Matter hath been rightly stated then Religion and the Fear of God is the first Principle and Foundation of true Wisdom and that which we are to consider and take along with us in all the Designs and Actions of our Lives and all Wisdom which does not begin here is preposterous and will prove folly in the issue Secondly As Religion is the beginning of Wisdom so it is the perfection of it it is the highest point of Wisdom in which we can be Instructed The fear of the Lord says Solomon Prov. 15. 33. is the instruction of Wisdom A good Understanding says David Psal 111. 10. have all they that do his Commandments The Practice of Religion is the perfection of Wisdom and he understands himself best who lives most according to the Laws of God And this I might shew by instancing in particular Virtues the practice whereof is much Wiser and every way more for our Interest than the contrary Vices but this is too large an Argument to engage in and therefore I shall content my self at present briefly to shew that the chief Characters and Properties of Wisdom do all meet in Religion and agree to it The First Point of Wisdom is to understand our true Interest and to be right in our main End and in this Religion will best instruct and direct us And if we be right in our main End and true to the interest of it we cannot miscarry but if a Man mistake in this he errs fatally and his whole Life is Vanity and Folly Another property of Wisdom is to be steady and vigorous in the Prosecution of our main End To oblige us hereto Religion gives us the most powerful Arguments the glorious Happiness and the dismal Misery of another World The next Point of Wisdom is to make all things stoop and become subservient to our main End And where-ever Religion bears sway it will make all other things subordinate to the Salvation of our Souls and the Interest of our Everlasting Happiness as the Men of this World make every thing to submit and give way to their Covetous and Ambitious and Sensual Designs Another part of Wisdom is to Consider the Future and to look to the last End and Issue of things It is a common folly among Men to be so intent upon the present as to have little or no regard to the future to what will be hereafter Men Design and Labour for this present Life and their short continuance here in this World without taking into serious Consideration their main Duration and their Eternal Abode in another World But Religion gives us a clear Prospect of a Life after Death and overlooks Time and makes Eternity always present to us and minds us of making timely provision and preparation for it It takes into Consideration our whole Duration and inspires us with Wisdom to look to the End of things and to what will be hereafter as well as to what is present It is likewise a great Property of Wisdom to secure the main Chance and to run no hazard in that And this Religion directs us to take care of because the neglect of it will prove fatal Another Mark of Wisdom is to lay hold of Opportunities those especially which when they are once past will never return again There are some Seasons wherein great things may be done which if they be let slip are never to be retrieved A Wise Man will lay hold of these and improve them and Religion inculcates this Principle of Wisdom upon us that this Life is the opportunity of doing great things for our selves and of making our selves for ever this very day and hour may for ought we know be the last and only Opportunity of Repentance and making our Peace with God Therefore to day whilst it is called to day let us set about this necessary work lest any of us be hardned through the deceitfulness of Sin to morrow it may be too late to begin it and the Justice of God may cut us off whilst we are wilfully delaying it and the Opportunities of Saving our Immortal Souls may vanish and be for ever hid from our eyes The next Property of Wisdom is to foresee Dangers and to take timely care to prevent them The Prudent Man saith Solomon foreseeth the Evil and hideth himself that is shelters and secures himself against it but the simple pass on and are punished that is the Evil overtakes them and their Folly is punish'd in their fatal Ruine Now the greatest Danger is from the greatest Power even from him who is able to save and to destroy I will tell you says the Wisdom of God whom ye shall fear fear him who after he hath killed can destroy both Body and Soul in Hell Again another main Point of Wisdom is to do as little as we can to be repented of trusting rather to the Wisdom of Prevention than to that of Remedy Religion first teacheth Men Innocency and not to offend but in case we do as in many things we offend all it then directs us to Repentance as the only Remedy But this certainly is folly to Sin in hopes of Repentance that is first to make work for Repentance and then run the hazard of it for we may certainly Sin but it is not certain that we shall Repent And if it were yet it is great folly to lay in before hand and to make work for trouble Ne tu stultus homuncio es qui malis veniam precari quam non peccare was a Wise Saying of old Cato Thou are says he a silly Man indeed who chusest rather to ask Forgiveness than not to Offend If a Man had the best Remedy in the World he would not make himself sick to try the Virtue of it and it is a known Comparison and a very fit one that Repentance is Tabula post Naâ—fragium a Plank after Shipwreck But I am greatly afraid that thousands of Souls who have trusted to it have perished before they could get to Land with this Plank in their arms The last Character of Wisdom I shall mention is In all things to consult the Peace and Satisfaction of our own Minds without which nothing else can make us Happy and this Obedience to the Laws of God doth naturally procure Great Peace have they says David that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them The work of Righteousness says the Prophet shall be Peace and the effect of Righteousness quietness and assurance for ever The fear of God and the keeping of his Commandments is the best Preservative against the troubles of a guilty Conscience and the terrifying apprehensions of a Future Judgment And this is the great Wisdom of Religion that whosoever liveth according to the Rules and Precepts of it prevents the chief Causes of discontent and lays the surest Foundation of a perpetual satisfaction of Mind a Jewel of inestimable price which none knows but he that has it and he that hath it knows the value of
this precious Treasure to every bodies rapine and extortion and can quietly look on whilst Men thrust in their hands and take it out by whole handfuls as if it were of no greater value than Silver was in Solomon's days no more than the stones in the street And yet when it is gone all the Silver and Gold in the World cannot purchase and fetch back the least moment of it when perhaps we would give all the World for a very small part of that time which we parted with upon such cheap and easie terms Good God! what a stupid and senseless Prodigality is this do we consider what we do when we give away such large portions of our time to our ease and pleasure to diversion and idleness to trifling and unprofitable Conversation to the making and receiving of impertinent visits and the usual and almost inseparable attendants thereof spiteful observations upon them that are present and slandering and backbiting those that are absent For the great design of most People in visits is not to better one another but to spie and make faults and not to mend them to get time off their hands to shew their fine Cloaths and to recommend themselves to the mutual contempt of one another by a plentiful impertinâ—nce when we part with it by wholesale in sleep and dressing and can spend whole Mornings between the Comb and the Glass and the Afternoon at Plays and whole Nights in Gaming or in Riot and Lewdness and Intemperance in all which People commonly wast their Mony and their time together Nay how do even the best of us misplace this precious Treasure and tho' we do not employ it to wicked purposes and in Works of Iniquity yet we do not apply it to the best and noblest use to the Glory of God and the Good and Salvation of Men By thus laying out this Treasure we might lay up for our selves treasures in heaven and help others on in the Way thither Thus our Blessed Saviour employed his precious time in going about doing good in all kinds and upon all Occasions healing the Bodies and enlightning the Minds and saving the souls of men This was his Business and this was his delight it was his meat and drink and his very Life he spent himself in it and sacrificed his Ease and his Safety and his Life to these great Ends for which he came into the World he considered the Goodness and the Greatness of his work and the little time he had to do it in which made him incessantly industrious in it and to run the Race which was set before him with great speed and to work while it was day because he knew the night would come when no man can work And this brings me to the Second thing I observed from the Text namely that there is a certain and limited time for every man to do this Work in while it is day I must work the works of him that sent me whilst it is day And this day comprehends all the Oportunities of our Life which will soon be over and therefore had need to be well spent A great part of our Life is past before the Season of Working begins it is a great while before the use of our Reason begins and we come to have our Senses exercised to discern between Good and Evil beâ—ore our Understandings are ripe for the serious Consideration of God and Religion and for the due Care of our Souls and of the Eternal Concernment of another World so that this first part of our Life is in a great Measure useless and unprofitable to us in regard to our great Design For Infancy and Childhood are but the Dawnings of this Day and no fit time to work in and Youth which is as the Morning of this day tho' it is the Flower of our Time and the most proper season of all other for the Remembrance of God and the Impressions of Religion yet it is usually possest by Vanity and Vice the common Custom and Practice of the World hath devoted this best part of our Age to the worst Employments to the Service of Sin and of our Lusts How very few are there that lay hold of this Opportunity and employ it to the best Purposes And yet the following Course of our Lives doth in a great measure depend upon it for most Persons do continue and hold on in the Way in which they set out at first whether it be good or bad And those who neglect to improve this first Opportunity of their Lives do seldom recover themsâ—lves afterwards God's Grace may seize upon Men in any part of their Lives but according to the most ordinary Methods of it the Foundations and Principles of Religion and Virtue are most commonly laid in a pious and virtuous Education This is the great Opportunity of our Lives which setleth and fixeth most Men either in a good or bad Course and the Fortune of their whole Lives does usually follow it and depend upon it 'T is true indeed our Day continues many times a great while longer and we are to work while it continues and 't is never too late to begin to do well and to enter upon a good Course but there is no such proper and advantagious Season for the beginning of this work as in our youth and tender years This is the accepted time this is the day of salvation God's Grace is then most forward and ready to assist us and we are then least of all indisposed for the receiving of the Impressions of it and the Impressions of it do then go deepest into our minds and are most lasting and durable But if we neglect this Opportunity we provoke God by Degrees to withdraw his Grace and to take away his holy Spirit from us and by degrees we settle in vicious Habits and are every day more and more hardned through the deceitfulness of sin It is never too late to work while the day lasts but the sooner we begin this work and set about it in good earnest the easier we shall find it if we defer it late every step will be up the Hill and against the Grain Thirdly After this Season is expired there will be no â—urther Oportunity of working when this day is once at an end then cometh the night when no man can work The Night is a time unfit for work when we can hardly do any thing if we had never so great mind to it and there is such a Night coming upon every one of us and Wo be to us if we have our work to do when the Night overtakes us There is usually an Evening before this Night when it will be very difficult for us and next to impossible to do this work and this is the time of Sickness and Old Age in which men are commonly unfit for any work but most of all that which requires the whole force and vigour of our Minds the business of Religion If we attempt this work
nor use any Industry about them and he said unto his Disciples therefore I say unto you take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat neither for the Body what ye shall put on Now to avoid all Inconvenience from our Saviours words I think that it is commonly said by Interpreters that he does here only condemn a distrustful and anxious Care about the Things of this Life and an over-solicitous Industry and Diligence for the obtaining of them but that he allows a prudent Care and regular Industry about these Things And this were very well said if it would agree with the Scope and Design of our Saviour's Discourse but the Instances which he gives of the Fowls of the Air and the Lilies of the Field which are sufficiently provided for without any Care and Industry of theirs and which he seems to set before us for a Pattern behold says he the Fowls of the Air I say these Instances which he gives seem to exclude even all regular and ordinary Care and Diligence about these Things What shall we say then that our Saviour intended by his Religion to take Men off from all Labour and Industry in their Callings This seems to be unreasonable and indeed so it certainly were if our Saviour had given this for a standing and ordinary Rule to all Christians and not only so but contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who constantly charged Christians to labour with great diligence in their Callings that they might be able to provide for themselves and their Families But this Discourse of our Saviour's was not intended for a General and Standing Rule to all Christians but only designed for his Disciples to take them off from all Care about the Things of this Life that they might attend upon his Person and wholly give up themselves to that Work to which he had called them And therefore St. Luke takes notice that after he had cautioned his Hearers in general against Covetousness he applies himself particularly to his Disciples and tells them that he would have them so far from this Vice of Covetousness that they should not so much as use that ordinary Care and Industry about the Things of this Life which is not only lawful but necessary for Men in all ordinary Cases ver 22. and he said unto his Disciples therefore I say unto you take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat And this agrees very well with the Direction which our Saviour gave to his Disciples when he first sent them forth to Preach Mat. 10. 9. Provide neither gold nâ—r silver nor brass in your purses neither coat nor scrip which no Man ever understood as a general Law to all Christians but as a particular Precept to the Apostles at that time And if this be our Saviour's meaning there is then no Reason to think that this Caution against Covetousness does forbid Men to use a provident Care and regular Industry about the Things of this Life Thirdly Nor is every Degree of Love and Affection to the Things of this World Condemned in Scripture as any Branch or Part of this Vice of Covetousness but such a love of the Things of this World as is truly consistent with the Love of God and a due and serious care of our Souls is allowed both by Scripture and Reason St. John indeed seems to condemn all love of the World and of the Things of it as utterly inconsistent with the love of God 1 Joh. 2. 15. Love not the World neither the Things that are in the World if any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him But this is according to the Hebrew Phrase and manner of speaking to forbid Things Absolutely which are to be understood only Comparatively So Mat. 6. 19. Lay not up for your selves Treasures upon Earth but lay up for your selves Treasures in Heaven i. e. be not so solicitous for the good Things of this World as for the Glory and Happiness of the next And Luke 12. 4. Be not afraid of them that kill the Body that is fear them not so much as him that can destroy both Body and Soul in Hell And Luke 14. 26. If any Man come unto me and hate not his Father and Mother and all that he hath that is if he do not love me more than all these Things he cannot be my Disciple And John 6. 27. Labour not for the Meat which perisheth but for that which endureth to Everlasting Life that is labour not so much for the one as for the other be not so solicitous about the Things of this Life as about the great Concernments of Eternity So likewise Colos 3. 2. Set your affections on things above not on things on the Earth i. e. set them more on Things above than on earthly Things So here Love not the World neither the Things of the World that is do not over-value them do not love them so much as not to be able to part with them for Christ for if any Man thus love the World he does not love God as he ought So that when the Scripture commands us not to love the World this is to be understood Comparatively that we should not love these Things in Comparison of God and the great Concernments of another World But it does not forbid us to love theâ—e Things in a due Degree and with a due Subordination to those Things which are more Excellent and of Infinitely greater Concernment to us For nothing can be more inconsistent than to recommend to Men Diligence in their worldly Callings and Employments as the Scripture frequently does and that in order to the attaining of the good Things of this Life and yet to forbid us to love these Things at all For if Men have no degree of love to them the best Argument to Diligence for the obtaining of them would be taken away Besides that we are commanded in Scripture to be thankful to God for bestowing on us the Blessings of this Life and we are to love him upon this account Now can any Man love the Giver for bestowing such Gifts upon him which if he do as he ought he must not love You see then what those Things are which the Scripture does not Condemn as any Branch or Degree of this Vice of Covetousness a provident Care and a regular Industry and such a degree of Love to the Things of this World as is consistent with the love of God and the care of our Souls 2. I come now to shew what is Condemned in Scripture under the name of Covetousness and by this we shall best understand wherein the Nature of this Sin doth consist Now Covetousness is a word of a large Signification and comprehends in it most of the Irregularities of Mens Minds either in desiring or getting or in possessing and using an Estate I shall speak to each of these severally First Covetousness in the Desire of Riches consists in an eager and unsatiable desire
convenient and comfortable and consequently he that torments himself about the getting of these Things contradicts himself in his own Design because he makes his Life Miserable that he may make it Comfortable 3. The Sin of Covetousness in getting consists in seeking the Things of this Life with the neglect of Things infinitely better and which are of far greater and nearer Concernment to us He is a Covetous Man who so minds the World as to neglect God and his Soul who is so busie and intent upon making provision for this Life as to take no care of the other so concern'd for the few days of his Pilgrimage here as to have no consideration and regard for his Eternal Abode in another World God allows us to provide for this Life and considers the Necessities which do continually press us while we are in the Body But while we are making provision for these Dying Bodies he expects that we should remember that we have Immortal Souls which since they are to have an endless duration in another World ought to be provided for with far greater Care 'T is an inordinate desire of Riches when Men so lay out all their Care and Industry for the obtaining of them as if nothing else were to be regarded as if no Consideration at all were to be had of another World and of that better part of our selves which is to continue and live for ever All Desires and Endeavours after Riches which take Men off from the business of Religion and the Care of their Souls which allow Men neither the leisure and opportunity nor the heart and affection to love God and to serve him are to be referred to this Sin of Covetousness which is here condemned by our Saviour in the Text. 3. There is Covetousness likewise in possessing or using an Estate And this consists chiefly in these three Things First When Men are sordid towards themselves and cannot find in their hearts to use and enjoy what they possess are continually adding to their Estate without any design of enjoyment and take infinite pains to raise a huge Fortune not that they may use it but that they may be said to have it This is a degree of Covetousness even beyond that of the Rich Man in the Parable after the Text For he it seems after he had enlarg'd his Barns to his Mind and laid up goods for many years design'd at last to have taken his ease and have fallen to the enjoyment of what he had gotten to have eat and drank and to have been merry and this tho' it proved but a foolish design in the issue he being cut off in that very instant when he was come to the point of satisfaction and enjoyment yet is it infinitely more reasonable than to take great pains to get an Estate with a full Resolution never to be the better for it Secondly Men are Covetous in keeping an Estate when they do not use it Charitably when they cannot find in their hearts to spare any thing out of their Abundance to the Relief of those who are in want Tho' a Man get an Estate without Covetousness and have an heart to enjoy it yet so far he is Covetous as he is Uncharitable He loves Mony more than he ought who having enough to spare chuseth rather to keep it than to do good with it and to use it to one of the principal Ends for which God gives an Estate Thirdly They likewise are Covetous who place their chief Trust and Happiness in Riches who as the Expression is Job 31. 24. make Gold their hope and say to the fine Gold thou art my confidence And this is the Reason why Covetousness is so often in Scripture call'd Idolatry because the Covetous Man sets up his Riches in the place of God putting his Trust and Confidence in them and setting his whole Heart upon them loving them as he should love God only with all his Heart and Soul and Strength And therefore Mammon which signifies Riches is in Scripture represented as a Deity and the â—â—vetous Man as a Servant or Worshipper of Mammon So that in Scripture he is a Covetous Man who placeth his chief Felicity in a great Fortune and will venture to lose any thing rather than to part with that who will quit his Religion and violate his Conscience and run the hazard of his Soul rather than forfeit his Estate or the hopes of advancing it to his Mind And this in times of Trial and Difficulty is the great Temptation to which the Covetous Man is exposed When a Man may not only save himself but get considerable advantage by departing from the Truth and in changing his Religigion may have a good Summ of Mony to boot or which is equal to it a good Place This to a Covetous Mind is a very strong Temptation and almost irresistible When Error and Delusion can bid so high and offer so good Terms no wonder if it gain some Proselytes among the Covetous and Ambitious part of Mankind This the Apostle gives warning of as a great Temptation to Rich Men in Times of Suffering 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. They that will be Rich fall into Temptation and a Snare for the love of Mony is the root of all Evil which while some have lusted after they have erred from the Faith The young Man in the Gospel is a sad Instance of this kind who chose rather to leave Christ than to part with his great Possessions And such a one was Demas who forsook the Apostles and Christianity it self to cleave to this present World Thus I have done with the First Thing I proposed to speak to the Nature of this Vice which our Saviour in the Text Cautions Men so earnestly against Take heed and beware of Covetousness I should now proceed in the Second place to shew the Evil and Unreasonableness of this Vice But that shall be the Subject of another Discourse The Second SERMON ON LUKE XII 15. And he said unto them Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth I Have made entrance into a Discourse upon these Words in which I told you there are Three Things Observable First The Manner of the Caution which our Saviour here gives Take heed and beware Secondly The Matter of the Caution or the Sin which our Saviour here warns his Hearers against Take heed and beware of Covetousness And Thirdly The Reason of this Caution because a Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the Things which he possesseth In Discoursing of the Second of these viz. the Matter of the Caution I proposed 1. To Consider wherein the Nature of this Vice of Covetousness does consist 2. To shew the Evil and Unreasonableness of it The First of these I have dispatched and now go on to the Second viz. To shew the great Evil and Unreasonableness of the Vice of Covetousness Now Covetousness will appear to be
things are without us they neither constitute our Being nor are â—ssential to our Happiness but our Souls are our selves and the loss of them is our utter ruine and destruction So that nothing is to be regarded by us with equal Care and Concernment as the Salvation of our Immortal Souls that is that we may be rescued from Eternal Misery and Everlastingly Happy in another World And can we be at too much cost and pains upon such a design to escape so dismal a Condition so dreadful a ruine as that of Body and Soul to all Eternity Can any Man be concerned enough to bring about so great a good to himself or can he purchase it too dear whatever he give or part with for it a good so desirable and so durable as our being Happy for ever When we purchase the things of this World the Riches and Honours of it at the expence of so much Time and Care and Trouble we pay dear for Trifles and Fancies but Eternal Happiness is a Jewel of so inestimable a Price that a Wise Merchant will have it at any rate and sell all that he hath to purchase it Of such value is the Kingdom of God and next to it is Righteousness which is the only Way and Means whereby this Kingdom is to be attained and therefore to be sought by us with the greatest diligence and earnestness For that which is the only Means to a great and desirable End and which alone can make us capable of that End and which in truth is a degree of it is valuable next to the End and almost equally with it and such is Righteousness in respect of the Kingdom of God it is the only means to it it is that alone which qualifies us and makes us capable of Happiness nay it is an essential ingredient into it and that which does in a great measure constitute the Happiness of Heaven For that temper of Mind that Conformity and likeness to God which Holiness and Righteousness brings us to is the true Foundation of our Happiness and according to the best apprehensions we have now of it is the very formal Cause and Essence of our Blessedness So St. John tells us 1 Joh. 3. 2. It doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him that is we do not now distinctly understand wherein the Happiness of the next Life consists we are not able to frame a clear and perfect Idea of it but this we know in general that it consists in our likeness to God in a conformity to the Moral Perfections of the Divine Nature which are exprest by the name of Purity and Holiness and therefore every one that hopes for the Happiness of Heaven must endeavour after Holiness every Man that hath this hope in him must purifie himself even as he is pure So that the things which I am pressing you to seek after are most effectually recommended by telling you what they are the Kingdom of God is Eternal Life and Happiness and his Righteousness is Universal Holiness and Goodness without which no Man is qualified for this Blessed State Now if there be any thing better than Goodness any thing more desirable than a Happiness which haâ—h no bounds nor no End do not mind them nor look after them but if there be not then certainly these aâ—e worthy of the Care and Endeavour of our whole Life Secondly Another Consideration that should very much excite and quicken our Endeavour and Diligence in seeking these things is the difficulty of obtaining them This I confess is no Encouragement but it is a very good Motive and Argument to whet our industry in seeking these things when we plainly see that they are not to be had upon other terms And this Consideration our Saviour useth to quicken us to strive and to contend earnestly for Eternal Life Mat. 7. 14. because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth to Life and few there be that find it And Luke 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Seeking here in opposition to striving is a faint and weak Endeavour which will not carry us through this narrow and difficult passage and this is the reason why many miscarry who make some attempts towards Heaven but they do not strive they do not put forth any vigorous Endeavours to get thither Now the difficulty of attaining Eternal Happiness ariseth from the difficulty of the Way and Means to it and it is therefore hard to attain the Kingdom of God because it is hard to attain his Righteousness As desirable as it is it must be acknowledged very difficult for a Man to raise himself to that temper and disposition of Mind so to subdue his Lusts and govern his Passions to bridle his Tongue and order all the Actions of his Life as is necessary to qualifie him for Happiness and to make him fit to be admitted into the Kingdom of God And this difficulty is chiefly in our selves but greatly increased by temptation and opposition from without Chiefly I say in our selves from the strong biass of our Evil and Corrupt Inclinations and the strong power of vicious Habits and Customs which when they are grown inveterate do Tyrannize over us and make us perfect Slaves and lead us Captive at their pleasure so that our Nature must be quite changed and as the Apostle expresseth it we must be renewed in the Spirit of our Minds our Souls must be new moulded and fashioned we must be as it were Created and Born again before we can enter into the Kingdom of God In this our Saviour is positive and peremptoâ—y Joh. 3. 3. verily verily I say unto you except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God This difficulty indeed is greatest at first but it is considerable afterwards 'till a through Change be made and new Inclinations planted in us and the contrary habits of Grace and Virtue be super-induced And that which increaseth the difficulty is outward Temptation and Opposition from the World and the Devil which to withstand and resist requires great Courage and Resolution great Watchfulness and Guard over our selves But yet for our Comfort these Difficulties are not insuperable to that Grace and Assistance which God is always ready to afford to us upon so good an Occasion and to so good a purposeâ— greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World And this I am sure is Matter of great incouragement to us that tho' the difficulty â—f working out our Salvation be great yet if we do in good earnest set about it God is ready to assist and second our sincere Endeavours to work in us both to will and to do of his own goodness and so to prevent us with his gracious Favour and to further us with his continual Aid that
Poetical Number and Skill in it than at this distance from the Time and Age in which it was written we can easily understand The main Scope and Design of iâ— is very plain and obvious namely to Magniâ—ie the Law of God and the observation of its Precepts as that wherein true Religion doth mainly consist And indeed if we attentively read and consider it every part of this Psalm does with great variety of expression and yet very little difference of the sense descant upon the same ground viz. The Excellency and Perfection of the Law of God Aâ—d tâ—â— worâ—â— of tâ—â— Teâ—t seem to be as full and comprehensive of the sense and design of the whole Psalm as any one Sentence in it I have seen an end of all Perfection but thy Commandmâ—nt is exceeding broad These words are variously rendred and understood by Interpreters who yet in this variety do very much conspire and agree in the same sensâ—â— The Chaldee Paraphrase renders the words thus I have seen an end of all things about which I have employ'd my Care but thy Commandment is very large The Syriac version thus I have seen an end of all Regions and Countries that is I have found the compass of this habitable World to be â—iniâ—e and limited but thy Commandment is of a vast extent Others explain it thus I have seen an end of all Perfection that is of all the things of this World which Men value and esteem at so high a rateâ— of all Worldly Wisdom and Knowledge of Wealth and Honour and Greatness which do all perish and pass away but thy Law is Eternal and still abideth the same or as the Scripture elsewhere expresseth it the word of the Lord endureth for ever Thy Law that is the Rule of our Duty Natural and Revealed or in a word Religion which consists in the Knowledge and Practice of the Laws of Godâ— is of greater perfection than all other things which are so highly valued in this World for the perfection of it is Infinite and of a vast influence and extent it reacheth to the whole Man to the Happiness of Body and Soul to our whole duration both in this World and the next of this Life and of that which is to come And this will clearly appear if we consider the Reasonableness and the Wisdom of Religion which consists in the knowledge of God and the keeping of his Laws First The Reasonableness of Religion which is able to give a very good account of it self because it settles the Mind of Man upon a firm Basis and keeps it from rolling in perpetual uncertainty whereas Atheism and Infidelity wants a stable Foundation â—t centers no where but in the denial of God and Religion and yet substitutes no Principle no tenable and constituent Scheme of things in the place of them its whole business is to unravel all things to unsettle the Mind of Man and to shake all the common Notions and received Principles of Mankind it bends its whole force to pull down and to destroy but lays no Foundation to build any thing upon in the stead of that which it pulls down It runs upon that great absurdity which Aristotle who was always thought a great Master of Reason does every where decry as a Principle unworthy of a Philosopher namely a progress of Causes in Inâ—initum and without End that this was the Cause of that and a third thing of that and so on without end which amounts to just nothing and finally resolves an infinite number of effects into no first Cause than which nothing can be more unskilful and bungling and less worthy of a Philosopher But this I do not intend at present to insist upon having treated largely on the same subject upon another Occasion I shall therefore proceed in the Second place to consider the Wisdom of Religion The fear of the Lord is Wisdom so saith the Psalmiâ—t it is true Wisdom indeed it is the beginning of Wisdom Caput Sapientiae the top and perfection of all Wisdom Here true Wisdom begins and upon this Foundation it is raised and carried on to Perfection and I shall in my following Discourse endeavour to make out these two things 1. That true Wisdom begins and is founded in Religion in the fear of God and in the keeping of his Commandments 2. That this is the Perfection of Wisdom there is no Wisdom without this nor beyond it First True Wisdom begins and is founded in Religion and the Fear of God and Regard to his Laws This is the first Principle of Wisdom and the Foundation upon which the whole Design of our Happiness is to be built This is in the first place to be supposed and to be taken into Consideration in all the Designs and Actions of Men This is to govern our whole Life and to have a main influence upon all the Affairs and Concernments of it As the first Principle of Humane Society and that which is to run through the whole frame of it is the Publick good this was always to be taken into Consideration and to give Law to all Laws and Constitutions about it So Religion is the first Principle of Humane Wisdom by which all our Actions are to be conducted and govern'd and all Wisdom which does not begin here and lay Religion for its Foundation is preposterous and begins at the wrong end and is just as if in the forming of Humane Society every one in the settlement of the Constitution and the framing of Laws should have an eye to his own private and particular advantage without regard to the Publick Good which is the great End of Society and the Rule and Measure of Government and Laws and in the last issue and result of things the only way to procure the setled welfare and to secure the lasting Interests of particular Persons so far as that is consistent with the Publick Good And it would be a very preposterous Policy to go about to found Humane Society upon any other terms and would certainly end in Mischief and Confusion And such is all the Wisdom of Men in relation to their true Happiness which does not bâ—gin with Religion and lay its foundation there which does not take into Consideration God and his Providence and a Future State of Rewards and Punishments after this Life All Wisdom which does not not proceed upon a supposition of the truth and reality of these Principles will certainly end in shame and disappointment in misery and ruine because it builds a House upon the Sand which when it comes to be try'd by stress of weather and assaulted by violent storms will undoubtedly fall and the fall of it will be great And this Error every Man commits who pursues Happiness by following his own Inclination and gratifying his Irregular Desires without any Consideration of God and of the restraint which his Laws have laid upon us not for his own Pleasure but for our good For when all things are
unexperienced Men and those who have taken no great pains with themselves imagine what Thought and Consideration what Care and Attention what Resolution and Firmness of Mind what Diligence and patient continuance in well-doing are requisite to make a truly good Man such a one as St. Paul describes that is perfect and entire and wanting nothing that follows God fully and fulfils every part of his Duty having a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Man Who is there among us that is either wise enough for his own direction or good enough for the peace and satisfaction of his own Mind that is so happy as to know his Duty and to do it as to have both the Understanding and the Will to do in all things as he ought After our best Care and all our Pains and Endeavours the most of us will still find a great many defects in our Lives and cannot but discern great and manifold imperfections in our very best Duties and Services insomuch that we shall be forced to make the same acknowledgment concerning them which Solomon does concerning the imperfection of all things under the Sun that which is crooked cannot be made streight and that which is wanting cannot be numbred And when all is done we have all of us reason to say not only that we are unprofitable servants having done nothing but what was our duty to do but have cause likewise with great shame and confusion of face to acknowledge that we have been in many respects Wicked and Slothful Servants and so very far from having done what was our duty to do that the greatest part of the good which the most of us have done is the least part of the good which we might and ought to have done The Practice of Religion in all the Parts and Instances of our Duty is work more than enough for the best and greatest Mind for the longest and best order'd Life The Commandment of God is exceeding broad and an Obedience in any good measure equal to the extent of it extreamly difficult And after all as the Man in the Gospel said with tears to our Saviour concerning the weakness of his own Faith Lord I believe help thou my unbelief Mar. 9. 24. So the best of Men may say and say it with tears too concerning every Grace and Virtue wherein they excel most Lord I aspire I endeavour after it be thou pleased to assist my weakness and to help me by thy grace continually to do better The Summ of all is this If we be careful to do our best and make it the constant and sincere endeavour of our Lives to please God and to keep his Commandments we shall be accepted of him For God values this more than whole Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices more than thousands of Rams and ten thousands of Rivers of Oâ—l because this is an essential part of Religion To love God with all our hearts and minds and strength and to love our Neighbours as our selves The Duties comprehended in these two great Commandments sincerely practised by us though with a great deal of imperfection will certainly be acceptable in the sight of God in and through the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ the Righteous Blessed are they saith St. John very plainly in the conclusion of that obscure Book of his Revelation Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life Rev. 22. 14. I speak now to a great many who are at the upper end of the World and command all the Pleasures and Enjoyments of it but the time is coming and whether we think of it or not is very near at hand when we shall see an end of all perfection and of all that is desirable upon Earth and upon which Men are apt to value themselves so much in this World and then nothing but Religion and the Conscience of having done our Duty to God and Man will stand us in stead and yield true Comfort to us When we are going to leave the World how shall we then wish that we had made Religion the great business of our Lives and in the Day of God's Grace and Mercy had exercised Repentance and made our Peace with God and prepared our selves for another World that after our departure hence we might be admitted into the presence of God where is fulness of Joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore Let no Man therefore of what Rank or Condition soever he be in this World think himself too great to be good and too Wise to be Religious and to take care of his Immortal Soul and his Everlasting Happiness in another World since nothing but this will approve it self it to be true Wisdom at the last All other things will have an end with this Life but Religion and the Fear of God is of a vast extent and hath an influence upon our whole duration and after the course of this Life is ended will put us into the secure Possession of a Happiness which shall never have an end I will Conclude this whole Discourse with those words of our Blessed Saviour If ye know these things happy are â—e if ye do them Which thou who art the Eternal Spring of Truth and Goodness grant that we may all know and do in this our day for thy Mercies sake in Jefus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory Dominion and Power now and for ever Amen A SERMON ON 2 PETER I. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature THE Connection of these words with the foâ—mer is somewhat obscure but it seems to be this The Apostle had in the Verse before said that the Divine Power of Christ hath by the knowledge of the Gospel given us all things that pertain to Life and Godliness that is by the knowledge of the Gospel we are furnish'd with all Advantages which conduce to make Men happy in the next Life and Religious in this and then it follows whereby are given unto â—s exceeding great and precious Promises Whereâ—â— this seems to refer to the whole of the foregoing Verse as if it had beeâ—â—â—id Christ by the Gospel hath given to us all things that conduce to our Future Happiness and in order thereto all things which tend to make Men holy and good Or else Life and Godliness are by a Hebraism frequent in the New Testament put for a Godly Life And then among all those things which conduce to a Godly Life the Apostle instanceth in the Promises of the Gospel which do so directly tend to make Men Partakers of a Divine Nature In the handling of these words I shall First Consider the Promises here spoken of whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises Secondly The influence which these Promises ought to have upon us that by these ye might be made partakers of
that besides the proper work of Religion and the more immediate Service of God every Man in the World how exempt soever his Condition be from the common care anâ—gdrudgery of Humane Life may find work eâ—ough wherein he may usefully employ all his time and provide for his own and for the common benefit of Mankind And God expects it as a Duty from such that every Man should employ himself in some work or other suitable to the station in which God hath placed him in this World Secondly The work which God hath given us to do in the World consists in doing what we can to further and promote the Salvation of others This chiefly lies upon us who are the Ministers of God and to whom the word of Reconciliation is committed We are more especially Commissioned and Appointed for this work and are Ambassadors for Christ to beseech Men in his stead to be reconciled to God We are sent by God in a more peculiar manner and appointed for this very work to watch for Mens Souls and to be the Instruments and Means of their Eternal Happiness And therefore we who are sent by God in a more peculiar manner and have this work assigned to us to do in the World ought to be very vigorous and industrious in iâ—â— And this whether we consider the Nature of our Employment or the Glorious Reward of it First If we consider the Nature of our Employment both in respect of the Honour and the Happiness of it 't is the most Honourable work that Mortal Man can be employed in 't is the same in kind and in the main end and design oâ— it with that of the Blessed Angels for we also are Ministring Spirits sent forth by God to Minister for the good of those who shall be heirs of Salvation We are the Messengers and Ambassadors of God to Men sent to treat with them about the terms of their Peace and Reconciliation with God to offer Salvation to them and to direct them to the best ways and means of procuring it Nay we have the Honour to be employed in the very same work that the Son of God was when he was upon Earth to seeâ— and to save them that are lost and to call Sinners to Repentance and to carry on that work whereof he himself â—aid the Foundation when he was in the World And what greater Honour can be put upon the Sons of Men than to help forward that glorious Design and Undertaking of the Son of God for the Salvation of Mankind And 't is an Employment no less Happy than Honourable 't is not to drudge about the mean and low Concernments of this Life a perpetual toil and care about what we shall eat and drink and wherewithal we shall be cloathed which is the business of a Worldly Employment but it is a direct and immediate seeking of the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and a continual endeavour to promote these It does not consist in the labour of our Body and in Bodily toil but in the delightful exercise of our Minds about the best and noblest Objects God and Heaven and Eternity in an earnest and faithful endeavour by all wise ways and means to gain Souls to God and to turn Sinners from the error of their ways and to prevent their Eternal Ruine and Destruction and next to the procuring of our own Happiness to be instrumental to the Happiness of others which is certainly the most pleasant and noble work that we can possibly be employed in especially if we consider that by the very nature of our Employment we do at the same time and by the very same means carry on both these designs of the Salvation of our selves and others So St. Paul tells Timothy when he exhorts him upon this very Consideration to give hiâ—self wholly to this Blessed Work because says he in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee 1 Tim. 4. 16. And when two of the greatest and best designs in the World our own Happiness and the Salvation of others do so happily meet in one and are jointly carried on by the same labour this ought to be a great spur and incitement to us to be vigorous and unwearied and abundant in the work of the Lord and a mighty encouragement to us to preach the word to be instant in season and out of season and to be Examples to others in Word in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith in Purity as St. Paul chargeth Timothy in the most solemn and awful manner before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom 1 Tim. 4. 12. and 2 Tim. 4. 1. And then Secondly If we consider the glorious Reward of this work If we be Faithful and Industrious in it it will advance us to a higher degree of Glory and Happiness in the other World They that be wise says the Prophet Dan. 12. 3. shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever They that are industrious in this work as they are worthy of double honour in this World so they shall shine with a double glory and lustre in the other But tho' this work of promoting the Salvation of others be chiefly incumbent upon those whose Office it is to attend upon this very thing yet we are all of us concerned in it according to the advantages and opportunities we have for it Every Man is concerned to help forward the Salvation of his Brother and not to let him perish if he can help it and it is in every Man's power to contribute something to this Blessed Work of saving others by seasonable Counsel and Advice by kind and gentle reproof but especially by a Holy and Exemplary Conversation by a shining Virtue which hath a silent power of perswasion and I know not what secret charm and attraction to draw and allure others to the imitation of it Thirdly And in order to both these the saving of our selves and others this work which God hath given us to do in the World consists in the careful use and good husbandry of our time for without this neither of the other can be promoted and carried on to any purpose Time is the season and opportunity of carrying on of any work and for that reason is one of the most valuable things and yet nothing is more wastfully spent and more prodigally squandred away by a great part of Mankind than this which next to our Immortol Souls is of all other things most precious because upon the right use or abuse of our time our Eternal Happiness or Misery does depend Men have generally some guard upon themselves as to their Mony and Estates and will not with eyes open suffer others to rob and deprive them of it but we will let any body almost rob us of our time and are contented to expose
very Evil and Unreasonable upon these following Accounts I. Because it takes Men off from Religion and the Care of their Souls II. Because it tempts Men to do many Things which are inconsistent with Religion and directly contrary to it III. Because it is an endless and insatiable Desire IV. Because the Happiness of Humane Life doth not consist in Riches V. Because Riches do very often contribute very much to the Misery and Infelicity of Men. First Covetousness takes Men off from Religion and the Care of their Souls The Covetous Man is wholly intent upon this World and his inordinate Desire after these Things makes him to neglect God and the Eternal Concernments of his Soul He employs all his Time and Care and Thoughts about these Temporal Things and his vehement love and eager pursuit of these Things steals away his Heart from God robs him of his Time and of all Opportunities for his Soul and diverts him from all serious Thoughts of another World and the Life to come And the Reason of this is that which our Saviour gives Mat. 6. 24. No Man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mammon No Man can serve two Masters so different as God and the World are because they will give cross Commands and enjoyn contrary Things God he calls upon us to mind the Duties of his Worship and Service to have a serious regard to Religion and a diligent Care of our Souls But the Cares of the World and the Importunity of Business and an eager appetite of being Rich call us off from these Divine and Spiritual Employments or disturb us in them God calls upon us to be Charitable to those that are in want to be willing to distribute and ready to communicate to the Necessities of our Brethren But our Covetousness pulls us back and hales us another way and checks all Merciful and Charitable Inclinations in us God calls us to Self-Denial and Suffering for the Sake of him and his Truth and commands us to preferr the keeping of Faith and a good Conscience to all Worldly Considerations whatsoever But the World Inspires us with other Thoughts and whispers to us to save our selves not to be Righteous over much and rather to trust God with our Souls than Men with our Bodies and Estates If we set our Hearts and Affections strongly upon any thing they will partake of the Object which they are Conversant about for where our Treasure is as our Lord hath told us there will our Hearts be also If a great Estate be our chief End and Design if Riches be our Treasure and our Happiness our Hearts will be found among the Stuff We cannot bestow our Affections freely upon two Objects We cannot intensly love God and the World for no Man can have two Ultimate Ends two Principal Designs Our Riches may increase but if we set our hearts upon them and give them the chief place in our Affections we make them our Lord and Master Whatever we make our Ultimate End we give it a Sovereignty and Empire over us we put our selves under its Dominion and make our selves subject to all its Commands So that if it bid us go we must go come we must come do this we must do it because we are under Authority The World is our Master and we are its Slaves Now he that is under the Rule and Dominion of this Master must withdraw his Obedience from God and in many Cases decline Obedience to his Laws This Worldly Covetous Disposition was that which made those in the Parable to make so many Excuses when they were Invited to the Supper Luke 14. 18. One had bought a Farm and he could not come Another had bought so many Yoke of Oxen and therefore he desired to be excused Riches do so fill the Covetous Man's Heart and the Cares of the World so possess his Mind that he hath no room left in his Soul for any other Guests Intus existens prohibet alienum that which is full already can receive no more The Covetous Man's Heart is taken up with such Things as keep out God and Christ and better Things If any Man love the World and the Things of it to this Degree St. John tells us that the love of the Father is not in him In the Parable of the Sower Mat. 13. 7. Our Saviour represents to us the Cares of the World which choak the word of God by Thorns which sprang up among the Seed and stifled the growth of it The Cares of the World will not suffer the Word of God to take deep root in our hearts and to have any permanent effect upon them And Ezek. 33. 31. God gives this as a Reason why the People of Israel would not hearken to the words of his Prophet because their Hearts were upon the World They come unto thee says God there to the Prophet as the People cometh and they sit before thee as my People and they hear thy words but they will not do them For with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their Covetousness A Heart that is deeply engaged in the World will stand out against all the Invitations and Promises and Threatnings of God's Word When the Word of God invites such Persons it is like making Love to those who have already fix'd their Hearts and Affections elsewhere the Promises and Threatnings of the Gospel signifie but very little to such Men because their Hearts are set upon Worldly Things and all their Affections are bent that way all their Hopes and Desires are Worldly to be Rich and abound in Wealth and all their Fears are of Poverty and Loss Now such a Man can only be moved with the Promises and Threatnings of Temporal Things for no Promises have any effect upon us but such as are of some Good which we care for and value Nor are any Threatnings apt to move us but such as are of some Evil which we dread and are afraid of And therefore when Eternal Life and the Happiness of another World are offered to a worldly-minded Man he does not desire it he is not at all sensible of the value of itâ— the Man's Heart is full already of other Hopes and Desires and the full Soul loatheth the Hony-Comb Promise to such a Man the Kingdom of Heaven and the Pleasures of God's Presence and the Joys of Eternity this does not signifie to such a Man any Good or Happiness that he is sensible of or knows how to relish And on the other hand threaten him with the loss of God and an Eternal Separation from that Fountain of Happiness and with the unspeakable Anguish and Torments of a long Eternity these Things tho' they be terrible yet they are at a distance and the Covetous Man is enured to Sense and is only to be moved with Things present and
sensible he cannot extend his Fears so far as another World so long as he finds himself well and at ease as to the Things of this present Life If we would affect such a Man we must offer to his Consideration something that is fit to work upon him threaten him with breaking open his House and riâ—â—ing his Coffers and carrying away his full Bags with questioning his Title to his Estate or starting a precedent Mortgage or something of the like Nature These Things indeed are dreadful and terrible to him now you speak intelligibly to him and he understands what you mean Tell him of a good Bargain or an advantagious Purchase offer him decently a good Bribe or give him notice of a young Heir that may be circumvented and drawn in then you say something to him that is worthy of his regard and attention the Man may be tempted by such Offers and Promises as these But Discourse to him with the tongue of Mâ—â— and Angels of the Excellency of Virtue and Goodness and of the Necessity of it to the obtaining of a Glory and Happiness that shall neither have bounds nor end and lo thou art unto him as a very lovely Song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well upon an Instrument for he hears thy words but he will not do them as the Prophet expresseth it Ezek. 33. 32. Such Discourses as these they look upon as fine talk or a melodious â—ound that vanisheth into air but leaves no impression behind it Perhaps even these dull and stupid kind of Men are affected a little for the present with the liveliness of the Romance and the Poetical Vein of the Preacher but these Things pass away like a Tale that is told but have no lasting effect upon them So effectually doth Covetousness and the love of this present World obstruct all those Passages through which the Consideration of Religion and Heavenly Things should enter into our Minds Secondly As Covetousness hinders Men from Religion and takes them off from a due Care of their Souls so it many times tempts and engageth Men to do many Things contrary to Religion and inconsistent with it It is the Natural Source and Fountain of a great many Evils and the Parent of most of the worst of Vices He that will engage deep in the World must use much more guard and caution than most Men do to do it without Sin How many Temptations is the Covetous Man exposed to in the getting and in the securing and in the spending and enjoying of a great Estate It is no easie Task to reckon them up and much more difficult to escape or reâ—ist them and yet each of these Temptations bring him into the danger of a great many Sins For I. In the getting of an Estate he is exposed to all those Vices which may seem to be serviceable to this Design Nothing hath been the Cause of more and greater Sins in the World than Covetousness and making haste to be Rich. It is Solomon's Observation Prov. 28. 20. He that maketh haste to be Rich shall not be Innocent He does not say he cannot be Innocent but he speaks as if there were all the probability in the World that he will not prove to be so but being in so much haste will almost unavoidably fall into a great many oversights and faults And the Heathen Poet makes the very same Observation in more words Inde ferè scelerum causae nec plura venena Miscuit aut ferro grassatur saepiùs ullum Humanae mentis vitium quam saeva Cupido Immodici Censûs nam dives qui fieri vult Et cito vult fieri Sed quae Reverentia Legum Quis Metus aut Pudor est unquam properantis avari This says he is the Cause of most Sins Nor is there any Vice of which the Mind of Man is capable that hath been guilty of more Murders and Poysonings than a furious Desire of immodeâ—ate Wealth for he that will be Rich will make haste to be so And what Reverence of Laws what fear or shame was ever seen in any Man that was in in haste to be Rich And this is the sense of what the Apostle says concerning this Vice of Covetousness this peremptory Resolution of being Rich 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. They that will be Rich fall into Temptation and a Snare and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition For the love of Mony is the root of all Evil. If this Vice of Covetousness once reign in us if we have once fix'd our End and set up this Resolution with our selves that we will be Rich we shall then make every thing stoop and submit to this Design A Covâ—tous Man will make his Principles and his Conscience to bend to his Resolution of being Rich and to bow to that Interest The eager Desire of Riches makes Men to pursue them in indirect and uncharitable ways by Falsehood and Perjury by undermining and over-reaching by dissembling and flattery by corrupting and imbasing of Commodities by false Weights and Measures by taking Fees with both hands by making use of their Power and Wit to oppress and defraud their Brother by imposing upon his Ignorance and Simplicity or by making a Prey of his Poverty and Necessity Covetousness many times makes Men Cruel and Unjust nay it makes them guilty of the worst sort of Cruelty and Oppression For as one says well the Covetous Man oppresseth his Neighbour not for any good to himself for he does not enjoy what he tears and rends from others so that he is of that most hateful kind of Beasts of Prey that kill other Creatures not to eat them but that they may see them lie dead by them Lyons and Wolves kill out of hunger but the Covetous Man like a Serpent or Scorpion stings and bites others to death not for his need but for his pleasure and recreation Covetousness is the Parent of the most monstrous Sins because it fixeth a Man in a Resolution of getting an Estate by any means If Falseness and Deceit Violence and Oppression will further this End the earnest desire of the End tempts Men to use any sort of Means whereby the End may be compassed and tho' a Man may have some averseness from them at first yet that wears off by degrees and the strong desire of the End reconciles a Man at last to the love and liking of the Means how wicked and unwarrantable soever Covetousness tempted Achan to steal the accursed Thing and Gehazi to lie to the Prophet and Ahab to Oppress and Murder Naboth Nay a small Summ tempted the Covetous Mind of Judas to betray his Master and his Saviour And how do many Men every day strain their Consciences to get an Estate and hazard their Souls for Mony nay exchange their Souls which are of more value than the whole World for a very small portion of it II. There are likewise many other Temptations which
Ends for a Man may live by having what is necessary and may live comfortably by having that which is convenient No Man lives the longer by having abundance it is many times an occasion of shortning a Man's Life by Ministring to Excess and Intemperance but seldom of prolonging it And setting aside the vain fancy and conceit of Men no Man lives the more happily for having more than he hath real use and occasion for These two Heads I shall at present speak to to make out the full force of this Reason which our Saviour here useth namely That a Man's Life consistâ—th not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth I. That Riches do not contribute to the support of our Lives nor II. To the Happiness and Comfort of them That is they are not necessary to either of these Ends. For by Riches I mean whatever is beyond a suâ—â—icient competency of those things which aâ—e requisite to the real Uses and Occasions of Humane Life First Riches and Abundance do not contribute to the support of our Lives And this our Saviour very well represents to us in the Parable immedâ—ately after the Text of the Rich Man who was continually encreasing his Estate so that he had goods laid up for many years but he lived not one jot the longer for being provided of the Conveniencies of Life for so long a time before-hand for whilst he was blessing himself as if he had secured his Happiness sufficiently for this World he was uncertain of his continuance in it God having decreed to take him out of this World at that very time when he had determin'd to enter upon the Enjoyment of those Things which he had been so long laying up God says to him thou Fool this night shall thy Soul be required of thee and then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided That is what good then will all these Things do thee when thou hast no farther use and occasion for them So that if he had been the poorest Man in the World and had not been provided for the next Meal he might have lived as long as he did with all his stores You see then that in this sense a Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth For notwithstanding all his great Barns and the abundance of Fruits he had stowed in them he did not live one jot the longer than the poorest Man might have done Secondly Nor do Riches contribute to the Happiness and Comfort of our Lives Happiness is not to be bought and purchas'd together with great Lordships it depends upon a great many Causes among which a competency of the Things of this World is one but Riches and Abundance is none of them The Happiness of this World consists in these two Things 1. In the Enjoyment of Good And 2. In a state of freedom from Evil. Now Riches do not necessarily make a Man Happy in either of these Respects First For the Enjoyment of Good A competent Estate suitable to the Condition and Station in which God hath set us in this World will give a Man whatever Nature and Reason can desire and abundance cannot make a Man Happier If a Man had an hundred times more than he needed he could but enjoy it according to the capacity of a Man for if he consulted his own Happiness and would trâ—ly enjoy what he hath he must eat and drink within the bounds of Temperance and Health and must wear no more Cloaths than are for his Convenience 'T is true he hath wherewithal to put on a new Suit every day which is to be uneasie all the days of his Life and may drink if he please every time out of a new Cup which would be a vain expence and a great trouble to his Servants without any manner of convenience to himself But then if Riches fall into the Covetous Man's hands they can be no Happiness to him because he hath no heart to enjoy them He hath indeed the Estate of a Rich Man but he wants the Comfort of it because he hath the Mind of a Poor Man and Enjoyment is all the Felicity that is in a great Fortune what we enjoy is ours but what we lay up is from that time not ours but some bodies else He that heaps up Riches and enjoys them not is Rich only for his Heir but a Beggar for himself We are apt to pity Poor Men and too apt to despise them but surely no Man's Condition is more to be deplored than his who starves himself in the midst of Plenty and being surrounded with the Blessings of God turns them into the greatest Curse for it is a much greater Curse not to use an Estate when one has it than not to have it It is like a plentiful Table without an Appetite But it may be it is a great Happiness to have a great Estate tho' a Man never use it the pleasure of seeing it and telling it over may be like the removing of Billets which may warm a Man as much as if he had spent and consumed them But this is Real and the other only Imaginary I doubt not many Covetous Men take a great deal of pleasure in ruminating upon their Wealth and in re-counting what they have but they have a great deal of tormenting care and fear about it and if they had not it is very hard to understand where the reasonable Pleasure and Happiness lies of having Things to no end It is at the best like that of some foolish Birds which they say take pleasure in stealing Money that they may hide it as if it were worth the while for Men to take pains to dig Silver out of the Earth for no other purpose but to melt it down and stamp it and bury it there again But many Necessities may happen which we cannot fore-see and it is good to provide against them There is nothing so bad but something may be said in excuse of it and I do not deny but that a provident Care against the common Accidents of Humane Life is very commendable but it is unreasonable to think of providing against all possibilities which it is impossible either to fore-see or prevent 'T is very possible that after a Man hath gotten the greatest Estate imaginable he may lose it all by some Fatal Accident and then to what purpose was all this provision made when that which was so long a time a getting and laying up is lost at once Besides that it is not easie to conceive what necessity can happen to a Covetous Man to give him an occasion of using his Estate he cannot find in his heart to bestow it upon himself in such Things as are convenient nay almost necessary for the support of his Life for no Man can feed his Servants more penuriously than he does himself all the Religion he values himself upon is a strict observance of the Lessian Diet which he recommends to those few
take their leave of us we should hardly entertain them Now if a Man have placed his chief Happiness in this World as the Covetous Man does in his Riches his great trouble when he comes to die will be that he must leave them Nothing could be more severely said to the Covetous Man than that which God says to the Rich Man in the Parable Thou Fool this night shall thy Soul be required of thee and then whose shall these things be For of all things in the World such Men cannot endure to think of parting with these things or that what they have got with such great Care and Labour should come to the Possession of another And therefore when we are so hot and eager in the pursuit of these things we should do well to consider how they will appear to us in a dying hour And this Consideration well imprinted upon our Minds would make us very careful to treasure up other kind of Comforts to our selves against such a time and to Labour after those Things which we shall never grow out of conceit withall but shall value them to the last and then most of all when we come to die and leave this World For as a Poet of our own says Excellently 'T is not that which first we love But what dying we approve Thus I have done with the Fourth Thing whereby the Evil and Unreasonableness of Covetousness doth appear namely that the Happiness of Humane Life doth not consist in a great Estate the Life of Man doth not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesseth The great Ends of Religion and Covetousness are very different The great End which Religion proposeth to it self is Happiness but the great End which Covetousness proposeth is Riches which are neither a necessary nor a probable means of Happiness I should now have proceeded to the Fifth and last Particular namely That Riches are so far from being the Happiness of Humane Life that they usually contribute very much to our Misery and Sorrow as will appear if we consider these Four Things First The Labour and Care which Covetous Men are at in the Getting of a great Estate Secondly The Anxiety of keeping it together with the Fears of losing it Thirdly The Trouble and Vexation of having lost it and Fourthly The dreadful and heavy Account which every Man must give of a great Estate But these Particulars together with the Application of this whole Discourse I shall refer to another Opportunity The Fourth SERMON ON LUKE XII 15. And he said unto them Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth IN my two last Discourses on this Subject I have represented the Evil and Unreasonableness of the Vice of Covetousness in Four Particulars I proceed now to the Fifth and last Particular whereby I told you the Evilâ— and Unreasonableness of it would appear vizâ— That Riches are so far from being the Happiness of Humane Life that they usually contribute very much to our misery and sorrow as will evidently appear if we consider these Four Things First The Labour and Care which the Covetous Man is at in the getting of a great Estate Secondly The Anxiety of keeping it together with the Fears of losing it Thirdly The Trouble and Vexation of having lost it Fourthly The heavy and dreadful Account which every Man must give of a great Estate First The Labour and Care which the Covetous Man hath in getting a great Estate He that will be Rich must sweat for it and refuse no pains and trouble he must rise up early and lie down late and eat the bread of Carefulness A Slave that Diggs in the Mines or Rows in the Gallies is not a greater Drudge than some Covetous Worldlings are only with this difference that the Covetous Man thinks that he Labours and takes all these Pains for himself whereas the Slave understands the matter more truly and thinks that he does it for another But besides the Pains he takes he is full of Care and Anxiety How is he through the greedy desire of having rack'd between the hopes of getting and the fear of missing what he seeks The Apostle observes what tormenting Cares accompany this Vice 1 Tim. 6. 10. The love of Mony â—aith he is the root of all evil not only of the Evil of Sin but of the Evil likewise of Trouble and Disquiet For it follows which while some coveted after they have pierced themselves through with many sorrows Variety of Troubles attend them that will be Rich. Secondly If we consider the Anxiety of keeping what they have got together with the Fear of losing it again this is another great part of a Covetous Man's infelicity The Rich Man here in the Parable after the Text when he saw his Estate coming upon him so fast cries out what shall I do Poor Man who would not pity his Condition to see him put to this difficulty and distress and to hear him make as heavy a moan as the Poorest Man could do Now that he hath a plentiful Harvest and his Crop hath answered if it were possible his Covetous Desire he is in a great deal of perplexity and almost at his wits end how to dispose of it he was horribly afraid lest any of it should be lost for want of a secure place to store it up in What shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my Fruits Where was the difficulty of this why he was loth to lose his Fruits and he was loth to lay out Mony to secure them But upon farther Consideration he resolves of the two Evils to â—huse the least and he said this will I do I will pull down my Barns and build greater and there will I bestow all my Fruits and my Goods But why could he not let the Barns he had stand and build more No that he did not think so well he loved to see all his good Things at one view and what a goodly show they would make together Besides that it is the humour of Covetousness when it breaks out into Expence to over-do the Miser's Buildings are like his Feasts always Extravagant The Covetous Man as to the business of expence is like a Coward as to fighting he declines it as long as he can but when he is push'd to the last necessity he grows desperate and lays about him Tantis parta malis curâ majore metuque Servantur misera est magni custodia censûs Riches which are got with so much trouble are not kept without greater fear and care A Covetous Man is in nothing more miserable than in the Anxiety and Care of disposing and securing what he hath got When a Man's Desires are endless his Cares and Fears will be so too Thirdly As great an Evil as any of the former is the vexation of having lost these Things If by any Accident the Man happens to be deprived of
are but Pilgrims and Stranger in the World as all our Fathers were that we have here no abiding place no continuing City but are travelling towards our own Country And why should we load our selves whilst we are upon our journey and cumber our selves with those things which will be of no use to us there whither we are a going But the great wonder of all is that this Vice should so strongly reign and even grow upon Men in Old Age and get strength as weakness creeps upon us This very thought that we are to dye should work in us a great indifferency towards the Things of this World But when Men are convinc'd they cannot live long and that every step they take they are in danger of stumbling into the Grave this one would think should wean our Affections from this World and yet usually none take so fast hold of it and embrace it so kindly as Old Men like Friends who tho' they know they must leave one another yet are loth to part Do we not see many pursue these things with as much eagerness and appetite when they are leaving the World as if they were to stay in it a hundred years longer So that in this sense also they are Children again and are as fond of these Toys as if they were just beginning the World and setting out for their whole Life 3. There is another Life after this to be seriously thought on and provided for with great care and did Men firmly believe this they would not with Martha busie themselves about many things but would mind the one thing necessary and with Mary chuse that better part which could not be taken from them They would overlook the trifles of this World and scarce take notice of the things which are seen but be only intent upon the things which are not seen because the things which are seen are but Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal The great Concernments of another World would employ their utmost Care and their best Thoughts Whilst we are in this World we should remember that this is not our home nor the place of our rest and therefore as Men do in an Inn we should make a shift with those indifferent Accommodations which the World will afford us and which we can have upon easie terms without too much trouble and stir because we are not to continue long here and in the mean time we should cheer up our selves with the thoughts of the pleasure and the plenty of our Father's house and of that full contentment and satisfaction which we shall meet withal when we come to those Everlasting Habitations So that our great Care should be to provide for Eternity If we have unbounded Desires let us place them upon such Objects as are worthy of them Let us earnestly covet the best things and seek after the true Riches We should so mind the World as to make Heaven our great Care as to make sure to provide for our selves bags that wax not old a treasure in the Heavens that faileth not where no thief approacheth neither Moth corrupteth as our Saviour adviseth Luke 12. 33. To the same purpose is the Counsel of St. Paul 1 Tim. 6. 17 18 19. Charge them that are Rich in this World that they be Rich in good works willing to distribute ready to communicate laying up for themselves a good foundation or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may also be rendred a good treasure against the time which is to come that they may lay hold of Eternal Life I have told you that all these things will fail in a short space we shall either be stripp'd of them or separated from them when we come to dye and shall look over to that vast Eternity which we must shortly enter upon this World and all the Enjoyments of it will then be as nothing to us and we shall be wholly taken up with the thoughts of another World and be heartily sorry that the things of this World have taken up so much of our Time and Care and that the great and weighty Concernments of all Eternity have been so little minded and regarded by us Now seeing all these things shall be pardon me if I earnestly beg of you in the midst of all your Worldly Cares to have some Consideration for your Immortal Souls which are no wise provided for by a great Estate but are design'd for Nobler Enjoyments than this World can afford When you are taking care to Feed and Cloath these dying Bodies remember that better part of your selves which is to live for ever Let not all your enquiry be what shall I eat or what shall I drink or wherewithal shall I be cloathed But sometimes ask your selves this question what shall I do to be saved I have an Immortal Spirit it is but fit some Care should be taken of that to train it up to Eternity and to make it fit to be made partaker of an Inheritance among them that are sanctified The firm Belief and serious Consideration of the great Things of another World cannot surely but cool the heat of our Affections towards these dying and perishing Things and make us resolved not to do any thing whereby we may violate the peace of our Consciences or forfeit our Interest and Happiness in another World 2. By way of Remedy against this Vice of Covetousness it is good for Men to be contented with their Condition This the Apostle prescribes as the best Cure of this Vice Heb. 13. 5. Let your conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as ye have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being contented with the present and thinking that sufficient A Covetous Man cannot enjoy the present for fear of the future either out of fear that he shall come to want or out of a sickness and uneasiness of Mind which makes that nothing pleaseth him But if we could bring our Minds to our Condition and be contented with what we have we should not be so eager and impatient after more This Contentedness with our present Condition doth not hinder but that Men by Providence and Industry and lawful Endeavours may lay the Foundation of a more plentiful Fortune than they have at present For provided a Man use no indirect and dishonest ways to increase his Estate and do not torment himself with anxious Cares do neither make himself guilty nor miserable that he may be Rich provided he do not neglect better things to attain these and have not an insatiable Appetite towards them provided he do not Idolize his Estate and set his Heart upon these things and if he can find in his heart to enjoy them himself and to be Charitable to others nothing hinders but that he may be contented with his present Condition and yet take all fair Opportunities which the Providence of God puts into his hands of enlarging his Fortune It is a good Character which the Poet gives of Aristippus
government of Religion and directed by the Laws and Rules of it and it should be our continual Care and Endeavour to please God in all things and we should take as much pains and be as heartily concerned to be good Men as the Men of the World are to grow Rich and Great in this World nay so much more by how much it is a better and nobler Design to improve in Grace and Virtue than to prosper and thrive in our Temporal Estate and we do not in good earnest seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness if this be not our great study and endeavour to subdue our Lusts and govern our Passions and in a word to reform whatever is amiss in the inward frame and temper of our Minds and in our outward Conversation And indeed nothing does require greater diligence and attention and care than for a Man to become truly and thoroughly good to be meek and humble and patient and contented and resigned to the Will of God in every Condition to be peaceable and charitable and placable and ready to forgive these are great and difficult things and whatever we think not the work of a Wish or the effect of a sudden Resolution before the receiving of the Holy Sacrament no nor the fruit of frequent and â—ervent Prayers without the hearty concurrence of our own Care and Endeavour to render our Lives such as we pray God by his Grace to assist and enable us to be Thirdly Seeking the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness does further imply zeal and earnestness in the pursuit of this Design And this is a degree above diligence for zeal is an ardour and â—ervency of Mind in the prosecution of a thing for which we are greatly concerned and which we vehemently desire to obtain it is the hottest and most intense degree of our affection towards any thing of our desire and love mixt with anger at every thing that stands in our way and hinders us from obtaining what we seek after such an heat as Ambition does commonly inspire Men withall in the pursuit of Power and Preferment Such ought to be the temper of our Minds and the edge of our Spirits in seeking the Kingdom of God as does usually possess Men in seeking the Kingdoms of this World and the Glory of them We must remember that it is a Kingdom which we seek for and aspire after not like the unstable and tottering Kingdoms of this World but a Kingdom which cannot be shaken as the Apostle calls it So that the greatness of the Design and the Excellency of what we seek after will justifie and warrant the highest degree of a discreet zeal and fervour in the prosecution of it and therefore no wonder that the Scripture in this matter useth words that import the greatest vehemency and earnestness bidding us to strive to enter in at the strait gate to labour and watch to run and wrestle and fight and in a word to give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure Lastly Seeking the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness does imply patience and perseverance in our endeavours after them and that we never cease our pursuit of them 'till we have obtained them and this notwithstanding all the difficulties and discouragements the opposition and persecution that we meet with for Righteâ—usness sake For this we must expect and reckon upon before-hand to encounter many difficulties and find many discouragements in the ways of Religion for strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life as our Lord himself hath told us Nay we must count to be grievously persecuted for Righteousness sake and if God see it good for us to pass through many Tribulations before we shall enter into the Kingdom of God and therefore we had need to be armed with a great deal of Patience and a very firm and obstinate Resolution to enable us to bear up and to hold out against all these for this is a necessary qualification for our seeking the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness So our Lord hath told us Mat. 10. 22. he that endureth to the end shall be saved if we hope to receive the Crown of Life we must be faithful to the death Rev. 2. 10. And to the same purpose St. Paul declares Rom. 2. 7. that they only shall be made partakers of Eternal Life who by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality You see what is meant by seeking thâ— Kingdom of God and his Righteousness it remains briefly to be shewn in the Second place what is meant by seeking these first seek ye fâ—rst the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness that is let this be your main and principal Design so as to take place of all others in your esteem and affections in your aim and endeavour in comparison of this mind nothing else not the Comforts and Conveniencies no not the Necessaries of Life what ye shall eat and what ye shall drink and wherewithal ye shall be cloathed These you see our Saviour instanceth in before the Text as not to be regarded and taken care of when they come in competition with the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness And our Saviour tells us elsewhere that not only none of the Comforts and Necessaries of Life are to be valued against him and his Religion but that even this Temporal Life itself as dear as it is to us is to be parted withall and given up rather than to quit the profession of his Truth and Religion Mat. 10. 37. 38. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me He instanceth in the nearest Relations those towards whom we have the most tender and relenting affections and yet he tells us that the Consideration of his Truth and Religion ought to take place of these nay even of Life it self for so it follows and he that taketh not his Cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me St. Luke expresseth it more strongly and vehemently Luke 14. 26. If any man come to me that is take upon him the profession of my Religigion and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple When these come in competition with our Religion and the great interest of our Eternal Salvation we are to regard and value them no more than if they were the Objects of our hatred but to set aside all consideration of affection to them so far as it would tempt us from Constancy in our Religion and the Care of our Souls So that when our Saviour bids us first to seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness his meaning is thaâ— Religion and the Concernments of our Souls and the Eternal Happiness of them in another World should be our first and chief Care and that all
abomination to him and his Soul hates them And so likewise the Circumstances of Religion are less considerable than the substantial Means and Instruments of it And therefore all Rites and Ceremonies are in Religion of less consideration than the Substance of God's Worship and ought always to be subordinate to it In like manner the Moral Duties of Religion comprehended under the two great Commandments of the love of God and our Neighbour because they are of Eternal and indispensable obligation are to be preferr'd to matters of meer positive Institution and where they cannot stand togother that which is positive ought to be set aside and to give way for the present to that which is moral and good in its own Nature and not only because it is Commanded and Enjoyned for in this Case God hath expresly declared that he will have Mercy and not Sacrifice Upon which ground our Saviour declares that the Law of the Sabbath ought to give place to works of Mercy Upon the same account Peace and Charity are to be valued above Matters of Nicety and Scruple of doubtful Dispute and Controversie because the former are unquestionably good the latter doubtfully and uncertainly so All these things ought to be considered and are of great moment to make a Man sincerely and wisely Religious For Men may keep a great stir about some parts of Religion and be very Careful and Diligent Zealous and Earnest about the Means and Instruments of Religion and in the Exercises of Piety and Devotion and yet be destitute of the Power and Life of it and fall short of that inward and real and substantial Righteousness which alone can qualifie us for the Kingdom of God The Fifth and last Direction I would give is this That we have a particular regard to the great Duty of Charity or Alms-giving this being very frequently in Scripture called Righteousness as being an eminent part of Religion and a great Evidence of the truth and sincerty of our Piety And this our Saviour particularly directs to as the way to the Kingdom of God Luke 12. 33. After this general Exhortation to seek the Kingdom of God he instanceth in Charity as the direct way to it give Alms provide for your selves Bags that wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not And elsewhere our Saviour speaks of this Grace and Virtue as that which above all others will make way for our admission into Heaven Luke 16. 9. I say unto you make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you or ye may be received into Everlasting Habitations And St. Paul calls it laying in store for our selves a good foundation or as the word may better be rendred in this place a good treasure against the time to come that we may lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6. 19. St. James speaks of it as a main and most essential part of Religion and the great Evidence of a true and sincere Piety Jam. 1. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their affliction Finally our Lord instanceth in this as the very thing which will admit us into or shut us out of Heaven by the performance whereof we shall be Absolved and for the neglect whereof we shall be Condemned in the Judgment of the Great Day Mat. 25. So that this part of Righteousness or Religion ought in a more especial manner to be regarded by us because upon the performance or neglect of this Duty our Eternal Happiness doth so much depend The Fourth and last thing only remains to be spoken to which is to set before you the most proper and powerful Motives and Incouragements to the minding of this great Interest and Concernment But this will be the Subject of another Discourse The Second SERMON ON MATTH VI. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you THESE Words which I began to Discourse upon the last Day are a strict Charge and Command to all Christians to mind the business of Religion in the first place and to take all imaginable Care to secure the Happiness of another Life but seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you In the handling of which Argument First I Explained what is meant by the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Secondly I shew'd what is meant by seeking these and what by seeking them first Thirdly I laid down some Rules for our Direction and Furtherance in this great Business I shall now proceed to represent to you in the Fourth and last place some of the most proper and powerful Arguments and Encouragements to engage us to the minding of this great Inteâ—est and Concernment amongst which I shall in the last place particularly consider the Encouragement here given in the Text seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you 1. My First Argument shall be from the Worth and Excellency of the things we seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness which are certainly the greatest and best things we can seek The Kingdom of God is the Eternal Salvation of our Souls Everlasting Life and Happiness in another World which to animate our Endeavours and to tempt our Ambition the more are set forth to us under the notion of a Kingdom And what will not Men do to obtain that what pains will they not take what hazards will they not run what difficulties will they not grapple with and break through if they can to come at a Kingdom which when they have obtained they are exposed to as many and commonly to more Cares and Fears to greater Difficulties and Dangers in the keeping than they were for the getting of it And yet all this Men will do for a corruptible Crown for one of the petty Kingdoms and Principalities of this World which are continually tottering and ready to be overturned by open violence or to be undermined by secret Treachery But the Kingdom which I am speaking of and perswading you and my self to seek after is not like the Kingdoms of Men and of this World it is called the Kingdom of God to signifie to us the Excellency and stability of it as much beyond any of the Kingdoms of this World as the Heavens are high above the Earth and as God is greater than Man a Kingdom which cannot be shaken a Crown which fadeth not away a Scepter which cannot be wrested from us But to quit the Metaphor and speak to the Thing the Kingdom of God imports the Eternal Salvation of our Souls I say of our Souls which both in respect of the Dignity of their Nature and their Immortal duration are infinitely more valuable than any of the perishing things of this World and ought to be much dearer to us Other
finally by his Mercy we may obtain Eternal Life Thirdly Another powerful Argument to Care and Diligence is the fatal Danger of Miscarriage in a Matter of so great Concernment We may do many things in Religion and take some pains to get to Heaven and yet fall short of it The Rich young Man in the Gospel our Saviour tells us was not far from the Kingdom of God and he broke with our Saviour only upon one Point he was too much addicted to the World and loth to part with his great Possessions and distribute them in Charity to the Poor and thereupon he left our Saviour and for any thing that we find never returned to him again If the World govern and bear sway in our Hearts if we mind Earthly things first and make these our chief Care and Design the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness shall not be added unto us iâ— we will not mind them in the first place they are too good to be Accessories And if upon any one point we miscarry either out of love to the World or affection to any other Lust or Vice that we are loth to part withal our miscarriage is fatal and the ruine which we bring upon our selves irreparable for the Soul once lost is lost for ever If we have neglected the opportunity of working out our own Salvation while we are in this World it will never return into our power again Death will shut the door against us and we shall never see the Kingdom of God Fourthly It is a mighty encouragement to us to consider that if we sincerely seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness there is not only a fair probability of obtaining them but all the security we can desire Men may be in good earnest for the things of this World may love them with all their Hearts and Souls as we see too many do and seek them with all their might and strength and yet after all their Endeavours may be shamefully frustrated and disappointed of their End There are many Examples of this kind daily before our eyes and yet Men are not discouraged from seeking these things A fair probability nay almost a possibility of attaining them is enough to a Worldly-Minded Man to drudge and toil for them Why the same Affectionâ— the â—ame Zeal the same unwearied Endeavour to serve God and to save our Souls would Infallibly bring us to Heaven It was a sad but true Saying of Cardinal Wolsey when he was leaving the World Had I been but as careful to please God as I have been to serve my Prince he would not have forsaken me now in the time of my gray hairs Nay it is to be hoped that less Diligence and Care about the Concernments of our Souls and another Life than many Men use about the things of this Life will secure our Eternal Happiness or else it is to be feared that but very few would be saved And who would not place his Industry and Endeavour upon a Design in which he is sure not to miscarry if he do but heartily and in good earnest pursue it Especially when it will be of infinite greater advantage to him than any Design he can propound to himself for this World If a Man may be certainly Happy for Ever upon the same or easier terms than he can ordinarily compass any of those little Designs which Men propose to themselves in this World who would not seek that which is most worthy the having and which he is surest to obtain Fifthly and Lastly the Encouragement here in the Text is not inconsiderable that if we seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness all these things shall be added unto us This certainly is a very tempting Consideration for who would not be glad to reconcile the enjoyment of this World with the hopes of Heaven and Eternal Happiness But Men do not generally like our Saviour's Method they would seek the things of this World in the first place and get to Heaven at last they would be content to seek the one and have the other cast in and conferred upon them without their seeking But this will not be granted this way will not do And yet our Saviour hath gone as far as one would think could in Reason be desired he hath promised that if we will make Religion and the Salvation of our Souls our first and chief Care that all these things shall be added unto us So that the Design of going to Heaven and being Happy for ever is no ways inconsistent with a competent portion of the things of this Life Godliness the Apostle tells us hath the promise of this Life and of that which is to come The business of Religion the practice of a Holy and Virtuous Life is no hindrance to a Man's thriving in his Temporal Estate nay in many Respects it is apt to promote and advance it by engaging us to diligence in our Calling and by deriving the blessing of God upon our honest and lawful Endeavours by obliging us to the strict and constant practice of Truth and Justice and Fidelity in all our Dealings and Commerce which are the best way to establish a clear and solid Reputation and good Esteem among Men which is an unspeakable advantage in Business and at the long run one of the best and most lasting Instruments of Prosperity and Success Besides that Religion frees a Man from those Passions and Vices which do naturally tend to dissipate and ruine Mens Estates as Intemperance and Lewdness which are every way chargable Vices and do not only take Men off from Business and render them unfit for it but waste their Estates and bring many other inconveniencies upon their Persons and Families Religion makes Men meek and peaceable and inoffensive in word and deed which is a great security against chargeable Suits and Contentions and all sorts of Injuries and Affronts from others Among all the Beatitudes of our Saviour he only promiseth Temporal Happiness to Meekness Blessed are the Meek for they shall inherit the Earth They who provoke and offend no body are likely to be least disturbed and disquieted by others in their Possession and Enjoments who will harm you saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 3. 13. if ye be followers of that which is good Some may be so perverse as to persecute a Man for his goodness but it rarely happens most Men have not only a kindness but a veneration for true goodness By all these ways Religion naturally tends to the Temporal Prosperity of Men and the promoting of their wellfare and happiness even in this World besides that the Providence of God is very peculiarly concerned for good Men and a special Blessing attends them in all their Undertakings So that excepting the Case of Persecution which God will particularly Consider and Reward in another World the Religious and good Man who sincerely seeks the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness stands as fair and is upon as good terms for all
the lawful Enjoyments of this World as he that makes it his only Design to be Rich and Great in this World nay as to the necessaries of Life and a competency of outward things he hath a much greater and better security from the Providence and Promise of God than the Men of the World have by all their Care and Pains Besides that he hath this Considerable advantage by minding these things only as accessories that if he miss of them he hath something better to support him in the want of them being secure of a Happiness which this World can neither give nor take from him But now the Worldly Man if he be defeated in his Designs is of all Men most miserable because he hath nothing else to Comfort him nothing else to trust to he fails of his hopes as to this World and hath done what in him lies to make his Case desperate as to the other Upon all these Considerations and Encouragements you see how reasonable it is that we should make Religion and the Concernments of another Life our great Care and Business And yet how are these neglected by the greatest part of Mankind and by the best of us God knows not minded as they ought and as they deserve What can we say for our selves in excuse of so intolerable a folly There are two or three things which Men commonly prâ—tend if not in justification yet in mitigation and excuse of this great neglect First they pretend great difficulties and discouragements in the ways of Religion This I have already acknowledged to be true so far as to awaken our Care and to whet our Industry but by no means to make us despond and give over all Care of so great a Concernment because of the Difficulties it is attended withall Men who have no mind to a thing are apt to imagine great difficulties in the attaining of it and to magnifie them in their fancies beyond Reason As the People of Israel when they were to enter into Canaan which was the Type of the Kingdom of Heaven represented the Inhabitants of the Land whom they were to Conquer more terrible than in truth they were reporting to one another that the Land was full of Giants and Sons of Anak Men of prodigious Stature which reached up to Heaven And this the Wise Man observes to be the perpetual excuse of the Sloathful when they have no mind to a thing they say there is a Lyon in the way that is they fancy to themselves Dangers and Terrors which are not Thus Men who are averse from Religion and have no mind to be at the trouble and pains to get to Heaven are apt to complain of the monstrous and insuperable Difficulties of Religion and how hard it is for a Man to mortifie his Lusts and subdue his Appetites and govern his Passions and to do all those things which are necessary to bring him to Heaven Well! it is acknowledg'd to be difficult And is it not so to get an Estate and to rise to any thing in this World The true pains which Men take about these things shew that they are difficult only when Men have a mind to a thing and their Heart is set upon it they do not stand to complain of the difficulty but buckle to it and grapple with it Is Religion difficult And what is not so that is good for any thing Is not the Law a difficult and crabbed study Does it not require great labour and perpetual drudging to excel in any kind of Knowledge to be Master of any Art or Profession In a word is there any thing in the World worthy the having that is to be gotten without pains And is Eternal Life and Glory the only slight and inconsiderable thing that is not worth our Care and Industry Is it fit that so great a good should be exposed to the faint and idle Wishes to the cheap and lazy Endeavours of sloathful Men For what Reason Nay with what Conscience can we bid less for Heaven and Eternal Life than Men are contented to give for the things of this World things of no value in Comparison not worthy the toiling for not sure to be attained by all our Endeavours things which perish in the using and which when we have them we are liable to be deprived of by a thousand Accidents One fit of a Feaver may shatter our Understandings and confound all our Knowledge and turn us into Fools and Ideots an Inundation or a Fire may sweep away and devour our Estates a Succession of Calamities may in a few hours make the Richest and Greatest Man as Poor as Job and set him upon a Dunghill But be the Difficulty what it will of attaining the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness they are to be sought at any rate because they are absolutely necessary and we miserable and undone if we have them not And therefore not to dissemble in the Matter the Difficulties of Religion are considerable but then they are much greater aâ— first and will every day abate and grow less and the work by degrees will become eaâ—â—e and turn into Pleasure and Delight a Pleasure so great as none knows but he that hath it and he that hath it would not exchange it for all the sensual Pleasures and Enjâ—yments of this World Secondly Others pretend want of time for the minding of so great a Work And 't is very true that all Persons have not equal leisure for this purpose some are much more straitned than others and more taken up with the necessary Cares of this Life but God hath put no Man upon this hard necessity that for want of time he shall be forced to neglect his Body and his Health his Family and Estate to save his Soul And yet if any Man were brought to this distress it were well worth his while to secure his Eternal Salvation tho' it were with the neglect and loss of all other things But those who are most straitned for time have so much as is absolutely necessary for there is a considerable part of Religion which does not require time but Resolution and Care Not to commit Sin not to break the Laws of God not to be intemperate to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof does not spend time but saves it for better Purposes so that every Man hath time not to do that which he ought not to do And for the positive part of Religion whether it consists in the exercise of our Minds or in the External Acts of Religion no Man is so distrest but he hath time to think of Heaven and Eternity time to love God to esteem him and delight in him above all things And this a Man may do very frequently and very acceptably while he is labouring and travelling about his Worldly Affairs while his hand is upon the Plow his heart may be with God and while he converseth here upon Earth his Thoughts and Affections may be in
duly Considered and all Accounts cast up it will appear upon a just Calculation of things that all the restraints which the Laws of God lay upon Men are highly reasonable and greatly for their benefit and advantage and do not abridge us of any true Pleasure or Happiness but are Wise and Merciful Provisions of Heaven to prevent our harm and mischief so that we are not Wise if we act without regard to God and his Laws and are not willing to be govern'd by him who loves us better than we do our selves and truly designs our Happiness and Commands us nothing but what directly tends to it For the Laws of God are not Arbitrary Constitutions and meer instances of Soveraign Will and Power but Wise Rules and Means to procure and advance our Happiness And in like manner all that Wisdom which Men use to compass their Worldly Designs of Riches and Greatness without Consideration of the Providence of God and Dependance upon it for the Success of our Affairs is all perfect Folly and Mistake For tho' the Design be never so well laid and vigorously prosecuted and no Means which Humane Wisdom can devise for the attaining of our End have been omitted by us yet if we leave God out of the Account we forget that which is Principal and signifies more to the Success of any Design than all other things put together For if God favours our Designs the most improbable shall take effect and if he blow upon them the most likely shall miscaâ—ry Whenever he pleaseth to interâ—oâ—e to cross the Counsels and Desigâ—â— of Mâ—n the Race is not to the swift nor the Battel to the strong neither yet bread â—o the wise nor riches to men of understanding nor favour to men of skill but time and chance happens to all So that it is great folly not to Consider the Providence of God in all our Designs and Undertakings not to implore his Favour and Blessing without which nothing that we take in hand can prosper That which is Principal to any Purpose ought to be considered in the first place nothing being to be attempted either without or against it And such is the Providence of God in all Humane Affairs it is more considerable to the promoting or hindering of any Event than all things in the World besides and therefore all Policy which sets aside God and his Providence is vain because there is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. So likewise all that Wisdom which only considers and regards this short Life and the narrow Concernments of it and makes provision only for our welfare in this World and therefore can only be tempted with the hopes of Temporal Advantages and terrified only with the danger of Temporal Evils and Sufferings but hath no sense of an Immortal Spirit within us no prospect of a Life after Death no Consideration of a Happy or Miserable Eternity of Rewards and Punishments infinitely greater than all the Temptations and Terrors of Time and Sense I say all this is a preposterous and pernicious Wisdom and proceeds upon a false Supposition and a quite contrary Scheme of Things to what really is and consequently our whole Life and all the Designs and Actions of it do run upon a perpetual mistake and a false Stating of our own Case and whatever we do pursuant to this Mistake is foolish and hurtful and so far from conducing to our true interest that it is all either besides it or contrary to it because we act upon a Supposal only of this Life and a Being only in this World and that there is nothing either to be feared or hoped for beyond it and being thus grosly mistaken we set our hearts only upon Temporal Things and study our present security and satisfaction and in all our Counsels and Actions are swayed only by the Consideration of Temporal Good and Evil of the present Ease and Pleasure the Disturbance and Pain of our Fleshly and Sensual Parts without any sense of our own Immortality and of that Everlasting State which remains for us in another World But there is my Brethren most certainly there is another Life after this we are not Beasts if we do not make our selves so and if we die we shall not die like them neither shall our last End be like theirs For whatever we may think or wish it will not be in our power to extinguish our own Beings when we have a mind to be rid of them and to chuse whether or no we shall live for ever And if this be a false Scheme of things which we have framed to our selves and proceeded upon as undoubtedly it is then our whole Life is one great Error and a perpetual Mistake and we are quite wrong in all â—hat we design to do Our Wisdom haâ—â— begun at the wrong end and we have made a false Calculation and Account of things and have put our Case otherwise than it is and the farther we proceed ugon this Mistake our Miscarriage will be so much the more fatal in the issue But if our Wisdom begin at the right end and our Case be truly stated that God hath put into these frail and mortal Bodies of ours Immortal Spirits that shall live for ever and hath sent uâ— into this World to soâ—ourn here for a little while and to be disciplin'd and train'd up for Eternity and that after a short proof and trial of our Obedience we shall be translated into an Everlasting State of unspeakable Happiness or Misery according as we have demeaned our selves in this World if we believe this to bâ— truly our Case our Interest is then plainly before us and we see where our Happiness lies and what remains for us to do in order to the obtaining of it and what we are to expect to suffer if we do it not Now this Foundation being laid it is evident that the best thing we can do for our selves is to provide for our Future State and to secure the Everlasting Happiness of another Life And the best way to do that is to live in obedience to those Laws which our Maker and our Soveraign hath prescribed to us and according to which he will one day Sentence us to Eternal Rewards or Punishments It is evident likewise that all our sensual Appetites and Desires are to be bounded by the Rules of Reason and Virtue which are the Laws of God and that no present Ease and Pleasure Trouble and Suffering are to be considered and regarded by us in competition with the things which are Eternal and that Sin is of all other the greatest Evil and most mischievous to our main Interest and therefore with all possible Care to be avoided and that the favour of God is to be sought and the Salvation of our Souls to be provided for at any pains and expence whatsoever and even with the hazard and loss of our dearest Interests in this World yea and of Life it self And now if this
it too well to part with it for the pleasures of Sin which are but for a season and which always prove bittâ—rness in the end and for the little sweetness which they yielded leave a terrible sting behind them Thus have I briefly represented the Reasonableness and Wisdom of Religion It is of Infinite perfection and of a vast influence and extent it reacheth to the whole Man the Happiness of Soul and Body and to our whole duration the Happiness of this World and the next for Godliness that is true Religion and Piety hath the Promise of this Life and of that which is to come But now where are the Effects of true Religion in the full compass and extent of it to be found Such real Effects as do in any measure bear a proportion to the power and perfection of their Cause For nothing certainly is more Excellent and Amiable in its definition than true Religion is but alas how imperfect is it in the Subject I mean in us who ought to shew forth the power and perfection of it in the Practice and Actions of our Lives the best demonstration of the excellent frame and temper of our Minds What a conflict and strugling do the best Men find between their Inclination and their Duty How hard to reconcile our Practice and our Knowledge and to make our Lives to agree with the Reason of our Minds and the clear Conviction of our Consciences How difficult for a Man in this dangerous and imperfect state to be in any measure either so wise or so good as he ought How rare is it for a Man to be good natur'd gentle and easie to be intreated without being often betray'd into some weakness and sinful compliances especially in the bad Company of our Betters How next to impossible is it to be strict and severe in our Lives without being sower to govern our Lives with that perpetual Caution and to maintain that evenness of temper as not to be sometimes peevish and passionate and when we are so not to be apt to say with Jonah we do well to be angry There are two Precepts in the New Testament that seem to me to be the nicest of all other and hardest to be put in practice One is that of our Blessed Saviour Be wise as Serpents and innocent as Doves How hard is it to hit upon the just temper of Wisdom and Innocency to be Wise and hurt no body to be Innocent without being Silly The other is that of the Apostle be angry and sin not How difficult is this never to be angry but upon just Cause and when the Cause of our anger is just not to be transported beyond due bounds either as to the degree of our anger or as to the duration and continuance of it This is so very nice a Matter that one would be almost tempted to think that this were in effect a prohibition of anger in any Case be ye angry and sin not be ye so if ye can without Sin I believe whosoever observes it will find that it is as easie to suppress this Passion at any time as to give way to it without offending in one kind or other But to proceed How hard a Matter is it To be much in Company and free in Conversation and not to be infected by it To live in the midst of a wicked World and yet to keep our selves free from the Vices of it To be temperate in the use of things pleasing so as neither to injure our Health nor to lose the use of our Reason nor to offend against Conscience To Fast often without being conceited of it and bargaining as it were with God for some greater Liberties in another kind and without censuring those who do not tie up themselves to our strict Rules either of Piety or Abstinence when perhaps they have neither the same Opportunities of doing it nor the same Reason to do it that we have nay perhaps have a much better Reason for not doing just as we do For no Man is to prescribe to others his own private Method either of Fasting or of Devotion as if he were the Rule and his Example a kind of Proclamation enjoyning all his Neighbours the same days of Fasting and Prayer which he himself for Reasons best known to himself thinks fit to observe And then how hard is it to be chearful without being vain and grave and serious without being morose to be useful and instructive to others in our Conversation and Discourse without assuming too much Authority to our selves which is not the best and most effectual way of doing good to others there being something in the Nature of Man which had rather take a hint and intimation from another to advise himself and would rather chuse to imitate the silent good Example which they see in another than to have either his Advice or his Example imposed upon them How difficult is it to have a Mind equal to every Condition and to be content with mean and moderate things to be Patient in Adversity and Humble in Prosperity and Meek upon sudden and violent Provocations to keep our Passions free from getting head of our Reason and our Zeal from out-running our Knowledge to have a Will perfectly submitted and resigned to the Will of God even when it lies cross and thwart to ours so that whatever pleaseth God should please us to be Resolute when our Duty happens to be difficult and dangerous or even to believe that to be our Duty tho' it certainly be so which is very inconvenient for us to do to hold out and be unwearied in well-doing to be careful to preserve our Lives and yet upon a great Occasion and whenever God calls for them to be content to lay them down To be Wise and Innocent Men in Understaâ—ding and yet in Malice Children to have many great Virtues and not to want that which gives the great lustre to them all I mean real and unaffected Modesty and Humility In short How difficult is it to have regard to â—ll God's Commandments and to hate every evil and false way To have our Duty continually in our eye and ready to be put in practice upon every proper Occasion To have God and the Consideration of another World always before us present to our Minds and operative upon our Practice To live as those that know they must die and to have our thoughts perpetually awake and intent upon the great and Everlasting Concernments of our Immortal Souls These are great things indeed easie to be talkt of but hard to be done nay not to be done at all without frequent and fervent Prayer to God and the continual aids and supplies of his Grace not without an earnest endeavour on our parts a vigorous resistance of Temptations and many a sore conflict with our own perverse Wills and sensual Inclinations not without a perpeâ—â—al guard and watchfulness over our Lives and our unruly Appetites and Passions Little do
upbraid the degenerate state of the Christian World at this day which does so abound in all kind of Wickedness and Impiety so that we may cry out as he did upon reading the Gospel Profectò aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Evangelici Either this is not the Gospel which we read and the Christian Religion which we profess or we are no Christians We are so far from that pitch of goodness and Virtue which the Christian Religion is apt to raise Men to and which the Apostle here calls the Divine Nature that a great part of us are degenerated into Beasts and Devils wallowing in abominable and filthy Lusts indulging our selves in those Devilish Passions of Malice and Hatred of Strife and Discord of Revenge and Cruelty of Sedition and Disturbance of the Publick Peace to that degree as if the Grace of God had never appeared to us to teach us the contrary And therefore it concerns all those who have the face to call themselves Christians to demean themselves at another rate and for the Honour of their Religion and the Salvation of their own Souls to have their Conversation as becometh the Gospel of Christ and by departing from the Vicious practices of this present Evil World to do what in them lies to prevent the Judgments of God which hang over us or if they cannot do that to save themselves from this untoward Generation A SERMON ON 1 PETER IV. 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator THIS Epistle was written by St. Peter who was the Apostle of the Circumcision to the dispersed Jews who were newly Converted to Christianity And the Design of it is to Confirm and Establish them in the Profession of it and to instruct them how they ought to demean themselves towards the Heathen or Gentiles among whom they lived and more particularly to arm and prepare them for those Sufferings and Persecutions which he foretels would shortly overtake them for the Profession of Christianity that when they should happen they might not be surprised and startled at them as if some strange and unexpected thing were come upon them at the 12 v. of this Chapter Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery Tryal which is to try you that is do not wonder and be not asâ—onish'd at it as if some strange thing hapned unto you And then he instructs them more particularly how they ought to behave themselves under those Trâ—als and Sufferings when they should happen not only with Patience which men ought to exercise under all kinds of Sufferings upon what Account and Cause soever but with Joy and Cheerfulness considering the Glorious Example and Reward of them v. 13. but rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs Sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding Joy And at the 14. ver he tells them that besides the Encouragement of so great an Example and so glorious a Reward they should be supported and assisted in a very extraordinary manner by the Spirit of God resting upon them in a glorious manner as a Testimony of the Divine Power and Presence with them v. 14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you or as it is in the best Copies for the Spirit of Glory and of Power even the Spirit of God resâ—eth upon you that is the Glorious Power of the Divine Spirit is present with you to comfort and bear up your Spirits under these Sufferings But then he cautions them to take great Care that theiâ— Sufferings be for a good Cause and a good Conscience v. 15. But let none of you suffer as a Mâ—â—therer or as a Thief or as an evil-doer that is as an Offender in any kind against Human Laws made to preserve the Peace and good Order of the World or as a busy-body in other mens matters that is as a pragmatical Person that meddles out of his own Sphere to the Disquiet and Disturbance of Human Society For to suffer upon any of these Accounts would be matter of Shame and Trouble but not of Joy and Comfort But if they suffer'd upon Account of the Profession of Christianity this would be no Cause of Shame and Reproach to them but they ought rather to give God Thanks for calling them to suffer in so good a Cause and upon so glorious an Account V. 16. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian if that be his only Crime let him not be ashamed but let him gloriâ—ie Gâ—d on this behalf for the time is come that Judgment must begin at the House of God that is the wise and just Providence of God hath so order'd it at this Time for very good Reasons and Ends that the first Calamities and Sufferings should fall upon Christians the peculiar People and Church of God for their Tryal and a Testimony to the Truth of that Religion which God was now planting in the World And if iâ— first begin at us that is at us Jews who were the ancient People of God and have now embraced and entertained the Revelation of the Gospel what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God that is how much more severely will God deal with the rest of the Jews who have crucified the Son of God and still persist in their Infidelity and Disobedience to the Gospel And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear that is if good Men be saved with so much Difficulty and must through so many tribulations enter into the kingdom of God what will become of all Ungodly and Impenitent Sinners Where shall they appear How shall they be able to stand in the Judgment of the great Day From the Consideration of all which the Apostle makes this Inference or Conclusion in the last ver of this Chapter Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator Thus you see the Connexion and Dependance of these words upon the Apostle's foregoing Discourse I shall explain the several Expressions in the Text and then handle the main Points contained in them The Expressions to be explained are these What is meant by those that suffer according to the will of God what by committing the keeping of our Souls to God â—s unto a faithful Creator and what by well-doing 1. What is meant by suffering according to the will of God This may be understood of Suffering in a good Cause such as God will approve But this is not so probable because this is mentioned afterwards in the following Expressions of committing the keeping of our Souls to God in well-doing that is in suffering upon a good Account And therefore the plain and
genuine Sense of this Expression seems to be this that those who according to the good Pleasure of God's Will and the wise dispensation of his Providence are appointed to suffer for his Cause should demean themselves so and so Let them that suffer according to the will of God that is those whom God thinks fit to call to Suffering And this agrees very well with the like Expression Chap. 3. of this Epist ver 17. for it is better if the will of God be so that is if God have so appointed it and think it fit that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing Secondly What is here meant by committing the keeping of our Souls to God as to a faithful Creator That is to deposit our Lives and all that belongs to us in a word our selves into the Hands and Custody of his Merciful Care and Providence who made us and therefore we may be sure will faithfully keep what we commit to him For as we are his Creatures he is engaged to take care of us and will not abandon the work of his own hands Besides that he hath Promised to be more especially concerned for good Men to support them in their Sufferings for a good Cause and to Reward them for it and he is faithful that hath promised And therefore there is great Reason and great Encouragement in all our Sufferings for God's Cause and Truth to commit our Souls to his Care and Custody Our Souls that is as I said before our Lives and all that belongs to us in a word our selves For so the word Soul is frequently used both in the Old and New Testament Psal 7. 5. Let the Enemy persecute my Soul and take it that is my Life for so it follows in the next words yea let him tread doâ—n my Life upon the Earth And Psal 54. 3. Oppressors seek after my Soul And Psal 59. 3. they lie in waâ—t for my Soul that is my Life And Psal 16. 10. Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell my Soul that is my self thou wilt not suffer me to continue in the Grave and under the power of Death but wilt raise me up to Life again And so likewise in the New Testament Mar. 8. 35. Whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospels the same shall save it The same word which is here rendred Life in the very next Verse is rendred Soul For what shall it profit a Man if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul that is his Life And so likewise Joâ— 12. 25. He that loveth his Life shall lose it And he that hateth his Life in this World in the Original the Word signifies Soul He that hateth his Life in this World that is who neglecteth and exposeth his Life in this World for the sake of Christ shall keep it unto Life Eternal And Luke 9. 25. that which the other Evangelists render by the word Soul or Life he renders himself for what is a Man advantaged if he gain the whole World and lose himself And so here in the Text to commit the keeping of our Souls to God is to commit our selves to his Care and Providence Thirdly What is here meant by committing our selves to him in well-doing By well-doing is here meant a fixt Purpose and Resolution of doing our Duty notwithstanding all hazards and sufferings which is call'd by St. Paul Rom. 2. 7. A patient continuance in well-doing It signifies sometimes acts of Goodness and Charity but in this Epistle it is taken in a larger sense for Constancy and Resolution in the doing of our Duty as Chap. 2. 15. for so is the will of God that with well-doing that is by a Resolute Constancy in a good Course ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish Men. And ver 20. But if when ye do well and sâ—ffer for it that is if when ye suffer for well-doing ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God And Chap. 3. ver 6. As long as ye do well and are not afraid with any amazement that is are Resolute and Constant in doing your Duty notwithstanding all Threatnings and Terrors And ver 17. For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing that is for your Religion and Constancy in so good a Cause as Christians and not as Criminals upon any other account So that the plain meaning of the words is as if the Apostle had said wherefore being forewarned of Suffering and Persecution for the Cause of Religion the summ of my direction and advice upon the whole matter is this that since it is the will of God that ye should suffer upon this account commit your selves in the constant discharge of your Duty and a good Conscience to the particular Care and Providence of Almighty God as the faithful Creatour And now I come to handle the particular Points contained in the words and they are these Three First That when Men do suffer really and truly for the Cause of Religion they may with confidence commit themselves their Lives and all that is dear to them to the particular and more especial Care of the Divine Providence Secondly Always provided that we do nothing contrary to our Duty and a good Conscience for this the Apostle means by committing our selves to God in well-doing If we step out of the way of our Duty or do any thing contrary to it God's Providence will not be concerned for us to bear us out in such Sufferings Thirdly I shall Consider what ground of Comfort and Encouragement the Consideration of God as a faithful Creatour affords to us in all our Sufferings for a good Cause and a good Conscience First When Men do suffer really and truly for the Cause of Religion and God's Truth they may with confidence and good assurance commit themselves their Lives and all that is dear to them to the particular and more especial Care of his Providence In the handling of this I shall Consider these three things 1. When Men may be said to Suffer really and truly for the Cause of Religion and when not 2. How far they may rely upon the Providence of God to bear them out in these Sufferings 3. What â—â—ound and Reason there is to expect the more Particular and Especial Care of God's Providence in case of such Sufferings 1. When Men may be said to Suffer really and truly for the Cause of Religion and God's Truth and when not In these Cases First When Men Suffer for not renouncing the true Religion and because they will not openly declare against it and Apostatize from it But it will be said that in all these Cases the question is what is the true Religion To which I answer That all Discourses of this Nature about Suffering for Religion do suppose the truth of some Religion or other And among Christians the truth of the Christian Religion
thus with us as he threatned the People of Issrâ—el Isa 27. 11. When the boughs are withered they shall be broken off and set on fire for it is a People of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour And now I have done with the three Points which I proposed to handle from this Text and the Discourse which I have made upon them does all along apply it self by dirâ—cting us how we ought to commit our selves to the Providence of God in all Cases of Danger and Suffering especially for the Cause of God and his Truth viz. in the faithful discharge of our Duty and a good Conscience and by a firm Trust and Confidence in the Wisdom and Goodness of the Dâ—vine Providence not doubting but that he who made us and knows our frame will have a tender Care of us and not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able And as to our present Danger and that Terrible Storm which threatens us let us pray to God if it be his will to divert it but if otherwise he hath determined to fit and prepare us for it And let us be fervent and earnest in our Prayers to him not that he is moved by our importunity but that we may thereby be qualified and made fit to receive the Mercy which we beg of him And let us take this Occasion to do that which we should have done without it to breaâ— off our Sins by Repentance and to turn every one of us from the evil of our waysâ— that hereby we may render God propitious to us and put our selves under the more immediate Care and Protection of his Providence that we may prevent his Judgments and turn away his wrath and displeasure from us as he did once from a great and sinful City and People upon their sincere Humiliation and Repentance Jonah 3. 10. where it is said of the People of Niniveh That God saw their works that they turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not Above all let us be sincere in the profession of our Religion and conscientious in the Practice of it nothing will bear us up under great Trials and Sufferings like the testimony of a good Conscience void of offence towards God and Men. I will conclude this whole Discourse with those Apostolical Blessings and Prayers Colos 1. 10 11. That ye may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work strengthned with all might according to his glorious Power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness And 2 Thes 2. 16 17. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father who hath loved us and hath given us everlasting Consolation and good hope through Grace comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work To him be Glory and Dominion for Ever and Ever Amen A SERMON ON JOHN IX 4. I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day The night cometh when no man can work THese words our Blessed Saviour spake of himself whilst he was upon Earth in which he tells us that he was sent by God into the World and had a certain Work and Imployment appointed him during his Abode in it A great Work indeed to instruct and reform and save Mankind A Work of great Labour and Pains and Patience not to be done in a short time and yet the time for doing it was not long after he came into the World It was a good while before he began it and after he began it the time of Working was not long before the Night came and put an End to it I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day The night cometh when no man can work But this which our Saviour here speaks of himself and which properly belongs to him and no other may yeâ— be accommodated to every Man with some Allowance for the Difference and Disproportion For tho' every Man be not sent by God into the World after so peculiar a manner and upon so particular and vast a Design Yet upon a general Account every Man is sent by God into this World and hath a Work given him to do in it which he is concern'd vigorously to mind and to prosecute with all his Might And tho' every Man be not sent to save the whole World as the Son of God was yet every Man is sent by God into the World to work out his own Salvation and to take Care of that in the first Place and then to promote the Salvation of others as much as in him lies So that every one of us may in a very good Sense accommodate these Words of our Saviour to himself I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day The night cometh when no man can work I shall therefore at this time take the Liberty to handle these words according to this moral Accommodation of them and apply what our Saviour here says of himself to every Man that cometh into the World And this I shall do by shewing these three things First That every Man hath a Work assigned him to do in this World by him that sent him into it and may in some Sense say as our Blessed Saviour did of himself I must work the works of him that sent me Secondly That there is a certain and limited time for every Man to do this Work in While it is day Thirdly That after this Season is expired theâ—e will be no further Oportunity of working The Night cometh when no man can work First Every Man hath a Work assigned him to do in this World by him that sent him into it and may in some sense say as our Blessed Savâ—our did of himself I must work the works of him that â—ent me God who made man a reasonable Creature and hath endowed him with Faculties whereby he is capable of knowing and serving him hath appointed him a Work and Service suitable to these Faculties And having infused an immortal Soul into this Earthy Body hath certainly designed him for a State beyond this Life in which he shall be for ever happy or miserable according as he useth and demeans himself in this World So that the Work which every one of us hath to do in this World is to prepare and fit our selves for that Eternal Duration which remains for us after Death For the Life which we live now in this World is a time of Exercise a short state of Probation and Tryal in order to a durable and endless state in which we shall be immutably â—ixt in another World This World into which we are now sent for a little while is as it were God's School in which immortal Spirits clothed with Flesh are trained and bred up for Eternity and therefore the best
other things should be made subordinate and subservient to this great Design and be no further minded by us than they really are so For that which is our great End will subdue all other things and bring them into subjection to it and will reject them and throw them aside if they be inconsistent with it If Heaven be our utmost aim and in order to that it be our great study and endeavour to be Righteous and Holy this Resolution and Design sincerely entertained will over-rule all other Considerations and make all the things of this World to stoop and give way to that which is our chief End the Eternal Happiness and Salvation of our Souls And thus I have done with the Second Thing I proposed namely what is meant by seeking the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and what by seeking them first I proceed in the Third place to lay down some plain Rules for our Direction and Furtherance in seeking the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness that is in the great business of Religion First Let us always live under a lively and powerful sense of another World that we are placed here in this World but for a little while and that wholly in order to our preparation for a better and a happier Life Let this thought be often in our Minds that Eternity is the most considerable duration and the next World the place of our Everlasting abode where we must dwell and continue for ever and therefore our present state is but of little Moment and Consideration to us but only in order to our future and Everlasting Condition We may please our selves here for a little while with Toys and Trifles with Dreams and Shadows of Pleasure and Happiness and may be exercised with some Troubles and Afflictions for a short space for a moment as the Apostle calls it our light afflictions which are but for a moment and so indeed it is compared with all Eternity but the substantial and durable Happiness or Misery remain for Men in the other World and will certainly be their portion according as they have demeaned themselves in this World Now the serious Consideration of this cannot fail to put us upon vigorous preparations for another World and to make us wholly intent upon our Eternal Concernments and to resolve whatever becomes of us in this World to take effectual Care that we may be Happy for ever He that firmly believes the Immortality of his Soul and a Life after Death which will never have an end must needs take into Consideration his whole duration and bend all his Care and Thoughts how he may avoid the greatest and most lasting Misery and secure to himself an Immortality of Bliss and Happiness Secondly Let us be always under a Conviction of the absolute and indispensable necessity of Holiness and Righteousness as the only way and means whereby the Kingdom of God is to be attained and that Holiness and Happiness are not to be separated the one being a necessary Condition and Qualification for the other and consequently that it is the vainest thing in the World for any Man to hope to enter into the Kingdom of God without endeavouring after his Righteousness there is so strong a connexion between them that a Man may as reasonably expect to be well and at ease without Health as to be Happy without Holiness for this makes us like to God and our Likeness and Conformity to God is that alone which can make us capable of the Blessed Sight and Enjoyment of God We must be Partakers of a Divine Nature in order to our participation of the Divine Blessedness And the Consideration of this will effectually engage us to seek the Righteousness of God without which we shall never enter into his Kingdom and to follow Holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord. Thirdly Let us always remember that Righteousness is of a great extent and comprehends in it all goodness it takes in all the Duties of Religion and the Practice of all of them it is a Complication of all Graces and Virtues of all the Parts and Ingredients of all the Duties and Offices of a good Man To denominate a Man Righteous all Causes must concurr all the Essential Principles and Parts of Religion and Goodness must meet together Knowledge and Practice Faith and Good Works Right Opinions and Real Virtues an Orthodox Profession and a Holy Life abstaining from Sin and doing of Righteousness Purity of Heart and Unspotted Manners Godliness and Honesty the Bridling of our Tongue and the Government of our Passions and above all things Charity which is the Band of Perfection For Righteousness is our Conformity to the Law of God as Unrighteousness and Sin is the Transgression of it Now this if it be real and sincere will be uniform and universal equally respecting all the Laws of God and every part of our known Duty and will not content it self with an especial regard to one or two Precepts of the Law tho' never so considerable and then allow it self in the neglect and violation of the rest no nor with the observation of the Duties of one Table of the Law if it overlook the other no nor with Obedience to all the Commandments of God one only excepted St. James hath put this very Case and determined it that he that shall keep the whole Law save only that he offend in one point is guilty of all that is he is not sincere in his Obedience to the rest And therefore if we seek the Righteousness of God our Righteousness must be Universal as he that hath called us is holy so must we be holy in all manner of Conversation in the tenor of our Actions and the whole course of our Lives and any one Reigning Sin and Vice any gross and notorious defect in the Virtues of a good Life will spoil all our Righteousness and will effectually shut us out of the Kingdom of Heaven Fourthly Let us wisely subordinate the several parts and duties of Religion to one another according to the intrinsical worth and value of them that so we may mind every part of Religion in its due place and according to the true nature and importance of it Knowledge and Faith are in order to Practice and a good Life and signifie nothing unless they produce that the Means of Religion such as Prayer and Fasting diligent Reading and Hearing of the Word of God Reverent and Devout Receiving of the Blessed Sacrament are of less account and value than that which is the End of all these which is to make us inwardly and really good and fruitful in all the works of Righteousness which by Jesus Christ are to the Praise and Glory of God And therefore the Means of Religion which I have mentioned are to be regarded and used by us in order to the attaining of these Ends without which they are meer Formalility and Hypocrisie and instead of finding acceptance with God they are an