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
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
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
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
and bereave my Soul of good This is also vanity yea it is a sore travel And indeed what can be greater Vanity and Folly than to be at certain pains and labour all the days of a Man's Life and yet to be uncertain all the while for whom it is that he drudgeth and taketh all these pains And if this be the Nature of this Vice the more it gets still to covet the more then nothing can be more unreasonable than to think to gratiâ—ie this appetite because at this rate the Man can never be contented because he can never have enough nay so far is it from that that every new accession to his Fortune sets his Desires one degree farther from rest and satisfaction For a Covetous Mind having no bounds it is very probable that the Man's Desire will increase much faster than his Estate and then the Richer he is he is still the Poorer because he is still the less contented with his Condition However it is impossible that the Man's Desire should ever be satisfied for Desire being always first if the Man's Desire of Riches advanceth and goes forward as fast as Riches follow then it is not possible for Riches ever to overtake the Desire of them no more than the hinder Wheels of a Coach can overtake those which are before Because as they were at a distance at first setting out so let them go never so far or so fast they keep the same distance still So that it is the vainest thing in the World for a Man to design his own satisfaction by the perpetual increase of his Fortune because Contentment doth not arise from the abundance of what a Man hath but it must spring from the inward frame and temper of our Minds and the true way to it is not to enlarge our Estate but to contract our Desires and then it is possible that a Man's Mony and his Mind may meet otherwise the pursuit is endless and the farther a Man follows Contentment it will but flee so much the farther from him and when he hath attained the Estate of a Prince and a Revenue as great as that of France or the Turkish Empire he shall be farther from being satisfied than when he began the World and had no more before-hand than would just pay for his next Meal I should now have proceeded to the Fourth Thing whereby the unreasonableness of Covetousness doth appear because the Happiness of Humane Life doth not consist in Riches And this is the Argumeut which I shall more especially insist upon because it is that which our Saviour useth here in the Text to take Men off from this Vice The Life of Man consisteth not in the abundance of the Things which he possesseth And this certainly is one of the best and most Reasonable Considerations in the World to moderate Mens Affections towards these Things Every Reasonable Desire propounds some End to itself Now to what purpose should any Man desire to increase his Wealth so vastly beyond the proportion of his Necessities and real Occasions What Benefit and Advantage would it be to any Man to have a hundred times more than he knows what to do withall But I shall not Enlarge upon this Argument at present but referr it to another Opportunity The Third 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 AFter I had in my first Discourse upon this Subject given you an Account of the Nature of the Vice of Covetousness I proceeded in the next place to represent the great Evil and Unreasonableness of it First Because it takes Men off from Religion and the Care of their Souls Secondly Because it tempts Men to many Things which arâ— inconsistenâ— with Religion and dirâ—â—â—ly contraâ—y to it Thirdly Because it is an endless and insatiable Desireâ— Thus far I have gone I proceed to the Fourth Thing whereby the unreasonableness of Covetousness will yet farther appear Namely because the Happiness of Humane Life doth not consist in Riches and Abundance And this I shall insist upon somewhat the more largely because it is the Argument which our Saviour makes use of here in the Text to take Men off from this Sin The Life of Man coâ—sisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Therefore take heed and beware of Covetousness And this certainly is one of the best and most reasonable Considerations in the World to moderate our Affections towards these Things For every reasonable Desire propounds some End to itself Now to what purpose should any Man desire to increase his Wealth so vastly and beyond the proportion of his Necessities and real Occasions What Benefit and Advantage can it be to any Man to have an hundred or perhaps a thousand times more than he knows what to do withall And as for the other World no Man ever pretended that the heaping up Riches here would be useful to him there Riches will not deliver him in the day of wrath No Man was ever so senseless as to imagine that he could take his Estate along with him into the other World or if he could that Heaven was to be bought with Mony or that a great Estate or a great many Lordships would recommend him to the favour of God 'T is true indeed a Man may so use Riches in this World as thereby to promote and further his happiness in the next But then it is likewise as true that a Man may so demean himself in a Poor and Low Condition as thereby to render himself as acceptable to God and capable of as great a Reward as the Richest Man can do The Poor Woman's two Mites chearfully given to Pious and Charitable Uses will go as far in the other World and find as great a Reward there as the Rich Man's thousands of Gold and Silver And a Man may be as truly Generous and Charitable of a little as out of the greatest Fortune Besides that the Poor Man's Contentedness in a mean Condition is more admirable in it self and more valuable with God than for a Rich Man to be so So that the great Use of Riches respects this World and the best Use of them is in ways of Charity and the Poor Man's Charity tho' it cannot be of so great an extent in the effects of it yet in the degree of its Virtue and Merit it may be equal to it Now the two great Designs of Men in regard to this World are these 1. To maintain and support our Lives as long as we can 2. To make our Lives as truly Happy and Comfortable as we can To the First of these Ends namely the support of our Lives a very little will suffice and 't is not much that is necessary to the other to render our Lives as truly Comfortable as this World can make them so that a vast Estate is not necessary to either of these
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
them then he takes on heavily hangs down his head and mourns as a Man would do for his first-born and is ready to cry out with Micah they have taken away my Gods and what have I more Upon every little loss the Covetous Man is undone tho' he have a hundred times more left than he knows what to do withal So deeply are the hearts of Earthly-Minded Men many times pierced with Earthly Losses as with Rachel to refuse to be comforted Nay St. Paul observes that the sorrow of the world sometimes worketh death 1 Cor. 7. 10. Fourthly But the saddest Consideration of all is that heavy and dreadful Account that must one day be given both of the getting and using of a great Estate They that have got an Estate by Fraud and Falsehood or by Oppression and grinding the face of the Poor may read their Doom at large James 5. 1 2 3 4 5. Go to now ye Rich Men weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you your Riches are corrupted and your garments moth-eaten your Gold and Silver is canker'd and the rust of them shall â—e a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire ye have heaped treasure together for the last days Behold the hire of the labourers which have reaped down your fields which is of you kept back bâ— fraud cryeth and the crys of them which have reaped are entred into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath ye have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter And we must be accountable likewise for the using of our Estates God gives them to us in trust and the greater they are the more we are to account for so much as we need is ours but beyond what will support us and be a convenient provision for our Families in the rank God hath placed them all that is given to us that we may give it to others and indeed it is not ours we are the Proprietors of it in respect of Men but in respect of God we are but Trustees and Stewards and God will require an account of us how we have disposed of it And can there be a more reigning madness among Men than to take care only to increase their Account more and more by receiving much whereas our great Care and Concernment should be to clear our Account by laying out what we receive according to the trust reposed in us How much we shall receive of the Things of this World is in the Care and Will of our Master but our Care and Fidelity is seen in laying it out as we ought Among Men says one it is well enough if a Steward can give an Account of so much laid out and so much in Cash and upon this he shall have his Discharge but we cannot this way clear our Account with God for it is not offering him his own again that will satisfie him as we may learn from the Parable of the Talents So that upon the whole matter we should be so far from envying the Rich that we should rather envy the Safety and Happiness of those who are not intrusted with such dangerous Blessings and who are free from the Temptations of a plentiful Fortune and the Curse of a Covetous Mind and from the heavy Account of a great Estate I come now in the last place to make some Application of this Discourse to our selves 1. Let our Saviour's Caution take place with us let these words of his â—â—nk into our Minds take heed and beware of Covetouâ—ness Our Saviour I told you doubles the Caution that we may double our Care It is a Sin very apt to steal upon us and sliely to insinuate it self into us under the specâ—ous pretence of Industry in our Callings and a provident Care of our Families But however it may be coloured over it is a great Evil dangerous to our selves and mischievous to the World Now to kill this Vice in us besides the Considerations before-mentioned taken from the Evil and Unreasonableness of it I will urge these three more 1. That the Things of this World are uncertain 2. That our Lives are as uncertain as these Things And 3. That there is another Life after this 1. The uncertainty of the Things of this World This should very much cool our Affections toward them that after all our Care and Diligence for the obtaining of them we are not sure to enjoy them we may be deprived of them by a thousand Accidents This Consideration Solomon urgeth to take Men off from an over-eager pursuit of these Things Prov. 23. 5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not for Riches certainly make to themselves wings they flye away as an Eagle towards Heaven After we have sat brooding over an Estate many years it may all on a sudden before we are aware take wing and flye away like an Eagle towards Heaven soaring suddenly out of our sight and never to return again And the same Argument St. Paul â—seth to take off Mens Affections from the World 1 Cor. 7. 31. because the fashion of this World passeth away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He compares the Things of this World to a Scene which is presently changed and vanisheth almost as soon as it appears Now seeing these Things are so uncertain we should take heed how we fix our Hearts too much upon them we should not make love to any thing that is so Fickle and Inconstant as this World is We should be afraid to contract too near and intimate a Friendship with any thing which will forsake us after we have Courted it with so much importunity and purchas'd it with so much pains and endeavour'd to secure it with so much Caution and Tenderness 2. Our Lives are as uncertain as these Things If our Estates remain with us we are continually in danger of being removed from them And as one says it is folly to build our hopes upon a Match where both Parties aâ—e so uncertain and inconstant Why should we place our dearest Affections upon Things which we are not sure to enjoy one Moment Thou Fool this night shall thy Soul be taken from thee and then whose shall those things be I remember Seneca tells us a real Story just answerable to the Rich Man in the Parable of an Acquaintance of his who by long and great Industry had arrived to a vast Estate and just when he began to enjoy it after one of the first good Meals which perhaps he ever made in his Life that very night his Soul was taken from him for presently after Supper he died In ipso actu bene sedentium rerum in ipso procurrentis fortunae impetu In the heighth of his Prosperity and in the full career of his good Fortune But if we live to enjoy for any time what we have got we should remember that our Life is but a passage through the World and that we
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
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
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
excite us continually to our Duty and to enable us to the most difficult parts of Obedience such as are most contrary to our natural inclinations and against the grain of flesh and blood to bear down the strength of Sin and Temptation and in all our Conflicts with the World and the Flesh the Devil and all the Powers of Darkness to make us victorious over them and in a word to be a Principle within us more mighty and powerful than the Lusts and Inclinations of our evil Hearts than the most obstinate and inveterate habits of Sin and Vice and than all the Temptations and Terrors of sense So that if we will make use of this assistance and lay hold of this strength which God affords us in the Gospel and as the Apostle expresseth it be workers together with God we need not despair of Victory and Success for our strength will continually encrease and the force and violence of our Lusts will be abated God will give us more grace and we shall walk from strength to strength and our path will be as Solomon says of the way of the Righteous as the light which shines more and more unto the perfect day For the Holy Spirit of God conducts and manageth this great work of our Sanctification and Salvation from first to last by opening our Hearts to let in the light of Divine Truth upon our Minds by representing to us with advantage such Arguments and Considerations as are apt to perswade us to embrace it and yield to it by secret and gentle reprehensions softning our hard hearts and bâ—nding our stiff and stubborn Wills to a compliance with the Will of God and our Duty And this is that great Work which the Scripture calls our Regeneration and Sanctification the turning us from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God a new Creation and a Resurrection from the Death of Sin to the Life of Holiness And then by leading and directing us in the ways of Holiness and Obedience by quickning our Devotion and stirring up in us Holy Desires and Dispositions of Soul rendring us fit to draw near to God in Prayer with a due sense of our own wants and unworthiness and an humble Confidence in the goodness of God that he will grant us those good things that we ask of him in supporting and comforting us in all our Afflictions and Sufferings especially for Truth and Righteousness sake and by Sealing and Confirming to us the Blessed Hopes of Eternal Life Thus the Spirit of God carries on the Work of our Sanctification and makes us Partakers of a Divine Nature by way of inward efficacy and assistance Secondly The Promises of the Gospel are apt likewise to have a mighty influence upon us by way of Motive and Argument to engage and encourage us to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit and to perfect holiness in the fear of God For First A full Pardon and Indemnity for what is past is a mighty encouragement for us to return to our Duty and a forcible Argument to keep us to it for the future For since God who hath been so highly injured and affronted by us is so willing and ready to forgive us as not only to provide and purchase for us the Means of our Pardon by the grievous Sufferings of his dear Son but to offer it so freely and invite us so earnestly to accept of it and to be reconciled to him the Consideration of this ought in all Reason Ingenuity and Gratitude to melt us into Sorrow and Repentance for our Sins and a deep sense of the evil of them and to enflame our hearts with a mighty love to God and our blessed Redeemer who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood And to make us extreamly unwilling nay most firmly resolved never more to offend that merciful and gracious God who is so slow to punish and so forward to forgive and effectually to engage us to a dutiful and constant and cheaâ—ful Obedience to God's holy Laws and Commandments lest by our wilful transgression and violation of them we should run our selves into a deeper guilt and aggravate our Condemnation Now that by the tender Mercies of our God we are made whole we should be infinitely afraid to sin any more lest worse things come to us lest we relapse into a more incurable state and bring a heavier load of guilt and misery upon our selves Secondly The Promise of God's Grace and Holy Spirit is likewise a very powerful Argument and Encouragement to Holiness and Goodness engaging us to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit that our Souls and Minds may be a fit Temple for the Holy Ghost which will not dwell in an impure Soul And likewise Encouraging us hereto by this Consideration that we have so unerring a Guide to Counsel and Direct us so Powerful an Assistant to strengthen us with all might in the Inner Man to stand by us in all our Conflicts with Sin and Satan and to make us as the Apostle expresseth it more than Conquerours over all our Spiritual Enemies For tho' we be weak and our Lusts strong our Enemies many and Temptations mighty and violent yet we need not be disheartned so long as we know that God is with us and the Grace of his Holy Spirit sufficient for us against all the strength of Sin and Hell tho' our Duty be hard and our strength small yet we cannot fail of success if we be sure that the Omnipotent grace of God is always ready to second our sincere tho' never so weak Endeavours So that when we see all the Enemies of our Salvation drawn up in array against us we may encourage our selves as the Prophet Elisha did his Servant when he told him that an Host compassed the City with Horses and Chariots and said Alas my Master how shall we do And he answered fear not for they that be with us are more than they that be with them 2 King 6. 16. Or as Hezekiah Comforted the People when they were afraid of the mighty force of the King of Assyria 2 Chron. 32. 7 8. Be strong and couragious be not afraid nor dismayed for the King of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him For there be more with us than with him With him is an arm of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight for us This is the Case of every Christian the force that is against us is finite and limited but the Almighty God is on our side and fights for us and every one of us may say with St. Paul Philip. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ which strengthneth me Thirdly The Promise of Eternal Life and Happiness if duly weighed and considered hath a mighty force in it to take us off from the Love and Practice of Sin and to encourage our Obedience and patient continuance
in well-doing The assurance of enjoying unspeakable and endless Happiness in another World and of escaping extream and eternal Misery is a Consideration of that weight as one would think could not fail of its efficacy upon us to put all temptations to Sin out of countenance and to bear down before us all the difficulties and discouragements in the way of our Duty And if this make no impression upon us if Heaven and Hell be of no weight with us it will be in vain to use any other Arguments which in Comparison of this are but as the very small dust upon the balance For if on the one hand the hopes of perfect Comfort and Joy and Felicity perpetual in duration and vast beyond all imagination such as â—ye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath entred into the heart of Man to conceive And if on the other hand the dread of the terrible wrath of God and of the vengance of Eternal Fire together with the insupportable torments of a guilty Conscience and the perpetual stings of bitter remorse and anguish for the wilful folly of our wicked Lives and the rage of horrible despair of ever getting out of so miserable a State If neither of these Considerations if both of them will not prevail upon us to cease to be evil and to resolve to be good that we may obtain one of these Conditions and may escape the other there is no hope that any words that can be used any Arguments and Considerations that can be offered should work upon us or take place with us He that is not to be tempted by such hopes nor to be terrified by such fears is proof against all the force of perswasion in the World And thus I have done with the two things which I proposed to consider from these words the Nature of these Promises and the Influence they are apt and ought to have upon us to raise us to the perfection of Virtue and Goodness which the Apostle here calls our being Partakers of a Divine Nature All that now remains is to make some useful Reflections upon what hath been discoursed upon these two Heads First of all If we expect the Blessings and Benefits of these exceeding great and precious Promises of the Gospel we must be careful to perform the Conditions which are indispensably required on our parts It is a great mistake and of very pernicious consequence to the Souls of Men to imagine that the Gospel is all Promises on God's part and that our part is only to believe them and to rely upon God for the performance of them and to be very confident that he will make them good tho' we do nothing else but only believe that he will do so That the Christian Religion is only a Declaration of God's good will to us without any expectation of Duty from us this is an Error which one could hardly think could ever enter into any who have the liberty to read the Bible and do attend to what they read and find there The Three great Promises of the Gospel are all very expresly contain'd in our Saviour's first Sermon upon the Mount There we find the Promise of Blessedness often repeated but never absolutely made but upon Certain Conditions and plainly required on our parts As Repentance Humility Righteousness Mercy Peaceableness Meekness Patience Forgiveness of Sins is likewise Promised but only to those that make a Penitent acknowledgment of them and ask Forgiveness for them and are ready to grant that Forgiveness to others which they beg of God for themselves The gift of God's Holy Spirit is likewise there Promised but it is upon Condition of our earnest and importunate Prayer to God The Gospel is every where full of Precepts enjoyning Duty and Obedience on our part as well as of Promises on God's part assuring Blessings to us nay of terrible threatnings also if we disobey the Precepts of the Gospel St. Paul gives us the summ of the Gospel in very few and plain words declaring upon what terms we may expect that Salvation which the Gospel offers to all Men Tit. 2. 11 12 13 14. The grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purisie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good works And then he adds These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority Intimating that tho' Men were very averse to this Doctrine it ought to be inculcated with great Authority and Earnestness and those who opposed and despised it to be severely rebuked And with great Reason because the contrary Doctrine does most effectually undermine and defeat the whole Design of the Christian Religion Secondly From hence we learn that if the Promises of the Gospel have not this effect upon us to make us Partakers of a Divine Nature it is our own fault and because we are wanting to our selves God is always ready to do his part if we do not fail in ours There is a Divine Power and Efficacy goes along with the Gospel to make way for the entertainment of it in the hearts of Men where they put no bar and obstacle to it But if Men will resist the Motions of God's Blessed Spirit and quench the light of it and obstinately hold out against the force of Truth God will withdraw his Grace and Holy Spirit from them The Gospel would raise us to the perfection of all virtue and goodness and the Promises of it are admirably fitted to relieve the infirmities and weakness of Humane Nature and to renew us after the Image of God in Righteousness and true Holiness to take us off from Sin and Vice and to allure us to Goodness and to assist and encourage us in the practice of it But if we will not comply with the gracious Design of God in the Gospel and suffer these Promises to have their due influence and efficacy upon us we wilfully deprive our selves of all the Blessings and Benefits of it we reject the Counsel of God against our selves and receive the Grace of God in vain and and by rejecting and despising his Promises we provoke him to execute his Threatnings upon us Thirdly and Lastly If the Promises of the Christian Religion are apt in their own Nature to work this great effect upon us to make us like to God and to bring us to so near a resemblance of the Divine Perfections to make us Good and Just and Merciful and Patient and Holy in all manner of Conversation to purge us from our Iniquities and to make us a Peculiar and Excellent People zealous of good works I say if this be the proper tendency of the Gospel and the Promises of it how doth this
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
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
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