Glory of Heaven and represent it to the Eyes of Christians so as to ravish their Hearts In short to make such a convincing Discovery of Things unseen that Men may judg that only the Saints above are truly and perfectly Happy and only the Reprobates in Hell are really and finally miserable and accordingly regulate their Lives I shall add to this that the Language of Sermons should be suitable to the quality of the Matter and the end of that Divine Ordinance A Minister must speak as becoming the Oracles of God With solemn Expressions according to the Sanctity and Importance of the great Mystery of Godliness The Apostle tells us his Speech was not with the enticing Words of Man's Wisdom A Luxuriant flourish of Words a vain Ostentation of Wit debases the Majesty enervates the Vigour and corrupts the pure taste of the Gospel True Eloquence is always suitable to the Subject and springs from it as the native Beauty of the Countenance that springs from a sound Complexion of Body and is not varnish'd with the Paint of Art When the Truth of Eternal Things is planted in the Heart and the vital Sense of them is shed in the Will and Affections it will furnish us with fit and powerful Words to express them Besides in the managing of a sacred Argument salus populi suprema lex esto The Salvation of Souls is the Rule to which the Language of Sermons must be parallel Divine Truths must be represented with those clear and solemn Expressions as may powerfully affect the Conscience and excite the practick Faculties of the Soul with such weighty and serious Words as may awaken Sinners to fear the powerful and terrible Judg of the World and to hate Sin that provokes his Displeasure The curious Contexture of Words of pleasant Sound without Substance is an elaborate Folly 'T is the framing a Net only fit to catch Flys the vain Applauses of the injudicious not to take Souls the Divine Work of a Minister And the Account must be woful for those Ministers to the Redeemer of Souls whose Study Thoughts and Time are wasted for so guilty and base an end 3. The Motives of their Affections and Endeavours in this Holy Service must be the Love of Christ and precious Immortal Souls Our Saviour with repeated Earnestness recommends this to St. Peter Lovest thou me feed my Lambs feed my Sheep The Salvation of Souls is his dearest Glory and satisfying Pleasure As it was prophesied that he shall see of the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied And our zealous Endeavours to save them from Death is the natural and necessary Effect of our Love to him A true Minister of Christ has a diviner Principle a sublimer Soul than to aim at carnal Fruitions at temporal and terrestrial Rewards The blessed End of his Office must be the End of all his studious Thoughts and Labours the Honour of his Master in the Conversion and Salvation of Sinners If the World be in their Eye and Heart as the Scope of their Ministry they are guilty of the most unnatural Disorder by employing the most excellent means for low and sordid Ends they use God to enjoy the World this corrupts and stains their Service Such Mercenaries are empty Vines that only bring forth Fruit unto themselves They have their Reward here But the Love of Christ and Souls reigns in the Heart of a faithful Minister this regulates his Work in order to their spiritual and everlasting Good This will make him descend to the Capacity of the meanest and plainly to instruct them in things concerning their Salvation As Elisha put his Mouth upon the Mouth and his Eyes upon the Eyes and his Hands upon the Hands of the dead Child and thereby conveyed a living Heat into him so a Minister should apply himself suitably to their Capacity who are but Children in Knowledg 'T is his Duty to raise the low Understandings as well as to humble the high and swelling Passions of Men. This Love to Souls will inspire him with tender melting Affections without which unless God renews the Miracle of Aaron's dry Rod blooming and bearing Almonds our Discourses will be barren without Fruit in the Hearers A plain Sermon dictated from the Heart with a holy Heat of Affections makes a solid Impression upon the Hearers When an elaborate Discourse not animated with the Affections is of little Efficacy As a blunter Iron if burning hot pierces more easily and deeply into a Piece of churlish Wood then a sharper that is cold The Love of Christ and Souls inspires with Joy and Alacrity in his Service No Element is heavy in its own Sphere A mercenary Spirit performs the Work as an irksom Task but Love sweetens all the Duties of the sacred Calling even such as are most distastful to the Carnal This entitles to the blessed Reward The Apostle saith If I preach the Gospel willingly I have a Reward Otherwise his abundant Labours would be of no comfortable account at last 3. The Ministers of Christ must with most faithful Diligence attend his Service The Subject and End of their Work challenges this of them The Conversion and Salvation of Souls What earnest and repeated Calls are necessary to awaken those who are involved in carnal Security to perswade them to love what they hate and to hate what they love and when the Foundation is laid in serious Repentance and the Work of Grace begun what Diligence is requisite to raise it to Perfection How does the malicious incessant Enemy of our Salvation strive by a thousand Temptations to blast our Endeavours The Work of a Minister is not like the Work of an Artificer A Statuary with long Labour cuts the Marble to form it into a noble Image but he leaves his work at his Pleasure and when he resumes it the Matter being durable 't is in the same state towards finishing as when he left it But the Heart of Man is of a strange Nature hard as Marble and fluid as Water Heavenly Impressions are with difficulty made in it and easily defac'd When by many Prayers and Tears many tender Addresses of Ministers the Heart is softened and the Image of Christ the Lineaments of his Divine Graces and Vertues are first drawn in it without a continual Eye and Attendance upon the Work how soon are those blessed Beginnings spoiled and the carnal Lusts regain the Heart How hard is it to prevail with Men to enter into the narrow Way and to preserve them from defiling Lapses in it or woful Excursions into the pleasant ways of Sin and to bring them safely to Heaven The solemn Adjuration of the Apostle to Timothy should excite Ministers with the most watchful Care and useful Diligence to attend their Work I charge thee before the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judg the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Preach the Word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering
Will and any Reservation of our own Lusts and Appetites He has told us No Man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other The Commands of Christ and Satan are absolutely inconsistent Obedience to the one is direct Rebellion against the other We may not capitulate with him and think by some good Works to compound for our Exorbitancies and that strictness in some Duties will excuse our Indulgence of some Sins He will not accept of bankrupt Obedience but strictly requires the payment of sincere Obedience to all his Commands The Apostle expresses our universal Duty in active and passive Obedience to Christ None of us liveth to himself no Man dyeth to himself for whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we dye we dye unto the Lord whether therefore we live or dye we are the Lords That is our Lives must be employed in his Service and our Deaths be at his Order and Disposal Is the external acknowledging of him and a specious Homage worthy his most precious Sufferings Can his Death excuse our Disobedience Can his Sufferings that purchas'd his Dominion to Rule us procure a Licence for us to rebel against his Commands Such a Thought is Blasphemy And our Consent must be entire that is we must serve him with all the freedom and force of our internal Faculties with all the diligence of our outward Members with all possible industry to advance his Glory 'T is not the empty Title of Lord nor the performing some slight Observances that will please Christ. The Commands of the Gospel frequently urge us to be fervent in our Heavenly Calling First seek the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof Strive to enter in at the strait Gate Take the Kingdom of Heaven by Violence Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling Abound in the Work of the Lord Be rich in good Works Add to Faith Vertue to Vertue Knowledg and every Grace in degrees of Eminence Give all Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure We must walk circumspectly and exactly becoming the Dignity and Purity of our high and holy Calling We have many Duties to perform many Sins to subdue and mortify many Graces to perfect and the most intent application of Mind the most zealous industry is requisite for such great Ends. By Diligence and Culture our Souls will be as fruitful Gardens abounding in the Fruits of Righteousness but if we are remiss and careless they will be barren as the Sands of Africa We should with as much Zeal and Vigour serve Christ as ever we served our Lusts those imperious Exactors of our Time and Strength and Affections 'T is the Proportion St. Paul enforces As you have yielded your Members Servants and Weapons to Vncleanness so yield your Members Weapons and Servants of Righteousness But how many that have made a Trade of Sin are as careless in Religion as if it were a slight Recreation How many please themselves with a Mediocrity in Religion and pretend if they be but saved they are content They do not aspire to excellent degrees of Glory nor to higher degrees in the favour of God and are luke-warm and remiss in his Service presuming what they do will be sufficient to secure their Souls But was ever any Person so deserted of Reason that in Worldly Trade when he might gain a hundred Pounds he is contented with ten Besides this Disposition and Language is of one that principally desires Heaven to escape Hell and all that he does Religiously is the effect of servile Fear which is no Saving Grace For were it not for the terrible Punishment such a Person would securely commit the Sin Briefly as the Lord Christ has sav'd us to the uttermost we should serve him to the uttermost We should with such Alacrity and Diligence with such willing Hearts and Earnestness serve him on Earth as he is served in Heaven If we had the Powers of the Angels yet our Service would be short of our Obligations 3. Our Service of Christ must be upon firm Principles and permanent Reasons to our Lives end Sometimes there are Desires and Resolutions kindled in the Breast and the Carnal Passions blow so violently as to quench them Like some Cursed Women that by violent Potions destroy the living Conception in their Bowels Others in the Sunshine of Prosperity will adhere in Profession to Christ but when Storms arise they withdraw themselves Others begin in the Spirit run well for a time but end in the Flesh. Our Saviour has spoke the doom of all such No Man having put his Hand to the Plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God He is not worthy the Honour of being Christ's Servant and he will quickly find the fearful Consequences of Christ's Rejection in the next World We read of Shimei that upon Solomon's confining him to Jerusalem with the threatning of Death if he went forth And Shimei said to the King The Saying is good As my Lord the King hath said thy Servant will do What an easy Confinement was it to remain in the Holy City where all the Tribes came twice a Year and when they returned left their Hearts behind them It seems to be a Priviledg and Favour rather than a Punishment Yet a petty Interest drew him out and for the Violation of his Promise he lost his Life This is a representation of those who for Temporal Respects desert the Service of Christ violate their Promises to him and leave the New Jerusalem the City of the Living God Our Saviour will accept of none into his Service but upon his own Terms Whoever will be my Disciple let him take up his Cross and follow me Who would not be ambitious to be the Copy of such a Divine Original We should rejoyce if call'd forth to sharp Tryals for his Name as having an occasion to give the clearest Testimony of our Superlative Love and intire Fidelity to our Blessed Lord. To conclude the Argument Let us be persuaded to dedicate our selves wholly to the Service of Christ and to live according to our Dedication This should be the early act of the reasonable Creature for is it equal to put him off with the Reliques of the World to whom the First-Fruits the best of all we are and have is due But if we have been careless of our Duty let us not any longer defer to make a voluntary Consecration of our Lives to his Glory Remember that Life is but a Spans breadth our opportunity of serving Christ is short and the omission of it is irreparable What is there to recommend a Service to us but is to be found in the Service of Christ 'T is the most honourable Service whether we consider the Divine Majesty of our Master who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Quality of our Fellow-Servants the Angels of Light and
shines in Glory that infinitely exceeds all the most solemn and magnificent Representations of Earthly Majesty all the Trophies and Triumphs of the most famous Conquerors To raise our Thoughts by a distinct Comparison of them consider The Glory of Saints is substantial and solid 't is inherent in them The Apostle says 'T is a Glory that shall be revealed in us A plenary Infusion of all glorious Endowments both in Soul and Body shall conform us to the Son of God The Glory of this World is but an aiery Opinion a verbal Sound without Substance empty Titles external Appearance and confers no real Dignity to the Person that receives it There is no Greatness in worldly Honour 'T is Fancy heightens some by comparison with those that are below them But Heaven is the Kingdom of true Glory and every Saint there is truly glorious The Psalmist declares God's Judgment of all the Honour and Prosperity of the World As a Dream when one awakes so O Lord when thou awakest thou wilt destroy their Image They are painted Shadows splendid Toyes What difference there is between the clear and sound Judgment of a Person throughly awake and the vain fugitive Fancies of one that dreams there is and much more between the swelling Images of Worldly Honour and the real Heavenly Honour of the Saints The Heavenly Glory brings entire Satisfaction As for me saith David I will behold thy Face in Righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy Likeness When the Morning of Glory arises and the Soul awakes from the heavy Eye-Lids of Flesh and sees the King of Spirits in his Beauty and the Impression of the Divine Excellencies conspicuous in it self what a joyful Satisfaction as sweet as Life is diffused through all its Powers What a Heavenly Sabbath composes all its vast and restless Desires The Glorified Saint sings with the Psalmist Return to thy Rest O my Soul for the Lord has dealt bountifully with thee But how unsatisfactory is all secular Greatness and Honour Of this we have the fullest Testimony from some who ascended to the top of Worldly Glory Solomon whose calm and flourishing State was scarce ever parallel'd yet declares that all was Vanity And the Roman Triumphs wherein the World was represented in its highest Glory was but an empty Shew Vespasian the Emperor in his triumphant way often reflected upon his Folly in being induc'd to suffer such a tedious Vanity 'T is true the dreaming Minds of Men are deceived with vain complacence in it for a while and this makes them unwilling to be convinc'd of their foolish prizing it yet they cannot find any solid true Satisfaction They are charm'd with a superficial Pleasure that cannot reach to the Center of the Soul To sum up all The Honour of the Servants of Christ is Eternal They will shine like the Stars that never faint in their Watches and Influences with a durable Glory But the Glory of this World like a blaze in Straw presently vanishes Not one Ray of secular Glory shall enlighten the highest Monarchs in the shady Valley of Death nor in the Regions of Darkness beyond it The proper and main use of what has been spoken is 1. To direct our Ambitious Desires and Endeavours to seek Heavenly Honour Nature has instilled the Desire of Praise and Glory And this is like some Plants that in their native Soil have a poysonous Quality but transplanted into another Soil and Climate are not only innocent but healthful Pride ruines both Worlds The Angels were expelled from Heaven and Adam from Paradise for their Pride And ever since 't is a seminal Sin productive of innumerable Evils and Mischiefs Pride of Life is one of the great Corrupters in the World 'T is the cause of Envy and Emulation Of Envy that would degrade those that are above of Emulation that urges those who are below by any guilty means to ascend higher 'T is one of the great Destroyers of Men here and hereafter The Affectation of the Praise of Men makes so many ashamed of the Gospel of Christ of owning its Truths or subjecting themselves to its pure Rules This Account is given of the Infidelity of some in our Saviour's time they sought the Honour of Men and not the Honour that comes from God only But let the Desire of Glory be consecrated let our Aspirings be transported to a new and heavenly Object to the Incorruptible Crown and 't is a Saintly Ambition becoming the Breast of a Christian. The changing of the Object will be an excellent means to rectify our inordinate Desire of Honour of what is pompous and specious in this World There is some Resemblance in curing the Diseases of the Mind and those of the Body A Disease is not only cured by what is manifestly contrary but sometimes by what seems like to it yet has a secret Contrariety The feverish Heat is not only spent by cooling Julips but by Cordials that fortifie the natural Heat that consumes those Humours that are the inflamable Matter which foments the Fever Thus the sensual Desire of worldly Honour is extinguished by a pure Aethereal Affection the Desire of that Honour that comes from the God of Glory who is the absolute and eternal Fountain of Honour 2. Let us be effectually excited our selves to choose Christ for our Master and devote our selves to his Service for ever Tho his Dominion is Supreme and his Right in us unalienable yet he will be glorified by our free Obedience Our Resolution and Consent to serve him that it may be acceptable must be deliberate intire and everlasting 1. Deliberate from the Conviction and Sense of our Duty and Interest For the Ignorance and Deception of the Mind the suddain Surprisal of the Will is contrary to that clear Consent that is requisite to establish a Covenant There is a Competition between the Son of God and the God of this World who shall reign over us One we must serve 't is therefore our highest Wisdom to choose a gracious Master and most just to serve him who by full Right may claim due Service If with free Judgment we ponder things if our carnal Senses and Passions have not the decisive Vote we shall readily yield our selves to Christ who by so many dear Titles has a Right in us For to this end Christ dyed and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living He is the true Vine that left his Sweetness the good Olive that left his Fatness to reign over us and shall we choose the Bramble to domineer He requires our Service not for his Profit but that his Love and Bounty may take a rise to reward us But Satan will torment them most who are most obsequious to him And what Charm what Impression upon the human mind can induce us to prefer a Murderer before our Saviour 2. Our Consent must be intire without exception against any of his Laws or his Providential