very mean and below us not very base and misbecoming us as men of reason and judgement What have we to doe but to eat and drink like horses or like swine but to sport and play like children or apes but to bicker and scuffle about trifles and impertinencies like idiots what but to scrape or scramble for useless pelf to hunt after empty shews and shadows of honour or the vain fancies and dreams of men what but to wallow or bask in sordid pleasures the which soon degenerate into remorse and bitterness To which sort of employments were a man confined what a pitifull thing would he be and how inconsiderable were his life Were a man designed onely like a flie to buzz about here for a time sucking in the air and licking the dew then soon to vanish back into nothing or to be transformed into worms how sorry and despicable a thing were he And such without Religion we should be But it supplieth us with business of a most worthy nature and lofty importance it setteth us upon doing things great and noble as can be it engageth us to free our minds from all fond conceits and cleanse our hearts from all corrupt affections to curb our brutish appetites to tame our wild passions to correct our perverse inclinations to conform the dispositions of our Soul and the actions of our life to the eternal laws of righteousness and goodness it putteth us upon the imitation of God and aiming at the resemblance of his perfections upon obtaining a friendship and maintaining a correspondence with the High and Holy one upon fitting our minds for conversation and society with the wisest and purest Spirits above upon providing for an immortal state upon the acquist of joy and glory everlasting It employeth us in the divinest actions of promoting Vertue of performing beneficence of serving the publick and doing good to all the being exercised in which things doth indeed render a man highly considerable and his life excellently valuable 'T is an employment most proper to us as reasonable men For what more proper entertainments can our mind have then to be purifying and beautifying it self to be keeping it self and its subordinate faculties in order to be attending upon the management of thoughts of passions of words of actions depending upon its governance 'T is an employment most beneficial to us in pursuing which we greatly better our selves and improve our condition we benefit and oblige others we procure sound reputation and steddy friendships we decline many irksome mischiefs and annoyances we do not like those in the Prophet spend our labour for that which satisfieth not nor spend our mony for that which is not bread for both temporal prosperity and eternal felicity are the wages of the labour which we take herein 'T is an employment most constant never allowing sloth or listlessness to creep in incessantly busying all our faculties with earnest contention according to that profession of S. Paul declaring the nature thereof Herein always do I exercise my self to have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man Whence it is called a Fight and a Race implying the continual earnestness of attention and activity which is to be spent thereon It is withall a sweet and gratefull business for it is a pious man's character that he delighteth greatly in God's commandments that the commandments are not grievous to him that it is his meat and drink to doe God's will that God's words or precepts are sweeter then hony to his tast that the ways of religious wisedom are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Whereas all other employments are wearisome and soon become loathsome this the farther we proceed in it the more pleasant and satisfactory it groweth There is perpetual matter of victory over bad inclinations pestering us within and strong temptations assailing us without which to combat hath much delight to master breedeth unexpressible content The sense also of God's love the influences of his grace and comfort communicated in the performances of devotion and all duty the satisfaction of good Conscience the assured hope of reward the foretasts of future bliss do season and sweeten all the labours taken all the difficulties undergone therein In fine the bare light of Nature hath discerned that were it not for such matters as these to spend a man's care and pains upon this would be a lamentable world to live in There was for instance an Emperour great and mighty as ever did wield scepter upon earth whose excellent Vertue coupled with wisedom inferiour perhaps to none that any man ever without special inspiration hath been endowed with did qualifie him with most advantage to examine and rightly to judge of things here who not withstanding all the conveniencies which his Royal estate and well-settled prosperity might afford the which surely he had fully tasted and tried did yet thus express his thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What doth it concern me to live in a world void of God or void of Providence To govern the greatest Empire that ever was in the deepest calm to enjoy the largest affluences of wealth of splendour of respect of pleasure to be loved to be dreaded to be served to be adored by so many nations to have the whole civil World obsequious to his will and nod all these things seemed vain and idle not worthy of a man's regard affection or choice in case there were no God to worship no Providence to observe no Piety to be exercised So little worth the while common sense hath adjudged it to live without Religion V. It is a considerable benefit of Piety that it affordeth the best Friendships and sweetest Society Man is framed for Society and cannot live well without it many of his faculties would be useless many of his appetites would rest unsatisfied in solitude To have a friend wise and able honest and good unto whom upon all occasions we may have recourse for advice for assistence for consolation is a great convenience of life and this benefit we owe to Religion which supplieth us with various Friendships of the best kind most beneficial and most sweet unto us It maketh God our Friend a Friend infinitely better then all friends most affectionate and kind most faithfull and sure most able most willing and ever most ready to perform all friendly offices to yield advice in all our doubts succour in all our needs comfort in all our troubles satisfaction to all our desires Unto him it ministreth a free address upon all occasions with him it alloweth us continually a most sweet and pleasant intercourse The pious man hath always the All-wise God to counsel him to guide his actions and order his steps he hath the All-mighty to protect support and relieve him he hath the immense Goodness to commiserate and comfort him unto him he is not onely encouraged but obliged to resort in need upon him
of passion and tedious vexations of body it maintains our minds in a chearfull calm quiet indifferency and comfortable liberty On the other side things of real worth and high concernment that produce great satisfaction to the mind and are mainly conducible to our happiness such as are a right understanding and strong sense of our obligations to Almighty God and relations to men a sound temper and complexion of mind a vertuous disposition a capacity to discharge the duties of our places a due qualification to enjoy the happiness of the other World these and such like things by discovering their nature and the effects resulting from them it engages us highly to esteem ardently to affect and industriously to pursue so preventing the inconveniences that follow the want of them and conveying the benefits arising from the possession of them XIII Wisedom distinguishes the circumstances limits the measures determines the modes appoints the fit seasons of action so preserving decorum and order the parent of peace and preventing confusion the mother of iniquity strife and disquiet 'T is in the business of humane life as in a building a due proportion of bigness a fit situation of place a correspondency of shape and sutableness of colour is to be observed between the parts thereof a defect in any of which requisites though the materials hap to be choice and excellent makes the whole fabrick deformed and ugly to judicious apprehension The best actions if they swell and exceed their due measure if they be unskilfully misplaced if in uncouth manner performed they lose their quality and turn both to the disgrace and disadvantage of life 'T is commendable to pray but they that would always be performing that duty by their absurd devotion procured to themselves the title of Hereticks and they that will stand praying in places of publick concourse deserved our Saviour's reprehensions and those men who against the custom and ordinary use would needs pray with their faces covered you know S. Paul insinuates of them that they were fond and contentious persons Friendly admonition is very laudable and of rare use but being upon all occasions immoderately used or in publick society so as to encroach upon modesty or endammage reputation or when the person admonished is otherwise employed and attent upon his business or being delivered in an imperiously-insulting way or in harsh and opprobrious language it becomes unsavoury and odious and both in shew and effect resembles a froward malicious exceptiousness 'T were infinite to compute in how many instances want of due order measure and manner do spoil and incommodate action 'T is Wisedom that applies remedy to these mischiefs Things must be compared to and arbitrated by her standard or else they will contain something of monstrous enormity either strutting in unwieldy bulk or sinking in defective scantness If she do not fashion and model circumstances they will sit ugly on the things that wear them if she do not temper the colours and describe the lineaments the draught of practice will be but rude and imperfect and little resemble the true patterns of duty but if she interpose and perform her part all things will appear conformable neat and delicate XIV Wisedom discovers our relations duties and concernments in respect of men with the natural grounds of them thereby both qualifying and inclining us to the discharge of them whence exceeding convenience pleasure and content ensues By it we understand we are parts and members of the great Body the Universe and are therefore concerned in the good management of it and are thereby obliged to procure its order and peace and by no irregular undertaking to disturb or discompose it which makes us honest and peaceable men that we proceed from the same primitive stock are children of the same father and partake of the same bloud with all men are endowed with like faculties of mind passions of Soul shape of body and sense of things that we have equally implanted in our original constitution inclinations to love pity gratitude sociableness quiet joy reputation that we have an indispensable need and impatient desire of company of assistence comfort and relief that therefore it is according to the design of nature and agreeable to reason that to those to whom our natural condition by so many bands of cognation similitude and mutual necessitude hath knit and conjoyned us we should bear a kind respect and tender affection should chearfully concurre in undergoing the common burthens should heartily wish and industriously promote their good assist them in accomplishing their reasonable desires thankfully requite the courtesies received from them congratulate and rejoyce with them in their prosperity comfort them in their distresses and as we are able relieve them however tenderly compassionate their disappointments miseries and sorrows This renders us kind and courteous neighbours sweet and gratefull companions It represents unto us the dreadfull effects and insupportable mischiefs arising from breach of faith contravening the obligations of solemn pacts infringing publick laws deviating from the received rules of equity violating promises and interrupting good correspondence among men by which considerations it engages us to be good citizens obedient subjects just dealers and faithfull friends It minds us of the blindness impotence and levity the proneness to mistake and misbehaviour that humane nature necessarily is subject to deserving rather our commiseration then anger or hatred which prompts us to bear the infirmities of our brethren to be gentle in censure to be insensible of petty affronts to pardon injuries to be patient exorable and reconcilable to those that give us greatest cause of offence It teaches us the good may but the evil of our neighbour can in no wise advantage us that from the suffering of any man simply considered no benefit can accrue nor natural satisfaction arise to us and that therefore 't is a vain base brutish and unreasonable thing for any cause whatsoever to desire or delight in the grief pain or misery of our neighbour to hate or envy him or insult over him or devise mischief to him or prosecute revenge upon him which makes us civil noble and placable enemies or rather no enemies at all So that Wisedom is in effect the genuine parent of all moral and political vertue justice and honesty as Solomon says in her person I lead in the way of righteousness and in the midst of the paths of judgment And how sweet these are in the practice how comfortable in the consequences the testimony of continual experience and the unanimous consent of all wise men sufficiently declare But farther XV. The principal advantage of Wisedom is its acquainting us with the Nature and reason of true Religion and affording convictive arguments to persuade to the Practice of it which is accompanied with the purest delight and attended with the most solid content imaginable I say the Nature of Religion wherein it consists and what it requires the mistake of which produceth daily
so many mischiefs and inconveniences in the world and exposes so good a name to so much reproach It sheweth it consisteth not in fair professions and glorious pretences but in real practice not in a pertinacious adherence to any Sect or party but in a sincere love of goodness and dislike of naughtiness where-ever discovering it self not in vain ostentations and flourishes of outward performance but in an inward good complexion of mind exerting it self in works of true Devotion and Charity not in a nice orthodoxie or politick subjection of our judgments to the peremptory dictates of men but in a sincere love of Truth in a hearty approbation of and compliance with the Doctrines fundamentally good and necessary to be believed not in harsh censuring and virulently inveighing against others but in carefull amending our own ways not in a peevish crosness and obstinate repugnancy to received laws and customs but in a quiet and peaceable submission to the express Laws of God and lawfull commands of man not in a furious zeal for or against trivial circumstances but in a conscionable practising the substantial parts of Religion not in a frequent talking or contentious disputing about it but in a ready observance of the unquestionable rules and prescripts of it In a word that Religion consists in nothing else but doing what becomes our relation to God in a conformity or similitude to his Nature and in a willing obedience to his holy Will to which by potent incentives it allures and persuades us by representing to us his transcendentlyglorious Attributes conspicuously displayed in the frame order and government of the World that wonderfull Power which erected this great and goodly fabrick that incomprehensible Wisedom which preserves it in a constant harmony that immense Goodness which hath so carefully provided for the various necessities delights and comforts of its innumerable inhabitants I say by representing those infinitely-glorious Perfections it engages us with highest respect to esteem reverence and honour him Also by minding us of our manifold obligations to him our receiving being life reason sense all the faculties powers excellencies privileges and commodities of our natures from him of his tender Care and loving Providence continually supporting and protecting us of his liberal Beneficence patient Indulgence and earnest desire of our good and happiness by manifold expressions evidently manifested toward us it inflames us with ardent love and obliges us to officious gratitude toward him Also by declaring the necessary and irreconcilable contrariety of his Nature to all impurity and perverseness his peerless Majesty his irresistible Power and his all-seeing Knowledge it begets an awfull dread and a devout fear of him By discovering him from his infinite Benignity willing and from his unlimited Power onely able to supply our needs relieve us in distresses protect us from dangers and confer any valuable benefit upon us it engenders Faith and encourages us to rely upon him By revealing to us his supereminent Sovereignty uncontrollable Dominion and unquestionable Authority over us together with the admirable excellency wisedom and equity of his Laws so just and reasonable in themselves so suitable to our nature so conducible to our good so easie and practicable so sweet and comfortable it powerfully inclines and by a gentle force as it were constrains us to obedience By such efficacious inducements Wisedom urges us to all duties of Religion and withall surely directs us as I before said wherein it consists teaching us to have right and worthy apprehensions of the Divine nature to which our Devotion if true and good must be suited and conformed and so it frees us as from irreligion and profane neglect of God so from fond superstitions the sources of so much evil to mankind For he that wisely hath considered the Wisedom Goodness and Power of God cannot imagine God can with a regardless eye overlook his presumptuous contempts of his Laws or endure him to proceed in an outrageous defiance of Heaven to continue hurting himself or injuring his neighbour nor can admit unreasonable terrours or entertain suspicious conceits of God as of an imperious Master or implacable Tyrant over him exacting impossible performances from or delighting in the fatal miseries of his Creatures nor can suppose him pleased with hypocritical shews and greatly taken with superficial courtships of ceremonious address or that he can in any wise favour our fiery zeals fierce passions or unjust partialities about matter of opinion and ceremony or can doe otherwise then detest all factious harsh uncharitable and revengefull proceedings of what nature or upon what ground soever or that he can be so inconsistent with himself as to approve any thing but what is like himself that is Righteousness Sincerity and Beneficence Lastly Wisedom attracts the Favour of God purchaseth a glorious Reward and secureth perpetual Felicity to us For God loveth none but him that dwelleth with wisedom And Glorious is the fruit of good labour and the root of wisedom shall never fall away And Happy is the man that sindeth wisedom and Whoso findeth her findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. These are the words of wise Solomon in the Book of Wisedom and in the Proverbs God loveth her as most agreeable to his nature as resembling him as an off-spring beam and efflux of that Wisedom which founded the earth and established the Heavens as that which begetteth honour love and obedience to his Commands and truly glorifies him and as that which promotes the good of his Creatures which he earnestly desires And the paths she leads in are such as directly tend to the promised Inheritance of joy and bliss Thus have I simply and plainly presented you with part of what my meditation suggested upon this Subject It remains that we endeavour to obtain this excellent endowment of Soul by the faithfull exercise of our Reason carefull observation of things diligent study of the Divine Law watchfull reflexion upon our selves vertuous and religious practice but especially by imploring the Divine influence the original spring of light and fountain of all true knowledge following S. James his advice If any man lack wisedom let him ask it of God who giveth freely Therefore O everlasting Wisedom the Maker Redeemer and Governour of all things let some comfortable Beams from thy great Body of heavenly Light descend upon us to illuminate our dark minds and quicken our dead hearts to enflame us with ardent love unto thee and to direct our steps in obedience to thy Laws through the gloomy shades of this world into that region of eternal light and bliss where thou reignest in perfect Glory and Majesty one God ever-Blessed world without end Amen The Second Sermon 1 TIM 4. 8. But Godliness is profitable for all things HOW generally men with most unanimous consent are devoted to Profit as to the immediate scope of their designs and aim of their doings if with the slightest attention we view what is
were there but any small reason for a Judgment to come as there are apparently very many and great ones had most men conspired in denying Providence as ever generally they have consented in avowing it were there a pretence of miracles for establishing the Mortality and Impunity of Souls as there have been numberless strongly testified by good witnesses and great events to confirm the opposite doctrines did most wise and sober men judge in favour of Irreligion as commonly they ever did and still do otherwise yet wisedom would require that men should chuse to be pious since otherwise no man can be throughly secure It is a wildness not to dread the least possibility of incurring such horrible mischiefs any hazzard of such importance cannot but startle a man in his wits To be in the least obnoxious to eternal Torments if men would think upon it as men that is as rational and provident creatures could not but disturb them And indeed so it is in experience for what-ever they say or seem all Atheists and profane men are inwardly suspicious and fearfull they care not to dy and would gladly scape the trial of what shall follow death But let us grant or imagine the Epicurean successfull as he could wish in this enterprize of subduing Religion yet except therewith he can also trample down Reason new mould humane nature subjugate all natural appetites and passions alter the state of things here and transform the world he will yet in greatest part fail of his conceited advantages very short he will fall of triumphing in a contented and quiet mind That which accrueth thence will at most be no more then some negative content or a partial indolency arising from his being rescued from some particular cares and fears which exceedeth not the tranquillity of a beast or the stupidity of one that is out of his senses that is all he can claim which yet is more then he can ever compass For he cannot be as a Beast or a meer Sot if he would Reason reflecting on present evils and boding others future will afflict him his own unsatiable desires unavoidable fears and untameable passions will disquiet him Were the other world quite out of his faith or his thought yet this world would yield trouble sufficient to render him void of any steddy rest or solid joy All men ever have and ever will complain that the burthens crosses satieties of this life do much surpass the conveniences and comforts of it So that were no other to be expected or feared this of it self would become grievous and nauseous we should soon have enough or too much of it without a support and supply from other-where In the largest affluence of things in the deepest calm of our state we are apt to nauseate and are weary even of our prosperity it self the which indeed commonly hath ingredients not onely somewhat unsavoury but very bitter and loathsome We may adde that had those profane attempters quite banished Religion they with it must have driven away all the benefits and comforts of it which even supposing them but imaginary are yet the greatest which common life doth need or can desire with it they would send packing Justice Fidelity Charity Sobriety and all solid Vertue things which cannot firmly subsist without Conscience which being gone humane life would be the most disorderly most unsafe most wretched and contemptible thing that can be nothing but insipid and flashy sensualities would be left behind to comfort a man with and those hardly any man by reason of competitions and contentions for them no-wise restrainable could enjoy quietly or safely It is therefore Piety alone which by raising hopes of blessings and joys incomparably superiour to any here that cannot be taken from us can lay any ground of true content of substantial and positive content such as consisteth not onely in removing the objects and causes of vexatious passions but in employing the most pleasant affections love hope joy with a delightfull complacence upon their proper and most noble objects The Kingdom of God and that onely no other Kingdom hath that privilege consisteth in righteousness first then in peace and spiritual joy No Philosopher with truth and reason can make that overture to us which our Lord doth Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and ye shall find rest to your souls Out of Religion there can be no Aphorism pretended like to that of the Prophet Thou shalt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee If indeed we distinctly survey all the grounds and sources of Content it will appear that Religion onely can afford it Doth it result from a well governing and ordering our Passions Then it is plain that onely a pious man is capable thereof for Piety onely can effect that it alone with the powerfull aid of Divine Grace doth guide our passions by exact rules doth set them upon worthy objects doth temper and tune them in just harmony doth seasonably curb and check them doth rightly correct and reform them This no bare Reason which naturally is so dim and so feeble in man can atchieve much less can Unreasonableness doe it which is ever prevalent in irreligious persons Their Passions do ever run wildly and at randome in no good pace within no good compass toward the meanest and basest objects whence they can have no rest or quiet in their minds As they are constantly offending so will they ever be punishing themselves with intestine broils and conflicts with dissatisfactions and regrets Hence There is no peace to the wicked He is like the troubled sea which cannot rest God as S. Austine speaketh hath said it and so it is Every inordinate mind is a punishment to it self Doth Content spring from a hearty approbation of or a complacence in a man 's own actions from reflexion that he constantly doth act according to reason and wisedom to justice and duty Then can the pious man alone pretend to it who knoweth that he walketh inoffensively toward God and man that he consulteth his own best interest and welfare that assuredly no bad consequence can attend his unblameable behaviour that most wise men have declared their approbation of his proceedings that if he prove in his chief design mistaken yet no mischief can thence befall him yea that he is not thereby quite disappointed seeing even much present satisfaction and convenience do arise up to him from his practice Doth Content grow from a sound and healthfull constitution of Soul It is the pious man alone that hath that whose mind is clear from distempers of vice and passion The impious man is infirm out of order full of disease and pain according to the Prophet's description of him The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores Doth
he may he ought to discharge all his cares and burthens It consequently doth engage all creatures in the world to be our friends or instruments of good to us according to their several capacities by the direction and disposal of God All the servants of our great Friend will in compliance to him be serviceable to us Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee So Job's friend promiseth him upon condition of Piety And God himself confirmeth that promise In that day saith he in the Prophet will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground And again When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee And The sun shall not smite thee by day nor the moon by night Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under foot They shall take up scorpions and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them so our Lord promised to his Disciples Not onely the Heavens shall dispense their kindly influences and the Earth yield her plentifull stores and all the Elements discharge their natural and ordinary good offices nor onely the tame and sociable creatures shall upon this condition faithfully serve us but even the most wild most fierce most ravenous most venomous creatures shall if there be need prove friendly and helpfull or at least harmless to us as were the Ravens to Elias the Lions to Daniel the Viper to S. Paul the Fire to the Three Children But especially Piety doth procure the friendship of the good Angels that puissant hoast of glorious and happy Spirits they all do tenderly love the pious person they are ever ready to serve and doe him good to protect him from danger to aid him in his undertakings to rescue him from mischiefs What an honour what a blessing is this to have such an innumerable company of noble Friends the Courtiers and Favourites of Heaven deeply concerned and constantly vigilant for our welfare It also engageth the blessed Saints in glory the Spirits of men perfected the Church of the first-born to bear dearest affection to us to further our prosperity with their good wishes and earnest prayers mightily prevalent with God It rendreth all sorts of men our friends To good men it uniteth us in holy communion the communion of brotherly charity and hearty good will attended with all the good offices they are able to perform to other men it reconcileth and endeareth us for that innocent and inoffensive courteous and benign charitable and beneficent demeanour such as Piety doth require and produce are apt to conciliate respect and affection from the worst men For Vincit malos pertinax bonitas men hardly can persist enemies to him whom they perceive to be their friend and such the pious man in disposition of mind and in effect when occasion serveth is toward all men being sensible of his obligation to love all men and as he hath opportunity to doe good to all men It assureth and more strictly endeareth our friends to us For as it maketh us hearty faithfull constant friends to others so it reciprocally tieth others to us in the like sincerity and fastness of good will It reconcileth enemies For when a man's ways do please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him It hath a natural efficacy to that purpose and Divine blessing promoteth it By it all conversation becometh tolerable gratefull and usefull For a pious man is not easily disturbed with any crossness or perverseness any infirmity or impertinency of those he converseth with he can bear the weaknesses and the failings of his company he can by wholsome reflexions upon all occurrences advantage and please himself In fine Piety rendreth a man a true friend and a good companion to himself satisfied in himself able to converse freely and pleasantly with his own thoughts It is for the want of pious inclinations and dispositions that solitude a thing which sometimes cannot be avoided which often should be embraced is to most men so irksome and tedious that men do carefully shun themselves and fly from their own thoughts that they decline all converse with their own Souls and hardly dare look upon their own hearts and Consciences whence they become aliens from home wholly unacquainted with themselves most ignorant of their own nearest concernments no faithfull friends or pleasant companions to themselves so for refuge and ease they unseasonably run into idle or lewd conversation where they disorder and defile themselves But the pious man is like Scipio never less alone then when alone his solitude and retirement is not onely tolerable but commonly the most gratefull and fruitfull part of his life he can ever with much pleasure and more advantage converse with himself digesting and marshalling his thoughts his affections his purposes into good order searching and discussing his heart reflecting on his past ways enforcing his former good resolutions and framing new ones enquiring after edifying truths stretching his meditations toward the best and sublimest objects raising his hopes and warming his affections toward spiritual and heavenly things asking himself pertinent questions and resolving incident doubts concerning his practice in fine conversing with his best Friend in devotion with admiration and love contemplating the Divine perfections displayed in the works of nature of providence of grace praising God for his excellent benefits and mercies confessing his defects and offences deprecating wrath and imploring pardon with grace and ability to amend praying for the supply of all his wants All which performances yield both unconceivable benefit and unexpressible comfort So that Solitude that which is to common nature so offensive to corrupt nature so abominable is to the pious man extremely commodious and comfortable which is a great advantage peculiar to Piety and the last which I shall mention So many and many more then I can express vastly great and precious advantages do accrue from Piety so that well may we conclude with S. Paul that Godliness is profitable for all things It remaineth that if we be wise we should if we yet have it not ingraffed in us labour to acquire it if we have it that we should endeavour to improve it by constant exercise to the praise of God the good of our neighbour and our own comfort Which that we may effectually perform Almighty God in mercy vouchsafe by his grace through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom for ever be all glory and praise Amen The Fourth Sermon 1 SAM 2. 30. For them that honour me I will honour THE
dispositions when without both great blame and much dammage to our selves we cannot neglect it times there be most proper and acceptable when we do especially need to pray and when we are likely to speed well therein Every one saith the Psalmist that is godly will pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found and My prayer saith he again is unto thee in an acceptable time Thus when we have received any singular blessing or notable favour from God when prosperous success hath attended our honest enterprises when we have been happily rescued from imminent dangers when we have been supported in difficulties or relieved in wants and streights then is it seasonable to render sacrifices of Thanksgiving and praise to the God of victory help and mercy to admire and celebrate him who is our strength and our deliverer our faithfull refuge in trouble our fortress and the rock of our salvation To omit this piece of Devotion then is vile ingratitude or stupid negligence and sloth When any rare object or remarkable occurrence doth upon this theater of the world present it self to our view in surveying the glorious works of Nature or the strange events of Providence then is a proper occasion suggested to send up hymns of Praise to the power the wisedom the goodness of the World 's great Creatour and Governour When we undertake any business of special moment and difficulty then it is expedient wisedom prompting it to sue for God's aid to commit our affairs into his hand to recommend our endeavours to the blessing of him by whose guidance all things are ordered without whose concourse nothing can be effected upon whose arbitrary disposal all success dependeth The beginning of any design or business although ordinary if considerable is a proper season of Prayer unto him to whose bounty and favour we owe our ability to act support in our proceedings any comfortable issue of what we doe for All our sufficiency is of him without him we can doe nothing Whence we can never apply our selves to any business or work not go to eat to sleep to travel to trade to study with any true content any reasonable security any satisfactory hope if we do not first humbly implore the favourable protection guidance and assistence of God When we do fall into doubts or darknesses in the course either of our spiritual or secular affairs not knowing what course to steer or which way to turn our selves a case which to so blind and silly creatures as we are must often happen then doth the time bid us to consult the great Oracle of truth the mighty Counsellour the Father of lights seeking resolution and satisfaction light and wisedom from him saying with the Psalmist Shew me thy ways O Lord lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me following the advice of S. James If any man lack wisedom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him When any storm of danger blustereth about us perillously threatning or furiously assailing us with mischief so that hardly by our own strength or wit we can hope to evade then with the wings of ardent Devotion we should fly unto God for shelter and for relief When any anxious care distracteth or any heavy burthen presseth our minds we should by Prayer ease our selves of them and discharge them upon God committing the matter of them to his care and providence according to that direction of S. Paul Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God When we do lie under any irksome trouble or sore distress of want pain disgrace then for succour and support for ease and comfort we should have recourse to the Father of pities and God of all consolation who is nigh to all that call upon him will also hear their cry and will save them who when the righteous cry doth hear them and delivereth them out of all their troubles who is so often stvled the hiding place from troubles the help and strength the shield and buckler the rock the fortress the high tower the horn of salvation to all good and distressed people To him we should in such a condition have recourse imitating the pious Psalmist whose practice was this In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord I poured out my complaint before him I shewed before him my trouble I called unto the Lord in my distress the Lord answered me and set me in a large place When any strong temptation doth invade us with which by our own strength we cannot grapple but are like to sink and faulter under it then is it opportune and needfull that we should seek to God for a supply of spiritual forces and the succour of his Almighty grace as S. Paul did when there was given to him a thorn in the flesh a messenger of Satan to buffet him then he besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from him and he had this return from God My grace is sufficient for thee When also from ignorance or mistake from inadvertency negligence or rashness from weakness from wantonness from presumption we have transgressed our duty and incurred sinfull guilt then for avoiding the consequent danger and vengeance for unloading our Consciences of the burthen and discomfort thereof with humble confession in our mouths and serious contrition in our hearts we should apply our selves to the God of mercy deprecating his wrath and imploring pardon from him remembring that promise of S. John If we confess our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity and that declaration of the Wise man He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy In these and the like cases God by our necessities doth invite and summon us to come unto him and no less foolish then impious we are if we do then slink away or fly from him Then we should as the Apostle to the Hebrews exhorteth come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need or for seasonable relief And beside those outwardly prompting and urging us there be other opportunities springing from within us which we are no less obliged and concerned to embrace When God by his gentle whispers calleth us or by his soft impulses draweth us into his presence we should then take heed of stopping our ears or turning our hearts from him refusing to hearken or to comply We must not any-wise quench or damp any sparks of devout affection kindled in us by the Divine Spirit we must not repell
them can so demonstrate it as doth the wishing them well in our hearts and from thence framing particular addresses to the Divine Majesty for their welfare Then which practice there can be no surer argument that we hold them in great account and consideration And how indeed can we much honour them for whom we do not vouchsafe so much as to offer our good wishes or to mention them in our intercessions unto him who requireth us to make them for all men and particularly for those for whom we are concerned Doth not this omission evidently place them in the lowest rank beneath the meanest of our friends and relations doth it not imply a very slender regard had to them And as for Obedience Prayer for Princes is clearly an instance thereof seeing it may be supposed that all Princes do require it from their Subjects Not only Christian Princes who believe God the sole Dispenser of all good things and the great efficacy of Devotion in procuring them from him may be deemed to exact this beneficial office from us but even Heathens and Infidels from their dim notion of a Sovereign Providence which hath ever been common in the World have made an account of this practice as we may see by that Decree of the Persian King in Ezra charging his Officers to furnish the Jewish Elders with sacrifices that said he they may offer sacrifices of sweet savour unto the God of Heaven and pray for the life of the King and of his Sons And that such was the practice of the Romans even in their Heathenish State doth appear from those words of Pliny We have saith he been wont to make vows for the eternity of the Empire and for the welfare of the Citizens yea for the welfare of the Princes and in their behalf for the eternity of the Empire Not only pious Princes with a serious desire will expect this Duty from us but even profane ones in policy will demand it as a decent testimony of respect to them and a proper means of upholding their State that they may seem to have place in the most serious regards and solemn performances of their Subjects So that to neglect this Duty is ever a violation of our due obedience and a kind of disloyalty to them Again 7. The Praying for Princes is a service peculiarly honourable and very acceptable to God which he will interpret as a great respect done to himself for that thereby we honour his image and character in them yielding in his presence this special respect to them as his Representatives for that thereby we avow his Government of the world by them as his Ministers and Deputies for that thereby we acknowledg all Power derived from him and depending on his pleasure we ascribe to him an Authority paramount above all earthly Potentates we imply our persuasion that he alone is absolute Sovereign of the world the King of Kings and Lord of Lords so that Princes are nothing otherwise than in subordination to him can do nothing without his succour do owe to him all their power their safety their prosperity and welfare for that in fine thereby disclaiming all other confidences in any son of man we signifie our intire submission to God's will and sole confidence in his Providence This service therefore is a very grateful kind of adoring our Almighty Lord and as such S. Paul recommendeth it in the words immediately subjoyned to our Text For this saith he is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 8. Let us consider that whereas wisedom guiding our Piety and Charity will especially incline us to place our Devotion there where it will be most needful and useful we therefore chiefly must pray for Kings because they do most need our Prayers Their Office is most high and hard to discharge well or happy wherefore they need extraordinary supplies of Gifts and Graces from the Divine bounty Their Affairs are of greatest weight and importance requiring answerable skill and strength to steer and wield them wherefore they need from the Fountain of wisdom and power special communications of light of courage of ability to conduct to support to fortifie them in their managements they need that God should uphold them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with that Princely Spirit for which King David prayed They often are to deliberate about matters of dark and uncertain consequence they are to judge in cases of dubious and intricate nature the which to resolve prudently or to determine uprightly no humane wisdom sufficiently can enable wherefore they need the spirit of counsel and the spirit of judgment from the sole dispenser of them the great Counsellor and most righteous Judge The wisest and ablest of them hath reason to pray with Solomon Give thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and bad for who is able to judge this thy so great a people That so what the Wise man saith may be verified A divine sentence is in the lips of the King his mouth transgresseth not in judgment and that of the wise woman As an Angel of God so is my Lord the King to discern good and bad They commonly are engaged in enterprises of greatest difficulty insuperable by the might or industry of man in regard to which we may say with Hâ—nnah By strength shall no man prevail with the Preacher The race is not to the swift nor the battel to the strong with the Psalmist There is no King saved by the multitude of an host wherefore they need aid and succour from the Almighty to carry them through and bless their designs with success They are most exposed to Dangers and Disasters standing like high towers most obnoxious to the winds and tempests offortune having usually many envious ill-willers many disaffected male-contents many both open enemies and close insidiatours from whose force or treachery no humane providence can sufficiently guard them they do therefore need the protection of the ever-vigilant Keeper of Israel to secure them for Except the Lord keepeth the City the watchman waketh but in vain Except the Lord preserve the King his guards his armies surround him to no purpose They have the natural Infirmities of other men and far beyond other men are subject to external Temptations The malicious Spirit as in the case of Job of David of Ahab of Joshua the High Priest is expressed is ever waiting for occasion ever craving permission of God to seduce and pervert them success therein being extreamly conducible to his villainous designs The World continually doth assault them with all its advantages with all its baits of pleasure with all its incitements to pride and vanity to oppression and injustice to sloth to luxury to exorbitant self-will and self-conceit to every sort of vicious practice Their eminency of state their affluence of wealth their uncontrollable power their
as not to discern God's Hand when it was made bare raised up and stretched out in the atchievement of most prodigious works not to reade Providence when set forth in the largest and fairest print such as those of whom 't is said in the Psalm Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Aegypt and those of whom 't is observed in the Gospel Though he had done so many miracles before them yet they believed not such as the mutinous people who although they beheld the earth swallowing up Corah with his Complices and a Fire from the Lord consuming the men that offered Incense yet presently did fall a-charging Moses and Aaron saying Ye have killed the People of the Lord. No wonder then if many do not perceive the same Hand when it is wrapp'd up in a complication with inferiour causes when it is not lifted up so high or so far extended in miraculous performances The special Providence of God in events here effected or ordered by him is indeed commonly not discernible without good judgment and great care it is not commonly impressed upon events in characters so big and clear as to be legible to every eye or to any eye not endued with a sharp perspicacy not implying an industrious heedfulness the tracts thereof are too fine and subtil to be descried by a dimme sight with a transient glance or upon a gross veiw it is seldome so very conspicuous that persons incredulous or any-wise indisposed to admit it can easily be convinced thereof or constrained to acknowledg it it is often upon many accounts from many causes very obscure and not easily discernible to the most sagacious most watchful most willing observers For the instruments of Providence being free agents acting with unaccountable variety nothing can happen which may not be imputed to them with some colourable pretence Divine and humane influences are so twisted and knit together that it is hard to sever them The manner of Divine efficacy is so very soft and gentle that we cannot easily trace its footsteps God designeth not commonly to exert his hand in a notorious way but often purposely doth conceal it Whereas also it is not fit to charge upon God's special hand of Providence any event wherein special ends of wisedom or goodness do not shine it is often hard to discover such ends which usually are wrap'd in perplexities because God acteth variously according to the circumstances of things and the disposition capacity or state of objects so as to doe the same thing for different ends and different things for the same end because there are different ends unto which Providence in various order and measure hath regard which our short and narrow prospect cannot reach because God in prosecution of his ends is not wont to proceed in the most direct and compendious way but windeth about in a large circuit enfolding many concurrent and subordinate designs because the expediency of things to be permitted or performed doth not consist in single acts or events but in many conspiring to one common end because we cannot apprehend the consequences nor ballance the conveniencies of things in order to good ends because we are apt to measure things by their congruity to our opinions expectations and affections because many proceedings of God depend upon grounds inaccessible to our apprehension such as his own secret Decrees the knowledge of mens thoughts close purposes clandestine designes true qualifications and merits his prescience of contingent events and what the result will be from the combination of numberless causes because sometimes he doth act in methods of Wisdom and by rules of Justice surpassing our capacity to know either from the finiteness of our nature or the â—eebleness of our reason or the meanness of our state and circumstances here because also the Divine administration of affairs hath no compleat determination or final issue here that being reserved to the great day of reckoning and judgment It is further also expedient that many occurrences should be puzzling to us to quash our presumption to exercise our faith to quicken our industry to engage us upon adoâ—ing that Wisedom which we cannot comprehend Upon such accounts for such causes which time will not give me leave to explain and exemplifie the special Providence of God is often cloudy is seldom so clear that without great heed and confideration we can perceive it But however to do so is plainly our duty and therefore possible For our Reason was not given us to be idle upon so important occasions or that we should be as brute Spectatours of what God doeth He surely in the Governance of his noblest creature here discovereth his Being and displayeth his Attributes we therefore carefully should observe it He thereby and no otherwise in a publick way doth continually speak and signifie to us his mind and fit it is that we his subjects should hear should attend to the least intimations of his pleasure To him thence glory should accrue the which who but we can render and that we may render it we must know the grounds of it In fine for the support of God's Kingdom for upholding the reverence due to his administration of Justice among us it is requisite that by apparent dispensation of recompences Duty should be encouraged and Disobedience checked very foolish therefore we must be if we regard not such dispensations So Reason dictateth and Holy Scripture more plainly declareth our obligation to consider and perceive God's doings To doe so is recommended to us as a singular point of wisedom whose is wise and will observe these things they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. Let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness judgment and righteousness in the earth Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them For the ways of the Lord are right c. We are vehemently provoked thereto Understand ye brutish among the people and ye fools when will ye be wise They are reproved for neglect and defailance who do not regard the work of the Lord nor the operation of his hand The not discerning Providence is reproached as a piece of shameful folly A brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand and of woful pravity O ye hypocrites ye can discern the face of the Skie but how is it that ye cannot discern this time To contemplate and study Providence is the practice of Good men I will meditate on all thy works saith the Psalmist chiefly respecting works of this kind and The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein It is a fit matter of Devotion warranted by the practice of good men to implore God's manifestation of his Justice and Power this way O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy self lift up thy self thou
of men shall often be legible in the recompences conferred or inflicted on them not according to the natural result of their practice but with a comely reference thereto apt to raise in them a sense of God's Hand and to wring from them an acknowledgment of his Equity in so dealing with them So when humble Modesty is advanced to honour and ambitious Confidence is thrown into disgrace when Liberality is blessed with encrease and Avarice is cursed with decay of estate when Craft incurreth disappointment and Simplicity findeth good success when haughty Might is shattered and helpless Innocence is preserved when the Calumnious tongue is blistered the Flattering lips are cut off the Blasphemous throat is torn out when bloody Oppressours have blood given them to drink and come to welter in their own gore an accident which almost continually doth happen when Treacherous men by their own Confidents or by themselves are betrayed when Retaliations of vengeance are ministred extorting confessions like to that of Adoni-bezek As I have done so God hath requited me deserving such exprobrations as that of Samuel to Agaeg As thy sword hath made women childless so shall thy mother be childless among women grounding such reflexions as that concerning Antiochus Thus the murtherer and blasphemer having suffered most grievously as he entreated other men so died he a miserable death By such Occurrences the finger of God doth point out and indicate it self they speak themselves immediately to come from that just God who doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 render to men answerably to their doings who payeth men their due sometimes in value often in specie according to the strictest way of reckoning He as the Prophet saith is great in counsel and mighty in work for his eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men to give every one according to his ways and according to the fruits of his doings This indeed is a sort of administration most conformable to God's exact justice and most conducible to his holy designs of instructing and correcting offenders He therefore hath declared it to be his way It is saith the Prophet directing his speech to the instruments of Divine vengeance upon Babylon the vengeance of the Lord take vengeance upon her as she hath done do unto her And The day of the Lord saith another Prophet concerning the like judgment upon Edom is near upon all the Heathen As thou hast done it shall be done unto thee thy reward shall return upon thine own head Thereby doth God mean to declare himself the Judge and Governour of men For I will saith he in Ezekiel do unto them after their way and according to their deserts will I judge them and they shall know that I am the Lord. Farther 7. Another argument of special Providence is the Harmonious conspiracy of various Accidents to one End or Effect If that one thing should hit advantageously to the production of some considerable Event it may with some plausibility be attributed to Fortune or common Providence yet that divers things having no dependence or coherence one with the other in divers places through several times shall all joyn their forces to compass it cannot well otherwise then be ascribed to God's special Care wisely directing to his own Hand powerfully wielding those concurrent instruments to one good purpose For it is beside the nature it is beyond the reach of Fortune to range various causes in such order Blind Fortune cannot apprehend or catch the seasons and junctures of things which arise from the motions of causes in their nature indifferent and arbitrary to it therefore no such event can reasonably be imputed So to the bringing about our Lord's Passion that great Event which is so particularly assigned to God's Hand we may observe the monstrous Treachery of Judas the strange Malignity of the Jewish Rulers the prodigious Levity of the People the wonderful Easiness of Pilate with other notable accidents to have jumped in order thereto So also that a malicious Traitour should conceive kindness toward any that he should be mistaken in the object of his favour that he should express his mind in a way subject to deliberate examination in terms apt to breed suspicion where the Plot was laid that the Counsellours should despise it and yet not smother it that the King instantly by a light darted into his mind should descry it these things so happily meeting may argue God who mouldeth the hearts who guideth the hands who enlightneth the minds of men to have been engaged in the detection of this day 's black Conspiracy Such are some characters of special Providence each of which singly appearing in any occurrence would in a considerate man breed an opinion thereof each of them being very congruous to the supposition of it no-such appearances being otherwise so clearly and cleverly explicable as by assigning the Divine Hand for their principal cause But the connexion of them all in one Event when divers odd accidents do befal at a seasonable time according to exigency for the publick benefit the preservation of Princes the security of God's People the protection of right the maintenance of Truth and Piety according to the wishes and prayers of good men with proper retribution and vengeance upon the wretched designers of mischief such a complication I say of these marks in one Event may throughly suffice to raise a firm persuasion to force a confident acknowledgment concerning God's Providence in any considerate and ingenuous person it readily will dispose such persons upon any such occasion to say This is the Lord 's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Notwithstanding therefore any obscurity or intricacy that sometime may appear in the course of Providence notwithstanding any general exceptions that may by perverse incredulity be alleged against the conduct of things there are good marks observable whereby if we are not very blockish drowzy supine lazy or froward if we will consider wisely with industrious attention and care with minds pure from vain prejudices and corrupt affections we may discern and understand God's doing Which to do is the First Duty specified in our Text upon which having insisted so largely I shall hoping you will favour me with a little patience briefly touch the rest II. It is the Duty of us all upon such remarkable occurrences of Providence to fear God All men 't is said shall fear It is our Duty in such cases to be affected with all sorts of fear with a fear of awful dread with a fear of hearty reverence with a fear of sober caution yea sometimes with a fear of dejecting consternation When God doth appear clad with his robes of vengeance and zeal denouncing and discharging judgment when he representeth himself fearful in praises terrible in his doings toward the children of men working terrible things in righteousness it should strike into our hearts
hath been to deserve well to cultivate their minds and regulate their manners True worth indeed is not confined to any particular order of Men yet I should wrong none by saying it is nowhere more plentifully to be found then in this What is it that doth advance mens nature that adorns their minds that commends their persons to especial regard Is it Knowledge The Priests lips preserve it their discourse doth diffuse it Is it Vertue Whence have more or greater examples thereof proceeded then from them Is it Piety It is their proper business it hath been always in some measure their care to promote it That ignorance and barbarity dissoluteness and irreligion have not long since like a deluge over-spread the face of the world none I suppose will be so unjust as to deny in greatest part due to their vigilant endeavours Even those improvements of Wit and Eloquence which are employed to their disgrace and disadvantage must be acknowledged originally derived from them Faults they have had and will always have for they are Men and subject to the common imperfections of mortal nature but that perhaps less and fewer then any other distinct sort of men that as it is their duty so it hath been their practice to excell in Vertue and that they have commonly in effect made good St. Ambrose his words Debet praeponderare vita sacerdotis sicut praeponderat gratia were not difficult to demonstrate if seemly to make comparisons or to insist upon so invidious a subject Nor were they greater then ever really they have been or then ever malice could misrepresent them should it be therefore equal that the miscarriage of some should derogate from the reputation or prejudice the welfare of the whole Order But to wave this plea consider their Employment Is there any office more laborious more vexatious then theirs accompanied with more wearisome toil more solicitous care more tedious attendence They are deservedly called Watchmen being constrained to stand alwayes on the guard to be alwayes wakefull attentive and ready to warn the People of approaching dangers and Shepherds likwise being forced to endure the various hardships of that uneasie life the inconveniencies of all weathers the nipping frosts and sweltry heats and all diversities of irksome travail they must feed they must guide they must defend they must seek the lost and reduce the straying Sheep What assiduity of Study what earnest contention of Soul are they obliged to use in the continual instruction exhortation and reprehension of the people in rectifying their judgments satisfying their scruples removing their prejudices bearing their infirmities and sympathizing with their afflictions 'T is they that are engaged with all their might to withstand the prevailing encroachments of Iniquity to stop the progress of pernicious errours to detect the false pretences of Impostours to confute the fallacies of Sophisters to repel the assaults of all Adversaries to the Truth yea if need be to expose not only their dearest contents of life but even their lives themselves in defence thereof Eusebius reports thus of Maximinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He commanded that onely the Governours of the Church that is the Bishops should be slaughtered as the Authours of the growth and prevalence of Evangelical Doctrine Neither was it a singular practice of that bloudy Tyrant but as a thing of course it constantly follows that where-ever Righteousness and Truth are violently impugned the Priests are sure to taste deepest of that bitter Cup that their Goods be in the first place sequestred and spoiled their Reputation stained their Persons misused their Lives sacrificed to the Persecutors outrageous malice Is it not reasonable then and equal that they who for the service of God and benefit of the Church undergo such difficulties and are objected to so great hazzards should be sustained should be refreshed by proportionable encouragements Is it not barbarous usage to expect so hard duties from them to impose such heavy burthens on them and yet to grudge any sutable comforts any satisfactory rewards to them Good King Hezekiah surely was not so minded of whom 't is said He commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the Priests and the Levites that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord that is that they might be heartned to study to teach to perform the duties required of them by the Divine Law And Saint Paul thus rationally expostulates in the Priests behalf Who ever goeth to war at his own charges who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things Is it a great thing do you think much of it If you do you are unreasonable you are unjust you are ingrateful And otherwhere he thus very emphatically admonishes We beseech you brethren to mind them which labour among you and preside over you in the Lord and that admonish you and to esteem them more then exccedingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in love for their work or for their office sake so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently signifies in such cases And again Let the Elders or Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which rule well be counted worthy of double honour or of double recompence so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also imports Priests are so for their office sake have honour and reward due to them which according to the good management of that office are proportionably to be augmented and multiplied But further yet abstracting from both their personal worth and the merit of their service consider their Condition in this world and see whether it doth not in equity challenge some reasonable provision to be made for them Are they not by the nature of their profession secluded from all ordinary means of temporal advancement Be not those usual inlets of Wealth the Court the Camp and the Exchange shut upon them yea barr'd against them by those insuperable obstacles of Law and Custom Can they grow rich by Trade or famous by feats of Arms May they plead for others 't is well if they be allowed to do it for themselves before equal judges Yet are they not Men endued with humane passions and resentments Are they not Citizens partaking in the common interests of the weal publick Are they not sensible of the inconveniencies and capable of enjoying the benefits of this life Are they not equally obliged and would they not be glad as well as others to be in a capacity to requite courtesies to help relations to gratifie friends to relieve the poor to express respectively their humanity and their gratitude Skill they not to use the goods of Fortune or rather the gifts of Providence with as much discretion as much sobriety as much honour as others Compare things righteously and let
the praise and glory of Him in whose name they rule to whose favour they owe their power and dignity in whose hand as the Prophet saith is their breath and whose are all their ways For all men will be ready most awfully to dread Him unto whom they see Princes themselves humbly to stoop and bow no man will be ashamed or unwilling to serve Him whom he shall observe that his Lords and Governours do concern themselves to worship the world cannot but have a good opinion of Him a participation of whose power and majesty yields such excellent fruits it will not fail to adore Him whose shadows and images are so venerable 'T is a most notorious thing both to reason and in experience what extreme advantage Great persons have especially by the influence of their practice to bring God himself as it were into credit how much it is in their power easily to render Piety a thing in fashion and request For in what they doe they never are alone or are ill attended whither they goe they carry the world along with them they lead crowds of people after them as well when they goe in the right way as when they run astray The custom of living well no less then other modes and garbs will be soon convey'd and propagated from the Court the City and Country will readily draw good manners thence good manners truly so called not onely superficial forms of civility but real practices of goodness For the main body of men goeth not quà eundum sed quà itur not according to rules and reasons but after examples and authorities especially of great persons who are like stars shining in high and conspicuous places by which men steer their course their actions are to be reckon'd not as single or solitary ones but are like their persons of a publick and representative nature involving the practice of others who are by them awed or shamed into compliance Their good example especially hath this advantage that men can find no excuse can have no pretence why they should not follow it Piety is not onely beautified but fortified by their dignity it not onely shines in them with a clearer lustre but with a mightier force and influence a word a look the least intimation from them will doe more good then others best eloquence clearest reason most earnest endeavours For it is in them if they would apply themselves to it as the wisest Prince implies to scatter iniquity with their eyes A smile of theirs were able to enliven Vertue and diffuse it all about a frown might suffice to mortifie and dissipate wickedness Such apparently is their power of honouring God and in proportion thereto surely great is their obligation to doe it of them peculiarly God expects it and all equity exacts it What the meaner rank of servants who are employ'd in baser drudgeries whose fare is more course whose wages are more scant who stand at greater distance from their Lord and receive no such ample or express marks of his favour what these doe is of some consequence indeed but doth not import so much to the Master's reputation their good word concerning him their good carriage toward him doth not credit him so much But those whom he employs in matters of highest trust and importance to his affairs whom he places in the nearest degree unto himself seats even in his own throne upon his own tribunal whom he feeds plentifully and daintily maintains in a handsome garb allows largely as their deportment doth much reflect on their Lord's esteem as they are highly capable of advancing his repute so all the rules of ingenuity and gratitude all the laws of justice and equity do oblige them earnestly to endeavour it And it is indeed no less their concernment to doe so For if there be disorders prejudicial to the Master's honour and interest frequently committed in the family 't is those servants must be responsible if due order be there kept to his glory and advantage they shall chiefly be commended and peculiarly hear the Euge bone serve They must be loaded with other mens faults or crowned for other mens vertues as their behaviour hath respectively contributed to them Those universal Rules of equity proposed in the Gospel will in God's reckoning with and requiting men be punctually observed To whomsoever much is given of him much shall be required answerable to the improvement of what is delivered in trust shall the acceptance be I have insisted somewhat more largely on this point because our Text hath a particular aspect thereon the words being uttered upon occasion of Eli then Judge in Israel his not using authority to these purposes his forbearing to redress a grievous abuse committed by his own Sons to the disservice and dishonour of God Whence to persons of his rank is this law especially directed upon them is this duty chiefly incumbent on them assuredly as sure as God is true if they will observe the Duty the Reward shall be conferred God will certainly not onely preserve the Honour they have already but will accumulate more Honours on them These are general Truths the particular application of them is ours God I pray vouchsafe his grace and blessing that it may be made to our benefit and comfort III. I should now shew why the Duty is required of us or how reasonable it is I must not and the matter is so palpable that I need not spend many words on that God surely doth not exact honour from us because he needs it because he is the better for it because he for its self delights therein For beside that he cannot want any thing without himself that he cannot any-wise need mortal breath to praise him or hands of flesh to serve him who hath millions of better creatures then we absolutely at his devotion and can with a word create millions of millions more fitter then we to honour him the best estimation we can have of him is much below him the best expression we can make is very unworthy of him He is infinitely excellent beyond what we can imagine or declare his Name is exalted above all blessing and praise his glory is above the earth and heaven So that all our endeavours to honour him are in comparison to what is due but defects and in a manner disparagements to him 'T is onely then which should affect our ingenuity to consider his pure goodness that moves him for our benefit and advantage to demand it of us 1. For that to honour God is the most proper work of Reason that for which primarily we were design'd and framed for as other things were made to afford the matter and occasion so Man was designed to exercise the act of glorifying God whence the performance thereof doth preserve and perfect our nature to neglect it being unnatural and monstrous 2. For that also it is a most pleasant duty He is not a man hath lost all natural
ingenuity and humanity who doth not delight to make some returns thither where he hath found much good will whence he hath felt great kindness Since then all the good we have we have received from God's favour it cannot but be very pleasant to render somewhat of requital as it were unto him and we can render no other but this We cannot make God more rich more joyfull more happy then he is all that we can doe is to express our reverence toward him 3. For that likewise our honouring God disposes us to the imitation of him for what we do reverence we would resemble that is to the doing those things wherein our chief perfection and happiness consists whence our best content and joy doth spring 4. In fine for that the practice of this duty is most profitable and beneficial to us unto it by an eternal rule of justice our final welfare and prosperity being annexed whence God hath declared it to be the way and condition of our attaining that thing which we so like and prize Honour to our selves the which by promise he hath engaged himself to confer on those who honour him And IV. This promise he makes good several ways Some of them I shall briefly suggest 1. The honouring God is of it self an honourable thing the employment which ennobles Heaven it self wherein the highest Angels do rejoyce and glory 'T is the greatest honour of a Servant to bring credit to his Master of a Subject to spread his Prince's renown and upon grounds vastly more obliging of a Creature to glorifie his Maker that we may doe so is an honour we should be glad may be proud of 2. By honouring God we are immediately instated in great Honour we enter into most noble relations acquire most illustrious titles enjoy most glorious privileges we become the friends and favourites of Heaven are adopted into God's family and are styled his Children do obtain a free access unto him a sure protection under him a ready assistence from him in all our needs And what honour can exceed can equal this 3. God hath so ordered it that Honour is naturally consequent upon the honouring him God hath made Goodness a noble and a stately thing hath impressed upon it that beauty and majesty which commands an universal love and veneration which strikes presently both a kindly and an awfull respect into the minds of all men righteous is not onely in himself but in common esteem more excellent then his neighbour Power may be dreaded Riches may be courted Wit and Knowledge may be admired but onely Goodness is truly esteemed and honoured Not onely men of goodness and discretion but even the vulgar sort of men yea as Plato hath well observed the worst men do pass this judgment do prefertrue Goodness above all things 4. God by his extraordinary providence as there is reason and occasion doth interpose so as to procure Honour to them to maintain and further their reputation who honour him God fashioneth the hearts of men The hearts of the greatest men are in his hand he turneth them as the rivers of waters whithersoever he will he consequently raiseth or depresseth us as he pleases in the judgments and affections of men When a man's ways please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him saith the Wise man that is he disposeth the most averse minds to love and honour him No envy can supplant no slander can deface the credit of such a person since God hath taken it into his charge and care since he hath said it that he will bring forth his righteousness as the light and his judgment as the noon-day God also by secret methods and undiscernible trains ordereth all events managing our thoughts and designs our enterprizes and actions so that the result of them shall be matter of benefit comfort and reputation or of disaster regret and disgrace as he thinks good Victory and success he absolutely disposeth of and consequently of the Honour that follows them and they do usually attend the honourers of God for as it is in the Psalm A good success have they who keep his commandments Many are the instances of persons such as Abraham Joseph Moses David Job and Daniel who for their signal honouring of God from a base and obscure or from an afflicted and forlorn condition have in ways strange and wonderfull been advanced to eminent dignity have been rendred most illustrious by the providence of him who raiseth the poor out of the dust and lifteth the beggar out of the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the throne of glory He doeth it in an evident manner and eminent degree to some he doeth it in a convenient way and competent measure to all that honour him 5. Whereas men are naturally inclined to bear much regard to the judgment of Posterity concerning them are desirous to leave a Good name behind them and to have their memory retained in esteem God so disposes things that the memory of the just shall be blessed that his righteousness shall be had in everlasting remembrance that his light shall rejoyce or burn clearly and pleasantly even when his life is put out here No spices can so embalm a man no monument can so preserve his name and memory as a pious conversation whereby God hath been honoured and men benefited The fame of such a person is in the best judgments far more precious and truly glorious then is the fame of those who have excelled in any other deeds or qualities For what sober man doth not in his thoughts afford a more high and hearty respect to those poor Fishermen who by their heroical activity and patience did honour God in the propagation of his heavenly Truth then to all those Hectors in Chivalry those Conquerours and atchievers of mighty exploits those Alexanders and Caesars who have been renowned for doing things which seemed great rather then for performing what was truly good To the honour of those excellent poor men conspicuous monuments have been erected every-where anniversary memorials of their names and vertues are celebrated they are never mentioned or thought of without respect their commendations are interwoven with the praises of their great Lord and Maker whom they honoured 6. Lastly to those who honour God here God hath reserved an honour infinitely great and excellent in comparison whereto all Honours here are but dreams the loudest acclamations of mortal men are but empty sounds the brightest glories of this world are but duskish and fleeting shadows an honour most solid most durable an eternal weight of glory They shall in the face of all the world be approved by the most righteous Judge his unquestionable Sentence they shall be esteemed in the unanimous opinion of Angels and Saints they shall be applauded by the general voice and attestation of Heaven thev