Power that they shall become as Spiritual as Bodies can be i. e. without corruption and decay without Weariness and Pain without any of those Infirmities which make Life so uneasie here Sometimes here the Mind hath such a load upon it that makes the Body sink under its weight but there the perfect Ease and Tranquility of the Mind will give a new Life and Vigour to the Body Here the most refined Pleasures of Life are such which arise from a brisk and uniform Motion of the Animal Spirits but then the Spirit and Joy of another World will afford such Delights as infinitely exceed our present Imagination Such Delights which shall be pure and constant without Interruption and without End For in that glorious Presence of God there is fulness of Joy and at his right hand are Pleasures for evermore SERMON XIII Preached at WORCESTER August the 17th 1690. Eccles. VII 16. Be not Righteous overmuch neither make thy self â—over wise Why shouldst thou destroy thy self BE not Righteous overmuch Can there be the least Danger of that in such a corrupt and degenerate Age as we live in And if our Preaching ought to be about the most seasonable Duties and the most dangerous Sins one would think this should be one of the last Texts in Scripture we should have occasion to Preach upon But such an Imagination arises from not understanding the Scope and Design of these words For if Righteousness were to be taken here for that which Solomon calls so viz. The true fear of God it would be hard to reconcile him to himself and these Expressions with the main Design of this Book For after all the Representations he hath made of the Good and Evil of this Life he concludes thus Let us hear the Conclusion of the whole Matter fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole Duty of Man And he gives a most weighty Reason for it for God shall bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil But then how can any Man fear God and keep his Commandments too much And the wise Man saith The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding But how can any be over wise in the knowledge of God and doing his Will And the righteous Man is generally taken by Solomon for a truly good Man so Ver. 15. There is a just Man that perisheth in his Righteousness and there is a wicked Man that prolongeth his Life in his Wickedness where the Opposition is plain between a righteous and a wicked Man How then can any one be righteous overmuch And if not what is the meaning of these words Some think that they are spoken in the Person of an Epicurean who despised all Religion and thought it useful for nothing but to make Mens Lives uncomfortable to them and so to shorten their days and that the next Verses are an answer to them by shewing that Wickedness doth much rather do it There is a Truth and that very considerable in this Sense viz. that Wickedness doth Men more mischief as to this World than the most strict and severe Piety which altho' it seems uneasie to the Body yet it is far from being so destructive to it as Wickedness is and rather tends to support it by taking off all such Extravagancies which are so apt to shorten and destroy Mens Lives by their procuring Peace and Satisfaction But I cannot see how this comes in as spoken by another Person and the only Reason of it is the Supposition that taking them otherwise they are not capable of a true and proper Sense But there may be several Accounts given of them if we take them as spoken by Solomon in his own Name 1. With respect to Providence 2. To Religion 3. To moral Righteousness and Wisdom 1. They must seem to refer to the Method of God's dealing with good and bad Men in this World of which he spake Verse 15. Be not too strict and severe in passing Judgment on God's Providence be not more righteous and wise than God is do not think you could govern the World better than he doth pry not too far into those Mysteries which are too deep for you why shouldst thou confound thy self So some interpret the latter words 2. They may refer to Religion but then they are not to be understood of what is truly and really so but of what passes in the World for it and Men may esteem themselves very much for the sake of it For although Men cannot exceed in the main and fundamental Duties of Religion in the Belief and Fear and Love of God yet they may and often do mistake in the Nature and Measures and Bounds of what they account Duties of Religion 3. They may be taken in a moral Sence for that Righteousness which Men are to shew towards each other both in Judgment and Practise and for that Wisdom which Mankind is capable of as a moral Vertue and in both these there are extremes to be avoided and so they are not to be righteous overmuch nor to make themselves over wise There are Three things therefore to be spoken to for clearing the Sense of these words 1. How we may exceed our Bounds concerning the Righteousness and Wisdom of Providence 2. How with respect to Religion 3. How with respect to moral Righteousness and Wisdom 1. With respect to Providence The great Difficulty lies in what the wise Man saith afterwards That the righteous and the wise and their Works are in the hand of God no Man knoweth Love or Hatred by all that is before him All things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked c. Now this seems hard to reconcile to the Justice and Wisdom of Providence But we have sufficient Reason to forbear censuring and prying too far into these Matters from these Considerations 1. God is not accountable to us for what he doth The Psalmist tells us God's Judgments are a great deep and therefore it is a vain thing for us to pretend to go to the bottom of them St. Paul who had great Advantages above others Crys out How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out We ought rather to admire than to search into what he declares unsearchable and to sit down patient under our Ignorance when he saith his Ways are pastâ— finding out The wise and righteous God hath Reasons and Methods of Acting far above our reach and we do but shew our own Folly when we pretend to give an account of them 2. We have reason to be satisfied that his Providence is Righteous and Wise although we cannot comprehend it For as Abraham said in this Case Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right He who is the great and wise God who loveth Righteousness and hateth Iniquity cannot Act
it is made to serve Mens Passions against each other 3. When they seek for no Accommodation of their Differences in a fair and amicable manner The Necessities of some Cases are such That they are fit to be referr'd to such Wise Arbitration as the Law provides but if Men are restless and litigious who love Differences and delight in vexing their Neighbours with Law Suits it is certain they have not the Spirit and Temper of Christians who are to live peaceably with all Men. 2. How this proves so mischievous to Men. 1. It makes such Mens lives very unquiet and troublesome to themselves and others For it is impossible for some to disturb others but they must expect a Retaliation Many Men would have their Passions lie more quiet if they were not rouzed up and awakened by others but when they are they know not how to lay them asleep again And so they exasperate and provoke each other and take away all the Peace and Contentment of one anothers Lives And what Care and Solitude what Vexation and Trouble doth attend those who are thus Righteous overmuch that they will always be endeavouring to right themselves till they bring the greatest mischief upon themselves 2. It provokes God to shorten their days out of pity to the rest of the World For the greatest Blessings of this World are promised to the meek and patient and charitable and merciful Persons and therefore others have no reason to expect any other but a Curse upon them To conclude all by way of Advice as to the general Sense of these words 1. Not to think every thing too much in Religion and Vertue because some are here said to be Righteous overmuch The far greatest Part of Mankind err the other way They care not how little of Religion they have and they desire no more than just to carry them to Heaven Which shews they neither know what Heaven or Religion means for then they would be convinced their Minds could never be too much prepared for it 2. To understand the difference between true Wisdom and Righteousness and that which is not For upon that depends the just Measure of them both We cannot be too Wise in that which is real Wisdom but we may be too easily conceited of our Wisdom and cry up that for Righteousness which is not but a sort of busie Impertinency about little Matters in Religion and making a great noise about them which signifie very little as to true Wisdom 3. Be not too curious in searching nor too hard in censuring the Fâ—ults of others It is a very unpleasant Curiosity to find out the Faults of others like that of some Creatures which delight in Dunghils and those who consider the Frailties of human Nature will not be too severe upon the Miscarriages of others 4. Live as easily with others as you can for that tends much to the sweetning and prolonging Life It is not possible to live without Injuries take as little notice of them as may be and that may be the smartest Revenge If you are forced to right your selves do it with that Gentleness and Fairness that they may see you delight not in it 5. Avoid a needless Scrupulosity of Conscience as a thing which keeps our Minds always uneasie A Scrupulous Man is always in the dark and therefore full of Fears and Melancholy apprehensions he that gives way to Scruples is the greatest Enemy to his own Peace But then let not the fear of Scrupulosity make you afraid of keeping a good Conscience for that is the wisest and best and safest Companion in the World FINIS Books written by the Right Reverend Father in God Edw. L. Bishop of Worcester and sold by H. Mortlock at the Phoenix in St. Paul 's Church-Yard A Rational account of the Grounds of the Protestant Religion being a Vindication of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury's Relation of a Conference c. from the pretended Answer of T. C. 2d Edit Fol. Origines Britannicae or the Antiquities of the British Churches with a Preface concerning some pretended Antiquities relating to Britain in Vindication of the Bishop of St. Asaph Folio Irenicum A Weapon-Salve for the Churches Wounds Quarto Origines Sacrae Or a Rational account of the Grounds of Christian Faith as to the Truth and Divine Authority of the Script and the matters therein contained 4 to A Discourse concerning the Idolatry practised in the Church of Rome and the hazard of Salvation in the Communion of it Octavo An Answer to several late Treatises occasioned by a Book entituled A Discourse concerning the Idolatry practised in the Church of Rome and the hazard of Salvation in the Communion of it Part I. Octavo A Second Discourse in Vindication of the Protestant Grounds of Faith against the pretence of Infallibility in the Roman Church in Answer to the Guide in Controversie by R. H. Protestancy without Principles and Reason and Religion or the certain Rule of Faith by E. W. with a particular enquiry into the Miracles of the Roman Church Octavo An Answer to Mr. Cressy's Epistle apologetical to a Person of Honour touching his Vindication of Dr Stillingfleet Octavo A Defence of the Discourse concerning the Idolatry practised in the Church of Rome in answer to a Book entituled Catholicks no Idolaters Octavo Several Conferences between a Roman Priest a Fanatick Chaplain and a Divine of the Church of England being a full Answer to the late Dialogues of T. G Octavo The Unreasonableness of Separation or and Impartialaccount of the History Nature and Pleas of the present Separation from the Communion of the Church of England Quarto A â—ourse concerning the Doctrine of Christ's Satisfaction or the true Reasons of his Sufferings with an Answer to the Socinian Objections To which is added a Sermon concerning the Mysteries of the Christian Faith Preached April 7. 1691. With a Preface concerning the true state of the Controversie about Christ's Satisfaction The 2d Edit Octavo Sermons preached upon several Occasions in 3 Volumes Octavo A Discourse in Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity with an Answer to the late Socinian Objections against it from Scripture Antiquity and Reason And a Preface concerning the different Explications of the Trinity and the Tendency of the present Socinian Controversie The 2d Edit Octavo An Answer to Mr. Lock 's Letter concerning some Passages relating to his Essay of Humane Understanding mentioned in the late Discourse in Vindication of the Trininity With a Postscript in Answer to some Reflections made on that Treatise in a late Socinian Pamphlet An Answer to Mr. Lock 's Second Letter wherein his Notion of Ideas is proved to be inconsistent with it self and with the Articles of the Christian Faith 8 to Ecclesiastical Cases Relating to the Duties and Rights of the Parochial Clergy stated and resolved according to the Principles of Conscience and Law The Rule of Faith Or an Answer to the Treatise of Mr. J. S. entituled Sure-footing
here given but the sight of the eye and the way of the heart i. e. outward Appearance and inward Inclination and these are the beloved Rules of the most sensual and voluptuous Persons and they judge of Happiness only by the pursuit of them Here is nothing mention'd of Reason or Conscience or a regard to Vertue in the Restraint of Natural Inclinations Nay here is nothing of that Severity which Epicurus himself thought necessary towards the maintaining of a pleasant State of Life which he granted could never be done without some Restraint of Men's Appetites and Inclinations to the Pleasures of Sense and it is not to be imagined that Solomon should give young Men greater Liberty than the corruptest Moralists did Therefore I cannot look upon these words as a Permission for them to do what is here expressed but as a full Description of that Method of Living which the jolly and voluptuous Corrupters of Youth would instruct them in Rejoyce O young Man in thy Youth and let thine heart chear thee c. II. We have here the most powerfull Check and Restraint laid upon all these sensual Inclinations of Youth But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgment Which words are the wise Man's Correction of the foregoing Liberty or the Curb which Reason and Religion give to the pursuit of Natural Inclinations wherein every Word hath its force and ought to make a deep Impression upon us For 1. Know thou Thine is not then the same cafe with Creatures that have no understanding they are not capable of any Check from themselves having no Law of Reason or Conscience within them to controul or govern theâ— sensual Desires but God hath given thee not meerly a brutal Appetite but a rational Soul capable of understanding the differences of Good and Evil and the Reasons why some things which appear pleasant are very difagreeing to the Principles of humane Nature i. e. to that Order Decency Modesty and Regularity which the more elevated Frame and Capacity of Mankind do require 2. For all these things as light and vain as you esteem them as soon as they are over and forgotten by you as secretly and closely as they are committed as much as you endeavour to palliate and excuse them yet but for all these things God will certainly bring thee into Judgment Therefore you have all the Reason in the world to consider what you do since every thing will be brought to Judgment whether it be good or evil as Solomon concludes this Book Which shews the great regard God hath to the Good or Evil of ouâ— Actions and if the great Judge of the World hath so certainly we ought to have it and never think our selves at liberty to do what we please in gratifying our Lusts and pursuing our Natural Inclinations to Evil. 3 God will do it If there were no God to call thee to an Account yet there are some Actions of Vertue so agreeable to Mankind and some Vices â—o loathsome and deformed that there would be sufficient cause for them to love the one and to abhorr the other If we could suppose such a Frame of things things and such sorts of Beings as we now see and no God to make them which is most absurd and unreasonable yet we must suppose these Beings to have Natures and Properties distinct from each other so that we could not imagine Men to become Beasts and therefore they must not act like them but preserve that Decorum or Agreeableness in their Actions which is suitable to the peculiar Excellencies of humane Nature And there are some Sins so much below the Dignity thereof that no Circumstances no Suppositions can make them fitting for Mankind to commit them which shews that the Nature of Good and Evil is no Arbitrary thing but is founded in the very Frame of our Beings and in the Respects we owe to our selves and to one another And since there is an Infinite and Supreme Being which hath absolute Power and Command over us and gives us both our Beings and the Comforts of our Lives it is most absurd to suppose it not to be a fault to hate his Goodness or to despise his Mercy or to slight his Power and to contemn his Authority For in all these there is something repugnant to the common Sense of Mankind and to all Principles of true Honour and Justice And there are such common Principles of Morality arising from our necessary Relation to God and each other which are of so clear and convincing Evidence that every one that considers them will grant that wicked Men may as well go about to dispute their Beings as their Sins and may as easily prove that they are not but only appear to be as that no Actions are really evil but only by false Glasses appear so to be But however vain Men may deceive themselves God will not be mocked for he not only sees and knows all our Actions but he will bring us to an Account for them 4. God will bring thee into Judgment It is a dreadfull Consideration to a Sinner that God knows all his false Steps all his secret Sins all his Falshood and Dissimulation with God and Men And there is nothing which Men of Art and Design hate more than to be discover'd and found out in all their double and deceitfull Dealings but to have these not only privately discover'd but exposed and laid open to the view of the World and not only so but to have every Circumstance examin'd and every Action scanned and that by the great Judge of all the World whom nothing can escape nothing can deceive nothing can withstand whose Justice is inflexible whose Knowledge is incomprehensible whose Power is irresistible and whose Vengeance is insuppoâ—table This we cannot but imagine must strike an awe and terrour into the Minds of Men when they are pursuing the Pleasures of Sin that for all these things God will bring them into Judgment But notwithstanding these and many other Expressions to the same purpose in Scripture wherein God hath declared that he will certainly Judge the World in Righteousness at the Great Day that the Secrets of all hearts shall then be disclosed that we must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ and that God will render to every Man according to his Deeds And notwithstanding it is a thing in it self very reasonable from the Consideration of God's Justice and Providence and the Nature and Consequences of good and evil Actions yet the generality of Mankind go on as secure and careless as if there were no such thing or that they ought not to be concerned about it Therefore I shall not spend time in the Proof of that which I take for granted you all believe and I am sure have Reason so to do but I shall enquire into these things which are most practical and therefore proper for our Consideration at this Time 1. How a
Word if the Thing it self be granted The chief thing therefore to be done is to shew that God may require from us the belief of such things which are incomprehensible by us For God may require any thing from us which it is reasonable for us to do if it be then reasonable for us to give assent where the manner of what God hath revealed is not comprehended then God may certainly require it from us Hath not God revealed to us that in six days he made Heaven and Earth and all that is therein But is it not reasonable for us to believe this unless we are able to comprehend the manner of God's production of things Here we have something revealed and that plainly enough viz. that God created all things and yet here is a Mystery remaining as to the manner of doing it Hath not God plainly revealed that there shall be a Resurrection of the dead and must we think it unreasonable to believe it till we are able to comprehend all the Changes of the Particles of Matter from the Creation to the General Resurrection But it is said that there is no Contradiction in this but there is in the Mystery of the Trinity and Incarnation It is strange Boldness in Men to talk thus of Monstrous Contradictions in things above their Reach The Atheists may as well say Infinite Power is a Monstrous Contradiction and God's Immensity and his other unsearchable Perfections are Monstrous Paradoxes and Contradictions Will Men never learn to distinguish between Numbers and the Nature of Things For three to be one is a Contradiction in Numbers but whether an Infinite Nature can communicate it self to three different Subsistences without fuch a Division as is among created Beings must not be determin'd by bare Numbers but by the absolute Perfections of the Divine Nature which must be owned to be above our Comprehension For let us examine some of those Perfections which are most clearly revealed and we shall find this true The Scripture plainly reveals that God is from everlasting to everlasting that he was and is and is to come but shall we not believe the Truth of this till we are able to fathom the Abyss of God's Eternity I am apt to think and I have some thoughtfull Men concurring with me that there is no greater Difficulty in the Conception of the Trinity and Incarnation than there is of Eternity Not but that there is great Reason to believe it but from hence it appears that our Reason may oblige us to believe some things which it is not possible for us to comprehend We know that either God must have been for ever or it is impossible he ever should be for if he should come into Being when he was not he must have some Cause of his Being and that which was the first Cause would be God But if he was for ever he must be from himself and what Notion or Conception can we have in our Minds concerning it And yet Atheistical Men can take no Advantage from hence because their own most absurd Hypothesis hath the very same Difficulty in it For something must have been for ever And it is far more reasonable to suppose it of an Infinite and Eternal Mind which hath Wisdom and Power and Goodness to give Being to other things than of dull stupid and senâ—eless Matter which could never move it self nor give Being to any thing besides Here we have therefore a thing which must be owned by all and yet such a thing which can be conceived by none Which shews the narrowness and shortness of our Understandings and how unfit they are to be the Measures of the Possibilities of things Vain men would be wise they would fain go to the very bottom of things when alass they scarce understand the very Surface of them They will allow no Mysteries in Religion and yet every thing is a Mystery to them They cry out of Cheats and Impostures under the Notion of Mysteries and yet there is not a Spire of Grass but is a Mystery to them they will bear with nothing in Religion which they cannot comprehend and yet there is scarce any thing in the World which they can comprehend But above other things the Divine Perfections even those which are most absolute and necessary are above their Reach For let such Men try â—heir Imaginations about God's Eternity not meerly how he should be from himself but how God should coexist with all the Differences of Times and yet there be no Succession in his own Being I do not say there is such Difficulty to conceive a Rock standing still when the Waves run by it or the Gnomon of a Dial when the Shadow Passes from one Figure to another because these are gross un-active things but the Difficulty is far greater where the Being is perfect and always active For where there is Succession there is a passing out of not being in such a duration into being in it which is not consistent with the absolute Perfection of the Divine Nature And therefore God must be all at once what he is without any Respect to the Difference of Time past present or to come From whence Eternity was defined by Boethius to be a perfect and complete Possession all at once of everlasting Life But how can we form any Conception in our Minds of that being all at once which hath such different Acts as must be measur'd by a long Succession of Time As the creating and dissolving the Frame of the World the promising and sending the Messias the declaring and executing a general Judgment how can these things be consistent with a permanent Instant or a Continuance of being without Succession For it is impossible for us in this Case as to God's Eternity to form a clear and distinct Idea in our Mind of that which both Reason and Revelation convince us must be The most we can make of our Conception of it is that God hath neither Beginning of Being nor End of Days but that he always was and always must be And this is rather a necessary Conclusion from Reason and Scripture than any distinct Notion or Conception of Eternity in our Minds From whence it evidently follows that God may reveal something to us which we are bound to believe and yet after that Revelation the Manner of it may be incomprehensible by us and consequently a Mystery to us Hath not God revealed to us in Scripture the Spirituality of his own Nature That he is a Spirit and therefore will be worshipp'd in Spirit and in Truth For that is a true Reason why Spiritual Worship should be most agreeable to him Now if we could have a clear distinct 〈◊〉 Notion in our Minds of God's Spiritual Nature we might then pretend that there is nothing mysterious in this since it is revealed But let such Men examine their own thoughts about this Matter and try whether the utmost they can attain to
enjoying themselves and being full of Noise and Confidence and appear to be all Miâ—th and good Humour But there is another Account to be taken of these things If Men could look within and see all the secret Misgivings the inward Horrours of Conscience the Impatience and Dissatisfaction they have when they seriously reflect on their evil Courses it would quite alter their Apprehensions of these things and make them conclude with the Roman Orator That one Day spent according to the Rules of Vertue were to be preferr'd before everlasting Debaucheries And he was no Fooâ— no Pedant no mean and contemptible Person who said this but a Man of Wit and Sense of Quality and Experience who had Opportunities and Means enough to have pursued the most sensual and voluptuous Course of Liâ—e which yet we see out of Judgment and Choice he despised and preferr'd a far shorter Life according to the Rules of Vertue before a vicious Immortality And yet how short were the Incouragements to a good Life and the Dissuasives from Sin among the best of them in Comparison of what we all â—now now by the Gospel of Christ They went no farther than meer Natural Reason and the common Sense of Mankind carried them but we profess to believe the Wrath of God revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of Men and that there will be a great and terrible Day wherein Men must receive according to their Works whether they be Good or Evil. And will not this dreadfull Consideration awaken the drowsie and secure Sinner and make him look about him betimes while there is yet any hopes of Mercy Will he not become so wise at least as to enter into the Consideration of his Ways and to look back on the former Course of his Life to examine and compare that with the Law of God by which he must be judged And if we have but Patience to do this he will have no farther Patience with himself for being guilty of such unspeakable Folly He will abhorr himself for all his sensual and sinfull Delights which will turn into the greatest Bitterness and Anguish to his Soul He will lament his Folly and Wickedness with the deepest Sorrow and take up sincere and firm Resolutions to return no more to the Practise of them And if this be the Result as it ought to be of all the distinguishing sinfull Pleasures of a carnal Mind I leave it to the most impartial Mind to resolve whether there will be the least Advantage by pursuing them 2. But we have too great Reason to suppose that Men may harden themselves to such a Degree of Wickedness as to be insensible of the Folly of it and to mock at those who go about to reprove them for it Such as these are at ease because they have no Sense of their Condition but so are those in a Lethargy Is their Case therefore to be envied or compared with those in Health altho' more sensible of Pain and Danger Who seem to be better pleased at sometimes and transported with their own Imaginations than Men in a Frenzy And yet no Man thinks their Condition happier for it There is a sort of Moral Frenzy which possesses some part of Mankind who are not only extravagant in their Actions but assume such a Degree of Confidence in committing them as though the wise Men of all Ages had been the only remarkable Fools in it But it is no such easie Matter to run down the Principles of Vertue and Religion they have stood the Shock of all the Sarcasms and Reproaches of former Times and there is still nothing at the Bottom of all the Scorn and Contempt that is cast upon them but a carnal and profane Temper of Mind which may bear them up for a while but it will be sure to end in everlasting Confusion and then they will find what they were so unwilling to believe That to be carnally minded is Death Not a meer State of Insensibility but the worst kind of Death A Death of perpetual Horrour and Torment A Death without the Power of Dying and yet with a perpetual Desire of it A Death whose Sting can never be taken out and whose Terror is said to be as everlasting as the Joys of Heaven And shall not the Apprehension of such a Death as this so dreadfull so unavoidable so insupportable make the greatest Sinners to tremble and be confounded at the Apprehension of it And if once such Thoughts break into their Minds farewell then to all the imaginary Pleasure and Satisfaction of a carnal Mind for it must sink it into the Confusion if not the Despair of Hell 2. But I have hitherto represented the Disadvantages of one side but are there not such on the other too Some are too apt to think a spiritual Mind to be nothing but a disorder'd Fancy and melancholy Imaginations of invisible things If this were all it were so far from being Life and Peace that there could be no real Satisfaction about it But a spiritual Mind is truly the most desirable thing we aâ—e capable of in this World For it is the best Improvement of our Minds which are Spiritual It is the purging and refining them from the Dross and Corruption which debased them It is the advancing them towards the Divine Nature by a gradual Participation of it It is the raising them above the carnal Delights and the sollicitous Cares and perplexing Fears of this World and fitting them for a perpetual Conversation with Divine and Spiritual Objects And what then can be more agreeable to the best Part of our selves here than to have a Mind so disengaged from this World and so fit for a better So that we may be content to take a view of the Worst which can be supposed as to Disadvantage here which is that good Men may be under uneequal Circumstances as to their Condition in this Life that is when the regarding another World more than this may make their outward Condition moâ—e uneasie here than it might have been if they had follow'd only the Dictates of a carnal Mind There are two sorts of Troubles we are to expect in this World 1. Such as we bring upon our selves by our own Acts 2. Such as are common to all Mankind In both these the spiritual Mind hath the Advantage 1. As to such which Men bring upon themselves Let this be supposed as it ought to be when God pleases among Christians who are to follow Christ in taking up his Cross Is there any thing in this which overthrows the Advantage of a spiritual Mind above a carnal Can a carnal Mind secure Men from Pains and Diseases from Losses and Disappointments Nay doth not the Pursuit of carnal Pleasures bring more Troubles upon Men in this Life than the Case of Persecution doth upon the best Christians If the loathsome Diseases the reproachfull and untimely Deaths which of all things ought to be most avoided by such who
parity of Reason some things are declared and enforced by the Gospel others left to our own Deductions and Inferences some things are made positive Commands for all Ages others are reported by way of Example but that Example understood by the Church to have the force of a Command now in all these and other like Cases we ought to have the greatest regard to plain positive moral and perpetual Commands but withall to have a due regard to consequential and usefull Duties especially where the Church of God hath always so understood them which is the best Interpreter of such doubtfull Cases where the Sense of it is truly delivered to us 3. As to the Obligation we are under and that is three-fold 1. That of Nature which is to act according to Reason and none can question that but those who question whether there be any such Principle as Reason in Mankind and whosoever do so have Reason to begin at home 2. Of Christianity which supposes and enforces that of Nature and superadds many other Duties which we are bound to perform as Christians 3. Of our several Relations and particular Imployments As to the former we are under great Obligations from God and Nature and Christianity to do the Duties which belong to us in them As to the latter they commonly require a stricter Obligation by Oath to do those things which otherwise we are not bound to do But being entered into it by a voluntary Act of our own we cannot omit such Duties without Sin but where the Circumstances of things do supersede the Obligation Thus I have gone through as clearly and distinctly as I could the most usefull Cases relating to Sins of Omission it remains now that I make some Application to our selves When we reflect on our Lives and Actions our Sins of Commission are apt to terrifie our Consciences and make us very apprehensive of the Wrath of God but how few are any ways concerned for their Sins of Omission viz. For not discharging the Duties of their Places for not doing the Good they might and ought to have done for not serving God with Diligence and exemplary Devotion for not having their Minds so fixed and intent upon him as they ought to have on their Creatour and Preserver and Redeemer In a very corrupt Age not to be remarkable for doing Evil is a kind of Saintship but how few are remarkable for doing Good And yet that is one of the best Characters of Saintship How much time is squandred away in Vanity and Folly And yet how is that grudged which is spent in the Worship of God O what a burthen it is to serve God and spend any time in Devotion How many Excuses and Pretences of Business will such make rather than attend upon religious Duties which themselves would judge very frivolous in other Matters And will God and Conscience be satisfied with such unequal Dealing such notorious Partiality Let us deal faithfully and sincerely with our selves Are we as ready to serve God as to serve our Lusts and Pleasures Have we the same regard to his Worship that we have to any thing we really love and esteem If not there must be something very much amiss in the Temper and Disposition of the Mind and we are highly concerned to look into it I do not speak now of casual and accidental Omissions of some particular Duties at some times but of a general Unconcernedness about Matters of Religion as though they were either too high in the Speculation or too mean and low in the Practice of them or at least that it is no great Matter one way or other whether they mind them or not This I am afraid is too much the Temper of the Age we live in which seems to be sinking into a strange Indifferency about Religion It is possible for Persons to have a Zeal against some corrupt Opinions and Practices in Religion and yet to have no true Zeal or Concernment for Religion it self For they may so much hate being imposed upon by false Pretenders that carry on an Interest and Faction under the Shew of Religion as from thence to suspect all Religion to be nothing else which is as unreasonable as for a Man to conclude that all Merchants and Jewellers are Cheats and that there are no such things nor can be as true Diamonds in the World because he hath fallen into the hands of such as would have cheated him with those which were counterfeit And it is common with such who design to deceive that what they want in Sincerity they make up with Confidence This is a good Argument for caution and looking about us but it is none at all for our indifferency about Matters of Religion For it is not here as in Jewels which are fine things to look upon but the Happiness of Life doth not depend upon them But would any one let alone things necessary to the Support of Life because Poison may be put into them We may take care to prevent it but we must have the Necessaries of Life and it would be great Folly to die for want of Sustenance for fear of being poysoned If we have no true Love to God and Religion we must perish for there is no hopes of Salvation without it And if we go on in a careless Indifferency about God and his Service If we do not do our Endeavours for suppressing Wickedness and Vice if we do not mind Religion our selves nor are incouraging it in others it will shew that we have not that Love of God and Religion which we ought to have Therefore if we regard the Honour of God our own Salvation the Duties of our Places the Interest of the Nation and the Satisfaction of all that are wise and good we must shake off all this Coldness and Indifferency about Religion and apply our selves heartily and sincerely to promote the great Ends of it which are to make Persons good in this World and happy in another Which God of his Mercy grant c. SERMON XI Preached at WHITE-HALL Before the Princess of Denmark February the 11th 1686 7 St. Matth. XXVI 41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation the Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weak THESE words were spoken by our Saviour to his Disciples at a critical time when they were just entring into Temptation but they were very little apprehensive of it and of their Inability to withstand it Like Jonas they were fallen asleep when the Storm was gathering about them and did not imagine they were so near being cast into a rough and tempestuous Sea It was but a little before Ver. 26. that Christ had entertained them at the proper Banquet of the Messias which the Jews speak so much of but not such a one as they fansied made up of the greatest Delicacies and Varieties of Meats and Drinks but at a Supper of his own appointing where ordinary Bread and Wine were made use of to set
well of themselves unless they think amiss of others and such are very prying into the Faults of other Men and are pleased with hearing them because hereby they bring them on the same Level with themselves What a Satisfaction doth it seem to profane Men to find out the Miscarriages of such who pretend to Religion But are they the better or Religion the worse for them To be a Scandal to Religion is a great Aggravation of a Fault but still Religion is not to blame for it was the want of it which made them commit those Faults but where there is a desire to hear the Miscarriages of other Men and a Pleasure in relating them no doubt there is an ill Temper of Mind from whence this proceeds 6. In not using the same Measures in judging the good and the evil of other Men. The one they presently and easily believe but the other they make many Difficulties about If any evil Action be reported of a Neighbour that is presently entertained and spread abroad to his mighty disadvantage although it be at first taken up from a malicious or ill grounded Report But if a good Action be told they find out all possible ways either to lessen the Credit of the Reporter or the Nature of the Action or to find out Circumstances to exasperate it So much Malice and ill Will doth appear in the ordinary Considerations of Mankind and the Judgments they pass upon one another 7. In pronouncing concerning Mens final State in another World Which is wholly out of our reach and Capacity For that depends upon such things which it is impossible for us to know as 1. The Nature and Aggravation of Mens Sins which depend upon Circumstances we cannot know but God doth What measure of Knowledge they had what Temptations they were under what means of Resistance what Degrees of Wilfulness and Presumption there were in them 2. The Sincerity of their Repentance for those Sins We know it may be the Sins they have committed but we cannot know how much they have smarted for those Sins in secret what Agonies of Mind they have undergone for them how earnestly they have pray'd for Forgiveness and Strength against them what an inward Abhorrence and Detestation they have of them what a real Change hath been made in their Souls as to what they have loved and delighted in 3. What Failings are consistent with a general Sincerity We know a perfect Obedience is impossible therefore we must allow some or else we must send all to Hell But then how to fix the nature and number of such Failings so as to say So far he may fail and yet be sincere is impossible for us to do since we must take in those Circumstances which it is impossible for us to know 4. What things are absolutely necessary to Salvation of particular Persons Bold and presumptuous Men are very positive and daring in such Cases but such as are modest and humble dare not go farther than God hath declared Some unreasonably restrain the Possibility of Salvation to the Bounds of their own Communion but I should sooner question the Possibility of their Salvation who thus censure and condemn the rest of Mankind Which is not consistent with that Charity which the Scripture makes more necessary to Salvation than any one Communion 5. The Bounds of God's Mercy The usual Terms of it are expressed in Scripture But even that hath acquainted us that God hath not tied up himself from some extraordinary Instances of it As in the Case of the Thief on the Cross. This is no ground for Incouragement to any to put off their Repentance but it is a sufficient ground to keep us from censuring any as to their final Condition in another World 2. The Mischief they bring upon themselves by being thus severe towards others 1. This provokes the Malice of others against them who are sure to be revenged if possible on such who are so ready to condemn others and to lay open their Faults thereby to expose their Weakness or Hypocrisie Whereas Candour and Fairness makes Men willing to use the same towards those who use it to others 2. It provokes God to be severe to such as shew no Mercy towards others And so our Saviour understands it Matth. 7. 1 2. Nothing we have so much Cause to dread as the Severity of God's Judgment upon us and nothing should make us more willing to shew Kindness and Good-Will to others than to consider that God will have a regard to it in his dealing with us Especially if it appear in our Actions as well as our Words Which is the next thing to be considered 2. We may be Righteous overmuch in the moral Practice of Righteousness towards others 1. That Men may exceed herein 2. That this proves mischievous to themselves 1. That Men may exceed in Righteousness in their dealings with other Men. In the Matter of right and wrong between Party and Party Men may be Righteous overmuch viz. When Men take all the advantages which the Law gives them against others without Consideration of their Condition and Circumstances It hath been long since observed That Summum jus summa injuria the Reason whereof is That the Law being made for a whole Community cannot be so framed but it may pinch hard upon some particular Persons if it be severely pursued whose Circumstanâ—es are such as the Law never intended The Foundations of Justice saith Cicero are that no innocent Person suffer and that the common Good be maintained Where the Circumstances of Persons deserve Pity it is not Justice but Inhumanity to pursue their own Right to the ruin of others No certain Rules can be set down because Circumstances vary so much but it doth not become a good Man to insist upon a bare Right to the utter ruin of another if they are such as deserve Commiseration i. e. Poor helpless and willing to do what they are able for Satisfaction Aristotle saith That a good Man doth not pursue the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exactness of Law but abates of his Right although he is sure he hath the Law of his side Is it then unbecoming a good Man to pursue his Right No. But he ought so to manage it as to shew he hath a regard to Equity as well as Justice But there are several ways of Mens being Righteous overmuch 1. When they mind Justice without Mercy The truth is such Persons are not so much as moral Heathens so far are they from being good Christians Which so earnestly recommends Charity and Kindness to our greatest Enemies So that even our Justice ought to have a mixture of Mercy in it 2. When they make the Law the Instrument of their Revenge when they are glad they have taken their Enemies at such an advantage We may here apply St. Paul's words We know the Law is good if a Man use it lawfully But there may be a very unlawful use of it when