and to which he has promised to advance us This then is my proper work at this time to exhort you to Charity proper both to the nature of this Holy Feast and to the original Institution of this Solemnity and it may reasonably be hoped that the Annual Returns of it wherein all the Arguments to Charity are so earnestly pressed on you should keep this Divine Fire always burning and glowing in your Breasts You have so often heard all the Arguments to Charity that it is impossible you should forget them and there is one that is worth all the rest which no Christian can forget who remembers that there is a Heaven and a Hell and which no Christian can resist without despising â—…is Soul and Eternal Life and Death â—…nd that is That Heaven is the Reâ—…ard of Charity that Hell is the Puâ—…ishment of Uncharitableness which is â—…o plainly and expresly taught and so 〈◊〉 repeated by our Saviour â—…hat it is as certain and unavoidable as that there is a Heaven and a Hell and if Heaven be not a sufficient Encouragement to Charity nor Hell sufficient to deter us from Uncharitableness it is to no purpose to use any other Arguments which can never persuade if these can't or if they could would neither carry us to Heaven nor keep us out of Hell for to be charitable only for temporal reasons is to give our goods to feed the poor without a true Divine Charity which St. Paul tells us will profit nothing 1 Cor. 13. For such a Charity as does not raise us above this world can neither carry us to Heaven nor keep us out of Hell And therefore instead of drawing together all the Arguments for Charity which you have so often heard and shewing them in a new dress my design at present is to recommend to you a very excellent but a very neglected part of Charity which our Saviour presses on us in my Text viz. The Charity of Lending Do good and lend hoping for nothing again In speaking to which Words I shall 1. Shew you what this Duty is 2. What an excellent Charity it is to lend And how this may be improved to the most excellent purposes 1. What this Duty is or what our Saviour means by lending hoping for nothing again And it can signify but two things and I see no reason to think but that our Saviour might mean both 1. To Lend without hoping for any encrease or to lend freely without Usury 2. To lend where the very Principal may be in danger when we have little reason to hope that we shall ever see our own again 1. To lend freely without Usury for our Saviour commands this as an Act of Charity Do good and lend And though to lend even upon Usury may in many cases prove a great kindness to the Borrower yet Charity is not the motive of the Lender it is â—…ot Charity but Traffick and Merâ—…handize of Money and though the Iews were expresly forbid to lend their Brethren upon Usury yet our Saviour â—…ntimates there was something like this and equivalent to it which spoilâ—…ed the Charity of lending even without Usury that they would not lend â—…o the poor who though they should repay them what they borrowed yet were never likely to be in a condition to lend to them again but they would lend to the Rich from whom they expected the like returns of kindness as you may see in the Verses before my Text 33 34. And if ye do good to them that do good to you what thank have ye for sinners also do even the same And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive not only your own but the like kindness of lending to you when your occasions require it what thank have ye for sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal returns of kindness which if it be not Usury of Money is Usury of Kindnesses but is not Charity like inviting our Rich Friends and Neighbours to a Feast who can invite us again which though it be no fault is no Charity for that consists in entertaining the poor who can make us no return 14. Luke 12 13 14. And thus our Saviour exhorts us here but do you do good and lend hoping for nothing again neither for Usury nor for such returns and exchanges of kindness It was for the sake of this Duty that Usury was so strictly forbidden by the Iewish Law that men might the more freely lend their Money to those who wanted when they had no present use for it themselves and had no way to encrease it and as far as the Reason and Charity of this Law extends so far it still obliges and so far Usury is still forbid to Christians This is not well considered by those who so universally condemn all Usury and because the right understanding of this will be of great use to settle some men's minds and to explain and enforce this duty of Lending which I now recommend to you it cannot be thought a digression from my present Design to give you the true but short state of this matter It is confessed on all hands That Usury is forbid by the Law of Moses but the great mistake is concerning the Nature of Usury or what that is which the Law forbids and condemns by the name of Usury Some think that all Increase of Money when men lend a Sum of Money to receive the Principal again with Interest is the Usury which the Law forbids and therefore that this is absolutely unlawful in all cases and in all degrees though we all know That Trade to which we owe all the Riches and Greatness of our Nation and so many excellent Charities too cannot be maintained without it That some men who now live comfortably in the world maintain their Families with Credit and Reputation and do many acts of Charity themselves could not Trade at all others could not drive such flourishing and spreading Trades without borrowed Money nor borrow without Interest That many Widows and Orphans are maintained by Interest who must in a few years be Beggars had they no other way to live but to spend the Principal This is so contrary to the sense and reason of Mankind and to all the rules of Justice and Charity and so impracticable in the present state of the world that while it is possible to put any other sense upon the Law I would never think of this And the comfort is that the Law expounds it self otherwise and gives no colour for such an Interpretation as this That all Increase of Money is forbid by it For 1. The Law it self allowed the Iews to take Usury of Strangers of other Countries though not of their Brethren or natural Iews 23. Deut. 20. Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury And therefore God did not absolutely forbid the Iews to encrease their Money for they
to his Lord what Love was this to the Souls â—…f Men it is certainly the most perâ—…ect imitation of the Love of Christ â—…at is possible to Man Christ so â—…oved us as to come down from Heaven to live a laborious Life and â—…o die an accursed Death for us this great Apostle so loved his Lord and so loved the Souls of Men that â—…e made it his choice to stay some time out of Heaven and to encounter all the Miseries and Terrours of this Life to serve Christ and his Church Where is this Divine Spirit now to be found Let us my beloved Brethren who are entrusted also with the Care of Souls by the great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls blush to think how far short we fall of this Example let this inspire us with a flaming Love and Zeal for the Souls of Men for whom Christ died and make us at least contented to deny our selves some of the Ease and Security and Pleasures of Life to serve the Church of Christ which he hath purchased with his own blood But to keep my self within some Bounds I shall briefly Discourse on these two Heads which are very proper for this Occasion and very proper to my Text. First The great Rewards of faithful Pastors and Ministers of Christ and how much it is for their advantage to be removed out of this World St. Paul was very sensible of this which made him desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Secondly How necessary the Lives of such Men are to the Church and what a great loss it is when God removes them out of it Nevertheless to abide in the Flesh is more needful for you 1. Let us then consider in the first place the great Rewards of the faithful Ministers of Christ and how much it is for their advantage to depart and to be with Christ. Now I do not here intend a comparison between Heaven and Earth Good God! what different things are these and what Christian doubts whether Heaven be a happier Place than this World Heaven whither no Troubles or Sorrows can follow us no persecuting Sword no persecuting Tongue where we shall be delivered from all the Wants Necessities and Infirmities of the Body from â—…unger and Cold and Nakedness â—…m wracking Pains and languishing â—…cknesses where there is eternal Ease â—…d Rest and Joy without labour â—…ithout discontents without quarrels â—…here our Souls shall be perfected in â—…owledge and in love where we â—…all dwell in the Presence of God see â—…m as he is and know him even as â—…e are known where we shall dwell â—…ith Christ adore his Love behold â—…s Glory and be transformed our â—…lves into the likeness and image of â—…s Glory We have but obscure imâ—…rfect Conceptions of these things â—…w Heaven will out-do our highest â—…xpectations as much as the most â—…erfect state of Happiness in this World â—…ways falls short of what we expectâ—… and this is the case of all good â—…en it is a mighty happy Change â—…ey make when they remove from â—…arth to Heaven But there are different Degrees of Glory in the next World proportionâ—…d not only to our different attainâ—…ents in Virtue but to those different Trusts in Services which we have been employed in and have faithfully discharged here We read of the Reward of a Prophet that he who gives a Cup of cold Water to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall have a Prophet's Reward which must signify some peculiar Reward that shall be bestowed on Prophets We know so little of the other World that we cannot conceive what these different Rewards shall be The Prophet Daniel represents it by an external Glory 12. Dan. 3. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever But our Saviour represents this by a different degree of Rule and Empire 12. Luke 42 43 44. And the Lord said Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his Lord shall make ruler over his houshold to give them their meat in due season This is the honourable Character of Gospel Ministers in this World that they are Rulers in God's houshold to instruct and feed them with the Word of Life and their Reward is proportioned to their Work Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Of a truth I say unto you That he will make him ruler â—…ver all that he hath What this Rule â—…ignifies in the other World is a Mysteâ—…y to us especially since we have â—…ancied the other World to be only a State of Contemplation not of Actiâ—…n where we shall have nothing to do â—…ut to see God and to love and to praise him but no service to do for â—…im but we know there are different â—…orders of Angels who are employed in great Trusts and Offices Arch-Angels Angels Thrones Dominions Principalities and Powers which are names of Rule and Government though we know not what their Power and Authority is nor how they Govern in like manner our Saviour promises his Apostles Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel 19. Matth. 28. The like we may see in the Parable of the Pounds and Talents He who hath gained ten Pounds had Rule over ten Cities and he who gained five Pounds had Rule over five Cities for these Servants to whom the Lord gave these Pounds and Talents to improve plainly signify his Stewards and the Ministers of his spiritual Kingdom for no other Persons have in so peculiar a manner this honourable Character of the Servants of Christ throughout the Gospel And if there be Order and Government among the Angels themselves Why should we think that there is nothing like this among glorified Saints If Angels are the Ministers of God there is no reason to think that Heaven is a State of meer Rest and Contemplation especially when Happiness consists in Action And if Christ have any Ministers of his spiritual Kingdom in the next World it is most reasonable to think that those shall have the greatest Authority and be employed in the noblest Services who have been his faithful Stewards and Ministers in this World For the Church on Earth and in Heaven is the same Church though their State be very different and therefore they do not lose their relation to Christ nor their station in his Church by removing to Heaven It is a Sacerdotal Kingdom our High Priest is King and therefore a Priest of Iesus how mean soever this be thought now will be one of the highest Characters in Heaven What the Happiness of this is we cannot tell but we know that there are no empty Titles in Heaven but every degree of Dignity there signifies a peculiar degree of Happiness
him also freely give us all thingâ—… Who then shall separate us from the 〈◊〉 of Christ Shall Tribulation or Distreâ—… or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword Nay in 〈◊〉 these we are more than Conquerors throâ—… him that loved us For I am perswadâ—… that neither death nor life nor â—…gels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to coâ—… nor height nor depth nor any otâ—… creature shall be able to separate 〈◊〉 from the love of God which is in Câ—… Iesus our Lord 8. Rom. 32 35 37 〈◊〉 While our minds are warmed wâ—… such thoughts as these we shall 〈◊〉 able to bear up under the greaâ—… Trials if not with Chearfulness yet at least with Patience and a quiâ—… Submission to the Will of God Aâ—… if ever there were occasion for suâ—… comfortable and supporting Thougâ—… the Divine Providence has made it 〈◊〉 necessary at this time to bear the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Incomparable Lady our most â—…acious Queen whose Death all â—…od Subjects must Lament and I â—…ay God forgive those that do not â—…ch severe Providences as these will â—…ach the greatest and most unbroken â—…inds to serve the Lord with fear and to â—…joyce with trembling But how seâ—…re soever Providence is in some parâ—…cular instances the sense of the Diâ—…ne Goodness iâ—… the Redemption of â—…ankind by the Incarnation and â—…eath of his own Son should teach 〈◊〉 to be dumb and not open our mouths â—…cause it is his doings In speaking to which words I â—…all 1. enquire What may be called â—…e doings of the Lord 2. What it 〈◊〉 to be dumb and not to open â—…ur Mouths 3. The force of this â—…rgument to oblige us to a quiet and â—…atient Submission under the greatâ—…st sufferings That it is God's doâ—…ng 1. What may be called the doâ—…ng of the Lord This may be thought 〈◊〉 very needless question for are â—…here any Events Good or Evil which are not God's doing If wâ—… believe a particular Providence wâ—… must answer No and yet somâ—… things are more peculiarly God'â—… doings than others are with respect to this present Argument aâ—… God's doing it is a reason for 〈◊〉 quiet and patient Submission to the Divine Will In many cases men bring Ruine and Misery upon themselves by theâ—… own sin and folly and then they may thank themselves for it but have no reason to complain of Providence and when they cannot charge Providence with their misfortunes patience it self is not properly a Submission to God because their sufferings are no more God's will than their sin and folly is If men destroy their Estates by profuseness and prodigality and their Bodies by intemperance and lust if ill-contracted Friendships indiscreet Bargains or an ungovernable Tongue perplex their Affairs and prove very troublesome or dangerous all this is owing not merely to Providence but to themselves and they must be contented to reap the fruit of their own doings and to implore the Divine Goodness and Providence to deliver them from the evil consequences of their own sin and folly Whatever evils we suffer which are not the natural or moral effects of our own sin or folly they are properly God's doings as inflicted by God either for the punishment of our sins or for the trial and exercise of our virtues or to serve the wise ends of his Providence in the world Those Evils which we do not immediately bring upon our selves God inflicts on us either by the ministry of wicked and injurious men or by the disorders of Natural Causes or by some seeming casual and fortuitous Events for the Actions of Men the Powers of Nature and what we call Chance and Fortune are all in the hands of God and therefore are more or less his doings But if we may say That some things are more peculiarly the care of Providence than others Life and Death are certainly so no man can be Born or Die without the particular Order and Appointment of God Our Saviour tells us not a sparrow falls to the ground without our Father much less men and assures his Disciples that all the hairs of their head are numbred and their Lives are more sacred than their Hairs Some men are of opinion That God has absolutely Decreed the certain term and period of every man's life But I know no foundation for this neither in Scripture nor Reason nor does any man believe it but those who subject all Mankind and all the Things of this World to irreversible Necessity and Fate which is the strength of the Atheistick Hypothesis though incautiously espoused by some men who are so far from being Atheists that I hope they are very good Christians And therefore I suppose these Christian Fatalists if I may so call them mean no more than what we all own That no Sparrow much less a Man falls to the ground without our Father that God not only foreknows the period of every man's Life and by what means he shall Die but with Infinite Wisdom and â—…ustice Orders and Appoints it â—…ot by an absolute and unconditional â—…ecree but as the Wise Determiâ—…ation of a Free and Just Provâ—…ce And if God have any more conâ—…ernment for Nations and Commonwealths than he has for particular men as we who can attend but a few things at once and therefore make the matters of greatest importance our more particular care are apt to conceive then the Lives and Deaths of Princes must be more particularly Ordered and Determined by God because Nations it may be many Nations and Countries more than their own are concerned in the consequence of it and of the more universal concernment any thing is the more we are apt to think it belongs to the Care of God For this reason some Philosophers have confined the Providence of God to the Heavens and Heavenly Bodies which have such a univerversal influence on things below or to Nations and Publick Societies and to the several kinds and species of Beings not to particular Men or Creatures And so far they were in the right that if the Divine Providence could not equally take care of the whole World and of every particular Creature in it it would certainly in the first place take care of the great Springs of motion But though this be no reason for God's peculiar care of one thing more than another because his All-seeing Eye and Almighty Arm can equally take care of all yet our Saviour has taught us from the worth and value of things that God will certainly take the more care of them and in case of any Competition give the preference to things of the greatest moment Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them are ye not much better than they And if God so clothe the grass of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the oven shall he not much more clothe you O ye of little faith
that we cannot hear them because Sounds are not the Objects of Sight nor Colours of Hearing Now no man pretends that the pure Natures and Essences of things or their Essential Reasons Properties Unions Operations are the Objects of Humane Reason for no man living knows any thing about them And yet this is all the Incomprehensibility men have to complain of in the Doctrine of the Trinity and the Incarnation That they cannot comprehend how God can beget an Eternal Son nor how Three Divine Persons should be so united as to be essentially One God nor how the Divine and Humane Nature can be united into one Person God-man All which concern the Essence and Essential Properties Operations Unions Relations of the Deity which a modest man might allow to be incomprehensible if God be Infinite though he could comprehend the Natures Essences and Essential Reasons and Properties of Created Beings but when all Created Nature is such a Mystery to us that we know not the pure Nature and Essence of any one thing in the World is it an affront to our Reason that we cannot comprehend the Divine Nature Such Matters as these are neither without Reason nor against Reason nor contrary to Reason because Reason has nothing to do with them and can take no cognizance of them They belong not to Reason but to that Infinite Mind which comprehends it Self and the Ideas of all possible Beings A perfect comprehensive Knowledge of Nature belongs only to the Maker of all things for it is not only to know what things are but how to make them which would be a vain Curiosity and useless Knowledge to those who have not a Making and Creating Power This is to know things à priori with an Intuitive Ideal Knowledge which is infinitely more superiour to Reason â—…an Reason is to Sense And it is the â—…ffectation of this Intuitive making Knowledge which makes some Men Atheists and others Hereticks 2dly Another great Objection against such a Revelation as contains matters which Natural Reason cannot comprehend is To what purpose such â—…a Revelation serves What Merit there can be in believing such Doctrines And of what good use such a Faith can be to us Now I confess I cannot think it meritorious merely to believe things which are incomprehensible or that God any more intended to puzzle our Faith with revealed Mysteries than to puzzle our Reason in making a Mysterious World Whether we receive our information from Sense or Natural Reason or Revelation it is certain we must believe Mysteries if we believe any thing for all things have something mysterious and incomprehensible in their natures what natural Reason cannot account for and what God never intended we should understand For God never intended to teach us how to make the World nor how every Creature was made and therefore we cannot and are not concerned to know the internal Frame and Constitution of Nature But though neither Natural nor Revealed Knowledge extends to the Reasons and Causes of Nature and of essential Properties and Operations yet both natural and revealed Knowledge is of as much use to us as if we did perfectly understand all the secret and incomprehensible Mysteries of the nature of God or of the Natures of Creatures Both natural and revealed Knowledge are alike upon this account That they only acquaint us what things are and what ends they serve and then we know what use to make of them without understanding the secret Mysteries of Nature Is this World or any thing in it the less useful to us because we cannot conceive how God created all things of nothing Or because we do not understand the Nature of Matter nor how the several parts of Matter came by their different Virtues and Qualities Is Corn or Fruit or Herbs the less nourishing or refreshing because we know not how they grow Does it require any Philosophy to know how to eat and drink and sleep Will not our Food nourish us â—…less we understand how it is concoctâ—… and turned into Chile and Blood â—…d Spirits Nay is it of no use to â—…ow that God is an Eternal Omnipoâ—…nt Omniscient Omnipresent Being â—…less we can conceive how any Being â—…n be Eternal without a Cause and â—…ithout a Beginning Or can compreâ—…end how he can do and know all things â—…d be present in all places at once â—…ithout Extension and without Parts â—…e may make all the use that can be â—…ade of this World and of every thing 〈◊〉 it without understanding the essential â—…easons and Causes or internal Nature â—…f any thing and we must do so if we will make any use of it and we know God to all the ends and purposes for which Creatures ought to know God â—…hough his Nature be incomprehensible And thus it is in matters of pure Revelation such as the Doctrine of the Trinity and the Incarnation how unaccountable soever the Mystery of a Trinity in Unity the Eternal Generation and the Incarnation of the Son of God be yet it is the most useful Knowledge in the World Though we know not how the Eternal Father begat an Eternal Son of his own Substance nor how this Eternal Son in time became Man yet it is the most desireable Knowledge in the world to Sinners to know That God has an Eternal Son and that he so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son for the redemption of mankind that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life and that this Eternal Son of God became Man lived a poor necessitous laborious Life and died an accursed Death for the Salvation of Sinners and to know That the Holy Spirit which proceeds from Father and Son dwells in the Christian Church and quickens and animates the whole Body of Christ. If this be true as we must suppose in this Argument all Mankind must confess that this is a very useful Knowledge and never the less useful because a Trinity in Unity and the Eternal Generation and the Incarnation of the Son of God are great and unconceivable Mysteries Could we give a Rational and Philosophical Account of the Eternal Generation and of the Incarnation we should know more than we now do but Faith makes it as useful to all the purposes of Religion as the most perfect intuitive Knowledge could do This is a sufficient Answer to that Objection against the Usefulness of such Mysteries as have something incomprehensible and unconceivable in their Natures Which is an equal Objection against all created Nature which is but one great Mystery and yet the World is a very useful World and we know in some good degree what use to make of it And the Knowledge of those Gospel Mysteries which are the Subject of our present Dispute are manifestly of infinite use to us if the certain knowledge of the Pardon of Sin and Eternal Life by the Obedience and Sufferings and Death and Intercession of the Son of God Incarnate be of any use and
is the surest side to believe or to disbelieve Christianity and a future State If Christianity be true and there be an Eternal State of Rewards and Punishments in the next Life if we disbelieve it we are miserable for ever but if we do believe it and it should not prove true we loose nothing by it but the transient Pleasures of Sin and instead of them have all the present Ease and Satisfaction of Vertue and great Hopes and those who have tried both will tell you that the Pleasures of Virtue far exceed the Pleasures of Sin and that the Hope and Expectation of Immortal Life does more ravish and transport than the Possession of this World can do The truth is the Eternal Miseries of the next World are so very terrible that no wise Man would run the least Hazard of them but instead of demanding a demonstrative Certainty that there is such a Place of Torment would demand a demonstrative Certainty that there is not before he would venture And the Happiness of the other World so exceeds all our Imaginations that a very little Evidence would perswade a wise Man to venture any thing to be happy for ever The Sum of what I have said in short is this To despise all Faith is to ridicule Human Nature and Human Conversation for God has made us such Creatures that three Parts of our Lives must be governed by Faith and if Faith be a foolish absurd unsafe Principle of Action I 'm sure Man is a very wretched and contemptible Creature for Man must live by Faith We cannot see each others Hearts and Thoughts and I believe no man desires that other Men should see his Heart how much soever he may desire to see theirs and then we cannot converse with each other with any Pleasure and Security without believing We are finite Creatures our Lives are short and we can be but in one Place at a time and if we must believe nothing but what we our selves see what a narrow contemptible thing is human Knowledge and therefore we must allow of the Testimony of Eye and Ear Witnesses and of credible Histories which is the Evidence of Faith and furnishes us with the best as well as with the largest Part of our Knowledge and with the wisest Rules and Examples of Life And though we may be and often are mistaken this only makes Men more prudent and cautious not Infidels But a Divine Faith gives us a much more infallible Assurance than Human Faith can do for we know God cannot deceive us as Men may and then if we have as great nay much greater Evidence for a Divine Revelation than we have for any other matters of Fact at such a distance we have all the Evidence of the most certain Human Faith and the infallible certainty of a Divine Faith Nay if they will but allow which no considering Man can deny that we have as good Evidence for the History of the Gospel as they have for any other History which they most firmly believe it will be impossible for them to give a wise Reason why they do not believe the Gospel Nay were there less Evidence than there is the vast Importance of it which is no less than Eternal Life and Death is reason enough to a wise Man to chuse the surest side and to live by the Faith of another World 2. Let us now consider the Reason and the Wisdom of this Choice We look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal The difference between Temporal and Eternal is so demonstrative a Reason why we should prefer Eternal unseen things before temporal seen things that it is hard to add any thing to give a new Strength to it if Men do but understand what these Words Time and Eternity signifie Suppose you should ask any Man whether he would chuse to live threescore or fourscore years or to live for ever he would certainly wonder at your Question and think it an Affront since Nature teaches all Men to answer it without the least dispute or consideration about it All Men love Life and above all things desire to live for ever which is so strong a Passion that I doubt not at all but the generality of Mankind supposing no other Life after this would rather chuse to be Immortal Beggars than Mortal Princes or at least would content themselves with a very mean Station in this World and to take their Chance as to the Sufferings of it rather than not to be For Life is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to the Eye to behold the Sun And if Men who know no better would be contented to take their Fortune in this World and to venture an Eternal Round of uncertain and changeable Scenes and prefer this before fourscore or a hundred Years of the greatest Prosperity and Glory one would think there should be no Comparison between the most prosperous State of this Life and the eternal unchangeable Happiness of the next And yet we find by Experience that though most Men are desirous to live as long as they can in this World and would submit to any Conditions which would make them Immortal here they think the Case very much altered when you promise them Immortal Life in the next World as is very evident from this that they will not submit to such a State of Discipline and Mortification to save their Souls as they chearfully submit to to save their Lives Skin for Skin and all that a Man hath will he give for his Life but they will not part with all they have to save their Souls nay will venture their Souls to get or to save an Estate or a very little part of it And yet which makes it more wonderful there are great numbers of such Men who profess to believe that there is another World and that they must be happy or miserable for ever This is very unaccountable that all Men should agree that what is eternal ought to be preferred before what is temporal and yet that the Generality of Mankind should prefer temporal Things before the Things which are Eternal What is to be said to these Men Will you prove that Eternity is to be preferred before Time This is lost labour for they all own it and have a Natural Sense of it which is more powerful than any other Arguments Will you then perswade them to prefer Eternal before Temporal Things but by what Arguments will you perswade if Eternity it self cannot perswade In such Cases where there is no need of disputing no need to convince Mens Reasons I know nothing left but to paint and represent to draw such lively Images and Pictures as may move Mens Passions and give them a feeling Sense of the difference between Time and Eternity And to do this to as great Advantage as I can I shall 1st consider the
would I cannot imagine that it should weaken the Argument to translate this Immortal Life from Earth to Heaven which is so much a happier Place than this Earth And yet I doubt not but were this the Case that Vertuous Men should be immortal in this World and none but Sinners should die Sin would render Men the most contemptible and infamous Creatures to prefer the short Extravagancies of Vice before a Vertuous Immortality In short the difference between Time and Eternity is such a Reason as no difficulties can answer Eternal Happiness is an abundant recompence for any temporal sufferings and whatever the difficulties of Virtue and Religion may be they must not be compared with Eternal Miseries 2dly As there is a vast difference between Time and Eternity so there is as vast a difference between Things Temporal and Things Eternal I do not intend at present to represent to you the Eternal Happiness or Miseries of the next Life as I find them described in Scripture nor either lessen the Happiness or aggravate the Sufferings of this present Life but shall keep close to my Argument and only consider the difference which Time and Eternity makes between things and a very few Words will explain this For it is evident that whatever is subject to Time is liable to Changes Revolutions Intermissions but what is Eternal hath an unchangeable Nature and is always the same And what a vast difference does this make between the Happiness and Miseries of this perishing Life and the Eternal Happiness and Miseries of the next The Happiness of this Life can't be very valuable because it is not constant the Enjoyments of it are frequently delayed disappointed or interrupted and the Miseries of it are not so very formidable because they have their Allays and Intermissions too and cannot continue long in great extremity This is the Nature of temporal things to change and alter which lessens the Pleasures and tempers the Miseries of Life But an eternal constant uninterrupted Happiness an eternal constant uninterrupted Misery a Happiness and Misery without any end and without any Intermission or Allay this is perfect Happiness and perfect Misery infinitely more to be desired and feared than what Time can alter This represents Temporal Things as in themselves of no great value and gives a Natural Preference to Eternal Things Which is the reason of our Saviour's Exhortation Lay not up for your selves treasures on earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal but lay up for your selves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves cannot break through and steal This makes a natural Subordination between Temporal and Eternal Things and justifies the Wisdom of our Choice in making to our selves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness that when we fail they may receive us into â—…verlasting habitations Or like that wise Merchant in the Gospel who having found a treasure hid in a field went and fold all that he had and bought that field This is sufficient to convince those Men who believe another Life of the reasonableness of this Choice to govern our Lives by the Faith and Hope of unseen things not to look at the Things which are seen but at the Things which are not seen Bad Men themselves feel the force of this Argument and have no way to avoid it but by making these unseen things more invisible than they really are They love these seen things so well though they are but temporal that they are not willing to believe there are any such Unseen Eternal Things which they are convinc'd ought to have the Preference if there be any such Eternal Things And therefore for a Conclusion I shall briefly reason the Case with these Men nor directly to prove the Certainty of another World but to shew them how unreasonable and dangerous it is to entertain such an Aversion as they manifestly betray to the Belief of it For can any thing be more infamous than an Aversion to the Belief of Immortality Is any thing more natural to Mankind than the Desire of Immortality Next to the Fears of being miserable for ever is there a more terrible Thought than falling into nothing And how unnatural then is it for Men to be afraid of believing themselves immortal and to take great Pains to perswade themselves against all the Hopes and Inclinations of Nature that they shall dye like Beasts and to appear never better pleased than when they can start some difficulties to weaken the Belief and Hope of another World True you 'l say this seems somewhat unnatural but this is partially represented and not the whole of the Case the Gospel of Christ which promises Eternal Life to all Penitents threatens Eternal Death too against all impenitent Sinners and if upon the Authority of the Gospel we believe the Resurrection of the Just into Immortal Life we must believe the Resurrection of the Wicked to Eternal Punishments and these are such terrible things that it is more desireable there should be no Heaven then that there should be a Hell and they had rather reject these great Hopes than take the Hope and the Fear together This no doubt is the true Reason of Mens infidelity not that they absolutely despise Immortal Life the Desire of which is so natural and necessary but that they fear Eternal Miseries And yet in this case it is very unnatural to reject the Belief and Hope of Immortal Life For the Desire of Immortality is the first and most necessary Desire of Nature and therefore ought to govern all other Desires for it is unnatural to prefer any thing before it As fond as Men are of their Sins yet any Man of understanding would be ashamed to own that he had rather enjoy his Lusts thirty or forty Years than be immortal The Design of Infidelity is not only to cure Men's Fears but to salve their Reputation and to make their Vices less infamous If there be no Life after this let us eat and drink for to morrow we die seems natural and reasonable enough but to eat and drink and riot away Immortality must make a Man infamous Suppose God had promised Immortal Life to good Men and threaten'd not Eternal Punishments but Annihilation to the Wicked When Eternal Punishments were removed out of the way would you have thought it reasonable then to believe Immortality and to live vertuously for the Hopes of Immortality Would you have thought it infamous then to prefer Sin and Annihilation before Vertue and Immortality and is it not infamous then for the love of Sin to reject the Hopes of Immortality and to hope for Annihilation as such Men generally do if we think it reasonable to serve God that we may be immortal and that it would be infamous not to do so supposing the certain Knowledge of Immortal Life then the Threatnings of Eternal Punishments can be no reasonable prejudice against the Belief of Immortality
our selves to be Dissenters I hope are by this time very well Satisfied that the Church of England has no inclination to Popery and we have reason to acknowledge that the Body of Dissenters for some private Intriguers on either side do not deserve our notice nor to be thought on either side have not such an irreconcileable Hatred to the Church of England as to sacrifice her to a Popish Interest and this bids fair for a good Understanding between us and let us pray to God to continue and perfect it 2. As for the Preservation of the Church from the Oppression and Persecution of her Enemies this is God's care too and many times nothing but an All-seeing Vigilant and Omnipotent Providence can secure her Many times their Designs are laid deep and low full of Intriegue and Artifice unknown to all men but themselves as it was in the Gunpowder Treason when our King and Nobles and Senators were designed as a rich Sacrifice to a furious and Antichristian Zeal but when the wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth on him with his teeth the Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming 37. Psal. 12 13. Let us then Pray heartily to God that he would reconcile our Differences and Divisions and restore Peace and Unity to his Church that he would defend us from all the Plots and Machinations of our Enemies that we being delivered from all Persecutions may evermore give thanks unto him in his Holy Church through Iesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be Honour Glory and Power now and for ever Amen To his much Esteemed Friends the Church-Wardens and Parishioners of St. LAWRENCE Iewry and St. MARY MAGDALEN Milk-street Gentlemen THough I had no intention to make this Sermon Publick yet I could not with any Modesty deny your Request when you had paid so great a regard to the Counsel given you in it I heartily Congratulate your happy agreement in the Choice of so excellent a Person to succeed the not-to-be-forgotten Dr. CALAMY who I doubt not will deserve all that Honour and Kindness which it is so natural to you to show to your Ministers I here present you with the Sermon as it was Preached excepting some few things at the beginning which were left out in speaking to shorten it as much as I could without injuring the Sense I am sensible the Character falls very short of what our deceased Friend deserved but it is every Word true and I thought had been as inoffensive too as it is true and so I believe it will appear to wise and considering men and others may judge as they please If it will contribute any thing to make both Ministers and People more faithful in the discharge of their several Duties I have what I aimed at both in Preaching and Printing it especially if you please to accept of it as a Testimony of the sincere Respects of GENTLEMEN Your very Humble Servant WILLIAM SHERLOCK SERMON II. Preach'd at the Funeral of the Reverend Benjamin Calamy D. D. and late Minister of St. Lawrence Iewry London Jan. 7. 1685 6 24 Matth. 45 46. Who then is a Faithful and Wise servant whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his Houshold to give them meat in due season Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing IN this and the foregoing Chapter our Saviour acquaints his Disciples with the Signs and Prognosticks of his coming which plainly have a double aspect both upon his coming to destroy Ierusalem and upon his coming to judge the World But the application he makes of it is of universal use Watch therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come v. 42. which is excellent advice in what sense soever we understand the coming of our Lord for the coming of our Lord signifies his coming to take account of us and whether we apply this to the Hour of our Death or to the last Day of Judgment still it concerns us to watch that is to be always diligent and careful in doing our Duty and discharging that Trust which is committed to us that whenever our Lord comes we may give up our Accounts with joy The Words I have now read to you concern the Apostles of Christ and their Successors the Bishops and Pastors of the Church who are as much obliged to this watchfulness as any other sort of Persons because as they have a greater Trust so they have a greater Account to give This we learn from 12 Luke 42 43 ver where our Saviour having given that general advice to all his Disciples to watch for the coming of their Lord St. Peter particularly enquires how far he and the rest of the Apostles were concerned in it Lord speakest thou this parable unto us or even to all ver 41. To which our Saviour answers Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom â—…is Lord shall make Ruler of his Houshold to give them their portion of meat in due season Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Wherein our Saviour does particularly apply that general Advice to his Apostles and their Successors his Servants Stewards and Ministers of the Gospel and indeed those particular expressions which are here used do sufficiently acquaint us to whom this Advice belongs We need not question who is here meant by the Lord which is the peculiar Title of Christ in the New Testament and it is as evident what this Houshold is which is the Church of Christ The House and Temple of the living 1 Cor. 3. 16. 2 Cor. 6 16. God The Houshold of Faith The Houshold of God And Christ is said to be Faithful as a Son or Lord over his 6. Gal. 10. own House whose House are we if we â—…ld fast the confidence and the rejoycing 3. Heb. 5 6. of the hope firm unto the end in distinction from Moses who was Faithful as a Servant The Rulers of the Houshold or the Stewards in St. Luke are the Apostles Bishops Presbyters who are the Governours of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 20. Acts 28. Overseers the Ministers of Christ the Stewards of the Mysteries of God The 1 Cor. 4. 1. Meat which they are to give in Season is the Word of Life which with respect to the different degrees and perfection of Knowledge is compared to Milk and to strong Meat and therefore they are commanded to feed the 1 Cor. 3. 2. 5. Heb. 12. 1 Pet. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 Tim. 4. 2. Flock to preach the Word to be instant in season out of season to reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine This is sufficient to shew you that my Text does principally concern the Bishops and Ministers of the Church who are in an eminent manner the Servants of Christ in the Instruction and Government of his Church which is his House and in speaking to these words
Steward there are not many men I should sooner have thought on than Dr. Calamy to have been the Pattern That he did take care to give you Meat in due season I need not tell you because you all know it If Preaching in season and out of season if publick Instructions and private Applications where they were needful or desired be feed the Flock of Christ and to give â—…eat to his Houshold and Family this â—…e did and that very faithfully and â—…isely too In the first place he took care â—…o inform himself and to furnish â—…is own Mind with all useful knowâ—…edge and his constant Preaching though without any vain affectation of Learning which serves onely to amuse not to instruct did sufficiently discover â—…oth his natural and acquired Abilities He had a clear and distinct apprehension of things an easy and manly Rhetorick strong Sense conveyed to the mind in familiar words good Reasons inspired with a decent Passion which did not onely teach but move and transport the Hearers and at the same time gave both light and heat for indeed he was a good man which is necessary to make a good Preacher he had an inward vital sense of Religion and that animated his discourses with the same Divine Passions which he felt in himself He did not entertain his Hearers with School Subtilties or a conjectural Divinity with such thin and airy Speculations as can neither be seen nor felt nor understood but his chief care was to explain the great Articles of Faith and Rules of Life what we must believe and how we must live that we may be eternally happy And he did as a faithful Servant ought to do as he declared a little before his death that he never preached any thing but what he himself firmly believed to be true I need not tell you what a troublesome World we have lived in for some years past such Critical times as would try the Principles and Spirits of men when a prevaling Faction threatned both Church and State and the fears of Popery were thought a sufficient Justification of the most illegal and irreligious methods to keep it out when it was scandalous to speak a word either for the King or the Church when cunning men were silent and those who affected Popularity swam with the Stream then this great and good man durst reprove Schism and Faction durst teach men to conform to the Church and to obey and honour the King durst vindicate the despised Church of England and the hated Doctrine of Passive Obedience though the one was thought to favour Popery and the â—…ther to introduce Slavery but he was â—…bove the powerful Charms of Names â—…nd liked Truth never the worse beâ—…ause it was mis-called His publick â—…ermons preached in those days and â—…rinted by publick Authority are â—…asting Proofs of this and yet he was no â—…apist neither but durst reprove the Errors of Popery when some others who made the greatest noise and outâ—…ry about it grew wise and cautious This was like a truly honest and faithâ—…l Servant to oppose the growing Diâ—…tempers of the Age without any regard either to unjust Censures or apparent Danger And yet he did not needlesly provoke any man he gave no hard words but thought it severe enough to confute mens errors without upbraiding or reproaching their persons His Conversation was courteous and affable to all men soft and easy as his Principles were stubborn he could yeild any thing but the Truth and bear with any thing but the Vices of men He would indeed have been the wonder of his Age had he not lived in such an Age as thanks be to God can shew many such wonders and yet in such an Age as this he made an Illustrious Figure though he had his Equals he had not many Superiors Thus he lived and thus this good man died for thus he was found doing when his Lord came The first symptoms of his Distemper seized him just before his last Sermon at White-hall but gave him so much respite as to take his leave of the World in an excellent Discourse of Immortality which he speaks of with such a sensible gust and relish as if his Soul had been then upon the wing and had some fore-taste of those joys it was just a going to possess And indeed he encountered the apprehensions of Death like one who believed and hoped for Immortality he was neither over-fond of living nor afraid to die He received the Supper of our Lord professed his Communion with the Church of England in which he had lived and in which he now died and having recommended his Soul to God he quietly expected how he would dispose of him But I must not forget to tell you that he died like a true and faithful Pastor with a tender care and affection for his Flock When he imposed this unwelcome Office upon me he told me he â—…d not desire any praises of himself but â—…t I would give some good advice to â—…s people who said he are indeed 〈◊〉 very kind and loving people And â—…is was not the first nor the onely time 〈◊〉 have heard him own not onely your â—…nd reception of him at first but the repeated and renewed expressions of your affection which did signally manifest it self in his late Sickness and now accompanies him to the Grave A Character which to your honour I speak it you have now made good for several successions and which I hope you will never forfeit But what that good counsel is he would have me give you he told me not and therefore I can onely guess at his intentions in this Were he now present to speak to you I believe he could not give you better counsel than he has already done and therefore my advice to you is 1. To remember those Counsels and Exhortations which you have heard from your deceased Pastor Though the Sower be removed yet let that immortal Seed that Word of Life which he has sown live and fructifie in your hearts and bring forth the blessed Fruits of Righteousness He has shewed you the plain way to Heaven have a care you do not forget it have a care you do not wander out of it He has recommended the Communion of the Church of England to you He has taught you to be Loyal to your Prince and to be true to your Religion take care then that neither your Religion destroy your Loyalty nor your Loyalty corrupt your Religion remember that beloved person whose Memory is dear and sacred to you was neither a Rebel Papist nor a Fanatick 2. Since you have lost your Guide a faithful and a prudent Guide and the choice of a Successour is in your selves be very careful as the concernment of your Souls requires you should be of your Choice Consider what an Age we live in which requires an experienced and skilful Pilot to steer a secure and steady course Have a care of dividing into Factions and Parties let not meer private
Calamities upon Nations but for the Punishment of some Publlick and National Sins And therefore a Christian Nation which professes the True Faith and Worship of Christ preserves the Reverence of Religion corrects and suppresses Vice may expect to be blessed with all external Prosperity for righteousness exâ—…alteth a nation it does so in its natural tendency and effects and it does so by the Blessing of God and therefore when God brings any Publick Judgments upon a Nation professing the true faith of Christ we have reason to take notice of God's Anger and Displeasure to enquire what is amiss among us what that accursed thing is which hath provoked God to Jealousy and made him take the Rod into his hand We have then reason to humble our selves before God to deprecate his Anger and Displeasure to turn from all the evil of our ways that hem ay return and be merciful to us But there is one thing worth observing which may be matter of Hope and Comfort to us at this time That God never delivered the Iewish Church into the hands of their Enemies to oppress them never carried them away into captivity excepting the last Destruction of Ierusalem in Punishment of their Sin in Crucifying their Messias but only when they were guilty of Idolatry A Corruption of Manners might bring other Judgments upon them but it was generally and I think always for their Idolatry that God made their Enemies rule over them and carried them captive into a Strange land This we have a summary account of Iudges 2. how that after the Death of Ioshua and those Elders who had seen all that God did for them they forsook the Lord and served Baal and Ashtaroth and the anger of the Lord was kindled against them and God deliver'd them into the hand of spoilers who spoiled them v. 11 12 c. For this Sin of Idolatry the Ten Tribes were carried away into a Perpetual Captivity and Iudah carried captive to Babylon which they were threatned with by the Prophets for their Whoredoms that is their Idolatries 2 4 5. ch of Hosea and this is the account the Prophet Ieremy gives of it Like as ye have forsaken me and served strange gods in your land so shall ye serve strangers in a land which is not yours 5. Jer. 19. Now in proportion to God's dealâ—…g with the Iewish Church we have â—…ason to hope That though a Church â—…nd Nation which professes the true â—…aith and Worship of Christ may be â—…everely punished for their other Sins â—…et while they preserve themselves â—…lean from Spiritual Fornication from all Antichristian Idolatries God will not Un-Church them nor deliver them finally up into the Power of Idolatrous Oppressors I am sure we of this Nation ever since the Reformation of Religion among us though God has made us smart severely for our other Sins have yet always found a watchful Providence defending us from all Attempts though contrived with Art and Skill and backed with Power to reduce us again under the Roman Yoke May the same Good Providence still watch over us and defend us and neither suffer our Popish Enemies to rejoice over us nor deluded Protestants to make dangerous and fatal Experiments 3dly When God did think fit to correct his People he always kept the Rod in his own hand and prescribed the Measures and Continuance of their Sufferings This is so plain from all the Promises and Threatnings of the Law and from the Examples of God's Providence towards Israel that there is no need to multiply particular Instances There was no Good not Evil befel Israel but by a particular Providence God inflicted Judgments on them when he saw fit and he removed them again He gave the Commission to Plague and Sword and Famine which they could not exceed In the 26. Levit. we may observe That God proportion'd his Judgments to their Sins When their Sins were grown so Publick and National as to deserve some Publick Judgments yet at first God threatens them with some more light and gentle Punishments but if they continued incorrigible he tells them he had more terrible Judgments in reserve for them which proves That God determines the Kinds Degrees and Continuance of his Judgments When David for his sin in Numbring the People had that hard Choice given him of seven years famine or to flee three months before his enemies or three days pestilence he answers Let me fall now into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hand of man 〈◊〉 Sam. 24. 14. That is he chose Peâ—…ilence before the Sword for Pestiâ—…ence is God's immediate hand and â—…ho the Sword be God's Judgment too â—…et it is put into the hands of men who gratify their own Lust and Rage and Revenge with it And yet tho God leaves more to man in this than â—…n any other Judgments he does not â—…ut the Sword wholly out of his own hands when he puts it into the hands of men but gives Laws to it as appears from the example of the King of Assyria whom God sent against Ierusalem To take the spoil and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire in the street Howbeit he meaneth not so neither doth his heart think so but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few wherefore it shall come to pass that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion what he himself not what the King of Assyria intended to do I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria and the glory of his high looks 10. Isa. 5 6 7 12. Now God has the same tender care of a Christian Nation that he had of Israel He mingles our Cup for us he prescribes what we shall suffer and how long and he corrects as a Father not to destroy but to reform and this is a mighty comfort that whatever men threaten we are in the hands of God who has the Winds and Seas aâ—… his command who giveth Salvation 〈◊〉 Kings who delivereth David his Servaâ—… from the hurtful Sword Psal. 144. 10. The most powerful Oppressors are but the Rod of God's Anger the more fierce and savage Instruments God employs to correct us we may conclude the more angry God is but whatever the Rod is it is God that strikes whâ—… knows when to strike and when to spare We never have any reason to be afraid of men whatever their Power how great soever their Rage and Vengeance be but ought to pray to God as the Prophet does O Lord correct me but with judgment not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing Jer. 10. 24. O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy sore displeasure have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed Psal. 6. 1 2. or as it is in Psal. 56. 1 2 3. Be merciful to me O
Courtships of the World cannot defend us from our selves we cannot stop our ears against 〈◊〉 we cannot harden our selves against â—…s Terrors it is a domestick Fury â—…hich when it is provoked and awakenâ—…d will be heard and will make us â—…emble will make us judge and conâ—…emn our selves and begin our own â—…orments in frightful Horrors and Agoâ—…es of Mind 2dly Whereas Reason can fortify the â—…ind against all external Calamities â—…hen our Spirits are wounded that â—…ttle Reason we have left proves our â—…ormentor When we are under the â—…ransports of violent and disorderly â—…assions Reason can't be heard or is â—…ibed by Passion to justify its own Exâ—…esses Wise Counsels are lost on such â—…en as much as a Lecture of Philoâ—…phy would be in the Noise and Diâ—…raction of an Alarm or Battel What a sullen and obstinate thing is â—…rief how does it pore on its own â—…isfortune nourish its Disease and â—…espise all Arts of Diversion that it is â—…ommonly above the cure of any thing â—…ut Time which weakens the Impresâ—…on or tires men with their own Comâ—…laints When our Consciences are wounded with Guilt this arms all the Reason we have against us for Reason in such Cases can never be on our side then Reason discovers our Shame and Danger aggravates our Sins and many times drives such awaken'd Sinners into the very Horrors of Dispair disputes against the possibility of their Pardon and blots their Names out of all the Promises of the Gospel how large and universal soever they be The Guides of Souls who are always consulted upon such Occasions how much soever they are despised at other times could tell a great many sad Stories of thiâ—… kind enow to convince Sinners that even Wit and Reason is a very dangerous Enemy when a guilty Conscience turns the edge of it against our selves 3dly When there is no Ease and Comfort within there is no other Remedy but to seek for Support and Comfort from abroad and there are a great many pretty Diversions in the World to entertain Men who are at leisure to attend them but these are no Entertainments to a wounded Spirit When men are galled by their own Passions by Fear Emulation Jealousy Discontent in the very midst of laughter â—…e heart is sorrowful As great as Haâ—…n was all his Riches and Power â—…ailed him nothing while he saw â—…ordecai the Iew sitting at the King 's â—…ate 5. Esth. 13. The good things of this World are â—…ry considerable when there is an eaâ—… and cheerful mind to enjoy them â—…t they cannot make a man easy and â—…ppy whose Mind is disturbed they â—…ay entertain an easy Mind but canâ—…t quiet the Tumults and Disorders of â—…ssions nor give any Ease to a woundâ—… Spirit Much less can external things apâ—…ase the Horrors of a guilty Consciâ—…ce Away all ye vain Delights will â—…ch a man say what have I to do with â—…easure when Torments everlasting â—…orments must be my Portion Why â—…o you tell me of Riches and Honours â—…hen the great God is my Enemy â—…hen I am despised and abhorred of my â—…aker and am thought worthy of no â—…etter Portion than Eternal Flames 〈◊〉 am not at leisure to attend the Flatâ—…ering Courtships of this World my Thoughts are taken up with a more â—…readful Prospect of things to come O Eternity Eternity the never-dying Worm the never-dying Death 4thly Nor can a wounded Spiâ—… find any Support from the Considerations of Religion unless it find its Câ—… there If the Belief of a Divine Providence and another World can cure oâ—… Love to present things it will give uâ—… quiet and easy Passions too but without this a wounded and distemper'â—… Spirit will reproach God as well aâ—… Men and rage against Heaven it self â—… like that wicked King This evil is 〈◊〉 the Lord why should I wait on the Lâ—… any longer As Solomon observes Tâ—… foolishness of Man perverteth his waâ—… and his heart fretteth against the Lord. If the Fear of God and of thoâ—… Punishments He has threatned agaiâ—… Sin makes us true and sincere Peâ—…tents conquers our vicious Habiâ—… and reforms our Lives this is such 〈◊〉 wounded Spirit as God will bind up again such a broken and contrite heaâ—… as God will not despise but the Thoughâ—… of God and of a future Judgment aâ—… very terrible to Impenitent Sinners It is a dreadful Prospect to look intâ—… the other World and to see those Lakes of Fire and Brimstone prepared for the Devil and his Angels And this 〈◊〉 all that Bad men can see in the next â—…orld Thus we see how supportable all â—…ternal Evils and Calamities are how â—…supportable a wounded Spirit is and â—…e comparing these two Cases will â—…ggest some very useful Thoughts to â—…s As First This is a great Vindicatiâ—… of the Providence of God with â—…spect to those Evils and Calamities â—…at are in the World Sufferings are â—…ery necessary in this corrupt and deâ—…enerate State of Mankind but though â—…od sees it necessary to punish Sinners â—…et he has made abundant Provision to â—…pport us under all external Sufferâ—…gs He inflicts nothing on us but â—…hat the Spirit of a Man can sustain â—…d support it self under but our â—…reatest Sufferings are owing to our â—…elves and no more chargeable on the â—…rovidence of God than our Sins are â—…othing that is external can hurt us â—…hile our minds are sound and healthâ—…l but it is only a disordered or guilty â—…ind which gives a Sting to Afflictiâ—…ns God corrects in measure as we â—…re able to bear but we our selves tye the Knots or add the Scorpions to thâ—… Scourge Secondly This greatly recommendâ—… the Divine Wisdom in that Provisioâ—… God has made for our Support undâ—… Sufferings As â—…t Since the generality oâ—… Mankind were not likely to prove anyâ—… great Philosophers GOD hath bestowed on them such a measure of Naturâ—… Courage as will bear Afflictions betteâ—… than the Reason and Philosophy 〈◊〉 more thinking men and we may generally observe that those who maâ—… the least use of their Reason and haâ—… the least share of External Comforâ—… have the greatest Portion of this â—…taught Courage because they need 〈◊〉 most 2. God has provided the greatâ—… Supports for the best men Thoâ—… who use their Reason and examine thâ—… nature of things will more easily beâ—… Poverty and Disgrace and such otheâ—… Evils than men who judge by Opinion and popular Mistakes Those who live by Reason and govern their sensual Appetites and Inclinations and use the things of this World so as not to be mastered by them retain that Courage and Strength of Mind which is lost by softness and Effeminacy But a truly devout man who beâ—…ieves the Wisdom and Goodness of Providence and the Rewards of the next Life has the greatest Support of all Whereas an impenitent Sinner who wounds his Conscience with Guilt and an Atheist who believes neither a God nor a Providence have nothing but Sottishness and Stupidity to support them and
could things be better ordered for the encouragement of Virtue and Religion Good men whatever their Condition be have the Advantage of the Wicked even as to this present Life they may be easy and enjoy themselves in all Conditions for GOD has provided for their present Support but if bad men be Sufferers they have nothing to support them and though they be prosperous they feel such Disorders of Passions or such guilty Fears as sowre all their other Enjoyments 3. God has so wisely ordered things that we cannot support our selves under Sufferings without making a wise and good use of them for the best Arguments to comfort us under Sufferings will afford us no comfort unless they make us better It is a great comfort that Afflictions are appointed by a wise and good God But he who considers this will naturally enquire into the Reason why God strikes will search and try his way and turn unto the Lord will hear the rod and who it is that hath appointed it That Afflictions are ordered for our good will make us endeavour to reap the Spiritual Benefit of them for that Afflictions are useful is no Comfort at all unless we make a wise use of them unless they bring forth the peaceable Fruits of Righteousness No Man can take Comfort in the Rewards of the next World without bearing his Sufferings well in this for our Sufferings will have no reward unless they make us better unless they purify our Minds and exercise our Faith and Patience and Submission to the Will of God 3dly I observe That it is better to suffer than to sin even with respect to our present ease because Sufferings may be born by an innocent and vertuous Mind but Guilt inflicts an unsupportable wound upon the Spirit and â—…ose Sufferings which the Spirit of a Man can bear are rather to be chosen â—…han what the Spirit of a Man cannot â—…ear Lastly I observe That the Governâ—…ent of our own Passions contributes â—…ore to our Happiness than any exterâ—…al Enjoyments While our Minds are disordered with violent and tumultuâ—…us Passions we can never be Easy and Happy whatever else we enjoy for this gives such a Wound to the Spirits as no external Enjoyments can heal But he who has his Passions under government who knows how to Love and Fear Desire and Hope though he may be a great Sufferer can never be miserable because he can support himself under all other Sufferings What a wrong Course then do the generality of Mankind take to make themselves happy They seek for Happiness without when the Foundation of Happiness must be laid within in the Temper and Disposition of our Minds An easy quiet Mind will weather all the Storms of Fortune but how calm and serene soever the Heavens be there is no peace to the wicked who have nothing but noise and tumult and confusion within To God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost be Honour Glory and Power now and for ever Amen SERMON VII Preach'd at the Funeral of the Reverend Richard Meggot D. D. and late Dean of Winchester December the 10th 1692. at Twickenham I. Phil. 23 24. For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you ST Paul wrote this Epistle to Philippi from Rome where he was in Bonds for the Gospel but though his Body was confined to a Prison his Soul his great Divine Soul was at Liberty to visit the Churches he had planted to advise and counsel and comfort them to encrease their Knowledge and to confirm their Faith to instame their Zeal and to spur them forward to more perfect Attainmens in all Piety and Virtue The Philippians seem greatly concerned least the Progress of â—…e Gospel should be hindred by St. Paul's Imprisonment and lest they and the whole Church should be deprived of the Labours and Ministry of so great an Apostle should this Persecution extend to Life as they had reason to fear it would As for the first St. Paul assures them That his Bonds were for the furtherance of the Gospel for his Imprisonment was taken notice of both in the Court and City which made Men curious to know what that Doctrine was which he preached and for which he suffered Bonds and this published the Gospel more effectually than his Preaching could have done Verse 12 13 c. As for the second he tells them He was no farther concerned either about Life or Death but that Christ might be magnified in his Body If he lived his Life was wholly devoted to the Service of Christ and of his Church if he died it would be for his own great Advantage To me to live is Christ and to die is gain verse 20 21. and this made it a hard choice to him whether he should desire to live or die whether he should get rid of his Bonds and make his Escape out of a troublesome World into the Regions of Ease and Rest to reap the Fruit of his Labours here in the eternal Enjoyment of his Lord whom he had so faithfully served or whether he should live to Encounter with a thousand Difficulties and Deaths in the Service of Christ and of the Souls of Men. What I should chuse I wot not for I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better nevertheless to abide in the Flesh is more needful for you Was there ever such a Dispute as this before That a Man who was as certain to go to Heaven as he was to die who had himself been snatch'd up into the third Heavens and had his Mind possest with strong and vigorous and lively Idea's of the Glories of that place who had seen and heard such things as could not be expressed who saw a Crown a glorious immarcessible Crown prepared for him I say that such a Man should make any question what he should chuse whether immediately to take possession of this Crown and Kingdom or to live longer in this World to suffer Bonds and Imprisonments Hunger and Cold and Stripes and all the ill usage which he had so often met with for no other reason but still to preach the Gospel and to enlarge the Borders of Christ's Church What a Contempt is this not only of the little Pleasures and Satisfactions but even of all the Miseries of Life What a Triumph is this over the World over all the Frowns and Terrours of it What a Triumph is this over Self such a degree of Self-denial as the Gospel it self does not command which is in some sence to deny Heaven to deny all the Joys of Christ's Presence for the sake of doing good For it is to delay to put off Heaven to adjourn his own Happiness that he may live the longer to serve his great Master though with great Difficulties and Labours What Love was this
Providence but we may make our Complaints to God and be the more importunate in our Prayers for the Preservation of our King The Death of our excellent Queen both calls for and will justify and recommend such humble Importunities and the preservation of our King will in a great measure make up this Loss to us Which God of his infinite Mercy grant through our Lord Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be Honour Glory and Power now and for ever Amen SERMON IX Preach'd before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen at the Parish-Church of St. Bridget on Tuesday in Easter-Week April 6. 1697. 2 Cor. VIII 12. For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not THE Occasion of these Words was this The Christians of Iudaea were at this time in great Want by reason of a general Dearth which was foretold by Agabus at Antioch Acts II. 28. And there stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the spirit That there should be great dearth throughout all the world which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Upon this Notice the Disciples every man according to his ability determined to send relief unto the Brethren which dwelt in Iudaea This is that Contribution for the Saints which St. Paul directs them about at the Conclusion of his first Epistle to them Ch. 16. and this is what he inculcates on them in this and the following Chapter but with so much Art and Insinuation that though he uses the most powerful Arguments yet he would not seem to persuade nor to think that they needed any Persuasion for it is not Honourable for Christians whose Religion is Charity to need such Persuasions and Importunities They may be directed in their Charity and put in Mind of such particular Charities as are of the greatest Necessity or the most present use or have the most general Influence or do the greatest Reputation and Service to Religion or their Charity may be heightened inflamed and enlarged by the proper Arguments and Motives of Liberality but their Religion teaches them to be Charitable and the Name and Profession of a Christian is a Reproach to them without it And this is all the Apostle aims at even in his soft and tender way of Persuasion not merely to persuade them to contribute to the Necessities of the Saints which he knew they were willing â—…o do but that they should contriâ—…ute liberally with a free and chearful Heart and open Hand which is the â—…um of all his Arguments as I shall â—…hew you in the Conclusion if Time permit But the great Difficulty concerns the proper Measures of a liberal and overflowing Charity Our Saviour has prescribed no set Bounds and Proportions to our Charity and it is thought as possible to be imprudent and excessive as too frugal and sparing We have many other Obligations upon us besides CHARITY to provide for our own comfortable Subsistence to take Care of our Wives and Children and to discharge all other Duties and Offices according to our Station and Character in the World All which ought to set Bounds to our Charity But what these Bounds are is thought the great Question which is not easily answered This is true nor can any certain Measures be prescribed nor does the Apostle pretend to it But though there is a great Latitude in true Christian Charity which does not consist in a Point but admits of different degrees and Proportions yet the Apostle in my Text directs us to such a Principle as is much better and safer than any stated Rules because it will be sure never to sink below the just Proportions of Charity and will render all we do be it more or less very acceptable to God For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not In which Words I shall observe Three Things which are expressed or necessarily implied in them First That a great readiness and Forwardness of Mind to do Good is the true Spirit of Charity which gives Value and Acceptation to all we do Secondly That this readiness of Mind to do Good to Relieve the Necessities of those who want will observe the just Proportions of Giving will give according to what a man hath as is necessarily implied in the Words for if a willing Mind be accepted according to what a man hath it is because it gives according to what a man hath Thirdly That where there is this Willing Mind with a fitting Proportion according to our Abilities whether it be more or less which we give it is equally acceptable to God Such a Man is accepted according to what â—…e hath not according to what he hath â—…ot I shall speak as briefly as I can to each of these that I may not be prevented in such an Application as is proper to this Solemnity First That a great Readiness and Forwardness of Mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to do Good to relieve the Necessities of those in Want is the true Spirit of Charity and gives Value and Acceptation to all we do Such a Willingness of Mind when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Principle and first Mover in all our Charitable Actions is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very acceptable to God This I think I may take for granted for what is the Grace and Vertue of Charity but a Charitable Inclination Disposition Temper Habit of Mind And what is this but a Readiness and Forwardness to do Good Our Inclinations and Passions are the Principles of Action and therefore have a natural Tendency towards their proper Acts and Objects and will act when they have the Power and Opportunity of Action Charity is Love the Love of Pity and Compassion to the Miseries and Sufferings and Wants of our Brethren and Love in all other Instances is a very restless active Principle and so will our Love to the Poor and Miserable be if it be Inclination and Habit. There is no man but will pretend to be very ready and willing to do Good though he never does any For to have no Inclination to do Good is so Infamous that those who do no good are ashamed to own it but to do no good is a plain Evidence against them when nothing can hinder them from doing Good but the want of Will and Inclination to do it when God has furnished them with the means of doing Good and there are thousands of Objects to exercise their Charity and to move their Pity if they had any The Will is accepted for the Deed both by God and Men when it is not in our Power to do that Good which we sincerely desire to do and which we would certainly do were it in our Power but it is to mock both God and Men to pretend a Willingness when â—…t is