often press'd and inculcated the Necessity of it to others should be mean or narrow-spirited in our Contributions 't is probable that we shall not only give Offence to others but put a Stop even to their Good and Charitable Intentions If we that cannot of all men be ignorant what we ought to do for our Brethren and Companions sakes should not contribute all we are able to the encouraging and promoting this Good Design begun and carried on purely for their Interest it can't be supposed that others who are removed something farther from the Relation should be more forward in their Endeavours to support it Good Examples do great service in all such cases and the higher mens Characters and Stations are so much the greater and stronger Influence have they The Royal Psalmist describes to us the Joy and Satisfaction he felt in himself when he was called upon to assist at the Worship of God I was glad when they said unto me Let us go into the House of the Lord Not only glad of the opportunity of offering up his Prayers and Praises to God but also doubtless that he met with an occasion of countenancing Religion by his Presence and of encouraging others by his Example And thus have I considered the great service we shall do Religion by our present Designs of promoting Peace and Charity and have also observed how much prejudice may be done it by the neglect of these Virtues The latter of these I should have pass'd by as being foreign to our present Business had I not thought my self obliged to take notice of that double Pleasure which always attends such good Actions the one arising from the sense of the Services we do the other from the thought of having avoided all those Inconveniencies all that Uneasiness of Mind and Guilt of Conscience which are inseparable from the contrary Practices II. I proceed in the Second place to represent another Advantage of this Good Design namely the raising the Honour of our Church For we are not only to consider the Service we can do Religion in general but also how we can best answer the Obligations we are under to that Church in particular whereof we are Members And that these Virtues of Peace and Charity will advance the Credit and Reputation of it is more than probable since they tend most to Unite and Preserve it And when it is like Ierusalem compact together and at unity in it self the gates of hell cannot prevail against it The Royal Psalmist repeats his Prayers and Wishes for Peace several times in this short Psalm Whether or no there were then any divisions in the Church or any heats or contentions among any of its Members that occasioned his being thus earnest and sollicitous 't is certain he very well knew he could ask for no other Blessing that could gain it so much respect and veneration abroad that could make it so strongly oppose the attempts of its Enemies or that could so firmly establish and so long preserve it We are therefore very much indebted to the Wisdom of those who first formed this Charitable Corporation and contrived this Annual Meeting for the preventing and making up all such unnatural differences among us and for the preserving that Love and mutual Agreement which is so necessary for the Honour and Security of our Church We are this day the best Constituted Church in the whole World and its Doctrines the most Pure and Primitive and I hope we may add that it is most Catholick and Apostolical in its practice of Christian Duties The first Believers did more Honour and Service to Christianity by their good Actions than by their Faith and they appealed to their Lives for a confirmation of their Doctrines And I hope it may still be used for an Argument for the best Religion in the World that it is the best observed That we are reformed from the Errors and Corruptions that were crept into the Church is owing to the pious Care and Zeal of our Forefathers but let it be owing to us that this present Age shall leave behind it more lasting Monuments of Kindness and Generosity of Love and Unity It is a great Happiness to be of the True Faith but it will be a greater to superadd to it the meek and peaceful Spirit of the Gospel This one would think should be made the chief Mark of a True Church for nothing not even Faith it self without Charity can ever make a good Christian and I don't see how it is possible it should ever build or keep up a Church Love and Tenderness ought always to attend Truth for they are the best able to gain it Friends They are of an insinuating Nature and lay open an easy Passage to the Understanding A sowre ill-natur'd Argument was hardly ever known to convert an Adversary how strong and powerful soever it might be to silence him There 's no body can bear to be affronted even into Truth it self or to be brow-beaten though it should chance to be into Right Reason Truth indeed is Bold but 't is never Insolent and Imperious But Falshood and Ignorance are generally so And if we judge of them by that Mark we shall not often be mistaken For we have great reason to suspect that for Counterfeit which is swell'd with Pride and Ostentation However it be Truth never wants an Haughty Advocate and a Good Cause is always the worse for an Ill-natur'd Management And what is more to our purpose the Best of Churches must suffer great Prejudice if there is found an Uncharitable Behaviour among any of its Members But 't is my Business only to commemorate the Blessings we enjoy and not to tell of Mischiefs which 't is to be hoped we shall never feel III. Let us then consider the Third and last Advantage of our Pious Designs and that is The vindicating the Clergy from Contempt This will be Justice to the Memory of the Dead as well as a Service to the Living And I doubt not but we shall guard off Contempt from them at least set them above it in relation to those common Objections that are formed against them And these respect either their Self-Interest their Poverty or their Posterity I. And first We shall in some measure vindicate them from the Imputation of Self-Interest or Private Designs We are indeed many times upbraided upon these accounts but if our Enemies would but consider the many Charities that have been bestowed by that Order of Men they would be a little more sparing in their Censures We are told that Charity it self shall cover a multitude of sins And if God Almighty will be so merciful as to pass by a great many Offences for the sake of that one Virtue methinks Men might overlook some Defects for the sake of it too I am persuaded I may venture to say That the Good Works of a great part of the Clergy speak for them and 't is but just that the Number of those who
A SERMON Preached at the Anniversary Meeting Of the SONS of CLERGY-MEN IN St. PAUL's Cathedral DECEMBER 3. 1700. By Richard West M. A. Fellow of St. Mary Magd. Coll. Oxon And Chaplain to the Right Reverend Father in God Gilbert L. Bishop of Sarum LONDON Printed for S. Smith and B. Walford at the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCC To the Much Honoured Robert Constable Esq Dr. Tho. West Mr. Humphry Dene Mr. Iohn Bernard Mr. Richard Beaumont Mr. Tho. Hussey Mr. Henry Smith Mr. Matthew Shore Mr. Tho. Burnand Mr. Matthi Hickeringill Mr. Ioseph Grace Mr. George Guy Stewards of the Late Feast of the Sons of the Clergy Gentlemen THIS Sermon was Preached upon a very Good Design and at Your Request and the same Reasons have prevailed with me to make it Publick Which is all the Apology I think my self obliged to make for it Whether or no the many Excellent Discourses that have already come abroad upon This and the like Occasions have awakened mens Zeal 't is certain there is a very Publick Spirit of Charity now among us The Generous Examples of the Members of your Charitable Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy have not 't is probable been a little instrumental to that purpose The breeding up of Poor Children to Industry to a true sense of Religion and particularly in the Doctrines and Worship of the Church of England is one of your great Designs and God be thanked You have had in this Noble and Ancient City and in other Places very many Followers By this means you may hope to raise the Honour and promote the Interest of our Church and to secure to your selves those Blessings which will always attend the Encouragers of such Honourable and Pious Undertakings I am GENTLEMEN Your most Faithful Humble Servant Richard West A SERMON Preached before the Sons of the Clergy PSALM CXXII v. 8 9. For my Brethren and Companions sakes I will now say peace be within Thee Because of the House of the Lord our God I will seek thy Good THis Psalm gives us a full and lively account of the pious zeal and concern which King David exprest for the Good of the Church and by what Steps and Methods he thought it most advisable to proceed for the advancing the Interest of it Namely by promoting Peace and Unity among its Members and by seeking and praying for one anothers Good I shall have no occasion to press the necessity of following this Great Example nor shall I enter upon a description of the Vertues here recommended The Charitable design of our meeting this day to establish a lasting Friendship among Brethren and to consult one anothers Good Our forward Intention to assist those amongst us that call for our Help that they may not be destitute of a Lot and Inheritance with the rest of their Tribe has already made any further discourse upon either of those Topicks Superfluous and Unnecessary And therefore I think it to be more my proper business to entertain you with the prospect of those Happy Effects which will necessarily follow such Noble and Christian Designs The Duties which the Text recommends to us are Peace and Charity And in the sincere study and observance of both these our present Undertaking has firmly engaged us so that to consider the success which will necessarily attend it may be of some use to create in us that true Pleasure and Satisfaction which ought always to accompany the doing of Good The Method therefore I shall take in the following Discourse shall be only this I. In the First place I shall endeavour to represent the Blessed Effects that will certainly follow our practise of these Vertues II. And then in the Second Place I shall consider the Advantages we enjoy for the promoting such good Works and the returns we are obliged to make to God for them I. First then I shall endeavour to represent the Blessed Effects that will follow the practise of these Vertues I need not observe how much the Happiness of Society depends upon it that Men of Peaceable and Charitable Tempers are the greatest Benefactors to Mankind and that we more especially answer the Ends and Designs of our Being when we are most useful and serviceable to others Nor shall I mention how these good Offices raise a Man a Name and Reputation in the World command an universal Reverence and Esteem and are the most certain marks of a Noble and Heavenly Disposition I shall also omit those many Prayers and Blessings they will obtain for us and that certain Interest they will secure us in Heaven These are the natural consequences that flow from the exercise of these Duties and they equally belong to all those that consult the Benefit of Mankind either of these ways But there are other Advantages which we have more particular reasons to expect from our present Endeavours and which we are more obliged than others to have an especial regard to I. And first We may Hope by this means to advance the Interest of Religion II. Secondly To raise the Honour of our Church III. And Lastly To Vindicate the Clergy from Contempt And First That our design of promoting Peace and Charity will be of great advantage to Religion And that I am perswaded is a Satisfaction that we of this Assembly should be ambitious of purchasing at any rate For it must be a very pleasing Thought to every one of us that we can be able to strengthen the Interest or support the Authority of that Religion to which we owe so great a share of our Well-being and Happiness in this Life and all our Hopes of a Better And that we shall do a very considerable service to it by this means is evident from the great stress the Divine Author of it has laid upon these Duties and the Blessings he has pronounced to the observers of them He has made Love and Unity the Distinguishing Marks of his Disciples in this World and the Conditions upon which he will pronounce that joyful Sentence Come ye blessed in another To the Peace-makers he has given the Glorious Character of being the Children of God as tho they alone were of a Divine Original and had the true Image of God stamp'd upon them If then there is so high a value set upon these Vertues and they have so much the preference given to them above others by God himself If they are the brightest Ornaments in a Christian's Life and transform him into a resemblance of the Divine Nature we may be assured the more we excel in them the higher do we raise the Honour and Reputation of Religion By this Method Christianity first flourish'd and prevail'd in the World that love and unity which was so apparent among all its Disciples and those lively Instances which they perpetually gave of Kindness and Charity gained it every day fresh Admirers and Proselites This Practice won upon Mens Tempers and as mild and gentle as it was overcame
all opposition The like Behaviour will always recommend Religion and then especially when it appears in the Lives of those who are dedicated to the Service of it They are in Stations that make them more observed and their Actions more nearly look'd into than other mens And therefore these Graces must shine brightest and their influence reach farthest when they are most visible in their Conversations This shews that Religion has a true force and efficacy upon them and they can propose with better advantage that greatest Example of Kindness and Charity that ever appeared in the World to the imitation of others when they follow it in good earnest themselves But it is yet more for the Interest of Religion when their Children follow their Steps and have bequeathed to them that best of Inheritances the knowledge and practice of these Duties and it will be much for the Reputation of Religion that those Early Impressions of Vertue and Piety which were made upon their Minds still retain their full strength and vigour and that no other avocations can take off the Engagements were laid upon them to do good unto all men but especicially to those of the Houshold of Faith For here it is that the Obligations of Religion as well as nearness of Relation first challenge our Services We are indeed forbid to do Ill Offices to any man and are commanded to follow peace with all in general but we cannot be equally serviceable to all and there are some who have a better claim to our regard than others The sense of Gratitude has a particular tye upon us and no one here can doubt but Religion upon this account can plead the best Right to our Services and consequently those who are nearest related to it may challenge our more especial Consideration This is the true and regular method of shewing our Zeal for Religion the most proper means to make it valued and esteemed and the best hopes we have left of raising the Credit of despised neglected Vertue I need not shew the reverse of all this or acquaint you how much Religion will suffer by our disregard of these Duties I must not open so Melancholy a Scene when we are met together to rejoice and triumph at the good we are capable of doing for the House of our God and where 't is to be hoped there is nothing at so great a distance from us as a malicious uncharitable Temper I will not suppose there is any here that pretends to be on the side of Religion that is not endued with the Spirit of it or that is come hither to pray and use his Endeavours for the peace of Ierusalem that would any way disturb its Tranquility God forbid that there should be any one among us as there was at the Marriage-Feast in the Gospel not having on his Wedding Garment Our Saviour indeed hath told us that there may be Wolves in Sheeps Cloathing and we must not say that 't is impossible there may be an unchristian Spirit under the fairest Pretences of Conscience and Zeal for God and his Church but we can't but be sensible that the Crime is of a higher nature and the Injury done Religion much the greater upon that account We have a sad Instance in Holy Writ of Corah and his Company Numb 16. Sons of Levi that rose up against Moses and disputed the Authority of the best of Princes and Lawgivers They pretended indeed to be Holy and to consult the Good of God's own People yet we find that their Offence was of a heinous nature and their Punishment very severe Both of them were probably the greater for these two Reasons The one was that they insulted so Good and Mild a Governor that had the Character of being the meekest man in all the Earth and who 't is probable if God Almighty had not interposed and avenged his own Cause would have dismiss'd them with this gentle Rebuke Ye take too much upon you ye Sons of Levi. The other reason was That they were of that Tribe their being Sons of Levi render'd their Crime the more unpardonable For they being Teachers and Guardians of the Law their Characters and Stations made them more observed and their Examples sooner followed than other Mens and therefore it was necessary their Punishment should be more exemplary by how much the more fatal their Examples would have proved to the Cause of God and Religion Some indeed of these Mens Confederates were of another Tribe but 't is probable that Corah was the first and the most considerable in the Conspiracy since he is often mentioned in Scripture as the Author of it without any notice taken of the rest But God be thanked these men were but few in number and 't is to be hoped they have had fewer Followers 'T is very observable that when these Men were destroyed most of their Children perish'd with them not upon the account probably of their being accessary to their Crimes but lest they should have suck'd in the same Poison and be infected with the Pride and Arrogance of their Fathers There was once a Proverb in Israel The Fathers have eaten sower grapes Ezek. 18. and the Childrens teeth are set an edge Ill-nature it seems was then often propagated and the Children grew bad by Infection The Parents were of angry turbulent Tempers and the Children felt the Ill Effects of them And this is very natural restless and haughty Spirits do a great deal of mischief their Ill Examples spread far and their whole Posterity is commonly much the worse for them And thus the Evil Practices of those who pretend to Religion prove very prejudicial to its Interest and the more sacred their Characters are the Consequences are still the more fatal and pernicious If we that have made it our business to enquire into Religion who have been constantly instructed in it and have informed our selves throughly of the Reasons and Designs of it should oppose it in our Actions and if we that have searched into the Natures of Vertue and Vice and understand the differences of Good and Evil should confound them in our practice 't is too certain that both Religion and Vertue will fare the worse for us If we our selves do not follow the things that make for peace do not preserve that Unity which ought to be amongst us and keep our Friendships inviolable 't is too much to be fear'd that other men will have less notions of these Duties upon our neglects If we cannot forgive and pass by Injuries if our Resentments run high and last long if we only carry an appearance of Peace and Reconciliation with a design to fall on with greater fury and more security like Ioab to kiss that we may the better kill it will occasion others to take more liberty in their Revenge and cite the Authority of their Teachers for it If we that have studied the Nature and known the Excellence and Advantage of Charity and have
Principles are not easily instilled into them and not quickly understood and what they See does much more affect them than what they Hear The sight of a good Action fixes a lasting Idea and is never forgotten And if we had such advantages the same are we obliged to convey down to others The Cause of Religion the Honour of our Church and Gratitude to God do all require it of us There are some who take much Pains to make others Miserable to seduce them into bad Courses before they have learnt to know the Evil from the Good and are always contriving new Methods to make Proselytes to Vice and Irreligion It must certainly then be our Indispensible Duty who profess to be of a superior Order of Christians to fence against these Opposers of God and Religion and to apply our utmost care and diligence that others who have equal pretensions to Immortality with our Selves should not for want of right Management and good Examples be for ever miserably lost in another World The study of Peace and Unity among our selves will do no small service to the Cause we espouse For Religion never appears so inviting as when 't is adorn'd with a sedate and quiet frame of Mind that is its true and genuine Shape and it must appear Deform'd when it has lost its native Beauty and Excellence If therefore there are hatreds and variances among our selves both our Order and Religion will be aspers'd and the Enemies of God will take occasion to Blaspheme Let us then take care that we give not the least suspicion of our dispensing with those obligations we are under to promote Friendship and mutual Agreement among our selves and we need not fear any Attacks of our Enemies We shall then never be uneasie at any Reproach or Calumnies that are thrown upon us but shall follow with satisfaction the Blessed Example and Precepts of our great Master and Saviour and Pray for them that despitefully use us It would be almost a Scandal to us to be spoken well of by those who treat our Religion it self with Scornâ— And indeed our Saviour hath pronounced a Wo unto us when all men shall speak well of us Let us then but have the pleasure of discharging our Duties conscientiously towards God and one another and we shall never be dissatisfied with the delight which others take in contemning and reviling us Let us give no occasion to others to upbraid us with unhappy differences among our selves or with contemning and despising one another and no other Weapon formed against us can prosper But above all let us put on Charity the Great bond of peace and of all vertues and never be weary of well doing Let us never suffer the ways of Sion to mourn and never shut our Ears against the Cries of Her Fatherless Children and Widows and then we may be sure that Heaven will hear those many Prayers and Good Wishes they will send up thither for us And as we have had large Advantages perhaps beyond most others by a Careful Education and good Examples so let us shew that we are truly sensible of them by giving others as much as we are able the same Encouragements By this shall all men know that we are the true Disciples and Followers of Christ and by this means we may hope to see both our Church and Religion Flourish and that Glory shall dwell in our Sion O let Righteousness and Peace Kiss each other and then we shall find that the Lord will Bless us he will Bless the House of Aaron The Lord will Encrease you more and more both you and your Children Wherefore praise the Lord O Ierusalem praise thy God O Sion for he maketh Peace in thy Borders and hath blessed thy Children within Thee FINIS