to whom by too many among us the most unworthy and unthankful Returns have been made for the unwearied pains he hath undergone and for the desperate hazards he hath expos'd himself to for our sakes that ever were made to so Great and Generous a Benefactour so great a Benefactour I say not only to these Nations but to all Europe in asserting and vindicating their Liberties against the insolent Tyranny and Pride of one of the greatest oppressours of Mankind of whom I may say as Job does of the Leviathan Job 41.33 34. Vpon the earth is not his like he beholdeth all high things and is the King of all the Children of Pride And beyond all this the Blessing of God does descend upon the posterity of those who are eminently Charitable and great Benefactours to Mankind This David observes in his time I have been young says he and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging Bread and what he means by the righteous Man he explains in the next Words he is ever merciful and lendeth I shall only add upon this Head that the practice of this Virtue will be one of our best comforts at the hour of Death and that we shall then look back upon all the good we have done in our life with the greatest contentment and joy imaginable Xenophon in his Cyrus which he design'd for the perfect Idea of a good Prince represents him in the last minutes of his life addressing himself to God to this purpose Thou knowest that I have been a lover of Mankind and now that I am leaving this World I hope to find that mercy from thee which I have shewed to others These Words that excellent heathen Historian thought fit to come from the mouth of so excellent a Prince as he had describ'd him just as he was leaving the World by which we may see what the Light of Nature thought to be the best comfort of a dying Man This brings me to the Third and last particular which I mentioned the vast and unspeakable Reward which this grace and virtue of Charity will meet with in the other World It will plead for us at the Day of Judgment and procure for us a most glorious recompence at the resurrection of the Just and that proportionable to the degrees of our Charity 2 Cor. 9.6 He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully and from this Consideration the Apostle encourageth our Perseverance in Well-doing let us not be weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not that is we shall certainly meet with the reward of it if not in this World yet in the other And now that I have declar'd this Duty to you together with the mighty pleasure and advantages and rewards of it I crave leave to present you with some of the best Occasions and Opportunities of the exercise and practice of it And for your encouragement hereto I shall read to you the present State of the chief Hospitals belonging to this great City and of the disposal of their Charity for the last Year And now I have laid before you these great Objects of your Charity and the best Arguments I could think of to incline and stir up your Minds to the exercise of this excellent Grace and Virtue as there is no time left for it I having I am afraid already tir'd your Patience so I hope there is no need to press this Duty any farther upon you since you are so willing and forward of your selves and so very ready to every good Work This great City hath a double Honour due to it of being both the greatest Benefactours in this kind and the most faithful Managers and Disposers of it and I am now in a place most proper for the mention of Christ's Hospital a Protestant Foundation of that most Pious and Excellent Prince Edward VI. Which I believe is one of the best instances of so large and so well manag'd Charity this Day in the World And now to Conclude all if any of you know any better employment than to do good any work that will give truer Pleasure to our Minds that hath greater and better promises made to it the Promises of the life that now is and that which is to come that we shall reflect upon with more comfort when we come to dye and that through the mercies and merits of our Blessed Saviour will stand us in more stead at the Day of Judgment let us mind that work but if we do not let us apply our selves to this business of Charity with all our might and let us not be weary in well-doing because in due season we shall reap if we faint not Now the God of Peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ the great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will through Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory thanksgiving and praise both now and for ever Amen FINIS BOOKS Printed for Ric. Chiswell WHarton's Anglia Saora in 2 Volumes Fol. D. Cave's Lives of the Primitives Fathers in 2 Vol. Fol. Dr. John Lightfoot's Works in 2 Vol. Fol. Dr. Pet. Allix's Remarks upon the Ecclesiastical History of the ancient Churches of Piedmont and Albigences in 2 Parts 4 to Bishop Burnet's Collection of Tracts relating both to Church and State from 1678. to 1694. in 3 Vol. 4 to Dr. Wake 's 11 Treatises against Popery in 2 Vol. 4 to Dr. Tennison now Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his Account of the Conference with Pulton the Jesuit 4 to His 9 Sermons upon several Occasions 4 to A Discourse of the unreasonableness of Separation on account of the Oaths 4 to A Vindication of the said Discourse 4 to A Vindication of his Majesty's Authority to fill the Sees of the deprived Bishops 4 to Dr. William's Discouse of the lawfulness of worshipping God by the Common-Prayer 4 to His Representation of the absurd and mischievous Principles of the Muggletonians 4 to The secret Consults Negotiations and Intrigues of the Romish Party in Ireland from 1660 to 1689. 4 to An impartial History of the Wars in Ireland in two Parts with Copper Sculptures By Mr. Story present in the same The new Cambridge Dictionary in 5 Alphabets 4 to England's Wants Or some Proposals to the Parliament probably beneficial to England 4 to Dr. Allix's Reflections on the Holy Scripture 8 vo Coles English and Lattin Dictionary 8 vo Tullies Discourse of the Government of the Thoughts 8 vo The Jesuits Memorial for the intended Reformation of England found in K. James's Closet 8 vo Dr. Wakâ—'s Preparation for Death 8 vo The History of the Troubles and Tryal of Archbishop Laud wrote by himself Published by Hen. Wharton Fol. Remarks on Mr. Hill's Vindication of the Primitive Fathers against Bishop
the Holiness of good Men. And it is a separation from moral imperfection that is from Sin and Impurity And this is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the primary Notion of iâ— is Negative and signifies the absence and remotion of Sin And this appears iâ— those explications which the Scripturâ— gives of it Thus 't is explain'd by opposition to Sin and Impurity 2 Cor 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from aâ—â— filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness where Holiness is opposed to all filthiness Sometimes by the negation of Sin and Defilement So we find holy and without blame put together Eph. 1.4 Holy and without blemish Eph. 5.27 Holy harmless and undefiled Heb. 7.26 'T is true indeed this Negative Notion doth imply something that is Positive it doth not only signifie the absence of Sin but a contrariety to it we cannot conceive the absence of Sin without the presence of Grace as take away crookedness from a Thing and it immediately becomes straight When ever we are made Holy every Lust and Corruption in us is supplanted by the contrary Grace Now this habitual Holiness of Persons which consists in a separation from Sin is a conformity to the Holiness of God and by this we may come to understand what Holiness in God is and it signifies the peculiar eminency of the Divine Nature whereby it is separated and removed at an infinite distance from moral Imperfection and that which we call Sin that is there is no such thing as Malice or Envy or Hatred or Revenge or Impatience or Cruelty or Tyranny or Injustice or False-hood or Unfaithfulness in God or if there be any other Thing that signifies Sin and Vice and moral Imperfection Holiness signifies that the Divine Nature is at an infinite distance from all these and possest of the contrary Perfections Therefore all those Texts that remove Moral Imperfection from God and declare the repugnancy of it to the Divine Nature do set forth the Holiness of God Jam. 1.13 God cannot be tempted with evil Job 8.3 Doth God pervert Judgment or doth the Almighty pervert Justice Job 34.10 12. Far be it from God that he should do wickedness and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity Yea surely God will not do wickedly neither will the Almighty pervert judgment Rom. 9.14 Is there then unrighteousness with God God forbid Zeph. 3.5 The just Lord is in the midst thereof he will not do iniquity And so false-hood and unfaithfulness and inconstancy Deut. 32.4 A God of truth and without iniquity 1 Sam. 15.29 The strength of Israel will not lie Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie hath promised Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie Therefore you shall find that Holiness is joyned with all the Moral Perfections of the Divine Nature or put for them Hos 11.9 I am the holy one in the midst of thee that is the merciful one Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Rom. 7.12 The commandment is holy and just and good Rev. 3.7 These things saith he that is holy he that is true Rev. 6.10 How long O Lord holy and true Psal 105.42 He remembred his holy promise holy that is in respect of the faithfulness of it Isa 55.3 The sure mercies of David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy mercies of David which will not fail So that the Holiness of God is not a particular but an universal Perfection and runs through all the moral Perfections of the Divine Nature 't is the Beauty of the Divine Nature and the Perfection of all his other Perfections Take away this and you bring an universal stain and blemish upon the Divine Nature without Holiness Power would be Oppression and Wisdom Subtilty and Soveraignty Tyranny and Goodness Malice and Envy and Justice Cruelty and Mercy Foolish Pity and Truth False-hood And therefore the Scripture speaks of this as God's highest Excellency and Perfection God is said to be glorious in Holiness Ex. 15.11 Holiness is call'd God's throne Psal 47.8 He sitteth upon the throne of his holiness This is that which makes Heaven Isa 63.15 It is called The habitation of his holiness and of his glory as if this were the very Nature of God and the sum of his Perfections The Knowledge of God is called the Knowledge of the holy one Pro. 9.10 To be made partakers of a Divine Nature and to be made partakers of God's holiness are equivalent Expressions 2 Pet. 3.4 Heb. 12.10 And because there is no Perfection of God greater therefore he is represented as swearing by this Psal 60.6 God hath spoken in his holiness Psal 89.35 Once have I sworn by my holiness The Angels and glorified Spirits they sum up the Perfections of God in this Isa 6.3 And one cryed unto another and said holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Rev. 4.8 And they rest not day and night saying holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come There is no Attribute of God so often repeated as this in some Copies it is nine times II. I shall endeavour to prove that this Perfection belongs to God First From the Light of Nature The Philosophers in all their Discourses of God agree in this that whatever sounds like Vice and Imperfection is to be separated from the Divine Nature which is to acknowledge his Holiness Plato speaking of our likeness to God saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 4.9 King Nebuchadnezzar calls God by this Title I know that the spirit of the holy Gods is in thee In a Word whatever hath been produced to prove any of God's Moral Perfections proves his Holiness Secondly From Scripture There is no Title more frequently given to God in Scripture and so often ingeminated as this of his Holiness He is called Holiness it self Isa 63.15 Where Heaven is call'd the habitation of his Holiness that is of God His Name is said to be Holy Luke 1.49 And holy is his name He is called the holy one Isa 40.25 The holy one of Israel Isa 41.20 The holy one of Jacob. 49.23 He is said to be holy in all his Works and Promises Psal 105.42 In all his ways and works Psal 145.17 This Title is given to each of the three Persons in the Blessed Trinity To God the Father in innumerable Places To God the Son Dan. 9.24 To anoint the most holy The Devil cannot deny him this Title Luke 4.34 I know thee who thou art the holy one of God And the Spirit of God hath this Title constantly given it the holy Ghost or the holy Spirit or the Spirit of Holiness The Scripture attributes this Perfection in a peculiar manner to God 1 Sam. 2.2 There is none holy as the Lord. Rev. 15.4 For thou only art holy Holiness is a communicable Perfection but no Creature can
the same and thy years fail not Mat. 3.6 I am the Lord and change not Hence it is that the Title of the living God is so frequently attributed to him and he swears by this as denoting not only his eternity but his unchangeableness As I live saith the Lord. Hither likewise we may refer those Texts where he is call'd the incorruptible God Rom. 1.23 The immortal King 1 Tim. 1.17 and is said only to have immortality 1 Tim. 1.16 And he is immutable likewise in his perfections hence it is so often said in the Psalms that his goodness and his mercy endure for ever his righteousness likewise is said to endure for ever Psal 111.3 and Psal 36.6 To be like the great Mountains not only visible and conspicuous but firm and immoveable and the same likewise is said of his truth and faithfulness Psal 117.2 His truth endureth for ever and of his power Esa· 26.4 In the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength And so likewise in his Decrees and Purposes and Promises Psal 33.11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever and the thoughts of his heart to all generations Esa 14.24 Surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass and as I have purposed so shall it stand Numb 23.19 God is not a Man that he should lie or as the Son of Man that he should repent hath he spoken and shall not he do it hath he said it and shall not he bring it to pass If he hath made any promise or entred into any Covenant with us it is firm and immutable Psal 89.33 He will not suffer his faithfulness to fail his covenant will he not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips His Covenant and his Promise are in themselves immutable but for our further assurance God hath given us his Oath the highest sign of Immutability so the Apostle to the Hebrews tells us chap. 6.18 That by two immutable things viz his Promise and his Oath in which it is impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation who are fled for refuge to the hope which is set before us I proceed to the III. Thing I proposed which is to answer an Objection which may seem to lie against what hath been said from the mention so often made in Scripture of God's repenting himself as Gen. 6.6 where it is said that it repented God that he had made Man 1 Sam. 15.11 That he repented that he had made Saul King and 2 Sam. 24.16 When the Angel had stretched out his hand over Jerusalem to destroy it it is said that the Lord repented him of the evil and Psal 135.14 the Lord saith there that he will repent himself concerning his servants To all which I answer That this expression of God's repenting we are to understand as many others in Scripture after the manner of Men and as spoken by way of Condescention and Accommodation to our Weakness and Capacity and not as casting any imputation of Mutability and Inconstancy upon God as if out of levity or for want of foresight he did alter his Mind but when God is said to repent that he made Man or that he made Saul King the change was not in him but them and it signifies not that God was absolutely deceived in his expectation but that things had fallen out contrary to all reasonable Expectation and therefore the Scripture cloaths God with the Humane Passion of repenting and grieving for what he had done as Men use to do when they are greatly disappointed and fall short of their Expectation And as for the other instances wherein God is said to repent him of evils threatned the expression only signifies thus much that God doth not execute that which seemed to us to have been his peremptory purpose and resolution that is he is pleased to do otherwise than his threatning seemed openly to express because of some tacit Condition implyed in it which he did not think fit to acquaint us with And this doth not at all derogate from the constancy and immutability of God for when God did threaten he spake what he did really purpose and intend if something did not intervene to prevent the Judgment threatned upon which he was resolved at that time when he threatned to be taken off and to stay his Hand and in thus doing God doth not mutare consilium sed sententiam He doth not change his inward Counsel and Purpose but takes off the sentence which was past with reserved conditions and unknown to us on purpose to urge us the more effectually to Repentance And that God usually reserves such Conditions not only in his Threatnings but sometimes also in his Promises appears from that remarkable Text Jer. 18.7 8 9 10. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it if that nation against whom I have pronounced turn from the evil I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to build and to plant it if it do evil in my sight that it obey not my voice then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them And from this very Consideration the same Prophet encourageth the People to repenpentance Jer. 26.13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings and obey the voice of the Lord your God and the Lord will repent him of the evil he hath pronounced against you And we have a famous instance of this in the case of Niniveh the destruction whereof within forty days after God had openly proclaimed by his Prophet yet he stops the Execution of the Sentence upon their Repentance Jonah 3.10 The Men of Niniveh turned from their evil ways and the Lord repented of the evil he said he would do unto them and he did it not All that now remains is to apply this Doctrine of the immutability of the Divine Nature to our selves and the Consideration of it may serve to several good Purposes both in reference to bad and good Men. First In regard to sinners and wicked Men. And 1 st The unchangeableness of God is matter of great terrour to wicked Men. Let but the sinner consider what God is and the consideration of his unchangeable nature must need terrifie him He is a holy God and of purer eyes than to behold iniquity Hab. 1.12 He is not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with him the foolish shall not stand in his sight he hateth all the workers of iniquity Psal 5.4 5. He is likewise a just God and will by no means clear the guilty nor let sin go unpunisht Exod. 34.7 He is also omnipotent and able to execute the vengeance threatned against Sinners Who knoweth the power of thine anger Psal 90.11 Thou even thou art to be feared and who may stand in thy sight when once
thou art angry Psal 76.7 Strong is the Lord God who judgeth Rev. 18.8 And which gives a sad accent to all this he that is thus holy and just and powerful continues for ever the same and will never alter or put off any of these Properties will never cease to hate iniquity and to be an implacable Enemy to all impenitent Sinners and is it not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of this holy and just and omnipotent God who lives for ever and can punish for ever Let all obstinate Sinners hear this and tremble you cannot be more obstinately bent to continue in your wicked ways than God is peremptorily resolved to make you miserable If you be determined upon a sinful course God is also determined how he will deal with you that he will not spare but that his anger and jealousie shall smoke against you and that all the curses that are written in his book shall light upon you and that he will blot out your name from under Heaven he hath sworn in his wrath that unbelieving and impenitent Sinners shall not enter into his rest and for the greater assurance of the thing and that we may not think that there is any condition implyed in these Threatnings he hath confirmed them by an Oath that by this immutable sign in which it is impossible for God to lie Sinners might have strong terrours and not be able to fly to any in hopes of refuge 2 ly The consideration of Gods unchangeableness should likewise be a very powerful Argument to urge Sinners to Repententance If they will but leave their sins and turn to him they will find him ready to receive them upon their Repentance and Submission for he is a God gracious and merciful slow to anger and ready to forgive he is unchangeably good and his mercy endureth for ever but if they will not come in and submit to these Terms there is nothing before them but Ruin and Destruction nothing then remains but a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation to consume them God hath declared to us the terms of our Pardon and Peace and if we will not come up to them he is at a point he cannot change his Nature nor will he alter the terms of his Covenant there is a perfect and eternal opposition between the Holy Nature of God and an impenitent sinner and 't is impossible such an one should be Happy till this opposition be remov'd and to do that there are but two ways imaginable by changing God or by changing our selves the Nature of God is fixt and unalterable God cannot recede from his own pure Nature therefore we must depart from our sinful and corrupt Nature God cannot quit his Holiness therefore we must leave our Sins we can have no hope to change God therefore we must change our selves Rectifie Sinner thine own corrupt Nature and renounce thy lusts do not venture upon Impossibilities rather think of altering thy sinful nature which may be changed than of altering the Divine Nature which is essentially immutable with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning God hath once condescended so far as to take our nature upon him to make us capable of Happiness but if this will not do he can go no lower he will not he cannot put off his own nature to make us Happy Secondly In reference to Good Men the consideration of Gods unchangeableness is matter of great Consolation to them in all the changes and vicissitudes of the World their main comfort and hope is built upon a Rock the rock of ages as the expression is in the Prophet Isaiah 26.4 it relies upon the unchangeable goodness and faithfulness of God all whose promises are Yea and Amen truth and certainty All other Support and Hopes may fail us but God will not suffer his faithfulness to fail his covenant will he not break nor alter the thing which is gone out of his lips as the Psalmist assures us Psal 89.33 Men may break their Word and be less than their Promises but God is faithful who hath promised to give grace and glory and to withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly he is not as Man that he should lie or as the Son of Man that he should repent hath he spoken and shall he not do it hath he said it and shall not he bring it to pass If there be any thing that hath the appearance of a change in God it is usually on the merciful side as when he stops the execution of his threatnings upon the repentance of a sinful Nation as in that remarkable Text which I mention'd before Jer. 18.7 8. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it if that nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them and so likewise when his faithful People and Servants are in great Distress and there is no visible help and means of relief in this case likewise God is said to repent and to appear for their rescue Deut. 32.36 The Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone Thus we should comfort our selves in the greatest extremities with the consideration of the immutable goodness and faithfulness of God The things of the World are Mutable and the Men of the World even those things which seem most constant as the Heavens and to be setled upon the surest Foundations as the Earth yet these shall be changed Psal 102.25 26 27. Of old hast thou laid the foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the work of thy hands they shall perish but thou shalt endure all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shall thou change them and they shalt be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall have no end from whence the Psalmist infers this comfort to the Church and People of God v. 28 The Children of thy Servants shall continue and their seed shall be establisht before thee Nothing that is mutable can be a solid Foundation of Comfort and Confidence Men are inconstant and Riches are uncertain and all other things which Men commonly trust to and therefore the Apostle chargeth them that are Rich in this World not to trust in uncertain Riches but in the living God He only that lives for ever is a firm Foundation of Hope and Confidence When God would comfort the Israelites in Egypt under their great Oppression he bids Moses only to declare to them his immutability Exod. 3.14 Say unto them I am that I am hath sent me unto you and this is the great comfort of Christians that he who is the same Saviour and their hope is the same yesterday to day and for ever he that was and that is and that is to come in all durations the same We are
same Thirdly I come now to draw some Inferences from the several parts of this Discourse I. From the Perfection of God's Knowledge 1. The Perfection of the Divine Knowledge calls for our Veneration Every Excellency commands Reverence and raiseth our admiration and none more than Knowledge there is nothing that we value our selves or others more by than this the highest Knowledge of Man the most glorious Understanding that ever any one of the Sons of Men were endowed with is compared to the Knowledge of God but as a glow-Worm to the Sun If we admire these Candles of the Lord which shine so imperfectly in the dark if we reverence a little Knowledge compass'd about with ignorance how should we admire the Father of Lights in whom is no darkness at all that Knowledge which hath nothing of blemish or imperfection in it 2. We may hence learn Humility and that on this double Account As we have all our Knowledge from him what have we that we have not received And as our Knowledge is very imperfect when compared with the Divine Understanding We are blind and ignorant 't is but a few things that we are capable of knowing and we know but a few of those things which our Natures are capable of knowing and of those things we do know our Knowledge is very imperfect 't is slight and superficial attended with much difficulty and uncertainty in the attaining of it and error and confusion in the use of it the clearest Reason and the brightest Understanding of Man hath many flaws and defects in it so that the more we know of God and of our selves the more humble we shall be It is an empty Knowledge and falsely so call'd that puffs up as the empty ears of Corn are pert and raise up themselves but those which are big and full droop and hang down their Heads so 't is only Ignorance that is proud and lifts Men up but true Knowledge makes Men humble 3. This is matter of Comfort and Encouragement He knows our wants and weakness and will lay no more upon us than we are able to bear for he considers that we are but Dust he knows the rage and malice of our Enemies and can when he pleases put a Hook in their Nose and his Bridle in their Lips as he did to Senacherib 2 Kings 19.28 1. From God's knowing our secret Actions I infer 1. If God sees our most secret Actions this discovers and confutes the secret Atheism of many He that commits the most secret sin denies the Omniscience of God Thus David describes the Atheism of some in his Days he hath said in his heart God hath forgot he hideth his face he will never see it the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it and is not this in effect to deny God's Being for it is to deny him to be what he is A Man may as well deny there is a Sun as deny that it shines and enlightens the World There are some Relicks of this even in the best Men which do at sometimes discover themselves Psal 73.10 11. Therefore his People return hither and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them And they say how doth God know is there knowledge in the most high that is the People of God come to this when they are come to an afflicted state and see the Prosperity of Wicked Men they come to this to question the Providence of God whether he takes knowledge of the Affairs of the World But this Atheism reigns in wicked Men while they live in their Sins they live in the Denyal of God's Omniscience for did Men really believe that God sees in secret that his Eye perceiveth the Darkness and lays open and naked all things before it how durst they Lie and Steal and Swear falsely Vain Man why dost thou seek Darkness and Retirement how art thou alone if thou believest that God is every where how can'st thou retire from him how canst thou shut him out If thou believest that he is Light what Security is Darkness to thee if he look upon thee who is the greatest and best Person in the World who is thy Soveraign thy Judge thy Father and thy Master and thy best Friend for we use to reverence Persons under these Notions and Relations and to be ashamed to do any thing that is Vile and Unseemly before them if he who is all this look upon thee why art thou not ashamed why does not thy Blood rise in thy Face why should not Shame and Fear work upon the apprehension of God's seeing us as if men did behold us for this that God sees thee is a greater Surprise and Discovery and threatens thee with more Danger than if the whole World stood by thee 2. Live as those that believe this be continually under the power of this Apprehension That God takes a particular and exact notice of all thy Actions The firm Belief of this would have a double influence upon us it would encourage us in well-doing and be a restraint upon us as to sin sic vivamus tanquam in conspectu vivamus Sen. It were well if Men would live as if any body saw them but to live as if some Worthy and Excellent Person were always present with us and did observe us this will be a far greater curb upon us There are some sins of that Ugliness and Deformity that a Man would not commit them in the presence of any one of a Child or a Fool and there are some Persons of such Worth and Reverence quorum interventu perditi quoque homines vitia supprimerent Epicurus had this good Conceit of himself that he could advise others so to act as if he stood by fac omnia tanquam spectet Epicurus but Seneca instanceth much better in Cato or Scipio or Laelius Vt sic tanquam illo spectante vivamus and shall not the presence of the Divine Majesty be an eternal restraint upon us This was David's course to keep himself from sin Psal 39.1 I will take heed to my way while the wicked is before me how much more in the presence of God I have kept thy Precepts and thy Testimonies for all my ways are before thee Psal 119.168 And it was wisely advised by Seneca That we should so live when we are among Men as believing God sees us and when there is none but he sees us let us behave our selves before him as if Men did stare upon us III. God's Knowledge of the Heart teacheth us 1. The Folly of Hypocrisie how vain it is to make a shew of that outwardly which inwardly and in our Hearts we are not to put on a Mask of Religion and paint our selves beautifully without when inwardly we are full of rottenness and uncleanness to honour God with our lips when our Hearts are far from him If we were to deal with Men this were not a very wise way for there is danger of discovery even from them
therefore the best way for a Man to seem to be any thing is really to be what he would appear but having to deal with God who knows our thoughts afar off to whom all our Disguises are transparent and all our little Arts of concealment signifie nothing 't is a madness to hide our Iniquity in our Bosom With this Argument our Saviour convinceth the hypocritical Pharisees Luke 16.15 Ye are they that justifie your selves before Men but God knoweth your Hearts 2. If God know your Hearts then endeavour to approve your Hearts to him charge your selves with inward Purity and Holiness because of the pure Eyes which behold the most intimate and secret motions of your Souls therefore cleanse your Hearts from wickedness how long shall vain thoughts lodge within you Fear and Shame from Men lay a great restraint upon our outward Actions but how licentious are we many times in our Hearts what a strange freedom do we take within our own Breasts This is an Argument of the secret Atheism that lies at the bottom of our Hearts He that allows himself in any wicked Thoughts and Imaginations which out of a regard to Men he will not put in practice this man plainly declares That he reverenceth Men more than God that he either disbelieves a God or despiseth him Therefore keep your Hearts with all diligence because they are peculiarly under God's inspection and when you are ready to take the liberty of your Thoughts because no Eye sees you ask your selves doth not he that pondereth the Heart consider it and he that keepeth thy soul doth he not know it as the wise Man speaks Prov. 24.12 And whatever you do in the service of God do it heartily as to the Lord. Indeed if we did only worship God to be seen of Men an external Worship would be sufficient but Religion is not intended to please men but God he is a Spirit and sees our Spirits therefore we must worship him in Spirit and in Truth 1 Thes 2.4 Not as pleasing men but God who trieth our Hearts David useth this Argument to his Son Solomon 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts Whatever liberty we may take to our selves now and how careless soever we are of our Thoughts and the inward frame of our Hearts yet the Scripture assures us that he who now sees our Hearts will one day judge us according to them Jer. 17.10 I the Lord search the heart I try the reins even to give to every Man according to his ways And the Apostle speaks of a day coming wherein God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ Heb. 4.13 Rev. 2.23 3. This is matter of encouragement to us in many cases In our secret Troubles Psal 142.3 When my Spirit was overwhelmed within me then thou knewest my path In Cases of difficulty which depend upon the Hearts of other men which tho' we do not know yet God knows them So the Apostles Acts 1.24 when they did not know whom to chuse for an Apostle they refer it to God and they prayed and said thou Lord which knowest the hearts of all shew whether of these two thou hast chosen But especially this is matter of comfort to us when we suffer by the Calumnies and Reproaches of Men when the World chargeth us with Crimes of Hypocrisie and Falseness and Insincerity then to be able to appeal to the searcher of hearts as to our Innocency and Sincerity and to say with the Prophet Jer. O Lord of hosts that tryest the righteous and seest the reins and the heart unto thee have I opened my Cause Ch. 20.12 and with St. Peter God which knoweth the hearts bare them witness Acts 15.8 4. This renders all the deep and profound Policies of Wicked Men a vain thing The Lord knows the Thoughts of men that they are vanity Psal 94.11 They are Vanity because he knows them and can defeat them he can bring their counsels to nought and make their devices of none effect He is conscious to the first motions of their Hearts he sees those Cobwebs which they are spining and can blow them away with a Breath he can snare them in their own Policies and turn their Counsels into foolishness Thou that puttest a Mask upon a wicked Design and hidest the Malice and Revenge of thine Heart under a dissembling Countenance God sees thy Design and hath a thousand ways to prevent it When the Politicians of the World think they have laid their Design sure with all imaginable caution and that their Counsels cannot miscarry being out of all possibility of Humane discovery or prevention for all this their counsels may come to nought and tho' they have resolved it yet it may not stand he that sits in the heavens laughs at them the Lord hath them in derision As Wise as they are they are guilty of this over-sight that they did not take God into consideration by whom they are surprized and discovered He that sees their Design can blast it in a moment he can speak the word and thy breath shall go forth and thou shalt return to thy dust and in that very day thy thoughts perish Psal 146.4 5. If God only knows the Hearts of Men then what art thou O man that judgest another's heart This condemns the Uncharitableness of Men who take upon them to judge and censure Mens Hearts which is to speak evil of the things which they know not to meddle with things which do not fall under their cognizance What St. James saith ch 4.12 There is one law-giver that is able to save and to destroy who art thou that judgest another is proportionably true in this case there is but one that knows the heart who art thou then that judgest another Man's heart Who art thou O Man that takest upon thee to sit in judgment upon thy Brother and to pass Sentence upon his Heart to pronounce him a Hypocrite a wicked Man and a damned Wretch Art thou a Man and the son of Man and wilt thou assume to thy self the Prerogative of God Man can only look to the outward appearance but God seeth the heart There 's nothing doth more palpably discover the Un-christian Spirit of that new Sect which is of late risen up among us than their taking upon them to judge Men's Hearts and as confidently to censure every Man they meet as if they had a window into his Breast But they are not alone guilty of this those who are so ready to call Men Hypocrites they invade this Prerogative of God We may pronounce an action wicked if it be contrary to the Rule or a Man wicked as to his present state if the general course of his Life and Actions be wicked for our Saviour tells us by their Fruits ye shall know them this we
of Patience and forbearance to Sinners and of tryal and exercise to good Men but there is a Day a coming when all things shall be set straight and every Man shall receive the just reward of his Deeds when the Justice of God shall be evident to all the World and every Eye shall see it and shall acknowledge the Righteous Judgment of God and this the Scripture most clearly and expresly declares unto us and hence it is that the Day of Judgment is call'd the Day of the Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God The Righteousness of God doth not now so clearly appear but that there are many Clouds over it but there shall be a Day of Revelation when the Righteousness of God shall be made manifest to all the World The remunerative Justice of God shall then appear in the rewarding the Righteous and the punitive Justice of God in punishing the Wicked and Ungodly so that a Man shall say verily there is a reward for the Righteous verily there is a God that judgeth the World Now the Righteousness of this vengeance of God which God will take upon Sinners is further set forth to us in Scripture from the Equity and Impartiality of it I. From the Equity of it 1. In that the Sins of Men have justly deserved the Punishment that shall come upon them Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the judgment of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the righteous judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of Death 2. In that the Judgment of God shall be proportioned to the Degree and Heinousness of Mens Sins so as the lesser or greater Sins shall be punisht with more or less Severity So our Saviour threatens to those who continue impenitent under the Gospel and the advantages of it their case shall be more sad than that of Tyre and Sidon and it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah at the Day of Judgment than for them Mat. 11.20 21. and Luke 12. 47 48. There you have different Degrees of Punishment threatned proportionable to the Aggravations of the Sins which Men have committed The servant which knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes but he that knew it not but did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes and so proportionably of all other Aggravations of Sins for to whom much is given of him shall much be required and unto whom Men have committed much of him they will ask the more So likewise God will vindicate the contempt of the Gospel more severely than of the Law because the confirmation of it is clearer and the Salvation offered by it greater Heb. 2.2 3 4. If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape c. And so Heb. 10.28 29. He that despised Moses his law died without mercy under two or three Witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worth who haht troden under foot the Son of God c. II. The Righteousness of this Judgment is further set forth to us in Scripture by the impartiality of it Hither belong all those Texts which remove from God that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that respect of Persons which is so incident to humane Tribunals Now respect of Persons is in distribution of Justice and hath regard to some external qualities or circumstances of the Persons which do not appertain to the merit of the cause and upon Account of those circumstances to deal unequally with those whose Case is equal as when two Persons who are equally guilty of a Crime are brought to their Tryal and the one is Condemned and the other acquitted upon the Account of Friendship or Relation or some other Interest because one is Poor and the other Rich the one hath powerful Friends to intercede for him the other not the one brings a Gift or Bribe the other not or upon any other account besides the pure Merits of the Cause I say to deal thus in the distribution of of Justice is respect of Persons Otherwise in matters of meer grace and favour respect of Persons hath no Place accordin◠to that common rule of Divines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 locum non habet in gratuitis sed in debitis Now this the Scripture every where speaks of as a thing very far from God Deut. 10.17 The Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords a great God a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not Persons nor taketh rewards 2 Chron. 19.7 There is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of Persons nor taking of Gifts Job 34.18 19. Is it fit to say to a King thou art Wicked or to Princes ye are ungodly how much less to him that accepteth not the Persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more than the poor for they are all the work of his hands Rom. 2.6 Who will render to every Man according to his deeds for there is no respect of Persons with God Acts 10.34 35. Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Eph. 6.8 9. The Apostle there presseth the duties of Servants to Masters from this Consideration that whatsoever good thing any Man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free and at the 9 th v. Ye Masters do the same thing unto them forbearing threatning knowing that your Master also is in Heaven neither is there respect of Persons with him He maketh this likewise an Argument why Men should not oppress and deal deceitfully one with another Col. 3.25 But he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of Persons And in General St. Peter urgeth this Consideration upon all Men to deter them from Sin in any kind 1 Pet. 1.17 And if ye call on the Father who without respect of Persons judgeth according to every Man's work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear And besides that the Scripture doth remove this at the greatest Distance from God it gives us also several instances of the impartiality of the Divine Justice that it is not to be perverted and turned aside by any of those extrinsecal Considerations which commonly sway with Men it is not to be prevailed with and overcome by Flattery and Entreaties Mat. 7.21 22. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven c. The Divine Justice is not to be imposed upon by good Words and external shews and false Professions so neither by any external Relation to him For many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob
some Objections that may be made against it and then make some Vse of it I. What we are to understand by the Truth of God I shall take it as the Scripture useth it in a large Sense so as to include not only the veracity of God but his Faithfulness Hence it is that in Scripture Truth and Faithfulness are so often put together and frequently put one for another Isa 25.1 Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth Rev. 21.5 These words are true and faithful And the Faithfulness of God in performing his Promises is frequently call'd his Truth And because the Scripture useth them promiscuously we need not be very solicitous to find out distinct Notions of them but if you will they may be distinguisht thus the truth or veracity of God hath place in every Declaration of his Mind the Faithfulness of God only in his Promises For the First The veracity or truth of God this hath place in every Declaration of his Mind and signifies an exact Correspondence and Conformity between his Word and his Mind and consequently between his Word and the truth and reality of Things The Correspondence of his Word with his Mind depends upon the rectitude of his Will the conformity of his Word with the reality of Things not only upon the rectitude of his Will but the Perfection of his Knowledge and the infallibility of his Vnderstanding so that when we say God is true or speaks Truth we mean thus that his Words are a plain Declaration of his Mind and a true representation of Things in opposition to False-hood which is speaking otherwise than the thing is and Hypocrisie that is speaking otherwise than we think For instance when God declares any thing to be so or not to be so to have been thus or not to have been thus the thing really is so and he thinks so when he expresseth his desire of any thing he does really desire it when he commands any thing or forbids us any thing it is really his Mind and Will that we should do what he Commands and avoid what he forbids when he declares and foretels any thing future it really shall come to pass and he really intended it should if the Declaration be to be understood absolutely it shall absolutely come to pass if the Declaration be to be understood Conditionally it shall come to pass and he intends it shall if the Condition be performed Secondly The Faithfulness of God This only hath place in his Promises in which there is an Obligation of Justice superadded to his Word for God by his Promise doth not only declare what he intends and what shall be but confers a right upon them to whom the promise is made so as that the breach of his Promise would not only cast an imputation upon his Truth but upon his Justice II. That this Perfection belongs to God And this I shall endeavour to prove First From the Dictates of Natural Light Secondly From Scripture First From the Dictates of Natural Light Natural Light tells us that Truth and Faithfulness are Perfections and consequently belong to the Divine Nature and that False-hood and a Lie are Imperfections and to be removed from God There is nothing that is amongst Men esteemed a greater contumely and reproach than to give a Man the Lie to call him a Lyar because it is an Argument of so much baseness and of a low and mean and servile spirit the usual Temptation to it being fear of losing some Advantage or incurring some danger Hence was that saying that it is the property of a Slave to lie but of a free Man to speak truth Now whatever argues baseness or imperfection our Reason tells us is infinitely to be separated from the most Perfect Being God cannot be tempted with evil the Divine Nature being all-sufficient can have no temptation to be otherwise than Good and Just and True and Faithful Men are tempted to Lie by advantage and out of fear but the Divine Nature hath the security of its fullness and all-sufficiency that it cannot hope for any increase nor fear any impairment of its Estate Men are unfaithful and break their Words either because they are rash and inconsiderate in passing of them or forgetful in minding them or inconstant in keeping of them or impotent and unable to perform them but none of these are incident to God his infinite Wisdom and perfect Knowledge and clear foresight of all Events secure him both from inconsiderateness and inconstancy and forgetfulness and his infinite Power renders him able to perform what he hath spoken and to make good his Word And that these are the Natural Dictates and Suggestions of our Minds appears clearly from the reasonings of the Heathen in this matter who were destitute of Divine Revelation Plato de Repub. l. 2. lays down this as a certain Truth That lying and Falsehood are imperfections and odious to God and Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And afterwards he tells us That the Divine Nature is free from all Temptation hereto either from advantage or fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Concludes Therefore God is true and deals plainly with us both in his Words and Actions and is neither changed himself nor deceives us Porphyry in the Life of Pythagoras tells us That this was one of his Precepts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and afterwards he adds that Truth is so great a Perfection that if God would render himself visible to Men he would chuse Light for his body and Truth for his Soul Secondly From Scripture The Scripture doth very frequently attribute this to God 2 Sam. 7.28 And now O Lord God thou art that God and thy words be true Psal 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth Psal 31.5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Rev. 3.7 These things saith he that is holy he that is true Rev. 6.10 How long O Lord holy and true 15.3 Just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints 16.7 True and righteous are thy judgments Hither we may refer those Texts which speak of the Plenty and Abundance of God's truth Ex. 34.6 Abundant in goodness and truth Psal 86.15 Plenteous in mercy and truth and those which speak of the Duration and Eternity of it Psal 100.5 And his truth endureth to all generations 117.2 And the truth of the Lord endureth for ever 146.6 Who keepeth truth for ever As the Scripture doth attribute this Perfection to God so it removes the contrary from him with the greatest abhorrence and detestation Num. 23.19 God is not a Man that he should lie neither the son of Man that he should repent hath he said and shall not he do it hath he spoken and shall he not make it good They are Balaam's Words but God put them into his Mouth 1 Sam. 15.29 The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not a Man that he should repent Rom.
3.4 Yea let God be true and every Man a Lyar. Nay the Scripture goes further does not only remove lying and false-hood and inconstancy from God but speaks of these as things impossible to the Divine Nature Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the World began Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us And the Scripture doth not only in general attribute this Perfection to God but doth more particularly assure us of his Sincerity and Truth and Faithfulness Of his sincerity that he deals plainly with us and speaks what he intends that his Words are the image of his Thoughts and a true representation of his Mind God is very careful to remove this jealousie out of the Minds of Men who are apt to entertain unworthy Thoughts of God as if notwithstanding all that he hath declared he had a secret design to ruin Men therefore he interposeth his Oath for our greater assurance Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live When God speaks to us he speaks his Mind and hath no design to circumvent and possess us with Errour and Delusion if he offer Life and Happiness we may believe he is real and that if he did not intend to bestow it upon us or if there were no such thing as a future Glory he would not have declared it to us this was the temper of our Saviour who was the express image of the Father full of Grace and Truth John 14.2 In my Father's house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you And as the Scripture assures us of his Sincerity so of his Truth and Faithfulness in the accomplishment of all his Predictions and performance of all his Promises As for the truth of his Predictions and certain accomplishment of them the Scripture frequently useth this Proverbial Speech to assure us of the certainty of their accomplishment Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away Mat. 24.35 For the Faithfulness of God in his Promises the Scripture makes frequent mention of it Deut. 7.9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth covenant and mercy Psal 89.33 34. I will not suffer my faithfulness to fail my covenant will I not break nor alter the thing which is gone out of my lips The Scripture doth record God's punctual and full performance of his Promises particularly of that Promise to Abraham after four hundred Years to bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt and to give them the Land of Canaan for an Inheritance Gen. 15.13 the Punctual accomplishment you have recorded Ex. 12.41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty Years even the self same day it came to pass that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt see likewise Jos 21.44 45. and 23.14 1 Kings 8.56 And upon this account it is that God is so frequently in Scripture styl'd the God that keepeth covenant 1 Kings 8.23 Neh. 1.5.9.32 and in several other Places And so likewise of Predictions of evil to come God is true in fulfilling his Word 1 Sam. 15. â—9 When the Prophet had threatned Saul to rent the Kingdom from him he adds the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not a Man that he should repent III. I come to remove some Objections that may be made against the truth and faithfulness of God First It is Objected against the sincerity of God and his plain dealing that he is sometimes represented in Scripture as inspiring Prophets with false Messages 1 Kings 22.20 c. Jer. 4.10.20.7 Ezek. 14.9 Ans As to three of these Texts it is a known Hebraism to express things in an imperative and active form which are to be understood only permissively So where the Devils besought Christ that he would suffer them to enter into the herd of Swine he said unto them go Mat. 8.31 He did not command but permit them And so John 13.27 where our Saviour says to Judas what thou dost do quickly we are not to understand that he commanded him to betray him tho' that seem to be exprest in the form So likewise here where an evil spirit offer'd himself to be a lying spirit in the mouth of the Prophet and God says go forth and do so this only signifies a permission not a command And so Jer. 4.10 where the Prophet complains that God had greatly deceived the People saying they should have peace when the sword reached to the Soul we are to understand this no otherwise but that God permitted the false Prophets to deceive them by Prophesying Peace to them as appears by the History Ezek. 14.9 I the Lord have deceived that Prophet that is permitted him to be deceived and to deceive the People as a just judgment upon them for their Infidelity with respect to his true Prophets This he threatens at the 5 th v. I will take the house of Israel in their own heart because they are all estranged from me through their idols because they have chosen to themselves false gods I will suffer them to be deceived with false Prophets and that this is the meaning appears by the threatning added and I will stretch out my hand upon him and I will destroy him from the midst of my people now God will not punish that whereof he is the Author That Text Jer. 20.7 Thou hast deceived me and I was deceived signifies no more but that he had mistaken the Promise of God to him who when he gave him his Commission told him he would be with him by which he understood that no evil should come to him and now he was become a derision and the people mocked him and in his passion and weakness he breaks forth into this expression thou hast deceived me and I was deceived whereas it was his own mistake of the meaning of God's promise which was not that he should not meet with scorn and opposition and persecution but that they should not prevail against him as you may see at the latter end of the first Chapter Seconâ— Objection against the Faithfulness of God as to performance of his promise 'T is Objected that God did not give the Children of Israel all the land which he promised to Abraham as will appear by comparing Gen. 18.19 20. with Josh 13.1 c. and Judg. 2.20 21. Gen. 15.18 God promiseth to give Abraham and his seed such a Land the bounds whereof he describes Josh 13.1 'T is said there that there remained very much land yet unconquer'd which they had not got the possession of And Judg. 2.20 't is said that the People having not
Burnet Animadversions on Mr. Hill's Vindication of the Primitive Fathers against Bishop Burnet Dr. Williams's Vindication of Archbishop Tillotson's Sermons against the Socinians and of the Bishop of Worcester's Sermon of the Mysteries of the Christian Religion To which is annexed a Letter from the Bishop of Salisbury to the Author in Vindication of his Discourse of the Divinity of our Saviour 4 to Books written by Symon Patrick D. D. now Lord Bishop of Ely The Parable of the Pilgrim written to a Friend The Sixth Edit 4 to 1681. Mensa Mystica Or a Discourse concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper In which the Ends of its Institution are so manifested our Addresses to it so directed our Behaviour there and afterward so composed that we may not lose the Profits which are to be received by it With Prayers and Thanksgivings inserted To which is annexed Aqua Genitalis A Discourse concerning Baptism In which is inserted a Discourse to perswade to a Confirmation of the Baptismal Vow 8 vo Jewish Hypocrisie A Caveat to the present Generation Wherein is shewn both the false and the true way to a Nations or Persons compleat Happiness from the sickness and recovery of the Jewish State To which is added A Discourse upon Micah 6.8 belonging to the same matter 8 vo Divine Arithmetick A Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. Samuel Jacomb Minister of St. Mary-Woolnoth-Church in Lombard-street London With an Account of his Life 8 vo A Sermon preached at the Funeral of Mr. Tho. Grigg Rector of St. Andrew-Vndershaft London 4 to An Exposition of the Ten Commandments 8 vo Heart's Ease Or a Remedy against all Troubles With a Consolatory Discourse particularly directed to those who have lost their Friends and Relations To which is added Two Papers printed in the time of the late Plague The sixth Edition corrected 12 mo 1695. The Pillar and Ground of Truth A Treatise shewing that the Roman Church falsly claims to be That Church and the Pillar of That Truth mentioned by St. Paul in 1 Tim. 3.15 4 to An Examination of Bellarmin's Second Note of the Church viz ANTIQUITY 4 to An Examination of the Texts which Papists cite out of the Bible to prove the Supremacy of St. Peter and of the Pope over the whole Church In Two Parts 4 to A private Prayer to be used in difficult Times A Thanksgiving for our late wonderful Deliverance A Prayer for Charity Peace and Unity chiefly to be used in Lent A Sermon preach'd upon St. Peter's Day printed with Enlargements 4 to A Sermon Preached in St. James's Chappel before the Prince of Orange Jan. 20. 1688. on Isaiah 11.6 A Second Part of the Sermon before the Prince of Orange on the same Text. Preached in Covent-Garden A Sermon Preached before the Queen in March 1688 9. on Colos 3.15 A Sermon against Murmuring Preached at Covent-Garden in Lent 1688 9. on 1 Cor. 10.10 A Sermon against Censuring Preached at Covent-Garden in Advent 1688. on 1 Cor. 4.10 A Fast-Sermon before the King and Queen April 16. 1690. on Prov. 14.34 A Thanksgiving-Sermon before the Lords Nov. 26. 1691. for reducing of Ireland and the King 's safe Return On Deut. 4.9 A Fast-Sermon befere the Queen April 8. 1692. On Numb 10.9 Easter-Sermon before the Lord Mayor 1696. on 2 Tim. 2.8 A Sermon before the Lord Nov. 5. 1696. on Dan. 4.35 A Commentary on the First Book of Moses called Genesis 4 to 1695. A Commentary on the Second Book of Moses called â—xodus 4 to 1697. A Commentary on the Third Book of Moses called Leviticus 4 to 1698. A Commentary on the Fourth Book of Moses called Numbers 4 to 1699. Of Sincerity and Constancy in the Faith and Profession of the True Religion in several Sermons by the most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Being the first Volume Published from the Originals by Ralph Barker D. D. Chaplain to his Grace The Second Edition 8 vo Sixteen Sermons preached on several Occasions By the most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson late Ld. Archbishop of Canterbury Being the second Volume Published by Ralph Barker D. D. Chaplain to his Grace 8 vo Sixteen Sermons preached on several Subjects being the Third Volume by the same Author Published by Dr. Barker 8 vo Several Discourses viz. Of the great Duties of Natural Religion Instituted Religion not intended to undermine Natural Christianity not Destructive but Perferctive of the Law of Moses The Nature and Necessity of Regeneration The Danger of all known Sin Knowledge and Practice necessary in Religion The Sins of Men not chargeable on God Being the fourth Volume by the same Author Published by Dr. Barker 8 vo Reflections upon a Pamphlet Entituled Some Discourses upon Dr. Burnet and Dr. Tillotson occasioned by the late Funeral Sermon of the former upon the latter By the Right Reverend Father in God Gilbert Ld. Bishop of Sarum 8 vo His Sermon preached before the King at Whitehal on Christmas-day 1696. 4 to Gal. 4.4 His Sermon preached before the King at Whitehal on the Third Sunday in Lent being the Seventh of March 1696. 1. Ephes 5.2 His Essay on the Memory of the late Queen The second Edition 8 vo Dr. Williams now Ld. Bishop of Chichester his 8 Sermons at Esquire Boyle's Lecture for the Year 1695. 4 to Any of them may be had single to perfect sets His 1 st 2 d 3 d 4 th Sermons at the same Lecture for the year 1696. 4 to His Sermon preached at St. Lawrence Jury before the Lord Mayor c. on Saturday the 28 th of September 1695. at the Election of the Lord Mayor for the Year ensuing Joshua 22.31 4 to His Sermon preached before the honourable House of Commons on Wednesday Dec. 11. 1695. being a solemn day of Fasting and Humiliation appointed by his Majesty for imploring the Blessing of Almighty God upon the Consultations of this present Parliament 4 to 1 Sam. 11.30 His Sermon upon the Resurrection preached before Sir Edward Clare Lord Mayor c. on Easter-Monday April 5. 1697. on Acts 10.40 41 42. Reflections upon a Libel lately Printed Entituled The Charge of Socinianism against Dr. Tillotson Considered 4 to The Church History of Ethiopia wherein among other things the two great splendid Roman Missions into that Empire are placed in their true Light to which are added an Epitome of the Dominican History of that Church And an Account of the Practices and Conviction of Maria of the Annunciation the famous Nun of Lisbon Composed by Michael Geddes D. D. Chancellor of the Cathedral Church of Sarum 8 vo Fourteen Sermons preached in Lambeth Chappel before the most Reverend Dr. William Sancroft late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury In the Years 1688 and 1689 by the Learned Henry Wharton M. A. Chaplain to his Grace with an Account of the Author's Life 8 vo Dr. William Owtram's 20 Sermons On several Occasions The 2 d. Edition 8 vo Sermons preached on several Occasions By John Conant D. D. The first and second Volumes Published by Dr. Williams now Ld. Bishop of Chichester 8 vo The Fathers vidicated Or Animadversions on a late Socinian Book Entituled The Judgment of the Fathers touching the Trinity against Dr. Bull 's Defence of the Nicene Faith By a Presbyter of the Church of England 8 vo A Fifth Volume of Archbishop Tillotson's Discourses published by his Chaplain Dr. Barker on these following Subjects viz. Proving Jesus to be the Messias The Prejudices against Jesus and his Religion consider'd Jesus the Son of God proved by his Resurrection The Danger of Apostacy from Christianity Christ the Author and Obedience the Condition of Salvation The Possibility and Necessity of Gospel Obedience and its consistence with Free Grace The Authority of Jesus Christ with the Commission and Promise which he gave to his Apostles The Difficulties of a Christian Life consider'd The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus Children of this World wiser than the Children of Light 8 vo 1698. A second Volume of Sermons preached in Lambeth Chappel before Archb. Sancroft 1690. By the Learned Mr. Henry Wharton his Graces Chaplain Which with the first Volume lately published are all that he preached A New Account of India and Persia being Nine Years Travel began 1672. and finished 1681. Containing Observations made of those Countries Namely Of their Government Religion Laws Customs Of their Soil Climates Seasons Health Diseases Of their Animals Vegetables Minerals Jewels Of their Housing Cloathing Manufactures Trades Commodities And of the Coins Weights and Measures used in the principal Places of Trade in those Parts By John Fryer M. D. Cantabrig and Fellow of the Royal Society Fol. 1698. SCRIPTORUM ECCLESIASTICORUM Historia Literariae facili perspicua methodo digesta Pars Altera Quaplusquam DC Scriptores novi tam Editi quam Manuscripti recensentur Prioribus plurima adduntur breviter aut obscure dicta illustratur recte asserta vindicantur Accedit ad finem cujusvis Soeculi CONCILIORUM omnium tum Generalium tum Particularium Historica Notitia Ad Calcem vero Operia Dissertationes tres 1 De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis incertae aetatis 2 De Libris Officiis Ecclesiasticis Graecorum 3 De Eusebii Caesariensis Arianismo adversus Joannem Clericum Adjecti sunt Indices utilissimi Scriptorum Alphabetico-Chronoligici Studio labore Gulielmi Cave S. T. P. Canon Windesoriensis Fol. Dr. Cave's Primitive Christianity The Fifth Edition 1698. Bp. Wilkins of the Principles and Duties of Natural Religion The 3 d Edition A Sixth Volume of Archbishop Tillotsons's Discourses Published by Dr. Barker Being upon the Divine Attributes and Perfections 1699. Mr. Evelyns Gardners Almanack Directing what he is to do Monthly througli the Year and what Fruits and Flowers are in Prime The Ninth Edition 8 vo 1699. Pharmacopaeiae Collegii Regalis Londini Remedia omnia succincte descripta una cum Catalogo simplicium Ordine Alphabetico digestorum Quibus annexum est Manuale ad Forum nec non Divax Porographicus Editio Tertia prioribus emendator auctior Huic insuper adjiciuntur Pharmaca nonnulla in usu hodierno apud Medicos Londinenses Accessit in calce Prosodia Medica observatu non indigâ—a Cura Ja. Shipton 1699. 12 mo FINIS Vol. VI. Vol. VI. Vol. VI. Vol. VI. Vol. VI. Vol. VI. Vol. VI. Vol. VI. Vol. VI. Vol. VI. Vol. VI. Vol. VI. Vol. VI. Vol. VI.