers of the Divine Benefits. There is not one among the Race of Mankind, that can juſtly reckon himſelf not at all obliged to God. Every man is beholden to God for his Being; for the preſervation and continuance of his Being ſo long as he ſubſiſts, and for ſome things that comfort him in his Being; and without doubt the Death of Chriſt is in ſome ſenſe an univerſal Benefit.

THeſe words are ſpoken of Wiſdom, as you may ſee by Verſe 13. of this Chapter, where Solomon begins the Commendation of that: Saying, Happy is the Man that findeth Wiſdom, and the Man that getteth Ʋnderſtanding; The Merchandize of it is better than the Merchandize of Silver, and the gain thereof than fine Gold; She is more precious than Rubies, and all the things thou canst deſire are not to be compared to her: Length of Days is in her right Hand, and in her left Hand Riches and Honour; then he adds, Her ways are ways of Pleaſantneſs. And by Wiſdom (of which he ſays theſe great things) he means Religion, or the Wiſdom of good and vertuous living; to which the Scripture it ſelf does elſewhere plainly give that Name, Job 28. 28. The Fear of the Lord, that is Wiſdom, and to depart from Evil, is Ʋnderſtanding. The Ways of Wiſdom, then, means the Practice of Religion and Vertue: This he ſays, is very pleaſant: He has Joy and Pleaſure in abundance, who ſteadily lives in a religious and good courſe of Life.

This is the import and ſenſe of theſe Words. And if this be true, here is a very ſenſible and important inducement to a good Life contained in them. There is nothing uſually more powerful and attractive with Mankind, than Pleaſure; nothing which they more earneſtly, or more univerſally covet: If then it can be made appear, that there is a great deal of this even in well-doing; this may be a means to allure Men to the trial of it; and to divert them from thoſe courſes of Wickedneſs, which draw many into Everlaſting Perdition by the allurement of Pleaſure. To make this good, and to prove what Solomon here ſays, will be the chief buſineſs of this Diſcourſe.

And I do not doubt but it will be beyond any Man's Power to deny or queſtion this, who ſhall ſoberly conſider the following Particulars.

1. The Principle from whence all true and ſincere Religion proceeds and ſprings, is Love; and that muſt needs render it highly pleaſant in the Practice of it. This must be the Principle and Spring of true and ſincere Religion. All the Duties we perform towards God or Man, muſt proceed from Love to God and Man. This muſt be the Principle of our good Actions, and wherever true Love is, it will be a Principle of good Actions. All the inſtances of Duty required of us are but ſuch things, as Love it ſelf will put us upon; ſuch as Love naturally ſuggeſts, and does incline to. He that truly loves God, cannot chuſe but ſeek what will pleaſe him, and endeavour to do all that; and he muſt endeavour to avoid whatever would offend God. He muſt delight to contemplate the Divine Perfections; to think upon the Object that he loves; to adore and worſhip God; to ſeek and promote the Love and Honour of him. So he that loves his Neighbour ſincerely, muſt delight in, and deſire the Wellfare and Happineſs of Men; he muſt endeavour to promote it as much as he can; and will be far from wiſhing, or endeavouring any evil to any Man, or from delighting in what does happen to any. And this, now, is even a Demonſtration of the Pleaſantneſs of a Religious Life; that all of it is nothing elſe but the Exerciſe of Love. He that is driven to do his Duty by Fears and Terrors, performs indeed an ungrateful Task, and goes on in theſe ways with Reluctancy and Sorrow: But he that is drawn with the Cords of Love, follows with Joyfulneſs. He will run and not be weary, whom Love inſpires: He minds not, is not diſcouraged with any Ruggedneſs of the way; but is rather pleaſed with Difficulties, and put on, than troubled or retarded, becauſe they give him opportunity to expreſs the greater Love. This renders the Labours of Religion eaſy and even Sufferings delightful. I take pleaſure in Infirmities, in Reproaches, in Neceſſities, in Perſecutions, in Diſtreſſes for Chriſt's ſake, ſays a great Lover of Jeſus, 2 Cor. 12. 10. It was the ſtrength of Love in the Primitive Followers of Jeſus, which made them very laborious and diligent in Religion, and made them ſuffer much, even to the moſt cruel and tormenting Deaths, and do both with unſpeakable Joy and Pleaſure. They prov'd what a great Lover of God, ſaid long ago, Cant. 8. 6, 7. Love is ſtrong as Death: Many waters cannot quench Love, neither the Floods drown it: All the Task of Love is pleaſant, and nothing is counted hard or uneaſy which that enjoins us.

2. Another thing that renders the Practice of Piety and Vertue very pleaſant, and therefore proves it ſo, is, the fitneſs and reaſonableneſs of all that which Religion enjoins us to do. It is moſt highly equitable, and juſt in all the parts of it; and is moſt perfectly what the Apoſtle calls it, Rom. 12. 1. namely, Reaſonable Service. There is nothing required of us within the whole compaſs of our Duty, but what a Man's own Mind and Reaſon upon ſerious conſideration, muſt needs be perfectly ſatisfied in; nothing that he can have any reaſon to be aſhamed of, or to think below him, or unfit for him to do, or that he can juſtly upbraid, or condemn himſelf for doing. How reaſonable and juſt are all the Duties of Piety towards God? This will appear upon a fair ſtating and propoſal of them. Is it not highly ſo, that we reverence and adore an infinitely glorious and excellent Being? That we truſt the Original Truth? That we love the Sovereign and the Fountain Good? That we obey the ſupream Authority of the World in all that he commands? That we reſign and ſubmit our ſelves entirely to his diſpoſing Providence, who is rightful Owner, and juſt Diſpoſer of all things? That we praiſe and acknowledge thoſe glorious Perfections, which are daily exerciſed to our Comfort and Advantage, and give him Thanks for all the good things that we enjoy, ſince it is he that freely beſtows them? What can be more equitable, and more agreeing to right reaſon than theſe things? Again, That the things which are made to be our Duty in our carriage towards Men are all highly reaſonable and juſt, does ſufficiently appear, in that theſe two are the Fundamental Rules of that Duty: Namely, That we do to others, as we would they ſhould do unto us; and that we love our Neighbour as our ſelves. What can be more agreeing to reaſon, and more ſatisfactory to a Man's own Mind, than to give my Neighbour what, in his Circumſtances, I, my ſelf might deſire; or than to love him as my ſelf, who is my Fellow-Creature, and in all Points like my ſelf? How reaſonable is it for me to ſhew mercy, who need mercy? For me to be ready to do good, and perform all manner of kind Offices to my Neighbour; when I muſt needs deſire that others ſhould be ſo diſpoſed towards me? How ready ſhould I be to forgive, who muſt often need forgiveneſs? How reaſonable is it that I ſhould be honeſt and faithful to others, when I deſire them to be ſo towards me? A little ſober Conſideration would make it evidently appear, concerning every inſtance of Duty towards our Neighbour, that it is moſt highly reaſonable and juſt.

And when a Man apprehends and conſiders this thing, he will perform his Duty with an entire ſatisfaction; And it muſt pleaſe him to think, that in what he has done, he has paid a juſt Debt to Almighty God, he has render'd what was due to him; to think he has acted as becomes his Reaſon, and ſo as he muſt needs be juſtified by the Wiſdom and Conſciences of his Neighbours, in his carriage towards them: He finds in himſelf what David ſaid, Then ſhall I not be aſhamed, when I have reſpect unto all thy Commands; he ſees he has no reaſon to be aſhamed of his Actions, but they are ſuch as he can juſtify and applaud himſelf for; and certainly there can be nothing more pleaſant to a Man, than the juſt applauſes of himſelf.

3. The Dignity and Nobleneſs of good Actions does render it very pleaſant to do well, and therefore alſo proves that it is ſo. He that lives well, lives up to the higheſt and moſt noble capacities of his Nature. In pious and vertuous Actions alone, do we greatly excel the Beaſts that periſh; not in any ſenſual Pleaſures or Enjoyments. They have Senſes as well as we, and as many, and can delight in the Objects of them, and have, perhaps as many delights of that kind as we: But they cannot be pious or wiſe; they cannot be vertuous or good, becauſe they do not know or chuſe their own Actions. In theſe things the religious Man excels them, and advances himſelf truly above them, and he only among Men does in any conſiderable meaſure excel them.

Further, ſo far as we become Religious, we are already here on Earth become like the Angels which are in Heaven: He that lives religiouſly is employed as they are, and conforms himſelf to them; as our Saviour does plainly intimate, when he bids us pray, that the Will of God may be done on Earth, as it is done in Heaven. The Pſalmiſt ſays of the Angels, They perform the Commandments of God, they hearken to the voice of his word, Pſal. 103. 20. The pious Man, then, that carefully performs his Duty towards God, joins himſelf to that noble Company, he is a Fellow-Citizen of the Saints, or holy Ones (which may mean the Angels) And of the Houſhold of God; as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Eph. 2. 19. I am thy Fellow-Servant, ſaid an Angel to St. John, And Fellow-Servant of the Prophets, and of them which keep the Sayings of this Book, Rev. 22. 9. When we worſhip and praiſe God, we join with Angels and Arch-Angels, and all the Company of Heaven. When we pay him a profound Reverence, and come before him with a godly Fear, we do as they who are repreſented; as covering their Faces in their ſolemn Addreſſes to him. When we are concern'd, and endeavouring to promote his Glory in the World; this is what they conſtantly endeavour. When we combat the Temptations that aſſault our ſelves, and ſet our ſelves againſt the works of the Devil in others, we are on the ſame ſide with Michael, and his Angels, are join'd and taking part with thoſe bright Hoſts againſt the Devil and his Angels. And this ſurely, is greatly to our Honour.

And there is a further Dignity and Excellence in a good, and vertuous Life, and that is, it is conformity to the Ever-bleſſed God himſelf. And therefore when any are made righteous and holy, they are ſaid to be renewed after his Image and Likeneſs, Eph. 4. 24. When we beſt perform our Duties to Men, then we do beſt imitate, and moſt reſemble the moſt excellent and perfect Being. When we are merciful, 'tis as our Father in Heaven is merciful. When we return good for evil, 'tis to do like him who is good to the Unthankful and the Evil. When we are ſincere and true, juſt and righteous in all our behaviour; this is to reſemble him who is a God of Truth, and without Iniquity. When we patiently bear with the Infirmities of others; this is a noble imitation of his long-ſufferings with us all. When we forgive thoſe that injure us, this is as he does, who is a God forgiving Iniquity, Tranſgreſſion and Sin: When we ſet our ſelves to do all the Offices of kindneſs that we can, to be beneficial to Mankind in our ſeveral Stations; this is a very Honourable Imitation of his abundant Goodneſs. Upon theſe accounts a good and vertuous Life, is truly great and honourable and noble: This puts upon a Man the greateſt worth and value that he can attain to; this is his beſt accompliſhment; and as it raiſes him in the eſteem of God, ſo it renders him truly deſerving the reſpect and eſteem of Men, and is that which does beſt deſerve it: Hence it is ſaid, The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour, Prov. 12. 26.

Now though it were very unreaſonable that the Senſe of this ſhould make any Man Proud, and Diſdainful of his Neighbour, whom he thinks not to be ſo good as himſelf, when in all this, he has nothing but what he receiv'd, and it was the free Grace of God that made him to differ; and in becoming Proud, he ceaſes to be the good Man: Yet a thankful, humble Senſe of this a Man may have, and the Thoughts of it may afford him a great deal of Delight and Pleaſure. To think, the Creatour made the Humane Nature at firſt, but little lower than the Angels, and Crown'd it with Honour and Dignity: All of us indeed fell in our firſt Parents from that Honourable State, and our Nature being defil'd with Sin, we became more vile than the Beaſts that periſh: But I (Thanks be to Divine Grace) have recovered that State again in ſome meaſure; I am riſing towards the Perfection of that Dignity and Honour as I encreaſe in Vertue and Piety: I am now one of the Houſhold of God, one of the honour'd Train, and Followers of the glorified Jeſus. I am reckon'd a Member of that bright and happy Society above, by God and them.

4. Another thing that renders good Actions, and a religious Life very pleaſant, is the Thought of having pleas'd God therein. It is a very grateful and comfortable thing to have pleas'd and ſatisfied our ſelves in doing well; to have dignified and exalted our ſelves: But this is ſtill an additional Pleaſure to have pleaſed God too. When a Man can think, in this courſe which I hold, whoever is diſpleaſed with me, I pleaſe God. I pleaſe him whom I have moſt reaſon to pleaſe, and whom it will be my greateſt Advantage to pleaſe. I approve my ſelf to the wiſeſt Being; I approve my ſelf to God the Judge of all: And who is he that can condemn whom God juſtifies? It is a ſmall thing to me to be judg'd of Mens Judgment. He takes Delight in me, and is well pleaſed with my Actions, who can do whatſoever he will; who can make me as happy as I can deſire to be. I am through Jeſus Chriſt, accepted with the moſt Holy God. And it muſt be an unſpeakable Pleaſure to a good Man to think, while I am doing well God beholds me, I am never out of his Eye; he beholds me with Delight and Complacence, he has always a particular and ſpecial regard to me. In whatever obſcure Corner of the World, and in how mean a Station ſoever, I am doing well, and keeping the Commands of my God, I am for this, in great Eſteem in that upper and glorious World. And I ſhall not ſerve God for nought. I cannot pleaſe him but it will redound to my great Advantage. He will reward my Performance of my Duty, my Payment even of what I owe him: So bounteous and ſo good a Maſter do I ſerve? And this will lead a Mans Thoughts to the next Particular to be mention'd, which is the laſt.

5. That which cannot chuſe but render a Religious Life very pleaſant, and therefore prove; it to be ſo, is, That it raiſes and maintains in a good Man, ſuch glorious and joylul Expectations as do, and may accompany it. How much Good! how much Bleſſedneſs may be expected from an Infinite Goodneſs and Love upon the Aſſurance of having pleaſed God, and of finding Favour with him! And then if we conſider the vaſt Bounty of his Promiſes to them that obey him, how much he has moſt willingly and freely engag'd himſelf to do for them; and how faithful and true he is in the Performance of what he promiſes: Theſe things will allow a good Man to entertain very great and very pleaſing Expectations. I dare appeal to any Man, whether it would not highly pleaſe and ſatisfy him to think and be aſſur'd that God peculiarly loves him, that he is a Favourite of Heaven; of an Almighty, moſt wiſe and unchangeable Friend; of him who is able to make thoſe he loves, eternally happy. Muſt it not pleaſe a Man to think I ſhall be ſure to want no good thing; I ſhall never be overcome or undone by any Evil; for the Lord is my Refuge and Portion in the Land of the Living; as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks of himſelf, Pſal. 142. 5. What good Man can read and apply that to himſelf, which is ſaid for ſuch in Pſal. 91. 11. without a great deal of Pleaſure? He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways: To think, holy and kind Angels are continually about me, while I give them no Offence by any Sin or Impurity: They attend me in my Buſineſs; they watch me when I Sleep; they are willing to be about me to do all manner of good Offices: To keep off Evil Spirits, and deliver from the Harms they ſpread in my way. They are Witneſſes of my good Actions, and ſhall bear a kind and honourable Teſtimony for me at the great day of Judgment: They ſee in ſecret and ſhall applaud me openly. Theſe are ſome of the comfortable Expectations that attend a Religious Life. And yet further; If a Man conſiders what great and glorious things are laid up, or reſerv'd for thoſe that love God, and keep his Commands. What the Honours, the Felicities and the Pleaſures of the next Life will be to ſuch, and does expect to be a partaker of theſe, as a good Man may do, he will in ſome meaſure foretaſte the future Bliſs: The hopes of Heaven are Anticipations, they are Beams and Dawnings of the Joy and Glory there. The good Man then cannot chuſe but rejoyce in Hope, when he thinks, I ſhall e're long be remov'd from this wicked and miſerable World, to that, where only Holineſs, and Goodneſs, and Happineſs dwell. I ſhall go from Envy and Malice, from Reproach and Contempt, to joyful Congratulations and Love, to Applauſes and Commendations: I go no faſter to the Grave than I go towards Reſt. I ſhall labour then but for a few Moments longer, and ſhall reſt for ever. As I ſpend this Life I earn a better; the ſooner this ends, the ſooner that will begin. While I deny my own Inclinations now, and ſerve and pleaſe God, while I deſpiſe the Pleaſures of Senſe, and abſolutely refuſe thoſe of Sin, all which are but for a ſhort Seaſon, I am procuring to my ſelf everlaſting Satisfactions and Pleaſures: Theſe are Expectations that may attend a good Life, and in doing ſo, doubtleſs they will render it extreamly pleaſant.

Thus I have ſufficiently prov'd what the Wiſe Man here ſays, The ways of Wiſdom or Religion, are ways of Pleaſantneſs.

It remains now that ſomething be ſaid briefly, to promote that Uſe of this Truth, which Men ought to make of it.

1. And in the Firſt place, it ſhould ſerve to take Men off in ſome meaſure, from the Pleaſures of Senſe. I mean thoſe who are too much addicted to them. It is not the Deſign of Religion to make us refuſe and abſtain from all the pleaſing things of this World. We are allow'd to take and uſe ſoberly and thankfully, whatſoever God ſhall give us, and we can lawfully obtain of them. But ſince there is ſo much Pleaſure in doing well, this may reaſonably ſuggeſt to us theſe Two things.

1. That we ſhould not ſuffer our ſelves to be wholly taken up with worldly and ſenſual Pleaſure. We ſhould not yield our ſelves entirely to the Purſuit and Enjoyment of that, and let theſe Pleaſures ſtand by, neglected. He that governs himſelf moſt wiſely in this matter, and has the moſt pleaſant Life of all other, is he that takes care to enjoy both ſorts, as far as he may. And to enforce this Exhortation, we may conſider that without doubt, the Pleaſures of Religion are the ſtrongeſt and ſweeteſt of any. They ſink deeper into a Man than any other, and affect him more as they enter into his Mind, and put all the inward Powers of that, into a pleaſing Exerciſe and Motion. They poſſeſs more of a Man than thoſe that touch only his Body and Senſes. The Mind of Man is the moſt, and (as we may ſay) the greateſt part of him: It has moſt Deſire and greateſt Capacity of Pleaſure. It is much more ſenſible both of Pleaſure and Pain, than the duller Body. The Pſalmiſt ſpeaks the greater Sweetneſs and Excellency of Religious Pleaſure, when he ſays of the Law of God, If it ſweeter than the Honey and the Honey-comb, Pſal. 19. 10. He means the practice of Religion and Vertue, the doing any Duties commanded by the Law of God, afforded him a far greater Pleaſure and Delight, than e're he could by his Senſes receive from the moſt pleaſant things of this World.

2. Since there is ſo much Pleaſure in well-doing, this may juſtly perſuade Men off from the guilty Purſuit and Enjoyment of the Pleaſures of this World. Why ſhould a Man ſuffer himſelf to be guilty for the ſake of any Pleaſure, when he may enjoy that which is very Rich and Senſible, without being ſo? It is moſt certain, that Guilt will greatly allay the briskeſt Pleaſures of this World: In the midſt of guilty Laughter, the Heart is ſad. Theſe are always beſt and ſweeteſt to him that regularly and ſoberly uſes them, that uſes them according to the Rules of Religion: Thus he ſhall hurt neither his Body nor his Soul, nor his Eſtate, nor his Neighbour, while he pleaſes his Appetites, and gratifies his Senſes; and ſo he avoids the unpleaſing Farewell of a troubled Conſcience. He does not deſtroy the Appetite while he pleaſes it, but keeps himſelf in a capacity to have always a very lively Reliſh and Senſe of his Pleaſures. The irregular and intemperate Man makes a Drudgery of thoſe of this World, and turns their fine Reliſh eager and four: And the other ſort, that is the high and delicate ones of Religion, he utterly deprives himſelf of. In a vertuous and religious Courſe of Life, a Man may enjoy both ſorts; but in that which is guilty and irreligious, he cannot well enjoy either. This is the Firſt Uſe may be made of this Diſcourſe.

2. A Second is this. It ought to perſuade Men to betake themſelves ſteadily to a religious and good Courſe of Life. It was ſaid by the Spirit of God, that the ways of Religion are ways of Pleaſantneſs, with Deſign to recommend them to the Sons of Men. He ſpoke this in a kind Condeſcention to our Nature and Inclination; to make a Bait of Pleaſure, which we are ſo apt to dote upon. And this ſurely ſhould be a very powerful Argument to this purpoſe: This ought much rather to induce Men to be Wiſe and Vertuous, to act as becomes them, and purſue their true Happineſs, than to make them guilty of Folly and Sin; of what is ſhameful and hurtful to them, and of what will incur their everlaſting Miſery. And how great an Obligation to Obedience is it, that the Laws of our Religion are thus contriv'd; that the Univerſal Sovereign has made the Inſtances of our Duty, ſo reaſonable and ſo good; that we may delight in our Duty, and the Performance of it, will reward it ſelf. They would exceedingly aggravate our Wickedneſs, and ſhew a ſtrange Obſtinacy in Sin, and Enmity to God, if we ſhould rather refuſe all this Happineſs and Pleaſure, than ſubmit our ſelves to the Laws of Religion. And thus I have far enough urg'd this Argument in our Text, to ſhew that they who will do wickedly, do obſtinately refuſe their own Intereſt. And to furniſh the Conſciences of Sinners with ſuch a Conviction, as will at one time or other, prove a ſharp Sting and Torment, if they will not ſuffer it now to reſtrain them from Wickedneſs.

IT is a ſtrange and wonderful Degeneracy that the Humane Nature is fallen under, as appears from the wonderful Averſneſs that is in all Mankind to a religious and a vertuous Life. Religion is the greateſt Ornament and Glory of the Humane Nature: It is the Cure of all our Defects and Diſparagements: It is our true and compleat Perfection: And yet we commonly appear to be moſt eaſily withheld from the Practice of it: We deviſe Excuſes to neglect it, we receive the moſt falſe and unreaſonable Prejudices againſt it without any Examination of them: We do often obſtinately perſiſt in Wickedneſs againſt the moſt weighty Inducements to do well.

Theſe Words of the Bleſſed Jeſus, who came into the World to ſave Sinners, and to that Purpoſe has taught us as well as died for us, do meet with one of the Prejudices againſt an Holy Life, which he knew to be very common in the Hearts of Men: And that is, the Imagination that Religion is a Task too hard for Humane Nature, and utterly impoſſible to be perform'd. Becauſe we muſt indeed take ſome Pains to be Religious; our lazy and unwilling Souls magnify the little Oppoſitions into Mountains of Difficulties, and make us think we ſhall never be able to get over them; and the way down to the bottomleſs Pit, ſeems eaſie and ſmooth, is ſtrow'd with Pleaſures, Riches and Worldly Honours; and theſe things eaſily allure and engage us to follow that. Againſt this fatal and diſcouraging Prejudice, our Saviour ſays in the Words of our Text;

Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: And ye ſhall find reſt unto your Souls.

For my Yoke is eaſie and my Burden is light.

THough the Holy Scripture has told us of our Adverſary the Devil, that he is a Liar from the Beginning, and the ſad Experience of Mankind has found him ſo, yet has he the Art to impoſe upon us ſtill, and we are ſo fooliſh as to credit his Suggeſtions: By the very ſame Cheat and Deluſion with which he drew our firſt Mother into Sin, does he draw and perſwade her fooliſh Poſterity alſo to the Commiſſion of it. He made her believe it would be of great Advantage to eat the forbidden Fruit, that this would mightily improve their Condition, and make them more Excellent and more Happy: God doth know (ſaid he) That in the Day ye eat thereof your Eyes ſhall be opened, and ye ſhall be as Gods, knowing Good and Evil. Thus did the Serpent beguile her, She took of the Fruit and did eat and gave it to her Husband and tempted him to eat too: But this inſtead of advancing their Condition ſadly impair'd it; immediately were theſe our Parents driven out of Paradiſe, they became ſubject to Sorrow, and Miſery, and Shame and Death; and were deſpoil'd of their greateſt Glory, the Image of God in their Souls: Thus inſtead of becoming more excellent and happy, they render'd themſelves and all their Poſterity exceeding miſerable and vile.

But hereby has our Adverſary learnt what ſort of Suggeſtion is very apt to prevail with Mankind; he has found we are ready to receive and follow that which ſeems kind to us, we love to be flatter'd in our Inclinations, and to have thoſe things ſaid to us which may perſwade us to allow and gratifie them, and we liſten to that which promiſes great Advantages. Therefore he tells Men they need not fear to be wicked, there is not ſo much ill in it as ſome Man out of deſign would perſwade them: He tells them it is the only chearfull and pleaſant courſe of life to follow their inclinations; that 'tis the only profitable and advantageous courſe and the way to do themſelves moſt good, to conform to the common Sins, to run with the Multitude to do evil; to follow the ſame ill ways that ſome are ſeen to raiſe their Fortunes by: He tells us, and we too commonly believe him, that in breaking the Commands of God there is great Reward.

To antidote and fortifie our ſelves againſt this deluſive Suggeſtion of the Father of Lies, Let us obſerve what the Spirit of Truth tells us in the Text, and fix our Thoughts a-while upon it at preſent, that we may hereafter remember it to our Advantage. He ſays, He that ſoweth Iniquity ſhall reap Vanity. He that ſoweth Iniquity, that is, He that lives an ungodly and unrighteous courſe of Life, he that does any thing that is ill: He ſhall reap Vanity, that is, he ſhall be wofully diſappointed in his expectations of receiving any conſiderable, or real advantage thereby. That is ſaid to be vain in Scripture which does not reach the purpoſe it was intended for; which diſappoints and fruſtrates the hopes and expectations that are built upon it: So thoſe Oblations are called vain which were not accepted with God: And the Idols of the Heathens, which bore an appearance of what they were not in Reality and Truth, and were not able to help thoſe that truſted in them, are for this reaſon call'd there Vanities. This then is the Import and Meaning of theſe Words ſpoken by Solomon: A courſe of Wickedneſs is very falſe and deceitfull, it promiſes Men much perhaps, but performs little; and he who expects any real Advantage, any true Content and Happineſs in ſuch a courſe ſhall be miſerably diſappointed.

I think it not unneceſſary to inſiſt upon the Proof of this Truth, for 'tis what the World are not eaſily convinced of. Though we may ſee it verified in the Experiences of other men very often, yet we will not impute their ill Succeſſes and Unhappineſs to the Deſerts and Nature of the Courſe they chuſe, but we impute them rather to ſome Indiſcretion and Folly of thoſe men in the Management of themſelves which we purpoſe to avoid, and ſo we hope to reap thoſe advantages from the ſame courſe of life which we ſee others cannot. Yea further it is very common, that men are not convinced of this Truth, though their own Experience might inform them: Though they have found an Emptineſs and Vanity in a wicked and careleſs Life ſo far as they have tried it, yet they will be ſo fooliſh as to hope ſtill for what they can never obtain; they will think there is ſome Content and Satisfaction beyond them, and on they go in this wrong way to purſue it. He that finds not this in one ſort and train of Vices will hope to find it in another: He that ſees the Emptineſs and Vanity of Voluptuouſneſs and Pleaſure, will, after that, think there is great Reward in Covetouſneſs and Ambition, great Happineſs in the Riches and Honours which he thinks to gain by them; and thus the deluſion continues with many men to the end of their days, and to their final and eternal vexation and diſappointment. I ſhall therefore induſtriouſly prove this Truth; and then add ſome Application of it.

And we may be fully convinced of this, that He that ſoweth Iniquity ſhall reap Vanity, if we will conſider well the following Particulars.

1. The Sinner does not always gain the things he purſues by his guilty Endeavours. An overruling Providence governs all things, and brings to paſs whatſoever the Univerſal and Sovereign Diſpoſer pleaſes: And this Providence often blaſts the Endeavours of wicked Men. The Lawleſs Voluptuary cannot always catch the guilty Pleaſures he purſues: Every covetous man cannot be rich, nor does Ambition certainly riſe to the Honour and Authority and Reſpect it aſpires to. We may often ſee men giving themſelves up to worldly purſuits and neglecting every thing elſe, and yet that they can with all this Application and Endeavour, gain but very little of this World: We may often ſee, that the very ways they take to accompliſh their Deſires, as ſeeming to them the moſt likely to do ſo, do tend to fruſtrate them. The Wiſe Man expreſſes this in the Inſtance of Covetouſneſs, Prov. 11. 24. There is that ſcattereth and yet encreaſeth (ſays he) And there is that with-holdeth more than is meet, and it tendeth to poverty. A man may liberally beſtow all that is due to Juſtice and Charity, and Generoſity, and yet increaſe; and another may think to grow rich by fordid ſaving, by withholding his Neighbours due, by crafty and fraudulent Bargains, by refraining from Acts of Charity and Generoſity, and yet notwithſtanding theſe thriving Tricks may be but poor. In this Reſpect is their Iniquity vain, that it does not always attain the things it ſeeks. And it muſt needs be, that the Wickedneſs of the World muſt ſometimes meet with this ſort of Diſappointment, ſince, as the Scripture tells us, The Curſe of the Lord is in the Houſe of the Wicked, Prov. 3. 33. If this be ſo, it ſhall work to the Sinners Vexation and Miſery in one way or other, and it does this ſometimes in this way.

Though 'tis alſo true, that God does many times give Men the things which they ſeek even by guilty Endeavours: He lets the wicked Voluptuary accompliſh his guilty Deſires, and the Covetous or Ambitious perſon thrive in Wealth, and riſe to Honours by ill Arts, there is many a Villany thus far proſperous in the World.

But then to make good ſtill what our Text ſays, it may be added,

2. All that a Man can gain by Wickedneſs is of very little worth and goodneſs. The Fruits of Sin are very empty things. The Sinner gains but the Goods of this World, the Accommodations of this preſent Life. He at beſt enjoys but Creatures; and they have all their ſufficiency from God, their greateſt Goodneſs comes from his Bleſſing, and that the Sinner cannot enjoy with them: They are like gaudy Clouds, but ſuch as are empty and without Rain, they are as broken Ciſterns that can hold no Water: The Sinner feeds on Husks like the wretched Prodigal. Theſe things may pleaſe him much while they are new, but in a little time he has ſuckt out all the Sweetneſs of them, and they pleaſe no more; and like the Bee he often ſpoils the Flower which he ſucks the Honey of his Pleaſure from. How often may we ſee thoſe Enjoyments after a little while loath'd and diſdain'd, which were ſought with the moſt earneſt Deſires, which the Man was ready to do any thing to gain them, and which at firſt perhaps he thought he ſhould take a great and a long delight in? What he thought would be a great Pleaſure and Happineſs, he after a little while finds to be an ungrateful Drudgery; and that which he expected would be the Comfort of his Life, proves the redious Burthen of it. Men commonly expect more from the things of this World than they are able to afford, and ſo are diſappointed.

Beſides; the Goodneſs and Uſefulneſs of all that which is gotten by Wickedneſs, terminates in the Body of a Man; all the Rewards of Sin are but outward Goods: They may ſerve ſometimes the Neceſſities and Conveniences of his Body, but are of no uſe to his Soul. And they cannot ſerve all the Neceſſities of his Body neither, ſo little goodneſs and worth is in them. A man's Wealth and great Eſtate cannot give him a ſtrong Conſtitution, nor certainly preſerve him in Health, nor always purchaſe the Recovery of it when 'tis loſt; as by all our taking Thought we cannot make one Hair white or black, nor add one Cubit to the Stature; Wealth cannot make the crooked body ſtreight, nor the deformed beautiful: The Body may be pleaſed, but 'tis hurt too by guilty and intemperate Pleaſures; they deſtroy the Appetites they pleaſe; they impair the Health and Strength, and wither the Beauty of the Body; they are uſually cloſely attended with uneaſie Loathings, and painful Diſeaſes. Wealth and Honours cannot defend a man from a Peſtilential Air, nor poſſibly hinder, but that he ſhall be ſometimes incommoded by extremities of Weather; they cannot purchaſe him a fair Day, nor a warm or cool one according as he has occaſion. Theſe cannot reprieve a man from the Grave, nor cure him of Mortality; the Rich as well as the Poor, the Honourable as well as the Mean muſt die, and go down to the place of Darkneſs and Contempt; They that truſt in their Wealth, and boaſt themſelves in the Multitude of their Riches (ſays the Pſalmiſt) None of them can by any Means redeem his Brother, nor give to God a Ranſome for him, that he ſhould live for ever, and not ſee corruption, Pſal. 49. 6, 7, 9.

Thus they are but ſome of our Neceſſities that the things of this World can ſerve, and they are only outward ones too, as well as not all them. And beſides, as was ſaid, Theſe things are of no uſe to the Soul of Man which is his Nobleſt part: His Soul is utterly neglected, and the Intereſt of that are forgotten and quitted, while he in the ways of wickedneſs purſues and enjoys the things of this World. The Mind can take no delight in guilty and forbidden Pleaſures, it is never exerciſed in a ſerious Reflection upon them, but with Pain and Torment. This is the meaning of what Solomon ſays of them, Prov. 14. 13. In laughter the heart is ſaid, and the end of that mirth is heavineſs. And as it has no Pleaſure in theſe, ſo much rather has it no profit or advantage from them: They indeed hurt and prejudice the Soul, they ſuppreſs and debaſe it, they engage its Thoughts and Powers in the Service of the Body, they make it a Slave and Drudge to its Inferiour, while it neglects and forgets its own true Intereſts and Pleaſures; they hinder all honourable Improvements of the Mind, or the Exerciſes of ſuch to our Honour and Comfort. A Man ſhall never become the wiſer or the more uſeful, the more worthy and commendable, for a large and exceſſive Enjoyment of ſenſual Pleaſures: His Mind ſhall not be the more ſteady or ſtrong, or the more compoſed and eaſie for this; but on the contrary, he ſhall be the more weak and inconſtant, diſturbed and unquiet, and they will occaſion in him a great deal of hurtfull Folly and Paſſion.

And as little Profit or Benefit to the Soul can ariſe from the Wealth or Honours of this World. Theſe cannot cure a ſhameful Vice, nor conceal, but rather expoſe it; they cannot allay an uneaſie turbulent Paſſion, but rather inflame ſuch: They cannot heal any of the Diſtempers of the Mind, nor adorn it, and make it amiable in the ſight of God. Riches profit not in the Day of Wrath: They cannot attone for the Sins which are committed in the getting them: He that ſells his Soul for Wealth cannot ranſome it again therewith: They are greatly miſtaken when they think, that a few outward Acts of Charity at the End of their Lives will make amends for Covetouſneſs and Extortion, Rapine and Fraud, practiſed through the whole courſe of them. The Sinner by all his Labour and Cares, gets no Intereſt in God the chiefeſt Good: Though he poſſeſſes vaſt heaps of Gold and Silver, he has no Treaſure in Heaven: Though he has Goods laid up (as he thinks) for many Years, yet has he made no Proviſion for a happy Eternity. He does not purſue, and therefore cannot gain, in his way, the chiefeſt and moſt important good things, the moſt neceſſary and the Eternal ones: He gains but ſome of the loweſt and meaneſt Rank with the beſt Succeſs of all his Endeavours. Very fitly then to this purpoſe does the Wiſeman ſay, The treaſures of wickedneſs profit nothing, but righteouſneſs delivers from death, Prov. 10. 2. It is as nothing, all the Benefit that we receive from them, in compariſon to this great benefit which we want, and they are not able to beſtow.

3. For further proof of our Text it may be added, that whatſoever Worth or Goodneſs there is in thoſe things which men gain by wicked Practices, the Pleaſures and Satisfaction of it are mightily allay'd, and ſometimes utterly ſpoilt by the uſual Attendants of their Wickedneſs. It is truly ſaid in Scripture, that Evil purſueth Sinners: And this it does ſo fatally and ſurely, that it commonly mars even their Portion in this Life, which is all the Portion of Good that they enjoy. To this purpoſe is that which Solomon ſays, Prov. 22. 17. Bread of deceit is ſweet to a man, but afterward his mouth ſhall be filled with gravel. Something or other there ſhall uſually be to ſpoil the Pleaſure and Comfort of the Fruits of Wickedneſs. I ſhall mention ſome ſuch things which are alſo the uſual Attendants of it.

(1.) The reſtleſs cravings of inordinate Luſts do often ſpoil the Pleaſure and Satisfaction of ſuch a man's Enjoyments. When he has what he ſought, and it may be ſold his Soul for, it does not ſatisfie but rather encreaſes, and inflames the deſire it feeds. Vicious deſire (and the Sinners is ſuch an one) is uſually boundleſs and unſatiable too: It does but encreaſe with gaining the things that gratifie it, whether they be in Pleaſures, or Profits, or Honours. Solomen ſays, He that loveth Silver ſhall not be ſatisfied with Silver, nor he that loveth Abundance with Encreaſe, Eccleſ. 5. 10. And with reſpect to ſenſual Pleaſure, he ſays, the Eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the Ear with hearing. An exorbitant and vitious Thirſt is not quenched by the largeſt Draughts of Pleaſures, though Natures juſt and moderate Deſires may be. And the Caſe is the ſame with the ambitious Man; one Step of Honour makes him deſirous of another; and after the Addition of one City or Province to his Dominions he thirſts for more. Gather Gold (ſays one) heap up Silver, build ſtately Walks, fill the Houſe with Slaves, the City with Clients, or Creditours; if you cannot compoſe the Affections of the Mind; if you cannot put an end to unſatiable Deſire; if you cannot free your ſelf from vexing Cares and Fears; you but give Wine to one in a high Feaver, or Honey to one ſick of the Jaundice: This gratification does but encreaſe the Diſeaſe, and then a man is a Slave to his Luſt, and muſt toil with endleſs Labour to ſatisfie that which can never be ſatisfied: and his Enjoyment does not ſo much ſweeten his Labour, as his Labour ſpoils his Enjoyment. This continual craving is like a continual Thirſt or a raging Hunger: His deſire of having more, often makes him even deſpiſe what he has already gain'd, though it be never ſo fit to content him: And he does in effect want what he has, while it cannot give him content, and reſt: He wants not the leſs for all that he has gain'd, ſince his Deſire and Luſt encreaſes with his Acquiſitions: He hazards what he has to gain more ſometimes, and it may be like the Dog in the Fable, loſes it too. Thus is the Sinner hinder'd from the comfortable Enjoyment of what he gains by Wickedneſs.

(2.) This alſo comes to paſs ſometimes from the hatred and envy of the World, which he incurs by his wicked Practices. He that gets what he has by the wrong and abuſe of his Neighbours, muſt needs incur their Hatred and Envy with it: If a mans Hand, like Iſhmael's, be againſt every other man, that he may promote his own Advantage, then every other mans Hand will be againſt his. Wickedneſs naturally tends to diſturb the peace of the World, but Juſtice and Goodneſs tend to promote and preſerve it. He that loves ſhall be lov'd, he that hates ſhall be hated, he that wrongs men will be ready to wrong him, and he that ſeeks no bodies Good but his own, no body will ſeek his Good.

Some render the words of our Text; He that ſoweth Iniquity ſhall reap Iniquity; which is the ſame thing with what our Saviour ſays, what meaſure ye mete it ſhall be meaſured to you again. But thus is the Care and Anxiety of the Sinner encreaſed, which the miſtaken man thought he ſhould put an end to, by his gaining ſuch and ſuch things. Nemo autem ſollicito bono fruitur, ſays the Moraliſt: This care and fear hinders the comfortable enjoyment. 'Tis through many hazards and much difficulty and danger perhaps that he got what he has, and now he has not a ſafe or quiet poſſeſſion of it. The Pſalmiſt, ſpeaking of the Proſperity of ſuch men, ſays, they are ſet in ſlippery places, Pſal. 37. 18. When the Sinner has goods laid up ſufficient for many years, yet he cannot always ſay, Soul take thine eaſe, eat drink, and be merry, becauſe he is allarm'd with fears of loſing what he has and is troubled with the Uncertainty of his Condition. He is now perhaps in more care, and engag'd in greater toil and labour to keep, than it coſt him to get what he has: And thus is he further hindered from the comfortable enjoyment of it.

(3.) This very often comes to paſs from the ſmart laſhes of his own Conſcience. His own Mind will not let him enjoy what he has with any comfort; while that is upbraiding and condemning him for baſe treachery and perfidiouſneſs, or barbarous cruelty and oppreſſion which he uſed in the getting it. That gives him great diſturbance while it calls him fool and brute in the midſt of his guilty Pleaſures, and tells him how he hurts his Body, impairs his Eſtate, wrongs his Neighbour, offends God while he follows them. What pleaſure can a man take in the applauſe of Flatterers, in the reſpect of Inferiors, while his Conſcience tells him that God above hates and deſpiſes him, with the world of Holy Spirits he is odious and contemptible. There can be no enjoyment of what a man has, while his Mind tells him 'tis all forfeited by his Sins, he has it not with the favour of God but with his diſpleaſure; that He whom he has offended in getting it, can take it away when he pleaſes, that he is therefore in continual danger of loſing it all, he is always obnoxious to a divine Vengeance; If he can hope to defend himſelf from Men; he cannot hope to defend himſelf from God How unhappy muſt he be who conſiders that as he has heaped up riches he has treaſured wrath too: that this wrath ſhall be likely to courſe his Family, that they ſhall never have a comfortable enjoyment of what he has gathered for them, and that it ſhall lie heavy upon himſelf, at fartheſt when he comes to die, and muſt go to give an account for what he has done in the Fleſh: As it is no profit to a man, ſo he ſhall have no comfort in the thoughts of it, if he would gain the whole world and loſe his own Soul for it: And ſuch Thoughts as theſe the guilty Conſcience will often afflict a man with. But the Stings and Rebukes of a guilty Conſcience will make themſelves incomparably more ſenſible than any ſenſual pleaſures can be: for while theſe ſtroke and tickle the Senſes and reach but to the Body, they pierce even to the Center of the Soul (as ſome Philoſophers would ſpeak) and fix themſelves and dwell there.

(4.) This often comes to paſs by the Juſt Judgment of God upon the Sinner. Here we may remember again what was ſaid before, that the Curſe of the Lord is in the Houſe of the wicked. He in Judgment gives them up to the Temptations of the Devil, and to the Conduct of their own violent Luſts: He condemns them to ſuffer the Tyranny of their own Paſſions, and the diſorder of their Appetites: their hearts ſhall be continually knawn with Envy, their Spirits may be oppreſt with exceſſive griefs even for the ſmalleſt or for meerly Imaginary inconveniences; their Minds ſhall be roſt and continually agitated with vain fears, doubtfull and anxious hopes, with reſtleſs and inordinate deſires: And what comfort can a man take in his life when he is tormented with theſe painfull diſeaſes of the Mind! what can be the conſequence of theſe things, but offence and diſtaſt, wearineſs and tribulation! they know not what it is to moderate a Paſſion, to curb a Deſire, to mortifie a Vice, and ſo are ſubject to divers Maſters, are enſlaved to many Tyrants, and expoſed to a multitude of Tormentors; which like a Legion of Devils will not let a man reſt Day nor Night.

Beſides; We are in this vale of tears ſurrounded with many outward calamities, expoſed to Innumerable Evils, and we cannot be ſafe among them but from the conſtant protection of the Divine Providence: And this the Sinner has no right to, and he often wants it. The juſt Providence of God often leaves him to the aſſaults of theſe, and ſometimes one croſs ſhall make him uneaſie, and when that is gone another ſhall vex him; one while he ſhall be afflicted with pain, at another time with loſſes, at another with contempt and reproaches. The ſupream diſpoſer of all things ſets himſelf to mingle ſorrows and grief and inconveniences with his portion: He will not let him enjoy any thing pure or without the mixture of ſome ſorrow in it.

And further, there is ſometimes a ſtrange and ſecret diſpenſation of Providence attends the Sinner, which hinders him from taking any delight or comfort in what he has, and we can hardly tell why he does not. This is expreſt by Solomon, Eccles. 6. 2. where he ſays, he had ſeen A man to whom God had given riches, wealth and honour, ſo that he wanted nothing for his Soul of all that he deſired, yet God had not given him power to eat thereof: that is, God with-held from him a power to enjoy, to comfort himſelf and take delight in what he had. This is a ſtrange caſe, but is what we may ſee ſometimes happening! We may ſee ſome pining and diſcontented in that condition wherein they thought to be very happy, and they cannot give a good reaſon why they are ſo, they cannot take delight in what they thought would have been very delightful, and that which is ſo to others: But the power to enjoy, is it ſeems from God, and is another and a different gift from the things that we poſſeſs; and the Sinner may gain large poſſeſſions by his guilty endeavours, but may want the bleſſing of God upon them and the power to enjoy them. How many covetous perſons may we ſee wanting what they have while they have no heart to uſe it to their Credit or Comfort; to what purpoſe are ſuch men made rich? And many may we ſee thinking themſelves mighty unhappy in circumſtances which others are ready to envy: and afflicting themſelves with Imaginary Inconveniences, while they are under no other real one but onely that of their own ſick and fooliſh Imagination. Thus does the powerfull curſe of God mingle its ſelf with the Sinners Portion, and ſpoil the pleaſure of what he has while he poſſeſſes it. And this is the third Proof of our Text.

(4.) It may be ſaid he that ſoweth Iniquity ſhall reap but Vanity, in that all the Felicity of a Sinner, is of a very ſhort and a tranſitory duration. Let him gain what he will; let him take what delight and comfort he can in it; this will laſt but a very little while: It is a Felicity but of a few moments continuance: His happineſs is like a fire of thorns which is almoſt as ſoon out as it is kindled. It can laſt no longer than this preſent life, and then it muſt needs be ſhort. This Life is continually haſting away, and ſo is all his happineſs. The Pſalmiſt truly ſays Man being in Honour abideth not, Pſal. 49. 12. And Solomon ſays, If a man live many years and rejoyce in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkneſs for they ſhall be many, Eccles. 11. 8. They ſhall be many in compariſon to the longeſt life on Earth. The Sinner then is to enjoy what he gets here but a little while and is to be much longer without it; for as he came naked into the world ſo he muſt return naked out of it. Perhaps he ſpends the greateſt part of his Life in getting, and enjoys but for a little while in the latter end of it. His Labour and Care take up the moſt of his life, and his reſt and eaſe have but a very ſmall parcel of it. It may be as ſoon as he has by any means ſcraped together a plentiful portion of this world, and then propoſes to himſelf to ſit down and enjoy it, he is then ſuddenly ſnatcht away from all by Death. Let us ſay then with the Pſalmiſt, Verily every man in his beſt Eſtate is altogether Vanity; and by Conſequence it muſt be true what our Text ſays, He that ſoweth Iniquity, ſhall reap but Vanity. And this I think to be now ſufficiently prov'd.

IT is in the Heart of moſt Sinners, that God takes little or no notice of what is done by us here below, or if he does take notice, that 'tis without any concern about what we do: They do not think thoſe things offend him which they encline to, and which are pleaſing to themſelves; nor will believe that he is ſo diſpleaſed as ſome repreſent him to be with any of their Actions. And from hence it is ſo ſmall and light a matter with many to do thoſe things which are ſinful: It is that which many are accuſtomed, and habituated to do, and are contented to be ſo. The ſmalleſt temptation is able to make a man commit a Sin: Yea without any temptation they will readily run into it; and inſtead of avoiding and repelling temptations, they induſtriouſly ſeek them, and delight to entertain them. It is become ſo common a thing to do wickedly, that men have no horrour at any but the very groſſeſt crimes, ſuch as would leſſen a man's reputation in the World, or expoſe him to Penal Laws, and they are but very few.

But theſe things come to paſs for want of a due conſideration of ſuch Truths, as that which the Wiſe-man here delivers, in ſaying, The way of the wicked is an Abomination to the Lord. The moſt Holy and Almighty God takes notice of the Actions of men, is acquainted with all our ways, and reſents with Infinite diſlike and hatred, whatever we do that is contrary to his moſt excellent Commands. It is not an indifferent thing to him what our Actions are: But as he that made us has given us Laws for the direction of our Actions, ſo every tranſgreſſion of thoſe Laws and Rules, which is that which is call'd Wickedneſs, is odious and abominable to him. A very terrible Conſideration this is to thoſe that have not taken any notice of it before, and ſo have liv'd careleſly; but it is therefore neceſſary to ſuch, to reclaim them from theſe offenſive ways: And if any man does ſo well lay it to his heart, as to give it power to do ſo, he ſhall find it as happy and comfortable in the fruits and effects of it. To put you in mind of this, I ſhall at preſent fix my Diſcourſe upon it; and to give it the more force, I ſhall inſiſt upon theſe Heads of Diſcourſe concerning it.

In the firſt place, I ſhall endeavour to make this undeniably evident and clear, that The way of the wicked is an Abomination to the Lord.

To prove this in the ſhorteſt and moſt convincing method, to the reaſon of Mankind, I ſhall chuſe to inſiſt upon theſe Arguments, which will ſhew whence this comes to paſs, that the Sins of men are ſo odious to Almighty God. I ſhall make appear Why it is thus, which will moreover prove That it is ſo. And that by the following particulars.

1. There is a ſort of contrariety in Sin to the very Nature of God, or a peculiar and extraordinary unlikeneſs to him. Upon every thing beſides this, that is, upon all that God has made, there is ſome impreſſion of ſome of the divine Attributes, and ſo with the Infinite diſproportion and inequality between God and a Creature there is yet ſome likeneſs: But upon Sin there is nothing of this, it has no Character of any Attribute of God, and it utterly defaces all ſuch things upon any Creature, ſo far as it prevails in that Creature. His excellent Law is but a Tranſcript or Copy, as it were, of perfections and excellencies that are in himſelf; his Law is holy, juſt, and good, as he is holy, juſt, and good: When we break thoſe Laws, then we become as unlike him, as 'tis poſſible for us to be; and we act as he in his Nature does abhor to act. When we deſpiſe and diſhonour him, and act contrary to that ſuperlative Eſteem and profound Reverence which is his due: This is contrary to what is natural (as we may ſay) to him; who does neceſſarily, and juſtly eſteem himſelf, and ſeek his own honour and glory, as he is an infinitely excellent and perfect Being, the ſource and firſt cauſe of all other, and ſupream to all. All true and ſincere Love is conformity to God: He that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him; for God is love, ſays the Apoſtle, 1 John 4. 16. And then all Malice, and Envy, and all the Exerciſes of them are contrary to him. When we are enrag'd with every little affront, or will not forgive thoſe that injure us, theſe things are contrary to the Nature of God, who is ſlow to anger, and willing to be reconcil'd. All the filthy and ſenſual Sins which men commit, carry a Contrariety to the pure and ſpiritual Nature of God; to his juſt preference and eſteem of ſpiritual Properties and Qualities, before thoſe that are only belonging to material things. When we lie and deceive, and impoſe upon our Neighbour, this is contrary to the divine Faithfulneſs and Truth. When we proudly deſpiſe and diſdain thoſe that are below us, rather than encourage and comfort them; and inſult over the afflictions and miſeries of our Neighbours, rather than endeavour to relieve and help them; this is directly contrary to the condeſcending Goodneſs of the Almighty; who though he be infinitely above us all, yet he has regard to and takes care of the meaneſt of his Creatures, and does not deſpiſe even the leaſt of them: Thus are the Sins of men contrary to the Nature of the Bleſſed God. But from hence it muſt needs come to paſs, that they are alſo abominable and odious to him. As the moſt holy God does neceſſarily love himſelf, and takes delight in the incomparable Excellencies of his own Nature; ſo that which is thus contrary to thoſe Excellencies, muſt needs be infinitely deteſtable and offenſive. He can never be out of love with himſelf, therefore he can never be reconcil'd to any ſinfull Act, nor take notice of ſuch a thing, without infinite deteſtation and abhorrence.

2. The Sins of men are contrary to the Creatour's deſign in making Mankind, and therefore alſo are an abomination to him.

His firſt and immediate deſign and end in this, as in all other of his Works, was his own Glory: To magnifie and honour himſelf by the Excellency of his Works, by leaving upon them the Characters of thoſe perfections that made them. And the excellency and worth of his Works is to his praiſe; hence 'tis ſaid by the Pſalmiſt, All thy works praiſe thee, O God, Pſal. 145. 10. that is, they acknowledge thy glorious Perfections each of them according to their Nature, by repreſenting the Marks and Characters of thoſe that are employ'd in the doing them. Now Man having in his conſtitution an immortal Spirit, which is capable of being wiſe, juſt, good and true, the Creatour endow'd him with thoſe Qualifications, that he might repreſent, as far as his Nature was capable, theſe Excellencies and Perfections of his Authour: And in retaining theſe we had done him that honour, as we may ſpeak, but in that we have loſt theſe we cannot pay it. This our Church intimates in her excellent and moſt inſtructive Liturgy, when we are there directed to pray to God, that we may be enabled by his Grace, to ſhew forth his Praiſe not only with our Lips but in our Lives, by giving up our ſelves to his ſervice, and by walking before him in Righteouſneſs and Holineſs all our days. In the Exerciſes of Righteouſneſs and Holineſs, we praiſe and honour him who made us for ſuch Exerciſes; and that we ſhould therein repreſent theſe perfections of our Maker: But when we forſake the Rules of theſe Vertues in our practice, we deprive him of that Honour.

Again, we may doubtleſs ſuppoſe, that it was the Creatour's deſign to entertain and delight himſelf in the reflections (as it were) of his own glorious perfections from the Creatures that he had made: And this ſeems to be intimated at leaſt in the Hiſtory of the Creation, where he is repreſented as taking a review of every days work, and as approving or being pleaſed with it. Now this reflection of his own excellencies, and the ſatisfaction attending it, he enjoyes in us when we are pure and holy and good and true. But in all our Sins we contradict this deſign, and do preſent to his view nothing but what is contrary to his nature, nothing but what is therefore to the utmoſt degree diſpleaſing to him.

And then as this is contrary to his deſign in making us, it muſt needs be that the Sins of men muſt be highly offenſive to God. His deſign and end is Juſt and Excellent, that which fruſtrates and contradicts it then muſt be Vile and Unjuſt. But we ſpeak after the manner of Men when we ſay that the Almighty and Allwiſe God does not attain his end in any of his works, becauſe the neceſſity of our weak capacities requires this, and his condeſcending goodneſs allows it, that we may be the more ſenſible of what is ſaid of him. We are therefore to conclude that the ſins of men are moſt highly diſpleaſing to God upon this account from what we may obſerve in our ſelves in a like caſe; from the diſcontent and diſpleaſure we conceive when we have laid out much care or labour, or much coſt upon a particular deſign and it is all fruſtrate, and comes to nothing of what we expected from it.

3. The Sins of Men contradict all the Rights of the Great Creator, and therefore muſt needs be deteſtible to him; This neceſſarily follows from the former: He that makes any thing may deſign it for what end he pleaſes, and then he has right to expect it ſhould ſerve that end which it was made for. Since God raiſed up the Bodies of our firſt Parents from the Duſt, and breathed into them the breath of Life, and he by a divine and ſecret operation faſhions each of us in the womb, and ſtill formeth the Spirit of man within him, he is then the Authour of all our Faculties and Powers both of Soul and Body. And then he has right to deſign the end and purpoſe for which we ſhall ſerve: And he directs us to that end by the Rule of his moſt excellent Laws; when we obſerve them we anſwer our end, when we break thoſe Laws we do contradict it, and therein we rob him of his due and deny him his right; and we may be ſure he is concern'd to have what is due to him from his Creatures; He is ſenſible and provok't when we deny him his right; This is a monſtrous Affront, and moſt unworthy behaviour towards him. There ariſes from this foundation a Threefold right which God has to our Obedience, all which is contradicted by the Sins of men, and every particular makes ſome addition to the Evil and Vileneſs of Sin.

(1.) All our Sins are againſt the right of a Sovereign Lord; ſuch an one has the great God over all his Creatures. He is God over all, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks: and the Prophet ſays, Thou even thou art Lord alone. Neh. 9. 6. He is our Sovereign Lord, and in exerciſe of his Sovereignty has laid his Laws upon us, and in ſubmiſſion to them we ought to acknowledge it. Mankind are not left at liberty to act as they will, and to own no Superiors, we are all under a Law, and that is the Law of him who is the King Eternal, Immortal, Inviſible, the only wiſe God, 1 Tim. 1. 17. All our Sins then are contrary to an unqueſtionable right of Sovereignty over us. The Sinner deſpiſes the Empire of the great Lord of the World: he does as far as he can depoſe him from his Throne, tramples upon his Laws, and ſlights his Authority. It is the implicite language (at leaſt) of all Wickedneſs, who is Lord over us? who ſhall controul us? we will not have the Lord to rule over us! The Sinner makes himſelf his God, and ſets up his own Will and Inclinations for a Law to him. What is ſaid of the ſenſual and voluptuous Sinner, that he makes his Belly his God may be applied to all other ſorts; He that is Covetous or Ambitious, makes himſelf his God, he makes it his End to gratifie his own deſires in other kinds; for this reaſon is Covetouſneſs in particular call'd Idolatry. Thus there is Rebellion and Idolatry in all Sin, and the greateſt Arrogance and Pride! while the poor depending Creature will not own his dependance, but will live to himſelf alone as if he were ſufficient to himſelf; and while we do not ſuffer him to diſpoſe of and govern us who alone is Lord over us! And can we think that the Jealous God will not highly reſent what comes under theſe black characters!

(2.) God has a right to our Obedience as he is Owner and Proprietor of us all. He is our owner, we are his Property. God ſays of all things that he has made, the world is mine and the fulneſs thereof, Pſal, 50. 12. and Pſal. 100. 3. 'tis ſaid, we are his people, and the ſheep of his paſture. The Pſalmiſt had acknowledged juſt before, that it was he that made us and not we our ſelves: To which this is added as what does truly follow from thence. This then does give him an unqueſtionable right to diſpoſe of Mankind as well as of the reſt of his Creatures. The Apoſtle makes uſe of this Argument, and ſays, Glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirit which are Gods. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Should not God have Liberty to do what he will with his own, to order and appoint the actions and uſe of it as pleaſes himſelf. But the Sinners ſay in all the Tranſgreſſions of their Words, our Tongues are our own; and the ſame they pretend to concerning all their faculties and powers in all other their Sins. Theſe deny the univerſal Proprietor that right of governing and diſpoſing as he pleaſes what is his. But how would it enrage poor contemptible man to be denied this Liberty? And if we think it reaſonable and juſt for us to be angry in ſuch a caſe; how can we imagine but God muſt be highly diſpleaſed?

(3.) God has the right of a Great and Bountifull Benefactor to the Obedience of Mankind. He it is that has given us our ſelves, and all that we have: He freely made us: He made us to enjoy large exerciſes and expreſſions of his Bounty. He furniſht the world which we ſo much delight in with all the good things it contains, and gives to every man the portion which he delights and comforts himſelf with. We have nothing but what we receiv'd from Him. He daily loads us with his benefits. And when he has done ſo much for us, without any obligation laid upon him by us to the doing of it, does not this lay a great obligation upon us to ſtudy what will pleaſe him, and to do his Will? Ought we not to be very thankfull to him who has greatly favoured us? to pleaſe him who ſo often pleaſes us? to honour him who has crowned us with Honour and Dignity in making us little lower than the Angels, and giving us dominion over the things about us? In our Sins, then, there is the baſeſt Ingratitude as well as Injuſtice and Arrogance and Pride. We affront and Injure a Friend. He gives to us in many things what he does not owe, and demands of us nothing but what is his due. He cannot be beholden to us; we cannot oblige him. This enhances the rate and value of his Benefits, and by conſequence the Obligation of them too; and that as much heightens the Evil and Ingratitude of our Sins. God expects a thankfull Obedience in return for the benefits he beſtows; This is the meaning of that Preface to the Ten Commandments. I am the the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the Houſe of Bondage. And he is very highly and juſtly offended if his Obligations do not meet with ſuch a return. It was ſaid, with a very angry reſentment, of the Nation of Jews; I have nouriſht and brought up Children, and they have rebelled againſt me, Iſa. 1. 2. Therefore the Heavens and the Earth are called to bear witneſs to, or to admire ſo enormous a thing: As if the Sun ſhould be aſham'd that he had ſhined upon ſuch Creatures, and the Earth that it had born ſo ungrateful a Burden. And when 'tis added in the fourth verſe of that Chapter; They have forſaken the Lord, 'tis alſo ſaid, They have provoked the Holy One of Iſrael to Anger. We cannot imagine ſurely but it muſt exceedingly provoke the Great God to return him Evil for Good; to return Hatred for Kindneſs, and Injuries for great and Innumerable Benefits: yet this is the unfitting return which ſinfull men make to their kind and gracious God.

Inferences.

Thus I have, I ſuppoſe, ſufficiently prov'd the Truth of what is aſſerted in our Text, That the way of the wicked is an Abomination to the Lord. I ſhall now make this appear to be a very important and concerning Truth, ſuch as deſerves to be well laid to heart and always remembred by every one of us. And this will appear by the Inferences which it affords us; which I ſhall now ſet before you.

1. This implies and may teach us the exceeding Vileneſs and Evil that is in Sin. This may very juſtly be concluded merely from God's Hatred of it; and by our way of proving the Text while the hatred of God againſt Sin has been juſtifyed as well as prov'd we may be helped to make this concluſion very eaſily. It certainly infers a real and great diſparagement and baſeneſs in the thing its ſelf to be hated of God. He is infinitely wiſe and juſt, and can never through any miſtake or envy or unjuſtice call Evil good or good Evil. He does never condemn or diſlike any thing that is really excellent and good; nor approve or eſteem of any thing that is truely vile and evil. Accordingly Sin is, and we ſhould account it to be, the vileſt and worſt thing in the world. This has a peculiar unlikeneſs to the Divine Nature which is the Center and Rule of all Excellency, and has the greateſt contrariety and unlikeneſs to it that can be. And it muſt follow that this does more than all things elſe, debaſe and diſhonour a Man: there is nothing can make him ſo vile, ſo contemptible as this, and nothing can render him truly deſerving of Honour while he harbours and vilifies himſelf with this; the greateſt worldly Honours cannot honour this, but this can ſtain and diſhonour them. This can make the Noble Creature Man more vile than the Beaſt that periſh. This deſerves our greateſt ſhame and abhorrence: So far is it from reaſon, ſo highly abſurd for a man to be proud of his wickedneſs and make a boaſt of his Sins: This were to glory in his ſhame.

2. We may alſo inferr God's Hatred of the Sinner as ſuch. The latter part of the Text ſeems to direct us to make ſuch an inference from this former; which ſays, But he loveth him that followeth after righteouſneſs: as he loves the Righteous Man for his Righteous ways, he muſt needs hate and diſlike the Sinner for his Wicked ones. So David ſays, Pſal. 5. Thou art not a God, that haſt pleaſure in Wickedneſs: neither ſhall Evil dwell with thee. The fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in thy ſight: Thou hateſt all workers of Iniquity. Sin muſt needs expoſe a man to the great diſlike and diſpleaſure of God, and make him vile in his Eyes: it makes us as unlike him as we can poſſibly be: It utterly deſtroys, ſo far as it prevails in us, the Image of God which is our greateſt Glory, and that by which alone we were very good. How can God regard that man with Favour who daily affronts him with willing habitual Sins? How can he view him with complacence and approbation who daily defiles himſelf? who preſents to his view in a wicked courſe of life nothing but what is moſt offenſive to the pure Eyes of his Glory.

But then it ſhould be well conſider'd by us whoſe diſpleaſure and anger it is that we incurr. 'Tis that of the Almighty God and the ſupream diſpoſer of all things; who can moſt eaſily revenge the affronts which we offer him when he will, who can afflict us as he pleaſes: 'tis he upon whom is our whole dependance for life and happineſs, without whoſe favour we can never be happy in this world or the next. The Sinner may divert and deceive himſelf with the ſenſible enjoyments of this world, while the divine Patience ſpares him, but he cannot be happy with theſe, they are but empty ſhadows or a meer dream of Felicity; they can give no content or ſatisfaction, nor have they any conſiderable ſweetneſs in them but when the favour of God beſtows and bleſſes them; and his favour which the wretched Sinner forfeits is better worth than all of them. This made the Pſalmiſt ſay, that the light of his Countenance afforded more joy, more hearty pleaſure and ſatisfaction, than the increaſe of Corn and Wine, Pſal. 4. And then beſides we ſhould conſider too that 'tis God who does diſpoſe of our Eternal State, and makes us happy or miſerable for ever, according as we pleaſe or diſpleaſe him now. Such is he whoſe diſlike and hatred the Sinner does incurr and bring upon himſelf by his Sins.

3. We may from hence inferr too, the Sincerity and Truth of all the ſevereſt Threatnings of God againſt the Sins of Men. From theſe things we may juſtly fear and expect that he will certainly fulfil them, we may believe that he has really ſaid thoſe ſevere things, and that he means as they ſpeak. When we are told, It ſhall not be well with the wicked, Eccles. 8. 13. That Evil purſueth Sinners, Prov. 13. 21. that miſchief and Judgment haunt and follow them every where, mortal dangers ſurround and attend them conſtantly, vengeance watches over them continually: When we are told that Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguiſh ſhall be upon every Soul that does Evil, as in Rom. 2. 9. we ſee reaſon to believe theſe things, and to conclude that no Sinner can be ſafe or happy while he remains ſuch: that theſe threatnings ſhall be ſadly fulfill'd upon thoſe who ſhall be ſo hardy as to try the Truth of them.

But to ſpeak to this Inference the more Effectually I ſhall ſpeak more particularly: and therefore I ſhall add that God will take vengeance on the Sins of particular perſons (who are obſtinate and impenitent in this Life) in the Everlaſting Puniſhment of them in the other: this is that which he has threatned, and we may juſtly expect he will do, upon this his great and juſt diſpleaſure againſt the Sins of men. Men are very willing and deſirous to believe, that the tranſient acts of their Wickedneſs, and the tranſgreſſions of a ſhort life ſhall not be revenged with ſo long Puniſhment, and are apt to flatter themſelves that after a while Divine Juſtice will relent, and give the Miſerable Priſoners in Hell a releaſe from their Torments: But thoſe that entertain ſuch hopes take very wrong meaſures both of the Evil and Provocation of Sin, and of the Wiſdom and Juſtice of God. It is certain and evident in Scripture that God has threatned everlaſting Puniſhment to the Sins of Men. In Dan. 12. 2. The Angel tells that Prophet, that ſome ſhould riſe again from the Dead to Everlaſting Life, and ſome to Shame and Everlaſting Contempt. Our Saviour tells us that the Sentence upon wicked Men in the day of Judgment ſhall be, depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Matth. 25. 41. And in the laſt verſe of the Chapter he ſays of them, Theſe ſhall goe away into Everlaſting Puniſhment. the Apoſtle in 2 Theſſ. 1. • . calls the puniſhment intended for ſuch Everlaſting deſtruction. And ſince in theſe and the like Scriptures, where the Fates of Good and Bad men are ſpoken of, the ſame phraſe and expreſſion is made uſe of concerning the duration both of the one and the other, we have as much reaſon to fear that the one will be Eternal, as to hope that the other will be ſo. Since the juſt and immutable God appears plainly to have declar'd that he will thus puniſh the Sins of Men, it is the greateſt and moſt fooliſh preſumption to expect the contrary.

Eſpecially if we conſider too that which has been ſet before us concerning the Evil and Provocation of Sin: That 'tis the affront of an infinite Majeſty, contempt of our Maker, Rebellion againſt our Sovereign, and Ingratitude to a Friend; that it has nothing upon it of any impreſſion of any Attribute of God, but is the moſt unlike, the moſt contrary thing to him in the World. Upon theſe accounts ſure we might eaſily believe that he has an infinite Hatred and Diſpleaſure againſt it; and that ſince that diſpleaſure cannot be infinitely exerciſed upon a finite Being in the intenſeneſs of his Sufferings, it is but juſt in God to reſolve that they ſhall be Eternally continued: And though all Sins are not equal, that yet the puniſhment of all ſhall be of the ſame duration, becauſe the wiſe Juſtice of God can make a difference between ſeveral Sinners, in the different degree and intenſeneſs of their Sufferings. Beſides, though the Act of a Sin be ſhort and of but a moments duration, yet the guilt of it is a remaining and abiding thing. When once a ſinful Act is committed it remains done, and cannot be recall'd, and the Sinner remains guilty for ever, unleſs he obtains his pardon by timely repentance. And if repentance and the benefit of it be allow'd in Hell, that State could not be called Death and Deſtruction, as the Scripture uſually names it. But to conclude this particular, let us conſider, that God's having threatned 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 everlaſting Puniſhment in vain, is a great provocation to him to inflict it upon thoſe that will not fear and avoid it. The threatning is a fair warning to Mankind, and a means fit and proper to make them avoid the Evil. The righteous God does not betray men into miſery; he has told them the worſt that ſhall be the conſequent of their Sins. And ſhall he, after all, think this Puniſhment too great to be inflicted, when men do not think it great enough to be feared? Men chuſe the vain Pleaſures of Sin, which are but for a Seaſon with the Eternal torments that follow, rather than a Life of Holineſs and everlaſting Happineſs: And ſhall they not have then their own choiſe? Is there any wrong done them, or have they hard meaſure, when they were not at all impoſed upon by God, and have but what they cloſe?

Application.

It is time now that I ſuggeſt what uſe we ſhould make of theſe things: which I ſhall do briefly and conclude.

1. Let us take heed to our ways, and be very watchful over our ſelves, that we may avoid all that is ſinful. It is fit to be our greateſt concern and care, that which ſhall mingle it ſelf with every other concern, and our conſtant endeavour that we ceaſe from evil, and do good. It is certainly true what Solomon ſays, Prov. 28. 14. Happy is the man that feareth always. It is a very wiſe and happy thing to be always poſſeſt with a prudent care not to offend God: Who has all our Intereſts both in this World and the next, at his diſpoſal; whoſe diſpleaſure can make us miſerable for ever, and in whoſe favour is life everlaſting. 'Tis our wiſdom and happineſs to take care that we may avoid ſo vile and ſo ill a thing as Sin, that which will ſo debaſe and pollute and diſparage us: To avoid that which our own Conſciences muſt often upbraid us for, what we muſt hereafter call our ſelves fools for, and will make us vile in our own Eyes, when ever we come to underſtand and conſider it.

2. What evil we have been guilty of for want of this care, Let us as it were undoe it again by a hearty Repentance. Shall we not mourn for ſo vile a thing as Sin! for having contracted the greateſt and moſt ſhameful diſparagement! for our having forfeited the everlaſting favour of God, and for having undone our ſelves? And may we not juſtly hate that which has ſo much ill and miſchief in it as this? May we not juſtly hate what God abhors? Should we not ſhew our love to him by hating what is ſo offenſive, and diſpleaſing to him? And then if we do ſincerely abhor the Ills we have done, we muſt forſake them for the future. A man can never contentedly go on in the courſe, that he himſelf does abhor. And let us conſider, to perſwade our ſelves to this Repentance, the encouragement that God has kindly given us to practice it. He has given us a promiſe of pardon if we will repent: Though our Sins are ſo highly diſpleaſing to him, though he ſo juſtly hates them, yet his infinite Mercy will forgive even the greateſt, and the greateſt number of them upon our unfeigned Repentance. Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy, and to our God for he will abundantly pardon. Iſa. 55. 7.

3. Laſtly, ſince we fly from ſo great and miſchievous an Evil as Sin is, and betake our ſelves to ſo much good and happineſs as infinite mercy beſtows, when we repent and return to our duty; we ſhould, as much as can be, haſten our Repentance, we ought in reaſon to admit of no delay in ſuch a matter. If this has been at all delay'd by any, it is too much. Why ſhould any man reſolve that he will be vile and baſe, that he will be odious to God, and obnoxious to his wrath but a little longer? This is a State not to be endured at all. Who can tell how long the divine Vengeance will delay? Who can aſſure himſelf that God will bear with him to the end of his delays? Can we too ſoon be ſafe? too ſoon be in favour with the Almighty? Can we too ſoon ceaſe to gather ſorrows, to heap up wrath, to provide wo and miſery for our ſelves? Or can we too ſoon live as beſt becomes us, as our reaſon and our everlaſting Intereſt require? and begin to treaſure up joys, to lay up rewards and happineſs for our ſelves? Theſe are things ſurely that cannot be done too ſoon. If there be good reaſon to forſake a wicked Life at all, 'tis unreaſonable in the leaſt to delay the doing ſo. When we come to condemn our ſelves in earneſt for our Sins, we ſhall condemn our ſelves too for continuing ſo long in them. Let us all then be able to ſay with David, at leaſt from this time. I made haſt and delayed not, O Lord, to keep thy Commandments.

TO know who it is that theſe words of Job do deſcribe in ſo mean and diſparaging a Character, we need but look back to the firſt verſe of this Chapter, where we ſhall find he is ſpeaking of Man. It is man that Cometh forth like a Flower and is cut down; He fleeth as a ſhadow and continueth not. It was his deſign to repreſent by this Expreſſion, the contemptible and wretched Condition of our preſent Life, which we very fooliſhly and unreaſonably dote upon and admire.

This Life on Earth was never intended to be our happieſt State; and by reaſon of the Sin of Mankind, it is fallen much below that degree of Happineſs, which the Creatour had intended it ſhould enjoy. Yet this pitiful State is that the wretched Sons of Men are moſt extreamly fond of. Here they would always be; this takes up all their Thoughts and Care. They know, or at leaſt mind no Heaven, but Earth; and think to heap up felicity as they gather worldly Enjoyments. We ſtudy how to live happily till we die, and dote upon fading Pleaſures, as if we were always to enjoy them. We commonly live here as if after this Life we were to be no longer, and there were no better things attainable than what this Life poſſeſſes. And while we mind this World, we neglect the other; we do not ſeek the better Happineſs of that, and loſe it for want of ſeeking it: Yea, we forfeit that Happineſs which is to come, and deſerve, and incur everlaſting Miſery, by what our too great love of this Life, and its Enjoyments does engage us in. Very much of the wickedneſs of this World, and the miſery of the next is due to this unhappy Cauſe. To render a temporal Life happy, as we ſuppoſe we ſpoil an Eternal one, or incur an Eternal Death; we ſerve our Bodies to the Deſtruction of our Souls. The great Folly of which our Saviour ſuggeſts by that Queſtion, Mark 8. 36. What ſhall it profit a man if he ſhall gain the whole World and loſe his Soul? Or what ſhall a man give in exchange for his Soul?

To meet with this unhappy and dangerous Errour, as much as this Text without ſtraining it will allow, I ſhall employ the following Diſcourſe about three things.

In the firſt place, let us compare this Text of Scripture with others, that we may derive from it the more certainly and evidently the Inſtructions it contains. In 1 Pet. 1. 24. 'tis ſaid, All fleſh is as graſs, and all the glory of man as the flower of graſs: The graſs withereth, and the flower falleth away. And in the next verſe he adds, But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. By this oppoſition of the Word that endureth to the Graſs, and the Flower of it which falleth away, we may underſtand, that by the Compariſon of a Flower the Holy Spirit would teach us this Life is not of long continuance: The Flower is the ſhorteſt liv'd part even of thoſe Plants that have the ſhorteſt duration, and is upon that account fit to mind us of the ſhort continuance of this preſent Life. Further, in Pſ. 103. v. 15, 16. we are told, As for man his days are as graſs, as a Flower of the Field, ſo he flouriſheth; For the wind paſſeth over it, and it is gone. This ſhort liv'd Flower is expoſed as the Flower of the Field, 'tis liable to many deſtructive and mortal Accidents; yea, if but the Wind paſſes over it, it is gone, 'tis moſt eaſily deſtroyed, 'tis a thing may look fair and beautiful, but has very little ſtrength. Thus it is with Man is the Pſalmiſts meaning here: He is as feeble as the Flower of the Field, a ſmall miſchief may ſnatch him away in his prime. Thus the Scripture teaches by this compariſon the frailty and weakneſs, as well as the ſhortneſs of human Life. Again, in Pſal. 102. v. 11. the Pſalmiſt ſpeaking of himſelf ſays, My days are like a ſhadow that declineth, which is as if he had ſaid, while my afflictions laſt, and I hope for better days, my Life declines apace, it waſts continually away. In Pſal. 144. v. 4. 'tis ſaid, Man is like to Vanity, his days are as a ſhadow that paſſeth away. From theſe Scriptures we may learn, that by the Compariſon of a Shadow is taught us how tranſitory our preſent Life is; It is continually paſſing away, and ſpending it ſelf. And the rather may we be allow'd to conclude this from our preſent Text, becauſe 'tis ſaid of Man, He fleeth as a ſhadow, and then 'tis added too, He continueth not. From this Text then it appears, we may learn theſe three ſerious Intimations.

1. The preſent Life of mortal Man is very ſhort as is the continuance of a Flower.

2. It is very feeble and frail; is moſt eaſily cut off and deſtroyed, and yet is expoſed too, as the Flower of the Field.

3. This our preſent Life in this World is altogether tranſitory, it is continually paſſing away: As a ſhadow always moves and paſſes on, till it is loſt in the Nights Univerſal Darkneſs.

Theſe are very obvious Truths, and ſuch as every Man's thoughts may eaſily ſuggeſt to him. And they are very important and worth our conſidering, and would be to thoſe that would well conſider them the Springs of much Peace and Wiſedom. But as obvious and uſeful as they are, it appears they are much neglected, and men commonly live as if they knew not theſe things: At leaſt 'tis certain they ſeldom or never conſider them. Let us then not be unwilling to fix our minds upon them for a little while at preſent; and let none fear any harm will follow, if thereby they ſhould make impreſſion upon his mind, and for the future ſo ſtay there as never to be forgotten again.

The next thing then, that I propoſed to do is to illuſtrate theſe particulars; to expreſs and ſpeak of them in a few more words, on purpoſe that our Thoughts may be detained a while upon them, and that we may give them ſome advantage to make a due Impreſſion.

1. Let us conſider that the preſent Life of mortal Man is very ſhort. They that live the greateſt Number of Years, have but a ſhort Life on Earth. A little time paſſes over the Innocence and Eaſe of our Infancy and Childhood: A little more withers the flouriſhing Beauty and Gayety of Youth: A little more weakens the Strength, and ſpends the Uſefulneſs of riper Manhood. And if beyond this we live, a little time more buries the decays and infirmities of Old-age. The longeſt diſtance from the Cradle to the Grave is but a ſhort one. And the Wiſedom of God would have Mankind ſenſible of this; therefore it is often ſuggeſted to us in Scripture. This Chapter, verſ. 1. ſays, Man that is born of a Woman is of few days: Few and evil (ſays Jacob) have the days of the years of my Life been; after he had lived an hundred and thirty Years, Gen. 47. 9. Well then might the Pſalmiſt ſay, If our ſtrength laſts to fourſcore years, yet it is ſoon cut off, as Pſal. 90. 10. But we ſhall have the beſt and moſt lively apprehenſion of the contemptible ſhortneſs of human Life, if we compare the continuance of that with the duration of ſome other things. There are many of the Creatures made inferiour to us, that yet now commonly live much longer than we. Naturaliſts tell us, that ſome forts of Birds commonly live an hundred years; when, alas, not one in many hundreds of us can reach to near that Age. Of ſome Trees it is ſaid, they will live Eight hundred years. Many of our own Works abide and continue much longer than we. We contrive them for our own advantage and comfort, and in a little time leave them we know not to whom. We live in Houſes, we meet in Churches, that were built by we know not who, we read Books written by men that have been dead perhaps many hundred years ago. If we conſider the more abiding parts of the Creation; how much longer do they laſt than we, whom they were made to ſerve. One generation goes and another comes (ſays the Preacher) but the Earth abides for ever. The expreſſion does not mean that this Earth ſhall never be diſſolv'd, and there are other Scriptures which intimate that it ſhall, but it teaches us that while the Earth abides, and has done ſo for ſeveral thouſands of years, a great many generations of men have ſucceſſively been upon it. For a while it has fed, and then devoured them: A while they have had a portion here, and then reſigned it to others, and they after a little while have reſigned it again to others; no man can carry any of theſe things away with him. How many lives has the Courſe of this one Sun meaſured, and yet the Sun continues to run his Race. Above five Thouſand years has that bright Creature been a burning and ſhining Light, when alas we are but as of yeſterday; as Job ſpeaks, Job 8. 9. And how much longer after us the Earth, and the Sun, and the Heavens may laſt we know not. But if they ſhould laſt much longer, (as we have reaſon to think they will not laſt always) there are yet another ſort of Beings of a longer duration. The Angels which were made above five Thouſand years ago, ſhall continue for ever; they ſhall know no end of duration, nor alteration of their bleſt and happy condition: Their duration is not tranſitory, their condition is not frail and feeble. But in the laſt place, let us conſider the infinite and everlaſting Duration of the Ever-bleſſed God. He is from everlaſting to everlaſting, as is ſaid Pſal. 90. 2. He always was and never had beginning, always is and ſhall be, and never ſhall be at an end. Oh how juſtly may we deſpiſe (conſidering theſe things) the contemptible ſhortneſs of our preſent Life. The Pſalmiſt ſays to God, A thouſand years in thy ſight are but as yeſterday when it is paſt. Which is as if he ſhould ſay, If we wretched mortals ſhould be continued in this world for a longer time than any of the firſt men liv'd, who liv'd ſome of them near a thouſand years, yet this were very little to thy unmeaſurable duration. The longeſt Life of man is as inconſiderable to thee as one paſt day is to us. Yea it is as little as a watch in the night; he adds, as three or four hours ſpent in ſleep. And very fitly is this matter expreſt yet further, to make us duely ſenſible of it, Pſal. 39. 5. Behold my days are as an hand-breadth. The four ſhort Stages of mans life are but each of them as it were the breadth of a finger in their length; and yet further; Mine age is as nothing before thee: The greateſt number of our years is ſo ſmall it is as nothing when compar'd with thy eternal duration. Thus we may help our ſelves duely to apprehend the ſhortneſs of our preſent life.

2. Let us conſider that this our preſent Life is very frail and feeble. As the Flower is the ſhorteſt liv'd part of a plant, ſo 'tis uſually the weakeſt, the moſt eaſily withered and deſtroyed. A cold wind pinches and blaſts it, a high one tears it in pieces; a hot Sun ſhrivels and withers it; a little fly or worm can eaſily deſtroy a thing of ſo delicate and tender a conſtitution. And ſo frail as this is the life of man: There is not the weakeſt Flower more weak than he. the ſtrongeſt man may be kill'd by a fly or an hair, a crum of bread, a blaſt of ill air, or a few drops of drink. Even the weakeſt and moſt contemptible Creature that is, can put an end to his days when 'tis commiſſioned by the Providence of God to do ſo And we are liable to a great many mortal accidents, any of which can cut us off in the prime of our years when we are proud of youth and ſtrength: As Job ſays, ſome die in their full ſtrength, when their breaſts are full of milk, and their bones are moiſtned with morrow, Job 21. 23, 24. Our greateſt ſtrength is but weakneſs. How often has the Sun riſen upon a man alive and well, and promiſing himſelf many days, and before his ſetting has ſeen him a dead carkaſs? Again; We may apprehend the frailty of our preſent life from hence, we all breed in our ſelves the Cauſes of death. A great many diſtempers are our mortal bodies liable to, and we carry the ſeeds of them in our ſelves. And we may ſay there are ſome diſeaſes which the exceſs of health and vigour diſpoſe men to, ſome that kill only the young or ſtrong, as a conſumption or a feaver. But that conſtitution muſt needs be acknowledged frail which breeds its own deſtruction; and this is the common caſe of mankind in our preſent ſtate. And yet further will the frailty of this life be preſented to us if we conſider the unavoidable decays of old age. If without accidents and in ſpite of diſtempers we paſs through childhood and youth and manhood; yet in old age nature decaies of its ſelf. If nothing elſe deſtroy us we ſhall like the weak flower fade, and fall alone. The crazy building may be propt a while, but it will tumble at laſt let what will de done to ſupport it. And this ought ſure to be reckon'd a very frail thing which will fall of it ſelf, and periſh if it be let alone. And much rather yet ſhould we account it ſo if it will fail and periſh, notwithſtanding the greateſt care and the beſt means that can be uſed to preſerve it. And this is the miſerable condition of our preſent life.

3. Let us further take notice and conſider that this preſent life is altogether tranſitory. The life of man fleeth as a ſhadow and continueth not. We may think it ſtays with us but it does not, it continually paſſes away. Every ſhadow is in continual motion, as the Sun that makes it does conſtantly move. And ſo this ſhort life is continually paſſing away; it never makes one moments ſtop. And ſurely that which is but ſhort, and yet is continually paſſing, muſt needs be quickly done; we have here no continuing city, the Scripture tells us, Heb. 13. 14. we are but pilgrims and ſtrangers on Earth, Heb. 11. 13. We cannot have here a ſettled abiding State. That we may the better apprehend how tranſitory our life is, let us fix our Eye ſometimes, or our thoughts at preſent upon a rapid and violent Stream. As in a river one wave thruſts on another, and while we look on, ſtill new water ſucceeds to our view; ſo one year, one day, one moment thruſts on and ſucceeds another. This day will not ſtay with us any more than all that are gone before it. Let us conſider that whatever we are doing life ſpends and waſts it ſelf; precious time is ſpent whatever elſe we ſave or get. While we work, while we ſleep life goes on; if we are buſie, if we are idle, it will not ſtay for us but paſſes away. Our Life paſſes like a ſhadow with a very ſilent and unheeded pace, but a very ſteady and conſtant one. And thus indeed it comes to paſs that it ſteals away from a great many of us. It is gone ere we are aware of it. While we are promiſing our ſelves what we will do for our own advantage and comfort hereafter, while we are expecting what the time to come will do for us, the time to come is ſome of it come and gone; this time to come grows every day leſs and leſs. Time flies away, we cannot hold it, and when 'tis gone will never be recall'd. We can neither keep it with us nor bring it back again All the art and skill of Philoſophy and Phyſick is not able to make an old man young. We may redeem time by a wiſe and diligent improvement of that we have, but can never recall it. And that muſt needs be reckon'd a very tranſitory thing, which is always ſpending and paſſing and will never recover or return. This Life we ſhall never live over again when it is once gone, this we cannot hope for; tho' we may hope for or fear another.

I think enough is now ſaid to illuſtrate the three particulars contain'd in our Text. I ſhall therefore proceed in the laſt place to mention and urge the Improvement and Uſe we ought to make of them. This I ſhall divide into two parts, to direct our behaviour hereby both towards this world and the next. For ſome Important Inſtructions regarding both may be deriv'd from theſe particulars.

Let us ſee firſt what behaviour they require of us relating to this world. This you may obſerve in the following particulars.

1. Since the caſe is thus with us in this World, it ſhould make our deſires towards all things here very moderate and regular. It cannot be worth our while to be very much concern'd about matters that we ſhall not long have any thing to do with. It is very fooliſh to let our Thoughts abide and fix where we our ſelves cannot. Since this life is frail, and ſhort, and yet tranſitory too, this utterly forbids us to engage all our thoughts about it, to let it employ all our care; to ſuffer all our wiſhes and endeavours and our whole Soul to purſue any thing here. It forbids an eager and uneaſie concern for any thing that we have not. 'Tis unreaſonable to pine and grieve much for the want of that which I could but a little while enjoy. Since we cannot poſſeſs any of theſe things but a very little while, we muſt be long without them; and ſhould content and ſatisfie our ſelves that we may not be uneaſie under an inevitable neceſſity. Say to your ſelf; If I cannot be a few days without ſuch a thing, How ſhall I do to be many years without it; as I muſt be all the while that my Body ſhall lie in the Grave, and my Soul be ſeparated from this world? How ſhall I bear to be for ever without it, as I muſt be when all this world ſhall be diſſolved, and the enjoyments of it at an end? This further forbids all our anxiety and ſollicitude about the time to come, ſome hardly enjoy what they are and have at preſent by reaſon of their care and fear about what may be hereafter. The time to come cannot be a long time when 'tis but part of a ſhort life. And let every man think with himſelf; while I am ſollicitous about the remainder of my days, they grow ſtill fewer and fewer, and ſo I have ſtill the leſs reaſon for my care about them.

Further, this ſhould effectually reſtrain men from all ill ways of ſeeking the conveniences of this preſent life. We deſire That too much, whatever is it, that we reſolve to obtain by any means All the happineſs this world can afford, is not worthy of ſuch a deſire. And he pays too dear for the beſt enjoyments of this world who purchaſes them at the coſt of his Innocence. Treaſures gotten by wickedneſs profit not; He that allows himſelf to be wicked that he may accompliſh his deſires loſes much to gain a little; He forfeits the true happineſs to gain a falſe one: For tranſitory ſatisfactions he abdicates abiding pleaſures. He loſes Eternal goods to gain Temporal; and incurs everlaſting miſery for the ſake of a very ſhort and tranſient and ſmall felicity. What proportion can there be between the joys of Heaven, which are moſt pure and raviſhing, moſt ſatisfying and eternal, and the ſhort flaſhes of delight and pleaſure which this world affords? Or what recompence can theſe feeble and ſhort pleaſures make for the expoſing our ſelves to the moſt exquiſite and eternal torments; Nothing then can be ſo fooliſh and unreaſonable as the guilty purſuit of the things of this world.

2. The ſhortneſs and frailty of this preſent Life may teach us to uſe with fobriety and temperance the Enjoyments of this World. A quite contrary uſe I know is made of this Conſideration by too many, but how abſurdly and fooliſhly will appear upon a very little conſideration. They allow themſelves the moſt exceſſive gratifications of their appetites in Gluttony, Drunkenneſs and Uncleanneſs: yea they endeavour and ſtudy to enflame their Appetites, and make them immoderate and exceſſive that they may have the more pleaſure in gratifying them; and becauſe they can live but a little while they will live apace. But unleſs the way were a great deal longer to the Grave than it is, methinks there is no need to hurry thither. There is no reaſon to live out a ſhort life apace. Thus they ſhorten the life which would not be very long without this precipitant haſt. They drive away that which they would keep, and which is going away of it ſelf. They make haſt to put an end to that which above all things they dote upon, that is, ſenſual pleaſure; to diſable themſelves from enjoying it by diſeaſes or an untimely death. Intemperance and exceſs brings the infirmities and aches and defects of old Age upon Youth, and kill men in the prime of their days, almoſt as ſoon as they come to enjoy the world and know what it is to live. Is this the wit of the world, or rather a madneſs? A wiſe man would uſe with care a frail and brittle thing, eſpecially if he does highly eſteem and value it. Is it reaſonable to wiſh for a long enjoyment of the pleaſures of this Life, and to take a courſe at the ſame time to make it ſhort? to dote on pleaſures and ſpoil them? to place all our happineſs in this life and make haſt to end it? to be prodigal of a ſmall Stock; and uſe ruggedly and careleſly a weak thing? If this be Wit there is nothing can deſerve the name of Folly.

3. Theſe diſparaging properties of this preſent life ſhould teach men to be humble in their greateſt worldly proſperity. It may and ought to ſerve to this purpoſe to conſider: Whatever I have now it is but a little while agoe that I receiv'd it: Naked I came not long ſince into this world. I have but a very little while been honour'd, or rich, or learned; and ere long I muſt ceaſe to be what I am. I muſt goe out of this world quickly, and go as naked (at leaſt of all outward advantages) as I was when I came into it. All that I have then here is but a tranſitory portion, my beſt eſtate is Vanity, which is built upon ſo ſlight a foundation as this feeble Life. Alas, I cannot have here a ſtable abiding felicity while my life is moving and paſſing away. And if I can enjoy what I have till I die, that is the longeſt I ſhall do ſo, and that cannot be long. Then the poor Begger will be as rich as the moſt wealthy: And there will be as much beauty, as much ſtrength in his duſt who was deform'd and weak, as in that of thoſe who are proud of beauty, or ſtrength; no marks of Wiſdom or Learning will remain about the Dead and corrupted Carkaſs. All ſorts are huddled together, equall'd and canfounded in the Grave. The man that is proud of his preſent advantages may aſſure himſelf that within a few days he may be as deſpicable on earth as any that he deſpiſes. Yea in a little time he ſhall be more deſpicable and made inferiour to him if the other outlives him. If the rich and honour'd dies firſt, the poor man remains richer and more honourable than he: As a living Dog is better than a dead Lion. The one enjoys ſtill his little, the other is totally ſtript of his abundance. Should I deſpiſe any man (let me ſay) when a little time may make ſo great a difference to his advantage; When he whom I diſdain perhaps to ſpeak to may ſhortly tread upon me, and have me under the duſt of his feet Surely this frail and tranſitory life with all its advantages is too mean a thing to cauſe or allow a man to be proud of it.

4. Theſe conditions of our preſent Life may juſtly render us patient under all preſent Adverſity. May we not with great reaſon bear that Patiently which we cannot endure long; eſpecially when the more patient we are under grievous things, the more eaſie and tolerable they be. Let us conſider then, when any Affliction befalls us, I cannot undergo a long affliction in a ſhort life. If poverty be my Lot, I ſhall not long be expos'd to the inconveniences of that. If I am condemned to a life of hard labour and toil; I may comfort my ſelf with this thought, that I am haſting to a place where the weary are at reſt. If I am vex'd and afflicted by the Luſts and Paſſions of unreaſonable and wicked men; I may conſider their Life is frail and tranſitory as well as mine; and I am going to be where the wicked ceaſe from troubling. In all adverſity this may comfort us, my afflictions are fading and tranſitory, as I am; the evils as well as the good things of this Life, can laſt no longer than my ſelf, and that will not be long.

Such as theſe are the Thoughts, Diſpoſitions, and Reſolutions relating to this World, that theſe conditions of our preſent Life ſhould excite in us. The Apoſtle Paul urges ſuch a uſe of theſe things, 1 Cor. 7. 29, 30, 31. Brethren the time is ſhort, It remains that they which have Wives he as though they had none, and they that weep as though they wept not, and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not, and they that uſe this world us not abuſing it, for the faſhion of this world paſſeth away.

I proceed now to the laſt part of the Diſcourſe with which I ſhall ſoon conclude, that is, to repreſent the due Behaviour relating to the other World, which theſe diſparagements of our preſent Life ſhould teach and provoke us to.

And I cannot imagine but that every one will readily acknowledge, theſe things ſhould make us turn our thoughts towards the World to come, and look into the reality and nature of a future State; and earneſtly endeavour to ſecure to our ſelves a happy condition there. Since there is moſt certainly another World, and a Life to come; is it not our Wiſdom to think of it, and look before us: eſpecially when we are continually haſting to it? When I am going apace from this World, ſhall I not think at all whither I am going? Is not this worth a thought? Let us conſider what the Scripture teaches us of the Future State: That it aſſures our Souls to be immortal; though our Bodies periſh they ſhall never die; and our periſhing Bodies ſhall lie but a while in their diſſolved State: They ſhall certainly riſe again from the duſt to live hereafter in immortal Life: That we ſhall be raiſed to receive the rewards of our doings here, whether they have been good or evil: That the Eternal world to come is divided into two different States, the one perfectly happy for the reward of good men, the other perfectly miſerable for the puniſhment of the bad. Since theſe things will certainly be, let us certainly expect them and frequently think of them; Let every one often tell himſelf, this ſhort Life is haſting to end in an endleſs Life. I am going where I ſhall be happy or miſerable for ever; from tranſitory to abiding things, from temporal to eternal. Whatever puts an end to this frail Life, which is ſo eaſily deſtroyed, ſends me into an unalterable State, whatever ſort it be of: If a happy one, it will ever be happy and perfectly ſo; if miſerable, it will always be a perfectly miſerable State. And my condition there will be ordered according to my behaviour here; this ſhort Life has an influence upon the Eternal one. If I have lived well, and well uſed the Talents I was entruſted with here; I ſhall enjoy better and more laſting good things there. I may juſtly content my ſelf to be denyed any of theſe things below, if the wiſe diſpoſer ſees fit to do ſo; ſince better things to full ſatisfaction are reſerved for me. But if I live wickedly, I muſt expect that alittle time will put an end for ever to all my preſent eaſe and proſperity; I muſt part with all my lov'd Enjoyments, and bid a farewell to all mirth and pleaſure. All my portion of good is in this World, and I can enjoy it no longer than while this ſhort and tranſitory Life laſts It is but a ſmall portion of good then that falls to my ſhare, if this be all I muſt have. And it was not worth the being born, to be expoſed to ſo many evils, to bear ſo many afflictions, to feel the wrackings of ſo many violent paſſions, as this mortal Life and vale of Tears are acquainted with, for the ſake of enjoying ſo little good, ſo ſhort and ſmall a felicity. And beſides, my pleaſant Circumſtances here, will quickly end in Torments and Miſeries that will continue for ever. Let us I ſay, think much of that other World, and divert our thoughts from this: That ſo our affections may be diſengaged, and we may not be entangled with the Charms and Allurements of this World, to our everlaſting perdition. And having got our ſelves at liberty from thoſe fatal ſnares and fetters; let us earneſtly apply our ſelves to prepare for, and ſecure a happy State in the Life to come. This ought to be our greateſt care in this World, and employ the moſt of our endeavours. In every other care and endeavour this ſhould be minded, and ſhould direct them. We ſhould ſo purſue this World as at the ſame time to purſue a better, and ſo enjoy this World as that we at the ſame time may hope for a better. Ought we not to be moſt concerned that we may be happy there, where we muſt be longeſt. Let us behave our ſelves always in this World, as going out of this and going into another, where we ſhall abide and ſtay. Shall we be carefull about a few days to come of this Life, and not much rather be ſolicitous what ſhall become of us to all Eternity.

Now to ſecure our happineſs hereafter, we muſt endeavour to make our peace with God, to regain his favour by repenting truly of our former Sins, by ſtedfaſtly purpoſing to lead a new Life, by devoting our ſelves to Jeſus Chriſt to be followers of him, with whom the Father was well-pleaſed. We muſt then deny all angodlineſs and worldly Luſts, and live ſoberly, righteouſly and godly in this preſent World. We muſt ceaſe to do evil and learn to do well; and follow after holineſs, without which no man can ſee God, no man can be admitted into that preſence of God which makes Heaven. Let us endeavour to grow reconciled to a very ſerious and religious Life; to become acquainted with, and to reliſh the joys and pleaſures of devotion and communion with God: To delight in him in meditating on his Nature and Works, in praiſing, adoring and worſhipping of him. Which things will be the great entertainment and happineſs of Heaven; and therefore till we are ſuited to ſuch things, till we can find the higheſt pleaſure in them, and in all acts of Vertue, till we can ſatisfie our ſelves in ſuch things, even with the want of many worldly Enjoyments, we are not fit for Heaven, nor can be happy in another World.

But thus to prepare our ſelves for, and ſecure a happy State hereafter, is the beſt uſe we can poſſibly put this our mean Life to. And though this Life be ſo ſhort and tranſitory, we ſhall have time enough for the ſecuring a better, if we do not cheat our ſelves of it by unneceſſary delays, and if we apply our ſelves diligently to this matter. And how great an Improvement of our preſent Life is this! How great a gain! How much to advantage! To employ this Life for the gaining a happy one hereafter, is as if a man ſhould lay out Pebbles for Pearls, ſhould exchange Dirt for Gold, and ſhort liv'd Sparkles for laſting and glorious Stars. 'Tis to lay out Earth for Heaven, to ſpend time for the purchaſe of Eternity; to uſe the Creatures ſo, as to make them bring us to God; to labour for a very few days, that we may enjoy an Eternal reſt; to deny our ſelves in a few things, and for a little while, that we may ere long enjoy full ſatisfactions, everlaſting pleaſures. This is truly and greatly to redeem our time: This if we do, we ſhall not regret that our time on Earth was ſo ſhort and tranſitory.

NOtwithſtanding the great uncertainty of humane Life, and though none of us can tell how ſhort his appointed time may be: Though we ſee perſons of every Age deſcend into the Grave, ſome in their early Infancy, and ſome in Youth in their full ſtrength, as well as ſome in an old Age: Yea, (which is very ſtrange) though we ſee that a great many more die young, than there are that live to any great Age; yet do Mankind commonly promiſe themſelves a long Life on Earth. All expect this almoſt, though but few attain it. We believe that we may live as long as the oldeſt Perſons that we ſee or know. And this vain Imagination proves a fatal and miſchievous ſnare to a great many. For, becauſe they may live long, as they think, they will not trouble themſelves betimes to prepare to die, though it is as true that they may not live long. They ſet the practice of Religion and the concern of their Souls aſide for the preſent, becauſe they ſhall have, as they ſuppoſe, time enough to mind them hereafter. They apply themſelves wholly now to the Buſineſs and Pleaſures of this Life, and refer their Reformation and Religion to old Age. And thus while they think they have much time to ſpend, they ſquander away, and loſe much from their main concern; and with their time they loſe Eternity, and their Souls too: Their time is ſpent, and their Day of Salvation is over, before they have ſecured and wrought out their Salvation: And Death ſnatches many of them away in the midſt of their worldly Cares and Pleaſures, and ſo they are undone for ever.

To meet with and cure, if it may be, this Errour, I ſhall inſiſt a little upon theſe words of Solomon: Wherein he intimates the Unreaſonableneſs and Folly of delaying to repent, and be religious, till old Age, though it be ſuppoſed that we may, or though it could be certain that we ſhall live to old Age. We may reckon that the latter part of this verſe is a reaſon and argument to enforce his advice in the former part of it; and that his meaning is this. Remember now thy Creatour in the days of thy Youth, becauſe the latter end of a long Life will be Evil days, and ſuch as you ſhall ſay, I have no pleaſure in them. To be religious in youth will be the beſt preparation againſt the evil days to come, and in thoſe days you will need thoſe conſolations and advantages, which a religious and vertuous Courſe that has been before them will then afford. Many other arguments are commonly inſiſted upon by thoſe that handle this Text, to perſuade young Perſons to mind Religion and Vertue; but I ſhall ſet them all aſide and inſiſt upon this alone, which ſeems chiefly, if not only intended in the Text. To do this with the better ſucceſs (if it may pleaſe God) I ſhall divide the following Diſcourſe into three parts.

1. To ſhew what is meant by Remembring our Creatour in the days of our Youth: Becauſe 'tis uſually thought that Youth may be allowed a great deal of liberty, and that a very little Religion may ſerve their turn.

2. To ſhew that the time of old Age is That he means here by the Evil days, and the years in which a Man ſhall ſay, he has no pleaſure in them; for to illuſtrate this matter is to ſtrengthen the Argument.

3. To ſhew how this is a good argument and reaſon againſt mens putting off their repenting and being religious to their old Age; and that the beſt Defence and Preparation that we can poſſibly make againſt the Inconveniences of that time, is to be religious in our Youth.

I begin with the firſt of theſe: To ſhew what is meant by Remembring our Creatour in the days of our Youth.

By Creatour then we are to underſtand, he means God that made us; for it is He that hath made us, and not we our ſelves, Pſal. 100. 3.

By Remembring him we muſt underſtand, theſe particulars are intended.

1. That we ſeek and get a good meaſure of the Knowledge of God. No man can remember him at all, that does not know ſomething of him. Nor can any man remember what he is, unleſs he does in ſome meaſure know this; and we muſt remember him ſuch as he is, or we ſhall not do it to any good purpoſe. We muſt therefore betimes, enquire into what he has revealed of himſelf in his word. We muſt know and remember that he is, and is a rewarder of thoſe that diligently ſeek him. That he is a Being, Infinite, Eternal, Good and Juſt, Wiſe and Almighty. That he is our Creatour, and the Creatour of all things; that he is thereupon the Lord and owner of all, as he ſays, The world is mine and the fulneſs thereof, Pſal. 50. 12. and we are his people, and the ſheep of his Paſture, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, Pſal. 100. We muſt know and remember that he has laid his Laws upon us, and expects our Obedience to them; that he is Judge of all the Earth, and will render to every man according to his works. Thus we muſt remember him in what he is in himſelf, and in what relations he is pleaſed to bear towards us.

2. 'Tis alſo intended herein, that we ſhould often think of God, that we ſhould have him much in our minds, that we ſet the Lord always before us, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks of himſelf, Pſal. 16. 8. It is the Character of an evil man, that God is not in all his thoughts, and of very wicked people, that they forget God. Men may actually think of God often in the midſt of their worldly buſineſs, and may habitually acknowledge him in all their ways; they may and ought to depend upon his Providence, thank him for all they enjoy, praiſe him for and aſcribe to him all the good they do. We ſhould begin and end every day, and receive every Meal with actual thoughts of God, and ſcrious Addreſſes to him of Praiſe and Thankſgiving. We ſhould duly ſet apart his Sabbaths to remember and worſhip him upon them.

3. This includes alſo ſuitable affections of the Heart: Our knowledge muſt not be ſpeculative and unaffecting. We muſt think of God with awfull reverence and fear of his Majeſty and Greatneſs. We muſt love him above all things, and deſire his favour and love as our chiefeſt good. We muſt admire and delight in his Holineſs, and Juſtice, and Goodneſs, and endeavour to conform to them.

4. This includes Obedience to his Commands, and Reſignation and Submiſſion to his Providence. This is due to him, and is the juſt acknowledgment of his right in us. His Laws muſt be the rule of our Actions, and his Glory our great end; as the Apoſtle ſays, 1 Cor. 10. 11. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God. And whatever portion or fortune he allots us, we muſt take with an humble, contented, and reſigned frame of ſpirit, as ſenſible that he diſpoſes but of his own in his ordering of us, and our circumſtances: We muſt be ready always after our great Pattern to ſay, Lord, not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Thus much is included in the word Remember.

And all this is to be done in our early Youth, according to the Wiſeman's advice here: As ſoon as poſſibly we can do it; without any delay or putting it off. We ſhould with the firſt exerciſes of our reaſon ſtudy, and learn to know him and his Laws: With the firſt actions of out wills we ſhould chuſe him for our chief good, and his Laws as our beſt rule; and make it our great care and endeavour to conform to them, rather than to the Cuſtoms and Faſhions and Maximes of the fooliſh and wicked World; and we ſhould ſet our firſt affections on him, give him our Hearts before the things of this World here get poſſeſſion of them.

This is that which Solomon adviſes; let us now proceed to conſider that which is his argument to urge this advice. That is, that Evil days will come, and the years in which a man ſhall ſay, he has no pleaſure in them. That this is ſpoken of old Age appears by the following verſes, wherein 'tis generally acknowledged he deſcribes that Age of humane Life; and indeed the deſcription he makes of it does juſtifie his giving it the name of Evil days, as he ſeems to have deſigned to do. I ſhall give the Summ of what he ſays to this purpoſe in the following particulars.

1. That is an evil time upon the account of the weakneſs and decay of Nature, which often attends it. There is then a great decay of all the faculties and powers; the mortal Body begins to fail. The Beauty of it is withered, the Strength exhauſted. The dim Eye can no longer ſee, nor the deaf Ear hear; the feeble Feet cannot walk, nor the Hands work as they could before. And in this weakneſs the Limbs which were ſtrong and vigorous become a burden to themſelves: The old man cannot help himſelf, but deſcends perhaps to the weakneſs of a Child again. Thus is he taken from action and buſineſs, that which made him taken notice of and conſiderable in the World, that which made him ſought to and reſpected. And now perhaps he ſees himſelf forgotten and forſaken; he ſees thoſe he has been kind to prove ungratefull, and thoſe whom he has nouriſht and brought up, grown weary of him. And where theſe things are, who would not account the time which that man continues further an Evil time.

2. But further; It often attends this decay of Nature, that they are loaded with pains and diſtempers. Theſe whenever they come are an heavy burden, even to thoſe who are young and ſtrong, and therefore they will much rather be ſo to the aged and weak; and theſe are more liable to them than younger perſons. Indeed if pains and diſtempers are very violent upon old Age, they are not of long continuance, becauſe weak Nature cannot then bear much: Yet they are very uneaſie ſometimes, and of long continuance too. The old perſon is oftentimes attended with the yearly returns of very painfull Diſtempers; which give him perhaps ſome intermiſſions for a little while; but 'tis only to let him gain ſo much ſtrength as to be able to endure and rub through the more returning fits of them. He ſhall feel the ſmart of former Wounds, and the Aches and Pains of old Bruiſes, and the ſtiffneſs and wearineſs of former Labours. Sickneſs confines him to his Houſe or his Chamber, and makes him a Priſoner at home. Pain wearies out his days, and makes him wiſh for the Night: And when the Night has continued a while, he wiſhes again for the Day: He has no comfort in his Days, nor reſt in the Nights. The remainder of comfort and pleaſure which weakneſs and decay had left, Sickneſs and Pain utterly laviſh away. Therefore,

3. It muſt be mentioned as another Inconvenience of old Age, that it is with many a time very deſtitute of Pleaſure. The old man has but a very weak and languid Sence at the moſt of all the pleaſant things of this World: The deſire now fails, as Solomon ſays, verſe 5. The Sences and Appetites grow dull, and have leſs reliſh of theſe things. The dim Eye is no more raviſht with beautifull Objects, nor is the deaf Ear to be charmed with harmonious Sounds. The Noſe and Pallate are hardly ſenſible any longer of pleaſing Taſts or Smells. Can I diſcern between good and evil? ſays old Barſillai to David. Can thy ſervant taſt what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of ſinging men, and ſinging women? 2 Sam. 19. 35. The Novelty of things which helped to tranſport him in younger years is now no more attending them, he can meet with nothing new, but is cloyed and ſick with the dull repetitions of the ſame things.

4 It is a great addition to the Evil of theſe days, that if any affliction or inconvenience befalls us then, it is uſually more incurable than in our younger years it might have been. Man is born to trouble as the Sparks fly upwards: Affliction will haunt and moleſt us as long as we live in this mutable, weak and expoſed State; and that condition of Life, which renders our afflictions moſt incurable, renders them alſo the moſt grievous and troubleſome: When our condition is hopeleſs as well as inconvenient, this more than doubles the grief of that inconvenience; and this is commonly the unhappy caſe of old Age If a man be then ſickly, he cannot expect ever to recover or enjoy a good State of Health again; if one diſtemper be cured it turns into another. He that is deprived of his Children then cannot hope to have more, as poor Naomi complained. If then he falls into poverty, he muſt lie under it, and bear all the ſorrowfull attendants of that, for he is now weak and uncapable of that Induſtry which ſhould help him: He wants more than he did in younger years, and is leſs able to take pains to get it.

5. Laſtly, that which further helps to make old Age an evil time, is the certain approach and nearneſs of Death. It is known then, that this cannot be far off: His miſerable days will ſhortly end in diſſolution, from his ſick Bed he muſt go ere long to his cold Grave, and be a long Priſoner there: His beſt days are irrecoverably gone, and he ſhall never return to the health and vigour, the mirth and jollity of Youth again. The certainty of Death, is the great and uncomfortable diſparagement of the preſent Life. In all our mirth it damps us to think of it. It troubles our beſt days, it chills our warmeſt blood, it ſours our ſweeteſt delights, to have a ſerious thought that we muſt die. It affrights us to think I muſt ere long be cold and ſenceleſs, I muſt be a gaſtly Object to thoſe that have moſt delighted to ſee me. Thoſe I moſt love will haſten to bury me out of their ſight; they will commit me to worms and rottenneſs: I muſt lie down in darkneſs and oblivion, worms muſt feed on me, and the winds ere long ſcatter my contemptible duſt. I muſt leave all the pleaſant things I have here, and go into a new, an unknown World, from whence none come back to tell what is there: Theſe are ſad and very painfull thoughts to him, that puts this Evil fartheſt from him. But with how much the more force muſt theſe things ſtrike and wound when they are certainly near. And to the aged Perſon theſe things muſt be near. They may indeed be as near to the youngeſt here preſent as to the oldeſt, but it may alſo be ſaid they may not be near ſuch; but it cannot be ſaid they may not be near them that are aged. Death with his fatal Dart is almoſt ready to ſtrike them: Their day is come to the Evening, and therefore they cannot be far from Night; their Glaſs is almoſt run and ſhall never be turn'd up again, and therefore muſt ſoon be out.

This alſo then may make old Age an evil time.

And this is the time to which many men incline to put off their living well, but whether they do wiſely in this or no, will be beſt determin'd after we have well conſidered what is to be ſaid on the third Head of Diſcourſe; wherein I doubt not to make appear, as was propoſed, that the beſt defence and preparation we can poſſibly make againſt theſe Evil days, is to begin a religious and vertuous Courſe betimes, and to continue in it all our days before this time. This the Light of Nature taught a wiſe and thinking Heathen (Cicero de Senect.) who ſpeaks thus, Aptiſſima omnino arma ſenectutis, &c. The beſt weapons and defences of old Age againſt the Inconveniences it is liable to, are the Arts and the Exerciſes of Vertues: Which being cultivated through every Age of Life before, if we happen to live long will then bring forth wonderful Fruits: Not only (ſays he) becauſe they will never deſert us, no not to the extream point of Life, though that be very conſiderable; but alſo becauſe the conſciouſneſs of a well ſpent Life, and the remembrance of many good and vertuous Actions are highly pleaſant to us. Thanks be to God we can ſay this upon much better grounds than the Heathens could; and then the Argument ought to have the more force upon us.

To make it appear that a religious and vertuous Life before, is the beſt preparation and defence that we can poſſibly make againſt the Evils that attend old Age, I ſhall inſiſt upon theſe two particulars.

In the firſt place, this will in a great meaſure prevent ſome of the Evils that old Age is liable to.

A vertuous and temperate Courſe of Life in our younger years gets a good habit of health, and ſettles, and confirms a good conſtitution. Temperance and Vertue cheriſh Nature, but violent Paſſions and Vices weaken and deſtroy it. He who governs himſelf wiſely, and according to the rules of Religion in his labours, and enjoyments, and converſations, takes that courſe which tends to preſerve his Health and Life. Such perſons are the moſt likely to live to an old Age, as Solomon tells us, when he ſays of the Wiſedom of good living, Length of days is in her right Hand; and ſuch are moſt likely to enjoy an healthy and vigorous old Age, according to what he ſays again, to fear the Lord and depart from Evil is Health to the Navel, and Marrow to the Bones. And in this way many are ſeen to enjoy a very healthy and vigorous old Age; It is ſaid of the Philoſopher Leontinus Gorgias, who had practiſed the good Morals he had taught, that he completed an hundred and ſeven years, and never ceaſed from ſtudy, and buſineſs; and when he was asked what could make him endure ſo long a life, he anſwered, he had nothing to accuſe or complain of his old Age for. And if a man enjoys an healthy and vigorous old Age, he is ſt • ll fit for buſineſs, he is ſtill uſeful and neceſſary to the World, and ſhall not ſee himſelf neglected or contemned: And then too he is the more ſenſible of pleaſures in his old Age, and they ſhall not utterly leave him to the laſt. Though Nature muſt decay in all men, yet in ſuch it will decay flower, and by more gentle degrees. But the Drunkenneſs and Gluttony, the Sloth and Luſts, and the wild and furious Paſſions of a wicked ungovern'd Life, haſten the Infirmities of old Age, and bring them upon ſome men even before their time; and theſe things make them alſo the more heavy and troubleſome when they come; whereas a good and ſober Life would either wholly prevent or much leſſen them.

BAlaam a famous Sorcerer and Fortune-teller among the Midianites, was ſent for by Balak King of Moab to curſe Iſrael, when they were upon his Borders. The Meſſengers came to him with this Complement from the King. For I wot that he whom thou bleſſeſt is bleſſed, and he whom thou curſeſt is curſed; Chap. 22. verſ. 6. Such an eſteem had he raiſed of himſelf among the ignorant Heathens. And very fain would the wicked wretch have done that which Balak deſired for the ſake of the wages of Iniquity which he loved. This appears by his ſeeking of enchantments againſt Iſrael, as he ſeveral times did, as the 1ſt. verſe of the 24th. Chapter intimates, but it pleaſed God conſtantly to over-rule and hinder him. And when he ſought to utter his direful and miſchievous Charms, which before perhaps could blaſt the Fruits of the Earth, and cauſe Thunder and Lightning, and raiſe an Hurricane, and throw down Buildings: He can now do nothing of all this, but the Spirit of God conſtrains him to utter only things honourable and favourable of Iſrael. In a deep ſence, which this poſſeſt him with, of the favour of God to that People, and being ſo far enlightned for the preſent, though againſt his Will, as to underſtand that they ſhould be happy not only in this Life, but alſo in that to come, if they would keep the Commandments of their God; he therefore concludes his firſt Parable, or ſententious and prophetick Speech concerning them in the words of our Text,

Let me die the Death of the Righteous, and let my laſt end be like his.