under Censure who are Creed-Coiners or Law-makers in Christianity who frame Creeds and make Laws of their own such as they had not from the Father of the Christian Church II. Christians have but one Master but one Father Indeed if we suppose the Institution rational there can be no more than one because there can be but One Infallible and we cannot imagine that the Christians would set up any other by whom they would be universally and absolutely determined Tho there be many Names that have proposed the Christian Doctrine to us and from whom we cannot appeal yet all their Authority is derived from One and it is by his Commission that they have done it They are his Heralds and he hath authorized them They propose his Doctrine and not their own his Articles and Canons That they are so we are assured because he bears them witness by Signs and Wonders and many mighty Works And that they are his is further evident from this that they are very agreeing with and in pursuit of the Revelation which is undoubtedly his If thus whence are those diversities of Names amongst us I am of Paul I of Apollo a third of Cephas One is a Poniifician another a Lutheran a third a Calvinist a fourth an Arminian Are any of these our Fathers If they be not why are we called by their Names Why should any of these dividing Names be heard amongst us Are not we all the Children of one Father the Disciples of one Master the Servants of one Lord Are we not Brethren why should we then fall out Are we not Fellow-Scholars of one and the same Master Yes it will be said we are so indeed but we may differ about our Master's Sence Plato and Aristotle were both Socrates's Scholars but yet agreed not We all own the same Master but yet cannot agree in his Mind in many both Articles of Faith and Rules of Life This is granted and yet the Expedient whereby Unity may be preserved in the Church is not hard if we come with peaceable Minds if we indeed desire it Therefore in this case if we can but suppose our selves fallible in interpreting and grant our Brethren a liberty of judging if we can think the Words capable of the Sence they give or can but believe that they think them so tho we do not if the Sence they put upon them be not in it self opposite to and inconsistent with the Foundations of Faith a good Life the great Design of our Master and only necessary to Salvation Or tho their Construction be in its tendency destructive of a good Life yet if it be not so in them if notwithstanding this difference in perhaps some obscure and great Mystery they agree with us in all that is plain and their Practice is suitable to the Rules of our Master in this case I see no reason to disown them as no Christians and whilst we own them as Christians we must love them as Brethren Perhaps their Understanding is short of mine but perhaps also mine may be short of theirs shall I not therefore bear with them Yes as long as they hold the Foundation tho they build on it Wood Hay Stubble c. they must not be rejected for they shall be saved tho it be as by Fire The great Apostle's Resolution in the like case should be ours If in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal this unto you Here it may be objected Object Doth not this abridg them of their liberty of thinking and consequently hinder that Improvement which might be in a free Enquiry after Truth which the Mind would make that is not determined by the Dictates of others To this I answer 1. That they do thus give up themselves absolutely to the determination of one is agreeable to the best Reason If there be One who is infallible who neither can be deceived nor deceive it is most highly rational to resign up our selves to believe and obey him No Man can assent on better Evidence or act on better Reason than the determination of such an One and such an One as he is into whose Authority Christians have resolved their Faith and Obedience 2. This no way prejudices but rather advantages the true Use of our Reason for it determines us to examine all Revelations that pretend an infallible Authority whether they do not contradict those Principles which we know are infallible This Course we are put upon that we may secure our selves from Cheats for if that which is proposed contradict the Principles commonly received and which all Men take as true we have reason to suspect it and must think that out Master who taught us these if he be wise and good did not teach us this But then because Principles commonly received may be doubted by some and some granted by all perhaps may be false if any Doctrine be proposed to be believed which is impossible to be believed that cannot come from him who is Wise and Good Now I account it impossible for a Man to assent to contradictory Propositions whether the Contradiction be express or implicit for it is all one to say A Man is reasonable and not reasonable and A Man is a Stone They therefore that would bring in Contradictions into our Religion and assert that there are Doctrines in it which are not only above our Comprehension but are plainly repugnane to the true Principles of Reason as well as to themselves they are a great Offence to Christianity and lay a sure Foundation of Mens rejecting it for they put them upon doing what they cannot do I say what they cannot not only because of the Corruption and Weakness but because of the Nature of our Faculties In this case a Man must either forsake his Religion or his Reason And I know not to what purpose any should keep his Religion if he forsake his Reason nor indeed do I see how he can do it if his Religion be reasonable and his Reason will signify little if Contradictions may be true By all this I blame their Practice who affix a Sence to the Scriptures and to those Confessions of Faith which the Church agrees should be publickly used that is contradictious and then to make the best of their Miscarriage and keep their own Error in credit will tell us we must believe Contradictions when they may as well bid the Sun give forth darkness or the Fire to wet and the Water to burn For all this they pretend an Authority into which we are to resolve our Faith not considering that they deny the Authority which they pretend for can it be consistent with the Wisdom and Goodness of a Superior to oblige his Subjects to Impossibles to require them to do what is repugnant and destructive to their Natures Whosoever therefore have under the Pretext of such an uncontroulable Authority ventured so far in the Explication of the Mysteries of our Religion that they have used such Words as in
appears such to him Now this is a very good and necessary thing in general and it may be also fit for him to undertake in particular that is he is qualified to defend it for else he had much better let it alone But if he be not careful this his love of and Zeal for Truth may endanger his falling into abundance of miscarriages For whilst he is engaged in a zealous defence of one Truth he may heedlesly give up many others as important as that or he may suffer himself to be put out of temper and the good state or use of his Mind he may hereby render himself unfit for and in a manner uncapable of some other Works which are not less considerable than this He may by too great earnestness if dispose himself so as that he shall not be in 〈◊〉 fit to receive the Influences of 〈◊〉 nor to think of and go out after God He may be so far transported as to leap ouerall the Bounds not only of Charity 〈…〉 but of Truth and Justice 〈◊〉 And if so be he can hope this will be serviceable to the upholding that which he thinks Truth he will not stick to blacken and 〈◊〉 and uncharitably 〈◊〉 and falsly to calumniate his Adversary â—s he call him Thus a Man may be drawn into manifold mischief from so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as vindicating Truth is if he be not aware and careful to prevent and obviate the Evile to which this very good thing has some tendency Again What tendency is there and how easily do Man pass from true and real Religion the pure and spiritual Worship of God to formality and 〈◊〉 in Devotions to superstious Practices to Idolatry it self which move the baâ—e of all true Religion The same may be observed concerning the Tendencies of all the Natural and Innocent and of the very best and perfectest Actions we do which if we do not take good heed to our selves will lead us into foul Miscarriages and sinful Practices For they have some tendency to make us proud and think too well and highly of our selves A good performance makes other Men speak and us think well of our selves and if we at that time forgâ—t God and acknowledg not our dependance on him we take too much to our selves Or if we over-look our own many Defects and Shortnesses and are affected to our selves as if we had no fault then the good we have done has led us into a great mischief This then is another Reason why we should be thaâ— caucious and circumspect because of the evil Tendencies which the very best Actions and Things have 3. Unless we be very careful and exact we shall not be able to set the proper Limits to several vertuous and good Actions Without which we shall not in case of competition give a true preference to the â—â—ttâ—â— nor shall we allot to each its proper time And where we are defective in these we shall run into great Faults and grand Mischiefs I before said that there is great need of some exactnese to set and keep the bounds betwixt Vertue and Vice I now say there is need of great care to know and observe the difference betwixt one Virtue and another the want of which is of most pernicious Consequence in the Life of Man I make account the comparative knowledg of Good and Evil i. e. the understanding what 's better or worse than other is intrinfecal and essential to that Wisdom that guides our Practice And according as any Man has more or less of this Knowledg he is thus far more or less wise He is wise that does all his Actions it such subordination to each other that they are all subservient to the best and highest we can exert But this subordination can never be kept without great care and exactness The truth of this and the force of the Argument will be better discern'd by particular Instances Obedience to Governors is a great Duty but he that knows not in what order this stands to others may by this neglect and violate some greater He who thinks he is to be absolutely and universally determined in his practice by the decrees of his Superiors if they enact that which is imâ—â—â—â—bly and eternally evil into a Law will look on himself as obliged to obey And tho they forbid what God has expresly commanded or command what God has forbid he will think himself bound to an Universal Obedience to their Edicts If a Nebuchadnezzar should set up an Idol and require him to bow down to it this Man who has set no Limits to his Obedience to Governors will fall down and worship the Image that is he will obey his earthly Governors in such Instances as are expresly contrary to the immutable indispensible Laws of Heaven And on the other hand he that has not learn'd to make difference betwixt his Prince and his Father or Master or any other Secular Power and to pay a greater regard to him than to any other Superior will be apt to fall into Snares and Sin For as often as their Commands clash he will be in danger to disobey the Supream Again The Man that makes no discrimination betwixt the greater and the other Commands the more and less weighty Matters of the Law will be in danger to spend his Zeal and Time in tithing Mint and Aniss and Cummin whilst he neglects Truth and Justice and the Love of God He will not omit an hour by his own appointment set apart for private or publick Devotion to do the greatest act of Charity that can be done He will not prophane the Sabbath to save a Life c. This is sufficient to shew the necessity of limiting and distinguishing those which are confessedly our Duties that so we may do the greater and not culpably leave the lesser undone that they may not justle out each other And what critical exactness is necessary to the thus weighing and ballancing one good Action with another to the comparing them so together that we may see the order and relation they have to each other and to all the rest 4. He had need live very exactly who keeps himself in a disposition to know and chuse well and to do that which is good that is that he may be in the best capacity to understand to apprehend and judg what 's Good and Evil inclined and forward to will and chuse the one and to refuse the other and have all his executive Powers ready to obey his Will guided by Understanding How careful and exact must he be in his Actions who would keep himself in this fitness to do all the good that offers it self to him Especially if we consider these two things 1. That every false Reasoning disorderly Passion irregular Appetite ill Action indisposes unfits him and makes him averse to doing good For the truth of this I appeal to experience And 2. If he be unprepared indisposed for the present whatever Knowledg he may have acquired or
only be in danger to lose the Good-will of thy Equals thy Friends but of thy Superiours nay thy Governours will be ready to punish thee with Conâ—iscation of Goods Imprisonment perhaps Death it self Thy Name is cast out from amongst Men thou art reckon'd as an Evil-doer and art thought worthy to suffer all manner of Evils which Men can inflict on thee Let this be supposed to be our Case which was the Primitive Christians but God be praised it is not ours for we enjoy Peace and Liberty we may be as good as we will nay and have many great Advantages and Helps to be good yet since we have so very long neglected and misimproved and abused them we know not what calamitous Times the Divine Providence may bring us into Now that we may be better prepared for the making such Times serviceable to our good Purposes and making the best of all these Evils which may at any time befal us so as to lose no Opportunity of doing well which they may be conceived by any Care and Prudence of ours to afford us I will lay down some general Advices The Sum of which is that We must endeavour as much as is possible i. e. as much as is consistent with Religion and Vertue to conciliate the good will of all Men to bring them into a good opinion both of our Religion and of our selves To make not only our Inferiours and Equals the generality the multitude to think well of both but also to strive to approve our selves and to commend our Religion to the Rich and the Great to the Learned and Wise to Princes and Nobles to Men of all Employments and Ways in all Offices and Relations and Conditions And that will be by doing those things which all commend and esteem Good by abstaining from those which every one accounts Evil and blames by being of such a behaviour as all approve and like This I am sure was the Counsel which was given to the first Professors of our Religion to teach them how to carry themselves in those difficult Times in which they lived This is the Sense of my Text and that which St. Paul seems particularly to have intended when he bid them walk circumspectly redeeming the Time and that they should strive after an excellent knowledg of the Will of God All which seems to have particular reference to the Evil Days In a parallel place which we mentioned in the beginning the Apostle calls upon them to walk in Wisdom towards them that are without redeeming the Time which plainly imports that they should have such a Consideration of the Extranei the Infidels that by their Carriage towards them they might gain from them those Advantages and Seasons which were requisite for their doing the Good which their Religion enjoyned them This is the general Advice Strive to adorn your Profession to commend your selves by that which every Man approves Commend your Religion which you will do if you can but make it appear And therefore give a true clear representation of it in your Discourses and then it will carry its own defence with it every Man will be convinced of its Goodness But especially shew in your Conversation the excellency of this Wisdom Let it appear by the admirable Effects which it has on your Spirit and Behaviour that it is a most divine thing in that it keeps you from doing that which is Evil and engages you to do that which is Good and Honest in the sight of all Men But What is that honest Conversation which St. Peter exhorts the Christians to have among the Gentiles that whereas they spake against them as Evil-doers they might be ashamed who did falsly accuse the Christian Life 1 Pet. 3. 16. I answer Tho it may be some Men are so greatly corrupted and become so much either Brutes or Devils that there is very little of that which is truly Good that they will account so Yet I hope there are not many of these Monsters and that there will very few be found who do not entertain a good opinion of the Men 1. Who are Innocent Which therefore our Saviour thought fit particularly to recommend to his Disciples that were to be among Wolves Be harmless says he as Doves Innocence has a certain Charm in it which composes Rage and Fierceness and casts a Damp on the fury of a Persecutor Hurt no Body in Word or Deed This is the likeliest way to procure such safety to your selves that none will hurt you For who will be an Enemy to him that is an Enemy to no Man 2. If you would escape the ill-Thoughts and Oppositions of Men be humble and modest Do not aim at things too high for you Do not undertake what you are not fit for keep within your own Compass Do not ambitiously contend with more worthy Men those that are more fit for a place than your selves Do not grasp at every thing whilst you can do little or nothing for such a Carriage as this makes every one your Enemy Whereas if your Deportment be such that it shews you think of your self as you ought it will conciliate every ones Esteem 3. To be mild and patient is not only in the sight of God but of Men also very valuable Soft Words says Solomon will turn away Wrath. And common Observation assures us that nothing does so blunt the edg of a sharp Anger as a â—eek Behaviour If the Man of Fury will begin to afflict such a one yet he can hardly continue the edge will be soon taken off and his Malice grow weary when it is not animated and enraged by an angry Opposition The first Christians wearied the Rage of their Persecutors by their Patience 4. I advise to hearty and universal Good-Will He that would be hated by none must himself hate none And he that would be loved by all must love all Nor is good Wishes and a good Will and good Words all that I mean by Love But all such good Deeds as thou canst do Where thou art fit to give it and others capable to receive it counsel admonish reprove Where thou hast an Estate and seest thy Brother in want relieve him And by the way Is not this the likeliest course to secure thy Estate For when every one knows that thou usest it to the best Purposes that thou neither oppressest thy Neighbour nor yet hoardest up thy Treasure but puttest it to the best uses feedest the Hungry cloathest the Naked suppliest the nececessities of the Poor layest it out on some publick Works Who will go about to wrong thee of that Estate with which thou dost so much good Or if there be any such Monsters yet the Generality will be on thy side He must be a great and covetous Tyrant who will take away an Estate that does so much Good And what Man is he who will abridge those of their Liberty who make it appear that they do not use it as a Cloak of
are capable And then as we shall see under the next particular he will give to Man a holy and righteous Law From this Consideration of the Divine Perfections I infer two things to our present Purpose 1. That God can will or require nothing of us which is not wise and good holy just and true So that if any thing pretend to be of God which is not thus qualified it wants sufficient Credentials If it make shew of divine Authority but is manifestly foolish unquestionably evil impure and filthy unjust and false it is not required of us by God all whose Ways are Holy and his Works Righteous all that he does himself or commands us to do 2. That he does will all that is wise and good to be done As he can will nothing that is not so he does certainly will all that is As he knows it all so he must be allowed to will it all For else we impute defect and imperfection to God by supposing him to know that Good which he does not will We should by this make his Goodness less than his Knowledg and his Will not to follow but to fall short of his Understanding So that this Consideration does not only afford us a Character whereby we may distinguish betwixt the true Will of God and that which pretends to be it but is not But we have also direction to find out what that is which God does will and command In general If there be any action that is wise that is good that is holy and just and if there be any Truth we may from hence be assured what is the Will of God For as he can't will the contrary to these so he cannot but by a kind of necessity of his own most excellent Nature will all these From this Knowledg which the Heathens had of God the wise among them have excluded all Impurity and Impiety all Folly and Injustice from Religion If then we have an assured knowledg of what is wise and good holy and just and true as we all have we understand withal what it is that God wills we should do So certain as thou art that any thing is sit and becoming beneficial and profitable so certain mayst thou be of the divine Will and Law For It is Good and It is the Will of God are two Forms of Speech of the same import He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what does the Lord require of thee c. Mic. 6. 8. This is the first way whereby we come to the Knowledg of what God's Will concerning Man or his Law to us is by the Knowledg of what is wise and good c. Purity Justice Truth Wisdom and Goodness are most certainly concluded by us to be things which God wills should be in us because they are all Perfections of his own most excellent Nature And he loving those Perfections and himself because of them infinitely he cannot but will that they should be propagated and that every thing which he makes should according to its Capacity partake of them God's Will is the Spring as of his creating the World so of all his other after-Works they are all but the exerting of this teeming overflowing Goodness He cannot but will and desire that Man should be as he is that we should be holy and merciful and righteous and faithful and wise in our Measure and Degree as he himself is infinitely So then we have a most certain way to discover what the Will of God is and must be by a Consideration of the Divine Nature and those Perfections which are essential to the Deity And Man is not to seek in this matter this is so obvious and easy and common a piece of Knowledg that no Man's Mind is quite destitute of it All Men agree in their Notion of God and it can't be otherwise For either they have the Knowledg impressed on their Minds when first they came into Being or else they are led into it by this plain and facil reasoning viz. Whatsoever Good there is in the World is in God who is the Original eminently and perfectly From hence we may conclude that since all who believe God to be think him to be wise and good holy and just and true therefore nothing that 's foolish or evil impure or unrighteous nor no Falshood can be required by him And on the other hand all Goodness Wisdom Sanctity Justice Fidelity c. is the Law of Heaven II. By a Consideration of God's Works we come to a discovery of his Will As Man's Mind is discerned by what he does so is God's When God has made Beings with such Inclinations and Faculties and Capacities if we suppose him which we can't doubt he is wise and good we shall certainly know a great deal of his Will Let us take a view of God's Works in general and consider those Beings which partake of Life especially our selves and we may observe such things as these which will lead us to a Knowledg of the Will of our common Creator 1. We may discern in them a sort of Self-love whereby they have a Desire of or Inclination to their own Preservation and Continuance in that Being and Life which they have 2. An Aversation from all Pain and a Love of Pleasure 3. A Tendency to and kind of aspiring after greater Perfection and the utmost of which they are capable To this we may refer the former 4. A Disposition and Faculties to communicate and impart to others none of them to be by and for themselves alone but for others that they are communicative and beneficial and endeavour to propagate and make others like themselves 5. An exact Order Among all Beings which God has made one is plainly superiour to another And of all these in this lower World Man is supream There are also higher than he and all these things are subject to God's Will and Pleasure Now from these Observations how all living things are made with such Affections and in such Condition we cannot but conclude in general that it is the Will of our great Creator that every one should endeavour both his own and other Beings Preservation and Pleasure and Perfection that we should be communicative and live in Order that the Inferiour be subject to the Superiour and the worse serve the better Does not Nature teach these Lessons plainly to every one that diligently considers May not any Man that looks into himself and abroad find that both Mankind and all the kinds of Animals in the World have these desires of their own Being and Perfection that they do not stay in themselves but go out to others in Communications and Services may he not clearly see that one kind is advanced above another as well as of the same kind that some one is above the rest and that Man is above all kinds And he that sees all this how well is he instructed in the Principles of the Kingdom of Heaven how may he learn
various Dispensations and Providences to his Church This it seems was a Secret to the Angels themselves But what is this of which so great things are spoken This that is called a Mystery that deserves so great a Name For it intimates to us 1. That it is a thing of great importance and moment a matter of great consequence as well as 2. That it is secret and concealed And indeed if it were not a matter of moment the Obscurity and Secrecy of it would not make it of more account with wise Men whatever it may do with the Ignorant This was an Art the Heathens used to bâ— get in the Worshippers of their Gods a Veneration of their Religion by concealing some parts of it and turning them into Mystery They in this imitated some Painters who draw a Curtain which hath nothing behind it But far be it from us to imagine any such Artisice used by the Author and Publishers of the true Religion No their business hath been to reveal not hide not to obscure and vail but to declare and uncover Truths They have manifested them to us as much as the Matters themselves and our Capacities would bear and when they have done all such is the greatness of some things in Religion and such is the littleness of our Understanding that there will yet and alway remain something that is beyond our reach too big for us to comprehend too glorious for our Minds to behold There are Mysteries to the highest Angels of Heaven much more to us Mortals Their knowledg is gradual That now saith the Apostle in the tenth verse of this Chapter unto the Principalities and Powers in heavinly Places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God and so may ours well be thought It increases according to the further discoveries God makes to us so that that is known in a following Age which was not in the formet Thus it was in this particular before us That the Gentiles should be Fellow-heirs and of the same Body and Partakers of his Promise in Christ by the Gospel For the full understanding of which Words and the Mystery they import we will consider I. In what condition the Gentiles were before they were called to be Christians II. Their excellent State after they became Christians And from both these will appear how great things are done for the Gentiles and how much the Christian Dispensation excells not only the Gentile but the Jewish also This is exprest in the Text by such Words that they are Fellow-heirs c. III. We will consider by what means this is to be done which is here also declared to be the Gospel IV. And then we will conclude with some Inferences I. As to the Condition of the Gentiles before Christianity 1. If we take an account of this Matter from the Jews I know not whether we should look on the Gentiles to be Men or not for they will scarce afford the Nations as they call'd them by way of contempt as we say the People any better Names than Dogs But we will not rely upon them who were so highly conceited of themselves and their own Privileges and who treated all other Men with so much disdain and scorn as the Jews are known to have done Nor 2. Will we take our account from some Christians of a Jewish Spirit who confine the Divine Love to some Places and Times and will not allow that God has had any regard at all for Men that have not been baptized in these latter or circumcised in the former Ages If they were not of such a Denomination within such an Inclosure they exclude them from the Favour of God and look on them as wholly rejected as those for whom God has no regard at all They will not allow them to be in any possibility of escaping the Torments of Hell and the Miseries of the future State That is because God thought not fit to confer on them all the Privileges which he vouchsafed to some they conclude he had no kindness for them Because he bestowed on the Israâ—â—â—â—es greater Helps to Vertue than he 〈◊〉 to the rest of the World which he 〈…〉 partly for the sakes of those excellâ—â—tly good Men from whom they sprang and partly because they were so very â—ull and hard-hearted as Moses every â—here tells them therefore in compassion to their Infirmities he vouchsafed them â—â—ese Helps therefore he loved the Israelâ—tes and had no affection for any other Or because we Christians are bless'd with the Gospel-Revelation which is not made to others that therefore God loves us only and either hates of slights all the World besides All which are great Mistakes and false Conclusions which neither agree with the natural Notions which we all have of God for with the Revelations he has made of himself For how can we conceive that that God who is Love it self and the tender and compassionate Father of Spirits and who hath inculcated this in the Bible that he loves the World and desires not the Death of a Sinner that he should lay aside all thoughts of the far greatest part of Mankind and wholly abandon their interests that he should have no care of their Concerns no regard whether they be happy or miserable for ever No no these are unworthy dishonourable unnatural unreasonable unscriptural Representations of God Men of these conceits make our Condition worse than 〈◊〉 Jews themselves for the Jews as I reâ—ember thought the Gentiles would not after death but these Men conclude 〈◊〉 under everlasting Wo. And as much 〈…〉 is better not to be than to be miserable so much better do the Jews think of the Gentiles than such mistaken Christians We will dismiss â—oth these and take our Information from Scripture We will neither rely on the proud and scornful Jews nor yet on such narrow-spirited Christians as I have mentioned but see what representation the Gospel makes of the Gentiles See in the second Chapter of this Epistle where the Apostle describes to us the State of these Ephesians before they became Christians and we have no reason to think them to have been worse than others Verse 1. They were dead in Trespasses and Sins So immerst in them that there was very little hope they should ever get out of them They walk'd in them it was their practice their course and way of life According to the fashion or course 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this World after the guise and manner of Men as to the far greatest part According to the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that now works in the Children of Disobedience i. e. They liv'd in obedidience to and were under the Dominion of the Devil to whom they are still in subjection who will not obey the Divine Laws Doing the VVill of the Flesh and of the Mind that is indulging themselves in Sensuality and also being Slaves to Pride and Revenge and such which I take here to be
was prone to and set upon Mischief or Wickedness For a further Confirmation of this I might appeal to their own Histories which give an abundant Testimony to this sad Truth Those that have been conversant in their Writings cannot but call to Mind two things especially which are but too convincing a Proof that it was so with them as the Scripture hath said That is 1. The Folly and Wickedness of the Gentile Religion and the abominable Evils which were committed by them in the Worship of their Gods 2. The absurd Mistakes and enormous Practices of many of their Philosophers who were the wisest and most considering Men among them It is needless to give Instances of either and these are a great Confirmation of our Belief of what the Scripture hath said For if their Religion their very Worship be wicked what can we expect of their other Works vvhich must either be influenced by their Religion or not if they be they must be wicked as that vvas Or if they be not yet then they did not live good Lives because they vvere not religious Again If the Philosophers so grosly miscarried as too many did what shall we think of the ignorant and unconsidering Multitude Rom. 1. 20 21. When they knew God they glorified him not as God c. I need not now stand to shew the Advantages which the Jews had over the Gentiles exprest in these following places Rom. 9. 4 5. Who are Israelites to whom pertain the Adoption and the Glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the Service of God and the Promises c. Rom. 2. 17 18 19 20. and Rom. 3. 1 2. But for our more distinct understanding of the Condition of the Gentiles before they became Christians we may consider it in these Particulars First We will take a view of them singly and in themselves and here both their Understanding and their Vertue their Knowledg and Practice will be considered Secondly We 'll also shew how they stood in reference to God And Thirdly How in reference to the Devil From all which will appear in what Condition they were both as to this present and as to the future Life First With reference to themselves their Knowledg was upon many accounts short and defective For 1. It was not so large and extensive in respect of its Object They were ignorant in very many Particulars both of God and Themselves They understood not the particular Providence or the determinate Counsel of God concerning the future State of Men They knew not by what means themselves and all Men became so very bad and miserable nor the Terms on which God would deal with them nor the Way and Method in which they should be recovered Or 2. Where their Understanding did reach any of these things their Knowledg was very obscure and inevident and also very wavering and uncertain They had but very imperfect Glimmerings and Dawnings of Knowledg They rather conjectur'd and guest than knew these things 3. They had also many gross Mistakes and absurd Opinions both concerning God as to his Nature and Works as well as concerning the Number of Gods 4. From all which will follow that their Knowledg was not greatly useful to them in that 1. It did not reach to many useful things It fell short of some that were almost necessary to be known in order to Mens living well and vertuously at least they wanted some Knowledg which is absolutely necessary to the greatest Perfection of Vertue 2. Where it did extend to several things yet for want of greater Clearness and Certainty it could not be so useful to the Guidance of their Practice as otherwise it might And 3. Their Errors and false Opinions must needs lead them into the ways of Vice and Wickedness at least of Folly and Vanity 2. As their defect of Knowledg must make them less wise and vertuous So their Errors and Mistakes would also betray them to foolish and wicked Actions That I am next to consider their want of Vertue their abounding in Viciousness We may take the Apostles Words in Tit. 3. 3. in which he gives an account of himself and others before they became Christians Foolish disobedient to Governours I suppose deceived serving divers Lusts and Pleasures hateful and hating one another living in Malice and Envy We see another Catalogue of Vices which were too too rife amongst the unconverted Gentiles in Rom. 1. 29 30 31 32. Being filled with all Vnrighteousness Fornication Wickedness Covetousness Maliciousness full of Envy Murder Debate Deceit Malignity Whisperers c. For a Confirmation of this that these were the Practices of the Heathens before Christianity be may be assured of it from their own Writers and not only the Satyrists but the Historians will attest it as any may be satisfied who consult either the Greek or Roman Writers where we find frequent Relations of gross Idolatry of fensless Superstition of most salvage Inhumanity of most filthy and unnatural Bestiality These and such like were the enormous Crimes of the Pagan World before the Light of the glorious Gospel scattered these Works of Darkness and made them fly before it as the Shadows of the Night do before the Rising Sun This may suffice concerning the Ignorance and Wickedness of the Gentiles and what manner of Persons they were considered in themselves Secondly Let us next consider how they stood in reference to God And we must conclude that they were at Enmity with him by which we must not understand that God had no Mercy no Good-will for them for this is to contradict the Scripture and every Mans Sense who retains his natural Notions of God but that God could take no Delight nor Pleasure in them that they acted in Contrariety and Opposition to him and by this means had estranged and set themselves at the farthest distance from the Emanations of Divine Goodness and out of the way of his Mercy and had put themselves in almost an Incapacity of receiving Good from him Nay as long as they continued in the same State they were in an utter Incapacity of those Influences from God whereby he makes Men happy I must add that they had made themselves obnoxious to Justice and liable to the Punishments which the Holy God had denounced against the Transgressors of his Laws They had offended God and knew of no Mediator no Intercessor no Sacrifice to make Expiation no Priest to offer it This was the Condition of the Gentiles with respect to God Thirdly If vve also add to this that they were under the Power of the Devil as all that are Rebels against God and have renounced their Allegiance to Heaven must be For they that are not Subject to God have Satan for their Governour for he is the Head of the Apostacy from God and Goodness If we add this to the former Considerations we may seem to have compleated the Misery of the Gentile State For what greater Misery than to be the
their most proper and usual Sense imply manifest Contradictions they have been no Friends to the Christian Faith And whatsoever they say the Christians Father will not dertermine his Sons to believe Contradictions But I conclude this second Proposition with this practical Inference If Christians have but one Master one Father then they must own his Authority that is believe his Revelations obey his Commands without any doubt or dispute for his Authority is undeniable his Will uncontroulable no Appeal to be made from his Determination Therefore assent without debate obey without demur If we have a Father give him his Honour and a Master let him have his Feaâ— III. There is no Man upon Earth that is the Christian's Father or Master None by whose Sense he is to be absolutely necessarily determined He needs not to resolve his Obedience into any Mans or Mens Authority Our Religion is so very excellent and wise that it could not be of humane Original Surely this Tree of Life never grew first in an Earthly Paradise but was transplanted from some more excellent Soil and set in this red Earth Besides if we consider the Design of it it is to prepare Men for the Heavenly Life which it doth by begetting in them such Perswasions and Affections and teaching them to act here just as they do there Therefore our Creed and Law must probably be a brief Transcript of some of theirs and none can tell what theirs is but he that made it God Religion like Water will not rise higher than the Spring if it derives its Origine from this Earth only it will not rise and raise us up with it to Heaven But if this be true that we have no Father on Earth how is it that we hear so much of an Infallible Judg either an old Man sitting in a Chair at Rome Or else a Synod of Doctors for the most part packed together by a Faction and designed to drive on some Secular Interest For such have been many Councils tho not all But what mean those Pretenders that they thus take upon them Will they decide all our Controversies end our Debates An excellent Attempt But will they do it indeed Yes effectually and if any doubt of their Decrees they shall be quickly convinced by a light burning Fire They 'l take care to keep those that are under them iniIgnorance they shall not have Knowledg enough to question their Determinations Or if any little Light do break through all the Curtains they have drawn then they afright them with Anathema's and if these will not do neither they shall to the Stake How grievously the Christian World hath been abused by these Practices is too notorious whilst these false Fathers do not at all serve the Designs of Truth and Piety but merely of their own Ambition and Covetousness Notwithstanding what I have said of those Conventions that are politickly and unwarrantably peck'd together by a Party for the holding up of a Faction and serving a carnal Interest I would not be understood to detract in the least from a duly congregated Synod of wise and learned Men their just Authority which yet I must think doth not amount to that of a Father or Rabbi as here explained They are not absolute cannot determine universally But have they no Power in determining What is it Tho this be an Argument fitter for a larger Discourse yet to prevent Mistakes and Abuse of what I have said I shall here speak somewhat of my Mind in two or three Particulars 1. They who cannot be supposed to have any better Reason than the Authority of a Synod should be determined by them in matters both of Faith and Practice That this may be the case of the Vulgar I doubt not Many are in the state of Children who at first must take all on trust and it is best for them in that State so to do tho afterwards they may see how they have been imposed upon and lay aside those infant-Prejudices the common People first believe and obey because a Company of wise and learned Men tell them that what is proposed is true and good but afterwards these Mens Reason may be more improved they may have better Arguments to believe and higher Motives to obey than their Word and may say as the Samaritans we now believe not because of your Words but because we our selves see The ground of this first Position is that Men are to be determined to assent or act by the best Arguments they can have Now I suppose very many in so low a Condition that this is the best they can meet with viz. the Authority of a Synod nay many times the Determination of a single Man This is indeed a pitious Case when in all matters of Good and Evil true and false a Man must relie on anothers Testimony and yet it had not been so sad if Men that had Learning and Knowledg enough had had more of Honesty but they have been so unfaithful to their Trusts that they have very much impair'd their Credit with the World I understand the Popish Councils especially 2. More improved Men where the matter is disputable and somewhat equal and unconcluding Arguments on both sides appear if a Synod interpose their Authority I think should be determin'd by that yet not so far as to exclude all after-Thoughts they must leave room for them For if their Reasons against the Synod's Determinations should prove concluding and afterwards appear evidently so they need not continue under that former Determination In this case a Man must compare his own best Arguments with that of the Testimony of those Men that is he must consider as well as he can not only whether they be wiser than himself which will be granted but also whether they be honest 3. That I may shew whither their Authotity cannot reach I lay down this Position That where the Synod shall determine that to be believed which is and appears repugnant to it self to granted Principles of Reason or plain Scriptures or where they shall enjoyn that to be done which is and appears intrinsecally and eternally evil or which I can certainly conclude is in those Circumstances evil they are not to be believed or obeyed Of this nature I understand Transubstantiation and worshipping Images c. What the Sense of our Church is in this matter appears by the 6th 20th 21st Articles The Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any Man that it should be believed as an Article of Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation And in the 20th It is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing contrary to God's Word written neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another Wherefore the Church tho it be a Witness and Keeper of Holy Writ yet as it ought not to decree any thing
I fear too great evidence of this and discern that it 〈◊〉 rather Cunning than Ignorance and a Desire of doing not a fear of suffering Inâ—â—ry that brings so many Causes before them All they whose Work is to end Debates 〈…〉 Peace and that 's the Work of Lawyers and Ministers and every good an all these can sufficiently witness what a Breaker of the Peace and an Enemy to all Soceity and Order Desire is And if this Evidence which hath been brought in be full what remains but that 〈◊〉 grand and Malefacton this Cheat this Robber this Murderer this Traytor should receive his Sentence or rather that Senentence which hath been given against him long since by the Judg of all the World should now be executed For he hath bid us 〈…〉 or kill our earthly Affections and in the Words of my Text hath commanded us not to desire hath made it every ones Duty he speaks indeed to one but intends all and therefore speaks to one that all may the more regard him As if be had said Thou whoever thou art 〈◊〉 ownest God for thy Sovereign and his Law for the measure of thy Duty this is thy Charge not to desire or cover as we â—ender iâ— Object That may some think is a hard saying Doth God oblige us to impossibilities Or how can he require this of us who made it natural to us to desire Is he fallen out with himself or displeased with the works of his own Hands Doth he first give us a faculty and then forbid us to use it Or is Christianity a piece of Stoicism Doth our Religion teach us to maim our Natures to cease to be Men Doth it instruct us unto Apathy Is this the perfection it points and leads to Answer Far be it from us to suffer such a blemish as this to lie on our Profession let none have such an unworthy thought of our Religion as if it should be at variance with Nature as if the Disciple of Jesus could not be a Son of Man For surely never any Religion in the World did so be-friend nor was so perfective of Humane Nature as ours And 't is only a mistake of the true meaning of these Words that can make any to think otherwise For they do not as they seem forbid all Desire but only that which is Evil and Vnreasonable of that which we either have not or cannot have a Right to This appears because the word in the Original is mediae significationis in all Writings and may indifferently signifie good or ill and in Scripture seems generally to be taken in the worser part and so our Interpreters usually render it by Concupisence or Coveting which words we now generally understand in an ill sence Besides these words refer to the tenth Command of the Decalogue and that speaks of other Mens Goods they are an Abridgment of it and yet because the object of the Desire is not expressed may give us the liberty of a larger Discourse than if we only confined our selves to speak of desiring what is another Man's And I shall accordingly I. Discourse briefly and in general what may and what may not be desired what Desires are approved or forbidden And then more particularly II. How far the desires of another Man's Goods are prohibited And here it will be requisite to discourse what that is which gives Propriety and makes any thing to be a Man's Peculiar III. I shall offer some Considerations which both by perswading and directing may assist us in the restraining all unreasonable and unjust Desires 1. Concerning Desires in general I will not go about to prove but will suppose that all are not evil but that some are lawful nay and good too that some may and should be are not only matters of our Liberty but Duty This is Evident to him that considers that they are natural to us and therefore necessary that Humane nature cannot in this Estate be without them Also that many of our Duties towards God our selves and the Publick cannot be performed without Desire such are Prayer and Hope and Submission to the Divine Will and exercising our selves in seeking after such a condition as may be best both for us and others These and the like Considerations may serve to convince those that question whether they may have any desires at all This then supposed we will now consider of what sort they are which may and must be had 1. Therefore all Men may and ought to desire what is and appears to be good for them and they have not But yet here are three Cautions to be attended to which indeed are all implied in this Rule but deserve to be more expresly taken notice of 1st That the Good we desire be possible 2dly That that which is good for our selves be also good at least no detriment to the Publick And 3dly That it be not prejudicial however not near so much as the want of it would be to us and the publick to any other Man Our Desires should not be extended beyond what is good to us nor can they beyond that which seems so If that seem good which is not the fault is in our Understanding not in our Affection our Guide hath made us to wander Again if there be good which yet appears not here also we are to blame our Understanding now for not informing us at all as before for misinforming Our Spy before gave us Intelligence that our Friends were coming and they proved Enemies and now that our friends are indeed near we have no notice All this while I suppose that the thing we desire we want and we want only that which we can use So that if we either have it or do not want it neither should we desire it Such Desires are superfluous and vain and engage us in a needless labour And the cause of all this is our Ignorance of what we have or want This Rule as I said doth imply 1. That the thing we want and seek is Possible for that cannot be good for us that cannot be nor can we stand in need of impossibilities nor can we desire what appears to be such But this is not all what I understand by this word Possible viz. all that is not a contradiction absolutely but that which is not repugnant on supposition of such and such an order of things And thus we generally observe God himself doth not do all that absolutely implies no contradiction to be done but he doth all that is consistent with such Beings and Natures such a Constitution as he hath ordained which was the best that could be And this well considered would be sufficient to free us from either suspicions of inflexible Fate or from unworthy and hard thoughts of God we should not tax him for want of Goodness because he doth not all that 's absolutely possible since he doth all that in such a constitution which is the best that can be thought on can be done But to return
consider that the most â—seâ—â—â— and necessary Truths are alway most plain and certain and that they who despise what is clear and evident and value what is more mystical and obscure should by the same Reason prefer the Twilight or Nighâ— before the Day Nor is this Mistake absurd only but dangerous For from hence it is that Men take off their Minds from the most necessary and fundamental Articles of Faith which are always most plain and evident and earnestly contend for doubtful Opinions and questionable Doctrines To this also it is to be imputed that too many from a Principle of Religion practise Folly and â—â—dness For when they once despise those low and plain Methods wherein God â—â—â—ws Man what is good when they will not observe their own Natures nor value those Precepts of Scripture which are within the reach of every Capacity They fall into abundance of useless Observances and too often into most destructive Practices When they will not keep that â—ath which God by Nature and Scripture has made plain they wander into impassible and dangerous ways As for those who will not allow this Text to belong to Religion They look upon it as Advice given them how to manage their secular and domestick Affairs and that it has no relation to their Spiritual State Or at best that it is only a piece of Morality which they allow to come no farther than the Court of the Gentiles that it might be a proper Argument for the Discourse of a Heathen but not of a Minister of Christ To these I say that this is indeed excellent Counsel and very advantagious to Mens secular Interests but it is also of great moment to our Spiritual State the Welfare of our Souls We must not oppose Soul and Body the present and the future Life Godliness or the Christian Religion has Precepts as well as Promises whereby it is profitable to the Life that now is as well as to that which is to come But I beseech you take care how you separate Morality from Religion this will prove the most 〈◊〉 Division the most dangerous Schism that ever was it will be as the Separation of Soul and Body it will be the Dissolution the Death of Religion There is no such Gulf betwixt these two as they imagine who confine Religion to those Actions which immediately respect God no it extends it self to the whole course of our Lives Nay let us not undervalue Morality as if it did not if rightly understood make the far greatest part of our Religion or as if it were not necessary to make us good and happy for nothing can be more necessary than that is nothing can be so necessary as that This I premise that no Prejudice whatsoever may make the Apostle's Exhortation less effectual The particular occasion of which seems to have been this There were those among the Thessalonians who were thrusting themselves into other Mens Business and Concerns but neglected their own by which they occasion'd Trouble to themselves and Disturbance to their Neighbours The Apostle therefore willing to reform this great Abuse and Disorder and to remove and prevent all that Disquiet and Disturbance which rose from it He requires them in general To study to be quiet i. e. to keep themselves and others out of Trouble to do nothing that may cause or but occasion disquiets to omit nothing that may keep them off And in particular he advises them to do their own Business which implies that they should not meddle with other Men's this having been the Inlet to and Cause of those Disturbances which had been amongst them This appears to have been the occasion of these Words In discoursing of which I shall I. Explain and declare what is the Duty here enjoyned II. Shall offer some Reasons of it III. Shall lay down Directions and give some Advices whereby we may be assisted in doing it And having shewn what it is we are to do and why and how it is to be done I shall conclude with a short Reflexion upon the whole I. For Explication of the Words That which we here render to study signifies such an earnest Contention as Men use vvhen they are in pursuit of Honour therefore it denotes the shewing our greatest Care and exerting our utmost Endeavours That about which we are required to be so earnest is to be quiet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Word when it is applied to natural Agents signifies Rest the Absence of and the Opposite to Motion When it is transferred to moral we understand by it a Privation or Cessation from some voluntary Action or Passion which may be either good or bad but is for the most part bad either physically or morally or both So this Word is rendred to keep silence in the Acts and in St. Luke to rest from Work in other Authors it is commonly put for Truce and Peace and is opposed to War and likewise to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to being unduly and over-busy and indeed to all Trouble whatsoever a quiet and a troubled Mind are Expressions of two very contrary States as all understand them I suppose the Apostle might use the Word in this large Sense and so give a general Precept on a particular occasion of the Troubles that arose from some Mens Negligence in their own Affairs and Pragmatlcalness in other Mens to which he chiefly referr'd And I shall have regard to this also in my Discourse tho I shall not confine my self to it but shall consider Quiet more largely as it denotes freedom from other Troubles besides those that have their Rise from the meddling with matters that belong not to us Some perhaps may here enquire whether this Precept be universal and how far it obliges whether in all Cases or in some only I answer 1. This reaches Christians of all Times and Places as well as those that lived in Thessalonica 1600 Years ago For it was not founded on any particular but on general and eternal Reasons and is a Law to us all 2. I cannot say it obliges us either to be our selves or to keep others always quiet for in many Cases this is neither possible nor fit nor beneficial yet it does lay this Obligation on us alway to intend and aim at to pursue and endeavour after it even in those very Instances where it would be evil and mischievous to us if we were not under some present Disquiet we are in and by those particular Troubles to seek after Quiet And when we are and it is good we should be under some Discomposure yet ought we to take care that we be not prodigal of this Treasure and that we forego no more than Necessity extorts i. e. we ought not where we can help it to suffer our selves to be more or longer under Trouble than will serve for the attaining some greater good some greater and more lalbing Tranquillity As much as is possible we should take care never to suffer our selves to
bodily Strength and Stature do while we sleep but it 's the Effect of Pains and Industry of Care and Exercise By doing Men come to better Understanding of what they ought to do and also acquire a greater Ability and Readiness to do it 3. There 's no better no fitter time for Instruction and Exercise than when we are young then we are pliant and tender as soft Wax which will easily receive an Impression Then we are not prepossess'd with Errors and inveterate Prejudices we have no ill Customs to lay aside Besides there can be no such fit time of learning how to live as at the beginning of Life It 's a foolish and vain thing to put this off to the last as many do who when they are near an end of their Life then are enquiring how they should live And why will Men defer this till many Years of Life be spent Why should they be learning how to live then when they should be living No it behoves us to be instructed how to live and to exercise our selves as we are taught as soon as is possible for otherwise our Life will pass away unprofitably at best it will be to no purpose if it be not to ill purpose and mischievous These things considered that it 's indispensably necessary for every one to understand his way and to walk in it and that no Man ordinarily comes to understand what he ought to do and to do it without Instruction and Exercise and that the first Time the young Age is best for these Purposes I now proceed to plead with Parents and all that are appointed and have taken on them the Instruction of Children that they would not neglect this great Trust Nay let me perswade every one of you who are come to understand this good way your selves and to walk in it that you would be assistant to Children Instil good Principles into their tender Minds set good Examples before them 1. You that are Parents consider this is expresly commanded in Scripture Under the Mosaick Dispensation Deut. 6. 6 7. These Words which I command thee shall be in thy Heart and thou shalt teach them diligently to shalt whet them upon thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy House and when thau walkest by the way when thou liest down and when thou risest up This was commanded the Jews by Moses and less is not required of us by Christ Ephes 4. Ye Fathers provoke not your Children to Wrath do not use the Power you have over them tyrannically be not cruel be not over severe but bring them up in the Nature and Admonition of the Lord In the Instruction and Discipline of Christian Religion Besides the Wisdom of God in Solomon has from the Observation he has made commended this Instruction and Discipline of Children to their Parents in many places Prov. 29. 17. Correct thy Son and he will give thee Res Chap. 23. 13. Withhold not Correction from the Child for if thou heatest him with the Rod he shall not die Chap. 19. 18. Chasten thy Son while there is hope Correction and Chastening is one way of Instruction and that which to a tender Parent is most difficult and that is therefore so often mention'd because they would be most prone to neglect it Thus we find it s commanded in the Scriptures but that 's not all For 2. In the same Holy Writings we find Obedience to it highly commended and signalized as an Instance of great Goodness and true Religion And it 's represented as the way wherein a very great Blessing was conveyed Gen. 18. 17 18 19. God said Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I will do seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty Nation and all the Nations of the Earth shall blessed in him for I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he has spoken of him I beseech you observe how great a Commendation God himself has given here of this that Abraham would command his Children and Houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord. How well how kindly does God take this that he was not only good and righteous himself but would take care that his Servants that his Children and those that were to live after him should be so too And how is the Righteous God pleased to reward this Practice He would here upon discover to Abraham the great thing he was about to do Nay farther It seems to be brought in here as a Reason why all the World should be blessed in Abraham And indeed it was the means whereby that Blessing was conveyed to the World Abraham's instructing his Children after him tho at so great a distance from our Saviour yet had an Influence on his coming among us For so after that God had said he would command 〈◊〉 Children c. it is added that the Lord 〈◊〉 bring upon Abraham that which he has spâ—ken of him Let this Consideration prevail upon us 〈◊〉 we see God took such notice of Abraham and so blessed him for it Let us not be content to be good alone but endeavour that our Children may be so too 3. Let us consider other Examples whom we cannot but think our selves bound to follow Joshua 24. 15. Chuse ye whom ye will serve 〈◊〉 as for me and my House we will serve the Lord. This good Man will use the Authority which he had as the Master of his Family to engage those under him to walk in God's ways The Master must according to this Example require his Servants and the Father his Children to serve the Lord. And it 's a remarkable Passage that we â—â—â—d of Job 1. 5. When the days of his Sons â—â—â—â—â—ing were gone about 't is said that Job sâ—â—â— and sanctified them i e. required them to fit themselves to joyn in offering up Sacrifice the next day which Sanctification might be by Prayer and Fasting and by abtaining from other Enjoyments and Works which might unâ—it them for that Duty and râ—se up early in the Morning he was earnestâ—â— set upon it and offer'd Burnt-Offerings according to the number of them all And why was all this Care taken Why To â—pâ—ate the Sins which he thought they might have committed For Job said Iâ— may be they have sinned and câ—â—sed God in their Hearts Not sure but conjectured they might have sinned It may be c. He feared that they had cursed God in their Hearts Not blasphemed him with their Mouths he did not distrust that if he had he would have took Cognizance of it probably for that was a Sin to be punished by the Judg as he speaks of another Sin But lest they might have some inward unseen irreverend Thoughts of God he does all this And thus says the Text Job did continually This then was
the Multitude of your Sacrifices to me saith the Lord c. Chap. 58. 6. Is not this the Fast that I have chosen to loose the Bands of Wickedness to undo the heavy Burdens and to let the Oppressed go free c. Mich. 6. 6 7 8. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with Burnt-Offerings c. He has shewed thee O Man what is Good But for our Christian Religion its manifest Design is that we should do Good to all St. James 1. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Afflictions 1 Tim. 1. 5. The End of the Commandment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Charity out of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned So that God esteems himself most honoured and Men to be religious in the highest degree when they are beneficent More particularly 1. Christianity takes away all separating and dividing Ceremonies that were as Walls of Partition and so intends the proselyting of all Men without Distinction And does not this tend to lay on them the greatest Engagements to an universal Good-will 2. It has taken great care to remove all Obstacles of this and has made it the necessary Condition of being happy We must love all Men and do them good tho they be wicked tho they be our Enemies Love your Enemies c. says our Saviour And if ye forgive not Men their Trespasses neither will your Heavenly Father forgive yours 3. The Representations the Gospel has made of God and our Saviour whom we are instructed and obliged to follow will engage us to do Good universally Our Saviour went about doing Good He loved his Enemies to Death he laid down his Life for them he requited the greatest Malice with the greatest Love God is described as loving the World and that with the greatest truest heartiest Love that can be He does Good unto all his Sun rises upon the Wicked as well as the Good If then it be our Duty our Perfection and Happiness to conform to our Saviour's Example if by this we come to the utmost that our Natures can reach to to be like God whose Mercy extends to all things Let us also love and do Good to Enemies to Strangers to all Men. Were there those among the Heathens that had only the Light of Nature and yet both taught and practised this Duty of Beneficence in so high a degree and shall not we Christians who have the Revelation of the Gospel we who read of the eternal Son of God devesting himself of the Glory he had with God before the World was and taking our frail Nature into Union with himself learn and practise iâ— much more Are we not told what the Blessed Jesus did and how much he suffered in Life and Death and all this that he might redeem Mankind from Sin and Death and Hell and make us happy Was this the Design and Business of his Life and Death to do the greatest Good to all Men Let us make it appear that we are indeed his Disciples in that we carry on the same Design which he did and follow his Example in doing Good This is so necessary a part of Christianity that if I were to give a Character of a Christian in short it should be this He is one that designs and doth Good unto all Men. Catholick Charity makes a Man a Member of the Catholick Church Holding of the Catholick Faith is not so sure a Mark of a Christian as living in Universal Love whosoever doth so is a Christian he that doth not is none no tho he can repeat his Creed and think he believes every Article of it it is not so material as this universal Inclination of doing Good it is not so material in order to our Acceptance with God what our Opinions are as what our Affections and Lives are This is final and ultimate in Religion that which God design'd to bring Men unto by all the Revelations which he has made and by all his Institutions All true Religion that has ever been in the World has aim'd at this to make Men better wiser and more vertuous And why is this but in order to Action And do we or can we act only about our selves If we be better shall it not be better for other Men Can a Man be good to himself singly and not to Society Or does Religion intend the Good of private Persons and not of Communities Assuredly that which designs to make Men good to themselves designs to make them good to others That Man is most truly Religious who gives most Honour to God and he does that who makes the most true and worthy Representation of him to the World and he does that who is universally good and kind Not he who macerates his Flesh with Fasting or wears out his Knees with long and frequent Praying or spends the greatest part of his time in Hearing or Reading or denies himself the useful and innocent Pleasures of Life and Conversation that turns Recluse or Hermite that goes a long Pilgrimage bare-foot that exposes himself to pinching Cold or scoâ—â—hing Heat that calls for Fire from Heaven upon the wicked Transgressors of the Law Not any of these or others that pass for the only Religious Men in the World make so clear and true and becoming a Representation of God to the World as that poor Man does whose only Design it is to do Good unto all who makes it his great Business to be innocent and useful to every one in the World This Man's Life shall do more to make other Men entertain true and honourable Thoughts of God than all the Devotions and Fervors of them who confine their Religion to such Passions and Exercises Nor can all Faith and Knowledg have such an effect upon others to make them glorify God as the Life of this good Man who does Good Lastly Nothing can make us more sure of and fit for the Happiness of Heaven than this As nothing can make us more like to God and Christ and the good Angels than this Divine Temper of Love to Mankind so nothing more fits us for nor more assures of their Converse in Heaven Indeed this seems not so much a necessary Condition of the Happiness of that State as an essential Ingredient in it and a great part of it The great Change which I apprehend will be in Heaven from what is here on Earth is this That our selfish contracted Love will be enlarged and extended and that there we shall every one love all By what has been hitherto said it may appear sufficiently that nothing better becomes or is more worthy of us either as Men following the Principles of Nature or as Christians enlightned by revealed Religion than to be universally good But I shall argue this further by shewing that 3. To do Good to all Men c. is one of those means which
are as well necessary as available to the attaining of all those Ends which Wisdom can design It will much conduce to their Accomplishment and they cannot be obtained without it The Ends which Wisdom aims at are the good State of a Man's self in particular and of the World in general That 's ill Nature misguided by Folly which intends more Evil than Good or Evil not in order to Good That which only designs a particular Good without regard to the more common is Subtilty Craft and Selfishness but only that is Wisdom which designs the Welfare of particulars and the Community too It is said of Solomon that he was a Man of a large Heart as the Sand on the Sea And Wisdom is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a loving Spirit and is said to have his Delights with the Sons of Men Prov. 8. 31. It gives a Man an Aptitude a Largeness of Heart and Greatness of Mind Now where there is Love and that not contracted and pent up in a narrow Soul it will desire the Welfare of all This then being supposed that Wisdom aims at the good Estate of the Man himself and of others as it is certainly true and therefore we never say any Man designs wisely who intends Mischief but only he who designs Good or a particular and less Evil in order to a common and greater Good These being the Ends which Wisdom proposes what more accommodate means can be chosen for attaining this End than to do the Good that is within our Power Nothing more natural than to be doing that which we wish should be and that our Endeavours accompany our Wishes And tho I cannot say that every particular Man's Endeavours are necessary to the Welfare of the Publick because the All-wise Providence hath taken care that the Publick Good shall not depend on so great an Uncertainty as is every single Man's Goodness of himself yet whosoever doth not cast in his Mite into the publick Treasury he so far diminishes and takes off from the Publick Good And however doing Good to others is absolutely necessary to his own Good State Tho my Endeavours may not be necessary for the Good of others they are for my own It remains then that I shew in particular that this is one of those means which are both effectual and necessary to the attaining of whatever Wisdom can aim at either as to a Man 's own particular or the World in general When a Man considers himself throughly he considers both his Reference to this and to the future Life And he that intends wisely for himself he principally intends the Welfare of his Soul the good State of his Mind and that his Body may be in a Condition to serve that and all other things contributing to the Welfare of both Particularly he proposes to his aim Knowledg Religion and Vertue Tranquillity and Pleasure Life and Health a good Name and a competent Estate And true Wisdom that loving Spirit will design for others as for it self Now to do good universally is the best and a very sure plain and short way both to get and to keep these things both for our selves and others First It is the way to the best Knowledg For 1. He that 's bent to do all the Good he can to Men will be diligent to get Knowledg that he may be able to inform others None that considers but knows thiâ— to be one of the great Excellencies of Man and that we cannot be more uâ—eful to each other than by communicating useful Truths For by this means we direct the Ignorant and perhaps erring Travellers nay we open the Eyes of the Blind we give Light to them that sit in Darkness In short by this we lay the Foundation of Vertue and Peace and there 's no Man but knows this that Knowledg is one of the best Gifts that one Man can give or communicate to another He therefore that 's resolved to do all the Good he can will earnestly seek after that Knowledg which will be so benesicial to others as well as himself and he doth not only seek it for the Improvement of his own Mind but hath this further Inducement to search after it that he may be more beneficial to other Men. He doth now not only study as Seneca saith Vt proficiat sed ut prosit not only to better himself but others also Nor is he only ingaged to study but 2. Is also determin'd to seek after that Knowledg which is best which is most useful and brings the greatest Benefits with it He that steers the Course of his Studies by a design of doing Good will not spend his time in Trifles and Curiosities in idle and empty Speculations in groundless Conjectures and endless Disquisitions His pursuit is not after any piece of useless Learning and all that he counts such which doth not make him wiser or better which doth not help him to direct his Life to govern his Passions by Reason and Vertue to quiet his Mind to preserve his Health and rid him of ill Circumstances and be some way useful to other Men. And then 3. He will be very communicative of what he knows and there is no better way to get to keep to improve Knowledg than to communicate it The liberal Soul will not Usurer-like hoard up Knowledg and applaud himself that he knows such and such matters of which others are ignorant No but he takes a Pleasure in the Information of others and heartily endeavours to make them as wise as himself and whilst he instructs them he refreshes his own Notions and preserves a Memory of them And indeed this Furniture of Souls i like that of Houses if it be kept close and unused it grows mouldy and Moth or Rust corrupt it whereas if commonly used and open to common sight it 's preserv'd This is the Sum An earnest design of doing the Good we can to other Men will engage us to seek after Knowledg after the best and most useful and when we have got it to communicate it to others and in all these ways increases it in our selves Secondly To do Good unto all Men is the way to be truly religious Religion or to have a due regard to God this is certainly one of the greatest Perfections of Man's Mind It 's that wherein we manifestly excel all the Creatures of this lower World and is the most spiritual divine Quality in the Soul of Man Besides it is impossible we should be happy without it for if it be necessary to our Happiness that we think truly of and be rightly affected to things in which we are less concern'd 't is absolutely necessary that we have right Apprehensions of and beâ—itting Affections to God who is offered to our Thoughts so often and with whom we always are the Knowledg of whom is Eternal Life For the clearing of this I will not now shew how great a part of Religion doing Good is because I have already discours'd