__________________________________________________________________ Title: The Works of Dr. John Tillotson, Late Archbishop of Canterbury. Vol. 05. Creator(s): Tillotson, John, (1630-1694) Print Basis: London: Richard Priestley (1820) CCEL Subjects: All; __________________________________________________________________ THE WORKS OF DR. JOHN TILLOTSON, LATE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ WITH THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR, BY THO^S . BIRCH, M.A. ALSO A COPIOUS INDEX, AND THE TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE CAREFULLY COMPARED. __________________________________________________________________ IN TEN VOLUMES.--VOL. V. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ LONDON: PRINTED BY J. F. DOVE, ST. JOHN'S SQUARE; FOR RICHARD PRIESTLEY, HIGH HOLBORN. 1820. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ CONTENTS TO VOL. V. SERMONS. Page LXXXV. The Sin and Danger of adding to the Doctrine of the Gospel 1 LXXXVI. LXXXVII. LXXXVIII. Honesty the best Preservative against dangerous Mistakes in Religion 19. 34. 51 LXXXIX. The Nature of Covetousness 65 XC. XCI. XCII. The Evil and Unreasonableness of Covetousness 81. 96. 112 XCIII. XC1V. Religion, our first and great Concernment 128. 145 XCV. The Wisdom of Religion 163 XCVI. XCVII. The Nature and Influence of the Promises of the Gospel 182. 197 XCV1II. XCIX. The Support of good Men under their Sufferings for Religion 209. 237 C. Of the Work assigned to every Man, and the Season for doing it 255 CI. Of the great Duties of Natural Religion, with the Ways and Means of knowing them 273 CII. Instituted Religion not intended to under mine Natural 298 CIII. CIV. Christianity doth not destroy, but perfect the Law of Moses 323. 339 CV. CVI. CVII. CVIII. CIX. Of the Nature of Regeneration, and its Necessity, in order to Justification and Salvation 354. 369. 384. 398. 412 CX. CXI. The Danger of all known Sin, both from the Light of Nature and Revelation 427. 449 CXII. Knowledge and Practice necessary in Religion 472 CXIII. Practice in Religion necessary, in proportion to our Knowledge 490 CXIV. CXV. The Sins of Men not chargeable upon God; but upon themselves 508. 533 CXV1. Proving Jesus to be the Messias 554 __________________________________________________________________ SERMONS __________________________________________________________________ SERMON LXXXV. THE SIN AND DANGER OF ADDING TO THE DOCTRINE OF THE GOSPEL. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed.--Gal. i. 8, 9. BEFORE I come to handle the words, for the better understanding of them, I shall give a brief account of the occasion of them, which was this:--some false apostles had made a great disturbance in the churches planted by the apostles of Christ, by teaching that it was necessary for Christians, not only to embrace and entertain the doctrines and precepts of the Christian religion, but likewise to he circumcised, and keep the law of Moses. Of this disturbance, which was raised in the Christian church, yon have the history at large, Acts xv. and as in several other churches, so particularly in that of Galatia, these false apostles and seducers had perverted many, as appears by this Epistle; in the beginning whereof St. Paul complains, that those who were seduced into this error, of the necessity of circumcision, and keeping the law of Moses, had, by this new article of faith, which they had added to the Christian religion, quite altered the frame of it, and made the gospel another thing from that which our Saviour delivered, and commanded his apostles to teach all nations. For he tells us (ver. 6. of this chapter), that he "marvelled, that they were so soon removed from him that called them by (or through) the grace of Christ, unto another gospel," that is so different from that which they had been instructed in by those who first preached the gospel unto them: for the making of any thing necessary to salvation, which our Saviour in his gospel had not made so, he calls another gospel. "I marvel, that ye are so soon removed from him that called you by the grace of Christ, unto another gospel; which is not another," ho ouk estin allo, which is no other thing, or by which I mean nothing else, "but that there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ;" as if he had said, When I say that ye are removed to another gospel, I do not mean that ye have renounced Christianity, and are gone over to another religion; but that ye are seduced by those who have a mind to pervert the gospel of Christ, by adding something to it, as a necessary and essential part of it, which Christ hath not made so: this the apostle calls a perverting or overthrowing of the gospel; because, by thus altering the terms and conditions of it, they made it quite another thing from what our Saviour delivered it. And then at the eighth and ninth verses he denounceth a terrible anathema against those, whoever they should be, yea, though it were an apostle, or an angel from heaven, who by thus "perverting the gospel of Christ" (that is, by making any thing necessary to be believed or practised, which our Saviour in his gospel hath not made so), should in effect "preach another gospel;" "but though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be anathema," an accursed thing. And then, to express his confidence and vehemency in this matter, and to shew that he did not speak this rashly and in a heat, but upon due consideration, he repeats it again in the next verse, "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed." From the words thus explained by the consideration of the context, and of the main scope and design of this Epistle, these following observations do naturally arise: First, That the addition of any thing to the Christian religion, as necessary to be believed and practised in order to salvation, is a perverting the gospel of Christ, and preaching another gospel. Secondly, That no pretence of infallibility is sufficient to authorize and warrant the addition of any thing to the Christian doctrine, as necessary to be believed and practised in order to salvation. Thirdly, That Christians may judge and discern when such additions are made. Fourthly, and consequently, That since the declaration of the gospel, and the confirmation of it, there is no authority in the Christian church to impose upon Christians any thing as of necessity to salvation, which the gospel hath not made so. Fifthly, That there is no visible judge (how infallible soever he may pretend to be) to whose definitions and declarations in matters of faith and practice, necessary to salvation, we are bound to submit, without examination, whether these things be agreeable to the gospel of Christ, or not. Sixthly, and lastly, Whosoever teacheth any thing as of necessity to salvation, to be believed or practised, besides what the gospel of Christ hath made necessary, doth fall under the anathema here in the text, because, in so doing, he perverteth the gospel of Christ, and preacheth another gospel. Now the apostle expressly declares, that "though we (that is, he himself, or any of the apostles), or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than what we have preached unto you, let him be accursed; as we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed." I. That the addition of any thing to the Christian religion, as necessary to be believed or practised in order to salvation, is a perverting of the gospel of Christ, and preaching another gospel. This is evident from the instances here given in this Epistle; for the apostle chargeth the false apostles with perverting the gospel of Christ, and preaching another gospel, upon no other account, but because they added to the Christian religion, and made circumcision, and the keeping of the law of Moses, an essential part of the Christian religion, and imposed upon Christians the practice of these things, and the belief of the necessity of them, as a condition of eternal salvation. That this was the doctrine of those false teachers, we find expressly: (Acts xv. 1.) "And certain men which came down from Judea, taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved;" and (ver. 24.) in the letter written by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, to the churches abroad, there is this account given of it; "Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us, have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying ye must be circumcised, and keep the law, to whom we gave no such commandment." Where you see that this doctrine is declared to be of pernicious consequence, tending to subvert the souls of men, and likewise to be an addition to the doctrine of the gospel which was delivered by the apostles, who here with one consent declare, that they had given "no such commandment;" that is, had delivered no such doctrine as this, nor put any such yoke upon the necks of Christians; but on the contrary had declared, that the death of Christ having put an end to the Jewish dispensation, there was now no obligation upon Christians to observe the law of Moses. And from the reason of the thing it is very plain, that the addition of any thing to the Christian religion, as necessary to be believed or practised in order to salvation, which the gospel hath not made so, is preaching another gospel; because it makes an essential change in the terms and conditions of the gospel-covenant, which declares salvation unto men upon such and such terms, and no other. Now to add any other terms to these, as of equal necessity with them, is to alter the condition of the covenant of the gospel, and the terms of the Christian religion, and consequently to preach another gospel, by declaring other terms of salvation, than Christ in his gospel hath declared, which is to pervert the gospel of Christ. II. No pretence of infallibility is sufficient to authorize and warrant the addition of any thing to the Christian doctrine, as necessary to be believed or practised, in order to salvation. After the delivery of the gospel by the Son of God, and the publication of it to the world by his apostles, who were commissioned and inspired by him to that purpose, and the confirmation of all, by the greatest and most unquestionable miracles that ever were, no person whatever that brought any other doctrine, and declared salvation to men on any other terms than those which are declared in the gospel, was to be credited, what pretence soever he should make to a Divine commission or an infallible assistance. The apostle makes a supposition as high as can be: "Though we (says he) or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be an anathema." If the apostles themselves, who were divinely commissioned, and infallibly assisted in the preaching of the gospel, should afterwards make any addition to it, or declare any other terms of salvation, than those which are declared in the gospel which they had already published to the world, they ought not to be regarded. And the reason is plain; because, what claim soever any person may make to infallibility, and what demonstration soever he may give of it, we cannot possibly believe him, if he contradict himself, and deliver doctrines which do plainly clash with one another: for if he spake true at first, I can not believe him, declaring the contrary afterwards: and if he did not speak true at first, I cannot believe him at all; because he can give no greater proof of his Divine commission, and infallible assistance and inspiration, than he did at first. And the reason is the same, if an angel from heaven should come and preach a contrary doctrine to that of the gospel, he were not to be believed neither; because he could bring no better credentials of his Divine commission and authority, than those had who published the gospel; and, consequently, he ought not to be credited in any thing contrary to what they had published before. For though a man were never so much disposed to receive a revelation from God, and to submit his faith to it, yet it is not possible for any man to believe God against God himself; that is, to believe two revelations, plainly contradictory to one another, to be from God; and the reason of this is very obvious, because every man doth first, and more firmly, believe this proposition or principle, that contradictions cannot be true, than any revelation whatsoever; for if contradictions may be true, then no revelation from God can signify any thing, because the contrary may be equally true, and so truth and falsehood be all one. The apostle indeed only makes a supposition, when he says, "though we or an angel from heaven preach any other doctrine unto you;" but by this supposition he plainly bars any man, or company of men, from adding to the Christian religion any article of faith, or point of practice, as of necessity to salvation, which the gospel hath not made so: I say, any man, or company of men, whatever authority or infallibility they may lay claim to; because they cannot pretend to a clearer commission, and greater evidence of infallible assistance, than an apostle, or an angel from heaven, and yet the text tells us, that would not be a sufficient warrant to preach another gospel; it might, indeed, bring in question that which they had preached before, but could not give credit and authority to any thing plainly contrary to it, and inconsistent with it. III. Christians may judge and discern when another gospel is preached, when new articles of faith, or points of practice not enjoined by the gospel, are imposed upon Christians. This the apostle supposeth every particular church, and, for aught I know, every particular Christian, that is duly instructed in the Christian religion, to be a competent judge of, and to be sufficiently able to discern when another gospel is preached, and new terms and conditions, not declared in the gospel, are added to the Christian religion; for if they be not able to judge of this, the apostle does in vain caution them against the seduction of those who perverted the doctrine of Christ, and endeavoured to remove them from him that had called them by the grace of Christ, unto another gospel. It may perhaps be said, that there was no need that they should be able to discern and judge of the doctrines of those false teachers; it was sufficient for them to believe the apostle concerning the doctrines of those seducers, when he declared to them the falsehood and pernicious consequence of them. But the apostle speaks to them upon another supposition, which does necessarily imply, that they were able to discern and judge what doctrines were agreeable to the gospel, and what not; for he puts the case, that if he himself, or any of the apostles, or an angel from heaven, should preach to them another doctrine, contrary to that of the gospel, they ought to reject it with detestation; but this doth necessarily suppose them able to judge, when such doctrines were preached, and consequently, that all things necessarily to be believed and practised by all Christians, are clearly and plainly declared in the gospel; all the doctrines whereof are now contained in the Holy Scriptures, in which all things necessary to faith and a good life are so plainly delivered, that any sober and inquisitive person may learn them from thence: and the meanest capacity, by the help and direction of their guides and teachers, may be instructed in them. And this is not only the principle of protestants, but the express and constant doctrine of the ancient fathers of the church, whatever the church of Rome, for the maintaining of her usurped authority over the consciences of men, pretends to the contrary. And if this were not so, that men are able to discern and judge which are the doctrines of the gospel and what is contrary to them, the doctrine of the gospel was in vain preached, and the Holy Scriptures containing that doctrine were written to no purpose. Some things in Scripture are granted to be obscure and difficult, on purpose to exercise the study and inquiries of those who have leisure and capacity for it; but all things necessary are sufficiently plain; otherwise it would be impossible to judge when another gospel is preached, which the apostle here supposeth the Galatians capable of doing. For if the revelation of the gospel be not sufficiently plain, in all things necessary to be believed and practised, then Christians have no rule whereby to judge what doctrines are agreeable to the gospel, and what not, for an obscure rule is of no use; that is, in truth, is no rule to those to whom it is obscure. I proceed to the fourth observation, which is plainly consequent from those laid down before; namely, that since the declaration of the gospel, and the confirmation given to it, there is no authority in the Christian church to impose upon Christians any thing, as of necessity to salvation, which the gospel hath not made so. The commission given by our Lord and Saviour to his apostles, was to preach the gospel to all nations (or, as St. Matthew expresses it), to go and teach all nations to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them; and this is that which we call the gospel, viz. that doctrine which Christ commanded to preach and publish to the world; and, if the apostles themselves had exceeded their commission, and added any other points of faith or practice to those which our Saviour gave them in charge to teach and publish to the world, they had, in so doing, been guilty of that which St. Paul here in the text chargeth the false apostles with, viz. of preaching another gospel. And if the apostles had no authority to add any thing to the gospel, much less can any others pretend to it, since they have neither so immediate a commission, nor such a miraculous power to give testimony to them, that "they are teachers come from God." Now this doctrine of the gospel, which the apostles preached to the world, is that which Christians are so often, and so earnestly by the apostles in all their epistles, exhorted to continue in, and not to suffer themselves to be shaken in mind by every wind of new doctrine; because that which the apostles had delivered to them, was the entire doctrine of the gospel, which was never to receive any addition or alteration. This is that which St. Peter calls "the holy commandment which was delivered unto them." (2 Pet. ii. 21.) "It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them;" speaking, in all probability, of those who were seduced by the errors of the Gnostics, from the purity of the Christian doctrine delivered to them by the apostles. This, likewise, St. Paul calls "the common faith;" (Titus i. iv.) and St. Jude, (ver 3.) "the common salvation;" that is, the doctrine which contains the common terms of our salvation, and "the faith which was once delivered to the saints;" that is, by the apostles of our Lord, who published the gospel; once delivered, that is, once for all, so as never afterwards to admit of any change or alteration. This faith he exhorts Christians "earnestly to contend for," against those several sects of seducers, which were crept into the Christian church, and did endeavour, by several arts, to pervert the gospel of Christ, and to deprave the faith delivered by the apostles. So that the doctrine of the gospel published by the apostles is fixed and unalterable; and there can be no authority in the church to make any change in it, either by taking from it, or adding any thing to it, as necessary to be believed or practised in order to salvation. 5. It follows likewise from the foregoing observations, that there is no visible judge (how much soever he may pretend to infallibility), to whose determination and decision, in matters of faith and practice necessary to salvation, Christians are bound to submit, without examination, whether those things be agreeable to the doctrine of the gospel, or not. When our Saviour appeared in the world, though he had authority enough to exact belief from men, yet, because there was a standing revelation of God made to the Jews, he appeals to that revelation, as well as to his own miracles, for the truth of what he said, and offered himself and his doctrine to be tried by the agreeableness of it to the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and the predictions therein concerning him. And this was but reasonable; it being impossible for any man to receive two revelations, as from God, without liberty to examine whether they be agreeable to, and consistent with, one another. In like manner the apostles of our Lord and Saviour, though they were guided and assisted by an infallible Spirit, and had an immediate commission from Christ to preach the doctrine of the gospel, did not require from men absolute submission to their doctrines and dictates, without examination of what they delivered, whether it were agree able to that Divine revelation which was contained in the ancient Scriptures. This was St. Paul's constant custom and way of teaching among the Jews, who had received the revelation of the Old Testament; he did not dictate to them by virtue of his infallibility, "but reasoned with them out of the Scriptures," and required their belief no further than what he said should, upon examination, appear agreeable to the Scriptures. So we find, Acts xvii. 2, 3. "And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them (speaking of the Jews), and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures, opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead, and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is the Christ." And (chap. xviii. 28.) "he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing, by the Scriptures, that Jesus was the Christ." And St. Paul was so far from reproving them for examining his doctrine by the Scriptures, that he commended it, as an argument of a noble and generous mind in the Bereans, that they did not give full assent to his doctrine, till, upon due search and examination, they were satisfied that what he had said was agreeable to the Scriptures, (chap. xvii. 11, 12.) where, speaking of the Bereans, it is said, "That these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word, with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so; therefore many of them believed;" that is, because upon search they found what he delivered to be agreeable to the Scriptures; and it was not a slight, but diligent and deliberate search, they took time to examine things thoroughly; for it is said, "they searched the Scriptures daily." And here, in the text, St. Paul puts the case, that if he, or any other of the apostles, concerning whose Divine commission and assistance they were so fully satisfied, should deliver any thing to them contrary to the gospel, which they had formerly preached, they were to reject it with the greatest abhorrence and detestation; and this necessarily supposeth a liberty to examine what was delivered, even by those whom they believed to be infallibly assisted, and a capacity to discern and judge whether what they said was agreeable to the gospel at first delivered to them or not. And, after this, shall any person or church (what claim soever they may make to infallibility), assume to themselves an authority to dictate in matters of faith, and that their dictates ought to be received with an absolute submission, and without liberty to examine whether they be agreeable to "the faith once delivered to the saints;" and though they add new articles to the Christian faith, and of which there is not the least footstep or intimation in any of the ancient creeds of the Christian church, and do plainly impose upon Christians the practice and belief of several things as necessary to salvation, which the gospel never declared to be so, yet no body shall judge of this, but every man ought, with out more ado, to believe blindfold, and to resign up his understanding and judgment to the directions of this infallible judge? But surely this is not the reasonable obedience of faith, but the forced submission of slaves to the tyranny of their masters. Christians are expressly forbid to call any man father or master upon earth, because we have one Father and Master in heaven. Now to make an absolute submission of our understandings to any upon earth, so as, without examination, to receive their dictates in matters of faith, is surely, if any thing can be so, to call such a person father or master, because a greater submission than this we cannot pay to our Father who is in heaven, even to God himself. I come now to the Sixth and last observation from the text; that whosoever teacheth any thing, as of necessity to salvation to be believed or practised, besides what the gospel of Christ hath made necessary, does fall under the anathema here in the text; because they that do so, do, according to the mind of St. Paul, pervert the gospel of Christ, and preach another gospel. For the reason why he chargeth the false apostles with preaching another gospel, and those that were seduced by them, as being "removed from him that called them by the grace of Christ unto another gospel," is plainly this--that they had changed the terms of the Christian religion, by adding new articles to it which were not contained in the gospel; that is, by making it necessary to believe it to be so, because they taught so. Now St. Paul expressly declares this to be "preaching another gospel," because they plainly altered the terms of salvation declared in the gospel, and made that to be necessary to the salvation of men, which the gospel had not made so. And whatever person or church does the same, does incur the same guilt, and falls under the anathema and censure here in the text; yea, though he were an apostle, or an angel; and I am sure no bishop or church in the world can pretend either to an equal authority or infallibility with an apostle, or an angel from heaven. Let us then hear what St. Paid declares in this case, and consider seriously with what earnestness and vehemency he declares it: "Though we (says he) or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed." St. Paul, you see, is very earnest in this matter, and very peremptory; and therefore I cannot but think this declaration of his to be more considerable, and every way more worthy of our regard and dread, than all the anathemas of the council of Trent, which, in direct affront and contempt of this anathema of St. Paul, hath presumed to add so many articles to the Christian religion, upon the counterfeit warrant of tradition, for which there is no ground or warrant from the Scripture, or from any ancient creed of the Christian church. And, for the truth of this, I appeal to the creed of Pope Pius IV. compiled out of the definitions of the council of Trent; by which council, the pope only is authorized to interpret the true sense and meaning of the canons and decrees of that council; and, consequently, his interpretations must be of equal force and authority with that of the council itself. So that whatsoever he hath put into his new creed for an article of faith, ought to be received with the same pious affection and veneration, as if the creed had been compiled by the council itself; because the pope, it seems, and nobody else, understands the true meaning of that council, at least is thought fit to declare it. And therefore one may justly wonder at the presumption of those, who, after this declaration of the council, have taken upon them to expound the catholic faith, and to represent that religion to us as it is defined in that council; because if there be any controversy about the meaning of its definitions (as there have been a great many, even betwixt those who were present at the council when those definitions were made), none but the pope himself can certainly tell the meaning of them. Now in this creed of Pope Pius, there are added, to the ancient creed of the Christian church, twelve or thirteen new articles; as concerning purgatory, transubstantiation, the worship of images, the invocation of saints, the communion in one kind, and that the church of Rome is the mother and mistress of all churches, and that there is no salvation to be had out of it, and several other points; all which have either no foundation in Scripture, or are plainly contrary to it, and none of them ever esteemed as articles of faith in the ancient Christian church for the first live hundred years; and yet they are now obtruded upon Christians, as of equal necessity to salvation, with the twelve articles of the Apostles Creed; and this under a pretence of infallibility, which St. Paul tells us would not have justified an apostle, or an angel from heaven, in making such additions to the Christian religion, and the imposing any thing as necessary to salvation, which is not so declared by the gospel of Christ. And all that they have to say for this, is, that we do not pretend to be infallible: but there is a necessity of an infallible judge to decide these controversies, and to him they are to be referred. Which is just as if, in a plain matter of right, a contentious and confident man should desire a reference, and contrive the matter so as to have it referred to himself, upon a sleeveless pretence, without any proof or evidence, that he is the only person in the world that hath authority and infallible skill to decide. all such differences. Thus the church of Rome would deal with us in things which are as plain as the noon-day; as, whether God hath forbidden the worship of images in the second commandment? whether our Saviour did institute the sacrament in both kinds? whether the people ought not to read the Scriptures, and to have the public service of God in a known tongue? these, and the like, they would have us refer to an infallible judge; and when we ask who he is, they tell us that their church, which hath imposed these things upon Christians, and made these additions to the gospel of Christ, is that infallible judge. But if she were as infallible, as she pretends to be, even as an apostle, or an angel from heaven, St. Paul hath denounced an anathema against her for preaching another gospel, and making those things necessary to the salvation of men which are not contained in the gospel of Christ. The inference from all this discourse, in short, is this; that we should "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, "and not suffer ourselves, by the confident pretences of seducers, to be removed from him that hath called us through the grace of Christ unto another gospel. The necessary doctrines of the Christian religion, and the common terms of salvation, are so plain, that if any man be ignorant of them it is his own fault; and if any go about to impose upon us any thing as of necessity to be believed and practised in order to salvation, which is not declared to be so in the Holy Scriptures, which contain the true doctrine of the gospel, what authority soever they pretend for it, yea, though they assume to themselves to be infallible; the apostle hath plainly told us what we are to think of them; for he hath put the case as high as is possible here in the text, when he says, "though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." I will conclude all with that counsel which the Spirit of God gives to the churches of Asia: (Rev. iii. 3.) "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast;" and, (chap. ii. 10.) "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee a crown of life." SERMON LXXXVI. HONESTY THE BEST PRESERVATIVE AGAINST DANGEROUS MISTAKES IN RELIGION. If any man do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.--John vii. 17. SINCE there are so many different opinions and apprehensions in the world about matters of religion, and every sect and party does with so much confidence pretend, that they, and they only, are in the truth; the great difficulty and question is, by what means men may be secured from dangerous errors and mistakes in religion. For this end, some have thought it necessary that there should be an infallible church, in the communion whereof every man may be secured from the dangers of a wrong belief. But it seems God hath not thought this necessary; if he had, he would have revealed this very thing more plainly than any particular point of faith what soever. He would have told us expressly, and in the plainest terms, that he had appointed an infallible guide and judge in matters of faith, and would likewise have told us as plainly who he was, and where we might find him, and have recourse to him upon all occasions; because the sincerity of our faith depending upon him, we could not be safe from mistake in particular points, without so plain and clear a revelation of this infallible judge, that there could be no mistake about him; nor could there be an end of any other controversies in religion, unless this infallible judge (both that there is one, and who he is) were out of controversy. But neither of these are so: it is not plain, from Scripture, that there is an infallible judge and guide in matters of faith; much less is it plain who he is: and therefore we may certainly conclude, that God hath not thought it necessary that there should be an infallible guide and judge in matters of faith; because he hath revealed no such thing to us: and that bishop, and that church, who only have arrogated infallibility to themselves, have given the greatest evidence in the world to the contrary; and have been detected and stand convinced in the greatest errors: and it is in vain for any man, or company of men, to pretend to infallibility, so long as the evidence that they are deceived is much greater and clearer than any proof they can produce for their infallibility. If then God hath not provided an infallible guide and judge in matters of faith, there is some other way whereby men may be secured against dangerous and damnable errors in religion, and whereby they may discern truth from imposture, and what doctrines are from God, and what not; and this our Saviour declares to us here in the text, namely, that an honest and sincere mind, and a hearty desire to do the will of God, is the best preservative against fatal errors and mistakes in matters of religion; ea'n tis the'le poiein. "If any man desire to do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." There are two dangerous mistakes in religion: to reject any thing which really comes from God; and to receive and entertain any thing which comes front God, which doth not really come from him. First, To reject any thing which really comes from God. This mistake the Jews frequently fell into, when they rejected the true prophets which God from time to time sent to them, slighting their message, and persecuting their persons: but they miscarried most fatally and remarkably in their contempt of the true Messias, that great prophet whom they had so long expected, and whom God sent, at last, to bring salvation to them; but when he came, they knew him not, nor would receive him, but used him with all the despite and contempt imaginable, not as a teacher come from God, but as a deceiver and imposter. Now the danger of rejecting any thing that comes from God consists in this, that it cannot be done without the highest affront to the Divine Majesty. To reject a Divine message or revelation is to op pose God, and fight against him. So our Saviour tells the Jews, that in despising him, they despised him that sent him. Secondly, There is also another dangerous mistake, on the other hand, in entertaining any thing as a revelation from God, which is not really from him. And this likewise the Jews were frequently guilty of, in receiving the false prophets, which spake in the name of the Lord, when he had not sent them. And this is commonly the temper of those who reject the truth, greedily to swallow error and delusion. So our Saviour tells us of the Jews: (John v. 43.) "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." This prediction of our Saviour's concerning the Jews was fully accomplished; for, after they had rejected him, who gave such abundant evidence that he was the true Messias and a teacher sent from God, they received others who really came in their own names, and ran after those who pretended to be the Messias, and were, in great numbers, destroyed with them. And this is very just with God, that those who receive not the truth in the love of it, should be given up to strong delusions, to believe lies. Now these being the two great dangerous mistakes in religion which men are liable to, my work at this time shall be to shew, how a sincere desire and endeavour to do the will of God, is a security to men against both those dangers; and it will appear to be so, upon these two accounts: I. Because he, who sincerely desires and endeavours to do the will of God, is hereby better qualified and disposed to make a right judgment of spiritual and Divine things. II. Because God's providence is more especially concerned to secure such persons from dangerous errors and mistakes in things which concern their eternal salvation. These shall be the two heads of my following discourse. First, Because he, who sincerely desires and endeavours to do the will of God, is hereby better qualified and disposed to make aright judgment of spiritual and Divine things, and that for these two reasons: 1. Because such a person has a truer notion of God and Divine things. 2. Because he is more impartial in his search and inquiry after truth. 1. Because such a person hath a truer notion of God and Divine things.--No man is so likely to have clear and true apprehensions of God, as a good man, because he hath transcribed the Divine perfections in his own mind, and is himself in some measure and decree what God is. And for this reason it is, that the Scripture so often lays the foundation of all Divine knowledge in the practice of religion: (Job xxviii. 28.) "The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil, is understanding:" and, (Psal. cxi. 10.) "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," that is, the principle and foundation of it; "a good understanding have all they that do his commandments:" whereas the vice and lusts of men darken their reason and distort their understandings, and fill the mind with gross and sensual apprehensions of things, and thereby render men unfit to discern those truths which are of a spiritual nature and tendency, and altogether indisposed to receive them. For though the vices of men be properly seated in their wills, and do not possess their understandings, yet they have a bad influence upon them; as fumes and vapours from the stomach are wont to affect the head. Nothing, indeed, is more natural to the mind and understanding of men, than the knowledge of God; but we may abuse our faculties, and render them unfit for the discerning even of their proper objects. When men, by wicked practices, have rendered themselves unlike to God, they will not love to retain the knowledge of him in their minds, but will become vain in their imaginations concerning him. What clouds and mists are to the bodily eye, that the lusts and corruptions of men are to the understanding: they hinder it from a clear perception of heavenly things; the pure in heart, they are best qualified for the sight of God. Now, according as a man's notions of God are, such will be his apprehensions of religion. All religion is cither natural, or revealed: natural religion consists in the belief of a God, and in right conceptions and apprehensions concerning him, and in a due reverence and observance of him, and in a ready and cheerful obedience to those laws which he hath imprinted upon our nature; and the sum of our obedience consists in our conformity to God, and an endeavour to be like him. For, supposing God to have made no external revelation of his mind to us, we have no other way to know his will, but by, considering his nature and our own; and, if so, then he that resembles God most is like to understand him best, because he finds those perfections in some measure in himself, which he contemplates in the Divine nature; and nothing gives a man so sure a notion of things as practice and experience. Every good man is, in some degree, partaker of a Divine nature, and feels that in himself which he conceives to be in God: so that this man does experience what others do but talk of; he sees the image of God in himself, and is able to discourse of him from an in ward sense and feeling of his excellency and perfections. And as for revealed religion, the only design of that is, to revive and improve the natural notions which we have of God, and all our reasonings about Divine revelation are necessarily gathered by our natural notions of religion: and therefore, he that sincerely endeavours to do the will of God, is not apt to be imposed upon by the vain and confident pretences of Divine revelation; but if any doctrine be proposed to him, which pretends to come from God, he measures it by those steady and sure notions which he hath of the Divine nature and perfections; and by those he will easily discern whether it be worthy of God or not, and likely to proceed from him: he will consider the nature and tendency of it, and whether it be (as the apostle expresses it) "a doctrine according to godliness;" such as is agree able to the Divine nature and perfections, and tends to make us like to God: if it be not, though an angel from heaven should bring it, he will not receive it: if it be, he will not reject it upon every idle pretence and frivolous exception that prejudiced and ill-minded men may make against it; but, after he is satisfied of the reasonableness and purity of the doctrine, he will accept of such evidence and confirmation of it, as is fit for God to give to his own revelations; and if the person that brings it hath an attestation of miracles (which is necessary in case it be a new doctrine), and if he carry on no earthly interest and design by it, but does by his life and actions make it evident that he aims at the glory of God and the good of men; in this case a good man, whose mind is free from passion and prejudice, will easily assent that this man's doctrine is of God, and that he does not speak of himself. This was the evidence which our Saviour offered to the Jews in vindication of himself and his doctrine: (John vii. 18.) "He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him;" as if he had said, hereby may you distinguish one that really comes from God from an impostor--if any man seek his own glory, you may conclude that God hath not sent him, but whatever he pretends that he speaks of himself; but he who, by his life, and the course of his actions, demonstrates that he seeks the honour of God, and not any interest and advantage of his own, the same is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him; that is, no falsehood or design to deceive (for so the word adiki'a does some times signify), you may conclude such an one to be no deceiver or impostor. And if any man sincerely desires and endeavours to do the will of God, he may, by such marks and characters as these, judge of any doctrine that pretends to be from God, whether it be so or not. This is the first reason; because he that sincerely desires and endeavours to do the will of God, hath the truest notion of God and of Divine things. 2. Such a person is more impartial in his search and inquiry after truth, and therefore more likely to find it, and to discern it from error. He that hath an honest mind, and sincerely endeavours to do the will of God, is not apt to be swayed and biassed by any interest or lust: for his great interest is to please God, and he makes all his other interests and concernments to stoop and yield to that. But if a man be governed by any earthly interest or design, he will measure all things by that; and is not at liberty to entertain any thing that crosses it, and to judge equally of any doctrine that is opposite to his interest. This our Saviour gives for a reason, why the great rabbies and teachers among the Jews did not believe and embrace his doctrine: (John v. 44.) "How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another?" If men have any other design in religion than to please God, and to advance his honour and glory in the world, no wonder if they be apt to reject the most Divine truths; because these are calculated not to approve us to men, but to God. And as vain-glory, and a desire of the applause of men, so likewise doth every other lust make a man partial in his judgment of things, and clap a false bias upon his understanding, which carries it off from truth, and makes it to lean towards that side of the question which is most favourable to the interest of his lusts. A vicious man is not willing to entertain those truths which would cross and check him in his course: he hath made the truth his enemy, and therefore he thinks himself concerned to oppose it, and rise up against it: the light of it offends him, and therefore he shuts his eyes that he may not see it. Those holy and pure doctrines, which are from God, reprove the lusts of men, and discover the deformity of them; and therefore no wonder if bad men be so hard to be reconciled to them. This account our Saviour likewise gives of the fierce enmity of the Jews to him, and his doctrine: (John iii. 19, 20.) "Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil; for every one that hath done evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." The vicious inclinations of men are a dead weight upon their understandings, and able to draw down the scales against the clearest truths: for though it be absolutely in no man's power to believe, or to disbelieve what he will, yet men's lives have many times a great influence upon their understandings, to make assent easy or difficult; and as we are forward to believe what we have a mind to, so are we very backward and slow in yielding our assent to any thing that crosseth our inclinations. Men that allow themselves in ungodliness and worldly lusts, will not easily believe those doctrines which charge men so strictly with all manner of holiness and purity. This is the way which the devil hath always used to "blind the eyes of men, that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ might not shine into them." And certainly the most effectual way to keep men in infidelity is to debauch them in their lives; therefore the apostle gives this as the reason of the infidelity of men in the last times: (2 Thess. ii. 12.) "They believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." When men once abandon themselves to lewd and vicious practices, infidelity be comes their interest, because they have no other way to defend and excuse a wicked life, but by denying the truth which opposeth it and finds fault with it. That man only stands fair for the entertainment of truth, who is under the dominion of no vice or lust; because he hath nothing to corrupt or bribe him, to seduce him, or draw him aside in his inquiry after truth; he hath no interest but to find the truth, and follow it; he is inquiring after the way to heaven and eternal happiness, and he hath the indifferency of a traveller which is not inclined to go this way rather than another; for his concernment is to find out the right way, and to walk in it: such an indifferency of mind hath every good man, who sincerely desires to do the will of God; he stands ready to receive truth, when sufficient evidence is offered to convince him of it; because he hath no manner of concernment that the contrary proposition should be true. As in mathematics, a man is ready to give his assent to any proposition that is sufficiently demonstrated to him, because he hath no inclination or affection to one side of the question more than to the other; all his design and concernment is to find out the truth on which side soever it lies; and he is like to find it, because he is so indifferent and impartial. But if a man be biassed by any lust, and addicted to any vicious practice, he is then an interested person, and concerned to be partial in his judgment of things, and is under a great temptation to infidelity when the truths of God are proposed to him; because, whatever the evidence for them he, he cannot but be unwilling to own the truth of that doctrine which is so contrary to his inclination and interest. If the affections and interests of men were as deeply concerned, and as sensibly touched, in the truth of mathematical propositions, as they are in the principles of morality and religion, we should find, that, when a proposition stood in their way and lay cross to their interest, though it were never so clearly demonstrated, yet they would raise a dust about it, and make a thousand cavils, and fence even against the evidence of a demonstration; they would palliate their error with all the skill and art they could; and, though the absurdity of it was never so great and palpable, yet they would hold it fast against all sense and reason, and face down mankind in the obstinate defence of it; for we have no reason to doubt, but that they, who in matters of religion will believe directly contrary to what they see, would, if they had the same interests and passions to sway them in the case, believe contrary to the clearest mathematical demonstration; for where there is an obstinate resolution not to be convinced, all the reason and evidence in the world signifies nothing. Whereas he that is biassed by no passion or interest, but hath an honest mind, and is sincerely desirous to do the will of God, so far as he knows it, is likely to judge very impartially concerning any doctrines that are proposed to him: for, if there be not good evidence that they are from God, he hath no reason to deceive himself in giving credit to them; and if there be good evidence that they are Divine, he hath no interest or inclination to reject them; for it being his great design to do the will of God, he is glad of all opportunities to come to the knowledge of it that he may do it. Thus you see how a sincere desire and endeavour to obey the will of God does secure men against fatal errors and mistakes in matters of religion; because such persons are hereby better disposed to make a right judgment of Divine things, both because they have truer and surer notions of God and religion, and are more impartial in their search and inquiry after truth. This is the first account. II. Another reason why they, who sincerely desire to do the will of God, have a great security in discerning truth from error, is, because the providence of God is more especially concerned to preserve such persons from dangerous errors and mistakes in things which concern their eternal salvation. When men are of a teachable temper, God loves to reveal himself and his truth to them; and such is an humble and obedient frame of mind: (Psal. xxv. 9.) "The meek will he guide in judgment; the meek will he teach his way." The proper disposition of a scholar is to be willing to learn; and that which in religion we are to learn is, "what is the good and acceptable will of God," that we may do it, for practice is the end of knowledge. "If you know these things (says our blessed Lord), happy are ye if ye do them." It is necessary to know the will of God; but we are happy only in the doing of it: and if any man be desirous to do the will of God, his goodness is such, that he will take effectual care to secure such an one against dangerous and fatal errors. he that hath an honest mind, and would do the will of God if he knew it, God will not suffer him to remain ignorant of it, or to be mistaken about it, in any necessary points of faith and practice. St. Paul is a wonderful instance of the goodness of God in this kind. He was undoubtedly a man of a very honest mind; he had entertained the Jewish religion, as revealed by God, and been bred in it; and out of a blind reverence and belief of his teachers, who rejected Christ and his doctrine, he likewise opposed and persecuted them with a mighty zeal and an honest intention, being verily persuaded (as he himself tells us), that he ought to do what he did against the name of Jesus of Nazareth; he was under a great prejudice upon account of his education, and, according to the heat of his natural temper, transported with great passion: but because he did what he did ignorantly and in unbelief, God was pleased to shew mercy to him, and, in a miraculous manner, to convince him of the truth of that religion which he persecuted. He was sincerely desirous to do the will of God, and therefore God would rather work a miracle for his conversion, than suffer him to go on in so fatal a mistake concerning the Christian religion. And as the providence of God doth concern itself to secure good men from dangerous errors and mistakes in matters of religion; so by a just judgment he gives up those, who allow themselves in vicious practices, to error and infidelity. And this is the meaning of that passage of the prophet, (Isa. vi. 10.) so often cited by our Saviour, and applied to the Jews, of "making the heart of that people fat, and their ears heavy, and closing their ryes, lest they should understand and be converted." So again, (Isa. lxvi. 3, 4.) God threatens the people of Israel, that, because they were wicked and abominable in their lives, he would abandon them, and give them over to a spirit of delusion; "they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations; I also will choose their delusions." God is said to choose those things for us, which he permits us to fall into: so (Rom. i. 28.) God is said to give over the abominable heathen to a reprobate mind. "As they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over, eis adokimon noun, to an injudicious and undiscerning mind." When men abandon themselves to wickedness and impiety, God withdraws his grace from them; and, by his secret and just judgment, they are deprived of the faculty of discerning between truth and error, between good and evil. 2 Thess. ii. 10, 11, 12, it is said, that "the man of sin should come with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved:" and that "for this cause God would send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." And it is just with God, that men of vicious inclinations and practices should be exposed to the cheat of the grossest and vilest impostors. God's providence is concerned for men of honest minds, and sincere intentions: but if men take pleasure in unrighteousness, God takes no further care of them, but delivers them up to their own hearts lusts, to be seduced into all those errors into which their own vain imaginations, and their foolish hearts, are apt to lead them. Thus have I endeavoured, as briefly as I could, to shew, that an honest mind, that sincerely desires and endeavours to do the will of God, is the best security against fatal errors and mistakes in matters of religion; both because it disposeth a man to make a true judgment of Divine things, and because the providence of God is more especially concerned for the security of such persons. There remains an objection to be answered, to which this discourse may seem liable; but this, together with the inferences which may be made from this discourse, I shall refer to another opportunity. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON LXXXVII. HONESTY THE BEST PRESERVATIVE AGAINST DANGEROUS MISTAKES IN RELIGION. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.--John vii. 17. I MADE entrance into these words the last day; in which our Saviour declares to us, that an honest and sincere mind, and a hearty desire and endeavour to do the will of God, is the best security and preservative against dangerous errors and mistakes in matters of religion; ean tis thele poiein, "If any man desire to do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." Now there are (I told you) two great mistakes in religion: to reject any thing which really is from God; and to receive and entertain any thing as from God, which is not really from him. And therefore, I proposed, from this text, to shew how a sincere desire and endeavour to do the will of God, is a security to men against both these dangers; namely, upon these two accounts. First, Because he, who sincerely desires and endeavours to do the will of God, is hereby better qualified and disposed to make a right judgment of spiritual and Divine things; and that for these two reasons. I. Because such a person hath a truer notion of God and Divine things. He that resembleth God most is like to understand him best, because he finds those perfections, in some measure, in himself, which he contemplates in the Divine nature; and nothing gives a man so sure a notion of things as practice and experience. II. Because such a person is more impartial in his search and inquiry after truth, and, therefore, more likely to find it, and to discern it from error. That man only stands fair for the entertainment of truth, who is under the power and dominion of no vice or lust, because he hath nothing to corrupt or bribe him, to seduce him and draw him aside in his inquiry after truth: he hath no manner of concernment that the contrary proposition should be true, having the indifferency of a traveller, and no other interest but to find out the right way to heaven, and to walk in it. But if a man be biassed by any lust, and addicted to any vicious practice, he is then an interested person, and concerned to make a partial judgment of things, and is under a great temptation to infidelity when the truths of God are proposed to him; because, whatever the evidence for them be, he cannot but be unwilling to own the truth of those doctrines which are so contrary to his inclination and interest. Secondly, Another reason why they, who sincerely desire to do the will of God, have a greater security in discerning truth from error, is, because the providence of God is more especially concerned to preserve such persons from dangerous errors and mistakes, in things which concern their eternal salvation. When men are of a teachable temper, of a humble and obedient frame of mind, God loves to reveal himself and his truth to them; (Psal. xxv. 9.) "The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way." The proper disposition of a scholar is to be willing to learn; and that which in religion we are to learn, is, "what is the good and acceptable will of God, that we may do it;" for practice is the end of knowledge: "If ye know these things (saith our Saviour) happy are ye if ye do them." It is necessary to know the will of God, but we are only happy in the doing of it; and if any man be desirous to do the will of God, his goodness is such that he will take effectual care to secure such an one against dangerous and fatal errors. He that hath an honest mind, and would do the will of God if he knew it, God will not suffer him to remain ignorant of it, or to be mistaken about it in any necessary point of faith or practice. Thus far I have gone. I shall now proceed to remove an objection, to which this discourse may seem liable, and then draw some inferences from the whole. After all that hath been said, some, perhaps, may ask, Is every good man secure from all error and mistake in matters of religion? This is a mighty privilege indeed: but do not we find the contrary in experience? that an honest heart and a weak head do often meet together? For answer to this, I shall lay down these following propositions: First, That if there were any necessity that a good man should be secured from all manner of error and mistake in religion, this probity of mind, and sincere desire to do the will of God, is the best way to do it; because such a temper and disposition of mind gives a man the best advantages to discern betwixt truth and error, and God is most likely to reveal his will to such persons. But there is no necessity of this, because a man may be a good man, and go to heaven, notwithstanding a great many mistakes in religion about things not necessary. For while we are in this imperfect state, "we know but in part," and see many things very imperfectly: but when we shall come into a more perfect state, "that which is imperfect shall be done away;" the light of glory shall scatter all those mists and clouds which are now upon our understandings, and hinder us from a clear sight and judgment of things: we shall then see God, and other things, as they are; and be freed from all that ignorance, and those many childish mistakes, which we are liable to here below; and till then, it is not necessary that we should be secured from them. Humility, under a sense of our ignorance, is better for us than infallibility would be. Secondly, This temper and disposition of mind which I have been speaking of, is a certain security against fatal mistakes in religion, and a final continuance in such errors as would prove damnable; and this is all that this discourse pretends to, or our Saviour hath promised in this text. And considering the goodness of God, nothing is more improbable, than that an honest mind that seeks impartially after truth should miss of it, in things that are fundamentally necessary to salvation. And if we could suppose such a man to fall into such an error, either it would not be fundamental to him, having not been, perhaps, proposed to him with sufficient evidence, and would be forgiven him upon a general repentance for all sins and errors known or unknown, or he would not be permitted to continue in it; but the providence of God would find out some way or other to convince him of his error, and to bring him to the acknowledgment of the truth, that he might be saved. God would rather speak to him immediately from heaven (as he did to St. Paul), than suffer him to continue in such an error as would infallibly carry him to hell. Thirdly, There is no such depth of judgment and subtilty of wit required, to discern between gross and damnable errors in religion, and necessary and saving truth, but that an ordinary capacity may be able to do it. There is so plain a line drawn between great truth and gross errors, that it is visible to every capacity; and an ordinary understanding, that is not under a violent prejudice, or blinded by some vice or fault of the will, may easily discern it. Indeed, in matters of lesser moment or concernment, and which have no such considerable and immediate influence upon the practice of a holy life, the difference betwixt truth and error is not always so gross and sensible as to be obvious to every unprejudiced eye. But we have all the reason in the world to believe, that the goodness and justice of God is such, as to make nothing necessary to be believed by any man, which, by the help of due instruction, may not be made sufficiently plain to a common understanding. God hath so tender a care of good men, who sincerely love him and his truth, that we may reasonably presume, that he will not leave them under an unavoidable mistake concerning those matters upon which their eternal salvation does depend. The Judge of all the world will do right; and then we may certainly conclude, that he will not condemn any man for no fault, and make him for ever miserable, for falling into an error, which, with all his care and diligence, he could not possibly either discern or avoid. Fourthly, God hath made abundant provision for our security from fatal and dangerous errors in religion, by these three ways: I. By an infallible rule, sufficiently plain in all things necessary. II. By sufficient means of instruction to help us to understand this rule. III. By an infallible promise of security from dangerous errors and mistakes, if, with an honest mind and due diligence, we apply ourselves to understand this rule, and make use of the means of instruction which God hath provided for that purpose. I. God hath given us an infallible rule, sufficiently plain in all things necessary. He hath given ns the Holy Scriptures, which were given at first by Divine inspiration; i. e. by men infallibly assisted in the writing of them, and therefore must needs be an infallible rule; and all Scripture divinely inspired, "is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," as St. Paul tells us, 2 Tim. iii. 16. speaking there of the books of the Old Testament; and there is the same reason as to the inspired writings of the New. Now, if the Scriptures be an infallible rule, and "profitable for doctrine and instruction in righteousness;" i. e. to teach us to believe and do; it follows of necessity that they are sufficiently plain in all things necessary to faith and a good life, other wise they could not be useful "for doctrine and instruction in righteousness;" for a rule that is not plain to us in these things, in which it is necessary for us to be directed by it, is of no use to us; that is, in truth, it is no rule. For a rule must have these two properties; it must be perfect, and it must be plain. The Scriptures are a perfect rule, because the writers of them, being Divinely inspired, were infallible. And they must likewise be plain; other wise, though they be never so perfect, they can be of no more use to direct our faith and practice, than a sun-dial in a dark room is to tell us the hour of the day; for though it be never so exactly made, unless the sun shine clearly upon it, we had as good be without it. A rule that is not plain to us, what ever it may be in itself, is of no use at all to us, till it be made plain and we understand it. II. God hath likewise provided sufficient means of instruction to help us to understand this rule. It is not necessary that a rule should be so plain that we should perfectly understand it at first sight; it is sufficient, if it be so plain that those of better capacity and understanding may, with due diligence and application of mind, come to the true knowledge of it, and those of a lower and more ordinary capacity by the help and instruction of a teacher. Euclid's "Elements" is a book sufficiently plain to teach a man geometry; but yet not so plain that any man at first reading should understand it perfectly; but that, by diligent reading, by a due application, and steady attention of mind, a man of extraordinary sagacity and understanding may come to understand the principles and demonstrations of it; and those of a more ordinary capacity, with the help of a teacher, may come to the knowledge of it. So, when we say that the Scriptures are plain, in all things necessary to faith and a good life, we do not mean that every man, at first hearing or reading of these things in it, shall perfectly understand them; but, by diligent reading and consideration, if he be of good apprehension and capacity, he may come to a sufficient knowledge of them; and if he be of a meaner capacity, and he willing to learn, he may, by the help of a teacher, be brought to under hand them without any great pains; and such teachers God hath appointed in his church for this very purpose, and a succession of them to continue to the end of the world. In a word, when we say the Scriptures are plain to all capacities, in all things necessary, we mean, that any man of ordinary capacity, by his own diligence and care, in conjunction with the helps and advantages which God hath appointed, and in the due use of them, may attain to the knowledge of every thing necessary to his salvation; and that there is no book in the world more plain, and better fitted to teach a man any art or science, than the Bible is, to direct and instruct men in the way to heaven; and it is every man's fault if he be ignorant of any thing necessary for him to believe, or do, in order to his eternal happiness. III. Good men are likewise secured from fatal errors in religion, by the infallible promise of God, if so be that, with honest minds and due diligence, they apply themselves to the understanding of this rule, and make use of the means of instruction which God hath provided for that purpose. God hath promised to guide and "teach the humble and meek;" that is, such as are of a submissive and teachable temper, desirous and diligent to be instructed in the truth. (Prov. ii. 2, 3, 4, 5.) "If thou incline thine ear to wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." And here, in the text, our Saviour assures us, that if any man be desirous to do his will, "he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether he spake of himself;" i. e. he shall be able to discern the doctrines which are from God. This is the provision which God hath made for our security from fatal mistakes in religion; and this is, in all respects, a better security, and more likely to guide and conduct us safely to heaven, than any infallible church; and that for these reasons. First, Because it is much more certain that God hath made this provision which I have mentioned, than that there is an infallible church appointed and assisted by him to this purpose. That the Scriptures are an infallible and adequate rule, and sufficiently plain in all things necessary, I have already proved; and I add further, that this was the constant judgment of the ancient church, and so declared by the unanimous consent of the fathers of it for many ages; and that all councils, in their determinations of faith, proceeded upon this rule, till the second council of Nice. I have likewise proved, that God hath provided a succession of pastors and teachers in his church, to instruct us in this rule; and that we have God's infallible promise for our security from dangerous errors and mistakes, if, with an honest mind and due diligence, we apply ourselves to understand this rule, and make use of the means of instruction which God hath provided for that purpose. But that there is an infallible church, appointed and assisted by God, to declare and determine matters of faith, and to be an infallible interpreter of Scripture, is not certain; because there is no clear and express text of Scripture to that purpose, that any church whatsoever, much less that the church of Rome, hath this power and privilege. Nay, I add further, that it is impossible, according to the principles of the church of Rome, that this should be proved from Scripture; because, according to their principles, we cannot know either which are the true books of Scripture, or what is the true sense of Scripture, but from the authority and infallible declaration of that church. And if so, then the infallibility of the church must be first known and proved, before we can either know the Scriptures or the sense of them; and yet till we know the Scriptures, and the sense of them, nothing can be proved by them. Now, to pretend to prove the infallibility of their church by Scripture, and at the same time to declare, that which are the true books of Scripture, and what is the true sense of them, can only be proved by the infallible authority of their church, is a plain and shameful circle, out of which there is no way of escape; and, consequently, that God hath appointed an infallible church is impossible, according to their principles, ever to be proved from Scripture, and the thing is capable of no other proof. For that God will infallibly assist any society of men, is not to be known, but by Divine revelation. So that, unless they can prove it by some other revelation than that of Scripture (which they do not pretend to), the thing is not to be proved at all. Yes, they say, by the notes and marks of the true church; but what those marks are must either be known from Scripture, or some other Divine revelation, and then the same difficulty returns: besides that, one of the most essential marks of the true church must be the profession of the true faith; and then it must first he known which is the true faith, before we can know which is the true church; and yet they say, that no man can learn the true faith but from the true church; and this runs them unavoidably into another circle as shameful as the other. So that which way soever they go to prove an infallible church, they are shut up in a plain circle, and must either prove the Scriptures by the church, and the church by the Scriptures; or the true church by the true faith, and the true faith by the true church. Secondly, This provision and security which I have mentioned is more human, better accommodated and suited to the nature of man; because k doth not suppose and need a standing and perpetual miracle, as the other way of an infallible church doth. All inspiration is supernatural and miraculous; and this infallible assistance which the church of Rome claims to herself, must either be such as the apostles had, which was by immediate inspiration, or something equal to it, and alike supernatural: but God does not work miracles without need, or continue them when there is no occasion for them. When God delivered the law to the people of Israel, it was accompanied with miracles, and the prophets, which he sent to them from time to time, had an immediate inspiration; but their supreme judicature, or their general council, which they call the Sanhedrin, was not infallibly assisted in the expounding of the law, when doubts and difficulties arose about it; no, nor in judging of true and false prophets; but they determined this, and all other emergent cases, by the standing revelation and rule of their written law; and that they were not infallibly assisted, is evident from the great errors they fell into, in "making void the commandments of God by their tradition," and in their rejecting and crucifying the true Messias and the Son of God. In like manner the apostles and first teachers of the Christian religion were immediately inspired and assisted in the publishing of the Christian doctrine, and for the speedy and more effectual propagating and planting of it in the world, in despite of the violent prejudices that were against it, and the fierce opposition that was made to it. But when this was done, this miraculous and extraordinary assistance ceased, and God left the Christian religion to be preserved and continued by more human and ordinary ways; the doctrines of it being committed to writing, for a standing rule of faith and practice in all ages, and an order of men appointed to instruct people in those doctrines, with a promise to secure both teachers and people, that sincerely desire to know and do the will of God, from all fatal errors and mistakes about things necessary to their eternal salvation; and this is a provision more likely to be made by God, and better suited to the nature of man, than the perpetual and needless miracle of an inspired, or any otherwise infallible church. Thirdly, This way is likewise more agreeable to the nature of religion and the virtue of faith. The design of an infallible church is to secure all that continue in the communion of it, against all possibility of error in matters of faith. The question now is not, whether an infallible church would do this? but whether that church which arrogates infallibility to itself does not pretend to do this? And if they could do it, it would not be agreeable to the nature of religion and the virtue of faith. For faith, which is the principle of all religious actions, would be no virtue, if it were necessary. A true and right belief can be no virtue, where a man is infallibly secured against error. There is the same reason of virtuous and criminal actions; and as there can be no crime or fault in doing what a man cannot help, so neither can there be any virtue. All virtuous actions are matter of praise and commendation; and therefore it can be no virtue in any man, because it deserves no commendation, to believe and own that the sun shines at noon-day when he sees it does so. No more would it be a virtue in any man, and deserve praise, to believe aright, who is in a church wherein he is infallibly secured against all errors in matters of faith. Make any thing necessary, and impossible to be otherwise, and the doing of it ceases to be a virtue. God hath so framed religion, that the evidence of truth, and the means of coining to the knowledge of it, as to be a sufficient security to men of honest minds and teachable tempers against all fatal and final mistakes concerning things necessary to salvation; but not so, that every man that is of such a church should be infallibly secured against all errors in matters of faith; and this on purpose to try the virtue and disposition of men, whether they will be at the pains to search for truth, and when it is proposed to them with sufficient evidence, though not by an infallible hand, they will receive it in the love of it, that they may be saved. Fourthly, This is as much security against errors in matters of faith, as God hath provided against sin and vice in matters of practice; and, since a right belief is only in order to a good life, a man would be hard put to it, to give a wise reason why God should take greater care for the infallible security of men's faith than of their obedience. The reason pretended why God should make such infallible provision for a right faith, is, for the better security of men's eternal salvation and happiness. Now the virtues of a good life have a more direct and immediate influence upon that than the most orthodox belief. The end of the commandment (i. e. of the declaration of the gospel) is charity. In the Christian religion, that which mainly avails to our justification and salvation is, "a faith that worketh by charity," and the keeping of the commandments of God. "He that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them (saith our blessed Lord), I will liken him to a wise man that built his house upon a rock;" and again, "not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, (i. e. makes profession of faith in me) shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven;" and again, "if ye know these things, happy are ye, if ye do them." And the apostle St. Peter exhorts Christians to "add to their faith knowledge, and virtue, and godliness, and brotherly kindness, and charity, that so an abundant entrance may be ministered to them, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." So that the virtues of a good life have the greatest influence upon our salvation, and the main stress of Christianity is to be laid there. And, therefore, whatever reason can be as signed why God should provide for the infallible security of our faith, is much stronger why an equal provision should be made to secure holiness and obedience of life; because, without this, faith cannot infallibly attain its end, which is the salvation of our souls. But this, it is granted, God hath not done, and experience shews it; and therefore it is unreasonable to suppose that he hath done the other. It is sufficient that, in both kinds, he hath done that which is sufficient to make us capable of happiness, if we be not wanting to ourselves; the rest he hath left to the sincerity of our endeavours; expecting we, on our part, "should work out our salvation with fear and trembling, and give all diligence to make our calling and election sure." And if God hath made such provision by the gospel for all that enjoy the light and advantage of it, that none can miscarry without their own fault, then both his goodness and wisdom are sufficiently acquitted, without an infallible guide and judge in matters of faith; and that irreverent way of arguing in the canon law might well have been spared--that of necessity there must be an infallible judge of controversies in religion; aliter dominus non videretur fuisse discretus, "otherwise God would not seem to have ordered matters discreetly," But what infallible security soever they have, in the church of Rome, as to matters of faith, they are certainly the worst provided, of wholesome and safe directions for the consciences and lives of men, of any church in the world. No religion, that I know of in the world, ever had such lewd and scandalous casuists. Witness the moral divinity of the Jesuits, which hath been so exposed to the world, not only by those of our religion, but by their own writers also. Nor is this mischief only confined to that order; their casuists in general, and even the more ancient of them, who writ before the order of Jesuits appeared in the world, have given such a liberty and loose to great immorality in several kinds, as is infinitely to the reproach of the best and purest religion in the world. Insomuch that Sir Thomas More himself, who was a great zealot for that religion, could not forbear to make a loud complaint of it, and to pass this severe censure upon the generality of their casuists: "That their great business seemed to be, not to keep men from sin, but to teach them quam prope ad peccatum liceat accedere sine peccato: how near to sin they might lawfully come without sinning." In the mean time the consciences of men are not like to be well directed, when, instead of giving men plain rules for government of their hearts and lives, and clear resolutions of the material doubts which frequently occur in human life, they entangle them in niceties and endless scrupulosities, teaching them to split hairs in divinity, and how, with great art and cunning, they may avoid the committing of any sin, and yet come as near to it as possible. This is a thing of a most dangerous consequence to the souls of men; and if men be but once encouraged to pass to the utmost bounds of what is lawful, the next step will be into that which is unlawful. So that unless faith without works will save men, notwithstanding the infallible security which they pretend to give men of a sound and right belief (if it were really as much as they talk of), the salvation of men would still be in great hazard and uncertainty, for want of better and safer directions for a good life, than are ordinarily to be met with in the casuistical writings of that church; especially if we consider that the Scriptures are locked up from the people in an unknown tongue, where the surest and plainest directions for a good life are most plentifully to be had; insomuch, that a man had better want all the volumes of casuistical dignity, that ever were written in the world, than to be without the Bible; by the diligent studying of which book alone, he may sooner learn the way to heaven than by all the books in the world without it. Fifthly and lastly, This provision which God hath made, is, when all is done, as good a security against fatal errors and mistakes in religion, as an infallible church could give, if there were one; and it is as good a way to prevent and put an end to controversies in religion, so far as it is necessary that they should be prevented, and have an end put to them. And these are the two great reasons why an infallible judge is so importunately demanded and insisted upon. I shall speak to these distinctly and severally; but, because they will require a longer discourse than the time will allow, I shall not enter upon them at present, but refer them to another opportunity. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON LXXXVIII. HONESTY THE BEST PRESERVATIVE AGAINST DANGEROUS MISTAKES IN RELIG1ON. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.--John vii. 17. WHEN I made entrance into these words, I proposed from this text:-- First, To shew that an honest and sincere mind, and a hearty desire and endeavour to do the will of God, is the greatest security and best preservative against dangerous errors and mistakes in matters of religion. In the next place, I proceeded to remove an objection to which my discourse upon this subject might seem liable. Some, perhaps, might ask, Is every good man then secure from all error and mistake in matters of religion? This is a mighty privilege indeed. But do we not find the contrary in experience, that an honest heart and a weak head do often meet together? For answer to this, I laid down several propositions. By the last of which I shewed, that God hath made abundant provision for our security from fatal and dangerous errors in religion, both by the infallible rule of the Holy Scripture, and by sufficient means of instruction to help us to understand this rule, and by his infallible promise of assisting us, if, with honest minds and a due diligence, we apply ourselves to the understanding of this rule, and the use of these means. And this, I told you, was in all respects a better security, and more likely to conduct us safe to heaven, than any infallible church whatsoever; and that for five reasons, four of which I have already treated of, and now proceed to the fifth, and last, viz. Because this provision which I have shewn God hath made, is both as good a security against fatal errors and mistakes in religion, as an infallible church could give, if there were one: and it is likewise as good a way to prevent and put an end to controversies in religion, so far as it is necessary they should be prevented, or have an end put to them. And these are the two great reasons why an infallible judge is so importunately demanded and insisted upon. I shall speak to these two points distinctly and severally. First, Because this is as good a security against fatal errors and mistakes in religion, as an infallible church could give, if there were one. For an infallible church, if there were such an one upon earth, could not infallibly secure particular Christians against errors in faith any other way than by the definition and declaration of those who are infallible in that church. And there are but three that pretend to it: either the pope, or a general council, or the pope and a general council agreeing in the same definitions. Not the pope by himself, nor the general council without the pope; because the church, which pretends to infallibility, is not agreed that either of these alone is infallible, and therefore their definitions can be no certain, much less infallible, foundation of faith; no, not to that church which pretends to infallibility. So that, if there be an infallible oracle in that church, it must be the pope and council in conjunction, or the definition of a council confirmed by the pope. Now in that case, either the council was infallible in its definitions, before they had the pope's confirmation, or not. If the council was infallible in its definitions, before they had the pope's confirmation, then the council alone, and of itself, was infallible (which a great part of the church of Rome deny), and then it needed not the pope's confirmation to make it infallible: or else a general council is not infallible in its definitions before they receive the pope's confirmation, and then the pope's confirmation cannot make it so; for that, which was not infallibly defined by the council, cannot be made infallible by the pope's confirmation. But there is another difficulty yet: it is a maxim generally received, and that even in the Roman church, "That the definitions of a general council, confirmed by the pope, are not obligatory, unless they be received by the universal church;" from whence these two great inconveniences will unavoidably follow:-- I. That no man is obliged to believe such definitions, till he certainly know that they are received by the universal church; which how he should certainly, much less infallibly, know, I cannot understand; unless he either speak with all the Christians in the world, or the representatives of all particular churches return back and meet again in council, to declare, that the universal church hath received their definitions; which, I think, was never yet done. II. It will follow, that the definitions of a general council, confirmed by the pope, are not infallible till they be received by the universal church; for if they were infallible without that, they would be obligatory without it; because an infallible definition, if we know it to be so, lays an obligation to believe it, whether it be received by the universal church or not. And if such definitions are not infallible till they be received by the universal church, they cannot become infallible afterwards; because, if the definitions were not infallible before, they cannot be received as such by the universal church, nor, by the mere reception of them, be made to be infallible definitions, if they were not so before. But if we should pass, over all these difficulties, there is a greater yet behind, and that is, supposing the definitions of general councils confirmed by the pope to be infallible, particular Christians cannot be secured infallibly from error without the knowledge of those definitions. And there are but two ways imaginable of conveying this knowledge to them: either by the living voice of their particular pastors, whom they are implicitly to believe in these matters; but particular pastors are fallible (as they themselves grant), and therefore their words can neither be an infallible foundation of faith, nor an infallible means of conveying it; and it is unreason able, they say, for men that own themselves to be fallible, to require an implicit belief to be given to them; or else the knowledge of the definitions of councils must be conveyed to particular Christians by writing; and if so, then there will only be an infallible rule, but no living infallible judge. And if an infallible rule will serve the turn, we have the Scriptures, which we are sure are infallible, and therefore at least as good as any other rule. But they say that the definitions of councils give us an infallible interpretation of Scripture, and therefore are of greater advantage to us. But do not the definitions of councils sometimes also need explication, that we may know the certain sense of them, with out which we cannot know the doctrines defined? Yes, certainly, they need explication as much as Scripture, if there be any difference about the meaning of them; and there have been, and still are, great differences among those of their own church about the meaning of them. And if the explications of general councils need themselves to be explained, then there is nothing got by them, and we are but where we were before: for differences about the meaning of the definitions of general councils, make as great difficulties and uncertainties in faith as the differences about the meaning of Scripture: Well, but the people have the living voice of their particular pastors to explain the definitions of councils to them. But this does not help the matter neither; for these two reasons. 1. Because particular pastors have no authority to explain the definitions of general councils. The council of Trent hath, by express decree, reserved to the pope, and to him only, the power to explain the definitions of the council, if any difference arise about the meaning of them. So that, if there be any difference about the true sense and meaning of any of the definitions of the council, particular pastors have no authority to explain them; and where there is no doubt or difference about the meaning of them, there is no occasion for the explication of them. 2. But suppose they had authority to explain them, this can be no infallible security to the people, that they explain them right; both because particular pastors are fallible; and likewise, because we see, in experience, that they differ in their explications; witness the bishop of Condom's exposition of the catholic faith, and of the definitions of the council of Trent, which is, in many material points, very different from that of Bellarmine, and many other famous doctors of that church. And, which is more, witness the many differences betwixt Ambrosius, Catharinus, and Dominicus `a Soto, about the definitions of that council, in which they were both present and heard the debates, and themselves bore a great part in them. Now if they, who were present at the framing of the definitions of that council, cannot agree about the meaning of them, much less can it be expected from those that were absent. Secondly, This provision which I have mentioned, is likewise as good a way to prevent and put an end to controversies in religion, so far as it is necessary they should be prevented, or have an end put to them, as any infallible church would be, if there were one: and this is another reason why an infallible church is so much insisted upon, that there may be some way and means for a final decision of controversies, which the Scriptures cannot be, because they are only a dead rule, which can end no controversy without a living judge ready at hand, to interpret and apply that rule upon emergent occasions. It is not necessary that all controversies in religion should either be prevented or decided: this the church, which pretends to be infallible, cannot pretend to have done; because there are manifold controversies, even in the church of Rome herself, concerning matters of religion, which still remain undecided; and, in their commentaries upon Scripture, many differences about the sense of several texts concerning which she hath not thought fit to give an infallible interpretation. And where their popes, and several of their general councils, have thought fit to meddle with Scripture, they have applied and interpreted texts more improperly and absurdly than even their private doctors. And which is more, in differences about points of faith, which are pretended on both sides to be fundamental, this church hath not thought fit to put an end to them by her infallible decision, after two hundred years brandling about them. For instance, in that fierce and long difference about the immaculate conception of the blessed Virgin, which, on both sides, is pretended to be an article of faith, and for which contrary revelations of their canonized saints are so frequently pretended; and yet neither pope, nor general council, have thought fit to exert their infallibility for the decision of this controversy. So that if their church had this talent of infallibility ever committed to them, they have with the slothful servant laid it up in a napkin; and, according to our Saviour's rule, have long since forfeited it, for not making use of it. And whereas it is pretended that the Scripture is but a dead rule, which can end no controversies without a living judge ready at hand, to interpret and apply that rule upon emergent occasions; the same objection lies against them, unless a general council, which is their living judge, were always sit ting. For the definitions of their councils in writing are liable to the same and greater objections, than the written rule of the Scriptures. The sum of all is this. In differences about lesser matters, mutual charity and forbearance will secure the peace of the church, though the differences remain undecided; and in greater matters, an infallible rule searched into with an honest mind and due diligence, and with the help of good instruction, is more likely to extinguish and put an end to such differences than any infallible judge, if there were one; because a humble and honest mind is more likely to yield to reason, than a perverse and cavilling temper is to submit to the sentence of an infallible judge, unless it were backed with an inquisition. The church of Rome supposeth herself infallible, and yet, notwithstanding that, she finds that some question and deny her infallibility, and then her sentence signifies nothing. And of those who own it, many dispute the sense and meaning of her sentence; and whether they deny the infallibility of her sentence, or dispute the sense of it, in neither of these cases will it prove effectual to the deciding of any difference. But after all this provision which we pretend God hath made for honest and sincere minds, do we not see that men fall into dangerous and damnable errors, who yet cannot, without great uncharitableness, be supposed not to be sincerely desirous to know the truth, and to do the will of God? To this I shall briefly return these two things. I. That the same errors are not equally damnable to all. The innocent and (humanly speaking) almost invincible prejudices of education in some persons even against a fundamental truth; the different capacities of men, and the different means of conviction afforded to them; the greater and lesser degrees of obstinacy, and a faulty will in opposing the truths proposed to them; all these, and perhaps several other considerations besides, may make a great difference in the guilt of men's errors, and the danger of them. II. When all is done the matter must be left to God, who only knoweth the hearts of all the children of men. We cannot see into the hearts of men, nor know all their circumstances, and how they may have provoked God to forsake them, and give them up to error and delusion, "because they would not receive the truth in the love of it, that they might be saved." And as, on the one hand, God will consider all men's circumstances, and the disadvantages they were under for coming to the knowledge of the truth, and make allowance to men for their invincible errors, and forgive them upon a general repentance: so, on the other hand, he who sees the insincerity of men, and that the errors of their understandings did proceed from gross faults of their lives, will deal with them accordingly. But if men be honest and sincere, God, who hath said "if any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine," will certainly be as good as his word. It now remains only to draw some inferences from this discourse, and they shall be these three: First, From this text, and what hath been discoursed upon it, we may infer how slender and ill-grounded the pretence of the church of Rome to infallibility is; whether they place it in the pope, or in a general council, or in both. The last is the most general opinion; and yet it is hard to understand how infallibility can result from the pope's confirmation of a general council, when neither the council was infallible in framing its definitions, nor the pope in confirming them. If the council were infallible in framing them, then they needed no confirmation: if they were not, then infallibility is only in the pope that confirms them, and then it is the pope only that is infallible. But no man that reads these words of our Saviour, "if any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine," would ever imagine that the bishop of Rome (whoever he shall happen to be) was secured from all fatal errors in matters of faith, much less that he were endowed with an infallible spirit, in judging what doctrines are from God, and what not. For it cannot be denied, but that many of their popes have been notoriously wicked and vicious in their lives: nay, Bellarmine himself acknowledged), that, for a succession of fifty popes together, there was not one pious and virtuous man that sat in that chair; and some of their popes have been condemned and deposed for heresy; and yet, for all this, the pope, and the governing part of that church, would hear the world in hand that he is infallible. But if this saying of our Saviour be true, that "if any man will do his will, he shall know of his doctrine, whether it be of God;" then every honest man, that sincerely desires to do the will of God, hath a fairer pretence to infallibility, and a clearer text for it, than is to be found in the whole Bible for the infallibility of the bishop of Rome. What would the church of Rome give, that there were but as express a text in Scripture for the infallibility of their popes, as this is for the security of every good man in his judgment of doctrines; which makes infallibility needless? What an insufferable noise, and what endless triumphs would they make upon it, if it had been any where said in the Bible, that if any man be bishop of Rome, and sit in St. Peter's chair, he shall know of my doctrine whether it be of God? Had there been such a text as this, we should never have been troubled with their impertinent citation of texts, and their remote and blind inferences, from Pasce Oves, and super hanc petram; "Feed my sheep;" "and upon this rock will I build my church;" to prove the pope's infallibility. And yet no man of sense or reason ever extended the text I am speaking to, so far as to attempt to prove from it the infallibility of every good man, but only his security from fatal errors and mistakes in religion. The largest promises that are made in Scripture of security from error and mistake about Divine things, are made to good men, who sincerely desire to do the will of God. And if this be so, we must conclude several popes to have been the farthest from infallibility of any men in the world. And, indeed, there is not a more compendious way to persuade men that the Christian religion is a fable, than to set up a lewd and vicious man for the oracle of it. Nay, I will go farther yet; that there are no other promises made in Scripture of direction or assistance, or security from mistake, to any church; but the same are made in as full and express terms to every good man that sincerely desires to know the truth, and to practise it. Is it promised to the church, or to the pastors of it, "I will be with you always?" And hath not our Saviour promised the same to every one that is obedient to his word? (John xiv. 23.) If any man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him?" And does not the apostle apply the same promise to every good Christian: (Heb. xiii. 5.) "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee?" For where is the difference between these expressions, "I will be with you," and "I will make my abode with him;" "I will be with you always," and "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee?" Is it not promised to the church, that "the Spirit shall lead her into all truth?" And is not the same promise made to every good man? (John xiv. 21.) "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and I will manifest myself to him;" that is, God will reveal his will to those that love him, and keep his commandments. Hath God promised to build his church upon a rock? And doth not our Saviour use the same metaphor concerning every man that doth the will of God? (Matth. vii. 24.) "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them, is like a wise man that built his house upon a rock." So that if to be built upon a rock signifies infallibility, it belongs to every good man who sincerely practiseth what he knows, as much as to any church. When men are enabled by God to work miracles for the confirmation of the doctrines which they deliver, there is great reason to believe that they are infallibly assisted in the delivery of those doctrines; but without this, it is the vainest thing in the world for any person or church to pretend to it, because they offer no evidence fit to satisfy any man that they are so assisted: and I do not hear that the pope, among all his privileges, does pretend to the power of miracles. Secondly, From hence, likewise, we may infer the great reason of error and infidelity in the world. If any man be an infidel, it is not the fault of his understanding, but of his will; it is not because there is not sufficient evidence that the Christian religion is from God, but because men's interests and lusts make them partial and incompetent judges of matters of religion. The evidence of the Christian religion is such as recommends it to every man's reason and conscience; so that (as St. Paul argues) "If the gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Cor. iv. 3, 4.) If men did but stand indifferent for the entertainment of truth, and were not swayed by the interest of any lust or passion, I am confident that no man that hath the gospel fairly proposed to him would continue an infidel. If men did but truly live up to the principles of natural religion, they would easily be convinced that the Christian religion, which is so suitable thereto, is from God. Thirdly and lastly, What hath been said is a great argument and encouragement to obedience and holiness of life. Do we desire not to be mistaken about the mind of God? let us heartily endeavour to do his will. If we would not be seduced by the error of the wicked, let us take heed of their vicious practices. The best way certainly to preserve a right judgment in matters of religion, is to take great care of a good life. God's goodness is such, that he will not suffer any man's judgment to be betrayed into a damnable error, without some vice and fault of his will. The principles of natural religion are born with us, and imprinted upon our minds, so that no man can be ignorant of them, nor need to be mistaken about them; and as for those revelations which God hath made of himself to the world, he hath been pleased to accompany them with so much evidence, that an honest and sincere mind may easily discern them from error and imposture. So our Saviour hath assured us, that if any man desire to do his will, "he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God." On the other hand, if we see any oppose the clear truth, or depart from it, and embrace gross errors and delusions, we may almost certainly conclude that there is some worldly interest or lust at the bottom of it. So our Saviour has likewise told us, that the reason why "men love darkness rather than light," is, "because their deeds are evil; and every one that doth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." I will conclude this whole discourse with St. Peter's exhortation, the 2d of Pet. iii. 17, 18. "Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, be ware, lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory, both now and for ever. Amen." __________________________________________________________________ SERMON LXXXIX. THE NATURE OF COVETOUSNESS. And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.--Luke xii. 15. AMONG all the irregular appetites of men, there is none that is more common and unreasonable, and of a more universal bad influence upon the hearts and lives of men, than this of covetousness; and therefore, in speaking of this vice, I shall strike at the root of a great many others; even of apostacy from God's truth and religion, of which covetousness, and the love of this present world, is one of the most common causes. So that if I can contribute any thing to the cure of this great distemper of men's minds, I "hall, in .so doing, remove that which is the cause and occasion of a great part of the evils and mischiefs which are in the world. And to this end I have pitched upon these words of our blessed Saviour to his hearers: "And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." In which words are these three things observable: First, The manner of the caution which our Saviour here gives, "Take heed and beware;" he doubles it, to shew the great need and concernment of it. Secondly, The matter of the caution, or the vice which our Saviour here warns his hearers against, and that is covetousness: "Take heed, and beware of covetousness." Thirdly, The reason of this caution, "because a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." Human life is sustained by a little, and therefore abundance is not necessary either to the support or comfort of it. It is not a great estate and vast possessions that make a man happy in this world; but a mind that is equal to its condition, whatever it be. First, The manner of the caution which our Saviour here gives, "Take heed and beware." This is a peculiar kind of caution, and no where else, or upon any other occasion that I know of, used in Scripture; in which, for the greater emphasis and weight, the words of caution are doubled, as if the matter were of so much concernment, that no caution about it could be too much, to signify to us both the great danger of this sin of covetousness, and the great care men ought to use to preserve themselves from it. I. The great danger of this sin; how apt we are to fall into this vice, and of how pernicious a consequence it is to those in whom it reigns. 1. How apt are we to fall into this vice: and, excepting those vices which are immediately founded in a man's natural temper and constitution, there is none that men have a more universal propension to than this of covetousness. For there are two things which human nature docs more especially desire to be secured against, which are want and contempt: and riches seem to be a certain remedy against both these evils. And because men think they can never be sufficiently secured against these, therefore their desire of riches grows endless and insatiable; so that, unless men be very jealous and watchful over themselves, this desire will grow upon them, and enlarge itself beyond all bounds. 2. As men are very apt to fall into this vice, so is it of very pernicious consequence to those in whom it reigns. The mischief of it is very great and very extensive: so Paul tells us, (1 Tim. vi. 8, 9, 10.) where he presseth men to be contented with a small competency of the things of this life, because of the great danger and mischief of a covetous mind; "having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich (that is, they that are bent and resolved upon being rich) fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil." But this I shall speak more fully to, when I come to shew the great evil and unreasonableness of this vice. II. This earnest kind of caution, as it signifies the great danger of this sin of covetousness, so likewise the great care that men ought to use to preserve themselves from it; for the greater the danger is in any kind, so much the greater care should be used for the avoiding of it. Men are not so solicitously concerned to defend themselves against a slight mischief; but when a terrible one threatens us, we should be continually upon our guard against it, and summon all our strength and force to resist it. Thus much for the manner of the caution. I proceed to the second thing to be considered in the text; viz. the matter of the caution, or the vice which our Saviour here warns his hearers against, and that is covetousness; "Take heed, and beware of covetousness." And in speaking of this, I shall consider these two things: I. Wherein the nature of this vice consists. II. I shall endeavour to shew the great evil and unreasonableness of it. I shall be large in both. I. For the nature of this vice of covetousness. The shortest description that I can give of it is this: that it is an inordinate desire and love of riches; but when this desire and love are inordinate, is not so easy to be determined. And therefore, that we may the better understand what the sin of covetousness is, which our Saviour doth so earnestly caution against, it will be requisite to consider more particularly wherein the vice and fault of it doth consist; that, whilst we are speaking against covetousness, we may not under that general word condemn any thing that is commendable or lawful. To the end, then, that we may the more clearly and distinctly understand wherein the nature of this vice doth consist, I shall First, Endeavour to shew what is not condemned under this name of covetousness, either in Scripture or according to right reason: and, Secondly, What is condemned by either of these, as a plain instance or branch of this sin. First, What things are not condemned under the name of covetousness, either in Scripture or according to right reason, which yet have some appearance of it; namely, these three things: 1. Not a provident care about the things of this present life. 2. Not a regular industry and diligence for the obtaining of them: nor, 3. Every degree of love and affection to them. I mention these three, because they may all seem to be condemned by Scripture, as parts or degrees of this vice, but really are not. 1. Not a provident care about the things of this present life. This, indeed, seems to be condemned in Scripture as a branch of covetousness; namely, in our Saviour's sermon upon the mount, (Matth. vi. 25.) "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall rat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on." Here our Saviour seems to forbid all care, even about the necessaries of life, meat, and drink, and clothing, much more about the delights and conveniences of it. But this is not absolutely, and in ordinary cases, intruded by our Saviour to be condemned, as I shall shew by and by under the next head. 2. Neither is a regular industry and diligence for the obtaining of these things condemned in Scripture; though this also seems to be prohibited by our Saviour, in the same chapter, (ver. 26.) "Behold the fowls of the air. for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them;" and, (ver. 28.) "Why take ye thought for raiment? consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin." In which words our Saviour seems to intimate, that. we ought to depend upon the providence of God for food and raiment, and to use no more industry for the obtaining of them than the fowls of the air do, or the lilies of the field: and the same may seem to be collected out of this chapter of St. Luke; for after our Saviour had in my text cautioned them against covetousness, and spoken to them a parable to that purpose, of "a rich man who enlarged his barns, and laid up goods for many years," he infers from thence, (ver. 22.) that men should take no thought for the things of this life, nor use any industry about them: "And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on." Now, to avoid all inconvenience from our Saviour's words, I think that it is commonly said by interpreters, that he does here only condemn a distrustful and anxious care about the things of this life, and an over-solicitous industry and diligence for the obtaining of them; but that he allows a prudent care and regular industry about these things: and this were very well said, if it would agree with the scope and design of our Saviour's discourse; but the instances which he gives of the fowls of the air, and the lilies of the field, which are sufficiently provided for without any care and industry of theirs, and which he seems to set before us for a pattern; "Behold (says he) the fowls of the air:" I say, these instances which he gives, seem to exclude even all regular and ordinary care and diligence about these things. What shall we say then, that our Saviour in tended by his religion to take men off from all labour and industry in their callings? This seems to be unreasonable; and indeed so it certainly were, if our Saviour had given this for a standing and ordinary rule to all Christians; and not only so, but contrary to the apostle's doctrine, who constantly charged Christians to labour with great diligence in their callings, that they might be able to provide for themselves and their families. But this discourse of our Saviour's was not in tended for a general and standing rule to all Christians; but only designed for his disciples, to take them oft from all care about the things of this life, that they might attend upon his person, and wholly give up themselves to that work to which he had called them. And therefore St. Luke takes notice, that, after he had cautioned his hearers in general against covetousness, he applies himself particularly to his disciples, and tells them, that he would have them so far from this vice of covetousness, that they should not so much as use that ordinary care and industry about the things of this life, which is not only lawful, but necessary for men in all ordinary cases, (ver. 22.) "And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat." And this agrees very well with the direction which our Saviour gave to his disciples, when he first sent them forth to preach: (Matth. x. 9.) "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass, in your purses, neither coat nor scrip;" which no man ever understood as a general law to all Christians, but as a particular precept to the apostles at that time. And, if this be our Saviour's meaning, there is then no reason to think that this caution against covetousness does forbid men to use a provident care and regular industry about the things of this life. 3. Nor is every degree of love and affection to the things of this world condemned in Scripture, as any branch or part of this vice of covetousness; but such a love of the things of this world as is truly consistent with the love of God, and a due and a serious care of our souls, is allowed both by Scripture and reason. St.. John indeed seems to condemn all love of the world, and of the things of it, as utterly inconsistent with the love of God; (1 John ii. 15.) "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him:" but this is according to the Hebrew phrase and manner of speaking, to forbid things absolutely, which are to be understood only comparatively. So Matth. vi. 19. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven;" i. e. be not so solicitous for the good things of this world, as for the glory and happiness of the next. And, (Luke xii. 4.) "Be not afraid of them that kill the body;" that is, fear them not so much as "him that can destroy both body and soul in hell:" and, (Luke xiv. 20.) "If any man come unto me, and hate not his father and mother, and all that he hath;" that is, if he do not love me more than all these things, "he cannot be my disciple:" and, (John vi. 27.) "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth to everlasting life;" that is, labour not so much for the one as for the other--be not so solicitous about the things of this life as about the great concernments of eternity. So likewise (Coloss. iii. 2.) "Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth;" i. e. set them more on things above, than on earthly things. So here, "Love not the world, neither the things of the world;" that is, do not overvalue them, do not love them so much as not to be able to part with them for Christ; for if any man thus love the world, he does not love God as he ought. So that when the Scripture commands us not to love the world, this is to be understood comparatively, that we should not love these things in comparison of God, and the great concernments of another world: but it does not forbid us to love these things in a due decree, and with a due subordination to those things which are more excellent, and of infinitely greater concernment to us. For nothing can be more inconsistent than to recommend to men diligence in their worldly callings and employments (as the Scripture frequently does), and that in order to the attaining of the good things of this life; and yet to forbid us to love these things at all. For if men have no degree of love to them, the best argument to diligence for the obtaining of them would be taken away. Besides that, we are commanded in Scripture to be thankful to God for bestowing on us the blessings of this life, and we are to love him upon this account. Now can any man love the giver for bestowing such gifts upon him, which, if he does as he ought, he must not love? You see then what those are which the Scripture does not condemn as any branch or degree of this vice of covetousness; a provident care and a regular industry, and such a degree of love to the things of this world, as is consistent with the love of God and the care of our soul. Secondly , I come now to shew what is condemned in Scripture under the name of covetousness; and by this we shall best understand wherein the nature of this sin doth consist. Now covetousness is a word of a large signification, and comprehends in it most of the irregularities of men's minds, either in desiring, or getting, or in possessing, and using an estate. I shall speak to each of these severally. I. Covetousness, in the desire of riches, consists in an eager and insatiable desire after the things of this world. This the Scripture condemns, though it be free from injustice, as it seldom happens to be. This insatiable desire of wealth, God plainly condemns by his prophet: (Isa. v. 8.) "Woe unto them that join house to house, and lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may he placed alone in the midst of the earth." And this is that which our Saviour here in the text seems to have a more particular respect to, when he cautions men against the sin of covetousness, as appears both from the reason which he gives of this caution, and from the parable whereby he illustrates it. From the reason which he gives of this caution, "Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for the life of man doth not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." As if he had said, Take great care to set some bounds to your desires after the things of this world. For whatever men may imagine, it is certain, in experience, that it is not the abundance of outward things which makes the life of man happy. Wealth and content do not always dwell together; nay, so far from that, that perhaps they very seldom meet. And the parable likewise which follows upon this caution, doth sufficiently shew this to be our Saviour's meaning; for he illustrates what he was speaking of, by a rich man whose desire of wealth was never satisfied, but he was continually increasing his estate and enlarging his barns, to make more room still for his fruits, that he might "lay up goods in store for many years." The parable does not so much as intimate any indirect and unjust ways of gain which this man used to increase his estate, but condemns his insatiable desire and thirst after more; so that even this alone is covetousness, and a great fault, though it were attended with no other; because it is unreasonable and without end. II. There is covetousness likewise in getting an estate; and the vice or evil of this kind of covetousness consists chiefly in these three things. 1. In the use of unlawful and unjust ways to get or increase an estate. He is a covetous man, who, by the greediness of gain, is tempted to do any unjust action, whether it be in the way of fraud and deceit, or of violence and oppression. And this, perhaps, is that which is most frequently in Scripture called covetousness. And this I take to be the meaning of the tenth commandment, "Thoushalt not covet;" wherein is forbidden all unjust desire of that which is another man's, and all unjust endeavours and attempts to deprive him of it. For so our Saviour renders it, Mark x. 19. where he says to the young man that came to be directed by him, what good thing he should do, that he might inherit eternal life--"Thou knowest the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness;" and then, instead of the tenth commandment, "Thou shalt not covet," or rather by way of explication of it, he adds, me apostereses, defraud not; as if he had said in a word, Be not injurious to thy neighbour in any kind, in desiring or endeavouring to deprive him of any thing that is his. As the Romans in their laws were wont to comprehend those crimes, which had no proper name, by the general name of stellionatus and dolus malus; so here in the decalogue, after God had instanced in the chief and most common sorts of injuries which men are guilty of towards their neighbour, as murder, adultery, theft, bearing of false witness; he sums up all the rest, which could not so easily be reckoned particularly, in this short and general prohibition, "Thou shalt not covet;" that is, thou shalt not be injurious to thy neighbour in any kind; in his wife, or servant, or house, or cattle, "or any thing that is his." Covetousness, or any inordinate desire of that which is our neighbour's, being commonly the root and parent of all those kind of in juries. And for the same reason St. Matthew, instead of the tenth commandment, puts this general precept, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," as being the sense of it in other words: (Matt. xix. 18, 19.) "Thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, honour thy father and thy mother, and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." And this command of loving our neighbour as ourselves, our Saviour elsewhere tells us, was the sum of the duties of the second table; and it is the same in sense with that precept of our Saviour, (Matt. vii. 12.) "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them." That is, as thou wouldest have no man to be injurious to thee in any thing, so be not thou to any other man in any kind. And the apostle (Rom. xiii. 8, 9, 10.) shews us upon what account this general precept, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," is the sum of the second table. "He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law; for this, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." And then he adds, in the next words, "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." That is, he that truly loves his neighbour will not be injurious to him in any kind: therefore love is the sum of the law. The design of all this is to shew, that he that is injurious to his neighbour in his estate in any kind is properly guilty of the sin of covetousness, which is forbidden in the tenth commandment. So that all arts of fraud and oppression, whereby men endeavour to get and increase an estate by the injury of their neighbour, is a branch of the sin of covetousness. 2. The vice of covetousness in getting wealth, does likewise consist in an anxious and tormenting care about obtaining the things of this life. The regular and due temper of a man's mind about the things of this world, is to commit ourselves to the providence of God in the use of honest and lawful endeavours, and to refer the success of all to his good pleasure; and whatsoever is beyond this, is a branch from the evil root of covetousness. We distrust the providence of God, when, after we had used our best endeavours, and begged his blessing upon them, we torment ourselves about the issue and event of things. And as this is sinful, so it is vain and to no purpose. Diligence in our business is the way to get an estate; but no man was ever the richer for tormenting himself because he is not so. The reason why men seek the things of this world, and take pains to get them, is to make life convenient and comfortable; and consequently, he that torments himself about the getting of these things contradicts himself, in his own design, because he makes his life miserable, that he may make it comfortable. 3. The sin of covetousness in getting, consists in seeking the things of this life, with the neglect of things infinitely better, and which are of far greater and nearer concernment to us. He is a covetous man, who so minds the world, as to neglect God and his soul; who is so busy and intent upon making provision for this life, as to take no care of the other; so concerned for a few days of his pilgrimage here, as to have no consideration and regard for his eternal abode in another world. God allows us to provide for this life, and considers the necessities which do continually press us while we are in the body: but while we are making provision for these dying bodies, he expects that we should remember that we have immortal souls: which, since they are to have an endless duration in another world, ought to be provided for with far greater care. It is an inordinate desire of riches, when men so lay out all their care and industry for the obtaining of them, as if nothing else were to be regarded, as if no consideration at all were to be had of another world, and of that better part of ourselves which is to continue and live for ever. All desires and endeavours after riches, which take men off from the business of religion and the care of their souls, which allow men neither the leisure and opportunity, nor the heart and affection to love God and to serve him, are to be referred to the sin of covetousness, which is hero condemned by our Saviour in the text. III. There is covetousness likewise in possessing or using an estate; and this consists chiefly in these three things: First, When men are sordid towards themselves, and cannot find in their hearts to use and enjoy what they possess; are continually adding to their estate, without any design of enjoyment; and take infinite pains to raise a huge fortune, not that they may use it, but that they may be said to have it. This is a degree of covetousness even beyond that of the rich man in the parable after the text: for he, it seems, after he had enlarged his barns to his mind, and laid up goods for many years, designed at last to have taken his ease, and have fallen to the enjoyment of what he had gotten; "to have eat and drank, and to have been merry;" and this, though it proved but a foolish design in the issue, he being cut off in that very instant when he was come to the point of satisfaction and enjoyment; yet it is infinitely more reasonable, than to take great pains to get an estate with a full resolution never to be the better for it. Secondly, Men are covetous in keeping an estate, when they do not use it charitably; when they can not find in their hearts to spare any thing out of their abundance to the relief of those who are in want. Though a man get an estate without covetousness, and have a heart to enjoy it, yet so far he is covetous, as he is uncharitable. He loves money more than he ought, who, having enough to spare, chooseth rather to keep it than to do good with it, and to use it to one of the principal ends for which God gives an estate. Thirdly, They likewise are covetous who place their chief trust and happiness in riches, who (as the expression is, Job. xxxi. 24.) "make gold their hope, and say to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence." And this is the reason why covetousness is so often in Scripture called idolatry; because the covetous man sets up his riches in the place of God, putting his trust and confidence in them, and setting his whole heart upon them, loving them as he should love God only, with all his heart, and soul, and strength: and therefore mammon, which signifies riches, is in Scripture represented as a deity, and the covetous man, as a servant or worshipper of mammon. So that in Scripture he is a covetous man who placeth his chief felicity in a great fortune, and would venture to lose any thing rather than to part with that; who will quit his religion, and violate his conscience and run the hazard of his soul, rather than forfeit his estate, or the hopes of advancing it to his mind. And this, in times of trial and difficulty, is the great temptation to which the covetous man is exposed. When a man may not only save himself, but get considerable advantage by departing from the truth; and in changing his religion, may have a good sum of money to boot, or, which is equal to it, a good place; this to a covetous mind is a very strong temptation, and almost irresistible. When error and delusion can bid so high, and offer so good terms, no wonder if it gain some proselytes among the covetous and ambitious part of mankind. This the apostle gives warning of, as a great temptation to rich men in times of suffering: (1 Tim. vi. 9, 10.) "They that will be rich, fall into temptation and a snare: for the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some have lusted after, they have erred from the faith." The young man in the gospel is a sad in stance of this kind, who chose rather to leave Christ than to part with his great possessions. And such an one was Demas, who forsook the apostles, and Christianity itself, to cleave to this present world. Thus I have done with the first thing I proposed to speak to, the nature of this vice, which our Saviour in the text cautions men so earnestly against; "Take heed, and beware of covetousness." I shall now proceed, in the second place, to shew the evil and unreasonableness of this vice: but that shall be the subject of another discourse. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON XC. THE EVIL AND UNREASONABLENESS OF COVETOUSNESS. And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.--Luke xii. 15. I HAVE made entrance into a discourse upon these words, in which I told you there are three things observable. First, The manner of the caution which our Saviour here gives, "Take heed and beware." Secondly, The matter of the caution, or the sin which our Saviour here warns his hearers against, "Take heed, and beware of covetousness:" and, Thirdly, The reason of this caution, because "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." In discoursing of the second of these, viz. the matter of the caution, I proposed, 1. To consider wherein the nature of this vice of covetousness does consist. 2. To shew the evil and unreasonableness of it. The first of these I have dispatched, and now go on to the second; viz. To shew the great evil and unreasonableness of the vice of covetousness. Now covetousness will appear to be very evil and unreasonable upon these following accounts. I. Because it takes men off from religion and the care of their souls. II. Because it tempts men to do many things which are inconsistent with religion and directly contrary to it. III. Because it is an endless and insatiable desire. IV. Because the happiness of human life doth not consist in riches. V. Because riches do very often contribute very much to the misery and infelicity of men. First, Covetousness takes men off from religion and the care of their souls. The covetous man is wholly intent upon this world; and his inordinate desire after these things, makes him to neglect God and the eternal concernments of his soul. He employs all his time, and care, and thoughts about these temporal things; and his vehement love and eager pursuit of these things steals away his heart from God, robs him of his time, and of all opportunities for his soul, and diverts him from all serious thoughts of another world and the life to come. And the reason of this is that which our Saviour gives: (Matt. vi. 24.) "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." No man can serve two masters so different as God and the world are; because they will give cross commands, and enjoin contrary things. God calls upon us to mind the duties of his worship and service, to have a serious regard to religion, and a diligent care of our souls: but the cares of the world, and the importunity of business, and an eager appetite of being rich, call us off from these Divine and spiritual employments, or disturb us in them. God calls upon us to be charitable to those that are in want, to be willing to distribute, and ready to communicate to the necessities of our brethren: but our covetousness pulls us back, and hales us another way, and checks all merciful and charitable inclinations in us. God calls us to self-denial, and suffering, for the sake of him and his truth, and commands us to prefer the keeping of faith and a good conscience to all worldly considerations whatsoever: but the world inspires us with other thoughts, and whispers to us "to save ourselves, not to be righteous over much;" and rather to trust God with our souls, than men with our bodies and estates. If we set our hearts and affections strongly upon any thing, they will partake of the object which they are conversant about; for where our treasure is (as our Lord hath told us) there will our hearts be also. If a great estate be our chief end and design, if riches be our treasure and our happiness, our hearts will be found among the stuff. We cannot bestow our affections freely upon two objects. We cannot intensely love God and the world; for no man can have two ultimate ends, two principal designs. Our riches may increase; but if we set our hearts upon them, and give them the chief place in our affections, we may make them our lord and master. What ever we make our ultimate end, we give it a sovereignty and empire over us; we put ourselves under its dominion, and make ourselves subject to all its commands. So that if it "bid us go, we must go; come, we must come; do this, we must do it; because we are under authority:" the world is our master, and we are its slaves. Now he that is under the rule and dominion of this master, must with draw his obedience from God, and, in many cases, decline obedience to his laws. This worldly covetous disposition was that which made those in the parable to make so many excuses, when they were invited to the supper: (Luke xiv. 18.) "One had bought a farm, and he could not come: another had bought so many yoke of oxen, and therefore he desired to be excused." Riches do so fill the covetous man's heart, and the cares of the world so possess his mind, that he hath no room left in his soul for any other guests: Intus existens prohibet alienum, "that which is full already can receive no more." The covetous man's heart is taken up with such things as keep out God, and Christ, and better things. "If any man love the world, and the things of it," to this degree, St. John tells us, that "the love of the Father is not in him." In the parable of the sower, (Matth. xiii. 7.) our Saviour represents to us, the cares of the world, which choke the word of God, by thorns which sprung up among the seed, and stifled the growth of it. The cares of the world will not suffer the word of God to take deep root in our hearts, and to have any permanent effect upon them: and, (Ezek. xxxiii. 31.) God gives this as a reason why the people of Israel would not hearken to the words of his prophet--because their hearts were upon the world. "They come unto thee (says God there to the prophet) as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their hearts goeth after their covetousness." A heart that is deeply engaged in the world, will stand out against all the invitations, and promises, and threatenings of God's word. When the word of God invites such persons, it is like making love to those who have already fixed their hearts and affections elsewhere; the promises and threatenings of the gospel signify but very little to such men, because their hearts are set upon worldly things, and all their affections are bent that way; all their hopes and desires are worldly; to be rich and abound in wealth; and all their fears are of poverty and loss. Now such a man can only be moved with the promises and threatenings of temporal things; for no promises have any effect upon us, but such as are of some good which we care for and value: nor are any threatenings apt to move us, but such as are of some evil which we dread and are afraid of. And therefore, when eternal life, and the happiness of another world, are offered to a worldly-minded man, he does not desire it, he is not at all sensible of the value of it; the man's heart is full already of other hopes and desires, and "the full soul loatheth the honeycomb." Promise to such a man the kingdom of heaven, and the pleasures of God's presence, and the joys of eternity, this does not signify to such a man any good or happiness that he is sensible of, or knows how to relish. And, on the other hand, threaten him with the loss of God, and an eternal separation from that fountain of happiness, and with the unspeakable anguish and torments of a long eternity; these things, though they be terrible, yet they are at a distance, and the covetous man is inured to sense, and is only to be moved with things present and sensible; he can not extend his fears so far as another world, so long as he finds himself well and at ease as to the things of this present life. If we would affect such a man, we must offer to his consideration something that is fit to work upon him; threaten him with breaking open his house, and rifling his coffers, and carrying away his full bags; with questioning his title to his estate, or starting a precedent mortgage, or something of the like nature: these things indeed are dreadful and terrible to him; now you speak intelligibly to him, and he understands what you mean: tell him of a good bargain, or an advantageous purchase, offer him decently a good bribe, or give him notice of a young heir that may be circumvented and drawn in, then you say something to him that is worthy of his regard and attention; the man may be tempted by such offers and promises as these: but discourse to him with the tongue of men and angels, of the excellency of virtue and goodness, and of the necessity of it, to the obtaining of a glory and happiness that shall never have bounds nor end; and "Lo! thou art unto him as a lovely song of one that bath a pleasant voice, and can play well upon an instrument; for he hears thy words, but he will not do them;" as the prophet expressed) it, (Ezek. xxxiii. 32.) Such discourses as these they look upon as tine talk, or a melodious sound, that vanisheth into air, but leaves no impression behind it. Perhaps even these dull and stupid kind of men are affected a little for the present with the liveliness of the romance, and the poetical vein of the preacher; but these things pass away like a tale that is told, but have no lasting effect upon them. So effectually doth covetousness and the love of this present world obstruct all those passages, through which the consideration of religion and heavenly things should enter into our minds. Secondly, As covetousness hinders men from religion, and takes them off from a due care of their souls; so it many times tempts and engageth men to do many things contrary to religion, and inconsistent with it: it is the natural source and fountain of a great many evils, and the parent of most of the worst of vices. He that will engage deep in the world, must use much more guard and caution than most men do, to do it without sin. How many temptations is the covetous man exposed to in the getting, and in the securing, and in the spending, and enjoying of a great estate? It is no easy task to reckon them up, and much more difficult to escape or resist them, and yet each of these temptations brings him into the dangers of a great many sins. For, I. In the getting of an estate he is exposed to all those vices which may seem to be serviceable to this design. Nothing has been the cause of more and greater sins in the world than covetousness, and making haste to be rich. It is Solomon's observation, (Prov. xxviii. 20.) "He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent." He does not say he cannot be innocent, but he speaks as if there were all the probability in the world that he will not prove to be so; but, being in so much haste, will almost unavoidably fall into a great many oversights and faults. And the heathen poet makes the same observation in more words: Inde fere scelerum causae, nec plura venena Miscuit, aut ferro grassatur saepius ullum Humanae mentis vitium, quam saeva cupido Immodici Census: nam dives qui fieri vult, Et cito vult fieri; sed quae reverentia legum, Quis metus aut pudor est unquam properantis avari? " This," says he, "is the cause of most sins: nor is there any vice of which the mind of man is capable, that hath been guilty of more murders and poisonings, than a furious desire of immoderate wealth; for he that will be rich, will make haste to be so: and what reverence of laws, what fear of shame, was ever seen in any man that was in haste to be rich?" And this is the sense of what the apostle says concerning this vice of covetousness, this peremptory resolution of being rich: (1 Tim. vi. 9, 10.) "They that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil." If this vice of covetousness once reign in us, if we have once fixed our end, and set up this resolution with ourselves that we will be rich, we shall then make every thing stoop and submit to this design. A covetous man will make his principles and his conscience to bend to his resolution of being rich, and to bow to that interest. The eager desire of riches makes men to pursue them in indirect and uncharitable ways, by falsehood and perjury, by under mining and overreaching, by dissembling and flattery, by corrupting and embasing of commodities, by false weights and measures, by taking fees with both hands, by making use of their power and wit to oppress and defraud their brother, by imposing upon his ignorance and simplicity, or by making a prey of his poverty and necessity. Covetousness many times makes men cruel and unjust; nay, it makes them guilty of the worst sort of cruelty and oppression. For (as one says well) the covetous man oppresseth his neighbour not for any good to himself; for he does not enjoy what he tears and rends from others; so that he is of that most hateful kind of beasts of prey that kill other creatures, not to eat them, but that they may see them lie dead by them. Lions and wolves kill out of hunger; but the covetous man, like a serpent or scorpion, stings and bites others to death, not for his need, but for his pleasure and recreation. Covetousness is the parent of the most monstrous sins; because it fixeth a man in a resolution of getting an estate by any means. If falseness and deceit, violence and oppression, will further this end, the ear nest desire of the end tempts men to use any sort of means whereby the end may be compassed; and though a man may have some averseness from them at first, yet that wears off by degrees, and the strong desire of the end reconciles a man at last to the love and liking of the means, how wicked and unwarrantable soever. Covetousness tempted Achan to steal the accursed thing, and Gehazi to lie to the prophet, and Ahab to oppress and murder Naboth. Nay, a small sum tempted the covetous mind of Judas to betray his Master and his Saviour. And how do many men every day strain their consciences to get an estate, and hazard their own souls for money; nay exchange their souls, which are of more value than the whole world, for a very small portion of it? II. There are likewise many other temptations which a covetous man is exposed to in the keeping and securing an estate when he hath got it. A covetous and worldly-minded man, when it comes to the trial, is in great danger of quitting his religion, and "making shipwreck of faith and a good conscience." When his estate comes to be in hazard, he is very apt to fall off from the truth; it is a hundred to one but in these circumstances he will choose rather to violate his conscience than to forfeit his estate. What the devil falsely said of Job is true of the covetous man: "He does not serve God for nought." Upon these terms it was that Christ and the young man parted; "he had great possessions," and it troubled him to part with them. When Demas was brought to the trial, and put to it, whether he would stick to the profession of the gospel or his worldly possessions? he quitted St. Paul and declared for the world: (2 Tim. iv. 10.) "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world." So far had his covetous humour besotted him, as to make him prefer his present interest in these temporal things before those eternal rewards which the gospel offered. III. There are likewise many temptations which men are exposed to in the enjoying and spending of a great estate. It is hard to have a great estate and not to be mastered by the love of it; not to have our cares and thoughts, our hearts and affections swallowed up by it. It is no easy thing for a man that hath riches not to overvalue them, and love them more than he ought; not to be puffed up by them, and so place his trust and confidence in them: (Prov. xviii. 11.) "The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as a high wall in his own conceit." The covetous man setteth up his riches in the place of God, and is apt "to fall down before his golden calf and worship it: to say to the gold, Thou art my hope, and to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence: to rejoice because his wealth is great, and because his hand hath gotten much." Riches are a great temptation to irreligion and atheism. Upon this account Agur wisely prays to God for a moderate estate, because of the danger of both the extremes of riches and poverty; because of the great and violent temptations which men are exposed to in both these conditions: (Prov. xxx. 8, 9.) "Give me neither poverty nor riches, but feed me with food convenient for me." Why not riches? "Lest I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord?" And much more do riches tempt men to pride and insolence towards others: (Prov. xviii. 23.) "The poor useth entreaties, but the rich answereth roughly." Men's spirits are commonly blown up and bloated with their fortunes, and their pride, and stomach, and passion, do usually increase in proportion to their wealth. And many times riches tempt men to luxury and intemperance, and all manner of excess. Rich men have a mighty temptation to allow themselves all manner of unlawful pleasures; because he who hath a great estate is furnished with that to which hardly any thing can be denied. And this is not inconsistent with a covetous humour; for there are, many times, men who are covetous in getting, for no other end and reason but that they may spend it upon their lusts. As covetousness sometimes starves other vices, so sometimes it serves them, and is made subordinate to a man's ambition, or lust, or some other reigning vice. There is no such absolute inconsistency between riches and virtue, but that it is possible that a man that is very rich may be very good. But yet, if we consult experience, I doubt it will be found a true observation, that, there are but very few rich men who are not insupportable, either for their vanity or their vices; so that our Saviour had reason for that severe question: "How hard is it for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God?" And well might he upon this account pronounce the poor (the poor in estate, as well as the poor in spirit) blessed, as we find he does: (Luke vi. 20.) "Blessed be ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." They oftener enter there than the rich. Thirdly, Covetousness is likewise evil and unreasonable, because it is an endless and insatiable desire. A covetous mind may propose to itself some certain bounds and limits; and a man may think that when he is arrived to such an estate, and hath raised his fortune to such a pitch, that he will then sit down, contented and satisfied, and will seek after no more. But he deceives himself in this mat ter; for when he hath attained to that which he proposed to himself, he will be never the nearer being satisfied. So Solomon tells us: (Eccles. v. 10.) He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase; for no degree of wealth can satisfy a covetous mind. He may think so beforehand, that if he had so much it would be enough; but when he hath attained it he will be still reaching after more; for covetousness is a disease of the mind, and an unnatural thirst which is inflamed by that which should quench it. Every desire that is natural is satisfied and at rest, when it hath once obtained the thing it desired. If a man be hungry, he is satisfied when he hath eaten; or if he be thirsty, his thirst is allayed and quenched when he hath drank to such a proportion as nature doth require; and if he eat and drink beyond this measure, nature is oppressed, and it is a burden to him. But covetousness is not the thirst of nature, but of a diseased mind. It is the thirst of a fever, or of a dropsy; the more a man drinks the more he desires, and the more he is inflamed. In like manner, the more the covetous man increaseth his estate, the more his desires are enlarged and extended, and he finds continually new occasions and new necessities; and every day as he grows richer, he discovers new wants; and a new poverty to be provided against, which he did not think of before, comes into his mind: Et minus haec optat, qui non habet; "and he that is without these things covets them less than he that hath them." So far is a covetous man's attaining to riches from giving him satisfaction, that he who hath scarce any thing at all is many times much nearer to contentment than he that hath got so much; nay, so unreasonable is this appetite, as to desire more, even when the man knows not how to bestow what he hath already. This Solomon observed long since (for the vices and humours of men are much the same in all ages), Eccles. iv. 8. "There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labours, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, neither saith he, For whom do I labour and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail." And indeed what can be greater vanity and folly, than to be at certain pains and labour all the days of a man's life, and yet to be uncertain all the while for whom it is that he drudgeth and taketh all these pains? And if this be the nature of this vice, the more it gets still to covet the more, then nothing can be more unreasonable than to think to gratify this appetite; because, at this rate, the man can never be contented, because he can never have enough; nay, so far is it from that, that every new accession to his fortune sets his desires one degree farther from rest and satisfaction; for a covetous mind having no bounds, it is very probable that the man's desire will increase much faster than his estate; and then the richer he is, still the poorer, because he is still the less contented with his condition. However, it is impossible that the man's desire should ever be satisfied; for desire being always first, if the man's desire of riches advanceth and goes forward as fast as riches follow, then it is not possible for riches ever to overtake the desire of them, no more than the hinder wheels of a coach can overtake those which are before; because, as they were at a distance at first setting out, so let them go never so far or so fast, they keep the same distance still. So that it is the vainest thing in the world for a man to design his own satisfaction by the perpetual increase of his fortune, because contentment doth not arise from the abundance of what a man hath, but it must spring from the inward frame and temper of our minds; and the true way to it is not to enlarge our estate, but to contract our desires; and then it is possible that a man's money and his mind may meet; otherwise the pursuit is endless, and the farther a man follows contentment, it will but flee so much the farther from him; and when he hath attained the estate of a prince, and a revenue as great as that of France or the Turkish empire, he shall be farther from being satisfied than when he began the world, and had no more beforehand than would just pay for his next meal. I should now have proceeded to the fourth thing, whereby the unreasonableness of covetousness doth appear; because the happiness of human life doth not consist in riches. And this is the argument which I shall more especially insist upon, because it is that which our Saviour useth here in the text to take men off from this vice: "The life of man consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." And this, certainly, is one of the best and most reasonable considerations in the world, to moderate men's affections towards these things. Every reasonable desire propounds some end to itself. Now to what purpose should any man desire to increase his wealth so vastly beyond the proportion of his necessities and real occasions? What benefit and advantage would it be to any man to have a hundred times more than he knows what to do withal? But I shall not enlarge upon this argument at present, but refer it to another opportunity. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON XCI. THE EVIL AND UNREASONABLENESS OF COVETOUSNESS. And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a mans life consisteth not in the^ abundance of the things which he possesseth.--Luke xii. 15. AFTER I had, in my first discourse upon this subject, given you an account of the nature of the vice of covetousness, I proceeded in the next place to represent the great evil and unreasonableness of it. First, Because it takes men off from religion and the care of their souls. Secondly, Because it tempts men to many things which are inconsistent with religion, and directly contrary to it. Thirdly, Because it is an endless and insatiable desire. Thus far I have gone; I proceed to the Fourth thing, whereby the unreasonableness of covetousness will yet farther appear: namely, because the happiness of human life doth not consist in riches and abundance. And this I shall insist upon somewhat the more largely, because it is the argument which our Saviour makes use of here in the text, to take men off from this sin: "The life of man consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Therefore, take heed, and beware of covetousness." And this, certainly, is one of the best and most reasonable considerations in the world to moderate our affections to wards these things. For every reasonable desire propounds some end to itself. Now to what purpose should any man desire to increase his wealth so vastly, and beyond the proportion of his necessities and real occasions? What benefit and advantage can it be to any man, to have a hundred or perhaps a thousand times more than he knows what to do withal? And as for the other world, no man ever pretended that the heaping up riches here would be useful to him there; "riches will not deliver him in the day of wrath." No man was ever so senseless as to imagine that he could take his estate along with him into the other world; or if he could, that heaven was to be bought with money; or that a great estate, or a great many lordships, would recommend him to the favour of God. It is true, indeed, a man may so use riches in this world, as thereby to promote and further his happiness in the next. But then it is likewise as true, that a man may so demean himself in a poor and low condition as thereby to render himself as acceptable to God, and capable of as great a reward, as the richest man can do. The poor woman's two mites, cheerfully given to pious and charitable uses, will go as far in the other world, and find as great a reward there, as the rich man's thousands of gold and silver. And a man may be as truly generous and charitable out of a little, as out of the greatest fortune. Besides that, the poor man's contentedness in a mean condition is more admirable in itself, and more valuable with God, than for a rich man to be so. So that the great use of riches respects this world, and the best use of them is in ways of charity; and the poor man's charity, though it cannot be of so great an extent in the effects of it, yet in the degree of its virtue and merit it may be equal to it. Now the two great designs of men, in regard to this world, are these: 1. To maintain and support our lives as long as we can. 2. To make our lives as truly happy and comfortable as we can. To the first of these ends, namely, the support of our lives, a very little will suffice; and it is not much that is necessary to the other, to render our lives as truly comfortable as this world can make them; so that a vast estate is not necessary to either of these ends; for a man may live by having what is necessary, and may live comfortably by having that which is convenient. No man lives the longer by having abundance; it is many times an occasion of shortening a man's life by ministering to excess and intemperance, but seldom of prolonging it. And, setting aside the vain fancy and conceit of men, no man lives the more happily for having more than he hath real use and occasion for. These two heads I shall at present speak to, to make out the full force of this reason which our Saviour here useth; namely, that "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." I. That riches do not contribute to the support of our lives; nor, II. To the happiness and comfort of them. That is, they are not necessary to either of these ends. For by riches, I mean whatever is beyond a competency of those things which are requisite to the real uses and occasions of human life. First, Riches and abundance do not contribute to the support of our lives. And this our Saviour very well represents to us in the parable, immediately after the text, of the rich man who was continually increasing his estate, so that "he had goods laid up for many years;" but he lived not one jot the longer for being provided of the conveniences of life for so long a time beforehand; for whilst he was blessing himself as if he had secured his happiness sufficiently for this world, he was uncertain of his continuance in it; God having decreed to take him out of this world, at that very time when he had determined to enter upon the enjoyment of those things which he had been so long laying up. God says to him, "Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, and then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?" that is, what good then will all these things do thee, when thou hast no further use of and occasion for them? So that if he had been the poorest man in the world, and had not been provided for the next meal, he might have lived as long as he did with all his stores. You see, then, that in this sense, "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." For, notwithstanding all his great barns, and the abundance of fruits he had stowed in them, he did not live one jot the longer than the poorest man might have done. Secondly, Nor do riches contribute to the happiness and comfort of our lives. Happiness is not to be bought and purchased together with great lord ships; it depends upon a great many causes, among which a competency of the things of this world is one; but riches and abundance is none of them. The happiness of this world consists in these two things. 1. In the enjoyment of good. And, 2. In a state of freedom from evil. Now riches do not necessarily make a man happy in either of these respects. First, For the enjoyment of good, a competent estate suitable to the condition and station in which God hath set us in this world, will give a man what ever nature and reason can desire, and abundance cannot make a man happier. If a man had a hundred times more than he needed, he could but enjoy it according to the capacity of a man; for if he consulted his own happiness, and would truly enjoy what he hath, he must eat and drink within the bounds of temperance and health, and must wear no more clothes than are for his convenience. It is true he hath wherewithal to put on a new suit every day, which is to be uneasy all the days of his life; and may drink, if he pleases, every time out of a new cup, which would be a vain expense and a great trouble to his servants, without any manner of convenience to himself. But then if riches fall into the covetous man's hands they can be no happiness to him, because he hath no heart to enjoy them. He hath indeed the estate of a rich man, but he wants the comfort of it, because he hath the mind of a poor man, and enjoyment is all the felicity that is in a great fortune; what we enjoy is ours, but what we lay up is, from that time, not ours but somebody's else. He that heaps up riches, and enjoys them not, is rich only for his heir, but a beggar for himself. We are apt to pity poor men, and too apt to despise them; but surely no man's condition is more to be deplored than his, who starves himself in the midst of plenty, and being surrounded with the blessings of God turns them into the greatest curse; for it is a much greater curse, not to use an estate when one has it, than not to have it. It is like a plentiful table without an appetite. But it may be it is a great happiness to have a great estate, though a man never use it; the pleasure of seeing it and telling it over may be like the removing of billets; which may warm a man as much as if he had spent and consumed them. But this is real, and the other only imaginary. I doubt not many covetous men take a great deal of pleasure in ruminating upon their wealth, and in recounting what they have; but they have a great deal of tormenting care and fear about it, and if they had not, it is very hard to understand where the reason able pleasure and happiness lies of having things to no end. It is, at the best, like that of some foolish birds, which, they say, take pleasure in stealing money that they may hide it; as if it were worth the while for men to take pains to dig silver out of the earth, for no other purpose but to melt it down and stamp it, and bury it there again. But many necessities may happen, which we can not foresee, and it is good to provide against them. There is nothing so bad, but something may be said in excuse of it; and I do not deny, but that a provident cure against the common accidents of human life is very commendable; but it is unreasonable to think of providing against all possibilities, which it is impossible either to foresee or prevent. It is very possible, that after a man hath gotten the greatest estate imaginable, he may lose it all by some fatal accident; and then to what purpose was all this provision made, when that, which was so long a time a getting and laying up, is lost at once? Besides that, it is not easy to conceive what necessity can happen to a covetous man to give him an occasion of using his estate; he cannot find in his heart to bestow it upon himself in such things as are convenient, nay almost necessary for the support of his life; for no man can feed his servants more penuriously than he does himself; all the religion he values himself upon, is a strict observance of the Lessian diet which he recommends to those few that can deny themselves to dine with him, in hopes to make better meals upon his estate when he is gone. And if he be so penurious to himself, the necessities of others are not like to move him to be liberal. I can but imagine one occasion that could tempt such a man to lay out what he hath; namely, when one part of his estate is in danger, to spend the other to secure it. And yet, even in that case, if his cause were not very clear and good, he would go nigh to lose it, using it as he does himself; that is, by starving it. And if this be all, then a man had as good be without an estate, and save himself the trouble either of getting it or securing it; for if it were all gone, he might live as well as he does, and that with half the care and pains. Secondly, The happiness of this world consists in a state of freedom from evil. Now the great evils that men are liable to in this world are such as are incident to them, either in the course of their lives or at the time of their death; and riches do not contribute to men's happiness by freeing them from either of these. I shall speak to these severally. I. Not from the evils which are incident to men in the course of their lives. These are of two kinds, inward or outward. 1. Inward evils, by which I mean those of the mind; and our greatest troubles are from within, from the anxiety of our minds and the guilt of our consciences, from the vicious inclinations of our wills, and the irregularity and disorders of our passions. Now riches were an admirable thing indeed, and worth our coveting, if they would help to cure these distempers of our minds; but they are the least fitted for such a purpose of any thing in the world; for not he that hath the greatest estate, but he that hath the fewest and most reasonable desires, and the best governed passions and the most virtuous inclinations, is the happiest man, and dwells nearest to satisfaction. Nemo malus felix, "no bad man can be happy," though he were possessed of the whole world; because he hath that within him which frets and discontents him, which galls his spirit and keeps his mind restless and uneasy; and he that does not enjoy himself can enjoy nothing else. Did but men know how much happiness hath been enjoyed by many a pious and virtuous man in a mean fortune, how quiet and easy their minds have been, how much fuller of joy and pleasure, than the heart of any covetous worldling ever was in his most prosperous estate, and when his corn, and .wine, and oil abounded; did we, I say, but know this we should not envy the men of mighty fortunes. Nam neque divitbus contingunt gaudia solis; "Rich men are not the only happy people in the world." If they be not good as well as rich, happiness is a greater stranger to their dwellings than to the cottages of poorer men. Now riches are so far from helping to make men good, that they are one of the greatest temptations to them in the world to be otherwise; which is the reason why our Saviour says, it is so very hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven; because, considering the powerful and almost irresistible temptations of a great estate, and the impotency and weakness of human nature to govern itself in a plentiful fortune, it is very hard for a rich man to be so good as he ought, it requires a great force and firmness of resolution, a very solid and vigorous constitution of mind, to bear a great fortune, and not to be corrupted by it; and a man hath never more reason to implore God's gracious help and assistance, and to consult his own best and coolest thoughts, to know what he ought to do, and how he ought to demean himself, than when the outward blessings of this life flow in amain upon him; felicitate corrumpimur, "nothing sooner debaucheth men than prosperity;" and he is a very happy man whom wealth and a good fortune do not make licentious and dissolute; because these tempt men with the power and opportunity to do all the ill that their wicked hearts can design or desire. The temptation of riches, and the power that goes along with them, is so forcible and prevalent, that the devil, who is a sagacious spirit, and hath great and long experience in this kind, when he was making the experiment, whether Christ was a mere man or the Son of God, reserved this for his last temptation, resolving, if that would not do, to try him no farther. After he had assaulted him in several kinds, he represents to him at last that which was sufficient to have surfeited two of the most insatiable desires of human nature, ambition and covetousness, even "all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, in a moment (or point) of time;" he brings all the rays of this glory to one point, that the temptation might kindle and take hold the sooner; and says to him, "all this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." He supposed, with great probability, that, if he were but a mere man, the strongest and most resolved mind would bend and yield to so dazzling a temptation as this; but when he saw that this temptation was rejected, he found himself baffled and gave him over; since this did not move him, he concluded now that he was the Son of God indeed, and that it was in vain to tempt him any farther. From all this it appears, that riches are so far from making men virtuous, that nothing is more dangerous to virtue than a full condition, if men have not a great degree of grace, as well as discretion, to manage it. Solomon tells us, that the prosperity of fools destroyeth them. And yet how do most of us court this temptation, and are forward to thrust and venture ourselves upon it? there are a great many other things, in which most men make a right judgment of themselves, and will readily acknowledge that they are altogether unfit for them. Every man will not take upon him to be a physician, or a lawyer, to prescribe medicines in dangerous cases, and to give counsel to men in knotty and difficult points about their estates; but every man thinks himself fit enough to be rich, and sufficiently qualified to manage a great estate if he can but get it; when perhaps there are few things in the world, which men are more insufficient for, than to wield and govern a great fortune, nor wherein there is greater danger of miscarriage. It is not every body's talent to be wealthy and wise, rich and innocent. 2. As for the outward evils of this life, such as want and contempt, bodily pains and diseases, unhappiness in friends and relations, a great estate is by no means a sufficient security or remedy to a covetous man against these. (1.) As for want. And surely one would think, that if riches were good for any thing they are a very proper remedy against this evil, and a most certain and infallible cure of it; but experience tells us quite otherwise. Socrates was wont to say, that, "To want nothing is the privilege of the Deity, and proper to God alone; but to stand in need of as few things as may be, is the privilege of a wise and good man, and a state of happiness next to that of God himself; because he that hath the fewest wants is the most easily supplied, and is next to him that is self-sufficient." Now a man of moderate desires hath infinitely fewer wants than a covetous man; and because his desires are moderate, a moderate estate will satisfy them: but the wants of a covetous mind are never to be supplied, because it hath ordered the matter so cunningly as to want even that which it hath: such a man does not get riches to supply his wants, but is content to want that he may be rich; insomuch that he hath not the heart to use his estate for the supply of his real necessities. How many do almost starve themselves in the midst of plenty and abundance? There is no greater sign of poverty than to be deeply in debt: now the covetous man lives and dies in debt to himself. Some men have been so shamefully penurious and stingy to themselves as even to die to save charges, which yet perhaps is the most generous thing they ever did in their whole lives, in respect to the world; because by this means somebody may come to the enjoyment of their estates; and that great dunghill which they have been so long in raking together, may by this means come to be spread abroad for the public benefit. So that if a covetous man were possessed of the wealth of both the Indies, all this would not free him from want. A poor man's wants may be satisfied, when he hath obtained what he wants: but the covetous man labours of an incurable want; because he wants that which he hath, as well as that which he hath not. (2.) As for contempt, riches will not secure a covetous man against this neither; nay, so far is it from that, that he is commonly more ridiculous and despised for living poor in the midst of abundance, than if he were really so. Did I say really so? He is the most really poor of all other men. For, as one says well, "The rich poor man is emphatically poor." (3.) Neither will riches free men from bodily illness and pain. The rich are liable to as many diseases, and as sharp pains, as the poor, and they have commonly less patience to bear them than the poor; because they have not been inured to other sorts of evils. They that have been accustomed to labour, are generally best fitted to bear pain; the rich are commonly more tender and delicate, and have a quicker sense of pain, more matter, and greater quantity of humours to feed a disease, and to in flame it to a greater height. I must not here forget that there is a sort of rich men, I mean the penurious mix is, who starve themselves move than the poor, and fare many times more hardly; and, for this reason, though they be not in danger of the diseases that come from intemperance and a plentiful table, yet they are liable to the diseases which proceed from starving and emptiness; which the physicians say are more dangerous than the other: so that neither the prodigal nor the niggardly rich man is secured from bodily pains and diseases by a great estate. (4.) Neither will riches secure a man from being unhappy in his friends and relations. A great estate will not make a man's children either more dutiful or wise than the children of meaner persons; and if they be not so, his estate cannot be so great a happiness to him, as they may prove an affliction. Solomon tells us, that the very fear and apprehension of this did very much embitter the fruit of all his labour; and he seems to speak it sensibly, and very probably with a melancholy reflection upon his son Rehoboam: (Eccles. ii. 18, 19.) "Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun, because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me; and who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? Yet shall he have rule over all my labour, wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun." "Who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool?" he seems to speak doubtfully: but he had a very shrewd guess what kind of man his son would make; for he speaks more despondingly in the next words: (ver. 20, 21.) "Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun;" that is, when I thought seriously of it, I began to think, that all the pains I had taken to get an estate would be but to little purpose; "for there is a man (saith he) whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity (that is, who by wise and honest means hath raised a great estate); yet to a man that hath not laboured therein (that is, to a man who is endowed with none of these qualities) shall he leave it for his portion; this also is vanity, and a great evil." And as for friends, though the rich man have many that will call themselves so, yet he had al most as good have none; for he can hardly ever know whether they be so or not, unless he chance to fall into poverty; and then, indeed, the change of his condition may give him that advantage and opportunity, which Otherwise he is never like to have, of discerning between his friends and his flatterers. Thus you see that riches are no security against the most considerable evils which attend us in the course of our lives. II. When we come to die, nothing will minister less comfort to us, at that time, than a great estate. It is then a very small pleasure to a man to reflect how much he hath gotten in the world, when he sees that he must leave it; nay, like the young man in the gospel, he goes away so much the more "sorrowful, because he hath great possessions." All the things of this world seem very inconsiderable to a man, when he approaches to the confines of the other: for when he sees that he must leave this world, then he would fain make a virtue of necessity, and begins to change his apprehensions of these things, and to have very slight and mean thoughts of them, when he is convinced he can enjoy them no longer. What the philosopher was wont to say of the pleasures of this world, is as tin. of riches, and all the other enjoyments of it; that, "if they did but put on the same countenance, and look with the same face, when they come to us, that they will do when they turn from us, and take their leave of us, we should hardly entertain them." Now if a man have placed his chief happiness in this world, as the covetous man does in his riches, his great trouble, when he comes to die, will be, that he must leave them. Nothing could be more severely said to the covetous man, than that which God says to the rich man in the parable: "Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, and then whose shall these things be?" For of all things in the world, such men cannot endure to think of parting with these things, or that what they have got, with such great care and labour, should come to the possession of another. And therefore, when we are so hot and eager in the pursuit of these things, we should do well to consider how they will appear to us in a dying hour. And this consideration well imprinted upon our minds would make us very careful, to treasure up other kind of comforts to ourselves against such a time, and to labour after those things which we shall never grow out of conceit withal, but shall value them to the last, and then most of all when we come to die, and leave this world. For as a poet of our own says excellently, 'Tis not that which first we love; But what dying we approve. Thus I have done with the fourth thing, whereby the evil and unreasonableness of covetousness doth appear; namely, that the happiness of human life doth not consist in a great estate; "the life of man doth not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." The great ends of religion, and covetousness are very different. The great end which religion proposeth to itself is happiness; but the great end which covetousness proposeth is riches; which are neither a necessary nor a probable means of happiness. I should now have proceeded to the fifth and last particular; namely, that riches are so far from being the happiness of human life, that they usually contribute very much to our misery and sorrow; as will appear, if we consider these four things. First, The labour and care which covetous men are at in the getting of a great estate. Secondly, The anxiety of keeping it, together with the fears of losing it. Thirdly, The trouble and vexation of losing it; and, Fourthly, The dreadful and heavy account which every man must give of a great estate. But these particulars, together with the application of this whole discourse, I shall refer to another opportunity. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON XCII. THE EVIL AND UNREASONABLENESS OF COVETOUSNESS. And he said unto them, Take heed and beware of covetousness; for a mans life consist eth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.--LUKE xii. 15. IN my two last discourses on this subject, I have represented the evil and unreasonableness of the vice of covetousness in four particulars. I proceed now to the fifth and last particular, whereby I told you the evil and unreasonableness of it would appear; viz. That riches are so far from being the happiness of human life, that they usually contribute very much to our misery and sorrow; as will evidently appear, if we consider these four things: First, The labour and care which the covetous man is at in getting of a great estate. Secondly, The anxiety of keeping it, together with the fears of losing it. Thirdly, The trouble and vexation of having lost it. Fourthly, The heavy and dreadful account which every man must give of a great estate. First, The labour and care which the covetous man hath in getting a great estate. He that will be rich must sweat for it, and refuse no pains and trouble; he must "rise up early and lie down late, and eat the bread of carefulness." A slave that digs in the mines, or rows in the galleys, is not a greater drudge than some covetous worldlings are; only, with this difference, that the covetous man thinks that he labours and takes all these pains for himself; whereas the slave understands the matter more truly, and thinks that he does it for another. But besides the pains he takes, he is full of care and anxiety. How is he, through the greedy desire of having, racked between the hopes of getting and the fear of missing what he seeks? The apostle observes what tormenting cares accompany this vice: (1 Tim. vi. 10.) "The love of money (saith he) is the root of all evil;" not only of the evil of sin, but of the evil likewise of trouble and disquiet. For it follows, "which, while some coveted after, they have pierced themselves through with many sorrows:" variety of troubles attend them that will be rich. Secondly, If we consider the anxiety of keeping what they have got, together with the fear of losing it again, this is another great part of a covetous man's infelicity. The rich man here in the parable after the text, when he saw his estate coming upon him so fast, cries out, "what shall I do?" Poor man! who would not pity his condition, to see him put to this difficulty and distress, and to hear him make as heavy a moan as the poorest man could do! Now that he hath a plentiful harvest, and his crop hath answered, if it were possible, his covetous desire, he is in a great deal of perplexity, and almost at his wits end how to dispose of it: he was horribly afraid lest any of it should be lost for want of a secure place to store it up in: "what shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?" Where was the difficulty of this? Why, he was loath to lose his fruits, and he was loath to lay out money to secure them. But, upon farther consideration, he resolves of the two evils to choose the least: "and he said, This will I do, I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I bestow all ray fruits and my goods." But why could he not let the barns he had stand, and build more? No, that he did not think so well, he loved to see all his good things at one view, and what a goodly show they would make together. Besides that, it is the humour of covetousness, when it breaks out into expense, to over-do; the miser's buildings are like his feasts, always extravagant. The covetous man (as to the business of expense) is like a coward as to lighting, he declines it as long as he can; but when he is pushed to the last necessity, he grows desperate and lays about him. Tantis parta malis, cura majore metuque Servantur; misera est magni custodia census. Riches, which are got with so much trouble, are not kept without greater fear and care. A covetous man is in nothing more miserable, than in the anxiety and care of disposing and securing what he hath got. When a man's desires are endless, his cares and fears will be so too. Thirdly, As great an evil as any of the former, is, the vexation of having lost these things. If by any accident the man happens to be deprived of them, then he takes on heavily, hangs down his head and mourns, "as a man would do for his first-born;" and is ready to cry out with Micah, "they have taken away my gods, and what have I more?" Upon every little loss the covetous man is undone, though he have a hundred times more left than he knows what to do withal. So deeply are the hearts of earthly-minded men many times pierced with earthly losses, as with Rachel to "refuse to be comforted." Nay, St. Paul observes, that "the sorrow of the world sometimes worketh death/ (2 Cor. vii. 10.) Fourthly, But the saddest consideration of all is, that heavy and dreadful account that must one day be given both of the getting and using of a great estate. They that have got an estate by fraud and falsehood, or by oppression and grinding the face of the poor, may read their doom at large: (James v. 1-5.) "Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you; your riches are corrupted, and your garments moth-eaten; your gold and silver are cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire: ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold the hire of the labourers which have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth, and the cries of them which have reaped, are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbaoth; ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter." And we must be accountable likewise for the using of our estates. God gives them to us in trust, and the greater they are the more we are to account for; so much as we need is ours, but beyond what will support us, and be a convenient provision for our families, in the rank God hath placed them; all that is given to us, that we may give it lo others . and indeed it is not ours; we are the proprietors of it in respect of men, but in respect of God we are but trustees and stewards, and God will require an account of us how we have disposed of it. And can there be a more reigning madness among men, than to take care only to increase their account more and more by receiving much; whereas our great care and concernment should be to clear our account, by laying out what we receive, according to the trust reposed in us? How much we shall receive of the things of this world, is in the care and will of our Master; but our care and fidelity are seen in laying it out as we ought. Among men (says one) it is well enough if a steward can give an account of so much laid out, and so much in cash, and upon this he shall have his discharge: but we cannot this way clear our account with God; for it is not offering him his own again that will satisfy him, as we may learn from the parable of the talents. So that upon the whole matter, we should be so far from envying the rich, that we should rather envy the safety and happiness of those who are not en trusted with such dangerous blessings, and who are free from the temptations of a plentiful fortune, and the curse of a covetous mind, and from the heavy account of a great estate. I come now, in the last place, to make some application of this discourse to ourselves. I. Let our Saviour's caution take place with us, let these words of his sink into our minds: "Take heed and beware of covetousness." Our Saviour, I told you, doubles the caution, that we may double our care. It is a sin very apt to steal upon us, and slily to insinuate itself into us under the specious pretence of industry in our callings, and a provident care of our families: but however it may be coloured over, it is a great evil dangerous to ourselves, and mischievous to the world. Now to kill this vice in us, besides the considerations beforementioned taken from the evil and unreasonableness of it, I will urge these three more: 1. That the things of this world are uncertain. 2. That our lives are as uncertain as these things: and, 3. That there is another life after this. 1. The uncertainty of the things of this world. This should very much cool our affections toward them, that, after all our care and diligence for the obtaining of them, we are not sure to enjoy them; we may be deprived of them by a thousand accidents. This consideration Solomon urgeth, to take men off from an over-eager pursuit of these things: (Prov. xxiii. 5.) "Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make to themselves wings, they fly away as an eagle towards heaven." After we have sat brooding over an estate many years, it may all on a sudden, before we are aware, take wing and "fly away, like an eagle towards heaven," soaring suddenly out of our sight, and never to return again. And the same argument St. Paul useth, to take off men's affections from the world, (1 Cor. vii. 31.) because "the fashion of this world passeth away;" para'gei to' schema tou ko'smou tou'tou. He Compares the things of this world to a scene which is presently changed, and vanisheth almost as soon as it appears. Now, seeing these things are so uncertain, we should take heed how we fix our hearts too much upon them; we should not make love to any thing that is so fickle and inconstant as this world is. We should be afraid to contract too near and intimate a friendship with any thing which will forsake us, after we have courted it with so much importunity, and purchased it with so much pains, and endeavoured to secure it with so much caution and tenderness. 2. Our lives are as uncertain as these things. If our estates remain with us, we are continually in danger of being removed from them. And (as one says) it is folly to build our hopes upon a match, where both parties are so uncertain and inconstant. Why should we place our dearest affections upon things, which we are sure not to enjoy one moment? "Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be taken from thee, and then whose shall those things be?" I remember Seneca tells us a real story, just answerable to the rich man in the parable, of an acquaintance of his, who by long and great industry had arrived to a vast estate; and, just when he began to enjoy it, after one of the first good meals which, perhaps, he ever made in his life, that very night his soul was taken from him; for presently after supper he died. In ipso actu bene sedentium rerum, in ipso procurrentis fortunae impetu. "In the height of his prosperity, and in the full career of his good fortune." But if we live to enjoy for any time what we have got, we should remember that our life is but a passage through the world, and that we are but "pilgrims and strangers in the world as all our fathers were, that we have here no abiding place, no continuing city," but are travelling towards our own country. And why should we load ourselves whilst we are upon our journey, and cumber ourselves with those things which will be of no use to us there, where we are going. But the great wonder of all is, that this vice should so strongly reign, and even grow upon men in old age, and get strength as weakness creeps upon us. This very thought, that we are to die, should work in us a great indifferency towards the things of this world. But when men are convinced they cannot live long, and that every step they take they are in danger of stumbling into the grave, this, one would think, should wean our affections from this world; and yet, usually, none take so fast hold of it, and embrace it so kindly, as old men; like friends, who, though they know they must leave one another, yet are loath to part. Do we not see many pursue these things with as much eagerness and appetite when they are leaving the world, as if they Mere to stay in it a hundred years longer? so that, in this sense also, they are children again, and are as fond of these toys as if they were just beginning the world, and setting out for their whole life. 3. There is another life after this to be seriously thought on, and provided for with great care; and did men firmly believe this, they would not, with Martha, "busy themselves about, the many things, but would mind the one thing necessary," and, with Mary, "choose that better part," which could not be taken from them. They would overlook the trifles of this world, and scarce take notice of" the things which are seen," but be only intent upon "the things which are not seen; because the things which are seen are but temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." The great concernments of another world would employ their utmost care and their best thoughts. Whilst we are in this world, we should remember that this is not our home, nor the place of our rest; and therefore, as men do in an inn, we should make a shift with those indifferent accommodations which the world will afford us, and which we can have upon easy terms, without too much trouble and stir, because we are not to continue long here; and. in the mean time, we should cheer up ourselves with the thoughts of the pleasure and the plenty of our Father's house, and of that full contentment and satisfaction which we shall meet withal, when we come to those everlasting habitations. So that our great care should be to provide for eternity. If we have unbounded desires, let us place them upon such objects as are worthy of them. Let us earnestly covet the best things, and seek after the true riches. We should so mind the world, as to make heaven our great care; as to make sure to "provide ourselves bags that wax not old; a treasure in the heavens, that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth," as our Saviour adviseth. (Luke xii. 33.) To the same purpose is the counsel of St. Paul: (1 Tim. vi. 17, 18, 19.) "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be rich in good works, willing to distribute, ready to communicate, laying up for themselves a good foundation (or, as the word theme'lios may also be rendered, a good treasure) against the time which is to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life." I have told you, that all these things will fail in a short space; we shall either be stripped of them, or separated from them when we come to die, and shall look over to that vast eternity which we must shortly enter upon; this world, and all the enjoyments of it, will then be as nothing to us, and we shall be wholly taken up with the thoughts of another world, and be heartily sorry that the things of this world have taken up so much of our time and care, and that the great and weighty concernments of all eternity have been so little minded and regarded by us. Now seeing all these things shall be, pardon me, if I earnestly beg of you, in the midst of all your worldly cares, to have some consideration for your immortal souls, which are in no wise provided for by a great estate, but are designed for nobler enjoyments than this world can afford. When you are inking care to feed and clothe these dying bodies, remember that better part of yourselves which is to live for ever. Let not all your inquiry be, "What shall I eat? or what shall I drink? or wherewithal shall I be clothed?" But sometimes ask yourselves this question, "What shall I do to be saved?" I have an immortal spirit, it is but lit some care should be taken of that, to train it up to eternity, and to make it "fit to be made partaker of an inheritance among them that are sanctified." The firm belief and serious consideration of the great things of another world, cannot surely but cool the heat of our affections towards these dying and perishing things, and make us resolved not to do any thing whereby we may violate the peace of our consciences, or forfeit our interest and happiness in another world. II. By way of remedy against this vice of covetousness, it is good for men to be contented with their condition. This the apostle prescribes as the best cure of this vice, (Heb. xiii. 5.) "Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have;" arkou'menoi tois parousin, being contented with the present, and thinking that sufficient. A covetous man cannot enjoy tin present for fear of the future; either out of fear that he shall come to want, or out of a sickness and uneasiness of mind, which makes that nothing pleaseth him; but, if we could bring our minds to our condition, and be contented with what we have, we should not be so eager and impatient after more. This contentedness with our present condition doth not hinder, but that men, by providence and industry and lawful endeavours, may lay the foundation of a more plentiful fortune than they have at present. For provided a man use no indirect and dishonest ways to increase his estate, and do not torment himself with anxious cares; do neither make himself guilty, nor miserable, that he may be rich; provided he do not neglect better things, to attain these, and have not an insatiable appetite towards them; provided he do not idolize his estate, and set his heart upon these things; and if he can find in his heart to enjoy them himself, and to be charitable to others; nothing hinders but that he may be contented with his present condition, and yet take all fair opportunities, which the providence of God puts into his hands, of enlarging his fortune. It is a good character which the poet gives of Aristippus: Onmis Aristippum decuit color, et status, et res; Tentantem majora, fere praesentibus aequum. "Every state and condition became him; for though he endeavoured after more, yet his mind was al ways in a manner equal to his present condition." But if a man be discontented with the present, and restless because he hath no more, the whole world will not satisfy him; and if God should raise him from one step to another, he would never think his fortune high enough, and in every degree of it would be as little contented as he was at first. Our Saviour represents this sort of men by the rich man here in the parable, who, when his barns were full f and ready to crack, his mind was not filled; therefore he pulls them down and builds greater; and if he had lived till these had been full, they must have gone down too, and he would still have built greater. So that though he designed when he had raised his estate to such a pitch, to have set down and taken his ease, yet his covetous humour would have been stirring again, and still have stepped in between him and contentment, and for ever have hindered him from arriving at it. III. By way of direction, I would persuade those who are rich to be charitable with what they have. If God hath blessed us with abundance, and we would not be like this rich man here in the parable, we must lay out of our estates, in ways of piety and charity, for the public good, and for the private relief of those who are in want; for that is the apo'dosis, or moral of the parable; so "is he that layeth up treasures for himself, and is not rich towards God." So shall he be; such an issue of his folly may every one expect (to be taken away from his estate before he comes to enjoy it), who "layeth up treasures for himself, but is not rich towards God;" but does not lay up riches with God. How is that? by works of mercy, and charity. This our Saviour calls "laying up for ourselves treasure in heaven;" (Matth. vi. 20.) and at the 33d verse of this chapter, he calls giving of alms, "providing for ourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens which faileth not:" they who do thus, who "are rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate/ are said to "lay up for themselves a good treasure against the time which is to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life," (1 Tim. vi. 18, 19.) Extra fortunam est quicquid donatur; "Whatsoever we give to the poor is safely disposed, and put out of the of fortune, because it is laid up in heaven, where we may expect the return and recompence of it." Charity to our poor brethren is a certain way of transmitting our riches into the other world to make way for our reception there. So our Lord tells us: (Luke xvi. 9.) "I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye shall fail (that is, when you shall leave this world and the enjoyments of it), they may receive you into everlasting habitations." At the great day of judgment, when we shall all appear before God, and, according to our Saviour's representation of the proceedings of that day, shall hear him thus expostulating with men, "I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat; thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not;" what would we then give, how much of our estates, if we had them then at our command, would we not be willing to part withal, to have that comfortable sentence passed upon us, "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, before the foundation of the world!" But if we be found among those who would spare nothing out of their abundance to any charitable use and purpose; I have not the heart to tell you how miserable the condition of such persons will be, and how dreadful a doom will be passed upon them. It is a sad consideration, that there are some persons in the world who seem to be only defective in this duty; like the young man in the gospel, who lacked but this one thing to make him perfect; he had kept the commandments from his youth, and preserved himself from those gross sins which the law did plainly forbid; and yet, for want of this one thing, he parted from his Saviour, and, for any thing we know, fell short of eternal life. There are many who are very devout and religious, much in prayer and fasting, and all the other frugal exercises of piety, which cost them no money; but yet are very defective in alms and charity, which in Scripture are so frequently joined with the fasting and prayers of good men; and, by this means, all their devotion and diligence in the other parts of religion is lost, and will not bring them to heaven. And is it not great pity, that they who are not far from the kingdom of God should fall short of it? that they who in most other things bid so fair for heaven, should break with God upon this single point? I know men have several ways to deceive their own hearts, and to defend themselves against all these assaults. First, They say, they are injurious to no man in not being charitable. And it is true, that in human courts the poor can have no action against the rich for want of charity to them; but yet, for all that, they do injuriously detain that which doth not of right belong to them. They are cruel and hard hearted, and they are guilty of a high breach of trust in respect of God, whose stewards they are, and who hath dealt so liberally with them in the things of this life, on purpose to oblige them to be so to others. That which thou storest up, without regard to the necessities of others, is unlawfully detained by thee, since God intended it should have been for bread to the hungry, and clothes to the naked, and for help and relief of those who are ready to perish. For why art thou rich, and another poor; but that thou mightest exercise thy charity upon those fitting objects which the providence of God presents to thee? It had been easy for God (since "the earth is his, and the fulness thereof") so to have contrived things, that every man should have had a sufficiency, and have been in a moderate condition; but then a great many virtues would have been shut out of the world, and lost for want of opportunity to exercise them. Where then had been the poor man's patience, and the rich man's pity, and the contentedness of men of moderate fortune? Secondly, Men say that they have children to provide for. And do so, in God's name, for he al lows us to do it liberally; but unless their condition and wealth set them above an ordinary calling, do not choose so to provide for them, as to take them off from all employment, lest you put them in the ready way to be undone; have a care of leaving them no other business, but to spend what you have left them; if you do so, they will in all probability do that work very effectually, and make as much haste to be poor, as you did to make them rich. If men could be but contented to do that which is best for their children, they might do a great deal better for themselves, by disposing what they have to spare in charity. Thirdly, Others would fain excuse themselves from this duty, at present, by telling what they intend to do when they come to die; that is, when they can keep what they have no longer. It seems, then, thou wilt leave it to thy executor to do good in thy stead. This shews thou hast no great heart to the business, when thou deferrest it as long as ever thou canst. But why wilt thou trust another with the disposal of thy charity, rather than thyself? This is hardly to offer either a reasonable, or a living sacrifice to God, to do good only when we are dead. It is well that God hath made all men mortal, and that it is appointed for all men once to die; otherwise some men would never do good at all. Wherefore, setting aside these, and all other excuses, which will not be admitted, nor will any of us have the face to plead them at the day of judgment; I say, setting aside all excuses whatsoever, let us resolve to do good with what we have whilst we can; and to that end let us lay aside some portion of what God hath blessed us withal, for the uses of piety and charity, and let it bear some decent proportion to what God hath given us. There is never want of proper objects for our largest charity, and now less than ever. Besides these at home, which present themselves to us in great numbers every day, God hath sent us many from abroad, who call loud upon us for our pity and help, both as they are reduced to the greatest extremity, and are sufferers in the best cause, that of our common religion, which ought now to be dearer to us than ever. Let us shew mercy now, as we expect mercy from others, in any day of our distress in this world, and as ever we hope, whenever we come to appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, to find mercy with the Lord in that day. Consider what I have said upon this argument, and let this extraordinary kind of caution, which our Saviour here gives, make a deep impression upon your minds; "Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." __________________________________________________________________ SERMON XCI1I. RELIGION, OUR FIRST AND GREAT CONCERNMENT. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and Ids righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.--Matt. vi. 33. IN the latter part of this chapter, our Saviour doth, in a long discourse, caution his disciples against an inordinate care about the things of this life, which he concludes with a strict charge to make religion their first and great concernment, and above all things to take care to secure to themselves the happiness of another life; "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," &c. In the handling of which words, I shall do these four things. First, I shall explain what is here meant by the "kingdom of God, and his righteousness." Secondly, What by seeking of these. Thirdly, I shall lay down some necessary and plain directions, which if we observe, we cannot miscarry in this matter. Fourthly, I shall set before you some of the most proper and powerful motives and encouragements to the minding of this great interest and concernment: among which, I shall particularly consider the argument or encouragement here used in the text, "and all these things shall be added unto you." First, I shall explain to you what is here meant by "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." I. What is meant by the "kingdom of God." And there are two famous acceptations of this phrase, and both of them very frequent in the New Testament. Sometimes it is used to signify the state of the gospel, or the Christian religion, which by the Jews was called the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of the Messias. (Mark i. 15.) "The kingdom of God is at hand;" that is, the state or dispensation of the gospel is now approaching, and ready to take place. (Luke xvii. 20.) The pharisees demanding of our Saviour, "when the kingdom of God should come?" that is, when the reign of the Messias should commence; he answers them, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation;" that is, not with any temporal pomp and splendour, so as to draw the eyes of people after it, as the Jews did vainly imagine; but "the kingdom of God, ento`s umon estin, is among you," not within you, as our translation hath improperly rendered it; the kingdom of God (he tells them) is already come unto you, the Messias is among you, and ye are not aware of him. In the like sense this phrase is used, Matt. xxi. 43. "The kingdom of God (that is, the gospel) shall be taken from you, and given to a nation, bringing forth the fruits thereof." And so likewise the phrase of "the kingdom of heaven" is used, Matt, xi. 11. where, speaking of John the Baptist, our Saviour saith, that, "among them that were born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist;" that is, there was no greater person than he, under the Jewish dispensation; "and yet he that is least in the kingdom of heaven," that is, under the dispensation of the gospel, "is greater than he." Now, though this sense of "the kingdom of God" be not wholly excluded in the text, yet there is another sense of this phrase very usual likewise in the Scripture, and which is more agreeable to the scope of our Saviour's argument and discourse; and so it signifies that future state of happiness and glory which good men shall be advanced to in another world, in opposition to this life and the enjoyments of it, which our Saviour had before forbidden his disciples to be so solicitous about. "Take ye no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or what shrill we drink? or wherewithal shall we be clothed?" And then it follows in direct opposition to this inordinate and solicitous care about worldly things, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." That is, be not so solicitous about the conveniences and necessaries of this life, as about the happiness of the other, and the means to it. And this sense of this phrase of "the kingdom of God" is so very frequent in the New Testament, that I shall not need to give particular in stances of it. II. What is meant by righteousness; "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." Righteousness, in the strictest and most proper sense of the word, signifies the particular virtue of justice; and very frequently in the Old Testament it is used for charity to the poor, or alms-giving: (Psal. xxxvii. 25, 26.) "I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread; he is ever merciful, and lendeth;" and, (Psal. cxii. 9.) "He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness endureth for ever." But righteousness, in its largest and most extended sense, comprehends all the virtues of a good man; and so it signifies here in the text, and in many other places of Scripture. So that "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," comprehends the whole business of religion our last end, which is eternal life and happiness in another world, and the way and means to this end; which is righteousness, or that universal goodness which God requires of us, and whereof he himself is a pattern and example to us; for which reason it is called "his righteousness." And in this sense of our last end, and the way and means to it, the kingdom of heaven, and righteousness, are used in another place, even of this sermon of our Saviour's upon the mount: (Matt. v. 20.) "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven;" where righteousness is made the necessary means and condition of eternal life. I proceed, in the Second place, to explain what is meant by seeking "first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness/ And this signifies the greatest intention of mind, and earnestness of endeavour about the business of religion, in order to our attaining of eternal happiness, such a seriousness and earnestness of endeavour as earthly-minded men use about the things of this world. "For after all these things (says our Saviour, immediately after the text), do the gentiles seek;" ta` e'thne epizetei, which words signify an intense care and vigorous endeavour; "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;" that is, be ye, who profess yourselves Christians, as intent upon the business of religion, and the salvation of your souls, as the heathen, who are in a great measure ignorant of God and another life, are about the things of this life. And here are two things to be explained. I. What is here meant by seeking "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;" and, II. What by seeking them in the first place. For the first: A sincere and earnest seeking of "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," does imply in it these four things. 1. A fixed design and resolution as to the end; that we do not only propound to ourselves the eternal happiness and salvation of our souls, as our chief end, but that we be immoveably fixed upon it; and always have it in our aim and design; that here we set up our resolution, if it be possible, to be happy for ever; that we have this end always in our eye, and be firmly resolved to do all that we can towards attaining it. Not that we are obliged always actually to think upon it; but to have it frequently in our minds, and habitually to intend and design it, so as to make it the scope of all our endeavours and actions, and that every thing we do be either directly and immediately in order to it, or some way or other subservient to this design, or however not inconsistent with it; like the term and end of a man's journey, towards which the traveller is continually tending, and hath it always habitually in his intention, though he doth not always think of it every step that he takes; and though he be not always directly advancing and moving towards it, yet he never knowingly goes out of the way. And though he bait and lodge by the way, and does many other things which do not directly set him forward, yet they are all subservient to his journey, or in prosecution of it; or at least no wilful deviations from it. Thus it should be with us, while we are so journing in this world; our fixed aim and design should be to get to heaven, and thither we should he continually tending in our desires and endeavours. And if this resolution he deeply rooted and fixed in our minds, it will govern all our actions, and keep them steady to their main end. Whereas, if we he uncertain and unresolved upon our great end, and be divided between the happiness of the next life, and the present enjoyments of this, we shall be fickle and unsteady in all our motions. He that hath two ends, can pursue neither vigorously, but while he is moving towards the one, he leans and inclines to the other; and, like a needle between two loadstones, is always in a doubtful and trembling condition; inclines to both, but is constant to neither: and this is the meaning of that aphorism of St. James, "the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways." He that is unresolved as to his main end hath two minds, and ran prosecute nothing vigorously: but if our mind be once fixed and resolved, that will determine and govern all our motions, and inspire us with diligence, and zeal, and perseverance, in the prosecution of our end. 2. Seeking "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," implies incessant care and diligence as to the means; that we make religion our business, and exercise ourselves in the duties of it, both in public and private, at proper times and seasons, with the same seriousness and application of mind as men do in their callings and professions, for the gaining of wealth and preferment; especially on the Lord's-day, which God hath taken to himself, and set apart for the duties of his worship and service. Not that we are excused from minding religion at other times; but that those, who are pressed and straitened by the necessary cares of this life, may be sure to mind it then, and may have no colour of excuse for the neglect of it at that time, which God hath allotted for that very purpose, and which it is unlawful to employ about our worldly affairs. God expects that we should serve him at other times, that we should live in an habitual sense of him, and (as Solomon expresseth it, Prov. xxiii. 17.) "Be in the fear of the Lord all the day long;" so as to be careful not to offend or transgress in any thing, and so as to redeem all opportunities for the exercise of piety and devotion; but this day he peremptorily challenged! to himself, and expects we should employ it in his service, and dedicate it to religion, to the contemplation of God and heavenly things, and the care of our immortal souls, with the same seriousness and diligence as we do, upon other days, "labour for the bread that perisheth;" and the less leisure we have upon other days for this purpose, the more entirely should we devote and consecrate this day to the purposes and duties of religion. Not but that our whole life, and all the actions of it, should be under the government of religion, and directed by the laws and rules of it; and it should be our continual care and endeavour to please God in all things; and we should take as much pains, and be as heartily concerned to be good men, as the men of the world are to grow rich and great in this world; nay, so much more, by how much it is a better and nobler design to improve in grace and virtue, than to prosper and thrive in our temporal estate; and we do not in good earnest "seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness," if this be not our great study and endeavour, to subdue our lusts and govern our passions; and, in a word, to reform whatever is amiss in the inward frame and temper of our minds, and in our outward conversation. And, indeed, nothing does require greater diligence, and attention, and care, than for a man to become truly and thoroughly good, to be meek, and humble, and patient, and contented, and resigned to the will of God in every condition; to be peace able, and charitable, and placable, and ready to forgive: these are great and difficult things, and what ever we think, not the work of a wish, or the effect of a sudden resolution before the receiving of the holy sacrament; no, nor the fruit of frequent and fervent prayer, without the hearty concurrence of our own care and endeavour to render our lives such, as we pray God by his grace to assist and enable us to be. 3. Seeking "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," does further imply zeal and earnestness in the pursuit of this design; and this is a degree above diligence; for zeal is an ardour and fervency of mind in the prosecution of a thing for which we are greatly concerned, and which we vehemently desire to obtain; it is the hottest and most intense degree of our affection towards any thing of our desire and love, mixed with anger at every thing that stands in our way, and hinders us from obtaining what we seek after; such a heat as ambition doth commonly inspire men withal, in the pursuit of power and preferment. Such ought to be the temper of our minds, and the edge of our spirits, in "the kingdom of God," as does usually men in seeking the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them. We must remember, that it is a kingdom which we seek for, and aspire after; not like the unstable and tottering kingdoms of this world, but "a kingdom which cannot be shaken," as the apostle calls it. So that the greatness of the design, and the excellency of what we seek after, will justify and warrant the highest degree of a discreet zeal and fervour in the prosecution of it; and therefore no wonder that the Scripture, in this matter, useth words that import the greatest vehemency and earnestness, bidding us to "strive to enter in at the strait gate," to labour and watch, to run, and wrestle, and fight, and, in a word, to "give all diligence to make our calling and election sure." Lastly, Seeking "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," does imply patience and perseverance in our endeavours after them, and that we never cease our pursuit of them until we have obtained them; and this, notwithstanding all the difficulties and discouragements, the opposition and persecution, that we meet with "for righteousness' sake:" for this we must expect and reckon upon beforehand, to encounter many difficulties and find many discouragements in the ways of religion; for "strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life," as our Lord himself hath told us: nay, we must count to be grievously "persecuted for righteousness sake," and, if God see it good for us, to pass through many tribulations before we shall "enter into the kingdom of God;" and therefore we had need to be armed with a great deal of patience, and a very firm and obstinate resolution, to enable us to bear up, and to hold out against all these; for this is a necessary qualification for our seeking "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." So our Lord hath told us, (Matth. x. 22.) "he that endureth to the end shall be saved;" if we hope to receive the "crown of life," we must "be faithful to the death." (Rev. ii. 10.) And to the same purpose, St. Paul declares, (Rom. ii. 7.) that they only shall be made partakers of eternal life, "who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality." You see what is meant by "seeking the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; that is, let this be your main and principal design, so as to take place of all others in your esteem and affections, in your aim and endeavour; in comparison of this, mind nothing else, not the comforts and conveniences, no, not the necessaries of life, "what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, and wherewithal ye shall be clothed." These, you see, our Saviour instanceth in before the text, as not to be regarded and taken care of, when they come in competition with "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." And our Saviour tells us elsewhere, that not only none of the comforts and necessaries of life are to be valued against him and his religion, but that even temporal life itself, as dear as it is to us, is to be parted withal, and given up, rather than to quit the profession of his truth and religion. (Matth. x. 37, 38.) "He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me." He instanceth in the nearest relations, those towards whom we have the most tender and relenting affections, and yet he tells us, that the consideration of his truth and religion ought to take place of these, nay, even of life itself; for so it follows, and "he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." St. Luke expresseth it more strongly and vehemently; (Luke xiv. 26.) "If any man come to me (that is, take upon him the profession of my religion) and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." When these come in competition with our religion, and the great interest of our eternal salvation, we are to regard and value them no more than if they were the objects of our hatred; but to set aside all consideration of affection to them, so far as it would tempt us from constancy in our religion, and the care of our souls. So that when our Saviour bids us "first to seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness/ his meaning is, that religion, and the concernments of our souls, and the eternal happiness of them in another world, should be our first and chief care; and that all other things should be made subordinate and subservient to this great design, and be no farther minded by us than they really are so: for that which is our great end, will subdue all other things, and bring them into subjection to it, and will reject them, and throw them aside, if they be inconsistent with it. If heaven be our utmost aim, and in order to that, it be our great study and endeavour to be righteous and holy, this resolution and design, sincerely entertained, will overrule all other considerations, and make all the things of this world to stoop and give way to that which is our chief end, the eternal happiness and salvation of our souls. And thus have I done with the second thing I proposed; namely, what is meant by "seeking the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;" and what by "seeking them first." I proceed, in the third place, to lay down some plain rules for our direction and furtherance "in seeking the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;" that is, in the great business of religion. First, Let us always live under a lively and powerful sense of another world: that we are placed here in this world but for a little while, and that wholly in order to our preparation for a better and happier life. Let this thought be often in your minds:--that eternity is the most considerable duration, and the next world the place of our everlasting abode, where we must dwell and continue for over; and, therefore, our present state is but of little moment and consideration to us, but only in order to our future and everlasting condition. We may please ourselves here, for a little while, with toys and trifles, with dreams and shadows of pleasure and happiness, and may be exercised with some troubles and afflictions for a short space, "for a moment," as the apostle calls it; "our light afflictions, which are but for a moment;" and so, indeed, it is, compared with all eternity: but the substantial and durable happiness or misery remain for men in the other world, and will certainly be their portion, according as they have demeaned themselves in this world. Now, the serious consideration of this cannot fail to put us upon vigorous preparations for another world, and to make us wholly intent upon our eternal concernments, and to resolve, whatever becomes of us in this world, to take effectual care that we may be happy for ever. He that firmly believes the immortality of his soul, and a life after death, which will never have an end, must needs take into consideration his whole duration, and bend all his care and thoughts how he may avoid the greatest and most lasting misery, and secure to himself an immortality of bliss and happiness. Secondly, Let us always be under a conviction of the absolute and indispensable necessity of holiness and righteousness, as the only way and means whereby the kingdom of God is to be attained, and that holiness and happiness are not to be separated, the one being a necessary condition and qualification for the other; and, consequently, that it is the vainest thing in the world for any man to hope to enter into the kingdom of God, without endeavouring after his righteousness; there is so strong a connexion between them, that a man may as reasonably expect to be well and at ease without health, as to be happy without holiness; for this makes us like to God, and our likeness and conformity to God, is that alone which can make us capable of the blessed sight and enjoyment of God. We must be partakers of the Divine nature, in order to our participation of the Divine blessedness. And the consideration of this will effectually engage us to seek the righteousness of God, without which we shall never enter into his kingdom; and to follow holiness, "without which no man shall see the Lord." Thirdly, Let us always remember that righteousness is of a great extent, and comprehends in it all goodness; it takes in all the duties of religion, and the practice of all of them; it is a complication of all graces and virtues, of all the parts and ingredients, of all the duties and offices of a good man., To denominate a man righteous, all causes must concur; all the essential principles and parts of religion and goodness must meet together; knowledge and practice, faith and good works, right opinions and real virtues, an orthodox profession and a holy life, abstaining from sin and doing of righteousness, purity of heart and unspotted manners, godliness and honesty, the bridling of our tongue and the government of our passions, "and, above all things, charity, which is the bond of perfection." For righteousness is our conformity to the law of God, as unrighteousness and sin is the transgression of it. Now this, if it be real and sincere, will be uniform and universal, equally respecting all the laws of God, and every part of our known duty, and will not content itself with an especial regard to one or two precepts of the law, though never so considerable, and then allow itself in the neglect and violation of the rest; no, nor with the observation of the duties of one table of the law, if it overlook the other; no, nor with obedience to all the commandments of God, one only excepted. St. James hath put this very case, and determined it, that "he that shall keep the whole law, save only that he offend in one point, is guilty of all;" that is, he is not sincere in his obedience to the rest; and therefore, if we seek the righteousness of God, our righteousness must be universal; as he that hath called us is holy, so must we be holy in all manner of conversation, in the tenor of our actions, and the whole course of our lives: and anyone reigning sin and vice, any gross and notorious defect in the virtues of a good life, will spoil all our righteousness, and will effectually shut us out of the kingdom of heaven. Fourthly, Let us wisely subordinate the several parts and duties of religion to one another, according to the intrinsical worth and value of them, that so we may mind every part of religion in its due place, and according to the true nature and importance of it. Knowledge and faith are in order to practice, and a good life; and signify nothing unless they produce that; the means of religion, such as prayer and fasting, diligent reading and hearing the word of God, reverent and devout receiving of the blessed sacrament, are of less account and value than that which is the end of all these, which is to make us inwardly and really good, and fruitful in all the works of righteousness, which, by Jesus Christ, are to the praise and glory of God. And therefore, the means of religion, which I have mentioned, are to be regarded and used by us in order to the attaining of these ends, without which they are mere formality and hypocrisy; and, instead of finding acceptance with God, they are an abomination to him, and his soul hates them. And so, likewise, the circumstances of religion are less considerable than the substantial means and instruments of it. And, therefore, all rites and ceremonies are, in religion, of less consideration than the substance of God's worship, and ought always to be subordinate to it. In like manner the moral duties of religion, comprehended under the two great commandments, of the love of God and our neighbour, because they are of eternal and in dispensable obligation, are to be preferred to matters of mere positive institution; and where they cannot stand together, that which is positive ought to be set aside, and to give way, for the present, to that which is moral and good in its own nature, and not only because it is commanded and enjoined; for, in this case, God hath expressly declared that he "will have mercy and not sacrifice." Upon which ground our Saviour declares, that the law of the sabbath ought to give place to works of mercy. Upon the same account peace and charity are to be valued above matters of nicety and scruple, of doubtful dispute and controversy; because the former are unquestionably good, the latter doubtfully and uncertainly so. All these things ought to be considered, and are of great moment to make a man sincerely and wisely religious. For men may keep a great stir about some parts of religion, and be very careful and diligent, zealous and earnest about the means and instruments of religion, and in the exercises of piety and devotion, and yet be destitute of the power and life of it, and fall short of that inward, and real, and substantial righteousness, which alone can qualify us for the kingdom of God. The fifth and last direction I would give is this--That we have a particular regard to the great duty of charity, or alms-giving, this being very frequently in Scripture called righteousness, as being an eminent part of religion, and a great evidence of the truth and sincerity of our piety. And this our Saviour particularly directs to, as the way to the kingdom of God. (Luke xii.33.) After this general exhortation to seek the kingdom of God, he instanceth in charity, as the direct way to it: u Give alms, provide for yourselves bags that wax not old, a treasure in the heavens which faileth not." And else where our Saviour speaks of this grace and virtue, as that which, above all others, will make way for our admission into heaven: (Luke xvi. 9.) "I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that, when ye fail, they may receive you (or ye may be received) into everlasting habitations." And St. Paul calls it, "laying up in store for ourselves a good foundation; or (as the word may better be rendered in this place) "a good treasure against the time to come, that we may lay hold on eternal life: (1 Tim. vi. 19.) St. James speaks of it as a main and most essential part of religion, and the great evidence of a true and sincere piety. (Jam. i. 27.) "Pure religion, and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." Finally, our Lord instanceth in this, as the very thing which will admit us into, or shut us out of, heaven; by the performance whereof we shall be absolved, and for the neglect whereof we shall be condemned in the judgment of the great day. (Matth. xxv.) So that this part of righteousness or religion, ought, in a more especial manner, to be regarded by us, because, upon the performance or neglect of this duty, our eternal happiness doth so much depend. The fourth and last thing only remains to be spoken to; which is, to set before you the most proper and powerful motives and encouragements to the minding of this great interest and concernment. But this will be the subject of another discourse. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON XCIV. RELIGION, OUR FIRST AND GREAT CONCERNMENT. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.--Matt. vi. 33. THESE words, which I began to discourse upon the last day, are a strict charge and command to all Christians, to mind the business of religion in the first place, and to take all imaginable care to secure the happiness of another life; "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." In the handling of which argument, First, I explained what is meant by "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." Secondly, I shewed what is meant by seeking these, and what by seeking them first. Thirdly, I laid down some rules for our direction and furtherance in this great business. I shall now proceed to represent to you, in the Fourth and last place, some of the most proper and powerful arguments and encouragements, to engage us to the minding of this great interest and concernment; amongst which I shall, in the last place, particularly consider the encouragement here given in the text, "Seek ye first the kingdom; of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." First, My first argument shall be from the worth excellency of the things we seek, "the kingdom of God and his righteousness," which are certainly the greatest and best things we can seek. "The kingdom of God" is the eternal salvation of our souls, everlasting life and happiness in another world, which, to animate our endeavours, and to tempt our ambition the more, are set forth to us under the notion of a kingdom. And what will not men do to obtain that? what pains will they not take? what hazards will they not run? what difficulties will they not grapple with and break through, if they can, to come tea kingdom? which, when they have obtained, they are exposed to as many, and commonly to more cares and fears, to greater difficulties and dangers in the keeping, than they were for the getting of it: and yet all this men will do for a corruptible crown, for one of the petty kingdoms and principalities of this world, which are continually tottering and ready to be overturned by open violence, or to be undermined by secret treachery. But "the kingdom" which I am speaking of, and persuading you and myself to seek after, is not like the kingdoms of men, and of this world; it is called "the kingdom of God," to signify to us the excellency and stability of it; as much beyond any of the kingdoms of this world, as the heavens are high above the earth, and as God is greater than man; "a kingdom which cannot be shaken, a crown which fadeth not away," a sceptre which cannot be wrested from us. But to quit the metaphor, and speak to the thing: "The kingdom of God" imports the eternal salvation of our souls; I say of our souls, which, both in respect of the dignity of their nature and I heir immortal duration, are infinitely more valuable than any of the perishing things of this world, and ought to be Hindi dearer to us. Other things art; without us, they neither constitute our being, nor are essential to our happiness; but our souls are ourselves, and the loss of them is our utter ruin and destruction. So that nothing is to be regarded by us with equal care and concernment as the salvation of our immortal souls; that is, that we may be rescued from eternal misery, and everlastingly happy in another world. And can we be at too much cost and pains upon such a design, to escape so dismal a condition, so dreadful a ruin, as that of body and soul to all eternity? Can any man be concerned enough to bring about so great a good to himself? or, can he purchase it too dear, whatever he give or part with for it? a good so desirable and so durable as our being happy for ever. When we purchase the things of this world, the riches and honours of it, at the expense of so much time, and care, and trouble, we pay dear for trifles and fancies; but eternal happiness is a jewel of so inestimable a price, that a wise merchant will have it at any rate, and sell all that he hath to purchase it. Of such value is "the kingdom of God;" and next to it is righteousness, which is the only way and means whereby this kingdom is to be attained, and therefore to be sought by us with the greatest diligence and earnestness: for that which is the only means to a great and desirable end, and which alone can make us capable of that end, and which in truth is a degree of it, is valuable next to the end, and almost equally with it; and such is righteousness in respect of "the kingdom of God;" it is the only means to it, it is that alone which qualifies us, and makes us capable of happiness; nay, it is an essential ingredient into it, and that which does in a great measure constitute the happiness of heaven; for that temper of mind, that conformity and likeness to God, which holiness and righteousness brings us to, is the true foundation of our happiness, and, according to the best apprehensions we have now of it, is the very formal cause and essence of our blessedness. So St. John tells us: (1 John iii. 2.) "It doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him;" that is, we do not now distinctly understand wherein the happiness of the next life consists, we are not able to frame a clear and perfect idea of it; but this we know, in general, that it consists in our likeness to God, in a conformity to the moral perfections of the Divine nature, which are expressed by the name of purity and holiness; and therefore every one that hopes for the happiness of heaven must endeavour after holiness: "Every man that hath this hope in him must purify himself, oven as he is pure." So that the things which I am pressing you to seek after are most effectually recommended, by telling you what they are; "the kingdom of God" is eternal life and happiness, and "his righteousness" is universal holiness and goodness, without which no man is qualified for this blessed state. Now if there be any thing better than goodness, any thing more desirable than a happiness which hath no bounds, nor no end; do not mind them, nor look after them; but if there be not, then certainly these are worthy of the care and endeavour of our whole life. Secondly, Another consideration that should very much excite, and quicken our endeavour and diligence, in seeking these things, is the difficulty of obtaining them.. This, I confess, is no encouragement, but it is a very good motive and argument to whet our industry in seeking these things, when we plainly see that they are not to be had upon other terms. And this consideration our Saviour useth to quicken us to strive and to contend earnestly for eternal life: (Matt. vii. 14.) "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth to life, and few there be that find it." And, (Luke xiii. i24.) "Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." Seeking here, in opposition to striving;, is a faint and weak endeavour, which will not carry us through this narrow and difficult passage; and this is the reason why many miscarry, who made some attempts towards heaven; but they do not strive, they do not put forth any vigorous endeavours to get thither. Now the difficulty of attaining eternal happiness ariseth from the difficulty of the way and means to it; and it is then fore hard to attain "the kingdom of God," because it is hard to attain "his righteousness." As desirable as it is, it must be acknowledged very difficult for a man to raise himself to that temper and disposition of mind, so to subdue his lusts, and govern his passions, to bridle his tongue, and order all the actions of his life, as is necessary to qualify him for happiness, and to make him fit to be admitted into "the kingdom of God." And this difficulty is chiefly in ourselves, but greatly increased by temptation and opposition from without. Chiefly, I say, in ourselves, from the strong bias of our evil and corrupt inclinations, and the strong power of vicious habits and customs, which, when they are grown inveterate, do tyrannize over us, and make us perfect slaves, and lead ns captive at their pleasure; so that our nature must be quite changed, and, as the apostle expresseth it, we must be "renewed in the spirit of our minds," our souls must be new moulded and fashioned, we must be, as it were, created and born again, before we can "enter into the kingdom of God." In this our Saviour is positive and peremptory: (John iii. 3.) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." This difficulty, indeed, is greatest at first, but it is considerable afterwards, until a thorough change be made, and new inclinations planted in us, and the contrary habits of grace and virtue be superinduced. And that which increaseth the difficulty is out ward temptation and opposition from the world and the devil; which to withstand and resist, requires great courage and resolution, great watchfulness and guard over ourselves. But yet, for our comfort, these difficulties are not insuperable to that grace and assistance which God is always ready to afford to us upon so good an occasion, and to so good a purpose; "greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." And this, I am sure, is matter of great encouragement to us, that, though the difficulty of working out our salvation be great, yet, if we do in good earnest set about it, God is ready to assist and second our sincere endeavours, "to work in us both to will and to do of his own goodness," and so to prevent us with his gracious favour, and to further us with his continual aid, that finally by his mercy we may obtain eternal life. Thirdly, Another powerful argument to care and diligence, is, the fatal danger of miscarriage in a matter of so great concernment. We may do many things in religion, and take some pains to get to heaven, and yet fall short of it. The rich young man in the gospel, our Saviour tells us, was "not far from the kingdom of God;" and he broke with our Saviour only upon one point--he was too much addicted to the world, and loath to part with his great possessions, and distribute them in charity to the poor; and thereupon he left our Saviour, and, for any thing we can find, never returned to him again. If the world govern and bear sway in our hearts, if we mind earthly things first, and make these our chief care and design, the kingdom of God and his righteousness shall not be added unto us; if we will not mind them in the first place, they are too good to be accessaries. And if upon any one point we miscarry, either out of love to the world, or affection to any other lust or vice that we are loath to part withal, our miscarriage is fatal, and the ruin which we bring upon ourselves irreparable; for the soul once lost, is lost for ever. If we have neglected the opportunity of working out our own salvation, while we are in this world, it will never return into our power again; death will shut the door against us, and we shall never see the kingdom of God. Fourthly, It is a mighty encouragement to us to consider, that, if we sincerely seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, there is not only a fair probability of obtaining them, but all the security We can desire. Men may be in good earnest for the things of this world, may love them with nil their hearts and souls (as we see too many do) and seek them with all their might and strength; and yet, after all their endeavours, may be shamefully frustrated and disappointed of their end. There are many examples of this kind daily before our eyes, and yet men are not discouraged from seeking these things. A fair probability, nay, almost a possibility of attaining them, is enough to a worldly-minded man to drudge and toil for them. Why, the same affection, the same zeal, the same unwearied endeavour to please God, and to save our souls, would infallibly bring us to heaven. It was a sad but true saying of Cardinal Wolsey, when he was leaving the world, "Had I been but as careful to please God, as I have been to serve my prince, he would not have forsaken me now in the time of my grey hairs." Nay, it is to be hoped, that less diligence and care about the concernments of our souls and another life, than many men use about the things of this life, will secure our eternal happiness, or else it is to be feared that but very few would be saved: and who would not place his industry, and endeavour upon a design in which he is sure not to miscarry, if he do but heartily and in good earnest pursue it? especially when it will be of infinite greater advantage to him, than any design he can propound to himself for this world. If a man may be certainly happy for ever, upon the same or easier terms, than he can ordinarily compass any of those little designs which men propose to themselves in this world, who would not seek that which is most worthy the having, and which he is surest to maintain? Fifthly and lastly, The encouragement here in the text is not inconsiderable; that if we "seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, all these things shall be added unto us." This certainly is a very tempting consideration; for who would not be glad to reconcile the enjoyment of this world with the hopes of heaven and eternal happiness? But men do not generally like our Saviour's method--they would seek the things of this world in the first place, and get to heaven at last; they would be content to seek the one, and have the other cast in and conferred upon them without their seeking. But this will not be granted, this way will not do. And yet our Saviour has gone as far as one would think could in reason be desired; he hath promised, that if we will make religion, and the salvation of our souls, our first and chief care, that "all these things shall be added unto us." So that the design of going to heaven, and being happy for ever, is no ways inconsistent with a competent portion of the things of this life. Godliness (the apostle tells us) "hath the promise of this life, and of that which is to come." The business of religion, the practice of a holy and virtuous life, is no hinderance to a man's thriving in his temporal estate: nay, in many respects, it is apt to promote and advance it; by engaging us to diligence in our calling, and by deriving the blessing of God upon our honest and lawful endeavours; by obliging us to the strict and constant practice of truth, and justice, and fidelity, in all our dealings and commerce, which are the best way to establish a clear and solid reputation, and good esteem among men, which is an unspeakable advantage in business, and, at the long run, one of the best and most lasting instruments of prosperity and success. Besides that, religion frees a man from those passions and vices which do naturally tend to dissipate and ruin men's estates; as intemperance and lewdness, which are every way chargeable vices, and do not only take men off from business, and render them unfit for it; but waste their estates, and bring many other inconveniences upon their persons and families. Religion makes men meek and peaceable, and inoffensive in word and deed, which is a great security against chargeable suits and contentions, and all sorts of injuries and affronts from others. Among all the beatitudes of our Saviour, he only promiseth temporal happiness to meekness: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." They who provoke and offend nobody, are likely to be least disturbed and disquieted by others in their possessions and enjoyments; "Who will harm you, (saith the apostle, 1 Peter iii. 13.) if ye be followers of that which is good?" Some may be so perverse as to persecute a man for his goodness; but it rarely happens; most men have not only a kindness, but a veneration for true goodness. By all these ways religion naturally tends to the temporal prosperity of men, and the promoting of their welfare and happiness even in this world; besides that, the providence of God is very peculiarly concerned for good men, and a special blessing at tends them in all their undertakings. So that, excepting the case of persecution (which God will particularly consider and reward in another world), the religious and good man, who sincerely "seeks the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," stands as fair, and is upon as good terms for all the lawful enjoyments of this world, as he that makes it his only design to be rich and great in this world; nay, as to the necessaries of this life, and a competency of outward things, he hath a much greater and better security from the providence and promise of God, than the men of the world have by all their care and pains. Besides that, he hath this considerable advantage, by minding these things only as accessaries, that, if he miss of them, he hath something better to support him in the want of them; being secure of a happiness which this world can neither give nor take from him. But now the worldly man, if he be defeated in his designs, is of all men most miserable, because he hath nothing else to comfort him, nothing else to trust to; he fails of his hopes as to this world, and hath done what in him lies to make his case desperate as to the other. Upon all these considerations and encouragements, you see how reasonable it is that we should make religion, and the concernment of another life, our great care and business. And yet, how are these neglected by the greatest part of mankind! and by the best of us (God knows) not minded as they ought, and as they deserve! What can we say for ourselves in excuse of so intolerable a folly? There are two or three things which men commonly pretend, if not in justification, yet in mitigation and excuse, of this great neglect. First, They pretend great difficulties and discouragements in the ways of religion. This I have already acknowledged to be true, so far as to awaken our care, and to whet our industry; but by no means to make us despond and give over all care of so great a concernment, because of the difficulties it is at tended withal. Men who have no mind to a thing, are apt to imagine great difficulties in the attaining of it, and to magnify them in their fancies beyond reason. As the people of Israel, when they were to enter into Canaan (which was the type of the kingdom of heaven), represented the inhabitants of the land, whom they were to conquer, more terrible than in truth they were; reporting to one another, that the land was full of giants, and sons of Anak, men of prodigious stature, and cities walled up to heaven. And this the wise man observes to be the perpetual excuse of the slothful; when they have no mind to a thing, they say "there is a lion in the way;" that is, they fancy to themselves dangers and terrors which are not. Thus men who are averse from religion, and have no mind to be at the trouble and pains to get to heaven, are apt to complain of the monstrous and insuperable difficulties of religion, and how hard it is for a man to mortify his lusts, and subdue his appetites, and govern his passions, and to do all those things which are necessary to bring him to heaven. Well! it is acknowledged to be difficult, and is it not so to get an estate, and to rise to any thing in this world? The true pains which men take about these things, shew that they are difficult; only when men have a mind to a thing, and their heart is set upon it, they do not stand to complain of the difficulty, but buckle to it, and grapple with it. Is religion difficult? And what is not so, that is good for any thing? Is not the law a difficult and crabbed study? Does it not require great labour, and perpetual drudging, to excel in any kind of knowledge, to be master of any art or profession? In a word, is there any thing in the world worthy the having, that is to be gotten without pains? And is eternal life and glory the only slight and inconsiderable thing that is not worth our care and industry? Is it fit that so great a good should be exposed to the faint and idle wishes, to the cheap and lazy endeavours of slothful men? For, what reason, nay, with what conscience, can he bid less for heaven and eternal life, than men are contented to give for the things of this world; things of no value in comparison, not worthy the toiling for, not sure to be attained by all our endeavours; things which perish in the using, and which, when we have them, we are liable to be deprived of by a thousand accidents? One fit of a fever may shatter our understandings, and confound all our knowledge, and turn us into fools and idiots; an inundation or a fire may sweep away and devour our estates; a succession of calamities may, in a few hours, make the richest and greatest man as poor as Job, and set him upon a dunghill. But be the difficulty what it will of attaining "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," they are to be sought at any rate; because they are absolutely necessary, and we miserable and undone if we have them not. And therefore, not to dissemble in the matter, the difficulties of religion are considerable; but then they are much greater at first, and will every day abate and grow less, and the work by degrees will become easy, and turn into pleasure and delight: a pleasure so great, as none knows but he that hath it; and he that hath it, would not exchange it for all the sensual pleasures and enjoyments of this world. Secondly, Others pretend want of time for the minding of so great a work. And it is very true, that all persons have not equal leisure for this purpose; some are much more straitened than others, and more taken up with the necessary cares of this life; but God hath put no man upon this hard necessity, that for want of time he shall be forced to neglect his body and his health, his family and estate, to save his soul. And yet, if any man were brought to this distress, it were well worth his while to secure his eternal salvation, though it were with the neglect and loss of all other things. But those who are most straitened for time, have so much as is absolutely necessary; for there is a considerable part of religion which does not require time, but resolution and care: not to commit sin, not to break the laws of God, not to be intemperate, "to make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof," does not spend time, but saves it for better purposes; so that every man hath time not to do that which he ought not to do: and for the positive part of religion, whether it consists in the exercise of our minds, or in the external acts of religion, no man is so distressed, but he hath time to think of heaven and eternity; time to love God, to esteem him, and delight in him above all things. And this a man may do very frequently, and very acceptably, while he is labouring and travailing about his worldly affairs, while his hand is upon the plough his heart may be with God; and while he converseth here upon earth, his thoughts and affections may be in heaven. Every man hath time to pray to God every day, for his mercy and forgiveness, for his grace and assistance, for his preservation and support, and to thank him heartily for all his blessings and benefits. And a little time seriously employed in this kind, would have the same acceptance with God, as the more solemn and longer devotions of those who have more leisure and opportunities for them. To be sure, we have all of us time to serve God upon his own day, and to employ it wholly in the exercises of piety, and the care and consideration of our souls. But this, when all is said, is the case but of a very few; most of us have no colour for this complaint; Non inopes temporis, sed prodigi sumus (as Seneca says), "We are not poor, but prodigal of our time, and lavish it away profusely upon folly and vanity." Our vices and lusts, our pleasures and diversions, consume and divert those precious hours, which should be employed to these better purposes; nay, many times time oppresseth us, and is a burden to us, and lies upon our hands, and we know not how to get rid of it; and yet we choose rather to let it run waste, than to bestow it upon religion, and the care of our souls; insomuch, that I fear this will be the condition of many, that when they were at a loss what to do with their time, and knew not how to spend it, they would not lay it out upon that which was best and most necessary; for this surely is the very best use that can be made of time, to prepare and provide for eternity. Thirdly, Others pretend it will be time enough to mind these things hereafter. But this (as bad excuses seldom hang together, and agree with one another) directly contradicts the former pretence, which supposeth so much time necessary, and more than many have to spare; and yet now they would make us believe that a very little time will suffice for this work, and that it may be done at any time, even just when we are going out of this world. But this, of all other, is the strangest interpretation of seeking "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness" first, to put it off to the very last. This surely is a greater error on the other hand, to think that the business of religion is so quickly to be dispatched, and that the great work of our lives can be crowded into so narrow a corner of it, that the time of sickness and old age, nay, the hour of death, well employed to this purpose, will be sufficient. Alas! what can we then do that is good for any thing? that can in reason be thought either acceptable to God, or available for ourselves? When we have not sense and understanding enough to dispose of our temporal concernments, and to make our wills, do we think we shall be fit to repent of the sins and miscarriages of our whole lives, and to make our peace with God? Every man must not expect to have Saul's fortune, who, when he was wearied with seeking his father's asses, met with a kingdom. We must not think, when we are tired with pursuing the follies and vanities of this world, to retire into heaven, and to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. Our Saviour hath taken care to caution us against this desperate folly, by a parable to this very purpose, of the foolish virgins; who, having trifled away their time till the bridegroom was coming, and neglected to get oil into their lamps (by which we are to understand all those good preparations and dispositions which are necessary to qualify us for the kingdom of God); I say, having neglected their opportunity of getting this oil, while they were looking after it too late, the door was shut against them; they thought to have repaired all at last, by borrowing of others, and supplying themselves that way. And thus many deceive themselves, hoping to be supplied out of another store, when they have no grace and goodness of their own; out of the treasure of the church, from the redundant merit of the saints, and their works of supererogation; of which some believe (I know not for what reason) that there is a great stock which the pope may dispose of, to supply those who have taken no care to get oil into their lamps. But I know not for what reason works of supererogation are supposed; the wise virgins knew not of any merit they had to spare; it was the foolish virgins only that entertained this senseless conceit. I am sure the parable insinuates the quite contrary; that the best and holiest persons (which are represented by the wise virgins) have nothing to spare for the supply of others, who have been careless of their souls; "the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out; but the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you; but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. It seems they had no works of supererogation that they knew of; but they do ironically send them to a market that was set up somewhere, and where these things were pretended to be sold: but how they sped the conclusion of the parable tells us, that, whilst they were running about in great haste to make this purchase of the merits and good works of others, the bridegroom came, and the wise virgins that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the rest were shut out. And there are those likewise among ourselves, who, having been careless to qualify themselves for the kingdom of God, hope to be supplied out of the infinite treasure of Christ's merits: but this also is a vain hope. For though there be merit enough in the death and sufferings of Christ to save all mankind, yet no man can lay claim thereto who does not perform the conditions of the gospel. Others think, by sending for the minister, when the physician hath given them over, to receive in a few hours such advice and direction, as will do their business as effectually as if they had minded religion all their lives long; and that a few devout prayers said over them, when they are just embarking for another world, will, like a magic wind, immediately waft them over into the regions of bliss and immortality. But let us not deceive ourselves; we may defer the business so long, till we shall get nothing by our late application to God, and crying to him, "Lord, Lord, open unto us," but that severe answer, "Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, I know not whence ye are." If we would not have this our doom, let us "first seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," that so, "having our fruit unto holiness, our end may be everlasting life." __________________________________________________________________ SERMON XCV. THE WISDOM OF RELIGION. I have seen an end of all perfection; but thy commandment is exceeding broad.--Psal. cxix. 90. THIS psalm seems to have a great deal more of poetical number and skill in it, than at this distance from the time and age in which it was written, we can easily understand; the main scope and design of it is very plain and. obvious; namely, to magnify the law of God, and the observation of its precepts, as that wherein true religion doth mainly consist. And, indeed, if we attentively read and consider it, every part of this psalm does with great variety of expression, and yet very little difference of the sense, des cant upon the same ground; viz. the excellency and perfection of the law of God. And the words of the text seem to be as full and comprehensive of the sense and design of the whole psalm, as any one sentence in it; "I have seen an end of all perfection; but thy commandment is exceeding broad." These words are variously rendered and under stood by interpreters, who yet in this variety do very much conspire and agree in the same sense. The Chaldee paraphrase renders the words thus: "I have seen an end of all things, about which I have employed my care; but thy commandment is very large." The Syriac version thus: "I have seen an end of all regions and countries (that is, I have found the compass of this habitable world to be finite and limited); but thy commandment is of a vast extent." Others explain it thus: "I have seen an end of all perfection;" that is, of all the things of this world, which men value and esteem at so high a rate; of all worldly wisdom and knowledge, of wealth, and honour, and greatness, which do all perish and pass away; "but thy law is eternal, and still abideth the same;" or, as the Scripture else where expresseth it, "the word of the Lord endureth for ever." Thy law; that is, the rule of our duty natural and revealed; or, in a word, religion, which consists in the knowledge and practice of the laws of God, is of greater perfection than all other things which are so highly valued in this world; for the perfection of it is infinite, and of a vast influence and extent; it reacheth to the whole man, to the happiness of body and soul; to our whole duration, both in this world and the next; of this life, and of that which is to come. And this will clearly appear, if we consider the reasonableness and the wisdom of religion, which consists in the knowledge of God, and the keeping of his laws. First, The reasonableness of religion, which is able to give a very good account of itself, because it settles the mind of man upon a firm basis, and keeps it from rolling in perpetual uncertainty; whereas atheism and in6delity wants a stable foundation; it centres no where but in the denial of God and religion, and yet substitutes no principle, no tenable and constituent scheme of things, in the place of them; its whole business is to unravel all things, to unsettle the mind of man, and to shake all the common notions and received principles of mankind; it bends its whole force to pull down and to destroy, but lays no foundation to build any thing upon in the stead of that which it pulls down. It runs upon that great absurdity which Aristotle (who was always thought a great master of reason) does every where decry, as a principle unworthy of a philosopher; namely, a progress of causes in infinitum, and without end; that this was the cause of that, and a third thing of that, and so on without end, which amounts to just nothing; and finally resolves an infinite number of effects into no first cause; than which nothing can be more unskilful and bung ling, and less worthy of a philosopher. But this I do not intend at present to insist upon, having treated largely on the same subject upon another [1] occasion. I shall therefore proceed, in the Second place, to consider the wisdom of religion. "The fear of the Lord is wisdom," so saith the psalmist; it is true wisdom indeed, it is the beginning of wisdom, caput sapientiae, the top and perfection of all wisdom. Here true wisdom begins, and upon this foundation it is raised and carried on to perfection; and I shall, in my following discourse, endeavour to make out these two things: First, That true wisdom begins and is founded in religion, in the fear of God, and in the keeping of his commandments. Secondly, That this is the perfection of wisdom; there is no wisdom without this, nor beyond it. First, True wisdom begins and is founded in religion, and the fear of God, and regard to his laws. This is the first principle of wisdom, and the foundation upon which the whole design of our happiness is to be built. This is, in the first place, to be supposed, and to be taken into consideration in all the designs and actions of men: this is to govern our whole life, and to have a main influence upon all the affairs and concernments of it. As the first principle of human society, and that which is to run through the whole frame of it, is the public good; this was always to be taken into consideration, and to give law to all laws and constitutions about it: so religion is the first principle of human wisdom, by which all our actions are to be conducted and governed; and all wisdom which does not begin here, and lay religion for its foundation, is preposterous, and begins at the wrong end; and is just as if, in the forming of human society, every one in the settlement of the constitution, and the framing of laws, should have an eye to his own private and particular advantage, without regard to the public good, which is the great end of society, and the rule and measure of government and laws, and, in the last issue and result of things, the only way to procure the settled welfare, and to secure the lasting interests of particular persons, so far as that is consistent with the public good. And it would be a very preposterous policy to go about to found human society upon any other terms, and would certainly end in mischief and confusion. And such is all the wisdom of men, in relation to their true happiness, which does not begin with religion, and lay its foundation there: which does not take into consideration God and his providence, and a future state of rewards and punishments after this life. All wisdom which does not proceed upon a supposition of the truth and reality of these principles, will certainly end in shame and disappointment, in misery and ruin; because it builds a house upon the sand, which when it comes to be tried by stress of weather, and assaulted by violent storms, will undoubtedly fall, and the fall of it will be great. And this error every man commits who pursues happiness by following his own inclination, and gratifying his irregular desires, without any consideration of God, and of the restraint which his laws have laid upon us, not for his own pleasure but for our good. For when all things are duly considered, and all accounts cast up, it will appear, upon a just calculation of things, that all the restraints which the laws of God lay upon men are highly reasonable, and greatly for their benefit and advantage, and do not abridge us of any pleasure or happiness; but are wise and merciful provisions of heaven, to prevent our harm and mischief; so that we are not wise, if we act without regard to God, and his laws, and are not willing to be governed by him, who loves us better than we do ourselves, and truly designs our happiness, and commands us nothing but what directly tends to it. For the laws of God are not arbitrary constitutions, and mere in stances of sovereign will and power; but wise rules and means to procure and advance our happiness. And, in like manner, all that wisdom which men use to compass their worldly designs, of riches and greatness, without consideration of the providence of God, and dependance upon it for the success of our affairs, is all perfect folly and mistake. For though the design be never so well laid and vigorously prosecuted, and no means, which human wisdom can devise for the attaining of our end, have been omitted by us; yet, if we leave God out of the account, we forget that which is principal, and signifies more to the success of any design, than all other things put together. For if God favours our designs, the most improbable shall take effect; and if he blow upon them, the most likely shall miscarry. Whenever he pleaseth to interpose to cross the counsels and designs of men, "the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither yet bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favour to men of skill; but time and chance happens to all." So that it is great folly not to consider the providence of God in all our designs and undertakings, not to implore his favour and blessing, without which nothing that we take in hand can pros per. That which is principal to any purpose, ought to be considered in the first place, nothing being to be attempted either without or against it. And such is the providence of God in all human affairs; it is more considerable to the promoting or hindering of any event, than all things in the world besides; and therefore all policy, which sets aside God and his providence is vain; because there is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel, against the Lord. So likewise all that wisdom which only considers and regards this short life, and the narrow concernments of it, and makes provision only for our welfare in this world; and therefore can only be tempted with the hopes of temporal advantages, and terrified only with the danger of temporal evils and sufferings; but hath no sense of an immortal spirit within us, no prospect of a life after death, no consideration of a happy or miserable eternity, of rewards and punishments, infinitely greater than all the temptations and terrors of time and sense: I say, all this is a preposterous and pernicious wisdom, and proceeds upon a false supposition, and a quite contrary scheme of things to what really is; and consequently, our whole life, and all the designs and actions of it, do run upon a perpetual mistake, and a false stating of our own case; and whatever we do pursuant to this mistake is foolish and hurtful, and so far from conducing to our true interest, that it is all either besides it or contrary to it; because we act upon a supposal only of this life, and a being only in this world, and that there is nothing either to be feared or hoped for beyond it; and being thus grossly mistaken, we set our hearts only upon temporal things, and study our present security and satisfaction; and, in all our counsels and actions, are swayed only by the consideration of temporal good and evil, of the present ease and pleasure, the disturbance and pain of our fleshly and sensual parts; without any sense of our own immortality, and of that everlasting state which remains for us in another world. But there is (my brethren) most certainly, there is another life after this; we are not beasts, if we do not make ourselves so; and if we die, we shall not die like them, neither shall our last end be like theirs. For whatever we may think or wish, it shall not be in our power to extinguish our own beings when we have a mind to be rid of them, and to choose whether or no we shall live for ever. And if this be a false scheme of things which we have framed to ourselves, and proceed upon (as undoubtedly it is), then our whole life is one great error, and a perpetual mistake, and we are quite wrong in all that we design to do. Our wisdom hath begun at the wrong end, and we have made a false calculation and account of things, and have put our case otherwise than it is; and the farther we proceed upon this mistake, our miscarriage will be so much the more fatal in the issue. But if our wisdom begin at the right end, and our case be truly stated, that God hath put into these frail and mortal bodies of ours immortal spirits that shall live for ever; and hath sent us into this world to sojourn here for a little while, and to be disciplined and trained up for eternity; and that, after a short proof and trial of our obedience, we shall be translated into an everlasting state of unspeakable happiness or misery, according as we have demeaned ourselves in this world; if we believe this to be truly our case, our interest is then plainly before us, and we see where our happiness lies, and what remains for us to do, in order to the obtaining of it, and what we are to expect to suffer if we do it not. Now this foundation being laid, it is evident, that the best thing we can do for ourselves, is to provide for our future state, and to secure the everlasting happiness of another life. And the best way to do that is, to live in obedience to those laws which our Maker and our sovereign hath prescribed to us; and according to which he will one day sentence us to eternal rewards or punishments. It is evident, likewise, that all our sensual appetites and desires are to be bounded by the rules of reason and virtue, which are the laws of God; and that no present ease and pleasure, trouble and suffering, are to be considered and regarded by us, in competition with the things which are eternal; and that sin is of all other the greatest evil, and most mischievous to our main interest, and therefore with all possible care to be avoided; and that the favour of God is to be sought, and the salvation of our souls to be provided for, at any pains and expense whatsoever, and even with the hazard and loss of our dearest interests in this world, yea, and of life itself. And now, if this matter hath been rightly stated, then religion and the fear of God is the first principle and foundation of true wisdom, and that which we are to consider, and take along with us in all the designs and actions of our lives; and all wisdom which does not begin here is preposterous, and will prove folly in the issue. Secondly, As religion is the beginning of wisdom, so it is the perfection of it; it is the highest point of wisdom in which we can be instructed: "The fear of the Lord (says Solomon, Prov. xv. 33.) is the instruction of wisdom." "A good understanding (says David, Psal. cxi. 10.) have all they that do his commandments." The practice of religion is the perfection of wisdom; and he understands himself best who lives most according to the laws of God. And this I might shew, by instancing in particular virtues, the practice whereof is much wiser, and every way more for our interest, than the contrary vices; but this is too large an argument to engage in, and therefore I shall content myself at present, briefly to shew, that the chief characters and proper ties of wisdom do all meet in religion, and agree to it. The first point of wisdom is to understand our true interest, and to be right in our main end; and in this religion will best instruct and direct us. And if we be right in our main end, and true to the interest of it, we cannot miscarry: but if a man mistake in this, he errs fatally, and his whole life is vanity and folly. Another property of wisdom is to be steady and vigorous in the prosecution of our main end; to oblige us hereto religion gives us the most powerful arguments--the glorious happiness, and the dismal misery of another world. The next point of wisdom is, to make all things stoop and become subservient to our main end. And wherever religion bears sway, it will make all other things subordinate to the salvation of our souls, and the interests of our everlasting happiness; as the men of this world make every thing to submit and give way to their covetous, and ambitious, and sensual designs. Another part of wisdom is to consider the future, and to look to the last end and issue of things. It is a common folly among men to be so intent upon the present, as to have little or no regard to the future, to what will be hereafter. Men design and labour for this present life, and their short continuance here in this world, without taking into serious consideration their main duration, and their eternal abode in another world. But religion gives us a clear prospect of a life after death, and overlooks time, and makes eternity always present to us, and minds us of making timely provision and preparation for it. It takes into consideration our whole duration, and inspires us with wisdom, to look to the end of things, and to what will be hereafter, as well as to what is present. It is likewise a great property of wisdom to se cure the main chance, and to run no hazard in that. And this religion directs us to take care of, because the neglect of it will prove fatal. Another mark of wisdom is, to lay hold of opportunities, those especially which, when they are once past, will never return again. There are some seasons wherein great things may be done, which, if they be let slip, are never to be retrieved. A wise man will lay hold of these, and improve them: and religion inculcates this principle of wisdom upon us, that this life is the opportunity of doing great things for ourselves, and of making ourselves for ever; this very day and hour may, for aught we know, be the last and only opportunity of repentance, and making our peace with God: therefore "to-day, whilst it is called to-day," let us set about this necessary work, "lest any of us be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin;" to-morrow it may be too late to begin it, and the justice of God may cut us off whilst we are wilfully delaying it; and the opportunities of saving our immortal souls may vanish, and be for ever hid from our eyes. The next property of wisdom is, to foresee dangers, and to take timely care to prevent them. "The prudent man (saith Solomon) foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself;" that is, shelters and secures himself against it; "but the simple pass on and are punished;" that is, the evil overtakes them, and their folly is punished in their fatal ruin. Now, the greatest danger is from the greatest power; even from "Him who is able to save and to destroy:" "I will tell you (says the wisdom of God) whom ye shall fear: fear him who, after he hath killed, can destroy both body and soul in hell." Again, another main point of wisdom is, to do as little as we can to be repented of, trusting rather to the wisdom of prevention, than to that of remedy. Religion first teacheth men innocency, and not to offend; but in case we do (as in many things we offend all), it then directs us to repentance as the only remedy. But this certainly is folly to sin in hopes of repentance; that is, first to make work for repentance, and then run the hazard of it; for we may certainly sin, but it is not certain that we shall repent. And if it were, yet it is great folly to lay in beforehand, and to make work for trouble; Nae tu stultus homuncio es, qui malis veniam precari, quam non peccare, was a wise saying of old Cato: "Thou art (says he) a silly man indeed, who choosest rather to ask forgiveness, than not to offend." If a man had the best remedy in the world, he would not make himself sick to try the virtue of it; and it is a known comparison, and a very fit one, that repentance is tabula post naufragium, "a plank after shipwreck." But I am greatly afraid that thousands of souls, who have trusted to it, have perished before they could get to land, with this plank in their arms. The last character of wisdom I shall mention is, in all things to consult the peace and satisfaction of our own minds, without which nothing else can make us happy: and this, obedience to the laws of God does naturally procure. "Great peace have they (says David) that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them." "The work of righteousness (says the prophet) shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." The fear of God, and the keeping of his commandments, is the best preservative against the troubles of a guilty conscience, and the terrifying apprehensions of a future judgment. And this is the great wisdom of religion; that whosoever liveth according to the rules and precepts of it, prevents the chief causes of discontent, and lays the surest foundation of a perpetual satisfaction of mind, a jewel of inestimable price, which none knows but he that has it, and he that hath it knows the value of it too well to part with it for the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season, and which always prove bitterness in the end, and, for the little sweetness which they yielded, leave a terrible sting behind them. Thus I have briefly represented the reasonableness and wisdom of religion. It is of infinite perfection, and of a vast influence and extent; it reacheth to the whole man, the happiness of soul and body; and to our whole duration, the happiness of this world and the next; for godliness, that is, true religion and piety, hath the promise of this life, and of that which is to come. But, now, where are the effects of true religion, in the full compass and extent of it, to be found? such real effects as do, in any measure, bear a proportion to the power and perfection of their cause? for nothing, certainly, is more excellent and amiable in its definition than true religion is; but, alas! how imperfect is it in the subject! I mean in us, who ought to shew forth the power and perfection of it, in the practice and actions of our lives, the best demonstration of the excellent frame and temper of our minds. What a conflict and struggling do the best men find between their inclination and their duty! how hard to reconcile our practice and our knowledge, and to make our lives to agree with the reason of our minds, and the clear conviction of our consciences! How difficult for a man, in this dangerous and imperfect state, to be, in any measure, either so wise or good as he ought! How rare is it for a man to be good-natured, gentle, and easy to be entreated, without being often betrayed into some weakness and sinful compliances, especially in the bad company of our betters! How next to impossible is it to be strict and severe in our lives, without being sour! to govern our lives with that perpetual caution, and to maintain that evenness of temper, as not to be sometimes peevish and passionate! and, when we are so, not to be apt to say with Jonah, "we do well to be angry!" There are two precepts in the New Testament, that seem to me to be the nicest of all other, and hardest to be put in practice. One is that of our blessed Saviour, "be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves." How hard is it to hit upon the just temper of wisdom and innocency; to be wise, and hurt nobody; to be innocent, without being silly! The other is that of the apostle, "be angry and sin not." How difficult is this--never to be angry but upon just cause! and, when the cause of our anger is just, not to be transported beyond due bounds, either as to the degree of our anger, or as to the duration and continuance of it: this is so very nice a matter, that one would be almost tempted to think, that this were, in effect, a prohibition of anger in any case: "be ye angry, and sin not:" be ye so, if ye can, with out sin. I believe whosoever observes it, will find that it is as easy to suppress this passion at any time, as to give way to it, without offending in one kind or other. But to proceed, How hard a matter is it to be much in company, and free in conversation, and not to be infected by it? to live in the midst of a wicked world, and yet to keep ourselves free from the vices of it? to be temperate in the use of things pleasing, so as neither to injure our health, nor to lose the use of our reason, nor to offend against conscience? to fast often, without being conceited of it, and bargaining, as it were, with God for some greater liberties in another kind; and without censuring those who do not tie up themselves to our strict rules, cither of piety or abstinence? when, perhaps, they have neither the same opportunities of doing it, nor the same reason to do it that we have; nay, perhaps, have a much bet ter reason for not doing just as we do: for no man is to prescribe to others his own private method, either of fasting or of devotion, as if he were the rule, and his example a kind of proclamation, en joining all his neighbours the same days of lasting and prayer which he himself, for reasons best known to himself, thinks fit to observe. And, then, how hard is it to be cheerful without being vain? and grave and serious, without being morose? to be useful and instructive to others in our conversation and discourse, without assuming too much authority to ourselves? which is not the best and most effectual way of doing good to others; there being something in the nature of man which had rather take a hint and intimation from another, to advise himself, and would rather choose to imitate the silent good example which they see in another, than to have either his advice or his example imposed upon them. How difficult is it to have a mind equal to every condition, and to be content with mean and mode rate things? to be patient in adversity, and humble in prosperity, and meek upon sudden and violent provocations? to keep our passions free from getting head of our reason, and our zeal from outrunning our knowledge? to have a will perfectly submitted and resigned to the will of God, even when it lies cross and thwart to ours, so that whatever pleases God should please us? to be resolute when our duty happens to be difficult and dangerous; or even to believe that to be our duty (though it certainly be so) which is very inconvenient for us to do? to hold out and be unwearied in well-doing? to be careful to preserve our lives, and yet, upon a great occasion, and whenever God calls for them, to be content to lay them down? To be wise and innocent; men in understanding, and yet in malice children? to have many great virtues, and not to want that which gives the great lustre to them all, I mean real and unaffected modesty and humility? In short, How difficult is it to have regard to all God's commandments, and to hate every evil and false way? to have our duty continually in our eye, and ready to be put into practice upon every proper occasion? to have God and the consideration of another world always before us, present to our minds, and operative upon our practice? to live as those that know they must die, and to have our thoughts perpetually awake, and intent upon the great and everlasting concernments of our immortal souls? These are great things, indeed, easy to be talked of, but hard to be done; nay, not to be done at all without frequent and fervent prayer to God, and the continual aids and supplies of his grace; not with out an earnest endeavour on our parts, a vigorous resistance of temptations, and many a sore conflict with our own perverse wills and sensual inclinations; not without a perpetual guard and watchfulness over our lives, and our unruly appetites and passions. Little do inexperienced men, and those who have taken no great pains with themselves, imagine, what thought and consideration, what care and attention, what resolution and firmness of mind, what diligence and patient continuance in well-doing, are requisite lo make a truly good man; such an one as St. Paul describes, that is, "perfect and entire, and wanting nothing;" that follows God fully, and fulfils every part of his duty, having "a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man." Who is there among us, that is either wise enough for his own direction, or good enough for the peace and satisfaction of his own mind; that is so happy as to know his duty, and to do it; as to have both the understanding and the, will to do in all things as he ought? After our best care, and all our pains and endeavours, the most of us will still find a great many defects in our lives, and cannot but discern great and manifold imperfections in our very best duties and services; insomuch, that we shall be forced to make the same acknowledgment concerning them, which Solomon does concerning the imperfection of all things under the sun; "that which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered." And, when all is done, we have all of us reason to say, not only that "we are unprofitable servants, having done nothing but what was our duty to do;" but have cause likewise, with great shame and confusion of face, to acknowledge that we have been in many respects wicked and slothful servants; and so very far from having done what was our duty to do, that the greatest part of the good which the most of us have done, is the least part of the good which we might and ought to have done. The practice of religion, in all the parts and in stances of our duty, is work more than enough for the best and greatest mind, for the longest and best ordered life, "the commandment of God is exceeding broad;" and an obedience, in any good measure equal to the extent of it, extremely difficult. And, after all, as the man in the gospel said, with tears, to our Saviour, concerning the weakness of his own faith, "Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief." (Mark ix. 24.) So the best of men may say, and say it with tears too, concerning every grace and virtue wherein they excel most; "Lord, I aspire, I endeavour after it, be thou pleased to assist my weakness, and to help me by thy grace continually to do better." The sum of all is this: if we be careful to do our best, and make it the constant and sincere endeavour of our lives to please God, and to keep his commandments, we shall be accepted of him: for God values this more than "whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices," more than "thousands of rams, and ten thousands of rivers of oil;" because this is an essential part of religion, "To love God with all our hearts, and minds, and strength, and to love our neighbours as ourselves." The duties comprehended in these two great commandments, sincerely practised by us (though with a great deal of imperfection), will certainly be acceptable in the sight of God, in and through the merits and mediation of "Jesus Christ the righteous." "Blessed are they (saith St. John very plainly, in the conclusion of that obscure book of his Revelation), blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life." (Rev. xxii. 14.) I speak now to a great many who are at the upper end of the world, and command all the pleasures and enjoyments of it; but the time is coming, and (whether we think of it or not) is very near at hand, when we shall see "an end of all perfection," and of all that is desirable upon earth, and upon which men are apt to value themselves so much in this world; and then nothing but religion, and the conscience of having done our duty to God and man, will stand us in stead, and yield true comfort to us. When we are going to leave the world, how shall we then wish that we had made religion the great business of our lives; and, in the day of God's grace and mercy, had exercised repentance, and made our peace with God, and prepared ourselves for another world; that, after our departure hence, we might be admitted into "the presence of God, where is fulness of joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore?" Let no man, therefore, of what rank or condition soever he be in this world, think himself too great to be good, and too wise to be religious, and to take care of his immortal soul, and his everlasting happiness in another world; since nothing but this will approve itself to be true wisdom at the last. All other things will have an end with this life; but religion and the fear of God is of a vast extent, and hath an influence upon our whole duration; and, after the course of this life is ended, will put us into the secure possession of a happiness, which shall never have an end. I will conclude this whole discourse with those words of our blessed Saviour, "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." Which thou, who art the eternal spring of truth and goodness, grant that we may all know and do in this our day, for thy mercies' sake in Jesus Christ; to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, dominion and power, now and for ever. Amen. __________________________________________________________________ [1] See Sermon I. Vol. i. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON XCVI. THE NATURE AND INFLUENCE OF THE PROMISES OF THE GOSPEL. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine nature.--2 Pet. i. 4. THE connexion of these words with the former is somewhat obscure, but it seems to be this: the apostle had, in the verse before, said, that "the Divine power of Christ hath, by the knowledge of the gospel, given us all things that pertain to life and godliness;" that is, by the knowledge of the gospel, w are furnished with all advantages which conduce to make men happy in the next life, and religious in this; and then it follows, "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.--"Whereby;" this seems to refer to the whole of the foregoing verse; as if it had been said, Christ, by the gospel, hath given to us all things that conduce to our future happiness; and, in order thereto, all things which tend to make men holy and good. Or else, life and godliness are, by a Hebraism frequent in the New Testament, put for a godly life. And then, among all those things which conduce to a godly life, the apostle instanceth in the promises of the gospel, which do so directly tend to make men "partakers of a Divine nature." In the handling of these words, I shall, First, Consider the promises here spoken of; "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises." Secondly, The influence which these promises ought to have upon us; "that by these ye might be made partakers of a Divine nature." First, We will consider the promises which are here spoken of; "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises." And, because the chief promises of the gospel are here intended, I shall take occasion from this text to handle the doctrine of the promises, which is frequently discoursed of in divinity, but not always so clearly stated. And to this purpose it will be proper to take into consideration these four things: I. What the promises are which are here spoken of; "Whereby are given unto us promises." II. Why they are said to be so great and precious; "exceeding great and precious promises." III. We will consider the tenor of these promises. IV. When men are said to have a right to them, so as they might apply them to themselves. These four heads will comprehend what I have to say upon this argument. I. What the promises are which the apostle here speaks of; "Whereby are given unto us promises." And, no doubt, the apostle here intends those great and excellent promises which Christ hath made to us in the gospel. So that to satisfy ourselves in this inquiry, we need only to consider, what are the principal promises of the gospel. Now the great promises of the gospel are these three. 1. The promise of the free pardon and forgiveness of our sins, upon our faith and repentance. 2. The promise of God's grace and Holy Spirit to assist our obedience. 3. The promise of eternal life to reward it. 1. The promise of the pardon and forgiveness of our sins, upon our faith and repentance. The gospel hath made full and clear promises to this purpose; that if we believe the gospel, and will forsake our sins, and amend our wicked lives, all that is past shall he forgiven us, and that Christ died for this end, to obtain for us remission of sins in his blood. The light of nature, upon consideration of the mercy and goodness of God, gave men good hopes that, upon their repentance, God would forgive their sins, and turn away his wrath from them. But mankind was doubtful of this, and therefore they used expiatory sacrifices to appease the offended Deity. The Jewish religion allowed of no expiation, but for le gal impurities and involuntary transgressions, such as proceeded from ignorance and inadvertency; but not for sins of presumption, and such as were committed with a high hand. If men sinned wilfully, there was no sacrifice appointed by the law for such sins. But the grace of the gospel justifies us from the greatest sins, upon our faith and sincere repentance. So St. Paul tells the Jews: (Acts xiii. 38, 39.) "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." There was no general promise of pardon, nor way of expiation, under the law; perfect remission of sins is clearly revealed and ascertained to us only by the gospel. 2. Another great promise of the gospel is, the promise of God's grace and Holy Spirit to assist our obedience. Our blessed Saviour hath promised that "our heavenly Father will give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him." It is true, indeed, there was a peculiar promise of the Holy Ghost to the apostles and Christians of the first ages, which is not now to be expected; namely, an extraordinary and miraculous power, whereby they were qualified to publish the gospel to the world, and to give confirmation to it. But now that the Christian religion is propagated and settled in the world, the great end and use of these miraculous gifts is ceased: but yet the Spirit of God doth still concur with the gospel, and work upon the minds of men, to excite and assist them to that which is good. And though this operation be very secret, so as we cannot give an account of the manner of it, yet the effects of it are very sensible; and this influence of God's Holy Spirit is common to all Christians in all ages of the world. This proposition is universally true, and in all ages and times--"If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." It must be acknowledged, that the Spirit doth not now work upon men in that sudden and sensible manner, as it did in the first times of Christianity; because then men were strongly possessed with the prejudices of other religions, which they had been brought up in; and therefore, as more outward means of conviction were then necessary, so likewise a more powerful internal operation of the Spirit of God upon the minds of men, to concur and bear down those prejudices, and to subdue them to the obedience of faith. Hut now the principles of religion and goodness are more gradually instilled into the minds of men, by the gentle degrees of pious instruction and education; and with these means the Spirit of God concurs in a more human way, which is more suited and accommodated to our reason, and offers less violence to the nature of men. So that this promise of God's Holy Spirit is now made good to us, as the necessity and circumstances of our present state do require. God does not use such extraordinary means for the producing of those effects, which may be accomplished in a more ordinary way. The assistance of God's Holy Spirit is still necessary to men, to incline and enable them to that which is good; but not in that manner and degree that it was necessary at first: because, the prejudices against Christianity are not now so great, and many of those advantages which were necessarily wanting at first, are now supplied in an ordinary way; and therefore it is not reasonable now to expect the same extraordinary operation of the Spirit of God upon the minds of men, which we read of in the first beginnings of Christianity. 3. There is likewise the promise of eternal life to reward and crown our obedience. And this the Scripture speaks of as the great promise of the gospel: (1 John ii. 25.) "This is the promise which he hath promised us, even eternal life." And upon this account, the new covenant of the gospel is preferred before the old covenant of the law, because it is established upon better promises. All the special and particular promises of the law were of temporal good things, and these were the great encouragements that were given to obedience, under that imperfect dispensation: but now "godliness hath not only the promise of the life that now is, but of that which is to come;" as the apostle tells us, 1 Tim. iv. 8. The gospel hath clearly revealed to us a happy state of immortality after this life, of which men had but very obscure and doubtful apprehensions. So the apostle tolls us: (2 Tim. i. 10.) "That it is now made manifest, by the appearance of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light, through the gospel." Holy men had good hopes of it before; but they had no sure, distinct apprehensions of it, no such full assurance concerning it, no such clear and express promises of it, as the gospel hath given us. Thus you see what those great promises are which the gospel hath given us; namely, the promise of the free pardon and forgiveness of our sins, upon our faith and repentance; the promise of God's grace and Holy Spirit to assist our obedience; and the promise of eternal life and happiness to reward it. These are the three eminent promises of the gospel, and, in all probability, those which the apostle here calls "great and precious promises;" which brings me to the II. Second thing which I propounded to consider; namely, why they are said to be "exceeding great and precious, ta` me'gista kai` ti'mia epange'lmata, the greatest and the most valuable promises." And to satisfy us that they are such, the very consideration of the blessings and benefits that they carry in them will be sufficient: if we consider the condition that mankind was in, when God was pleased to make these gracious declarations to us, we shall see great reason to set a high value upon every one of these promises. Mankind was extremely degenerated, all flesh had corrupted its ways, and the whole world was guilty before God, and liable to all that misery which the sinner had reason to apprehend from the incensed justice of the Almighty. We had forfeited that happiness to which our immortal nature was designed, and, which made our condition more sad, we were without strength to recover ourselves out of it, by our repentance for what was past (if God would have accepted of it), and by our future obedience. Now the promises of the gospel offer relief to us in all these respects, and there by obviate all the difficulties and discouragements which mankind lay under. The gracious promise of pardon frees us from guilt, and secures us from the terrible wrath of God, which our guilty consciences did so much dread; and without this promise, mankind would have been under the greatest doubts and discouragements. For when men are afraid their sins are greater than will be forgiven them, they are apt to fall into despair, and despair is an effectual bar to repentance; for when men think their condition is desperate, they care not what they do. And the promise of God's grace and Holy Spirit, to assist and enable us to do our duty, does fully answer all the discouragements and objections from our own weakness, and the power of temptation. We may do all things through Christ strengthening us: and how weak soever we are of ourselves, we are "strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." If God be for us, who, or what, can stand against us? The devil is a very powerful enemy, and much too strong for flesh and blood to encounter in its own strength; but there is another principle in the world, which is mightier and more powerful than he, the Holy Spirit of God, who is always ready to help, when we do not repulse and refuse his assistance; "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world," says the apostle, 1 John iv. 4. The Spirit of God dwells in all those who are willing to admit him, and is ever ready to assist those who comply with his blessed motions, and do vigorously put forth their own endeavours. And then the promise of eternal life, that answers all the difficulties of our obedience, and sets us above any thing that the world can threaten us withal, for our constancy to God and his truth. A wise man will be content to suffer any thing, or to quit any thing, upon terms of far greater advantage: and what greater consideration can be offered to encourage our constancy and obedience, than an eternity of happiness? So that the apostle had reason to call these "exceeding great and valuable promises;" so valuable, that if any one of them had been wanting, our redemption and recovery had either been absolutely impossible, or extremely difficult. I proceed to the III. Third thing I propounded, which was to consider the tenour of these promises; that is, whether God hath made them absolutely to us, with out requiring any thing to be done on our part, or upon certain terms and conditions to be performed by us. That God may (if he please) make an absolute promise of any blessing or benefit to us, there is no doubt; and that find's grace does prevent many, and is beforehand with them, is as little to be doubted: the Spirit of God goes along with the gospel, moving and inclining men to yield obedience to it, many times before any inclination and disposition thereto on their parts. But as to this promise of God's grace and Holy Spirit, the great question is, not about the first motion of it, but the continuance of this assistance, and the increase of it; and this, I think, may safely be affirmed, is promised only conditionally, as also the pardon of sin, and eternal life. And concerning each of these, the matter may quickly be decided, by plain texts of Scripture. Concerning the promise of the grace and assistance of God's Holy Spirit, the Scripture takes notice of two conditions. First, That we beg it earnestly of God: and this our Saviour expresseth by asking, seeking, and knocking, which signifies the importunity of our requests; our heavenly Father will give his Holy Spirit to them that thus ask it. And then, secondly, That we improve and make use of the grace which God affords us: "To him that hath shall be given, and from him that hath not shall be taken away, even that which he seems to have." That is (as appears plainly from the scope of the parable), to him that useth that grace and those advantages which God affords him, more shall be given; but from him that makes no use of them, and, therefore, is as if he had them not, shall be taken away that which he but seems to have, because he makes no use of it. Concerning the pardon of sins: the Scripture plainly suspends that upon the general condition of repentance, and the change of our lives; "Repent, that your sins may be forgiven you:" and upon the condition of our forgiving others; "If ye forgive men their trespasses, then will your heavenly Father also forgive you; but if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses," says our Saviour. (Matt. vi. 14, 15.) And then the promise of eternal life, is every where in Scripture suspended upon the condition of faith and repentance, and perseverance in well-doing. "He that believes (says our Saviour) shall be saved;" which, indeed, implies the whole condition of the gospel. "He that believes;" that is, he that effectually assents to the doctrine of Christ, and is so persuaded of the truth of it, as to live according to it, shall be saved. But if obedience were not included in the Scripture notion of faith, yet the Scripture elsewhere expressly makes it the condition of our eternal salvation. (Heb. v. 9.) Christ is there said to be "the author of eternal salvation to them that obey him;" thereby implying, that none shall be saved by Christ, but those that obey the gospel. (Heb. xii. 14.) . "Follow holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." (Rom. ii. 7, 8, 9.) "To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory, and honour, and immortality," God will give "eternal life; but to them that are contentious, and obey not the truth (that is the gospel), but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil." I cannot well imagine what can reasonably be answered to such plain texts; but I will tell you what is commonly answered; namely, that God gives the condition which he requires, and therefore, though these promises run into a conditional form, yet in truth they are absolute; because he that makes a promise to another, upon a condition which he will also perform, doth in effect make an absolute promise. As if a man promised another such an estate, upon condition he pay such a sum for it, and does promise withal to furnish him with that sum, this in effect amounts to an absolute promise of the estate. And this is very well argued, if the case were thus. Hut God hath no where, promised to work the condition in us without the concurrence of our own endeavours. God may, and oftentimes doth, prevent men by his grace; but he hath no where promised to give his Holy Spirit but to them that ask it of him. And he hath no where promised to continue his grace and assistance to us, unless we will use our sincere endeavours; nay, in case we do not, he hath threatened to take away his grace and assistance from us. And if this be so, then the promises of the gospel do not only seem to be conditional, but are really so. And it is a wonder that any man should doubt of this, who considers how frequently, in the New Testament, the gospel is represented to us under the notion of a covenant; such a covenant, in the very nature of it, doth imply a mutual obligation between the parties that enter into it. But if the gospel contain only blessings which are promised on God's part, without any thing required to be done and performed on our part, in order to the obtaining of those blessings, then the gospel is nothing else but a promise, or deed of gift, making over certain benefits and blessings to us; but can, in no propriety of language in the world, be called a covenant: but if there be some things required on our part, in order to our being made partakers of the promises which God hath made to us (as the Scripture every where tells us there is), then the promises are plainly conditional. To instance in the promise of forgiveness of sins; "Repent, that your sins may be blotted out;" that is, upon this condition, that ye repent of your sins, they shall be forgiven, and not otherwise. Can there be any plainer condition in the world than this, in those words of our Saviour? "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive your trespasses; but if ye forgive not their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses." This is so far from being any prejudice to the freeness of God's grace, who is infinitely gracious in offering such great blessings to us upon any condition that we can perform; that it were one of the absurdest things in the world, to imagine that God should grant to men forgiveness of sins and eternal life, let them behave themselves as they will. IV. The last thing I proposed for the explaining of this doctrine of the promises of God, was, to consider when men may be said to have a right to these promises, so as to be able upon good grounds to apply them to themselves: and the answer to this is very plain and easy; namely, when they find the conditions of these promises in themselves, and not till then. When a man hath truly repented of his sins so as to forsake them, and lead a new life; and when he does from his heart forgive those that have offended him, and hath laid down all animosity against them, and thoughts of revenge; then hath he a right to the promise of pardon and forgiveness, and may apply to himself in particular what the Scripture saith in general, that God will "blot out all his transgressions, and remember his iniquities no more." When a man doth constantly and earnestly implore the assistance of God's Holy Spirit, and is ready to yield to the motions of it, and does faithfully make use of that strength and assistance which God affords him, then he may expect the continuance of his grace, and further degrees of it. When a man makes it the constant and sincere endeavour of his life, to please God, and to walk in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord blameless," and is effectually taught by the grace of God to "deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world," then he may with comfort and joy "wait for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearance of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ;" then he may with confidence depend upon God, "in sure and certain hope of that eternal life which God, that cannot lie, hath promised." When he can say with St. Paul, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith;" then he may likewise triumph as he did, "henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which God the righteous Judge shall give me in that day." Upon these terms, and in these cases, men may upon good grounds apply to themselves "these exceeding great and precious promises" of the gospel; and so far as any man is doubtful and uncertain of the performance of the conditions which the gospel requires, so far he must necessarily question his right and title to the blessings promised. And if any man think this doctrine too uncomfortable, and be willing to reject it upon this account, I shall only say this, that men may cheat themselves if they please, but most certainly they will never find any true and solid comfort in any other. This is a plain and sensible account of a man's confidence and good hopes in the promises of God; but for a man to apply any promise to himself, before he finds the condition in himself, is not faith, but either fancy or presumption. And, therefore, it is a very preposterous course which many take, to advise and exhort men, with so much earnestness, to apply the promises of God to themselves, and to tell them that they are guilty of great unbelief in not doing it. That which is proper to exhort men to is, to endeavour to perform the condition upon which God hath promised any blessing to us; and when men find the condition in themselves, they will, without any great persuasion, take comfort from the promise, and apply it to themselves; but till they discern the condition in themselves, it is impossible for a man that understands himself to apply the promise to himself; for till the condition be performed, he hath no more right to the promise than if such a promise had never been made. And it is so far from being a sin in such a man to doubt of the benefit of such a promise, that it is his duty to do so; and no man that understands himself and the promises of God can possibly do otherwise. Therefore, it is a vain and groundless trouble which perplexeth many people, that they cannot apply the promises of God to themselves; whereas, the true ground of their trouble should be this, that they have not been careful to perform the condition of those promises which they would apply to themselves: the other is an endless trouble; let them but look to the condition, and the promise will apply itself. I speak all this on purpose to free men from those perplexities wherewith many have entangled themselves by false apprehensions of the promises of God, either as if they were not made to us upon certain conditions to be performed by us, or as if any man could comfortably apply them to himself, before he hath performed those conditions, upon which God hath made such promises. For if men will believe that which is not true, or expect things upon such terms as they are not to be had, they may trouble themselves eternally, and all the world cannot help it. I have now done with the first thing I propounded to speak to; namely, the promises which are here spoken of. The second thing (viz.) what influence these promises ought to have upon us, "that by them we may be made partakers of the Divine nature," I shall reserve to another opportunity. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON XCVII. THE NATURE AND INFLUENCE OF THE PROMISES OF THE GOSPEL. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine nature.--2 Pet. i. 4. I MADE entrance into these words the last day, in the handling whereof I proposed to do these two things:-- First, To consider the promises here spoken of: "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises." Secondly, The influence which these promises Ought to have upon us: "that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine nature." The first of these I have done with, and proceed now to the Second, viz. The influence which these promises ought to have upon us: "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine nature." Not that we can partake of the essence and nature of God, as some have blasphemously affirmed, pretending, in their canting and senseless language, to be Godded with God and Christed with Christ. In this sense it is impossible for us to "partake of the Divine nature;" for this would be for men to become gods, and to be advanced to the state and perfection of the Deity. But the word phu'sis doth frequently, in Scripture, signify a temper and disposition; and to be "partakers of a Divine nature" is to be of a Divine temper and disposition, to have our corrupt natures rectified and purged from all sinful lusts and irregular passions, and from all vicious and corrupt affections; and therefore it follows in the text: "Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust; and, besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly-kindness, and to brotherly-kindness charity." So that we are "made partakers of a Divine nature," as the apostle here explains it, these two ways: by cleansing ourselves from the lusts of the flesh, which the apostle here calls the "corruption or defilement which is in the world through lust;" and by a diligent endeavour after all Christian graces and virtues, faith, and temperance, and patience, a sincere love of the brethren, and an universal charity and good-will towards all men. And that this is the proper influence and efficacy of the great promises of the gospel upon the hearts and lives of men, the apostle St. Paul fully declares to us: (2 Cor. vii. 1.) "Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit;" that is, from the lusts of the flesh, and of uncleanness, and from all evil and corrupt affections of the mind, such as wrath, envy, malice, hatred, strife, revenge, cruelty, pride, and the like; "perfecting holiness in the fear of God;" that is, continually aspiring still more and more after further degrees of holiness, and virtue, and goodness, which are the great perfections of the Divine nature. And thus, by a constant and sincere endeavour "to cleanse ourselves from all impurity of flesh and spirit," and by "practising all the virtues of a good life," we shall, by degrees, raise and advance ourselves to a godlike temper and disposition, imitating in all our actions the goodness, and mercy, and patience, and truth, and faithfulness of God, and all those other perfections of the Divine nature, which are comprehended under the term of holiness. This is that which the apostle here calls "partaking of a Divine nature;" or, as our blessed Saviour expresseth it, "to he perfect, as our Father which is in heaven is perfect." This the gospel designs to raise us to; and one of the great instruments whereby this is effected, are those "exceeding great and precious promises" which I have insisted upon; and they are capable of (fleeting it these two ways:-- First, By way of internal efficacy and assistance; and, Secondly, By way of external motive and argument: both these ways some or other of these promises have a mighty influence upon us (if we he not wanting to ourselves) to raise us to a godlike temper and disposition; that is, to the greatest perfection of virtue and goodness which we are capable of in this life. First, By way of internal efficacy and assistance. And this influence the promise of God's Holy Spirit, and of his gracious help and assistance thereof, hath upon the minds of men, inclining them to that which is good, and enabling them to do it. For the Holy Spirit is promised to us, in consideration and commiseration of that impotency and weakness which we have contracted in that degenerate and depraved condition into which mankind is sunk; to help us, who are without strength, to recover ourselves out of that evil and miserable state into which, by wilful transgression, we are fallen; to "quicken us who are dead in trespasses and sins (as the Scripture expresseth the condition of unregenerate persons), to raise us to a new life," and to cherish this principle of spiritual life, which is commonly weak at first, and to carry it through all discouragements and oppositions; to excite us continually to our duty, and to enable us to the most difficult parts of obedience, such as are most contrary to our natural inclinations, and against the grain of flesh and blood; to bear down the strength of sin and temptation; and in all our conflicts with the world, the flesh, and the devil, and all the powers of darkness, to make us victorious over them; and, in a word, to be a principle within us more mighty and powerful than the lusts and inclinations of our evil hearts, than the most obstinate and inveterate habits of sin and vice, and than all the temptations and terrors of sense. So that if we w ill make use of this assistance, and lay hold of this strength which God affords us in the gospel, and (as the apostle expresseth it) "be workers together with God," we need not despair of victory and success; for our strength will continually increase, and the force and violence of our lusts will be abated; God will give us more grace, and we shall "walk from strength to strength," and "our path will be (as Solomon says of `the way of the righteous') as the light which shines more and more unto the perfect day." For the Holy Spirit of God conducts and manageth this great work of our sanctification and salvation, from first to last, by opening our hearts to let in the light of Divine truth upon our minds, by representing to us with advantage such arguments and considerations as are apt to persuade us to embrace it and yield to it; by secret and gentle reprehensions softening our hard hearts, and bending our stiff and stubborn wills to a compliance with the will of God and our duty. And this is that great work which the Scripture calls our regeneration and sanctification, the "turning us from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God," a new creation and a resurrection from the death of sin to the life of holiness. And then by leading mid directing us in the ways of holiness and obedience, by quickening our devotion, and stirring up in us holy desires and dispositions of soul, rendering us fit to draw near to God in prayer, with a due sense of our own wants and unworthiness, and an humble confidence in the goodness of God, that he Mill grant us those good things that we ask of him, in supporting and comforting us in all our afflictions and sufferings especially for truth and righteousness sake; and by sealing and confirming to us the blessed hopes of eternal life. Thus the Spirit of God carries on the work of our sanctification, and makes us partakers of a Divine nature, by way of inward efficacy and assistance. Secondly, The promises of the gospel are apt likewise to have a mighty influence upon us by way of motive and argument, to engage and encourage us to "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God." For, First, A full pardon and indemnity for what is past, is a mighty encouragement for us to return to our duty, and a forcible argument to keep us to it for the future. For since God, who hath been so highly injured and affronted by us, is so willing and ready to forgive us, as not only to provide and purchase for us the means of our pardon, by the grievous sufferings of his dear Son, but to offer it so freely, and invite us so earnestly to accept of it, and to be reconciled to him; the consideration of this ought in all reason, ingenuity, and gratitude, to melt us into sorrow and repentance for our sins, and a deep sense of the evil of them, and to inflame our hearts with a mighty love to God, and our blessed Redeemer, "who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood;" and to make us extremely unwilling, nay, most firmly resolved never more to offend that merciful and gracious God, who is so slow to punish, and so forward to forgive; and effectually to engage us to a dutiful, and constant, and cheerful obedience to God's holy laws and commandments, lest by our wilful transgression and violation of them, we should run ourselves into a deeper guilt, and aggravate our condemnation. Now that by the tender mercies of our God we are made whole, we should be infinitely afraid to sin any more, lest worse things should come to us; lest we relapse into a more incurable state, and bring a heavier load of guilt and misery upon ourselves. Secondly, The promise of God's grace and Holy Spirit is, likewise, a very powerful argument and encouragement to holiness and goodness, engaging us to "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit," that our souls and minds may be a fit temple for the Holy Ghost, which will not dwell in an impure soul: and likewise encouraging us hereto by this consideration, that we have so unerring a guide to counsel and direct us, so powerful an assistant to "strengthen us with all might in the inner man, to stand by us in all our conflicts with sin and Satan, and make us (as the apostle expresseth it) "more than conquerors" over all our spiritual enemies. For though we be weak, and our lusts strong, our enemies many, and temptations mighty and violent; yet we need not be disheartened, so long as we know that God is with us, and the grace of his Holy Spirit sufficient for us, against all the strength of sin and hell; though our duty be hard, and our strength small, yet we cannot fail of success, if we be sure that the omnipotent grace of God is always ready to second our sincere, though never so weak, endeavours. So that, when we see all the enemies of our salvation drawn up in array against us, we may encourage ourselves, as the prophet Elisha did his servant, when he told him, that an host compassed the city with horses and chariots, and said, "Alas! my master, how shall we do?" And "he answered, Fear not, for they that be with us, are more than they that be with them;" (2 Kings vi. 10.) or, as Hezekiah comforted the people, when they were afraid of the mighty force of the King of Assyria: (2 Chron. xxxii. 7, 8.) "Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the King of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us, and to fight for us." This is the case of every Christian; the force that is against us is finite and limited; but the Almighty God is on our side, and fights for us; and every one of us may say with St. Paul, (Phil. iv. 13.) "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Thirdly, The promise of eternal life and happiness, if duly weighed and considered, hath a mighty force in it, to take us off from the love and practice of sin, and to encourage our obedience and patient continuance in well-doing. The assurance of enjoying unspeakable and endless happiness in another world, and of escaping extreme and eternal misery, is a consideration of that weight, as one would think could not fail of its efficacy upon us, to put all temptations to sin out of countenance, and to bear down before us all the difficulties and discouragements in the way of our duty. And if this make no impression upon us, if heaven and hell be of no weight with us, it will be in vain to use any other arguments, which, in comparison of this, are but as the very small dust upon the balance. For if, on the one hand, the hopes of perfect comfort, and joy, and felicity, perpetual in duration, and vast beyond all imagination, such as "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man to conceive:" and if, on the other hand, the dread of the terrible wrath of God, and of the vengeance of eternal fire, together with the insupportable torments of a guilty conscience, and the perpetual stings of bitter remorse and anguish for the wilful folly of our wicked lives, and the rage of horrible despair of ever getting out of so miserable a state; if neither of these considerations, if both of them will not prevail upon us to cease to be evil, and to resolve to be good, that we may obtain one of these conditions, and may escape the other; there is no hope that any words that can be used, any arguments and considerations that can be offered, should work upon us, or take place with us. He that is not to be tempted by such hopes, nor to be terrified by such fears, is proof against all the force of persuasion in the world. And thus I have done with the two things which I proposed to consider from these words; the nature of these promises, and the influence they are apt, and ought, to have upon us, to raise us to the perfection of virtue and goodness, which the apostle here calls our being partakers of a Divine nature. All that now remains is, to make some useful reflections upon what hath been discoursed upon these two heads. First of all, If we expect the blessings and benefits of these exceeding great and precious promises of the gospel, we must be careful to perform the conditions which are indispensably required on our parts. It is a great mistake, and of very pernicious consequence to the souls of men, to imagine that the gospel is all promises on God's part, and that our part is only to believe them, and to rely upon God for the performance of them,. and to be very confident that he will make them good, though we do nothing else but only believe that he will do so. That the Christian religion is only a declaration of God's good-will to us, without any expectation of duty from us: this is an error which one could hardly think could ever enter into any who have the liberty to read the Bible, and do attend to what they read and find there. The three great promises of the gospel are very expressly contained in our Saviour's first sermon upon the Mount. There we find the promise of blessedness often repealed; but never absolutely made, but upon certain conditions, and plainly required on our parts; as repentance, humility, righteousness, mercy, peaceableness, meekness, patience. Forgiveness of sins is likewise promised; but only to those that make a penitent acknowledgment of them, and ask forgiveness for them, and are ready to grant that forgiveness to others, which they beg of God for themselves. The gift of God's Holy Spirit is likewise there promised; but it is upon condition of our earnest and importunate prayer to God. The gospel is every where full of precepts, enjoining duty and obedience on our part, as well as of promises on God's part, assuring blessings to us; nay, of terrible threatenings also if we disobey the precepts of the gospel. St. Paul gives us the sum of the gospel in very few and plain words, declaring upon what terms we may expect that salvation which the gospel offers to all men: (Tit. ii. 11, 12, 13, 14.) "The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men; teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." And then he adds, "these things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority;" intimating, that though men were very averse to this doctrine, it ought to be inculcated with great authority and earnestness, and those who opposed and despised it, to be severely rebuked: and with great reason, because the contrary doctrine does most effectually undermine and defeat the whole design of the Christian religion. Secondly, From hence we learn, that if the promises of the gospel have not this effect upon us, to make us partakers of a Divine nature, it is our own fault, and because we are wanting to ourselves. God is always ready to do his part, if we do not fail in ours. There is a Divine power and efficacy goes along with the gospel, to make way for the entertainment of it in the hearts of men, where they put no bar and obstacle to it. But if men will resist the motions of God's blessed Spirit, and quench the light of it, and obstinately hold out against the force of truth, God will withdraw his grace and Holy Spirit from them. The gospel would raise us to the perfection of all virtue and goodness, and the promises of it are admirably fitted to relieve the infirmities and weakness of human nature, and to renew us "after the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness;" to take us off from sin and vice, and to allure us to goodness, and to assist and encourage us iii the practice of it: but if we will not comply with the gracious design of God in the gospel, and suffer these promises to have their due influence and efficacy upon us, we wilfully deprive ourselves of all the blessings and benefits of it; we "reject the counsel of God against ourselves," and "receive the grace of God in vain;" and, by rejecting and despising his promises, we provoke him to execute his threatenings upon us. Thirdly and lastly, If the promises of the Christian religion are apt in their own nature to work this great effect upon us, to make us like to God, and to bring us to so near a resemblance of the Divine perfections, to make us good, and just, and merciful, and patient, and "holy in all manner of conversation, to purge us from our iniquities, and to make us a peculiar and excellent people, zealous of good works;" I say, if this be the proper tendency of the gospel, and the promises of it, how doth this upbraid the degenerate state of the Christian world at this day, which does so abound in all kind of wickedness and impiety; so that we may cry out as he did, upon reading the gospel; Profecto aut hoc non est evangelium; aut nos non sumus evangelici; "Either this is not the gospel which we read, and the Christian religion which we profess; or we are no Christians." We are so far from that pitch of goodness and virtue which the Christian religion is apt to raise men to, and which the apostle here calls the Divine nature, that a great part of us are degenerated into beasts and devils, wallowing in abominable and filthy lusts, indulging ourselves in those devilish passions of malice and hatred, of strife and discord, of revenge and cruelty, of sedition and disturbance of the public peace, to that degree, as if the grace of God had never appeared to us to teach us the contrary. And therefore, it concerns all those who have the face to call themselves Christians, to demean themselves at another rate, and for the honour of their religion, and the salvation of their own souls, to have their "conversation as becometh the gospel of Christ;" and by departing from the vicious practices of this present evil world, to do what in them lies to prevent the judgments of God which hang over us; or if they cannot do that, to "save themselves from this untoward generation." __________________________________________________________________ SERMON XCVIII. THE SUPPORT OF GOOD MEN UNDER THEIR SUFFERINGS FOR RELIGION. Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of Go l, commit the, keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.--1 Pet. iv. 19. THIS Epistle was written by St. Peter, who was the apostle of the circumcision to the dispersed Jews, who were newly converted to Christianity; and the design of it is to confirm and establish them in the profession of it; and to instruct them how they ought to demean themselves towards the heathen, or gentiles, among whom they lived; and, more particularly, to arm and prepare them for those sufferings and persecutions, which he foretels would shortly overtake them for the profession of Christianity, that, when they should happen, they might not be surprised and startled at them, as if some strange and unexpected thing were to come upon them; at the 12th verse of this chapter--"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you;" that is, do not wonder, and he not astonished at it; as if "some strange thing happened unto you." And then he instructs them more particularly, how they ought to behave themselves under those trials and sufferings, when they should happen; not only with patience, which men ought to exercise under all kind of sufferings, upon what account and cause soever; but with joy and cheerfulness, considering the glorious example and reward of them: (ver. 13.) "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy:" and at the 14th verse he tells them, that besides the encouragement of so great an example, and so glorious a reward, they should be supported and assisted in a very extraordinary manner by the Spirit of God resting upon them in a glorious manner, as a testimony of the Divine power and presence with them: (ver. 14.) "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you;" or as it is in the best copies, "for the Spirit of glory and of power, even the Spirit of God, resteth upon you;" that is, the glorious power of the Divine Spirit is present with you, to comfort and bear up your spirits under these sufferings. But then he cautions them, to take great care that their sufferings be for a good cause, and a good conscience: (ver. 15.) "But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer;" (that is, as an offender in any kind against human laws, made to preserve the peace and good order of the world:) "or as a busy-body in other men's matters;" (that is, as a pragmatical person, that meddles out of his own sphere, to the disquiet and disturbance of human society:) for to suffer upon any of these accounts, would be matter of shame and trouble, but not of joy and comfort; but if they suffered upon account of the profession of Christianity, this would be no cause of shame and reproach to them; but they ought rather to give God thanks for calling them to suffer in so good a cause, and upon so glorious an account: (ver. 16.) "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian (if that be his only crime) let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf; for the time is come, that judgment must begin at the house of God; (that is, the wise and just providence of God, hath so ordered it at this time, for very good reasons and ends, that the first calamities and sufferings .should fall upon Christians, the peculiar people and church of God, for their trial, and a testimony to the truth of that religion, which God was now planting in the world:) and if it first begin at us (that is, at us Jews, who were the ancient people of God, and have now embraced and entertained the revelation of the gospel), what shall the end be of them, that obey not the gospel of Christ? (that is, how much more severely will God deal with the rest of the Jews who have crucified the Son of God, and still persist in their infidelity and disobedience to the gospel:) and if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?" (that is, if good men be saved with so much difficulty, and must through so many tribulations "enter into the kingdom of God," what will become of all ungodly and impenitent sinners? where shall they appear? how shall they be able to stand in the judgment of the great day?) From the consideration of all which, the apostle makes this inference or conclusion, in the last verse of this chapter: "Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator." Thus you see the connexion and dependence of these words upon the apostle's foregoing discourse. I shall explain the several expressions in the text, and then handle the main points contained in them. The expressions to be explained are these: what is meant by those "that suffer according to the will of God;" what by "committing the keeping of our souls to God, as unto a faithful Creator;" and what by "well-doing." First, What is meant by "suffering according to the will of God." This may be understood of suffering in a good cause, such as God will approve; but this is not so probable, because this is mentioned afterwards, in the following expressions of "committing the keeping of our souls to God in well doing;" that is, in suffering upon a good account: and therefore the plain and genuine sense of this expression seems to be this; that those who, according to the good pleasure of God's will, and the wise dispensation of his providence, are appointed to suffer for his cause, should demean themselves so and so: "let them that suffer according to the will of God;" that is, those whom God thinks fit to call to suffering. And this agrees very well with the like expression, (chap. iii. of this Epistle, ver. 17.) "For it is better, if the will of God be so, (that is, if God have so appointed it, and think it fit) that ye suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing." Secondly, What is here meant by "committing the keeping of our souls to God, as to a faithful Creator." That is, to deposit our lives, and all that belongs to us; in a word, ourselves, in the hands and custody of his merciful care and providence who made us, and therefore we may be sure will faithfully keep what we commit to him: for, as we are his creatures, he is engaged to take care of us, and will not abandon the work of his own hands. Besides that, he hath promised to be more especially concerned for good men, to support them in their sufferings for a good cause, and to reward them for it; "and he is faithful that hath promised." And therefore, there is great reason and great encouragement, in all our sufferings for God's cause and truth, to commit our souls to his care and custody; our souls, that is (as I said before) our lives, and all that belongs tons; in a word, ourselves: for so the word soul is frequently used both in the Old and New Testament: (Psal. vii. 5.) "Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it;" that is, my life; for so it follows in the next words: "yea, let him trend down my life upon the earth." And, (Psal. liv. 3.) "Oppressors seek after my soul/ And, (Psal. lix. 3.) "They lay in wait for my soul;" that is, my life. And, (Psal. xvi. 10.) "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell;" my soul, that is, myself; thou wilt not suffer me to remain in the grave, and under the power of death, but wilt raise me up to life again. And so likewise in the New Testament: (Mark viii. 33.) "Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it." The same word which is here rendered life, in the very next verse is rendered soul: "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" that is, his life. And so, likewise (John xii. 25.) "He that loveth his life, shall lose it: and he that hateth his life in this world (in the original the word signifies soul), he that hateth his life in this world (that is, who neglecteth and exposeth his life in this world, for the sake of Christ), shall keep it unto life eternal." And, (Luke ix. 25.) that which the other evangelist renders by the word soul, or life, he renders himself: "For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world and lose himself?" and so here, in the text, to commit "the keeping of our souls to God," is to commit ourselves to his care and providence. Thirdly, What is here meant by "committing ourselves to him in well-doing:" by "well-doing" is here meant, a fixed purpose and resolution of doing our duty, notwithstanding all hazards and sufferings; which is called by St. Paul, (Rom. ii. 7.) "a patient continuance in well-doing." It signifies, some times, acts of goodness and charity; but in this Epistle it is taken in a larger sense, for constancy and resolution in the doing of our duty; as chap. ii. 15. "For so is the will of God, that with well-doing (that is, by a resolute constancy in a good course) ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." And, (ver. 20.) "But if when ye do well, and suffer for it;" that is, if when ye "suffer for well-doing, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God." And (chap. iii. ver. 6.) "As long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement;" that is, are resolute and constant in doing your duty, notwithstanding all threatenings and terrors. And, (ver. 17.) "For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing;" that is, for your religion and constancy in so good a cause, as Christians, and not as criminals, upon any other account. So that the plain meaning of the words is, as if the apostle had said--Wherefore, being forewarned of suffering and persecution for the cause of religion, the sum of my direction and advice upon the whole matter is this--that since it is the will of God that ye should suffer upon this account, commit yourselves, in the constant discharge of your duty, and a good conscience, to the particular care and providence of Almighty God, as your "faithful Creator." And now I come to handle the particular points contained in the words; and they are these three: First, That when men do suffer really and truly for the cause of religion, they may, with confidence, commit themselves (their lives and all that is dear to them) to the particular and more especial care of the Divine Providence. Secondly, Always provided, that we do nothing contrary to our duty and a good conscience; for this the apostle means, by "committing ourselves to God, in well-doing." If we step out of the way of our duty, or do any thing contrary to it, God's providence will not be concerned for us, to bear us out in such sufferings. Thirdly, I shall consider what ground of comfort and encouragement the consideration of God, as "a faithful Creator," affords to us in all our sufferings for a good cause and a good conscience. First, When men do suffer really and truly for the cause of religion and God's truth, they may, with confidence and good assurance, commit themselves (their lives and all that is dear to them), to the particular and more especial care of his providence. In the handling of this, I shall consider these three things: I. When men may be said to suffer really and truly for the cause of religion; and when not. II. Mow far they may rely upon the providence of God, to bear them out in these sufferings. III. What ground and reason there is to expect the more particular and especial care of God's providence, in case of such sufferings. I. When men may be said to suffer really and truly for the cause of religion, and God's truth; and when not. In these cases, First, When men suffer for not renouncing the true religion, and because they will not openly declare against it, and apostatize from it. But it will be said that, in all these cases, the question is--What is the true religion? to which I answer; that all discourses of this nature, about suffering for religion, do suppose the truth of some religion or other. And, among Christians, the truth of the Christian religion is taken for granted, wherever we speak of men's suffering persecution for it. And the plainest case among Christians is, when they are persecuted, because they will not openly deny and renounce the Christian religion. And this was generally the case of the primitive Christians; they were threatened with tortures and death, because they would not renounce Jesus Christ and his religion, and give demonstration thereof, by offering sacrifices to the heathen gods. Secondly, Men do truly suffer for the cause of religion, when they are persecuted only for making an open profession of the Christian religion, by joining in the assemblies of Christians for the worship of God; though they be not urged to deny and disclaim it, but only to conceal and dissemble the profession of it, so as to forbear the maintenance and defence of it upon fitting occasions, against the objections of those who are adversaries of it. For to conceal the profession of it, and to decline the defence of it when just occasion is offered, is to be ashamed of it, which our Saviour interprets to be a kind of denial of it, and is opposed to the confessing of him before men: (Matt. x. 32, 33.) "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven: but whoso ever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." And this, by St. Mark, is expressed by being ashamed of Christ; that is, afraid and ashamed to make an open profession of him and his religion; (Mark viii. 38.) "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels." And this, likewise, was the case of the primitive Christians under the moderate emperors, when the persecution of them was not so hot as to drive them to a denial of Christ, provided they would be contented to conceal and dissemble their religion; in that case they did not hunt them out, nor prosecute them to renounce their religion, if they made no discovery of themselves. But yet, they who suffered, because they would not conceal their profession of Christianity, did truly suffer for the cause of religion. Thirdly, Men do likewise truly suffer for the cause of religion, when they suffer for not betraying it by any indirect and unworthy means; such as among the primitive Christians was the delivering up their Bibles to the heathen, to be burnt and destroyed by them: for to give up that holy Book, which is the great instrument of our religion, is, in I effect, to give up Christianity itself, and consent to the utter extirpation of it. And such, likewise, is the case of those who suffer in any kind for not contributing to break down the fences of religion in any nation, where the providence of God hath given it a legal establishment and security; or, in a word, for refusing to countenance and further any design which visibly tends to the ruin of religion: for to destroy religion, and to take away that which hinders the destruction of it, are, in effect, much the same thing. Fourthly, Men do truly suffer for the cause of religion, when they suffer for the maintenance and defence of any necessary and fundamental article of it, though they be not required to renounce the whole Christian religion; for what St. Paul says of the article of the resurrection of the dead, is true of any other necessary article of the Christian religion, that the denial of it is a subversion of the whole Christian faith; because it tends directly to the overthrowing of Christianity, being a wound given to it in a vital and essential part. And this was the case of those who, in any age of Christianity, have been persecuted by the heretics, for the defence of any article of Christianity. And I cannot but observe, by the way, that, after the heathen persecutions were ceased, persecution was first begun among the Christians by heretics; and hath since been taken up, and carried much beyond that bad pattern, by the church of Rome; which, besides a standing inquisition in all countries, which are entirely of that religion (a court, the like whereto, for the clancular and secret manner of proceeding, for the unjust and arbitrary rules of it, for the barbarous usage of men's persons, and the cruelty of its torments, to extort confessions from them, the sun never saw erected under any government in the world, by men of any religion whatsoever); I say, which, besides this court, hath by frequent croisadoes for the extirpation of heretics, and by many bloody massacres in France and Ireland, and several other places, destroyed far greater numbers of Christians, than all the ten heathen persecutions; and hath of late revived, and to this very day continues the same or greater cruelties, and a fiercer persecution of protestants, if all the circumstances of it be considered, than was ever yet practised upon them; and yet whilst this is doing almost before our eyes, in one of our next neighbour nations, they have the face to complain of the cannibal laws and bloody persecutions of the church of England, and the confidence to set up for the great patrons of liberty of conscience, and enemies of all compulsion and force, in matters of religion. Fifthly, Men do truly suffer for the cause of God and religion, when they suffer for asserting and maintaining the purity of the Christian doctrine and worship; and for opposing and not complying with those gross errors and corruptions, which superstition and ignorance had, in a long course of time, brought into the Christian religion. Upon this account many good people suffered, in many past ages, for resisting the growing errors and corruptions of the church of Rome; which at first crept in by degrees, but at last broke in like a mighty flood, which earned down all before it, and threatened ruin and destruction to all that opposed them. Upon this account, also, infinite numbers suffered among the Waldenses and Albigenses, in Bohemia, and in Eng land, and in most other countries in this western part of Christendom. And they who suffered, upon this account, suffered in a good cause, and for the testimony of the truth. Sixthly and lastly, Men do truly suffer for the cause of religion, when they suffer for not disclaiming and renouncing any clear and undoubted truth of God whatsoever; yea, though it be not a fundamental point and article of religion. And this is the case of those many thousands, who ever since the fourth council of Lateran, which was in the year 1215 (when transubstantiation was first defined to be an article of faith, and necessary to salvation to be believed), were persecuted with fire and sword, for not understanding those words of our Saviour, "this is my body" (which are so easily capable of a reasonable sense), in the absurd and impossible sense of transubstantiation. And though this disowning of this doctrine, be no express and direct article of the Christian religion, yet it is a fundamental article of right reason and common sense: because the admitting of transubstantiation, does undermine the foundation of all certainty whatsoever, and does more immediately shake the very foundation of Christianity itself. Yea, though the Christian religion were no ways concerned in this doctrine, yet out of reverence to reason and truth, and a just animosity and indignation at confident nonsense, a man of an honest and generous mind, would as soon be brought to declare or swear, that twice two do not make four, but five, as to profess his belief of transubstantiation. And though all truths are not of equal consequence and concernment, yet all truth is of God; and, for that reason, though we are not obliged to make an open profession of all truths, at all times, yet we are bound not to deny or renounce any truth, nor to make profession of a known falsehood or error: for it is merely because of the intrinsical evil of the thing, that it is impossible for God to lie; and the Son of God thought it worth his coining into the world, and laying down his life, to bear witness to the truth. So he himself tells us, (John xviii. 37.) "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth." Thus I have shewn you in these plain instances (to which most other cases may be reduced), when men may be said to suffer truly for the cause of religion and truth. 1 shall mention two or three cases wherein men may seem to suffer for the cause of religion, but can not truly be said to do so. First, When men rashly expose themselves to danger, and run upon sufferings for the sake of religion. Thus several of the primitive Christians voluntarily exposed themselves when they were not called in question, and in the heat of their affection and zeal for God and religion, offered themselves to martyrdom, when none inquired after them. This, in the gracious interpretation of God, who, knowing the sincerity of their zeal, was pleased to overlook the indiscreet forwardness and rashness of it, might be accepted for a kind of martyrdom; but cannot in reason be justified, so as to be fit to be made a pattern, and to be recommended to our imitation. For though God may be pleased to excuse the weakness of a well-meaning zeal, yet he can approve no thing but what is reasonable. To suffer cheerfully for the cause of God and his truth, when he calls us to fight this good fight of faith, and to "resist unto blood;" and when we are reduced to that strait, that we must either die for God and his truth, or deny them; to suffer, I say, in this case with courage and patience, is one of the noblest of all the Christian virtues. But to be perfect volunteers, and to run ourselves upon sufferings, when we are not called to them, looks rather like the sacrifice of fools; which though God may mercifully excuse, and pardon the evil of the action, for the good meaning of it; yet he can never perfectly approve and accept of it. But I think there is little need now-a-days to caution men against this rashness; it is well if they have the grace and resolution to suffer when it is their duty, and when they are called to it. Secondly, Nor can men be truly said to suffer for the cause of religion, when they suffer not for their faith, but their fancy, and for the wilful and affected error of a mistaken conscience. As when men suffer for indifferent things, which, in heat and passion, they call superstition and idolatry; and for their own false opinions in religion, which they mistake for fundamental articles of the Christian faith. In this case, their mistake about these things will not change the nature of them, nor turn their sufferings into martyrdom: and yet many men have certainly suffered for their own mistakes. For as men may be so far deluded, as to think they do God good ser vice when they kill his faithful servants; so likewise may they be so far deceived, as to sacrifice their lives, and all that is dear to them, to their own culpable errors and mistakes. But this is zeal without knowledge, not "the wisdom which descends from above," but that which comes from beneath, and is like the fire of hell, which is heat without light. Thirdly and lastly, Nor can men truly be said to suffer from the cause of God and religion, when they suffer for the open profession and defence of truths not necessary. For though a man be obliged to make an open profession of all fundamental and necessary truths; yet he is under no such obligation to make profession of truths not necessary at all times; and, unless he be called to deny them, he is not bound either to declare or defend them; he may hold his peace, at other times, and be silent about them, especially when the open profession of them will probably do no good to others, and will certainly do hurt to ourselves; and the zealous endeavour to propagate such truths will be to the greater prejudice of charity, and the disturbance of the public peace of the church. It was a good saying of Erasmus (if we understand it as, I believe, he meant it, of truths not necessary) Adeo invisae sunt mihi discordiae, ut veritas etiam contentiosa displiceat: "I am (says he) so perfect a hater of discord, that I am even displeased with truth, when it is the occasion of contention." As a man is never to deny truth, so neither is he obliged to make an open profession of truths not necessary at all times; and if he suffer upon that account, he cannot justify it to his own prudence, nor have comfort in such sufferings, because he brings them needlessly upon himself; and no man can have comfort, but in suffering for doing his duty. And thus I have done with the first thing I proposed to inquire into; namely, when men may be truly said to suffer for the cause of religion. I proceed now to the Second inquiry; namely, how far men may rely upon the providence of God to bear them out in such suffering? To which I answer: that provided we do what becomes us, and is our duty on our part, the providence of God will not be wanting on his part, to bear us out in all our sufferings for his cause, one of these three ways. First, To secure us from that violent degree of temptation and suffering, which would be too strong for human strength and patience; or, Secondly, In case of such extraordinary temptation and trial, to give us the extraordinary supports and comforts of his Holy Spirit; or else, Thirdly, In case of a temporary fall and miscarriage, to raise us up by repentance, and a greater resolution and constancy under sufferings. I shall speak severally to these. First, Either the providence of God will not be wanting to secure us from that violent degree of temptation and suffering, which would be too strong for human strength and patience to bear. And this is a great security to good men, against the fears of final miscarriage, after all their labours, and pains, and sufferings in a religious course, by being over borne at last by the assault of a very violent and powerful temptation. Not but that the best of men ought always to have a prudent distrust of themselves, so as to keep them from security; according to the apostle's caution and counsel: "be not high-minded, but fear; and let him that stands, take heed lest he fall;" because, till we come to heaven, we shall never be out of the danger and possibility of falling; but yet, for all this, we may hope, by the sincerity and firmness of our resolution, under the usual influences of God's grace, to acquit ourselves like men, in ordinary cases of temptation and suffering. And, to this end, we should represent to ourselves those "exceeding great and precious promises" which he hath made to good men, and his merciful providence, which continually watcheth over them, and steers their course for them in this world, among those many rocks which they are in danger to split upon; that he is able to stablish us in the truth, and to keep us from falling; "to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, and to preserve us to his heavenly kingdom;" and that, if we do not forsake him, and forfeit his care and protection, he will "keep us by his mighty power through faith unto salvation;" either by his merciful foresight and prevention of those temptations which would, probably, be too hard for us; or, if he thinks fit they should befal us, by supporting us under them in an extraordinary manner. For I doubt not but that the best men do owe their security and perseverance in goodness, much more to the merciful providence of God, preventing the assaults of violent and dangerous temptations, than to the firmness and constancy of their own resolutions. For there are very few persons of so firm and resolute virtue, but that one time or other a temptation might assault them upon such a disadvantage, as would, in all probability, not only stagger them, but bear them down. Now herein the providence of God towards good men is very remarkable, in securing them from those temptations which are too strong for them to grapple withal; like a kind and tender father, who, if he be satisfied of the dutiful disposition of his child towards him, will not try his obedience to the utmost, nor permit too strong a temptation to the contrary to come in his way. So the Psalmist represents God's tender regard and consideration of the frailty and infirmity of his children: (Psal. ciii. 13, 14.) "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him: for he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are but dust;" that is, he considereth us as men, and deals with us accordingly. Provided we be sincere, he will not suffer us to be set upon by temptations that are too big for us. And therefore our blessed Saviour makes it one of the petitions of that excellent prayer, which he hath recommended to us; "Lead us not into temptation;" that is, we should every day beg of God, that his providence would keep us out of the way of great and dangerous temptations, as knowing that this will be a greater security to us, than any strength and resolution of our own. Secondly, Or in case of such violent and extraordinary temptations, the providence of God will not be wanting to give us the extraordinary support and comfort of his Holy Spirit, to bear us up under them. The providence of God did take care of good men in all ages, and did afford comfort to them under great trials and sufferings; but God never made so express and general a promise of this to all good men, as he hath done by the Christian religion. Never was so constant a presence and influence of the Divine Spirit vouchsafed and assured to men, under any dispensation, as that of the gospel; wherein the Spirit of God is promised to all that sincerely embrace the Christian religion, to reside and dwell in them; not only to all the purposes of sanctification and holiness, but of support and comfort under the heaviest pressures and sufferings. For which reason the gospel is called the ministration of the Spirit; and is, upon this account, said to be more glorious than any other revelation which God had ever made to mankind. We are naturally apt to be very much disheartened and cast down at the apprehension of great sufferings, from the consideration of our own weakness and frailty; but the Spirit of Christ dwells in all true Christians, and the same glorious power, which raised up Jesus from the dead, works mightily in them that believe. St. Paul useth very high expressions about this matter: (Eph. i. 19.) "That ye may know, (saith he, speaking to all Christians) what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand." So that every Christian is endowed with a kind of omnipotence, being able (as St. Paul speaks of himself) to do and to endure all things, "through Christ strengthening him." Of ourselves we are very weak, and the temptations and terrors of the world are very powerful; but there is a principle residing in every true Christian that is able to bear us up against the world, and the power of all its temptations. "Whatsoever is born of God (saith St. John) overcometh the world; for greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." The Holy Spirit of God, which dwells in all true Christians, is a more powerful principle of resolution, and courage, and patience, under the sharpest trials and sufferings, than the evil spirit which rules in the world is, to stir up and set on the malice and rage of the world against ns. "Ye are of God, little children;" he speaks this to the youngest and weakest Christians. "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome; because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." The malice and power of the devil is very great; but the goodness and power of God is greater. And therefore, in case of extraordinary temptation, good men, by virtue of this promise of God's Holy Spirit, may expect to be borne up and comforted in a very extraordinary and supernatural manner, under the greatest tribulations and sufferings for righteousness sake. And this was in a very signal and remarkable manner afforded to the primitive Christians, under those fierce and cruel persecutions to which they were exposed. And this may still be expected, in like cases of extraordinary sufferings, for the testimony of God's truth. "If ye be reproached (saith St. Peter in this 4th chap. ver. 14.) for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you." The Spirit of God is here promised to strengthen and support all that suffer for the name of Christ, in a very conspicuous and glorious manner, according to that prayer of St. Paul, (Colossians i. 11.) that Christians might be "strengthened with all might, according to God's glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering, with joyfulness." For when God is pleased to exercise good men with trials more than human, and such sufferings as are beyond the common rate of human strength and patience to bear, he hath engaged himself to endue and assist them with more than human courage and resolution. So St. Paul tells the Corinthians, who had not then felt the utmost rage of persecution: (1 Cor. x. 13.) "No temptation or trial hath yet befallen you but what is common to man; that is, nothing but what is frequently incident to human nature, and what by human strength, with an ordinary assistance of God's grace, may be grappled withal. But, in case God shall call you to extraordinary sufferings, "he is faithful that hath promised, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it;" that is, as he hath ordered and appointed so great a temptation or trial to befal you, so he will take care that it shall have a happy issue, by enabling you to bear it, by affording you grace and strength equal to the violence and power of the temptation. For as he is said to fall into temptation, that is conquered by it; so he is said to get out of it, or escape it, who is enabled to bear it, and in so doing gets the better of it. And for this we may rely upon the faithfulness of God, who hath promised that we shall not be tried above our strength, either not above the strength which we have, or not above the strength which he will afford us in such a case. And why then should we be daunted at the apprehension of any suffering whatsoever, if we be secured that our comfort shall be increased in proportion to our trouble, and our strength in proportion to the sharpness and weight of our sufferings? or else, Thirdly, In case of temporary falling, the providence and goodness of God will give them the grace and opportunity of recovering themselves from their fall by repentance. For the providence of God may sometimes, for wise ends and reasons, see it fit to leave good men to their own frailty, and to faint and fall shamefully under sufferings, so as to renounce and deny the truth: sometimes to punish their vain confidence in themselves, as in the case of Peter, who declared more resolution, and bore it out with a greater confidence than any of the disciples, when he said to our Saviour, "though all men forsake thee, yet will not I;" and yet after this he fell more shamefully than any of the rest, so as to deny his Master with horrid oaths and imprecations; and this, though our Saviour had prayed particularly for him, "that his faith might not fail." From which instance we may learn, that God doth not engage himself absolutely to secure good men from falling, in case of a great temptation and trial; but if they be sincere, he will not permit them to fall finally, though he may suffer them to miscarry grievously for a time, to convince them of the vanity of their confidence in themselves and their own strength. Sometimes God may suffer good men to fall, in order to their more glorious recovery, and the greater demonstration and triumph of their faith and constancy afterwards; which was the case of that happy instrument of our Reformation here in England, Archbishop Cranmer; who, after he had been so great a champion of the Reformation, was so overcome with fear, upon the apprehension of his approaching sufferings, as to subscribe those errors of the church of Rome, which he had so stoutly op posed a great part of his life: but he did not long continue in this state, but by the grace of God, which had not forsaken him, was brought to repentance; and when he came to suffer, gave such a testimony of it, and of his faith and constancy, as was more glorious, and more to the confirmation of the faith of others, than a simple martyrdom could have been, if he had not fallen; for when he was brought to the stake, he put his right hand (with which he had signed the recantation) into the fire, and with an undaunted constancy held it there, till it was quite burnt, for a testimony of his true repentance for that foul miscarriage; and when he had done, gave the rest of his body to be burnt, which he endured with great courage and cheerfulness to the last. So that he made all the amends possible for so great a fault; and the goodness of God, and the power of his grace, was more glorified in his repentance and recovery than if he had never fallen. But what shall we say when, notwithstanding these promises of extraordinary comfort and support, in case of extraordinary sufferings, so great numbers are seen to faint in the day of trial, and to fall off from their steadfastness? Of which there were many sad instances among the primitive Christians; and have likewise been, of late, in our own times, and in places nearer to us. This, I confess, is a very melancholy consideration; but yet, I think, is capable of a sufficient answer. And, first of all, let this be established for a firm and undoubted principle, that God is faithful to his promise; and therefore we ought much rather to suppose, in all these cases, that there is some default on our part, than any failure and unfaithfulness on God's part. Thus St. Paul determines, in a like case, when the promise of God seemed not to be made good to the Jews, he lays the blame of it on their unbelief, but acquits God of any unfaithfulness in his promise: (Rom. iii. 3, 4.) "For what if some did not believe, shall their unbelief make the faith (or fidelity) of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar." This, I confess, does not answer the difficulty; but yet it ought to incline and dispose us to interpret what can fairly be offered for the removal of it, with all the favour that may be on God's side. I say, then, Secondly, That when good men fall, in case of extraordinary temptation, and recover again by repentance, and give greater demonstration, afterwards, of their constancy and resolution in the cause of God and his truth, the faithfulness of God, in his promises, is sufficiently vindicated, as in the cases I mentioned; because the promise of God is not ab solute that good men shall be preserved from falling; but that the temptation shall have a happy issue, and that they shall not finally miscarry. For promises of this nature are to be interpreted by us, and understood as we do our Saviour's prayer for Peter before his fall, that his faith should not fail finally; but though he fell through too much confidence in himself, he should, through the grace of God assisting him, be enabled to recover by repentance. Thirdly, The sincerity or insincerity of men, in the profession of the true religion, is a thing which we cannot certainly know, because we do not see into men's hearts; but He, who knows the heart, and tries the spirits of men in a balance, cannot be deceived in this matter; and where men are not sincere, the promise of God is not concerned to hinder them from discovering themselves; and the fall of such persons is no reflection upon the faith fulness of God. And it is reasonable enough to presume, that this may be the case of not a few; and that (like Simon Magus), after they have made a very solemn profession of Christianity, their hearts may not be right in the sight of God. Fourthly, If we put the case at the hardest, that some that were very sincere, after they have held out a great while, under the extremity of torments, have at last fainted under them, and yielded to the malice and cruelty of their persecutors; and, in this amazement and distraction, have not long after expired, without any testimony of their repentance: in this case, both reason and charity ought to restrain us from passing any very positive and severe sentence upon the state of such persons. For what do we know, but God, whose goodness will certainly make all the allowance to human frailty that reason can require (for he knows whereof we are made, and "remembers that we are but dust;" he mercifully considers every man's case, and weighs all the circumstances of it in an exact balance); I say, who can tell, but that, in such a case as I have mentioned, God may graciously be pleased to accept such a degree of constant suffering of great torments, for so long a time, for a true martyrdom, and not expect a more than human patience and resolution, where he is not pleased to afford more than human strength and support; and whether he may not look upon their failing and miscarriage, at last, in the same rank with the indeliberate actions of men in a frenzy, and beside themselves. And thus, God may be said, "with the temptation to make a way to escape," or to give a happy issue to it; since they were enabled to bear it, till, being distracted by their torments, their understandings were thrown off the hinges, and incapable of exercising any deliberate acts of reason. And, with out some such equitable consideration of the case of such persons, it will be very hard to reconcile some appearances of things with the goodness of God and the faithfulness of his promise. However, it will become us to abstain from all uncharitableness and peremptory censure of the final estate of sue h persons, especially till we ourselves have given greater and better testimony of our constancy; and, in the mean time, to leave them to the righteous and merciful sentence of their Master and ours, to whose judgment we must all stand or fall. I am sure it will very ill become those, who, by the providence of God, have escaped those sufferings, and are at present out of danger themselves, to sit in judgment upon those who are left to endure this terrible conflict; and have, perhaps, held out as long or longer than they themselves would have done in the like circumstances. Let us rather earnestly beg of the God of all grace and patience, that he would endue us with a greater measure of patience and constancy, if he see fit to call us to the exercise of it, and (which we lawfully may, after the example of our blessed Saviour) that, if it be his will, he would "let this cup pass from us," and not try us with the like sufferings, "lest we also be weary, and faint in our minds." I come now to the III. Third and last inquiry which I proposed: What ground and reason there is for good men to expect the more peculiar and especial care of God's providence in case of such sufferings. The providence of God extends to all his creatures, according to that of the psalmist: "the Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works." But he exerciseth a more peculiar providence towards mankind; and more peculiar yet towards those who study to please him by obeying his laws and doing his will. He that is assured of his own heart that he loves God, and would do or suffer any thing for him, can have no cause to doubt but that God loves him, and is concerned for his happiness. No man was ever afraid of God that was not conscious to himself that he had offended him, and, by the wilful breach of his laws, had put himself out of the care of his providence. But, on the contrary, if our hearts give us this testimony, that we have made it our sincere endeavour to please him, we are naturally apt to have good assurance and confidence of his favour and good-will towards us. This comfort the mind of every good man is apt to give him, from his own reason, and the natural notions which he hath of God. But, to free us from all doubt in this matter, God himself hath told us so, and given us plentiful assurance of it in his word: (Psal. xi. 7.) "The righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright;" that is, he will be favourable unto them: (Psal. xxxiii. 18.) "Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him; upon them that hope in his mercy." The eye of God signifies his watchful care and providence over good men. So that, besides the sure and well-grounded reasonings from the essential perfections of the Divine nature, the mercy and goodness of God, "we have a more sure word" of promise in the express declarations of God's word, and more particularly in the case of great temptations and sufferings. For can we think that the Scripture saith in vain, "Wait on the Lord, and be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart? Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of all? The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his ways: though he fall, he shall not utterly be cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand? The salvation of the righteous cometh of the Lord; he is their help in time of trouble?" The same promises we find in the New Testament: "All things shall work together for good to them that love God. God is faithful, who hath promised that he will not stiffen you to be tempted above what ye are able, but will with the temptation make a way to escape." And, to mention no more, "Hold fast the profession of your faith without wavering; he is faithful that hath promised;" viz. to support you under sufferings, and to reward them. Thus much for the first point; namely, that when, men do suffer truly for the cause of religion, they may, with confidence, commit themselves to the more peculiar care of the Divine Providence. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON XCIX. THE SUPPORT OF GOOD MEN UNDER THEIR SUFFERINGS FOR RELIGION. Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.--1 Pet. iv. 19. FROM these words I proposed to consider these three points: First, That when men do suffer really and truly for the cause of religion, they may, with confidence, commit themselves (their lives, and all that is dear to them) to the peculiar and more especial care of the Divine Providence. Secondly, This we may do, always, provided that we be careful of our duty, and do what is required on our part; and that neither to avoid sufferings, nor to rescue ourselves out of them, we do any thing contrary to our duty and a good conscience; for this is the meaning of committing ourselves to God in well-doing. Thirdly, To shew what ground of comfort and encouragement the consideration of God, under the notion of "a faithful Creator," does afford to us, under all our sufferings for a good cause and a good conscience. The first of these points I have treated on, at large, in my former discourse; I proceed now to the Second, namely, When, in all our sufferings for the cause of religion, we may, with confidence and good assurance, commit ourselves to the peculiar and more especial care of God's providence: this is to be understood, always provided that we be careful of our duty, and do what is required on our part; and that neither to avoid sufferings, nor to rescue ourselves out of them, we do any thing contrary to our duty and a good conscience. And this, I told you, was the meaning of committing ourselves to God in well-doing: for if we either neglect our duty, or step out of the way of it by doing things contrary to it, the providence of God will not be concerned to bear us out in such sufferings. So that in our sufferings for the cause of God and religion, to commit ourselves to him in well doing, may reasonably comprehend in it these following particulars: 1. Provided always, that we neglect no lawful means of our preservation from sufferings, or our deliverance out of them: in this case, men do not commit themselves to the providence of God, but cast themselves out of his care and protection; they do not trust God, but tempt him, and do, as it were, try whether he will stand by us when we desert ourselves, and bring us out of trouble when we would take no care, would use no endeavours to prevent it. If we will needlessly provoke trouble, and run ourselves upon sufferings; if we will neglect ourselves, and the lawful means of our preservation; if we will give up, and part with those securities of our religion which the providence of God and the laws of our country have given us; if we ourselves will help to pull down the fence which is about us; if we will disarm ourselves, and by our own act expose ourselves naked and open to danger and sufferings; why should we think, in this case, that God will help us, when we would not help ourselves by those lawful ways which the providence of God hath put into our hands? All trust in God, and dependance upon his providence, does imply that we join prayer and endeavour together; faith in God, and a prudent and diligent use of the means: if we lazily trust the providence of God, and so cast all our care upon him, as to take none at all ourselves, God will take no care of us. In vain do we rely upon the wisdom, and goodness, and power of God; in vain do we importune and tire Heaven with our prayers to help us against our enemies and persecutors, if we ourselves will do nothing for ourselves; in vain do we hope that God will maintain and defend our religion against all the secret contrivances and open assaults of our enemies, if we, who are united in the profession of the same religion, and in all the essentials of faith and worship, will for some small differences in lesser matters, which are of no moment, in comparison of the things wherein we are agreed: I say, if for such slight matters we will divide and fall out among ourselves; if, when the enemy is at the gates, we will still pursue our heats and animosities, and will madly keep open those breaches which were foolishly made at first, what can we expect, but that the common enemy should take the advantage and enter in at them; and, whilst we are so unseasonably and senselessly contending with one another, that they should take the opportunity which we give them to destroy us all. 2. Provided, likewise, that we do not attempt our own preservation or deliverance from suffering, by evil and unlawful means: we must do nothing that is contrary to our duty and to a good conscience, nor comply with any thing, or lend a helping hand thereto, that apparently tends to the ruin of our religion, neither to divert nor put off sufferings for the present, nor to rescue ourselves from under them; because we cannot with confidence commit ourselves to the providence of God, but in well-doing. This is an eternal rule, from whence we must in no case depart: that men must do nothing contrary to the rules and precepts of religion, no, not for the sake of religion itself: we must not break any law of God, nor disobey the lawful commands of lawful authority, to free ourselves from any sufferings whatsoever; because the goodness of no end can sanctify evil means and make them lawful: we must not speak deceitfully for God, nor lie, no, not for the truth; nor kill men, though we could thereby do God and religion the greatest service. And though all the casuists in the world should teach the contrary doctrine (as they generally do in the church of Rome), yet I would not doubt to op pose to all those the single authority of St. Paul, who expressly condemns this principle, and brands it for a damnable doctrine--that evil may be done by us that good may come. (Rom. iii. 8.) "And not as we be slanderously reported, and, as some affirm, that we say, Let us do evil that good may come, whose damnation is just." St. Paul, it seems, looked upon it as a most devilish calumny to insinuate that the Christian religion gives the least countenance to such damnable doctrines and doings as these; and pronounceth their damnation to be just, who either teach any such principle, as the doctrine of Christianity, or practise according to it. Let those look to it, who teach that a right intention and a good end will render things, which are otherwise evil and unlawful, not only lawful to be done by us, but in many cases meritorious; especially where the good of the church and the extirpation of heresy are more immediately concerned. Of this nature are the doctrines of equivocation and mental reservation, and the lawfulness of such artificial ways of lying to avoid the danger of the law, when they are brought before heretical magistrates; and this is the common doctrine of the most learned casuists of all orders in the church of Rome: and such, likewise, are their doctrines of the lawfulness of extirpating heretics by the most barbarous and bloody means, and of breaking faith with them, though given by emperors and princes in the most public and solemn manner: both which are the avowed doctrines of their general councils, and have frequently been put in practice, to the destruction of many millions of Christians, better and more righteous than themselves. But we "have not so learned Christ," who have heard him, and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus. They, who are rightly instructed in the Christian religion, are so far from thinking it lawful to do any thing that is evil to bring others under suffering, that they do not allow it in any case whatsoever; no, not for the cause of God and religion, and to free themselves from the greatest sufferings that can be inflicted upon them. .3. Provided, also, that we do trust the providence of God, and do indeed commit ourselves to it; relying upon his wisdom and goodness, and entirely submitting and resigning up ourselves to his will and disposal, both as to the degree and the duration of our sufferings; believing that he will do that for us which, upon the whole matter, and in the final issue and result of things, will be best for us. That blessing wherewith Moses, the man of God, blessed the people of Israel before his death, doth belong to all good men in all ages: "He loveth his people, and all his saints are in his hand." (Deut. xxxiii. 3.) Innumerable are the promises in Scripture concerning the merciful providence and goodness of God towards those who trust in him, and "hope in his mercy." (Psal. xxxii. 10.) "Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about." (Psal. xxxiii. 18-22.) "Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him; upon them that hope in his mercy: to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him: because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee." (Psal. xxxiv. 22.) "The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants, and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate." (Psal. xxxvii. 39, 40.) "But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them because they trust in him." (Psal. xxxi. 19.) "O how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men." (Psal. lv. 22.) "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." (Psal. cxxv. i.) "They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever." (Isa. xxvi. 3, 4.) "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." 4. Provided yet further, that we pray earnestly to God for his gracious help and assistance, for his merciful comfort and support under sufferings; that he would be pleased to strengthen our faith, and to increase and lengthen out our patience, in proportion to the degree and duration of our sufferings. All the promises which God hath made to us are upon this condition, that we earnestly seek and sue to him for the benefit and blessing of them. (Psal. l. 15.) "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." (Ezek. xxxvi. 37.) After a great deliverance, and many blessings promised to them, this condition is at last added, "Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them." And this, likewise, is the tenor of the promises of the New Testament: (Matt. vii. 7.) "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." And in this very case that lam speaking of, God expects that we should apply ourselves to him for spiritual wisdom and grace, to behave ourselves under sufferings as we ought: Jam. i. 2, 3, 4. Where speaking" of the manifold temptations the Christians would be exercised withal, he directs them to pray to God for wisdom to demean themselves under persecutions, with patience, and constancy, and cheerfulness. "My brethren, account it all joy, when you fall into divers temptations; (meaning the temptations and trials of suffering in several kinds) knowing this, that the trial of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have its perfect work." And because this is a very difficult duty, and requires a great deal of spiritual skill, to demean ourselves under sufferings as we ought, therefore he adds in the next words, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." And this earnest application we are to make to God, for his grace and seasonable help in time of need; not to put him in mind of his promise, but to testify our dependance upon him, and expectation of all good from him. And we must likewise use great importunity in our prayers to God, to assist us and stand by us in the day of trial, and the hour of temptation. And therefore our Saviour heaps up several words, to denote the great earnestness and importunity which we ought to use in prayer, bid ding us to ask, and seek, and knock. And, to shew that he lays more than ordinary weight upon this matter, and to encourage our importunity, he spake two several parables to this purpose: the first, (Luke xi. 5.) of the man who by mere importunity prevailed with his friend to rise at midnight to do him a kindness, which our Saviour applies to encourage our importunity in prayer: (ver. 9.) "And I say unto you, ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." The other is the parable of the importunate widow and unjust judge, related by the same evangelist, (Luke xviii. 1.) with this preface to it; and "he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint." And, to speak the truth, they seem, at first sight, two of the oddest of all our Saviour's parables; as if the design of them were to insinuate to us, that God is to be prevailed upon by the mere importunity of our prayers to grant our requests: but our blessed Saviour, who best knew his own meaning, tells us, that all that he designed by it, was only to signify, that we "ought always to pray, and not to faint;" that is, to "continue instant in prayer," and not to give over after once asking, as if we despaired of prevailing. Not that mere importunity prevails with God to give us those things which he is otherwise unwilling to grant; but because it becomes us to be fervent, and earnest, to testify our faith and confidence in the goodness of God, and the deep sense we have of our own weakness, and wants, and unworthiness; and, likewise, that we set a true value upon the blessings and favours of God, as worth all the earnestness and importunity we can use: and, in this decent and sober sense, the success of our prayers may truly be said to depend upon our importunity; not that it is necessary to move God to grant our requests, but that it becomes us to be thus a fleeted, that we may be the more fitly qualified for the grace and mercy which God is willing to confer upon us. I have been the longer upon this, to give us a right notion of this matter, and that we may the more distinctly understand the true reason why our Saviour does require so much earnestness and importunity of prayer on our part; not at all to work upon God, and to dispose him to shew mercy to us (for that he is always inclinable to, whenever we are fit for it), but only to dispose and qualify us to receive the grace and mercy of God with greater advantage to ourselves. 5. Provided, moreover, that we be not confident of ourselves, and of the force and strength of our resolution. We know not ourselves, nor the frailty mid weakness of our own revolution, till we are tried. It is wise advice which Solomon gives us, and never more seasonable than in the day of trial: (Prov. iii. 5, 6, 7.) "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding; in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths; be not wise in thine own eyes;" that is, be not conceited and confident of thine own wisdom and strength, or ability in any kind; there is a secret providence of God, which mingles itself with the actions and spirits of men, and disposeth of us unknown to ourselves; and what we think to be the effect of our own strength and resolution, of our own wisdom and contrivance, proceeds from a higher cause, which, unseen to us, does steer and govern us. So the wise man observes: (Prov. xx. 24.) "Man's goings are of the Lord, how can a man then understand his own ways?" And therefore we have reason every one to say with the prophet: (Jer. x. 23.) "O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Our feet will soon slip, if God do not uphold us by his hand. Remember how shamefully the chief of our Lord's disciples miscarried, by too much confidence in himself--I mean St. Peter; in whose fall we may all see our own frailty: if God do but permit the devil to have the winnowing of us, there will be a great deal of chaff found in the best of us. What St. Paul said of himself, (2 Cor. xii. 10.) "When I am weak, then am I strong;" we shall all find true, when it comes to the trial: we are then strongest, when, in a just sense of our own weakness, we rely most upon the strength and power of God. 6. Provided furthermore, that, according to our ability, we have been much in the exercise of alms and charity. For well-doing, or doing good, is sometimes taken in a narrower sense, not improper here to be mentioned, though perhaps not so particularly intended here in the text for works of charity and alms. As, (Heb. xiii. 16.) "But to do good, and to communicate (that is, to the necessities of the poor) forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." This kind of well-doing is a special preservative in times of evil; there is no kind of grace or virtue to which there are in Scripture more special promises made, of our protection and preservation from evil and suffering, of support and comfort under them, and deliverance out of them, than to this of a charitable and compassionate consideration of those who labour under want or suffering. (Psal. xxxvii. 3.) "Trust in the Lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed:" and (ver. 19.) speaking of righteous or merciful men, "they shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied." (Psal. xli. 1, 2.) "Blessed is he that considereth the poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble; the Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth; and thou wilt not deliver him into the will of his enemies." There are, likewise, in the apocryphal books, excellent sayings for the encouragement of charity, as that which will be particularly considered and rewarded to us in the times of danger and distress, in the days of affliction and suffering. (Tob. iv. 7-10.) "Give alms of thy substance, and turn not thy face from any poor man, and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee; if thou hast abundance, give alms accordingly; if thou hast but a little, be not afraid to give according to that little, for thou layest up for thyself a good treasure against the day of necessity, because that alms do deliver from death, and suffereth not to come into darkness." (Ecclus. iii. 31.) Speaking of him that gives alms, and is ready to do kindness to others: "He is mindful of that which may come hereafter; and when he falleth he shall find a stay." And, (chap. xxix. 11, 12, 13.) "Lay up thy treasure according to the commandment of the Most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold; shut up alms in thy store-houses, and it shall deliver thee from all affliction; it shall fight for thee against thine enemies, better than a mighty shield and strong spear." I have often said it, and am verily persuaded of it, that one of the best signs of God's mercy and favour to this poor nation is, that God hath been pleased, of late years, to stir up so general a disposition in men to works of alms and charity, and thereby to revive the primitive spirit of Christianity, which so eminently abounded in this grace, and taught those who believed in God to be "careful to maintain and practise good works." And nothing gives me greater hopes that God hath mercy still in store for us, than that men are so ready to shew mercy: there are great objects to exercise our charity upon in this time of the general suspension of trade and business, from an apprehension of approaching troubles; by reason whereof, both the numbers and necessities of our poor are greatly and daily increased among us; and, besides, the poor of our own nation, God has sent us great numbers from abroad, I mean those who are fled hither for shelter from that violent storm of persecution which hath lately fallen upon them for the cause of our common religion. According to the compassion we shew to them, we may expect that God will either preserve us from the like sufferings, or graciously support us under them. What do we know but that God is now trying us, and hath purposely put this opportunity into our hands of preventing, or mitigating, or shortening, our own sufferings, according as we extend our charity and pity to those who have suffered so deeply for the cause of God and his truth? 7. Provided, in the last place, and above all, that we be sincere in our religion, and endeavour to be universally good, and "holy in all manner of conversation," and "to abound in all the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God." This is the largest sense of well-doing, and the most necessary of all the rest, to prepare us for sufferings, and to give us courage and constancy under them; and likewise to engage the providence of God to a tender care of us, and concernment for us, if he shall see it fit to bring us into a state of suffering. But if we live in open contempt and violation of God's laws, if we make no conscience of our ways and actions, we cannot possibly have any well-grounded trust and confidence in God; for he hates all the workers of iniquity, and his providence sets itself against them for evil. Bad men draw many mischiefs and inconveniences upon themselves, as the natural consequences of their actions; but, besides this, the vengeance of God haunts and pursues evil-doers; and his just providence many times involves them in many difficulties and dangers, besides and beyond the natural course of things. "Upon the wicked (says David) he will rain snares:" so that, as ever we expect the comfortable effects of the Divine care and providence, we must live in a dutiful obedience to God's holy will and laws. Bad men may make a profession of the true religion, and may in some sort believe it, though they do not live according to it; and yet, perhaps, for all this, out of a mere generosity and obstinacy of mind, they cannot bear to be threatened and terrified out of the profession of the truth; and will endure a great deal of trouble and inconveniences before they will renounce it, knowing themselves to be so far in the right that they stand for the truth, and hoping, perhaps, thereby to make some amends for their bad practice. But, when all is done, nothing gives a man true courage and resolution like the testimony of our own hearts, concerning our own sincerity, and the conscience of well-doing. And, on the contrary, he that hath not the resolution and patience to mortify his lusts, and to restrain his appetites, and to subdue his irregular passions for the sake of God and religion, will not easily bring himself to submit to great sufferings upon that account. There is considerable difficulty in the practice of religion, and the resolute course of a holy life; but surely it is much easier to live as religion requires we should do, than to lay down our lives for it; and (as I have told you upon another occasion), he that cannot prevail with himself to live like a saint, will much more hardly be persuaded to die a martyr. I proceed to the Third point, namely, What ground of comfort and encouragement the consideration of God, under the notion of a faithful Creator, does afford to us, under all our sufferings, for a good conscience and a good cause. "Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator." And in this I shall be very brief. And this is a firm ground of comfort and encouragement to us, under all our sufferings for God, to consider him as the Author of our beings, or as it is expressed in the text, as "a faithful Creator;" one that is not fickle and inconstant in his affection and kindness to his creatures, but is true to his own design, and will not abandon and forsake the work of his own hands: so great a benefit as that of our beings, freely conferred upon us, is but an earnest of God's further kindness to us, and future care of us; if, by our ill carriage towards him, we do not render ourselves unworthy and incapable of it; that we are God's creatures, is a demonstration that he hath a kindness for us: if he had not, he would never hare made us; as it is excellently said in the Wisdom of Solomon: (chap. xi. 23, 24.) "Thou hast mercy upon all, for thou lovest all the things that are, and abhorrest nothing which thou hast made; for never wouldst thou have made any thing if thou hadst hated it." And, (ver. 26.) "Thou sparest all, for they are thine, O Lord, thou lover of souls." To whom then may we with so much confidence commit ourselves, as to him who freely gave us our being? From whom may we expect so tender a regard and consideration of our case, and all the circumstances of it, as from this great founder and benefactor? For he that made us knows our frame, and whereof we are made, and how much we are able to bear; he considers our strength, or rather our weakness, and what courage and resolution he hath endued us withal, and what comfort and support we stand in need of in the day of tribulation. And as they who make armour are wont to try that which they think to be good and well-tempered with a stronger charge not to break and hurt it, but to prove and praise it, so God exerciseth those whom he hath fitted and tempered for it, with manifold temptations, "that the trial of their faith," as St. Peter expresseth it, (1 Pet. i. 7.) "being much more precious than of gold tried in the fire, may be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ." So that this consideration, that we are God's creatures, does (as I may say) oblige him in faithfulness to his own act, and in consequence of his bringing us into being at first, to be concerned for us after wards, so as never to abandon us, nor quite to take away his loving-kindness and mercy from us, till we are good for nothing, and do in a manner cease to be what he made us, that is, reasonable creatures. A person or people must have proceeded to the utmost degree of degeneracy, when God will consider them no longer as his creatures, nor shew any pity or favour to them; things must be come to extremity, when God deals thus with us, as he threatened the people of Israel: (Isaiah xxvii. 11.) "When the boughs are withered, they shall be broken off, and set on fire; for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour." And now I have done with the three points which I proposed to handle from this text; and the discourse which I have made upon them, does all along apply itself, by directing us how we ought to commit ourselves to the providence of God in all cases of danger and suffering, especially for the cause of God and his truth; viz. in the faithful discharge of our duty and a good conscience, and by a firm trust and confidence in the wisdom and goodness of the Divine Providence, not doubting but that he who made us, and knows our frame, will have a tender care of us, and "not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able." And as to our present danger, and that terrible storm which threatens us, let us pray to God, if it be his will, to divert it; but if otherwise he hath determined, to tit and prepare us for it. And let us be fervent and earnest in our prayers to him, not that he is moved by our importunity, but that we may thereby be qualified and made fit to receive the mercy which we beg of him. And let us take this occasion to do that which we should have done without it, to break off our sins by repentance, and to turn every one of us from the evil of our ways; that hereby we may render God propitious to us, and put ourselves under the more immediate care and protection of his providence; that we may prevent his judgments, and turn away his wrath and displeasure from us, as he did once from a great and sinful city and people, upon their sincere humiliation and repentance, (Jonah iii. 10.) where it is said of the people of Nineveh, that "God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way, and God repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them, and he did it not." Above all, let us be sincere in the profession of our religion, and conscientious in the practice of it; no thing will bear us up under great trials and sufferings, like "the testimony of a good conscience, void of offence towards God and towards men." I will conclude this whole discourse with those apostolical blessings and prayers: (Col. i. 10, 11.) "That ye may walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience, and long-suffering, with joyfulness." And, (2 Thess. ii. 16, 17.) "Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, who hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever." Amen. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON C. OF THE WORK ASSIGNED TO EVERY MAN, AND THE SEASON FOR DOING IT. 1 must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.--Johnix. 4. THESE words our blessed Saviour spake of himself, whilst he was upon earth; in which he tells us, that he was sent by God into the world, and had a certain work and employment appointed him during his abode in it. A great work indeed! to instruct, and reform, and save mankind. A work of great labour and pains, and patience, not to be done in a short time; and yet the time for doing it was not long after he came into the world: it was a good while before he began it; and, after he began it, the time of working was not long before the night came, and put an end to it: "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." But this which our Saviour here speaks of himself, and which properly belongs to him, and no other, may yet be accommodated to every man, with some allowance for the difference and disproportion. For though every man be not sent by (Jud into the world after so peculiar a manner, and upon so particular and vast a design; yet upon a general account, every man is sent by God into this world, and hath a work given him to do in it, which he is concerned vigorously to mind, and to prosecute with all his might. And though every man be not sent to save the whole world, as the Son of God was, yet every man is sent by God into the world, to work out his own salvation, and to take care of that, in the first place, and then to promote the salvation of others, as much as in him lies. So that every one of us may, in a very good sense, accommodate these words of our Saviour to himself: "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." I shall therefore, at this time, take the liberty to handle these words according to this moral accommodation of them, and apply what our Saviour here says of himself, to every man that cometh into the world; and this I shall do, by shewing these three things: First, That every man hath a work assigned him to do in this world, by him that sent him into it; and may in some sense say, as our blessed Saviour did of himself, "I must work the works of him that sent me." Secondly, That there is a certain and limited time for every man to do this work in. "While it is day." Thirdly, That after this season is expired, there will be no further opportunity of working. "The night cometh, when no man can work." First, Every man hath a work assigned him to do in this world, by him that sent him into it, and may in some sense say, as our blessed Saviour did of himself, "I must work the works of him that sent me." God, who made man a reasonable creature, and hath endowed him with faculties, whereby he is capable of knowing and serving him, hath appointed him a work and service suitable to these faculties; and, having infused an immortal soul into this earthly body, hath certainly designed him for a state beyond this life, in which he shall be for ever happy or miserable, according as he useth and demeans himself in this world. So that the work which every one of us hath to do in this world, is to prepare and fit ourselves for that eternal duration which remains for us after death. For the life which we live now in this world, is a time of exercise, a short state of probation and trial, in order to a durable and endless state, in which we shall be immutably fixed in another world. This world into which we are now sent for a little while, is, as it were, God's school, in which immortal spirits, clothed with flesh, are trained and bred up for eternity: and therefore the best, the only sure way to be happy for ever, is so to improve the short and uncertain time of this life, that we may approve ourselves to God in this world, and enjoy him in the next: or (as St. Paul expresseth it) that "having our fruit unto holiness, our end may be everlasting life." And this work consists in these three things: I. In the care of our own salvation. II. In doing what we can to promote the salvation of others. III. And, in order to both these, in the careful improvement and good husbandry of our time. I. In the care of our own salvation. And this consists in two things: 1. In the worship of Almighty God. 2. In the careful and conscientious practice and obedience of his holy laws. 1. The care of our own salvation consists in the pious and devout worship of Almighty God; that we honour him, and pay him that homage and respect, which is due from creatures to him that made them, and is the great Sovereign and Judge of the world; that we have an inward reverence and esteem of him, and that we express this by all solemn external acknowledgments of him; as by praying to him for the supply of our wants; by praising him for all the blessings and benefits which we hare received at his hands; and that we set apart constant and solemn times for the performance of these duties; and that, when we are employed in them, we be serious and hearty, and attentive to what we are about, and perform every part of Divine worship with those circumstances of reverence and respect, which may testify our awful sense of the Divine Majesty, and our inward and profound veneration of him, with whom we have to do: and this is that which is directly and properly religion. 2. This care of our own salvation does consist, likewise, in the conscientious and constant obedience and practice of all God's holy laws, in the conformity of our lives and actions to the laws which he hath given us, whether they be natural, or written upon our hearts, or made known to us by the revelation of his word; that we govern our passions by reason, and moderate ourselves in the use of sensual delights, -so as not to transgress the rules of temperance and chastity; that we demean ourselves to wards others, and converse with them with justice and fidelity, with kindness and charity. These are the sum of the Divine laws, and the heads of our duty towards ourselves and others; all which are more powerfully enforced upon us by the revelation of the gospel, and the plain promises and threatenings of it; the faith of Christ being the most firm and effectual principle both of piety to wards God, and of universal obedience to all his particular commands. And this is the great work which God hath sent us to do in the world. So the wise man sums up our duty: (Eccles. xii. 13.) "Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man." The fear and reverence of the Divine Majesty is the great foundation and principle of religion; but obedience to God's laws is the life and practice of it. God does not expect that we should spend the greatest part of our time in the immediate acts of religion, and in the solemn duties of his worship and service; but only that we should allot a fitting proportion of our time to these, according to the circumstances of our condition in this world, and the example of holy and good men that are in the like circumstances with ourselves. For such is the goodness of God, that he does not only allow us to provide for the necessaries and conveniences of this life, but hath made it our duty so to do. It is one of the precepts of the gospel, which the apostle chargeth the bishops and teachers of the gospel to inculcate frequently upon Christians, "that they which have believed in God, should be careful to maintain good works;" that is, to employ themselves in the works of an honest calling: for necessary uses; that is, for the support of their families, and the relief of those who are in want and necessity. And the apostle lays great weight and stress upon this as a very great duty: (Tit. iii. 8.) "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men;" that is, of general benefit and advantage to mankind. So that no man's calling is a hinderance to religion, but a part of it; and by performing the duties of piety in their proper seasons, and spending the rest of our time in any honest and useful employment, we may make our whole life a perpetual serving of God; we may glorify God in our eating and drinking, and in all other lawful and useful actions of life. In serving the occasions and necessities of life with sobriety and temperance, and in managing our worldly commerce with justice and integrity, we may serve God, and perform consider able duties of religion. So that provided we do nothing that is sinful, and manage the actions and concernments of this life with a due regard and subserviency to the great interests of eternity, we may do the work of God all the while we are providing for ourselves, and employed in the works of an honest calling: for God, who hath designed this life in order to the other, considers the necessities of our present state, and allows us to make provision for it. There are some persons, indeed, whose birth and condition sets them above the common employments of life, and the works of an ordinary calling: but these also have a work given them to do: for God hath sent no man into the world to no purpose, and only to take his pastime therein; neque enim ita generati sumus a natura, ut ad ludum et jocum facti esse videamur; sed ad severitatem potius, et quaedam studia graviora atque majora: "For we are not (says Tully de offic. lib. 1.) so framed by nature, as if we were made for sport and jest, but for more serious employments, and for greater and weightier business;" and those who are tied to no particular calling, may allow so much larger portions of their time to religion, and the service of God: and God likewise expects from them, that they should be useful to mankind in some higher and nobler way, according to the publicness of their station and influence. Such persons may be serviceable to their country, and the affairs of government, and in the care of public justice, and may employ their time in preparing and rendering themselves more fit for this service. They may find a great deal of work to do in the good government of their families, and in the prudent care and management of their estates, and in reconciling differences among their neighbours, and in considering the necessities of the poor, and providing for their supply. So that, besides the proper work of religion, and the more immediate service of God, every man in the world, how exempt soever his condition be from the common care and drudgery of human life, may find work enough wherein he may usefully employ all his time, and provide for his own, and for the common benefit of mankind; and God expects it as a duty from such, that every man should employ himself in some work or other, suitable to the station in which God hath placed him in this world. II. The work which God hath given us to do in the world, consists in doing what we can to further and promote the salvation of others. This chiefly lies upon us, who are the ministers of God, and to whom the word of reconciliation is committed. We are more especially commissioned and appointed for this work, and are ambassadors for Christ, to beseech men in his stead to be reconciled to God. We are sent by God in a more peculiar manner, and appointed for this very work, to watch for men's souls, and to be instruments and means of their eternal happiness. And therefore we who are sent by God in a more peculiar manner, and have this work as signed to do in the world, ought to be very vigorous and industrious in it: and this, whether we consider the nature of our employment, or the glorious reward of it. 1. If we consider the nature of our employment, both in respect of the honour and the happiness of it. It is the most honourable work that mortal man can be employed in; it is the same in kind, and in the main end and design of it, with that of the blessed angels; for we also are "ministering spirits, sent forth" by God to minister for the good of those "who shall be heirs of salvation." We are the messengers and ambassadors of God to men, sent to treat with them about the terms of their peace and reconciliation with God, to offer salvation to them, and to direct them to the best ways and means of procuring it. Nay, we have the honour to be employed in the very same work that the Son of God was, when he was upon the earth, "to seek and to save them that are lost;" and "to call sinners to repentance;" and to carry on that work, whereof he himself laid the foundation, when he was in the world. And what greater honour can be put upon the sons of men, than to help forward that glorious design and undertaking of the Son of God for the salvation of mankind? And it is an employment no less happy than honourable; it is not to drudge about the mean and low concernments of this life, a perpetual toil and care about "what we shall eat and drink, and wherewithal we shall be clothed," which is the business of a worldly employment; but it is a direct and immediate "seeking the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," and a continual endeavour to promote these. It does not consist in the labour of our body, and in bodily toil; but in the delightful exercise of our minds, about the best and noblest objects, God, and heaven, and eternity; in an earnest and faithful endeavour, by all wise ways and means, to gain souls to God, and to turn sinners from the errors of their ways, and to prevent their eternal ruin and destruction; and, next to the procuring of our own happiness, to be instrumental to the happiness of others, which is certainly the most pleasant and noble work that we can possibly be employed in; especially if we consider that, by the very nature of our employment we do at the same time, and by the very same means, carry on both these designs, of the salvation of ourselves and others. So St. Paul tells Timothy, when he exhorts him, upon this very consideration, to give himself wholly to this blessed work; because, says he, "in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." (1 Tim. iv. 16.) And when two of the greatest and best designs in the world, our own happiness in the salvation of others, do so happily meet in one, and are jointly carried on by the same labour: this ought to be a great spur and incitement to us, to be vigorous and unwearied, and "abundant in the work of the Lord;" and a mighty encouragement to us "to preach the word, to be instant in season, and out of season," and "to be examples to others, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity;" as St. Paul chargeth Timothy in the most solemn and awful manner, "before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his kingdom." (1 Tim. iv. 12. and 2 Tim. iv. 1.) And then, 2. If we consider the glorious reward of this work; if we be faithful and industrious in it, it will advance us to a higher degree of glory and happiness in the other world. "They that be wise (says the prophet, Dan. xii. 3.) shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever." They that are industrious in this work, as they are worthy of double honour in this world, so they shall shine with a double glory and lustre in^the other. But though this work of promoting the salvation of others be chiefly incumbent upon those whose office it is to attend upon this very thing, yet we are all of us concerned in it; according to the advantages and opportunities we have for it. Every man is concerned to help forward the salvation of his brother, and not to let him perish, if he can help it; and it is in every man's power to contribute something to this blessed work of saving others, by seasonable counsel and advice, by kind and gentle reproof, but especially by a holy and exemplary conversation, by a shining virtue, which hath a silent power of persuasion, and I know not what secret charm and attraction to draw and allure others to the imitation of it. III. And in order to both these, the saving of ourselves and others, this work which God hath given us to do in the world, consists in the careful use and good husbandry of our time; for without this, neither the one nor the other can be promoted and carried on to any purpose. Time is the season and opportunity of carrying on of any work, and for that reason is one of the most valuable things; and yet nothing is more wastefully spent, and more prodigally squandered away by a great part of mankind than this, which, next to our immortal souls, is of all other things most precious; because, upon the right use or abuse of our time, our eternal happiness or misery does depend. Men have generally some guard upon themselves, as to their money and estates, and will not with eyes open suffer others to rob and deprive them of it: but we will let any body almost rob us of our time; and are contented to expose this precious treasure to every body's rapines and extortion, and can quietly look on, whilst men thrust in their hands, and take it out by whole handfuls, as if it were of no greater value than silver was in Solomon's days, no more than "the stones in the street." And yet when it is gone, all the silver and gold in the world cannot purchase and fetch back the least moment of it, when perhaps we would give all the world for a very small part of that time, which we parted with upon such cheap and easy terms. Good God! what a stupid and senseless prodigality is this! do we consider what we do, when we give away such large portions of our time to our ease and pleasure, to diversion and idleness, to trilling and unprofitable conversation, to the making and receiving of impertinent visits, and the usual and almost inseparable attendants thereof, spiteful observations upon them that are present, and slandering and backbiting those that are absent, (for the great design of most people in visits, is not to better one another, but to spy and make faults, and not to mend them; to get time off their hands, to shew their fine clothes, and to recommend themselves to the mutual contempt of one another, by a plentiful impertinence;) when we part with it by wholesale in sleep and dressings, and can spend whole mornings between the comb and the glass, and the after noon at plays, and whole nights in gaming, or in riot, and lewdness, and intemperance; in all which, people commonly waste their money and their time together! Nay, how do even the best of us misplace this precious treasure; and though we do not employ it to wicked purposes, and in works of iniquity, yet we do not apply it to the best and noblest use--to the glory of God, and the good and salvation of men; by thus laying out this treasure, we might "lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven," and help others on in the way thither. Thus our blessed Saviour employed his precious time, in "going about doing good," in all kinds and upon all occasions, healing the bodies and enlightening the minds, and saving the souls of men: this was his business, and this was his delight; it was his "meat and drink," and his very life, he spent himself in it, and sacrificed his ease, and his safety, and his life, to these great ends for which he came into the world: he considered the goodness and the greatness of his work, and the little time he had to do it in, which made him incessantly industrious in it, and to run the race which was set before him with great speed, and to "work while it is day," because he knew the night would come "when no man can work." And this brings me to the Second thing I observed from the text; namely, that there is a certain and limited time for every man to do this work in; "while it is day--I must work the works of him that sent me, whilst it is day." And this day comprehends all the opportunities of our life, which will be soon over, and therefore had need to be well spent. A great part of our rife is past before the season of working begins: it is a great while before the use of our reason begins, and we come to have our senses exercised to discern between good and evil; before our understandings are ripe for the serious consideration of God and religion, and for the due care of our souls, and for the eternal concernment of another world; so that this first part of our life is in a great measure useless and unprofitable to us, in regard to our great design. For infancy and childhood are but the dawnings of this day, and no fit time to work in; and youth, which is as the morning of this day, though it is the flower of our time, and the most proper season of all other for the remembrance of God and the impressions of religion; yet it is usually possessed by vanity and vice; the common custom and practice of the world, hath devoted this best part of our age to the worst employments, to the service of sin and of our lusts. How very few are there that lay hold of this opportunity, and employ it to the best purposes? And yet the following course of our lives doth in a great measure depend upon it; for most persons do continue and hold on in the way in which they set out at first, whether it be good or bad. And those who neglect to improve this first opportunity of their lives, do seldom recover themselves afterwards. God's grace may seize upon men in any part of their lives; but, according to the most ordinary methods of it, the foundations and principles of religion and virtue are most commonly laid in a pious and virtuous education. This is the great opportunity of our lives, which settleth and fixeth most men, either in a good or bad course; and the fortune of their whole lives does usually follow it, and depend upon it. It is true, indeed, our day continues many times a great while longer, and we are to work while it continues^ and it is never too late to begin to do well, and to enter upon a good course; but there is no such proper and advantageous season for the beginning of this work, as in our youth and tender years. "This is the accepted time, this is the day of salvation." God's grace is then most forward and ready to assist us; and we are then least of all in disposed for the receiving of the impressions of it; and the impressions of it do then go deepest into our minds, and are most lasting and durable. But if we neglect this opportunity, we provoke God, by degrees, to withdraw his grace, and to take away his Holy Spirit from us, and by degrees we settle in vicious habits, and are every day more and more hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. It is never too late to work while the day lasts; but the sooner we begin this work, and set about it in good earnest, the easier we shall find it; if we defer it late, every step. will be up the hill, and against the grain. Thirdly, After this season is expired, there will be no further opportunity of working; when this day is once at an end, then cometh the night "when no man can work." The night is a time unfit for work, when we can hardly do any thing, if we had never so great mind to it; and there is such a night coining upon every one of us, and woe be to us if we have our work to do when the night overtakes us. There is usually an evening before this night, when it will be very difficult for us, and next to impossible, to do this work; and this is the time of sickness and old age, in which men are commonly unlit for any work, but most of all, that which requires the whole force and vigour of our minds, the business of religion. If we attempt this work then, we shall go very heartlessly about it, and do it very imperfectly, and be forced to slubber it over, and to huddle it up in great haste and confusion, and so as we can hardly hope that God will accept it. For how unfit are men to do any thing, when they are full of the sense of their own infirmities, and life itself is become so great a burden to them, that they are hardly able to stand under it! How incapable shall we then be of doing the greatest and most momentous work of our lives, when our faculties are almost quite spent and worn out, and all the powers of life are decayed in us; when our understandings are dark and dull, our memories frail and treacherous, and our hearts hard and "deceitful above all things!" When sickness and old age overtake us, we shall then find to our sorrow, that "sufficient for that day is the evil thereof;" we shall have need then of nothing else to do, but to bear our infirmities with patience and decency; and it is well if we can rally together, of the broken forces of our reason, so much as may be a sufficient guard to us against peevishness and discontent; we had need then have nothing else to do, but to be old and weak, to be sick and die. Besides, how can we expect that God should accept of any work that we do at such a time? With what face can we put off God with the dregs of our life? or how can we hope that he will be pleased with the service of those years, which we ourselves "take no pleasure in? if we offer the lame in sacrifice, is it not evil? and if we offer the blind, is it not evil? offer it now to thy governor, and see if he will be pleased with thee." And sickness is commonly as bad a time as old age, and usually encumbered with greater difficulties, and clogged with more indispositions. If a violent distemper seize upon us, it many times takes away the use of our reason, and deprives us of all opportunity of consideration; it makes us both insensible of the danger of our condition, and incapable of using the means to avoid it. And if we have neglected religion before, and have put off the great work of our life to the end of it, our opportunity is irrecoverably lost; for there is nothing to be done in religion when our reason is once departed from us; the night is then come indeed, and darkness hath overtaken us; and though we be still alive, yet are we as unfit for any work, as if we were naturally dead. And this is no such rare and extraordinary case; for it happens to many; and every man that wilfully defers the work of religion and repentance to a dying hour, hath reason to fear that he shall be thus surprised in his sin and security, and by the just judgment of God deprived of all the opportunity of life and salvation, while he is yet in the land of the living. But if God be more merciful unto us, and visit us with such a sickness as leaves us the use of our understandings, yet all that we do in religion, at such a time, proceeds from so violent a cause, from the present (error of death, and the dreadful apprehension of that eternal misery which is just ready to swallow us up, that it is one of the hardest things in the world, not only for others, but even for ourselves, to know whether our resolutions, and this sudden and hasty fit of repentance, be sincere or not: for it is natural, and almost unavoidable, for a man to repent, and be sorry for what he hath done, when he is going to execution; but the great question is, what this man would do if his life were spared? whether his repentance would hold good, and he would become a new man, and change his former course of life, or relapse into it again? And it is by no means certain that he would not be as bad as he was before: because we see many, who, when they lie upon a sick bed, give all imaginable testimony of a deep sorrow, and a hearty repentance for their sins, who yet, upon their recovery, return to their former sins with a greater appetite, and make themselves ten times more the children of wrath than they were before. So that all the work that we can do at such a time ought not to be much reckoned upon, and can give us little or no comfort; because it is so infinitely uncertain whether it be real and sincere, and whether the effect of so violent a cause would last and continue if the cause were removed. Therefore we should "work while it is day;" for whatever we do in this evening of our lives, will be done with great difficulty, and with very doubtful success. But, besides this evening, there is a night coming, "when no man can work: death will seize upon us, and then our state will be irrecoverably concluded: after that it will be impossible for us to do any thing towards our own salvation, or to have any thing done for us by others; the prayers of the living will not avail the dead; "as the tree falls, so it lies; there is no wisdom, nor counsel, nor device in the grave" whither we are going; therefore, according to the counsel of the wise man, "what our hand findeth to do, let us do it with our might." This counsel concerns all ages and persons. I will apply it to the young, in the words of the wise preacher: (Eccles. xii. 1.) "Remember, now, thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when them shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." To them who are in the vigour of their age, in the words of the prophet, (Isa. lv. 6.) "Seek the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." And, to them that are old, in the words of another prophet, (Jer. xiii. 16.) "Give glory to the Lord your God, before he causeth darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness." And let us, every one of us, of what age or condition soever, apply it to ourselves, in the words of our blessed Saviour here in the text: "I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CI. OF THE GREAT DUTIES OF NATURAL RELIGION, WITH THE WAYS AND MEANS OF KNOWING THEM. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but, to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?--Micah vi. 6, 7, 8. IN the beginning of this chapter, the prophet tells the people of Israel, that the Lord had a controversy with them; and, that he might direct them how to take up this quarrel, he brings in one making this inquiry in the name of the people: "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and how myself before the high God: That is, by what kind of worship or devotion may I address myself to him in the most acceptable manner? by what means may I hope to appease his displeasure? To satisfy this inquiry, he first instanceth in the chief kinds of sacrifices and expiations that were in use among the Jews and heathens: "Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings?" the constant sacrifice that was offered to God by way of acknowledgment of his dominion over the creatures; "with calves of a year old?" which was the sin-offering which the high-priest offered for himself. Or, will he rather accept of those great and costly sacrifices which were offered upon solemn and public occasions, such as that was which Solomon offered at the dedication of the temple? "Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?" Or, if none of these will do, shall I try to atone him, after the manner of the heathen, by the dearest thing in the world, the first-born of my children? "Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" If God was to be appeased at all, surely, they thought, it must be by some of these ways; for, beyond these, they could imagine nothing of greater value and efficacy. But the prophet tells them, that they were quite out of the way in thinking to pacify God upon these terms? that there are other things which are much better and more pleasing to him than any of these sacrifices. For some of them were expressly for bidden by God, as "the offering up of our children;" and, for the rest, they were not good in themselves, but merely by virtue of their institution, and because they were commanded. But the things which he would recommend to them are such as are good in their own nature, and required of us by God upon that account. "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" So that in these words you have, First, An inquiry which is the best way to appease God when he is offended? "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God?" Secondly, The way that men are apt to take in this case; and that is, by some external piece of religion and devotion; such as were sacrifices both among Jews and heathens. "Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings," &c. By which question the prophet intimates, that men are very apt to pitch upon this course. Thirdly, The course which God himself directs to, and which will effectually pacify him. "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee," &c. The first being a mere question, there needs no more to be said of it; only, that it is a question of great importance: what is the most effectual way to appease God when we have offended him? For who can bear his indignation; and who can stand before him when once he is angry? Let us consider, then, in the Second place, The way that men are apt to take to pacify God; and that is, by some external piece of religion and devotion; such as were sacrifices among the Jews and heathens. "Shall I come before him with burnt-offering?" This is the way which men are most apt to choose. The Jews, you see, pitched upon the external parts of their religion; those which were most pompous and solemn; the richest and most costly sacrifices; so they might but keep their sins they were well enough content to offer up any thing else to God; they thought nothing too good for him, provided he would not oblige them to become better. And thus it is among ourselves, when we apprehend God is displeased with us, and his judgments are abroad in the earth, we are content to do any thing but to learn righteousness; we are willing to submit to any kind of external devotion and humiliation, to fast and pray, to afflict ourselves and to cry mightily unto God; things some of them good in themselves, but the least part of that which God requires of us. And as for the church of Rome, in case of public judgments and calamities, they are the most inquisitive and (as they pretend) the most skilful people in the world to pacify God; and they have a thousand solemn devices to this purpose. I do not wrong them by representing them inquiring after this manner: "Shall I go before a crucifix, and bow myself to it, as to the high God? And because the Lord is a great King, and it is, perhaps, too much boldness and arrogancy to make immediate addresses always to him; to which of the saints or angels shall I go to mediate for me, and intercede on my behalf? Will the Lord be pleased with thou sands of paternosters, or with ten thousands of Ave-Marias? Shall the host travel in procession, or my self undertake a tedious pilgrimage? Or shall I list myself a soldier for the holy war, or for the extirpation of heretics? Shall I give half my estate to a convent for my transgression, or chastise and punish my body for the sin of my soul?" Thus men deceive themselves, and will submit to all the extravagant severities that the petulancy and folly of men can devise and impose upon them. And, indeed, it is not to be imagined, when men are once under the power of superstition, how ridiculous they may be, and yet think themselves religious! how prodigiously they may play the fool, and yet believe they please God; what cruel and barbarous things they may do to themselves and others, and yet be verily persuaded they do God good service. And what is the mystery of all this, but that men are loath to do that, without which nothing else that we do is acceptable to God? They hate to be reformed; and for this reason they will be content to do any thing rather than be put to the trouble of mending themselves: every thing is easy in comparison of this task, and God may have any terms of them, so he will let them be quiet in their sins, and excuse them from the real virtues of a good life. And this brings me to the Third thing which I principally intended to speak to: The course which God himself directs to, and which will effectually pacify him. "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" In the handling of which I shall First, Consider those several duties which God here requires of us, and upon the performance of which he will be pacified towards us. Secondly, By what ways and means God hath discovered these duties to us, and the goodness of them: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good," &c. I. We will briefly consider the several duties which God here requires of us, and upon the performance of which he will be pacified towards us. "What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" It was usual among the Jews to reduce all the duties of religion to these three heads: justice, mercy, and piety; under the first two, comprehending the duties which we owe to one another; and, under the third, the duties which we owe to God. 1. Justice. And I was going to tell you what it is, but I considered that every man knows it as well as any definition can explain it to him. I shall only put you in mind of some of the principal instances of it, and the several virtues comprehended under it. And, First, Justice is concerned in the making of laws, that they be such as are equal and reasonable, useful and beneficial, for the honour of God and religion, and for the public good of human society; this is a great trust, in the discharge of which, if men be biassed by favour or interest, and drawn aside from the consideration and regard of the public good, it is a far greater crime, and of worse consequence, than any private act of injustice between man and man. And, then, justice is also concerned in the due execution of laws; which are the guard of private property, the security of public peace and of religion and good manners. And, Lastly, In the observance of laws and obedience to them; which is a debt that every man owes to human society. But more especially, justice is concerned in the observance of those laws, whether of God or man, which respect the rights of men, and their mutual commerce and intercourse with one another. That we use honesty and integrity in all our dealings, in opposition to fraud and deceit; truth and fidelity, in opposition to falsehood and breach of trust; equity and good conscience, in opposition to all kind of oppression and exaction. These are the principal branches and instances of this great and comprehensive duty of justice; the violation whereof is so much the greater sin, because this virtue is the firmest bond of human society, upon the observation whereof the peace and happiness of mankind does so much depend. 2. Mercy, which does not only signify the in ward affection of pity and compassion towards those that are in misery and necessity, but the effects of it, in the actual relief of those whose condition calls for our charitable help and assistance; by feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked, and visiting the sick, and vindicating the oppressed, and comforting the afflicted, and ministering ease and relief to them if it be in our power. And this is a very lovely virtue, and argues more goodness in men than mere justice doth. For justice is a strict debt; but mercy is favour and kindness. And this, perhaps, may be the reason of the different expressions in the text, that when God barely commands us to do justly, he requires we should love mercy; that is, take a particular pleasure and delight in the exercise of this virtue, which is so proper and agreeable to mankind, that we commonly call it humanity; giving it its name from our very nature. In short, it is so excellent a virtue that I should be very sorry that any religion should be able to pretend to the practice of it more than our own. 3. Piety; "To walk humbly with thy God." "To walk humbly in the fear of the Lord;" so the Chaldee paraphrase renders these words. And (his phrase may comprehend all those acts of religion which refer immediately to God; a firm belief of his being and perfections; an awful sense of him as the dread Sovereign and righteous Judge of the world; a due regard to his service, and a reverent behaviour of ourselves towards him in all acts of worship and religion, in opposition to atheism and a profane neglect and contempt of God and religion; a new and monstrous kind of impiety! which of late years hath broke in upon us, and got head among us, not only contrary to the example of former ages, but in despite of the very genius and temper of the nation, which is naturally devout and zealous in religion. Or else this phrase of "walking humbly with God," may refer more particularly to the posture and condition of the people of Israel at that time, who were fallen under the heavy displeasure of God for their sins. And then the duty required is, that being sensible how highly God hath been offended by us, by the general corruption and viciousness of the age, which, like a leprosy, hath spread itself almost over the whole body of the nation, and by that open lewdness and those insolent impieties which are daily committed amongst us; I say, that, being deeply sensible of this, we do, with all humility, acknowledge our sins to God, and repent of them, and implore his mercy and forgiveness, and resolve by his grace to turn every one from the evil of our ways, and from the wickedness that is in our hands; which God grant we may every one do this day [2] according to the pious design and intention of it. And, if we be sincere in this resolution, "who can tell but God will turn and repent, and turn away his anger from us, that we perish not." Nay, we have great reason to believe, that he will be pacified towards us. So he hath declared: (Isa. i. 10.) "Wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well, seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow: come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." But if we continue unreformed, God will say to us, as he does there to the people of Israel, "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? your calling of assemblies I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting; and when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; when ye make many prayers, I will not hear." To which, let me add that excellent saying of the son of Sirach to this purpose: (Ecclus. xxxiv. 25, 26.) "He that washeth himself after the touching of a dead body, if he touch it again, what availeth his washing? So is it with a man that fasteth for his sins, and goeth again and doth the same things. Who will hear his prayer, or what doth his humbling profit him?" II. Let us consider by what ways and means God hath made known those duties to us, and the goodness and the obligation of them. "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee?" I shall mention five ways whereby God hath discovered this to us. 1. By a kind of natural instinct. 2. By natural reason. 3. By the general vote and consent of mankind. 4. By external revelation. 5. By the inward dictates and motions of God's Spirit upon the minds of men. First, By a kind of natural instinct, by which I mean a secret impression upon the minds of men, whereby they are naturally carried to approve some things as good and fit, and to dislike other things, as having a native evil and deformity in them. And this I call a natural instinct, because it does not seem to proceed so much from the exercise of our reason, as from a natural propension and inclination, like those instincts which are in brute creatures of natural affection and care toward their young ones. And that these inclinations are precedent to all reason and discourse about them, evidently appears by this, that they do put forth themselves every whit as vigorously in young persons as in those of riper reason; in the rude and ignorant sort of people, as in those who are more polished and refined. For we see plainly that the young and ignorant have as strong impressions of piety and devotion, as true a sense of gratitude and justice and pity, as the wiser and more knowing part of mankind. A plain indication that the reason of mankind is prevented by a kind of natural instinct and anticipation concerning the good or evil, the comeliness or deformity of these things. And though this do not equally extend to all the instances of our duty, yet as to the great lines and essential parts of it, mankind hardly need to consult any other oracle than the mere propensions and inclinations of their nature: as, whether we ought to reverence the Divine nature, to be grateful to those who have conferred benefits upon us, to speak the truth, to be faithful to our promise, to restore that which is committed to us in trust, to pity and relieve those that are in misery, and in all things to do to others as we would have them do to us. And this will further appear, if we consider these two things: 1. That men are naturally innocent or guilty to themselves, according to what they do in these things. So the apostle tells us: (Rom. ii. 14, 15.) "When the gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves, and do shew the effect of the law written in their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts, by turns, (that is, according as they do well or ill) accusing or excusing them." There is a secret comfort in innocence, and a strange pleasure and satisfaction in being acquitted by our own minds for what we do. But, on the contrary, when we contradict these natural dictates, what uneasiness do we find in our own breasts? Nay, even before the fact is committed, our conscience is strangely disquieted at the thoughts of it. When a man does but design to do a bad thing, he is as guilty to himself as if he had committed it. Of this we have a considerable instance, in the first violence that was offered to nature: (Gen. iv. 6.) "The Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth, and why is thy countenance fallen?" The very thought of that wickedness which he did but then design, did disorder his mind, and make a change in his very countenance. Guilt is the natural concomitant of heinous crimes; which so soon as ever a man commits, his spirit receives a secret wound, which causeth a great deal of smart and anguish. For guilt is restless, and puts the mind of man into an unnatural working and fermentation, never to be settled again but by repentance. "The wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest;" which plainly shews that the mind of man hath a kind of natural sense of good and evil; because, whenever we offend against nature, our consciences are touched to the quick, and we receive a sting into our soul, which shoots and pains us, whenever we reflect upon what we have done. I appeal to that witness, which every man carries in his breast, whether this be not true. 2. Men are naturally full of hopes and fears, according as they follow or go against these natural dictates. A good conscience is apt to fill men with confidence and good hopes. It does not only give ease, but security to the mind of man, against the dread of invisible powers, and the fearful apprehensions of a future judgment. Whereas guilt fills men with dismal apprehensions of danger, and continual misgivings concerning their own safety. Thus it was with Cain, after he had slain his brother: "It shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me." Nay, when a man hath done a secret fault, which none can accuse him of, yet then is he haunted with the terrors of his own mind, and cannot be secure in his own apprehensions: which plainly shews, that men are conscious to themselves, when they do well, and when they do amiss; and that the same natural instinct which prompts men to their duty, fills them with good hopes when they have done it, and with secret fears and apprehensions of danger when they have done contrary to it. Secondly, God shews man what is good, by natural reason; and that two ways: by the convenience of things to our nature; and by their tendency to our happiness and interest. First, Reason shews us the convenience of things to our nature; and whatever is agreeable to the primitive design and intention of nature, that we call good; whatever is contrary thereto, we call evil. For example, to honour and love God. It is natural to honour great power and perfection, and to love goodness wherever it is. So, likewise, gratitude is natural, to acknowledge benefits received, and to be ready to requite them; and the contrary is monstrous, and universally abhorred; and there is no greater sign that any thing is contrary to nature, than if it be detested by the whole kind. It is agreeable also to nature to be just, and to do to others as we would have them to do to us; for this is to make our own natural inclinations and desires the rule of our dealing with others, and to be merciful; for no man that hath not divested himself of humanity, ran be cruel and hard-hearted to others, without feeling a pain in himself. Secondly, Reason shews us the tendency of these things to our happiness and interest. And, indeed, the notion of good and evil does commonly refer to the consequences of things; and we call that good, which will bring some benefit and advantage to us, and that evil which is likely to produce some mischief and inconvenience j and by this rule reason discovers to us that these duties are good. To begin with piety towards God. Nothing can more evidently tend to our interest, than to make him our friend, upon whose favour our happiness depends. So likewise for gratitude: it is a virtue, to which, if nature did not prompt us, our intent would direct us; for every man is ready to place benefits there where he may hope for a thankful return. Temperance does apparently conduce to our health, which, next to a good conscience, is the most pleasant and valuable thing in the world; whereas the intemperate man is an open enemy to himself, and continually making assaults upon his own life. Mercy and pity are not more welcome to others, than they are delightful and beneficial to ourselves; for we do not only gratify our own nature and bowels, by relieving those who are in misery, but we provoke mankind by our example to the like tenderness, and do prudently bespeak the commiseration of others towards us, when it shall be our turn to stand in need of it. And, if we be wise enough, our reason will likewise direct us to be just, as the surest art of thriving in this world; it gives a man a reputation, which is a powerful advantage in all the affairs of this world; it is the shortest and easiest way of dispatching business, the plainest, and least entangled; and though it be not so sudden a way of growing rich, as fraud and oppression, yet it is much surer and more lasting, and not liable to those terrible back-blows and after-reckonings, to which estates got by injustice are. And natural reason does not only shew us that these things are good, but that the Lord requires them of us; that is, that they have the force and obligation of laws: for there needs nothing more to make any thing a law, than a sufficient declaration that it is the will of God; and this God hath sufficiently signified to mankind by the very frame of our natures, and of those principles and faculties which he hath endued us withal; so that, whenever we act contrary to these, we plainly disobey the will of him that made us, and violate those laws which he hath enacted in our natures, and written upon our hearts. And this is all the law that the greatest part of mankind were under, before the revelation of the gospel. From Adam to Moses, the world was al most solely governed by the natural law; which seems to be the meaning of that hard text, (Rom. v. 13.) "For until the law sin was in the world;" that is, before the law of Moses was given, men were capable of offending against some other law, for otherwise sin could not have been imputed to them; for "sin is not imputed where there is no law." And then it follows: "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression;" that is, during that space from Adam to Moses, men sinned against the natural law, and were liable to death upon that account, though they had not offended against an express revelation from God, as Adam had done; for that the apostle seems to mean, by sinning after the similitude of Adam's transgression. Thirdly, God hath shewn us what is good by the general vote and consent of mankind. Not that all mankind do agree concerning virtue and vice; but that as to the greater duties of piety, justice, mercy, and the like, the exceptions are but few in comparison, and not enough to infringe a general consent. And of this I shall offer to you this threefold evidence. 1. That these virtues are generally praised and held in esteem by mankind, and the contrary vices generally reproved and evil spoken of. Now to praise any thing, is to give testimony to the goodness of it; and to censure any thing, is to declare that we believe it to be evil. And if we consult the history of all ages, we shall find, that the things which are generally praised in the lives of men, and recommended to the imitation of posterity, are piety and devotion, gratitude and justice, humanity and charity; and that the contrary to these are marked with ignominy and reproach: the former are commended even in enemies, and the latter are branded even by those who had a kindness for the persons that were guilty of them. So constant hath mankind always been in the commendation of virtue, and in the censure of vice. Nay, we find not only those who are virtuous themselves giving their testimony and applause to virtue, but even those who are vicious; not out of love to goodness, but from the conviction of their own minds, and from a secret reverence they bear to the common consent and opinion of mankind. And this is a great testimony, because it is the testimony of an enemy extorted by the mere light and force of truth. And, on the contrary, nothing is more ordinary than for vice to reprove sin, and to hear men condemn the like, or the same things in others, which they allow in themselves. And this is a clear evidence, that vice is generally condemned by mankind, that many men condemn it in themselves; and those who are so kind as to spare themselves, are very quick-sighted to spy a fault in any body else, and will censure a bad action done by another with as much freedom and impartiality as the most virtuous man in the world. As to this consent of mankind about virtue and vice, the Scripture frequently appeals. As when it commands us "to provide things honest in the sight of all men; and by well-doing to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men;" intimating, that there are some things so confessedly good, and owned to be such by so general a vote of mankind, that the worst of men have not the face to open their mouths against them. And it is made the character of a virtuous action, if it be lovely and commendable, and "of good report: (Phil. iv. 8.) Whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise," make account of these things; intimating to us, that mankind do generally concur in the praise and commendation of what is virtuous. 2. Men do generally glory and stand upon their innocency, when they do virtuously; but are ashamed, and out of countenance, when they do the contrary. Now glory and shame are nothing else but an appeal to the judgment of others, concerning the good or evil of our actions. There are, indeed, some such monsters as are impudent in their impieties, but these are but few in comparison. Generally mankind is modest; the greatest part of those who do evil are apt to blush at their own faults, and to confess them in their countenance, which is an acknowledgment that they are not only guilty to themselves that they have done amiss, but that they are apprehensive that others think so. For guilt is a passion respecting ourselves, but shame regards others. Now it is a sign of shame, that men love to conceal their faults from others, and commit them secretly, in the dark, and without witnesses, and are afraid even of a child or a fool: or, if they be discovered in them, they are solicitous to excuse and extenuate them, and ready to lay the fault upon any body else, or to transfer their guilt, or as much of it as they can, upon others. All which are certain tokens that men are not only naturally guilty to themselves, when they commit a fault, but that they are sensible also what opinions others have of these things. And, on the contrary, men are apt to stand upon their justification, and to glory when they have done well. The conscience of a man's own virtue and integrity lifts up his head, and gives him confidence before others, because he is satisfied they have a good opinion of his actions. What a good face does a man naturally set upon a good deed! And how does he sneak when he hath done wickedly, being sensible that he is condemned by others, as well as by himself! No man is afraid of being upbraided for having dealt honestly or kindly with others, nor does account it any calumny or reproach to have it reported of him that he is a sober and chaste man. No man blusheth when he meets a man with whom he hath kept his word and discharged his trust: but every man is apt to do so, when he meets one with whom he has dealt dishonestly, or who knows some notorious crime by him. 3. Vice is generally forbidden and punished by human laws; but against the contrary virtues there never was any law. Some vices are so manifestly evil in themselves, or so mischievous to human society, that the laws of most nations have taken care to discountenance them by severe penalties. Scarce any nation was ever so barbarous as not to maintain and vindicate the honour of their gods and religion by public laws. Murder and adultery, rebellion and sedition, perjury and breach of trust, fraud and oppression, are vices severely prohibited by the laws of most nations: a clear indication what opinion the generality of mankind, and the wisdom of nations, have always had of these things. But now against the contrary virtues there never was any law. No man was ever impeached for living "soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world:" a plain acknowledgment, that mankind always thought them good, and never were sensible of the inconvenience of them; for had they been so, they would have provided against them by laws. This St. Paul takes notice of as a great commendation of the Christian virtues: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, kindness, fidelity, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law:" the greatest evidence that could be given that these things are unquestionably good in the esteem of mankind--"against such there is no law." As if he had said, turn over the law of Moses, search those of Athens, and Sparta, and the twelve tables of the Romans, and those innumerable laws that have been added since, and you shall not, in any of them, find any of those virtues that I have mentioned condemned and forbid den: a clear evidence that mankind never took any exception against them, but are generally agreed about the goodness of them. Fourthly, God hath shewn us what is good by external revelation. In former ages of the world, God revealed his will to particular persons in an extraordinary manner, and more especially to the nation of the Jews; the rest of the world being, in a great measure, left to the conduct of natural light, lint, in these latter ages, he hath made public revelation of his will by his Son: and this, as to the matter of our duty, is the same in substance with the law of nature; for our Saviour comprehends all under these two general heads--the love of God and of our neighbour. The apostle reduceth all to three; sobriety, justice, and piety: "The grace of God, that brings salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." So that, if we believe the apostle, the gospel teacheth us the very same things which nature dictated to men before; only it hath made a more perfect discovery of them. So that, whatever was doubtful and obscure before is now certain and plain; the duties are still the same, only it offers us more powerful arguments, and a greater assistance to the performance of those duties; so that we may now much better say, than the prophet could in his days, "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what it is that the Lord requires of thee." Fifthly and lastly, God shews us what is good by the motions of his Spirit upon the minds of men. This the Scripture assures us of, and good men have experience more especially of it; though it be hard to give an account of it, and to say what motions are from the Spirit of God, and what from our own minds; for "as the wind blows where it listeth, and we hear the sound of it, but know not whence it comes, nor whither it goes;" so are the operations of the Spirit of God upon the minds of men secret and imperceptible. And thus I have done with the three things I propounded to speak to. All that now remains is to make some inferences from what hath been said, by way of application. First, Seeing God hath so abundantly provided that we should know our duty, we are altogether inexcusable if we do not do it. Because "he hath shewed thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of thee;" therefore, "thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art," who livest in a contradiction to this light. God hath acquainted us with our duty by such ways as may most effectually both direct and engage us to the practice of it; we are prompted to it by a kind of natural instinct, and strong impressions upon our minds of the difference of good and evil; we are led to the knowledge, and urged to the practice of it, by our nature, and by our reason, and by our interest, and by that which is commonly very prevalent among men, the general voice and consent of mankind; and by the most powerful and governing passions in human nature, by hope, and by fear, and by shame; by the prospect of advantage, by the apprehension of danger, and by the sense of honour; and, to take away all possible excuse of ignorance from us, by an express revelation from God, the clearest and most perfect that ever was made to the world. So that, whenever we do contrary to our duty, in any of these great instances, we offend against all these, and do, in the highest degree, fall under the heavy sentence of our Saviour: "This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light." Secondly, You see hence what are the great duties of religion, which God mainly requires of us, and how reasonable they are; piety towards God, and justice and charity towards men; the knowledge whereof is planted in our nature, and grows up with our reason. And these are things which are unquestionably good, and against which we can have no exception; things that were never reproved nor found fault with by mankind, neither our nature nor our reason riseth up against them, or dictates any thing to the contrary. We have all the obligation, and we have all the encouragement to them, and are secure on all hands in the practice of them. In the doing of these things, there is no danger to us from the laws of men, no fear of displeasure from God, no offence or sting from our own minds. And these things, which are so agreeable to our nature, and our reason, and our interest, are the great things which our religion requires of us, more valuable in themselves, and more acceptable to God than "whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices," more than "thousands of rams, and ten thousands of rivers of oil; "more than if we offered to him "all the beasts of the forest, and the cattle upon a thousand hills." We are not to neglect any institution of God; but, above all, we are to secure the observance of those great duties to which we are directed by our very nature, and tied by the surest and most sacred of all other laws, those which God hath riveted in our souls, and written upon our hearts: and that mankind might have no pretence left to excuse them from these, the Christian religion hath set us free from those many positive and outward observances, that the Jewish religion was encumbered withal; that we might be wholly intent upon these great duties, and mind nothing in comparison of the real and substantial virtues of a good life. Thirdly, You see, in the last place, what is the best way to appease the displeasure of God towards a sinful nation. God seems to have as great a controversy with us, as he had with the people of Israel, and his wrath is of late years most visibly gone out against us; and proportionably to the full measure of our sins, it hath been poured out upon us in full vials. How have the judgments of God followed us? And how close have they followed one another? What fearful calamities have our eyes seen? enough to make the ears of every one that hears them to tingle. What terrible and hazardous wars have we been engaged in? What a raging pestilence did God send among us, that swept away thousands and ten thousands in our streets? What a dreadful and fatal fire, that was not to be checked and resisted in its course, till it had laid in ashes one of the greatest and richest cities in the world? What unseasonable weather have we had of late? as if for the wickedness of men upon the earth, the very ordinances of Heaven were changed, and summer, and winter, seed time, and harvest, had forgotten their appointed seasons. And, which is more and sadder than all this, what dangerous attempts have been made upon our religion, by the restless adversaries of it? And now, surely, after all this is come upon us for our sins, it is time for us to look up to him that smites us, and to think of taking up this quarrel. It is time to inquire as they do in the text: "Wherewithal shall we come before the Lord, and bow ourselves before the high God?" And we are apt to take the same course they did, to endeavour to appease God by some external devotion. We have now betaken ourselves to prayer and fasting, and it was very fit, nay necessary we should so do; but let us not think this is all God expects from us. These are but the means to a further cud, to oblige us for the future to the practice of a good life. The outward profession of religion is not lost amongst us, there appears still in men a great and commendable zeal for the reformed religion, and there hath been too much occasion for it; but that which God chiefly expects from us, is reformed lives. Piety and virtue are, in a great measure, gone from among us, the manners of men are strangely corrupted, the great and weighty things of the law are neglected, justice and mercy, temperance and chastity, truth and fidelity; so that we may take up David's complaint, "Help, Lord! for the righteous man ceaseth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men." And till the nation be brought back to a sober sense of religion, from an airy and fantastical piety, to real and unaffected devotion, and from a factious contention about things indifferent, to the serious practice of what is necessary; from our violent heats and animosities, to a more peaceable temper; and by a mutual condescension, on all sides, to a nearer and stronger union among ourselves; till we recover in some measure our ancient virtue and integrity of manners, we have reason to fear that God will still have a controversy with us, notwithstanding all our noise and zeal about religion. This is the true, this is the only course to appease the indignation of God, and to draw down his favour and blessing upon a poor distracted and gasping nation. "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" I have but one word more, and that is, to put you presently upon the practice of one of these duties that I have been persuading you to, and that is, mercy and alms to the poor. If what I have al ready said have had its effect upon you, I need not use any other arguments; if it have not, I have hardly the heart to use any. I shall only put you in mind again, that God values this above all our external devotion, "he will have mercy rather than sacrifice;" that this is the way to find mercy with God, and to have our prayers speed in heaven; and without this, all our fasting and humiliation signifies nothing. And to this purpose I will only read to you those plain and persuasive words of the prophet, which do so fully declare unto us the whole duty of this day, and particularly urge us to this of charity: (Isa. lviii. 5-9.) "Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? "Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day unto the Lord? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy salvation shall spring forth speedily, and thy righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then thou shall call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am." __________________________________________________________________ [2] This Sermon was preached upon occasion of a public fast. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CII. INSTITUTED RELIGION NOT INTENDED TO UNDERMINE NATURAL. But go ye and learn what that meaneth; I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.--Matt. ix. 13. ONE of the most successful attempts that have been made upon religion, by the devil and his instruments, hath been by setting the laws of God at variance with themselves, and by dashing the several parts of religion, and the two tables of the law against one another, to break all in pieces, and, under a pretence of advancing that part of religion which is instituted and revealed, to undermine and destroy that which is natural, and of primary obligation. To manifest and lay open the mischievous consequences of this design, I shall at this time (by God's assistance) endeavour to make out these two things: First, That natural religion is the foundation of all instituted and revealed religion. Secondly, That no revealed or instituted religion was ever designed to takeaway the obligation of natural duties, but to confirm and establish them. And to this purpose, I have chosen these words of our Saviour for the foundation of my following discourse: "But go ye and learn what that meaneth; I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." The occasion of which words was briefly this: the pharisees found fault with him for keeping company, and eating with publicans and sinners. He owns the thing which they objected to him, and endeavours to vindicate himself from any crime or fault in so doing; and that these two ways: 1. By telling them that it was allowed to a physician, and proper for his office and profession, to converse with the sick, in order to their cure and recovery. He may abstain, if he pleaseth, from the conversation of others; but the sick have need of him, and are his proper care, and his business and employment lies among them: "he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance: they, who were already good, needed not to be called upon to amend and reform their lives; and they that were so conceited of their own righteousness, as the pharisees were, and so confident that they were sound and whole, would not admit of a physician, and thereby rendered themselves incapable of cure; and therefore he did not apply himself to them; but to the publicans and sinners, who were acknowledged, on all hands, both by themselves and others, to be bad men; so that it could not be denied, to be the proper work of a spiritual physician to converse with such persons. 2. By endeavouring to convince them of their ignorance of the true nature of religion, and of the rank and order of the several duties thereby required; "But go ye and learn what that meaneth; I will have mercy, and not sacrifice;" which saying is quoted by him out of the prophet Hosea, (chap. vi. 6.) "I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings;" which text our Saviour cites and applies upon two several occasions; the considering and comparing of which will give full light to the true meaning of it. The first is here in the text, upon occasion of the pharisees finding fault with him, for conversing with publicans and sinners; the other is, (Matt. xii. 7.) where the pharisees blaming the disciples of our Saviour for plucking the ears of corn on the sabbath-day, our Saviour tells them, "If ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless;" that is, if they had understood the true nature of religion, and what duties of it are chiefly and in the first place to be regarded, they would not have been so forward to censure this action of his disciples. So that the plain meaning of this saying is this: that, in comparing the parts of religion and the obligation of duties together, those duties which are of moral and natural obligation are most valued by God, and ought to take place of those which are positive and ritual. "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice;" that is, rather than sacrifice, according to the true meaning of this Hebrew phrase, which is to be understood in a comparative sense, as is evident from the text itself, in Hosea--"I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings;" if they cannot be observed together, let sacrifice be neglected, and the work of mercy be done. And the reason of this seems very plain; because shewing mercy, or doing good in any kind, is a prime instance of those moral duties, which do naturally and perpetually oblige; but sacrifice is an instance of positive and ritual observances, and one of the chief of the kind: so that when moral duties and ritual observances come in competition, and do clash with one another, the observation of a rite, or positive institution, is to give way to a moral duty; and it is no sin, in that case, to neglect the observation of such a rite, yea, though it were commanded and appointed by God himself. And though this may seem to be a breach of the letter of the law, yet it is according to the true mind and meaning of the law; it being a tacit condition implied in all laws of a ritual and positive nature, provided the observance of them be not to the hinderance and prejudice of any duty, which is of a higher and better nature; in that case, the obligation of it does for that time give way and is suspended. And this will appear to be the true meaning of this rule, by comparing more particularly the in stances to which our Saviour applies it. His disciples passing through the corn on the sabbath-day, and being hungry, pl