upbraid the degenerate state of the Christian World at this day which does so abound in all kind of Wickedness and Impiety so that we may cry out as he did upon reading the Gospel Profectò aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Evangelici Either this is not the Gospel which we read and the Christian Religion which we profess or we are no Christians We are so far from that pitch of goodness and Virtue which the Christian Religion is apt to raise Men to and which the Apostle here calls the Divine Nature that a great part of us are degenerated into Beasts and Devils wallowing in abominable and filthy Lusts indulging our selves in those Devilish Passions of Malice and Hatred of Strife and Discord of Revenge and Cruelty of Sedition and Disturbance of the Publick Peace to that degree as if the Grace of God had never appeared to us to teach us the contrary And therefore it concerns all those who have the face to call themselves Christians to demean themselves at another rate and for the Honour of their Religion and the Salvation of their own Souls to have their Conversation as becometh the Gospel of Christ and by departing from the Vicious practices of this present Evil World to do what in them lies to prevent the Judgments of God which hang over us or if they cannot do that to save themselves from this untoward Generation A SERMON ON 1 PETER IV. 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator THIS Epistle was written by St. Peter who was the Apostle of the Circumcision to the dispersed Jews who were newly Converted to Christianity And the Design of it is to Confirm and Establish them in the Profession of it and to instruct them how they ought to demean themselves towards the Heathen or Gentiles among whom they lived and more particularly to arm and prepare them for those Sufferings and Persecutions which he foretels would shortly overtake them for the Profession of Christianity that when they should happen they might not be surprised and startled at them as if some strange and unexpected thing were come upon them at the 12 v. of this Chapter Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery Tryal which is to try you that is do not wonder and be not asâ—onish'd at it as if some strange thing hapned unto you And then he instructs them more particularly how they ought to behave themselves under those Trâ—als and Sufferings when they should happen not only with Patience which men ought to exercise under all kinds of Sufferings upon what Account and Cause soever but with Joy and Cheerfulness considering the Glorious Example and Reward of them v. 13. but rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs Sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding Joy And at the 14. ver he tells them that besides the Encouragement of so great an Example and so glorious a Reward they should be supported and assisted in a very extraordinary manner by the Spirit of God resting upon them in a glorious manner as a Testimony of the Divine Power and Presence with them v. 14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you or as it is in the best Copies for the Spirit of Glory and of Power even the Spirit of God resâ—eth upon you that is the Glorious Power of the Divine Spirit is present with you to comfort and bear up your Spirits under these Sufferings But then he cautions them to take great Care that theiâ— Sufferings be for a good Cause and a good Conscience v. 15. But let none of you suffer as a Mâ—â—therer or as a Thief or as an evil-doer that is as an Offender in any kind against Human Laws made to preserve the Peace and good Order of the World or as a busy-body in other mens matters that is as a pragmatical Person that meddles out of his own Sphere to the Disquiet and Disturbance of Human Society For to suffer upon any of these Accounts would be matter of Shame and Trouble but not of Joy and Comfort But if they suffer'd upon Account of the Profession of Christianity this would be no Cause of Shame and Reproach to them but they ought rather to give God Thanks for calling them to suffer in so good a Cause and upon so glorious an Account V. 16. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian if that be his only Crime let him not be ashamed but let him gloriâ—ie Gâ—d on this behalf for the time is come that Judgment must begin at the House of God that is the wise and just Providence of God hath so order'd it at this Time for very good Reasons and Ends that the first Calamities and Sufferings should fall upon Christians the peculiar People and Church of God for their Tryal and a Testimony to the Truth of that Religion which God was now planting in the World And if iâ— first begin at us that is at us Jews who were the ancient People of God and have now embraced and entertained the Revelation of the Gospel what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God that is how much more severely will God deal with the rest of the Jews who have crucified the Son of God and still persist in their Infidelity and Disobedience to the Gospel And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear that is if good Men be saved with so much Difficulty and must through so many tribulations enter into the kingdom of God what will become of all Ungodly and Impenitent Sinners Where shall they appear How shall they be able to stand in the Judgment of the great Day From the Consideration of all which the Apostle makes this Inference or Conclusion in the last ver of this Chapter Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator Thus you see the Connexion and Dependance of these words upon the Apostle's foregoing Discourse I shall explain the several Expressions in the Text and then handle the main Points contained in them The Expressions to be explained are these What is meant by those that suffer according to the will of God what by committing the keeping of our Souls to God â—s unto a faithful Creator and what by well-doing 1. What is meant by suffering according to the will of God This may be understood of Suffering in a good Cause such as God will approve But this is not so probable because this is mentioned afterwards in the following Expressions of committing the keeping of our Souls to God in well-doing that is in suffering upon a good Account And therefore the plain and
off from all Employment lest you put them in the ready way to be undone have a Care of leaving them no other business but to spend what you have left them if you do so they will in all probability do that work very effectually and make as much haste to be Poor as you did to make them Rich. If Men could but be contented to do that which is best for their Children they might do a great deal better for themselves by disposing what they have to spare in Charity Thirdly Others would fain excuse themselves from this Duty at present by telling what they intend to do when they come to Die that is when they can keep what they have no longer It seems then thou wilt leave it to thy Executor to do good in thy stead This shews thou hast no great heart to the business when thou deferrest it as long as ever thou canst But why wilt thou trust another with the disposal of thy Charity rather than thy self This is hardly to offer either a Reasonable or a Living Sacrifice to God to do good only when we are dead It is well that God hath made all Men Mortal and that it is appointed for all Men once to die otherwise some Men would never do good at all Wherefore setting aside these and all other excuses which will not be admitted nor will any of us have the face to plead them at the Day of Judgment I say setting aside all Excuses whatsoever let us resolve to do good with what we have whilst we can and to that end let us lay aside some Portion of what God has blest us withal for the uses of Piety and Charity and let it bear some decent Proportion to what God hath given us There is never want of proper Objects for our largest Charity and now less than ever Besides those at home which present themselves to us in great numbers every day God hath sent us many from abroad who call loud upon us for our pity and help both as they are reduced to the greatest extremiâ—y and are Sufferers in the best Cause that of our common Religion which ought now to be dearer to us than ever Let us shew Mercy now as we expect Mercy from others in any day of our distress in this World and as ever we hope when ever we come to appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to find Mercy with the Lord in that Day Consider what I have said upon this Argument and let this extraordinary kind of Caution which our Saviour here gives make a deep impression upon your Minds Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth A SERMON ON MATTH VI. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righâ—â—ousness and all these things shall be added unto you IN the latter part of this Chapter our Saviour doth in a long Discourse caution his Disciples against an Inordinate Care about the Things of this Life which he concludes with a strict Charge to make Religion their first and great Concernment and above all Things to take Care to secure to themselves the happiness of another Life But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness c. In the handling of which words I shall do these Four Things First I shall explain what is here meant by the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Secondly What by seeking of these Thirdly I shall lay down some necessary and plain Directions which if we observe we cannot miscarry in this matter Fourthly I shall set before you some of the most proper and powerful Motives and Encouragements to the minding of this great Interest and Concernment among which I shall particularly consider the Argument or Encouragement here used in the Text and all these things shall be added unto you 1. I shall explain to you what is here meant by the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness First What is meant by the Kingdom of God And there are two Famous acceptations of this Phrase and both of them very frequent in the New Testament Sometimes it is used to signifie the State of the Gospel or the Christian Religion which by the Jews was called the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of the Messias Mark 1. 15. The Kingdom of God is at hand that is the State or Dispensation of the Gospel is now approaching and ready to take place Luke 17. 20. The Pharisees demanding of our Saviour when the Kingdom of God should come that is when the Reign of the Messias should commence he answers them the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation that is not with any Temporal Pomp and Splendor so as to draw the eyes of People after it as the Jews did vainly imagine but the Kingdom of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is among you not within you as our Translation hath improperly rendred it the Kingdom of God he tells them is already come unto you the Messias is among you and ye are not aware of him In the like sense this Phrase is used Mat. 21. 43. the Kingdom of God that is the Gospel shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof And so likewise the Phrase of the Kingdom of Heaven is used Mat. 11. 11. where speaking of John the Baptist our Saviour saith that among them that were born of Women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist that is there was no greater Person than he under the Jewish Dispensation and yet he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven that is under the Dispensation of the Gospel is greater than he Now tho' this sense of the Kingdom of God be not wholly excluded in the Text yet there is another sense of this Phrase very usual likewise in the Scripture and which is more agreeable to the scope of our Saviour's Argument and Discourseâ— and so it signifies that future state of Happiness and Glory which good Men shall be advanced to in another World in opposition to this Life and the Enjoyments of it which our Saviour had before forbidden his Disciples to be so solicitous about Take ye no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be cloathed And then it follows in direct opposition to this inordinate and solicitous Care about Worldly Things but seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness That is be not so solicitous about the Conveniencies and Necessaries of this Life as about the Happiness of the other and the Means to it And this sense of this Phrase of the Kingdom of God is so very frequent in the New Testament that I shall not need to give particular Instances of it Secondly what is meant by Righteousness seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Righteousness in the strictest and most proper sense of the word signifies the particular Virtue of Justice
abomination to him and his Soul hates them And so likewise the Circumstances of Religion are less considerable than the substantial Means and Instruments of it And therefore all Rites and Ceremonies are in Religion of less consideration than the Substance of God's Worship and ought always to be subordinate to it In like manner the Moral Duties of Religion comprehended under the two great Commandments of the love of God and our Neighbour because they are of Eternal and indispensable obligation are to be preferr'd to matters of meer positive Institution and where they cannot stand togother that which is positive ought to be set aside and to give way for the present to that which is moral and good in its own Nature and not only because it is Commanded and Enjoyned for in this Case God hath expresly declared that he will have Mercy and not Sacrifice Upon which ground our Saviour declares that the Law of the Sabbath ought to give place to works of Mercy Upon the same account Peace and Charity are to be valued above Matters of Nicety and Scruple of doubtful Dispute and Controversie because the former are unquestionably good the latter doubtfully and uncertainly so All these things ought to be considered and are of great moment to make a Man sincerely and wisely Religious For Men may keep a great stir about some parts of Religion and be very Careful and Diligent Zealous and Earnest about the Means and Instruments of Religion and in the Exercises of Piety and Devotion and yet be destitute of the Power and Life of it and fall short of that inward and real and substantial Righteousness which alone can qualifie us for the Kingdom of God The Fifth and last Direction I would give is this That we have a particular regard to the great Duty of Charity or Alms-giving this being very frequently in Scripture called Righteousness as being an eminent part of Religion and a great Evidence of the truth and sincerty of our Piety And this our Saviour particularly directs to as the way to the Kingdom of God Luke 12. 33. After this general Exhortation to seek the Kingdom of God he instanceth in Charity as the direct way to it give Alms provide for your selves Bags that wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not And elsewhere our Saviour speaks of this Grace and Virtue as that which above all others will make way for our admission into Heaven Luke 16. 9. I say unto you make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you or ye may be received into Everlasting Habitations And St. Paul calls it laying in store for our selves a good foundation or as the word may better be rendred in this place a good treasure against the time to come that we may lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6. 19. St. James speaks of it as a main and most essential part of Religion and the great Evidence of a true and sincere Piety Jam. 1. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their affliction Finally our Lord instanceth in this as the very thing which will admit us into or shut us out of Heaven by the performance whereof we shall be Absolved and for the neglect whereof we shall be Condemned in the Judgment of the Great Day Mat. 25. So that this part of Righteousness or Religion ought in a more especial manner to be regarded by us because upon the performance or neglect of this Duty our Eternal Happiness doth so much depend The Fourth and last thing only remains to be spoken to which is to set before you the most proper and powerful Motives and Incouragements to the minding of this great Interest and Concernment But this will be the Subject of another Discourse The Second SERMON ON MATTH VI. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you THESE Words which I began to Discourse upon the last Day are a strict Charge and Command to all Christians to mind the business of Religion in the first place and to take all imaginable Care to secure the Happiness of another Life but seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you In the handling of which Argument First I Explained what is meant by the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Secondly I shew'd what is meant by seeking these and what by seeking them first Thirdly I laid down some Rules for our Direction and Furtherance in this great Business I shall now proceed to represent to you in the Fourth and last place some of the most proper and powerful Arguments and Encouragements to engage us to the minding of this great Inteâ—est and Concernment amongst which I shall in the last place particularly consider the Encouragement here given in the Text seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you 1. My First Argument shall be from the Worth and Excellency of the things we seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness which are certainly the greatest and best things we can seek The Kingdom of God is the Eternal Salvation of our Souls Everlasting Life and Happiness in another World which to animate our Endeavours and to tempt our Ambition the more are set forth to us under the notion of a Kingdom And what will not Men do to obtain that what pains will they not take what hazards will they not run what difficulties will they not grapple with and break through if they can to come at a Kingdom which when they have obtained they are exposed to as many and commonly to more Cares and Fears to greater Difficulties and Dangers in the keeping than they were for the getting of it And yet all this Men will do for a corruptible Crown for one of the petty Kingdoms and Principalities of this World which are continually tottering and ready to be overturned by open violence or to be undermined by secret Treachery But the Kingdom which I am speaking of and perswading you and my self to seek after is not like the Kingdoms of Men and of this World it is called the Kingdom of God to signifie to us the Excellency and stability of it as much beyond any of the Kingdoms of this World as the Heavens are high above the Earth and as God is greater than Man a Kingdom which cannot be shaken a Crown which fadeth not away a Scepter which cannot be wrested from us But to quit the Metaphor and speak to the Thing the Kingdom of God imports the Eternal Salvation of our Souls I say of our Souls which both in respect of the Dignity of their Nature and their Immortal duration are infinitely more valuable than any of the perishing things of this World and ought to be much dearer to us Other
secured against dangerous and damnable Errors in Religion and whereby they may discern Truth from Imposture and what Doctrines are from God and what not and this our Saviour declares to us here in the Text namely That an honest and sincere mind and a hearty desire to do the Will of God is the best Preservative against fatal Errors and Mistakes in Matters of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any Man desire to do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self There are two dangerous mistakes in Religion To reject any thing which really comes from God and To receive and entertain any thing as from God which doth not really come from him First To reject any thing which really comes from God This mistake the Jews frequently fell into when they rejected the true Prophets which God from time to time sent to them slighting their Message and persecuting their Persons but they miscarried most fatally and remarkably in their contempt of the true Messias that great Prophet whom they had so long expected and whom God sent at last to bring Salvation to them but when he came they knew him not nor would receive him but used him with all the despite and contempt imaginable not as a Teacher come from God but as a Deceiver and Impostor Now the danger of rejecting any thing that comes from God consists in this that it cannot be done without the highest Affront to the Divine Majesty To reject a Divine Message or Revelation is to oppose God and fight against him So our Saviour tells the Jews that in despising him they despised him that sent him Secondly There is also another dangerous mistake on the other hand in entertaining any thing as a Revelation from God which is not really from him And this likewise the Jews were frequently guilty of in receiving the false Prophets which spake in the name of the Lord when he had not sent them And this is commonly the temper of those who reject the truth greedily to swallow error and delusion So our Saviour tells us of the Jews John 5. 43. I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not if another shall come in his own name him ye will receive This Prediction of our Saviour's concerning the Jews was fully accomplish'd for after they had rejected him who gave such abundant evidence that he was the true Messias and a Teacher sent from God they received others who really came in their own names and ran after those who pretended to be the Messias and were in great numbers destroyed with them And this is very just with God that those who receive not the truth in the love of it should be given up to strong delusions to believe lies No◠these being the two great dangerous Mistakes in Religion which Men are liable to my Work at this time shall be to shew how a sincere desire and endeavour to do the Will of God is a security to Men against both those dangers and it will appear to be so upon these two accounts I. Because he who sincerely desires and endeavours to do the Will of God is hereby better qualified and disposed to make a right Judgment of Spiritual and Divine things II. Because God's Providence is more especially concerned to secure such Persons from dangerous Errors and Mistakes in things which concern their Eternal Salvation These shall be the two Heads of my following Discourse First Because he who sincerely desires and endeavours to do the Will of God is hereby better qualified and disposed to make a right Judgment of Spiritual and Divine Things and that for these two Reasons I. Because such a Person hath a truer notion of God and Divine Things II. Because he is more impartial in his search and enquiry after Truth First Because such a Person hath a truer notion of God and Divine Things No Man is so likely to have clear and true apprehensions of God as a good Man because he hath transcribed the Divine perfections in his own mind and is himself in some measure and degree what God is And for this Reason it is that the Scripture so often lays the foundation of all Divine Knowledge in the practice of Religion Job 28. 28. The fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from Evil is Understanding and Psal 111. 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom that is the Principle and Foundation of it a good understanding have all they that do his Commandments Whereas the Vices and Lusts of Men darken their Reason and distort their Understandings and fill the Mind with gross and sensual apprehensions of Things and thereby render Men unfit to discern those Truths which are of a Spiritual Nature and tendency and altogether indisposed to receive them For tho' the Vices of Men be properly seated in their Wills and do not possess their Understandings yet they have a bad influence upon them as Fumes and Vapours from the Stomach are wont to affect the Head Nothing indeed is more natural to the Mind and Understanding of Men than the knowledge of God but we may abuse our Faculties and render them unfit for the discerning even of their proper Objects When Men by wicked Practices have rendred themselves unlike to God they will not love to retain the knowlenge of him in their Minds but will become vain in their imaginations concerning him What Clouds and Mists are to the Bodily Eye that the Lusts and Corruptions of Men are to the Understanding they hinder it from a clear perception of Heavenly Things the pure in Heart they are best qualified for the sight of God Now according as a Man's Notions of God are such will be his apprehensions of Religion All Religion is either Natural or Revealed Natural Religion consists in the belief of a God and in right conceptions and apprehensions concerning him and in a due reverence and observance of him and in a ready and chearful obedience to those Laws which he hath imprinted upon our Nature and the Sum of our Obedience consists in our conformity to God and an endeavour to be like him For supposing God to have made no external Revelation of his Mind to us we have no other way to know his Will but by considering his Nature and our own and if so then he that resembles God most is like to understand him best because he finds those perfections in some measure in himself which he contemplates in the Divine Nature and nothing gives a Man so sure a notion of things as practice and experience Every good Man is in some degree partaker of a Divine Nature and feels that in himself which he conceives to be in God So that this Man does experience what others do but talk of he sees the Image of God in himself and is able to discourse of him from an inward sense and feeling of his Excellency and Perfections And as
seduce him or draw him aside in his enquiry after Truth he hath no interest but to find the Truth and follow it He is enquiring after the way to Heaven and Eternal Happiness and he hath the indifferency of a Traveller which is not inclined to go this way rather than another for his concernment is to find out the right way and to walk in it Such an indifferency of Mind hath every good Man who sincerely desires to do the will of God he stands ready to receive Truth when sufficient Evidence is offered to convince him of it because he hath no manner of concernment that the contrary Proposition should be true As in Mathematicks a Man is ready to give his Assent to any Proposition that is sufficiently demonstrated to him because he hath no inclination or affection to one side of the Question more than to the other all his design and concernment is to find out the Truth on which side soever it lies and he is like to find it because he is so indifferent and impartial But if a Man be biass'd by any Lust and addicted to any vicious Practice he is then an interested Person and concerned to be partial in his Judgment of Things and is under a great temptation to Infidelity when the Truths of God are proposed to him because whatever the Evidence for them be he cannot but be unwilling to own the truth of that Doctrine which is so contrary to his Inclination and Interest If the Affections and Interests of Meâ— were as deeply concerned and as sensibly touched in the truth of Mathematical Propositions as they are in the Principles of Morality and Religion we should find that when a Proposition stood in their way and lay cross to their Interest tho' it were never so clearly demonstrated yet they would raise a dust about it and make a thousand cavils and fence even against the evidence of a Demonstration they would palliate their Error with all the Skill and Art they could and tho' the absurdity of it were never so great and palpable yet they would hold it fast against all Sense and Reason and face down Mankind in the obstinate defence of it for we have no reason to doubt but that they who in Matters of Religion will believe directly contrary to what they see would if they had the same interest and passions to sway them in the case believe contrary to the clearest Mathematical Demonstration for where there is an obstinate Resolution not to be convinc'd all the Reason and Evidence in the World signifies nothing Whereas he that is biassed by no Passion or Interest but hath an honest Mind and is sincerely desirous to do the Will of God so far as he knows it is likely to judge very impartially concerning any Doctrines that are proposed to him For if there be not good Evidence that they are from God he hath no reason to deceive himself in giving credit to them and if there be good Evidence that they are Divine he hath no interest or inclination to reject them for it being his great design to do the will of God he is glad of all opportunities to come to the knowledge of it that he may do it Thus you see how a sincere desire and endeavour to obey the Will of God does secure Men against fatal Errors and Mistakes in Matters of Religion because such Persons are hereby better disposed to make a right Judgment of Divine Things both because they have truer and surer notions of God and Religion and are more impartial in their search and enquiry after Truth This is the first Account Secondly Another Reason why they who sincerely desire to do the Will of God have a great security in discerning Truth from Error is because the Providence of God is more especially concerned to preserve such Persons from dangerous Errors and Mistakes in Things which concern their Eternal Salvation When Men are of a teachable Temper God loves to reveal himself and his Truth to them and such is an humble and obedient frame of Mind Psal 25. 9. The meek will he guide in Judgment the meek will he teach his way The proper disposition of a Scholar is to be willing to learn and that which in Religion we are to learn is what is the good and acceptable will of God that we may do it for Practice is the end of Knowledge If you know these things says our Blessed Lord happy are ye if ye do them It is necessary to know the will of God but we are happy only in the doing of it and if any Man be desirous to do the Will of God his Goodness is such that he will take effectual care to secure such an one against dangerous and fatal Errors He that hath an honest Mind and would do the will of God if he knew it God will not suffer him to remain ignorant of it or to be mistaken about it in any necessary Points of Faith or Practice St. Paul is a wonderful Instance of the Goodness of God in this kind He was undoubtedly a Man of a very honest Mind he had entertained the Jewish Religion as revealed by God and been bred in it and out of a blind reverence and belief of his Teachers who rejected Christ and his Doctrine he likewise opposed and persecuted them with a mighty Zeal and an honest intention being verily perswaded as he himself tells us that he ought to do what he did against the Name of Jesus of Nazareth he was under a great prejudice upon account of his Education and according to the heat of his natural Temper transported with great Passion But because he did what he did ignorantly and in unbelief God was pleased to shew mercy to him and in a miraculous manner to convince him of the Truth of that Religion which he persecuted He was sincerely desirous to do the will of God and therefore God would rather work a Miracle for his Conversion than suffer him to go on in so fatal a Mistake concerning the Christian Religion And as the Providence of God doth concern it self to secure good Men from dangerous Errors and Mistakes in Matters of Religion so by a just Judgment he gives up those who allow themselves in vicious practices to Error and Infidelity And this is the meaning of that passage of the Prophet Esa Ch. 6. 10. so often cited by our Saviour and applied to the Jews of making the heart of that People fat and their Ears heavy and closing their Eyes lest they should Understand and be Converted So again Isa 66. 3 4. God threatens the People of Israel That because they were wicked and abominable in their Lives he would abandon them and give them over to a Spirit of Delusion they have chosen their own ways and their Soul delighteth in their Abominations I also will chuse their delusions God is said to chuse those things for us which he permits us to fall into So Rom. 1. 28.
God is said to give over the abominable Heathen to a Reprobate Mind As they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to an Injudicious and Undiscerning Mind When Men abandon themselves to Wickedness and Impiety God withdraws his Grace from them and by his secret and just Judgment they are deprived of the Faculty of discerning between Truth and Error between Good and Evil. 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12. It is said that the Man of Sin should come with all deceiveableness of Unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be Saved And that for this Cause God would send them strong delusion that they should believe a Lye that they all might be Damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in Unrighteousness And it is just with God that Men of Vicious Inclinations and Practices should be exposed to the Cheat of the grossest and vilest Impostors God's Providence is concerned for Men of honest Minds and sincere Intentions But if Men take pleasure in Unrighteousness God takes no further care of them but delivers them up to their own hearts Lusts to be seduced into all those Errors into which their own vain Imaginations and their foolish hearts are apt to lead them Thus have I endeavoured as briefly as I could to shew that an honest Mind that sincerely desires and endeavours to do the Will of God is the best security against fatal Errors and Mistakes in Matters of Religion both because it disposeth a Man to make a true Judgment of Divine Things and because the Providence of God is more especially concerned for the security of such Persons There remains â—an Objection to be answered to which this Discourse may seem liable but this together with the Inferences which may be made from this Discourse I shall referr to another opportunity The Second SERMON ON JOHN VII 17. If any Man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self I Made entrance into these words the last Day in which our Saviour declares to us that an honest and sincere Mind and an hearty Desire and Endeavour to do the Will of God is the best Security and Preservative against dangerous Errors and Mistakes in Matters of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if any Man desire to do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self Now there are I told you two great Mistakes in Religion To reject any thing which really is from God and to receive and entertain any thing as from God which is not really from him And therefore I proposed from this Text to shew how a sincere Desire and Endeavour to do the Will of God is a security to Men against both these Dangers namely upon these two Accounts First Because he who sincerely Desires and Endeavours to do the Will of God is hereby better qualified and disposed to make a right Judgment of Spiritual and Divine Things and that for these two Reasons I. Because such a Person hath a truer Notion of God and Divine Things He that resembleth God most is like to understand him best because he finds those Perfections in some measure in himself which he Contemplates in the Divine Nature and nothing gives a Man so sure a Notion of Things as Practice and Experience II. Because such a Person is more Impartial in his search and enquiry after Truth and therefore more likely to find it and to discern it from Error That Man only stands fair for the entertainment of Truth who is under the Power and Dominion of no Vice or Lust because he hath nothing to corrupt or bribe him to seduce him and draw him aside in his enquiry after Truth He hath no manner of concernment that the contrary Proposition should be true having the indifferency of a Traveller and no other Interest but to find out the right way to Heaven and to walk in it But if a Man be biass'd by any Lust and addicted to any vicious Practice he is then an interested Person and concern'd to make a partial Judgment of Things and is under a great Temptation to Infidelity when the Truths of God are proposed to him because whatever the Evidence for them be he cannot but be unwilling to own the Truths of those Doctrines which are so contrary to his inclination and interest Secondly Another Reason why they who sincerely desire to do the Will of God have a greater security in discerning Truth from Error is because the Providence of God is more especially concern'd to preserve such Persons from dangerous Errors and Mistakes in Things which concern their Eternal Salvation When Men are of a teachable Temper of an humble and obedient frame of Mind God loves to reveal himself and his Truth to them Psal 25. 9. The Meek will he guide in Judgment and the Meek will he teach his way The proper disposition of a Scholar is to be willing to Learn and that which in Religion we are to Learn is what is the good and acceptable Will of God that we may do it for Practice is the end of Knowledge If ye know these Things saith our Saviour happy are ye if ye do them It is necessary to know the Will of God but we are only happy in the doing of it and if any Man be desirous to do the Will of God his Goodness is such that he will take effectual care to secure such a one against dangerous and fatal Errors He that hath an honest Mind and would do the Will of God if he knew it God will not suffer him to remain ignorant of it or to be mistaken about it in any necessary Point of Faith or Practice Thus far I have gone I shall now proceed to remove an Objection to which this Discourse may seem liable and then draw some Inferâ—nces from the whole After all that hath been said some perhaps may ask Is every good Man then secure from all Error and Mistake in Matters of Religion This is a mighty Priviledge indeed But do not we find the contrary in Experience That an honest Heart and a weak Head do often meet together For answer to this I shall lay down these following Propositions First That if there were any necessity that a good Man should be secured from all manner of Error and Mistake in Religion this Probity of Mind and sincere desire to do the Will of God is the best way to do it because such a Temper and Disposition of Mind gives a Man the best advantages to discern betwixt Truth and Error and God is most likely to reveal his Will to such Persons But there is no necessity of this because a Man may be a good Man and go to Heaven notwithstanding a great many Mistakes in Religion about things not necessary For while we are in this
imperfect State we know but in part and see many Things very imperfectly But when we shall come into a more perfect State that which is imperfect shall be done away the Light of Glory shall scatter all those Mists and Clouds which are now upon our Understandings and hinder us from a clear Sight and Judgment of Things we shall then see God and other Things as they are and be freed from all that Ignorance and those many Childish Mistakes which we are liable to here below and till then it is not necessary that we should be secured from them Humility under a sense of our Ignorance is better for us than Infallibility would be Secondly This Temper and Disposition of Mind which I have been speaking of is a certain security against Fatal Mistakes in Religion and a final continuance in such Errors as would prove Damnable and this is all that this Discourse pretends to or our Saviour hath promised in this Text. And considering the Goodness of God nothing is more improbable than that an honest Mind that seeks impartially after Truth should miss of it in Things that are Fundamentally necessary to Salvation And if we could suppose such a Man to fall into such an Error either it would not be Fundamental to him having not been perhaps proposed to him with sufficient Evidence and would be forgiven him upon a general Repentance for all Sins and Errors known or unknown or he would not be permitted to continue in it but the Providence of God would find out some way or other to convince him of his Error and to bring him to the acknowledgment of the Truth that he might be saved God would rather speak to him immediately from Heaven as he did to St. Paul than suffer him to continue in such an Error as would infallibly carry him to Hell Thirdly There is no such depth of Judgment and subtilty of Wit required to discern between gross and Damnable Errors in Religion and Necessary and Saving Truth but that an ordinary Capacity may be able to do it There is so plain a Line drawn between great Truth and gross Errors that it is visible to every Capacity and an ordinary Understanding that is not under a violent Prejudice or blinded by some Vice or Fault of the Will may easily discern it Indeed in Matters of lesser Moment and Concernment and which have no such considerable and immediate Influence upon the practice of an Holy Life the difference betwixt Truth and Error is not always so gross and sensible as to be obvious to every unprejudiced Eye But we have all the Reason in the World to believe that the Goodness and Justice of God is such as to make nothing necessary to be believed by any Man which by the help of due Instruction may not be made sufficiently plain to a common Understanding God hath so tender a Care of good Men who sincerely love him and his Truth that we may reasonably presume that he will not leave them under an unavoidable Mistake concerning those Matters upon which their Eternal Salvation does depend The Judge of all the World will do right and then we may certainly conclude that he will not Condemn any Man for no Fault and make him for ever miserable for falling into an Error which with all his Care and Diligence he could not possibly either discern or avoid Fourthly God hath made abundant Provision for our security from Fatal and Dangerous Errors in Religion by these three ways I. By an an Infallible Rule sufficiently plain in all Things necessary II. By sufficient means of Instruction to help us to understand this Rule III. By an Infallible Promise of Security from Dangerous Errors and Mistakes if with an honest Mind and due Diligence we will apply our selves to understand this Rule and make use of the Means of Instruction which God hath provided for that purpose First God hath given us an Infallible Rule sufficiently plain in all things necessary He hath given us the Holy Scriptures which were given at first by Divine Inspiration i. e. by Men Infallibly assisted in the Writing of them and therefore must needs be an Infallible Rule and all Scripture Divinely Inspired is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness as St. Paul tells us 2 Tim. 3. 16. speaking there of the Books of the Old Testament and there is the same Reason as to the Inspired Writings of the New Now if the Scriptures be an Infallible Rule and profitable for Doctrine and Instruction in Righteousness i. e. to teach us to believe and do it follows of necessity that they are sufficiently plain in all Things necessary to Faith and a good Life otherwise they could not be useful for Doctrine and Instruction in Righteousness for a Rule that is not plain to us in these Things in which it is necessary for us to be Directed by it is of no use to us that is in truth it is no Rule For a Rule must have these two Properties it must be Perfect and it must be Plain The Scriptures are a perfect Rule because the Writers of them being Divinely Inspired were Infallible and they must likewise be Plain otherwise tho' they be never so perfect they can be of no more use to direct our Faith and Practice than a Sun-Dial in a dark Room is to tell us the hour of the Day For tho' it be never so exactly made unless the Sun shine clearly upon it we had as good be without it A Rule that is not plain to us what ever it may be in it self is of no use at all to us 'till it be made plain and we understand it II. God hath likewise provided sufficient means of Instruction to help us to understand this Rule It is not necessary that a Rule should be so plain that we should perfectly understand it at first sight it is sufficient if it be so plain that those of better Capacity and Understanding may with due diligence and application of Mind come to the true Knowledge of it and those of a lower and more ordinary Capacity by the Help and Instruction of a Teacher Euclid's Elements is a Book sufficieâ—tly plain to Teach a Man Geometry but yet not so plain that any Man at first Reading should understand it perfectly but that by diligent Reading by a due Application and steady Attention of Mind a Man of extraordinary Sagacity and Understanding may come to understand the Principles and Demonstrations of it and those of a more ordinary Capacity with the help of a Teacher may come to the Knowledge of it So when we say that the Scriptures are plain in all Things necessary to Faith and a good Life we do not mean that every Man at first Hearing or Reading of these Things in it shall perfectly understand them but by diligent Reading and Consideration if he be of good Apprehension and Capacity he may come to a sufficient Knowledge of them and if he
of it Nay I will go farther yet That there are no other Promises made in Scripture of Direction or Assistance or Security from Mistake to any Church but the same are made in as full and express Terms to every good Man that sincerely desires to know the Truth and to practise it Is it promis'd to the Church or to the Pastors of it I will be with you always And hath not our Saviour promised the same to every one that is obedient to his word John 14. 23. If a Man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him And does not the Apostle apply the same Promise to every good Christian Heb. 13. 5. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee For where is the difference between these Expressions I will be with you and I will make my abode with him I will be with you always and I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Is it promised to the Church that the Spirit shall lead her into all Truth and is not the same Promise made to every good Man John 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me And he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him that is God will reveal his Will to those that love him and keep his Commandments Hath God promised to build his Church upon a Rock And doth not our Saviour use the same Metaphor concerning every Man that doth the Will of God Mat. 7. 24. Whosoever heareth these Sayings of mine and doth them is like a Wise Man that built his House upon a Rock So that if to be built upon a Rock signifies Infallibility it belongs to every good Man who sincerely practiseth what he knows as much as to any Church When Men are enabled by God to work Miracles for the confirmation of the Doctrines which they deliver there is great Reason to believe that they are Infallibly assisted in the delivery of those Doctrines But without this 't is the vainest thing in the World for any Person or Church to pretend to it because they offer no Evidence â—it to satisfie any Man that they are so assisted And I do not hear that the Pope among all his Priviledges does pretend to the Power of Miracles Secondly From hence likewise we may infer the great Reason of Error and Infidelity in the World If any Man be an Infidel it is not the fault of his Understanding but of his Will it is not because there is not sufficient Evidence that the Christian Religion is from God but because Mens Interests and Lusts make them partial and incompetent Judges of Matters of Religion The Evidence of the Christian Religion is such as recommends it to every Man's Reason and Conscience so that as St. Paul argues if the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If Men did but stand indifferent for the entertainment of Truth and were not swayed by the interest of any Lust or Passion I am confident that no Man that hath the Gospel fairly proposed to him would continue an Infidel If Men did but truly live up to the Principles of Natural Religion they would easily be convinc'd that the Christian Religion which is so suitable thereto is from God Thirdly and Lastly What hath been said is a great Argument and Encouragement to Obedience and Holiness of Life Do we desire not to be mistaken about the Mind of God Let us heartily endeavour to do his Will If we would not be seduced by the Error of the Wicked let us take heed of their Vicious Practices The best way certainly to preserve a right Judgment in Matters of Religion is to take great care of a good Life God's Goodness is such that he will not suffer any Man's Judgment to be betrayed into a Damnable Error without some Vice and Fault of his Will The Principles of Natural Religion are born with us and imprinted upon our Minds so that no Man can be ignorant of them nor need to be mistaken about them and as for those Revelations which God hath made of himself to the World he hath been pleased to accompany them with so much Evidence that an honest and sincere Mind may easily discern them from Error and Imposture So our Saviour hath assured us That if any Man desire to do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God On the other hand if we see any oppose the clear Truth or to depart from it and to embrace gross Errors and Delusions we may almost certainly conclude that there is some Worldly Interest or Lust at the bottom of it So our Saviour has likewise told us that the Reason why Men love Darkness rather than Light is because their Deeds are Evil and every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved I will Conclude this whole Discourse with St. Peter's Exhortation the 2 d of Pet. 3. 17 18. Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these Things before beware lest ye also being led away with the Error of the Wicked fall from your own stedfastness But grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To him be Glory both now and for ever Amen A SERMON ON LUKE XII 15. And he said unto them Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth AMong all the irregular Appetites of Men there is none that is more common and unreasonable and of a more Universal bad Influence upon the Hearts and Lives of Men than this of Covetousness and therefore in speaking of this Vice I shall strike at the Root of a great many others even of Apostacy from God's Truth and Religion of which Covetousness and the Love of this present World is one of the most common Causes So that if I can contribute any thing to the Cure of this great Distemper of Mens Minds I shall in so doing remove that which is the Cause and Occasion of a great part of the Evils and Mischiefs which are in the World And to this end I have pitched upon these Words of our Blessed Saviour to his Hearers And he said unto them Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the Things which he possesseth In Which Words are these Threâ— Things Observable First The Manner of the Caution which our Saviour here gives Take heed and beware he doubles it to shew the great Need and Concernment of it Secondly The Matter of the Caution or the Vice which our
Matter hath been rightly stated then Religion and the Fear of God is the first Principle and Foundation of true Wisdom and that which we are to consider and take along with us in all the Designs and Actions of our Lives and all Wisdom which does not begin here is preposterous and will prove folly in the issue Secondly As Religion is the beginning of Wisdom so it is the perfection of it it is the highest point of Wisdom in which we can be Instructed The fear of the Lord says Solomon Prov. 15. 33. is the instruction of Wisdom A good Understanding says David Psal 111. 10. have all they that do his Commandments The Practice of Religion is the perfection of Wisdom and he understands himself best who lives most according to the Laws of God And this I might shew by instancing in particular Virtues the practice whereof is much Wiser and every way more for our Interest than the contrary Vices but this is too large an Argument to engage in and therefore I shall content my self at present briefly to shew that the chief Characters and Properties of Wisdom do all meet in Religion and agree to it The First Point of Wisdom is to understand our true Interest and to be right in our main End and in this Religion will best instruct and direct us And if we be right in our main End and true to the interest of it we cannot miscarry but if a Man mistake in this he errs fatally and his whole Life is Vanity and Folly Another property of Wisdom is to be steady and vigorous in the Prosecution of our main End To oblige us hereto Religion gives us the most powerful Arguments the glorious Happiness and the dismal Misery of another World The next Point of Wisdom is to make all things stoop and become subservient to our main End And where-ever Religion bears sway it will make all other things subordinate to the Salvation of our Souls and the Interest of our Everlasting Happiness as the Men of this World make every thing to submit and give way to their Covetous and Ambitious and Sensual Designs Another part of Wisdom is to Consider the Future and to look to the last End and Issue of things It is a common folly among Men to be so intent upon the present as to have little or no regard to the future to what will be hereafter Men Design and Labour for this present Life and their short continuance here in this World without taking into serious Consideration their main Duration and their Eternal Abode in another World But Religion gives us a clear Prospect of a Life after Death and overlooks Time and makes Eternity always present to us and minds us of making timely provision and preparation for it It takes into Consideration our whole Duration and inspires us with Wisdom to look to the End of things and to what will be hereafter as well as to what is present It is likewise a great Property of Wisdom to secure the main Chance and to run no hazard in that And this Religion directs us to take care of because the neglect of it will prove fatal Another Mark of Wisdom is to lay hold of Opportunities those especially which when they are once past will never return again There are some Seasons wherein great things may be done which if they be let slip are never to be retrieved A Wise Man will lay hold of these and improve them and Religion inculcates this Principle of Wisdom upon us that this Life is the opportunity of doing great things for our selves and of making our selves for ever this very day and hour may for ought we know be the last and only Opportunity of Repentance and making our Peace with God Therefore to day whilst it is called to day let us set about this necessary work lest any of us be hardned through the deceitfulness of Sin to morrow it may be too late to begin it and the Justice of God may cut us off whilst we are wilfully delaying it and the Opportunities of Saving our Immortal Souls may vanish and be for ever hid from our eyes The next Property of Wisdom is to foresee Dangers and to take timely care to prevent them The Prudent Man saith Solomon foreseeth the Evil and hideth himself that is shelters and secures himself against it but the simple pass on and are punished that is the Evil overtakes them and their Folly is punish'd in their fatal Ruine Now the greatest Danger is from the greatest Power even from him who is able to save and to destroy I will tell you says the Wisdom of God whom ye shall fear fear him who after he hath killed can destroy both Body and Soul in Hell Again another main Point of Wisdom is to do as little as we can to be repented of trusting rather to the Wisdom of Prevention than to that of Remedy Religion first teacheth Men Innocency and not to offend but in case we do as in many things we offend all it then directs us to Repentance as the only Remedy But this certainly is folly to Sin in hopes of Repentance that is first to make work for Repentance and then run the hazard of it for we may certainly Sin but it is not certain that we shall Repent And if it were yet it is great folly to lay in before hand and to make work for trouble Ne tu stultus homuncio es qui malis veniam precari quam non peccare was a Wise Saying of old Cato Thou are says he a silly Man indeed who chusest rather to ask Forgiveness than not to Offend If a Man had the best Remedy in the World he would not make himself sick to try the Virtue of it and it is a known Comparison and a very fit one that Repentance is Tabula post Naâ—fragium a Plank after Shipwreck But I am greatly afraid that thousands of Souls who have trusted to it have perished before they could get to Land with this Plank in their arms The last Character of Wisdom I shall mention is In all things to consult the Peace and Satisfaction of our own Minds without which nothing else can make us Happy and this Obedience to the Laws of God doth naturally procure Great Peace have they says David that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them The work of Righteousness says the Prophet shall be Peace and the effect of Righteousness quietness and assurance for ever The fear of God and the keeping of his Commandments is the best Preservative against the troubles of a guilty Conscience and the terrifying apprehensions of a Future Judgment And this is the great Wisdom of Religion that whosoever liveth according to the Rules and Precepts of it prevents the chief Causes of discontent and lays the surest Foundation of a perpetual satisfaction of Mind a Jewel of inestimable price which none knows but he that has it and he that hath it knows the value of
miscarry For Promises of this Nature are to be interpreted by us and understood as we do our Saviour's Prayer for Peter before his Fall that his faith should not fail finally but though he fell through too much Confidence in himself he should through the Grace of God assisting him be enabled to recover by Repentance Thirdly The Sincerity or Insincâ—rity of Men in the Profession of the true Religion is a thing which we cannot certainly know because we do not see into Mens Hearts but he who knows the heart and trys the Spirits of Men in a Ballance cannot be deceiv'd in this Matter and where men are not sincere the Promise of God is not concerned to hinder them from discovering themselves and the Fall of such Persons is no Reflection upon the Faithfulness of God And it is reasonable enough to presumâ— that this may be the Case of not a few and that like Simon Mâ—gus after they have made a very solemn Profession of Christianity their hearts may not be right in the sight of God Fourthly If we put the Case at the hardest that some that were very sincere after they have hâ—ld out a great while under the Extremity of Torments have at last fainted under them and yielded to the Malice and Cruelty of their Persecutors and in this Amazement and Distraction have not long after expired without any Testimony of their Repentance In this Case both Reason and Charity ought to restrain us from passing any very positive and severe Sentence upon the State of such persons For what do we know but God whose Goodness will certainly make all the Allowance to Human Frailty that Reason can require For he knows whereof we are made and remembers that we are but dust he mercifully considers every Man's Case and weighs all the Circumstances of it in an exact Ballance I say who can tell but that in such a Case as I have mentioned God may graciously be pleased to accept such a degree of constant Suffering of great Torments for so long a time for a true Martyrdom and not expect a more than Humane Patience and Resolution where he is not pleased to afford more than Humane Strength and Support and whether he may not look upon their failing and miscarriage at last in the same rank with the indeliberate actions of Men in a Frenzy and besides themselves And thus God may be said with the temptation to make a way to escape or to give a happy issue to it since they were enabled to bear it 'till being distracted by their Torments their Understandings werâ— thrown off the hinges and incapable of exercising any deliberate acts of Reason And without some such equitable consideration of the Case of such Persons it will be very hard to reconcile some appearances of things with the goodness of God and the faithfulness of his Promise However it will become us to abstain from all uncharitable and peremptory censure of the final Estate of such Persons especially 'till we our selves have given greater and better testimony of our Constancy and in the mean time to leave them to the Righteous and Merciful Sentence of their Master and ours to whose Judgment we must all stand or fall I am sure it will very ill become those who by the Providence of God have escaped those Sufferings and are at present out of danger themselves to â—it in Judgment upon those who are left to endure this terrible Conflict and have perhaps held out as long or longer than they themselves would have done in the like Circumstances Let us rather earnestly beg of the God of all grace and patience that he would endue us with a greater measure of Patience and Constancy if he see fit to call us to the exercise of it and which we lawfully may after the Example of our Blessed Saviour that if it be his will he would let this Cup pass from us and not try us with the like Sufferings lest we also be weary and faint in our Minds I come now to the Third and last Enquiry which I proposed what Ground and Reason there is for good Men to expect the more Peculiar and Especial Care of God's Providence in case of such Sufferings The Providence of God extends to all his Creatures according to that of the Psalmist the Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his Works But he exerciseth a more particular Providence towards Mankind and more peculiar yet towards those who study to please him by obeying his Laws and doing his Will He that is assured of his own heart that he loves God and would do or suffer any thing for him can have no cause to doubt but that God loves him and is concerned for his Happiness No Man was ever afraid of God that was not conscious to himself that he had offended him and by the wilful breach of his Laws had put himself out of the care of his Providence But on the contrary if our hearts give us this Testimony that we have made it our sincere endeavour to please him we are naturally apt to have good assurance and confidence of his favour and good-wilâ— towards us This comfort the Mind of every good Man is apt to give him from his own Reason and the natural Notions which he hath of God But to free us from all doubt in this Matter God himself hath told us so and given us plentiful assurance of it in his word Psal 11. 7. The Righteous Lord loveth Righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright that is he will be favourable unto them Psal 33. 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy The eye of God signifies his watchful Care and Providence over good Men. So that besides the sure and well-grounded Reasonings from the Essential Perfections of the Divine Nature the mercy and goodness of God we have a more sure word of Promise in â—the express declarations of God's Word and more particularly in the case of great Temptations and Sufferings For can we think that the Scripture saith in vain Wait on the Lord and be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart Mâ—ny are the afflictions of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of all The steps of a good Man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his ways tho' he fall he shall not utterly be cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand The Salvation of the Righteous is of the Lord he is their help in time of trouble The same Promises we find in the New Testament All things shall work together for good to them that love God God is faithful who hath promised that he will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape And to mention no more Hold fast the Profession of your Faith without wavering he is faithful that bath Promised viz. to
thus with us as he threatned the People of Issrâ—el Isa 27. 11. When the boughs are withered they shall be broken off and set on fire for it is a People of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour And now I have done with the three Points which I proposed to handle from this Text and the Discourse which I have made upon them does all along apply it self by dirâ—cting us how we ought to commit our selves to the Providence of God in all Cases of Danger and Suffering especially for the Cause of God and his Truth viz. in the faithful discharge of our Duty and a good Conscience and by a firm Trust and Confidence in the Wisdom and Goodness of the Dâ—vine Providence not doubting but that he who made us and knows our frame will have a tender Care of us and not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able And as to our present Danger and that Terrible Storm which threatens us let us pray to God if it be his will to divert it but if otherwise he hath determined to fit and prepare us for it And let us be fervent and earnest in our Prayers to him not that he is moved by our importunity but that we may thereby be qualified and made fit to receive the Mercy which we beg of him And let us take this Occasion to do that which we should have done without it to breaâ— off our Sins by Repentance and to turn every one of us from the evil of our waysâ— that hereby we may render God propitious to us and put our selves under the more immediate Care and Protection of his Providence that we may prevent his Judgments and turn away his wrath and displeasure from us as he did once from a great and sinful City and People upon their sincere Humiliation and Repentance Jonah 3. 10. where it is said of the People of Niniveh That God saw their works that they turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not Above all let us be sincere in the profession of our Religion and conscientious in the Practice of it nothing will bear us up under great Trials and Sufferings like the testimony of a good Conscience void of offence towards God and Men. I will conclude this whole Discourse with those Apostolical Blessings and Prayers Colos 1. 10 11. That ye may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work strengthned with all might according to his glorious Power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness And 2 Thes 2. 16 17. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father who hath loved us and hath given us everlasting Consolation and good hope through Grace comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work To him be Glory and Dominion for Ever and Ever Amen A SERMON ON JOHN IX 4. I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day The night cometh when no man can work THese words our Blessed Saviour spake of himself whilst he was upon Earth in which he tells us that he was sent by God into the World and had a certain Work and Imployment appointed him during his Abode in it A great Work indeed to instruct and reform and save Mankind A Work of great Labour and Pains and Patience not to be done in a short time and yet the time for doing it was not long after he came into the World It was a good while before he began it and after he began it the time of Working was not long before the Night came and put an End to it I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day The night cometh when no man can work But this which our Saviour here speaks of himself and which properly belongs to him and no other may yeâ— be accommodated to every Man with some Allowance for the Difference and Disproportion For tho' every Man be not sent by God into the World after so peculiar a manner and upon so particular and vast a Design Yet upon a general Account every Man is sent by God into this World and hath a Work given him to do in it which he is concern'd vigorously to mind and to prosecute with all his Might And tho' every Man be not sent to save the whole World as the Son of God was yet every Man is sent by God into the World to work out his own Salvation and to take Care of that in the first Place and then to promote the Salvation of others as much as in him lies So that every one of us may in a very good Sense accommodate these Words of our Saviour to himself I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day The night cometh when no man can work I shall therefore at this time take the Liberty to handle these words according to this moral Accommodation of them and apply what our Saviour here says of himself to every Man that cometh into the World And this I shall do by shewing these three things First That every Man hath a Work assigned him to do in this World by him that sent him into it and may in some Sense say as our Blessed Saviour did of himself I must work the works of him that sent me Secondly That there is a certain and limited time for every Man to do this Work in While it is day Thirdly That after this Season is expired theâ—e will be no further Oportunity of working The Night cometh when no man can work First Every Man hath a Work assigned him to do in this World by him that sent him into it and may in some sense say as our Blessed Savâ—our did of himself I must work the works of him that â—ent me God who made man a reasonable Creature and hath endowed him with Faculties whereby he is capable of knowing and serving him hath appointed him a Work and Service suitable to these Faculties And having infused an immortal Soul into this Earthy Body hath certainly designed him for a State beyond this Life in which he shall be for ever happy or miserable according as he useth and demeans himself in this World So that the Work which every one of us hath to do in this World is to prepare and fit our selves for that Eternal Duration which remains for us after Death For the Life which we live now in this World is a time of Exercise a short state of Probation and Tryal in order to a durable and endless state in which we shall be immutably â—ixt in another World This World into which we are now sent for a little while is as it were God's School in which immortal Spirits clothed with Flesh are trained and bred up for Eternity and therefore the best