same pitch of Devotion But when he is at the lowest Ebb he endeavours to quicken and raise his Affections he begs of God to enflame his Heart with a Coal from the Altar and cannot rest satisfied till the Light of God's Countenance shines in upon his Soul and he is in some measure assur'd of God's Favour and Good-will towards him These are the four Marks by which we may certainly discover if we will but bring our selves to the Tryal whether we have the Power of Godliness or the Form only I come now Fourthly To shew How far we must turn away from such Persons as have only the Form but not the Power of Godliness And I. We must Examine their Doctrine II. Detest their evil Examples III. Avoid their Company I. We must Examine their Doctrine and the Ends of it St. Paul gives us a hint of both Now I beseech you Brethren Rom. 16.17 18. mark them which cause Divisions and Offences there 's their Doctrine contrary to what they have heard and avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ here are their Ends and Designs but their own Bellies and by good Words and fair Speeches deceive the hearts of the Simple Whatever Doctrines have a shew of seeming Holiness and Piety and yet by probable Consequence tend to promote any evil and wicked Designs ought not to be receiv'd till try'd by the Touch-stone of God's word and are found exactly conformable to the Holy Scripture II. We must detest their evil Examples for this is an absolute and certain Rule that unless we dislike their evil Practices and alienate our Affections from them we shall write after the same Copy Our Life will be according to our liking and therefore we must hate and detest their Hypocrisie though we love the Men we must abhor the Uglyness of their Vice tho' we bear no ill will to their Persons In this sense we must hate them right sore and with a perfect hatred Psal 139.22 even as though they were our Enemies III. We must avoid their Company and this is the literal meaning of the Text. From such turn away It was a subtil though a wicked Policy of Jeroboam to set up two golden Calves the one at Dan the other at Bethâ—el that he might detain his People at home least going up to Jerusalem and conversing with the Subjects of Rehoboam they should contract a Friendship and Familiarity with them and be perswaded to return to their Obedience He knew how much Company and Conversation wins upon Mens Affections and that Society and Familiarity has by degrees wrought out what the most perswasive Rhetorick could never accomplish Be ye not therefore unequally yoked says the Apostle for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness c. 2 Cor. 6.14 16. Wherefore come ye out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you But this is the Rock upon which too many split they first look upon all other Men as common and unclean who in Truth are much better than themselves and then not only avoid their Conversation but conclude that they are not to be treated by the Rules of common Honesty And thus by straining the String too high make it Jar and spoil all the Harmony and Consort And therefore I shall more particularly set out the Bounds and Limitations of this Precept and consider how far we must turn away from such Men as have the Form but not the Power of Godliness And first We are not hereby engag'd to quit our particular Engagements or to separate our selves from our Friends and near Relations For the Servant is ty'd to his Master the Child to his Parent the Husband and Wife to each other and no Pretence of greater Sanctity and Purity is sufficient to excuse them from the performance of their Duty Nay we must not so turn away from any Man as to refuse doing good and charitable Offices either to his Soul or Body But rather imitate the Example of our Heavenly Father Matth. 5.45 Who makes his sun to shine and his rain to descend on the just and the unjust Tâ—â— more wicked any Man is and the more infected with the Leprosie of Sin the more need he has of a Physician If therefore we see a Man who has the Form but not the Power of Godliness let us omit no opportunity of reclaiming him from the Evil of his ways let us assist him with seasonable Counsel and Advice and do him all the good Turns that lie in our way remembring that excellent Saying of a Heathen Homo sum humani nihil à me alienum puto I my self am but a Man and therefore no Affliction can happen to any one but I bear my part in it But let us not contract a Familiarity with a vicious or heretical Person let us not lay such an one in our Bosoms or make him our particular Friend but keep such a strict Guard over our selves and be so cautious in our Dealings with him that we may receive no Prejudice by his evil Example We must treat him as we usually do those who are sick of an infectious Disease furnish him with those things he wants Administer to all his pressing Necessities But we are not oblig'd to converse frequently with him or to expose our selves to the Danger of catching that Distemper under which he labours such a Familiarity as this 't is our Duty to avoid Psal 1.1 Blessed is the man says David that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful And in another place I have not dwelt with vain persons Psal 43.4 neither will I have fellowship with the deceitful I have hated the Congregation of the wicked and will not sit among the ungodly I will wash my hands in innocency O Lord and so will I compass thine Altar And when ever the Duties of our Callings oblige us to frequent their Company we must say with the Psalmist Wo is me that I dwell in Mesech Psal 120.5 and take up my Habitation in the tents of Kedar In short let us observe these three Rules 1. Let us imitate them in good things The Form of Godliness the outward Profession of Religion is highly necessary and Praise-worthy Let us therefore imitate them in this Nay Let us go beyond them in a constant attendance on the publick Duties of Religion in the Devotion of our Prayers the Solemnity of our Fasts the becoming Decency of our Worship and in avoiding all such Sins as are not only heinous Offences against God but scandalous amongst Men and uneasie to modest and vertuous Conversation Let that Face and outside of Religion which they put on incite in us a Holy Emulation to outdo them in their own Art For good is still the same in whatsoever Subject 't is found we have no Reason
TEN SERMONS Preach'd before Her Royal Highness THE Princess ANN of Denmark AT THE Chappel at St. James's BY LEWIS ATTERBVRY LL. D. And one of the Six Preachers to Her Royal Highness LONDON Printed by J. H. for Henry Mortlock at the Phoenix in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1699. MVNIFKEâ—TLA REGIA 1715 GEOâ—â—VI D. G. MAG Hâ—VRET â—â—â—XXXPD J. Puâ—â— sulp TO Her Royal Highness THE Princess ANN of DENMARK May it please your Royal Highness TO permit me to Shelter these Sermons under your Protection which were at first Preach'd in your Presence The Design of them is to draw in little that lovely Picture and amiable Idea of Vertue and Holiness which if well consider'd would captivate the Affections of all Men and to lay down the most necessary Rules and prevailing Motives for the Attainment of them And therefore I have been the more Ambitious to prefix your Name since by your Authority you can Command as well as by your Example allure to the Practice of them Your steady adherence to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England your constant Attendance on the Publick Offices of Religion your devout Deportment during the time of Divine Service your Justice in giving to every one their due your Charity to the distress'd and miserable the Innocency and Exemplariness of your Life are so well known to the World so much admir'd and reverenc'd that whatsoever has your favourable Look needs no other Recommendation God grant that you may long continue what you now are an Illustrious Example of Vertue and Piety that you may enjoy all the good things this World can afford you and at last be Crown'd with a late Immortality which is the daily Prayer of Your Royal Highness's Most Humble and Most obedient Servant Lewis Atterbury THE CONTENTS SERMON I. 1 TIM 4. The latter part of the 8th Verse For Godliness is profitable unto all things having the Promises of the Life that now is and that which is to come Pag. 1 SERMON II. Psal 119.59 I thought on my Ways and turned my Feet unto thy Testimonies p. 33 SERMON III. 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of Godliness but denying the Power from such turn away p. 62 SERMON IV. Prov. 19.25 Smite a Scorner and the Simple will beware and reprove one that hath Vnderstanding and he will understand knowledge p. 81 SERMON V. Psal 96.9 O Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness Pag. 104 SERMON VI. 1 Thes 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of Evil p. 127 SERMON VII Eccl. 5.1 Keep thy foot when thou goest into the House of God and be more ready to hear than to give the Sacrifice of Fools for they consider not that they do Evil p. 156 SERMON VIII 2 Cor. 12.9 And he said unto me my Grace is sufficient for thee p. 182 SERMON IX Prov. 4.23 Keep thy Heart with all Diligence For out of it are the Issues of Life p. 205 SERMON X. Matth. 7.12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you do ye so unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets p. 234 SERMON I. 1 TIM IV. The latter part of the 8th Verse For Godliness is profitable unto all things having the Promises of the Life that now is and that which is to come AMONGST the many Artifices which the Devil makes use of to deprive Men of Heaven and eternal Happiness there has none been more fatally successful than the prepossessing their Minds with a false Notion That the way that leads thither is so narrow that 't is unpassable the Gate so straight that there is no entring thro' it and the Difficulties of a good Life so great that they are altogether insuperable 'T is commonly thought that when Men enter upon a Religious Course of Life they must bid adieu to the World and all its Pleasures and Enjoyments and deny themselves the most innocent Gratifications of Sense They must give themselves up to a thoughtful melancholy and morose way of living and retire from all good Company and agreeable Conversation that their whole time must be spent in the Practice of those uneasie Duties of Mortification Self-denial and taking up the Cross and in short that 't is impossible for them to live religiously and to live pleasantly And therefore since they have not any sensible Demonstration of the Happiness of the other World they are resolv'd to enjoy as much as they can in this and to make sure of their Portion here whatsoever becomes of them hereafter Whereas could they be perswaded to make Tryal for some time of a virtuous and religious Life would they but give themselves up for some considerable space to the Practice of Piety and Devotion they must needs be convinced that the most likely way to lead a comfortable cheerful and pleasant Life is to fear God Eccles 12.13 and obey his commandments and that our Happiness doth consist in the performance of our Duty Psal 19.11 For even in keeping his commandments there is great reward and Godliness has the Promises of the Life that now is as well as that which is to come As will appear by considering First That a religious Life promotes our Happiness in this World Secondly It fits and prepares us for the Enjoyment of everlasting Happiness in the Life to come First A religious Life promotes our Happiness in this World And this it performs 1. By promoting the Interest of Mankind in general and 2. Of every private and particular Person I. Obedience to the Precepts of Religion promotes the Interest of Mankind in General The design of the great Creator and Governour of the world is to make all his Creatures as happy as their Capacities will admit of and therefore he has suited his Laws to the Nature of those Beings which are to be govern'd by them that by the observance of his Commands they may not only pay him that Homage which he requires of them but promote their own Happiness also For the same end he sent his Son into the world viz. to be a publick Blessing to all the Nations of the Earth And therefore all those Articles of Faith and Precepts of Morality which he taught his followers were equally for the Interest of all Men to believe and practise nay they are made more or less necessary in proportion to their Tendency to promote the good of Societies and the well being of Mankind Hence Self-love when exclusive of the love of our Neighbour is branded with so odious a Character in the Holy Writ and on the contrary the Duties of Charity Love Peaceableness Meekness Temperance and Justice are so frequently inculcated and recommended to us in the Gospel Because where those are duly and conscientiously practised Princes will be secure in their Prerogatives and the People in their Liberties the Church will support the State and the State protect the Church Parents will be tenderly affected towards their Off-spring and Children dutiful towards their Parents Masters
1 Cor. 9.27 so as to save others and yet he himself numbred amongst the cast aways I shall add no more Instances because this Proposition is plainly affirm'd in the Text not only that there are some that have the Form but not the the Power of Godliness But that many shall deny the Power of Godliness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. they do not only fail in observing it through frailty and infirmity But they wilfully and presumptuously in despight of God's word and their own Consciences Act quite contrary and go directly against it like Herod they are convinc'd of the Evil of their ways and perhaps in part reform their Lives and do many good Deeds but still they are resolv'd to keep their Herodias their beloved Sin and darling Vice and this they will by no means forego even for Heaven it self They say with Naaman the Syrian 2 Kin. 5.18 in this one thing pardon thy Servant And if there are so many who have a Form but not the Power of Godliness then certainly it ought to be our great Care in the 3. Place To make a diligent Search and seriously to consider with our selves whether we have the Power of Godliness or no. And this may be discover'd by the following Marks and Characters set down by St. Paul in this Chapter immediately before the Text Verse 2 3 4. They are says he lovers of themselves covetous proud boasters blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy without natural Affection Truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those who are good Traytors heady high-minded lovers of Pleasure more than lovers of God On the other hand if we would know who they are that have not only the Form of Godliness but also the Power and Spirit of it we are told That the fruits of the Spirit are Love Joy Peace Gal. 5.22 23. Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance But because a wicked and bad Man may counterfeit these Graces so exactly as to deceive not only other Men but himself also I shall therefore lay down four Rules by which any Man who will but honestly and conscientiously examine his own Heart may certainly know whether he has the Power of Godliness or the Form only And they are these 1. Such who have the Power of Godliness will Act out of religious Motives and Principles i. e. They will be Religious because God has made Religion their Duty and has annex'd the Rewards of eternal Happiness to the due Obedience of his Laws Their Religion is not taken up from the Mode and Custom of the place in which they live and only for this Reason because they think it will suit best with their Interest nor do they make it an Engine to carry on their worldly Projects and Designs but they search the Scriptures to find out what is the Will of God and then they readily comport their Obedience to his Commands they look upon serving God as the great Business of their Lives and make all other things truckle and subservient to it Their first and principal Care is to make sure of the Kingdom of Heaven and its Righteousness Matth. 6.33 and then they are not very sollicitous for those other things which will be added thereunto They prefer a good Conscience before all other Comforts this world can afford them and had rather part with Father Mother Wife and Children Mark 10.29 nay their own Lives than deny their great Lord and Master 2. Such as have the Power of Godliness are religious in Private as well as in Publick They who have the true Fear of God and retain awfull Apprehensions of his Majesty consider that his All-seeing Eye is every where and beholds the very intents and purposes of the heart He therefore who is truly Religious is as devout in his Closet as he is in the Church as conscientious in performing his private Devotions as in frequenting the publick Worship of God He is as careful to avoid all unjust Actions tho' he is assur'd they will never be discover'd as he is to prevent open Violence He will not defame back-bite or so much as speak an evil word against his Neighbour tho' he is Morally assur'd it will never come to his ears Nay he will not harbour the least wicked Thought against God or injurious Intent against his Brother because he believes that God who takes notice of all his Thoughts Words and Actions will one day call him to an Account for them Matth. 16.27 and either reward or punish him according to his Deeds 3. That Man who has the Power of Godliness yields an uniform and universal Obedience to all God's Laws he has the same Reason for obeying one Precept which he has for observing the rest and therefore doth not think that his performance of any one part of his Duty will attone for the neglect of the other He doth not take up with the more easie Duties of Religion or avoid only such Vices as are burthensome and unacceptable to him but he performs whatsoever God has Commanded him how contrary soever to his temporal Interests and corrupt Inclinations Heb. 12.1 He forsakes every evil way and lays aside every weight and has respect unto all God's Commandments Luk. 1.6 He doth not endeavour to reconcile God with Mammon or by being nice and exact in performing some of God's Commands to make amends for the breach of the rest but he gives himself up to obey God without any manner of Exception or Reserve and endeavours to serve him with all his Soul with all his Heart and with all his Strength 'T is true a good Man may be guilty of some Sins The weakness of our Nature is such Prov. 24.16 That the most just Man falls seven times a day But tho' he falls yet he quickly rises again by a sincere and hearty Repentance He sets a Watch over himself and resolves to be more careful for the future He doth not willfully and obstinately go on in his Sins but he is sorry for them he Prays and strives against them and by degrees he gets the Victory over them 4. He who has the Power of Godliness is Religious through the whole Course of his Life he doth not only repent of his Sins and obey the Law of God at some certain Times and Seasons but his whole Life is regular and uniform and he maintains the same steady Course of Piety and Devotion Many there are who are very Religious and Devout at some times but then they let the Reins loose at others and think by a strict Observation of some Duties to make amends for those gross Miscarriages they allow themselves in all the rest of their Lives But the truly Religious Man perseveres to the end in Practise of Piety and Holiness He is not indeed always equally zealous and fervent he doth not always worship God with the same Ardency of Affections nor is he always wrought up to the