IIIK# -^ 'S'cjs. PRESENTED TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICHL SEMINHRY BY |V[ps. Alejiander Ppoudfit. cj^^ci; oaucCj^7i/ THE PRACTICAL PREACHER: CONSISTING OF SELECT DISCOURSES From the Works of the Moft eminent Protestant Writers: WITH FORMS of DEVOTION for the Usi of Families, V O L. II. LONDON: Printed for T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, at Tully's Head, in the Strand, MDCCLXII. t V j CONTENTS O F T H E SECOND VOLUME. SERMONS I, II, HI. OF the DeceitfuJnefs of Sin, By Dr. Samuel Clarke, Page i S E R M O N IV. ^e Nature and Benefit of Confideration, By Archbifliop Tillotfon, 56 SERMON V. T!he Folly and Danger of Irrefolution and De- laying. By Archbifhop Tillotfon, 79 S E R M O N VI. Tke Nature and Caufes of Irrefolution in Religion confidered. By Dr. S. Clark of St. Albans, 2 S B R- [ vi ] SERMON VII. Of the true life of this World. By Bifhop Hoadly. Preached before the King Feb; 21, 1724-5, 127 SERMON VIII. Of the Love of Pleafiire. By Biftiop Hoadly. Preached before the King, March 10, 1727-8, 143 SERMON IX. Of the Difficulty of reforming vicious Habits, By Archbifliop Tillotfon, 158 SERMON X. Agiirs Prayer ; or the middle Condition of Life, generally the mofi eligible. By the Rev. Dr. Folter, Q^)^c^ 180 SERMON Xr. ^he hnpofibility of fer'Oing God an4 Mammon, By Bifliop Hoadly, 200 SERMON XII. The Necefjity of well hufoanding our Time. By the Rev. Dr. Littkton. Preached before the Houfehoid, 217 SERMON XIII. The fe'parate Inter ells cf this World and the next reconciled, ^^j the Rev. Dr. Littleton, 231 4. S E R- SERMON XIV. Of the happinefs of a Heavenly Converfation. By Archblrhop Tillotfon, 243 SERMON XV. *The Nature and CharaBer of Envy, By the Rev. Dr. Delany, 270 SERMON XVI. X)f JDiligenee in cur temporal Concerns, By the Rev. Mr. Balguy, 290 SERMON XVII. Of Diligence in our fpiritual Concerns. By the Rev. Mr. Balguy, 308 SERMON XVIII. JSfo continuing City here, &c. By Bi(hop Hoadly. Preached before theKingJFeb. 23, 1734-5. 323 SERMON XIX. Of Meeknefs and ^lietnefs of Spirit. By the Rev. Mr. Orr, 3-^9 SERMON XX. 'The Nature, Folly, and Danger offcoMng at Re- ligion. By the Rev. Mr. Fofter,'3'^„^^^70 SERMON XXI. Of ahflaining from fefljly Lujls. By Bidiop Sherlock, Parts I. II. 388 S ER- [ vili ] SERMON XXII. ^he Mif chiefs of Jlavijh CojnplaifancQCifid CoiV" ardice. By the Rev. Mr. Fo{ler,#J^ 415 SERMON XXIII. ^he Ivfuence of ConverfatioUj with the Regula- tion thereof. By the Rev. Dr. Lucas, 434 SERMON XXIV. Againfl Evilfpeaking. By Archbifhop Tillot- fon. Preached before the King and Queen at Whitehall, Feb. 25. 1693-4, 456 SERMON XXV. Of Evil f peaking. By the Rev. Mr. Sterne, 490 SERMON XXVL A ^ew Tears Day Sennon. By the Rev, Mr. Richards, ^t^t^J^ 503 SER- SERMON I. Of the Deceitful nefs of Sin. By Dr. Samuel Clarke. Heb. iii. 13. But exhort one another daih. while if is called to-day^ left afiy of you be hardened through the JDeceitfulnefs of Sin, H E phrafes to-day y and while it is called to-day:, fignify in Scripture the prefent time, the prefent opportunity wherein a (inner is called upon to repent ; it fignifies his doing it without delay, without venturing upon any further provocation, without longer tempting God, and abuliag the greatnefs of the divine patience. Some have from thefe, and other the like expreffions of Scripture, in this chapter, con- cluded that God has affigned to every particu- lar perfon a certain fixed time or fpace of repen- VoL. 11. B tance j 2 Of the Decehfiihefs of Sin. tance ; beyond which period if he delays, and continues in fin, they conceive that his day of grace is paft, and that there remains no further room for his repentance to be accepted. This in the event indeed may feem in fome fenfe to be true, fo often as God in judgment cuts off a finner in the midft of his wickednefs, or fuf- fers him to become obdurate beyond all hope of recovery. But othervi^ife, and antecedent to the execution of God's final judgments, there is no ground from thefe words or any others in Scrip- ture, to fuppofe that God denies to any one, to whom he is pleafed to continue life, and health, and the offers of his grace by the ordinary preaching of the gofpel ; there is no ground to fuppofe, that he denies to any fuch perfon, either the poffibility of repenting, or the acceptance of it. All that the apoftle here intends, is, to in- form us, that when God affords men fpace and means of repentance ; when he has given them fufficient proof, of his care and concern for them ; and has made clear and plain revela- tions of his will 5 and enforced his command- ments with promifes of great rewards to obe- dience, and threatnings of fevere punifhments to difobedience ; the apoftle then declares, that it is a thing of infinite hazard and unfpeakable danger, to continue to tempt God, and to abufe his patience by repeated provocations. It is a thing of infinite danger; not only for fear, left his patience being at length wearied out, he fhould cut them off in his wrath, and afiign them their portion with unbelievers j but alfo left Of the Deceit fuhefi of Sin. 3 left eveti without this immediate execution of the final fentence on God's part, the habit of fin on our own part (liouid grow and increafe into a ftate of hardnefs and infenfibility ; which is a reprobate mind, and a condition very little lefs than defperate. And the greatnefs of this danger the apoflle affectionately reprefents unto us in this chapter, by the example of the Ifraelites in the wiider- nefs J ver. 7 : Wherefore as the Holy Ghoft faith, cited out of Pf. xcv ; Ho- day if ye will hear his 'voice, harden not your hearts ; as in the provocation^ in the day of temptation in the wil- der nefs ; when your j at hers tempted me, proved me, and jaw my works forty years j wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and f aid. They do always err in their heart, and they have 7iof known my ways -, fo I fware in my wrath, they fiall not enter into my reft. The irraclites, after that great dehverance which God had worked for them, by bringing them out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with a (Iretched-cut arm $ flill continued to provoke him in the wildernefs ten times ; till at lail: he refolved to caft off that generation utterly, as an incorrigible people ; znA fware unto them^ that they foul d not enter into his rejl. The miracles which they faw, grew by their frequency familiar unto them ; the: imprefnons, which the vinble power of God made upon their minds wore out infenfibly by degrees j and the good refolutions and vowg of better obedience, which the fight of a new mi- racle and every ftrange work produced at the prefent inftant, quickly grew faint and were B 2 forgotten 5 4 Of the Deceitftihtefs of Sin, forgotten ; and every tranfgreffion and rebel- lion againft God, which by the divine mercy and forbearance did not end in their immediate deftrudion j inftead of putting them upon a flridter care and more dihgent obedience for the future ; gave them encouragement to venture with lefs fear to tranfgrefs upon a new tempta- tion ; till at lad they arrived at that ftate, which the Scripture defcribes by hardnefs of heart -, and which provoked God to pronounce upon them the iinal and irreverfible fentence, of excluding them for ever out of the promiled land, and fwearing that they fhould wander in the wil- dernefs till they died. This example the a- poftle applies to us in the words of the text j 'Take heedy brethren^ left there be in any of yon an e^cil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God f but exhort one another daily ^ while it ii called to-day y left any of you be hardened through the Deceitfidnefs of Sin. God hath delivered us by the death of Chrift, and by the light of the gofpel, from the power of Satan and from the llavery of Sin ; in like manner as he delivered the children of Ifrael out of the Egyptian bondage, by bringing them ever the Rcd-fea. He has direded us in our pafTage through this linful and corrupt world, by a clear and exprefs revelation of his will, by the precepts and example of his own Son ; as he led and guided them through the wiidernefs, by the miniftry of Mofes. IJe has afforded us numberlefs inftances of his pov/er, in the mira- cles vv^orked by oar Saviour and his apoilies,. and in the gifts and graces of the Holy GhoH: j SIS Of the Deceitfiihefs of Sin. 5 as b.e did to them in fliowing wonders by Mo- fes, and in the fpirit of prophecy. He has vouch- fafed to encourage us with great and glorious promifes of an eternal and never-fading inheri- tance in the heavenly Canaan ; as he did them with plentiful but earthly and temporal polTef- {ions, in the promifed land. Finally, he long bears with our repeated provocations, and fre- quently renews that gracious invitation to repen- tance, which he firft made to us by his Son ; in like manner as his patience and long-fufTering endured their tempting him in the wildernefs ten times. If therefore after all this, we ftill take not heed to ourfelves, but continue to har- den our hearts, as the ]qvis continued to pro- voke God in the wildernefs j the cafe is but too plainly parallel j and there is very juft reafon to fear, that we alfo (hall fall after the fame ex- ample of unbelief ; and that God will cut us oft from our inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, as he fwore to them in his wrath that they (hould not enter into his kingdom on earth. It is the fame argument, Vv'hich the fame apoftle St. Paul more largely infifrs upon, in the xth chapter of his firft epiftle to the Corinthians : Brethre?2y faith he, / 'ivould not that ye fioidd he ignoranty how that all our fathers were under the cloudy and all pajjed through the fea, and were all baptized unto Mofes, in the cloud and in the fea j ver. I. But with many of them God was not well pleafed j for they were overthrown in the wilder- nefs'j ver. 5. This he applies to usChrifl.ians,ver. 6 3 Now thefe things were our exatnples^ to the in- tent we Jl.oidd not luji after evil things ^ as they B 3 alfo 6 Of the Deceltfiilnefs of Sin. fifo IiiJIed. And then he inftances in particulars, ver. 7 ; Neiiber be ye idolaters as were fome of them, as it is written^ the people fat down to eat a7id drink^ andrcfe up to play ; i. e. at the dedi- cation of the golden calf they rejoiced in their idolatry with feaftin? and dancins; : Neither let us commit fornication, as fome of them committed, fjidfell in one day twenty -three thoufand\ ver. 8 : Neither let us tempt Chrif, as fome of them alfo temptedy atid were deflroyed of ferpcnts -, ver. 9. And he concludes with repeating the fame ap- plication again ver. 1 1 ; Now all thefe things happened unto them for enfa7nplcs^ and they are written jor our admomtion, upon whom the ends of the world are come ; wherefore let him that thi?iketh he flandeth, take heed lefi he fall. In like manner the apoftle St Jude, ver. 5. of his epiftle ; I will therefore, faith hz, put you in re- membrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord having Ja^ved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward dcftroyed the?n that believed not. His meaning is, that Chriflians being once faved from death by the forgivenefs of their lins at baptifm, or whenever they come to repen- tance and to the full knowledge of the truth, ought to take great heed, left returning again into a fiate of fin and debauchery, they be de- ftroyed after the example of the rebellious If- raelites, and be for ever excluded from the in- heritance of God's children. 'Tis exadly pa- rallel to the occafion and to the words of the text ; exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day^ left (like the Jews in the wildernefs> whofe cafe the apoftle had been defcribing in the Of the Deceitfuhicfs of Sm. 7 the former part of the chapter,) j;zy of you be hardened through the Deceitfidnefs of Sin. To be hardened, or to harden a mans ow?z heart, lignifies, to have laid afide that natural fear and deteftatlon of Sin, which ufually at firfl reftrains men from venturing upon great impi- eties. It fign ifies, to have loft or laid alleep that quick fenfe, that uneafy judgment of the mind and confcience j which by continually re- prefenting to us the bafenefs and vilenefs, the danger and evil confequences of Sin, will not permit men (fo long as they give any attention to it) to become abandoned finners. It iigni- fies mens being at length reconciled to Sin ; their chufing it with approbation and deliberate choice ; their becoming obftinate and incorri- gible under all the judgments, and all the mer- cies of God. Into this deplorable eftate, men do not ordinarily fall, on a iudden and at oncej but ufually they arrive at it by degrees, being feduced into it infenfibly by the enticements, and drawn on gradually by the Deceitfidnefs of Sin, And thofe perfons for whom God has worke^d the greateft deliverances j to whom he has af- forded the largeil means of graces whom he has favoured with the cleareft revelations of his will ; (which was the cafe of the Jews of old, and is of Chriftians at prefent;) have of all others the greateft reafon to take heed left they fall into this deplorable eftate : not only be- caufe it is in itfelf moft inexcufable, when ar- rived at 5 and moft provoking to God j but alfo becaufe in fuch perfons it very feldom leaves room for an efcape or remedy 5 hardnefs of B 4 heart 8 Of the Deceitfidnefs of Sin, heart in a Chriftian, having already overcome, and prevailed again ft al) thoie means of reco- very, by which an Heatiien or ignorant perfon may, with the gi yz& of God, eafily be brought to the acknowledgment of the truth. But now by exhorting one another daily, while it is called to-day ; before any of us be hardened through the Deceitjumefs of Sin -^ it is eafy to prevent falling into fo dangerous a condition. Men are not at firfij apt to become hardened finners ; nor is it eafy for them to defpife the dictates of reafon and confcience, and with a high hand to rejed: all the motives of the gofpel at once. Few lin- gers begin with open contempt of God, and profane mocking and fcoffing at religion. Few men, in their iirft inftances of unrighteoufnefs, venture upon a(fts of violent and great oppref- fion. Few at their firft departing from the lav/s of temperance, run immediately into all extravagancy and excefs of riot. But from carelefnefs and want of ferious confideration, and from negledl of religion, men fall infenfi- bly into the madnefs of impiety and profane- nefs. From covetous defires, and too great a fondnefs and fcUicitude for the things of this life, a commendable diligence grows up by little and little into a fettled worldly-mindednefs ; and that betrays men into the ufe of fraudulent and indirecft methods; and then the ways of injuftice are numberlefs and without end. From too free and ready a compliance with the cuf- toms of a corrupt world 3 men are by degrees defpoiled of the guard of their innocence; and, when once the banks of modefty and good re- folution Of the Deceitfulnefs of sin. ^ folutlon are broken, the habits of debauchery- prevail over them, and bear them down irrefif- tibly hke a torrent. Small fins are lower de- grees of unrighteoufnefs, prefent themfelves firft, and gain admittance into the hearts of the weak, under the foolifh colour of their being but fmall ones : but when a rnan has yielded to one lin, becaufe it is but fmall ; he cannot refift the next, becaufe it is not much greater 3 and fo by the fame argument, and by the fame foolifh repeated temptation, he is by degrees betrayed into the commifiion of the moft enor- mous crimes : which, if any man at his lirft be- ing tempted to tranfgrefs, had foretold that he fhould in procefs of time be induced to com- mit, he would have anfwered, as Hazael did to the prophet that foretold his cruelty, ylm la dog, that IJhoiifd do this thi?2g? But. at laft thofe very greatcft of crimes make no more dreadful an appearance to his defiled confcience, than at firil the Icafi: fms did to his innocent and uncor- rupted judgment. And v^hen a man has once been guilty of a great enormity, and finds, as he vainly thinks, no great mifchief comes of it, becaufe the judgment of God is not prefently executed upon him -, he begins to imagine, that a courfe of Sii) is not really of fo deadly and deftrudive a nature as the gofpel reprefents it, and as he himfelf formerly believed it to be 5 but he begins to be reconciled to it ; and there- upon he commits the fecond crime with lefs reludance than he did the iirft : and fometimcs for no other reafon, but becaufe he has done it before. Thus the habit of wickednefs grov/s upon lO Of the Deceit fidnefs of Sin. upon him ; and belldes the proper and imme- diate temptation to every a6l of Sin, the very cuftom of having done it makes it difficult for him not to do it again. He becomes afhamed to retreat ; and has no other arguments to op- pofe to the enticements of Sin, and to the im- portunities of wicked and debauched company ^ than fuch as he has already often fuffered to be baiiied and overcome. Thus his return be- comes in a manner as difficult and hopelefs, as that the Ethiopian jJjould ever change hisfkin^ or the Leopard hisfpots. The temptations vi'hich he could not refift in the days of his greateft flrength and bed advantages are become much more powerful by being often complied with ; and if ever he recovers himfelf from the flavery of Sin, it mufl be by overcoming an e-emy grown much fironger, and he at the fame time much weaker himfelf. This is defcribed by the prophet Jeremiah in a moft elegant fimili- tude, ch, xii. ver. 5; If thou hajl run with foot- men^ and they have wearied thee^ then how canfi thou contend with horfes ? and if in the land of peace wherein thou triifted/i, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the jwellmgs of "Jordan ? The effedt of this is, that the confcience at length becomes feared and infenfible ; and the heart entirely hardened j and the finner has no defire left of recovering his liberty, any more than he has power to do it : the laft and high- eft degree of this evil ftate is, when a man hav- ing wholly laid afide the thoughts of reform- ing himfelf, makes it his bufinefs on the con- trary to corrupt others^ and to tempt them like- wife Of the Decei'fiihicfs of Sin, 1 1 wife into debauchery ; when he makes a mock, of virtue, and' feoffs at religion j and fits bimfelf down (as the Pfalmift exprelfes it) in the feat of the fcGrnfid. This is being hcirdeiied through the Deceitfid- iiefs of S 171 i this is that evil fiate, of vyhich the apoftle dired:s us to take diligent heed, and to exhort C7je another daily ■:. bile it is called to-day, left any of us be feduced into any portion or de- gree of it. And very great reafon there is for fo earneft an exhortation ; i/?, becaufe of the extreme danger of this iiate of hardnefs, when arrived at in any coniiderable degree; and 2dly, becaufe of the deceitful infinuating nature of Sin, in the ieveral degrees of approach towards fuch a ftate. if ', Becaufe of the extreme danger of this ftate of hardnefs, when arrived at in any confi- derable degree. This has been already fpoken to in fome meafure, in the general explication of the words of the text. All that I (hall add here, is, that the Scripture ufes joir.tly to repre- fent the greatnefs of this danger, both from the confideration of the extreme difficulty in the nature of the thing itfelf, that men fhould re- cover themfelves out of fuch a flate j and from the confideration of the high provocation which fuch men give unto God, to cut them off in his wrath from all further means and fpace of re- pentance. This latter confideration, drawn from the danger of provoking God, is made ufe of by the apoftle here in the text 3 the exhortation therein contained, being the immediate applica- tion of that fevere example of God's anger a- gainft 1 2 Of the Deceitfuhefs of Sin, gainft the Ifraelites, recorded in the verfe fore- going, So I /ware in my wrath^ that they foiild not e?iter i?2to my reft. The former confidera- tion, drawn from the difficulty of an habitual fmner's recovery in the nature of the thing it- felf, is made ufe of in fuch places of Scripture, where it is afferted that it would have been much better for men never to have known the way of righteoufnefs at all, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them ; and v/here their repen- tance is defcribed to be in a manner as hopelefs, as in the comparifon to be joined even with na- tural impoffibilities. And both together are ufed by St. Paul in this epiftle, ch. x. ver. 26 ; If we fin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truths there remaineth no more facrifce jor Sin : that is, God will not afford men any new revelation which may be of great- er efficacy than the prefent ; and all the argu- ments which the prefent affords, they have al- ready rejected by finning wilfully and habitu- ally againft the truth. This is the extreme danger of the ftate of thofe men who are har- dened In Sin, having made the prefent revelation ufelefs, and it being impoffible they ihould have a new one. 2dly ; The other ground of the apoftle's ex- hortation in the text, is the deceitful and in- finuating nature of Sin, in the feveral degrees of approach towards this ftate of hardnefs. Ex- hort one another daily ; lefi any of yon be hardened through the Deceitfuhefs of Sin. Did Sin appear to men in its proper colours j and in the days of Of the Deceitfulnefs of Sin. i -^ of temptation reprefent itfelf truly and in the fame drefs, wherein all men behold it in the days of affliction, in the time of ficknefs, and at the approach of death : did Sin always appear to men, what it does fometimes ; (what it does, whenever they confider it with fober thoughts and with impartial reafon j) to be a thing abfo- lutely hateful to God ; bafe and vile, in the na- ture of the thing itfelf ^ contrary to all the reafon, and all the wifdom in the world j con- trary to the judgment of our own confciences, and the agreeing opinion of all the wife and all the good men, nay and almofl of all the wicked men alfo, that ever lived : 'twould be in a man- ner as impoffible for men deliberately to chufe it, as to chufe deftruftion and death itfelf. But Sin, by that Deceitfulnefs which the apoftle fpeaks of in the text, hides its deformed ap- pearances from the eyes of foolifh men ; and fets before them nothing but pleafures and profits, joy and vanity, prefent fecurity, and very dif- tant, very uncertain, very remote fears. It abufes their underftandings with falfe propofi- tions ; it feduces their wills with alluring pro- mifes of pleafure and advantage ; it corrupts their affedions with vain appearances and de- ceitful reprefentations ; it prevents mens reafon by furprize and paffion, and by giving them no time for fober thoughts and ferious confide- ration. It perfuades men that God cannot be fo fevere as to deny them fo many of the plea- fares of life ; or at leafl that it cannot be very iinfafe for them to follow the example of the generality of a corrupt world : it perfuades them that J 4 Of the "Deceltftilnefs of Sin, that the confequences of Sin are not altogethef fo terrible as the Scripture reprefents j or that however they (liall Tome way or other efcape them. Nay fuch is the deceitful nature of Sin, that it feduces men into the ways of death, not only by various, bat even by oppofite and con-^ tradidtory iniinuations. Sin, they fometimes think, is very eafy to, be avoided, and therefore they may be as carelefs and negligent as they pleafe; or it is impofllble to be avoided, and then they think it is to no purpofe to endeavour to efcape it. God, they fometimes condder, is very merciful and gracious, and therefore there is no need of any ftridtnefs in religion ; or he is a very hard and fevere judge, and then they fancy it is but loft labour to attempt to pleafe him. Chrifi's yoke, they read, is eafy, and his burden light; and therefore they conclude they may fafely prefume to indulge themfelves in Sin ; or his commandments are very grievous, and then they fancy 'tis intolerable to flefh and blood to undertake to obey them. Repentance, they have heard, will be accepted at any time, and therefore they prefume they may fafely defer it as long as they pleafe ; or their Sins are gone beyond the meafure of the gof- pel-pardon, and then they defpair that their re- pentance (hould be accepted at all. Thefe, and numberlefs other locfe and weak imaginations, are the deceitful ways, by which Sin inlinuates itfelf into foolifh men ; and by which they by degrees become hardened in it. The very naming of which deceits is a fufficient demon- ftration of their weaknefs and abfurdity. But 4 Of the Deceitfulnefs of Sin, j ^ But to be ftill more particular in order to practice. The numberlefs deceits and falfe no- tions by which Sin grows and prevails upon men, may almofl all be reduced to the three following. if. Some degree of infidelity or unbelief. 2J/yj Pretences of natural infirmity. And 3^/v, Fruitlefs dcfigns of future repentance. Either i/?, Men do not firmly and in earnefl believe the great truths of religion, that Sin will be finally deftrudive to them. Or, if they heartily believe this, then 2d/y, They deceive themfelves by imagining, that their own Sins are not Sins of that deadly nature ; but Sins of weaknefs and pardonable infirmity, Sins fmall in their own nature, or to be reckoned fuch upon account of the greatnefs of the temptation, or elfe fingle Sins, and fuch as they hope may be made amends for by other virtues. Or, if they cannot fatisfy themfelves with this, then 3^/)', They deceive themfelves with a fruit- lefs defign of repenting at fome uncertain time hereafter ; which vain refolution is as certainly never executed, as it is at prefent found upon a falfe bottom of not repenting immediately. I. Firji, The firft great deceit, by which Sin prevails upon men, is by keeping up in them fome degrees of infidelity or unbelief. By infidelity here, I would not be underftood to mean infidelity of open atheifts and profefTed unbelievers ; but fuch unbelief, as is to be found in men that pretend to religion, and who may feem perhaps to be religious, not only to others, but 1 5 Of the Deceitfzdnefs of Sm, but, by a fecret deceitful nefs, even to themfelve§ alfo. As it is in itfelf of great and fecret in- fluence, and of very large extent ; fo it is that which (I fay) the apoftle particularly aims at, very plainly, in the text ; for thus he exprefsly introduces it, in the words immediately forego- ing ; ver. 1 2 J Take heed, brethren, lefi there be in any of you an evil heart ofiinbeliej, in depart-' ingjrom the living God-, but exhort one another daily, 'while it is called to-day, left any of you be hardened through the Deceitfulnefs of Sin-, of that Sin of unbelief. And afterwards in the i8th and 19th verfes, fpeaking again of the If- raelites in the wildernefs, (whofe example of being hardened through the Deceitfulnefs of Sin, he in the text exhorts us to avoid) he ex- prefsly attributes their Sin to unbelief i for, hav- ing put the queflion, ver. \i -, 'To who?n did God fwear that they ftjould not enter into his reft, but to them that believed not ? He concludes ver. 19 ; So we Jee that they coidd- not enter in, becaufe of -unbelief Again, ch. iv. ver. 6 and 1 1 ; Seeing therefore it remaineth that fome muft enter into his reft, and they to whom it was firft preached entered not in becaufe of unbelief', let us labour therefore to enter into that reft, left any man Jail after the fame example of unbelief. And St. Jude in the pafTage before-cited, ver. 5. of his epiftle ; 1 will therefore^ faith \\t,piit you in re- membra?2cey though you once knew this^ how that the Lord having faved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterwards deflroyed them that believed 720t. In all thefe places, unbelief is charged upon the Ifraelitcs in the wildernefs, as the caufe of 3 their Of the Deceiffulnefs of Sin. i 'f fhelt- being hardened and rebelling againft God. Now 'tis evident thefe men could not pofTibly difbelieve either the being, or the power, or the providence of God j bccaufe they faw con- tinually with their own eyes, many miraculous inftances of his prefence among them. 'Tis plain therefore, their unbelief confided only; in not firmly believing God's promifes and threatnings, fo as to be influenced and led there- by to an univerfal obedience : this was that De- celtfulnefs of Sin, which hardened them ; and the cafe is the very fame now, with mod wick- ed men, who profefs thcmfelves Christians, and perhaps really think themfelves to be fo. They are not infidels or unbelievers in the grofieft fenfe, becaufe they in fome meafure really be- lieve their religion in general j but they difbe- lieve in particular the heinous and deadly na- ture of Sin, and the juft feverity of God's threat- nings againft it : even in the fame manner, as our firfl parent Adam could not poffibly but believe in God and fear him in the general, and yet weakly fuftered himfelf to be beguiled iri the particular, fo as to imagine that though he did eat the forbidden fruit, yet he fliould not cer- tainly die. Men will venture upon a courfe of Sin ; and they will not believe that it will eter- nally deflroy them. They will fancy they fhall efcape, though they know not upon what grounds 3 and their unbelief is wholly contrary to all principles of reafon. Such unbelief as this, is very confiflent with a pretence of religi- on, riot only to others, but even to themfelves alfo. For many wicked men abhor infidelity ; Vol. IL G and 1 8 Of the Deceitfuhiefs of Sin. and really think themfelves guilty of nothing lefs than of unbelief: and yet, if they would carefully obferve and confider the cal'e, they would find themfelves exadly in the fame ftate with the Jews in the wildernefs, who for their difobedience are in Scripture ranked among un- believers. The only way to prevent this deceit effcdlu- ally, is to confider frequently, and examine our- felves diligently, and to exhort one another daily 'while it is called to-day. Let the finner confi- der ferioufly with himfelf, if he were fure God would immediately punifli him in this world, for his profanenefs and irreligion and difregard to the Almighty ; would not this put him upon more fober thoughts ? Undoubtedly it would. Yet if he pretends to be a Chris- tian, and to believe the gofpel (and with fuch perfons only I am now arguing) he cannot but hQ fenfible that a feverer punifliment will cer- tainly overtake him. If his fliame were im- mediately to be publiflied in the face of the world, would he be guilty of the vilenefs he now fecretly commits ? Without queftion he would not. And yet he cannot but know, that the time will come, when it {hall be openly publiflied before men and angels, before all the inhabitants of heaven and earth. If his fraud and injufi:ice were by human authority to be punillicd immediately, without any poflible hope of efcape, or of evading the power of the laws ; would not this prevail with him to for- bear the commiflion of it ? Unqueflionably it would : yet at the fame tim« he cannot but ac- knowledge. Of the Deceitfulnefs of Sin. 1 9 knowledge, that the confequence of the folly he now greedily commits, will in the end be. mifery and death eternal. 'Tis very evident, nothing remains in this cafe, but to confider ferioufly the true importance of things ; to make ufe of our reafon, and to fliew ourfelves men : not to fufFer ourfelves to be impofed upon by vain and empty delufions; but by immediate and effectual repentance and real amendment of life, to make ourfelves objeds of his mer- cy, from whofe juftice other wife there is no efcaping. Let us exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day, lejl any of us be hardened through the Deceitfulnefs of Sin, C 2 SERMON [20 ] SERMON II. Of the Deceitfulnefs of Sin. Bv Dr. Samuel Clarke. Heb. ill. 13. But exhort one another daily ^ while it is called to-day, left any of you be hardened through the Deceitfulnefs of Sin, Y defign at this time from thefe wards, is to endeavour to expofe the weaknefs of that dangerous error, by which men fuffer themfelves to be perfuaded, that though they do continue in the practice of fome things di- rectly contrary to the law of God, yet thefe tranfgreffions of theirs are but Sins of weaknefs and natural infirmity; unavoidable efFeds of human frailty ; and failings that cannot but meet with pity and compaffion, with an obvi- ous and eafy pardon, ^he good that they would, they do not ; but the evil which they woidd not^ that they do. Now fuch is the wicked nefs and folly of mankind, that there is indeed hardly any of the Deceitfuhiefs of Sin . 2 1 any Sin of fo deep a die, hardly any impiety fo enormous j but either cuftom and habit in the offender himfelf, or the frequency and the mul- titude of examples in others, will make fome men look upon it as a very pardonable infir- mity. Befides thofe who are thus abfolutely hardened in Sin, there are others that have ibme degrees of confcience and lincerity left, who yet fuffer themfelves to be impofed upon and drawn into the commiffion of many great Sins, by a falfe perfuafion, that what they do, will be excufed under the notion of human frailty and natural infirmity. The mod dangerous errors of this kind, are in particular fuch as follow. Firfts Sometimes men flatter themfelves that their Sins are fmall, and of a lefs heinous nature than thofe of which they find fome others ac- cufed ; and that therefore they are to be allow- ed for, upon the ftock of natural and unavoid- able infirmity. Their lives perhaps are not openly profane and fcandalous j they are not reproached by the common cenfure of the world ; nor guilty of fuch crimes, as fall ufually under the cognizance of human laws. They thank God they are not as other men are^ extor- tioners, unjift^ adulterers j as the proud Pha- rifee in the gofpel is defcribed to have behaved himfelf; St. Luke xviii. 1 1 : and becaufe they are not the worft of men, therefore they con- clude they may reckon themfelves in the num- ber of the beft. They do not perhaps pro- fanely mock and feoff at religion, nor prefump- tuoufly bla(pheme the name of God j but they C 3 are 2 2 Of the Dcceiifulnefs of Shi. are carelcfs and negligent in all moral duties ; void of devotion towards God, and of all true concern for promoting his kingdom of virtue and righteoufnefs among men. They will not perhaps opprefs their neighbours, by open vio- lences ; nor be willing to bear the infamy and reproach of manifefl ir.juftice : but they will be flridl and hard beyond meafure in exadting the utmofl: they have any right to demand ; un- merciiul to thofe whom law or cuftom, whom the accidents or misfortunes of the werld have put into their power j and greatly uncharitable towards them that have need of their affiftance or relief. They will not perhaps murder their brother ; but they will requite him with very ill offices, and bear continual grudges and hatred towards him. They will not perhaps be intem- perate in inilances of general difreputation, or to degrees of great enormity, and unavoidable fcandal : but where a general corruption of. manners ; the licentioufnefs of a debauched age ; or the loofe notions of vain and carelefs men, have made a vice cuftomary - there they will look upon fuch a vice as but a fmall fiail- ing j as an allowance which ought to be made in courfe, to their age, their employment, or their- company. Thus young perfons are too apt to imagine, that the Sins and impurities of youth, fliall hardly be mentioned in judgment againft them^ and old perfons, that the covet- oufnefs, .uneaiinefs, and peeviihnefs of age, f])all upon that account be excufed as unavoid- able iniirmities ; and men of much bufinefs and commerce in the world, are apt to flatter them- felves, Of the Deceitfuhiefs of Sin. 2 3 felves, that fome kinds of deceit and fraudulent dealings, will be looked upon as very fmall faults, and ealily pardonable upon the ncceffity of their affliirs. Secondly; At other times men perfuade them- felves that their Sins will be exculed as infirmi- ties only, upon account of the greatnefs of the temptation that overcomes them. Their paf- fion is fo tranfporting, that they cannot forbear profaning the name of God ; or their cuftom of doing it is grown to fuch a habit, that they are hardly fenlible whether they do it or no. Their anger is fo ungovernable, that they can- not forbear reviling or injuring their brother, upon the leaft provocation. Their appetites are fo violent, that to reflrain them from for- bidden inftances, and keep them within the bounds of reafon and religion, is like cutting off a right hand^ or plucking out a right eye. The company and acquaintance they are engaged in make fome vices appear fo fafliionable, that they are afliamed to forfake them j or their bu- finefs and employment in the world, makes other vices fo neceifary, that they think it is al- moll impoflible to profper, or to ftand upon the level with other men, if they be more confci- cntious than they, and will not venture upon the fame indire6l pradices. Thirdly j Others think they fhall be accepted becaufe of their good refolutions; and that their vices are of no worfe kind than pardonable in- firmities, becaufe they difapprove and condemn them themfelves. They do not comxnit them with full choice, and widi a per fed: eompla- C 4 cency j 24 Of the Deceit fulnefs of Sin, cpncy i but are over come as it were, and conr fent with an unwilling willingnefs : the good that they woiddy they do not : but the evil which they would not^ that they do. Their judgment is on the fide of virtue and goodnefs, while their ac- tions are vicious ; and they wifli they were bet- ter, and nnore religious men than they are. This felf-condemnation they take for a certair^ mark of the fincerity of their heart ; and 'tis an error which has fpread dangeroully by a great mifinterpretation of the viith chapter of the epiftle to the Romans ; where the defcription the apoftle gives of the ftruggles of confcience which an habitual {inner feels, has frequently been alledged the fign or mark of the mofl per- fect Chriftian. Fourthly ; Some men think that becaufe they are not guilty of all or in many inftances of vice, therefore they may fafely efteem them- felves good Chriftians. They indulge them- felves perhaps but in one fingle beloved inftance of unrighteoufnefs ; and this, they hope, may be made amends for by other virtues. The Scripture itfelf tells them, 'there is no man righ- teous, no not one-, and that in mojiy things we of- fcfid all. They can recollect that fome of the greateft men, whofe hiftory is recorded in Holy Writ, have fallen in fingle inftances into great crimes j and, much more, themfelves (they think) may be allowed to have their infirmi- ties. They prefume they can apply to them- felves many promifes, where afiiirance of eter- nal life is given to particular virtues. Their faith they are fare is unfhaken, though their obedience Of the Deceitfulnefs of Sin, 2 5 obedience is very defedive : and they remem- ber our Saviour's words, that whofoever believ^ eth on him, fiall not perip, but have everlajling life. Or their repentance is perpetual, though it never ends in amendment ; and they read that to repentance is always promifed remifp^on of Sins, Or they depend on fome other fingle duty ; they pray to God ; they fear him ; they trufl: in him j they love him, they think; though they are refolved to be excufed from keeping fome of his commandments ; and very great promifes they are fure are annexed in Scripture, to every one of thefe duties. Thefe are fome of the principal and moll dangerous deceits, by which Sin impofes upon men, and prevails in their practice, under pre- tences of weaknefs and natural infirmity. In order to fliew the dano^er and falfenefs of every one of which deceits in particular, it may be proper to premife. ift ; Some general marks, of what muft by no means be allowed to be ranked under this head of Sins of infirmity. 2dly; An account of what is truly and pro- perly fuch. And from thence, in the 3d place. It will be eafy to make appear in particular, that none of the fore-mentioned in- ftances can with any juft reafon expedl to be excufed under that name. I. Firft j As to the general marks of what mull by no means be allowed to be ranked un- der this head of Sins of infirmity ; we may fafe- ly affirm j ifl, That 2 6 Of the Decekfuhiefs of Sin. -J ft, That nothing can reafonably be excufed under that name, which at the time of its com- miffion is known to be a Sin. To do an ac- tion, which at the fame time that the perfon commits it, he knows or beheves to be finful ^ is the proper effence of prefumptuous Sin. And though there are indeed great differences, and various degrees, even of fuch prefumptuous offences; from whence ari'e proportionable ex- tenuations of guilt ; yet every adion of this kind, is, in its nature, evidently, in fome de- gree, a prefumptuous tranrgreffion. It plainly argues a contempt of God, a negled of his authority, or a difbelief of his promifes and threats. 'Tis with a clear and determined choice fetting afide all the motives of the gof- pel, and diredly preferring (at lead: at that par- ticular time) the pleafures of Sin before the hopes of Heaven. 2dly ; Nothing can juflly be called a Sin of infirmity, which is contrary to the exprefs letter of any of the commandments. The reafon is ; becaufe no man can be ignorant, that fuch an adion is a Sin ; or if he be ignorant of it, it muft be fuch an ignorance, as is itfelf a Sin of prefumptuous negledl ; a wilful and af- fedled ignorance ; an obftinate refufing to re- ceive inilrudtion ; a fhutting his eyes againft the fun, and deliberately chooling darknefs ra- ther than light. None of which circumf^ances affording any manner of reafonable excufe ; 'tis evident, (however otherwife a carelefs and de- bauched world may be apt to judge) 'tis evi- dent, I fay, that no adion ought to be efteemed by Of the Dcceitfidnejs of Sin. 27 by us as a mere frailty, which is contrary to the plain letter of any of thofe commandments, which God has declared to be the conditions of falvation ; or which is clearly in the number of thofe works of the flefh, concerning which St. Paul bids us beware that no man deceive us with vain words j Jor that they who do Juch things y fiall not inherit the kingdom oj God. Scoffers at religion, and profaners of the name of God by oaths and imprecations ; pradlifers of injufticc and unrighteoufnefs, fraud and deceits, in their dealings one with another j the unholy and the impure, the drunkard and the fornicator j the riotous and debauched ; would do well to con- fider the exprefsnefs and earnefcnefs of this de- claration of the apofllej and how little realba they have to hope, that their faults (liall be ex- cufed among the frailties and infirmities of hu- man nature. 3dly ; Nothing will admit of a jufc and fuf- ficient excufe upon the account of infirmity, which a man before-hand confiders and delibe- rates with himfeif, whether it be a Sin or no. The reafon is ; becaufe knowledge and delibe- ration, imply will and choice 3 and, as one's chufing what he fully knows to be unlawful, is the higheft aggravation of prefumptuous Sin ; fo his confenting to commit what upon delibe- ration appears very fufpicious and doubtful to him whether it be lawful or no, is iliil always fome degree of wilful Sin j becaufe it is know- ingly and deliberately venturing upon that, which he has reafon to fear will not be plea/ing %o God 5 for, whatfoever is not of faith ^ is Sin, And 28 Of the Deceitfulnefs of Sin. And though in all other things God is by no means fevere, but pities and compalTionates us and makes all poffible allowances j confiderin'r that we are but duft, but frail and very fallible creatures j yet in the matter of lincerity of an upright and honefl intention, in this one parti- cular he makes no abatements. I am in the II. Second place to give fome account what is truly and properly a Sin of infirmity, and may juftly and reafonably hope to be excufed as fuch. And ift, A Sin of infirmity is fuch a failing, as proceeds from fome excufable ignorance. Not from fuch ignorance as is totally and abfolutely unavoidable ; for in that cafe, the adion is not any Sin at all : nor yet on the other fide, muffc it proceed from wilful and grofsly carelefs ig- norance, fuch as that always is which betrays men into any great and fcandalous crime j but 'tis what proceeds from fuch ignorance, as might indeed poffibly in every particular in- ftaiice with great and conllant care have been avoided j and yet in general and upon the whole, through the fallibility and weaknefs of our un- derflandings, tlie number of prejudices by which our judgments are difturbed, and the ob- fcurity and difficulty which often happens to be in things thernfelves j hardly any man can be fo diligent and cautious, as conftantly to avoid it. In great crimes, and plain tranfgref- lions of the commands of God, this rule (as has been before faid) can have no place ; be- caufe no man can innocently or excufabiy be ignorant of the great and mofl: important in- ftances Of the "Deceitfnlnefi of Sin. 29 fiances of his duty. But the plea of Ignorance rnuft always be underftood to take place fo far only, as the ignorance was not owing to the ill difpofition and direcft choice of the will. 2dly; A Sin of infirmity may alfo be fuch a failing, as is owing to unavoidable furprize : by unavoidable furprize, meaning not that which is ftridtly and abfolutely unavoidable; but what, morally fpeaking, confidering the multitude and variety of the circumftances of human life, the indifpolitions of our minds at certain times, and the fuddennefs of objeds ftriking upon our pafl'ions ; cannot always be avoided, even bv thofe who always endeavour to pleafe God. Of this kind are many fmaller irregularities of paf- fion, wandrings of thoughts in prayer, carelefs and inconfiderate words, vain thoughts ; defires and inclinations to certain finful adlions, inef- fedual indeed and not proceeding to the com- miffion of the crimes themfelves, but yet enter- tained with too many degrees of approbation. Thefe, and fuch like, are the failings and in- firmities, incident more or lefs even to the beft of men. Concerning which St. John affirms that if we fay we have no Sin, we deceive our- feheSy and the truth is not in us-, i John i. 8 : and St. James, ch. iii. ver. 2 ; In many things we offend all\ if any man offend ?iot in wo?^d, the fame is a perfeB man : and Job, ch. ix. ver. i j How fjou/d man be juft with God'i If I jtcjiify myfelf ?ny own mouth f jail condemn me. And the Scripture gives us inftances accordingly, of Noah's being furprized into an unhandfome excefs; of Mofes himfelf fpeaking unadvifedly with 3 o Of the Deceiifulnefs of Sin, with his lips ; of Eliflia's falling into an unde- cent difcontent ; of our Saviour's difciples weak- ly ftriving for the pre-eminence ; of St. Paul's fpeaking evil of the High Prieft with too fud- den a tranfport ; and the like. All which are therefore to be reckoned in the number of mere failings and infirmities ; becaufe they were ow- ing, not fo much to deliberate choice, as to un- thinking furprize. Having thus briefly given fome general marks of what truly and properly are Sins of infirmi- ty, and what on the contrary may by no means be allowed to be excafed as fuch ; it will from hence be eafy in the III, Third place, to make appear in particu- lar, the weaknefs and falfity of thofe deceits, by which I have before fhewn that Sin ufually impofes upon corrupt men, and makes them without reafon expe<3: that their crimes lliould ' be excufed under the name of infirmities. And iftj Whereas fome flatter themfelves, that becaufe their Sins are (as they fancy) fmall, and of a lefs heinous nature than many other mens ; that therefore they may be efteemed as no other than mere human frailties ; 'tis evident, from what has been faid, that this is only true in fuch cafes, where the thing proceeds from fome confiderable degree either of ignorance or furprize. For otherwife, though the matter of the offence may in itfelf poffibly feem to be but fmall, yet if it be committed knowingly and wilfully, perverfely, and with deliberate choice, it has the nature of a prefumptuous Sin. For 'tis not fo much the outward adtion, as the 7 difpofitioH Of the Deceitfuhiefs of Sin, 3 r dlfpofitlon of the heart, that is looked upon by God ', and he that with a high hand tranrgrefies a plain and politive precept, though the inftance may feem perhaps in itfelf to be of but fmall importance, yet he manifeftly defpifes the au- thority of the Law-giver, and is guilty of a pro- felTed contempt of God. For this reafon, in the hiftory of the Ifraelites paffing through the wildernefs, the man that did but gather flicks upon the Sabbath-day ; becaufe he did it pre- fumptuouily, and as it were in defiance of the law newly given ; was by a fingular feverity commanded to be put to death ; Numb. xv. 35. Which fhows abundantly, how little reafon any one has to excufe his Sin upon account of what he may call the fmallnefs of the matter, when 'tis great and wilful and prefumptuous in the choice. He that defpifeth even fmall things, fays the wife fon of Sirach, Jhallfall by little and little. The anger which Cain caufelefsly con- ceived againft his more righteous brother, and which he indulged and cherifhed as unreafon- ably, as he at firft entertained it, ceafed not 'till it ended in fhedding his brother's innocent blood. The liberty which David negligently allowed himfelf beyond the bounds of true vir- tue, grew up into adultery and murder. And the connivance which (we read) Solomon gave to the idolatrous worfliip of his Wives, conclud- ed in withdrawing his own heart from the fer- vice of the One only true God. 2dly ; Whereas others flatter themfelves that their Sins may be excufed under the notion of infirmity, upon account of the greatnefs of the temptations 1 2 Of the Deceitftdnefs of Sin. temptations by which they are overcome, and which they think the weaknefs of their nature is not able to refift j this alfo, from what has been already explained, appears to be too vain and groundlefs a deceit. For, tho' the righ- ' teous judge of the whole earth pities, and will make all equitable and reafonable allowances for the difficulties of every particular perfon'a circumftances j yet in all plain tranfgreffions, it cannot be efteemed a fufficient apology, to al- ledge I have been flrongly tempted. Bearing up agalnft temptations, and prevailing over them, is the very thing wherein the whole life of religion confifts ^ 'tis the trial which God puts upon us in this world, by which we are to make evidence of our love and obedience to him, and of our fitnefs to be members of his kingdom. He that overcometh^ fmll inherit all things^ faith our Saviour j mA he ivho being tempted is overcome and falls aivay. Were temp- tations to great Sins (even humanly or morally fpeaking) irrefiftible, this would indeed juftly plead our excufe, both before God and man ; But God is faithful, who wiU not fuffer us to be tempted above what ive are able^ hut will with the te?nptation alfo make a way to efcape, iJjat we may be able to bear it. And this being the cafe ; 'tis too great a difparagement of religion, and altogether deftrudlive of the neceffity of a holy life ; to fuppofe that great Sins and debauche- ries (hall therefore be excufed as mere frailties and infirmities, becaufe men were ftrongJy tempted to commit them. No : this is the race ihat God has fet before us to run j this is the warfare^ Of the Decettfiihiejs of Sin. 3 3 tvarfare which God has commanded us to fight, jind to overcome in it ; and the rewards and threatnings of the Gofpel are all intended for this very end, to enable us to conquer and to prevail over fuch temptations. In the days of profperity and mirth, men are very apt indeed to put thefe thoughts of future rewards and pu- nifliments far from them in their imaginations; and this makes temptations flrong, that they cannot overcome them. But in reality we are fare eternity can never be very far diftant from us, though we cannot at any time know but it may be very near. The motives of religion ou^ht therefore at all times to have fo much influence upon us, as to prevail over the temp- tations of Sin J and 'tis not our infirmity, but our xvickednefs, if they do it not. Our paffions, and appetites ; bur employment and our company ; our youth, or our age ; the examples of thofe we converfe with, or the fafhionable and cuflo- mary vices of our country ; thefe, and fuch like, are the proper temptations, which 'tis the bufinefs of religion and the proper trial of our virtue to overcome ^ and if our paffions hurry us, or our company feduce us, or the ciiftoms £ind fafhion of the world lead us carelefsly and inconfiderately into the ways of deftrudtion j 'tis not our excufe, but our condemnation, that ive have followed a multitude to do evil-y that we have been prevailed upon more by the fhame of men, than by the fear of God ; or that our affc(5tion and love to Sin has been fo flrong, that our reafon and religion have not been able to govern and fubdue our appetites. Vol. U. D 3dly j 34 Of the Deceitfuhefs of Sm. ^dly ; Whereas others imagine that they (hall be accepted becaufe of their good refolutions ; and that their vices are of no worfe kind than pardonable infirmities, becaufe they difapprove and condemn themfelves : this Ukewife, 'tis evi- dent, is a very great deceit j and indeed not an extenuation, but an aggravation of Sin. For what can be more abfurd, than that one (hould think it to be an excufe, that he finned againfl his conlcience ; or hope that God will there- fore not condemn him, becaufe he is forced to condemn himfelf? When a man approves in his mind the law of God, and continually makes good refolutions to obey it 3 and yet ne- ver puts thefe good refolutions in pra(flice, but is conftantly overcome by the temptations of Sin : 'tis true, fuch a perfon has a root and foundation of hope in him, which may at length produce a real and effeelayijig. 87 is as if a man fliould put off eating and drinking and lleeping from one day and night to another, till he have flarved and deflroyed himfelf. It feldom falls under any man's deliberation whe- ther he fliould live or not, if he can chufe j and if he cannot chufe, it is in vain to deliberate about it. It is much more abfurd to delibe- rate whether we fhould live virtuoujQy or re- ligioufly, foberly or rightcoufly ia the world, for that upon the matter is to confult whether a man Hiould be happy or not : nature hath de- termined this for us, and we need not reafon about it; and confequently, we ought not to delay that which we are convinced is fo necef- fary in order to it. 2. Confider that religion is a great and a long work, and afl-cs io much time that there is none left for the delaying of it. To begin with re- pentance, which is commonly our firft entrance into religion ; this alone is a great work, and is not only the bufinefs of a fudden thought and refolution, but of execution and adion : it is the abandoning of a finful courfe, which we cannot leave till we have in fome degree maf- tered our lufts; for fo long as they are our maders, like Pharaoh, they will keep us in bon- dage, and net let tis go to ferve the Lord. The habits of fin and vice are not to be plucked up and cafi: oif at once ; as they have been long in contradling, fo without a miracle it will require a competent time to fubdue them and get the victory over them ; for they are conquered juft by the fame degrees that the habits of grace and virtue grow up and get flrength in us. G4 So 8 8 ^he Folly and Danger - So that there are feveral duties to be done in religion, and often to be repeated j many graces and virtues are to be long pradtifed and exercifed before the contrary, vices will be fubdued, and before we arrive to a confirir.e^d and fettled flate of goodnefs; fuch a ftate as can only give us a cliiar and comfortable evidence of the fin- cerity of our refolution and repentance, and of our good condition towards God. We have many luds to mortify, many paffions to govern and bring into order j much good to do, to make what amends and reparation we can for the much evil we have done ; we have many things to learn ; and many to unlearn, to which we (hall be flrongly prompted by the corrupt inclinations of our nature, and the remaining power of ill habits and cufloms : and perhaps we may have fatisfadfion and reftitution to make for the many injuries we have done to others, in their perfons, or efl:ates, or reputa- tions : in a word, we have a body of fin to put oiF, which clings clofe to us and is hard to part with : we have to cleajife oiirjehes from all filthi- nefs of Jlefl andfpirit, and to perfeB ho line fs in the fear of God; to increafe and improve our graces and virtues; to add to our faith knowledge^ and temperance^ a?2d patiejice^ a?jd brotherly kind-' nefs^ and charity ; a?2d to abound in all the fruits of right ecu fnefs^ vjhich are by Jefis Chriji to the praife and glory of God: we have to be ufeful to t!ie world, and exemplary to others in a holy and virtuous ccnverfation ; our light is fo to Jhine before men^ that others may fee our goods works,, and glorify our Father which is in Heaven, And of Irrefolutton and Delaying. S9 And do we think all this is to be done in an inftant, and requires no time? That we may delay and put off to the laft, and yet do all this work well enough ? Do we think we can do all this in time of licknefs and old age, when we are not fit to do any thing ; when the fpirit of a man can hardly bear the infirmities of nature, much lefs a guilty confcience and a wounded fpirit ? Do we think that when the day hath been idly fpent and Tquandered away by us, that we fhall be fit to work when the night and darknefs comes ? When our underftanding is weak, and our memory frail, and our will crooked, and by a long cuftom of finning ob- ftinately bent the wrong way, what can we then do in religion? What reafonable or acceptable fervice can we then perform to God ? When our candle is juft finking into the focket, how fhall our light Jo Jloine before men, that others may fee our good works. Alas ! the longeft life is no more than fuffi- cient for a man to reform himfelf in, to repent of the errors of his life, and to amend what is amifs : to put our fouls into a good pofture and preparation for another world, to train up our- felves for eternity, and to make ourfelves meet to be made partakers of the inheritance of the faints in light. 3. Confider what a defperate hazard we run by thefe delays. Every delay of repentance is a venturing the main chance. It is uncertain whether hereafter we fhall have time for it, and if we have time whether we (hall have a heart to it, and the affiftance of God's grace to go \ thorough 9© I'he Folly and Danger thorough with ,it. God indeed hath been gra- ciouily pleafed to promife pardon to repentance, but he hath no where promifed life and leifure, the aids of his grace and holy Spirit to thofe who put off their repentance : he hath no where promifed acceptance to meer forrov/ and trouble for fin, without /raV^ meet for repen- tance^ and amendment of life : he hath no where promifed to receive them to mercy and favour who only give him e^ood words, and are at lafl: contented to condefcend fo far to him as to pro- mife to leave their fins when they can keep them no longer. Many have gone thus far in times of afflidlion and licknefs, as to be awakened to a great fenfe of their fins, and to be mightily troubled for their wicked lives, and to make folemn promifes and profefTions of becoming better ; and yet upon their deliverance and re- covery all hath vanifhed and come to nothing, and their rlghteoufnejs bath been as the morning cloudy and as the early dew which pcifjeth away : and why (hould any man, meerly upon account of a death-bed repentance, reckon himfeif in a better condition than thofe perfons who have done as much and gone as far as he j and there is no other difference between them but this, that the repentance of the former was tried and proved infincere, but the death-bed repentance never came to a trial ; and yet for all that God knows whether it v/ere fincere or not, and how it would have proved if the man had lived longer. Why fliould any tmn for offering up to God the meer refufe and dregs of his life, and the days which himjef hath no pleajure in, exped: of Irrefohitlon and "Delaying, c^ t cxpedt to receive the reward of eternal life and happinefs at his hands ? But though we do not defign to delay this work fo long, yet ought we to conlider that all delays in a matter of this confequence are ex- tremely dangerous ; becaufe we put off a bufi- nefs of the greateft concernment to the future, and in fo doing put it to the hazard whether ever it (hall be done : for the future is as much out of oir power to commmd, as it is to call back the time which is paft. Indeed if we cou!d arreft time and ftrike off the nimble wheels of his chariot, and like Joihua bid the fun Hand ftill, and make opportunity tarry as long as we had occaii on for it ; this were fome- thing to excufe our delay, or at leaft to mitigate or abate the folly and unreafonablenels of it : but this we cannot do. It is in our power, under the influence of God's grace and holy fpirit, to amend our lives now, but it is not in our power to live till to-morrow -, and who will part with an eft.ue in hand, which he may prefently en- ter upon the poffeffion of, for an uncertain re- verfion ? And yet thus we deal in the great and everlaftlng concernments of our fouls ; we trifle away the prefent opportunities of falvation, and vainly promife to ourfelves the future; we let go that which is in our power, and fondly dif- pofe of that which is out of our power, and in the hands of God. Lay hold then upon the prefent opportunities, and look upon every adion thou doft, and every opportunity of doing any, aspoflibly thy laft j for fo it may prove, for any thing thou canft tvll to the 92 The Folly and Danger the contrary. If a man's life lay at flake and he had but one throw for it, with what care and with what concernment would he manao:e that ad:ion ? What thou art doing next may, for ought thou knowefc, be for thy life and for all eternity. So much of thy life is moil certainly paft, and God knows thou haft yet done little or nothing towards the fecuring of thy future happinefs : it is not certain how much or how- little is remaining, therefore be fure to make the beft ufe of that litde which may be left, and wifely to manage the laft ftake. 4. Seeing the delay of repentance doth mainly rely upon the hopes and encouragement of a future repentance, let us confider a little how unreafonable thefe hopes are, and how abfurd the encouragement is which men take from them. To iin in hopes that hereafter we fhall repent, is to do a thing in hopes that we fhall one day be mightily afhamed of it, that we fhall one time or other be heartily grieved and troubled that we have done it: it is to do a thing in hopes that we fliall afterwards con- demn ourfelves for it, and wiili a thoufand times we had never done it ; in hopes that we fhall be full of horror at the thoughts of what we have done, and treafure up fo much guilt in our confcience as will make us a terror to ourfelves, and be ready to drive us even to defpair and deftrudion. And is this a reafon- able hope ? Is this a fitting encouragement for a wife man to give to himfelf, to any adion ? And yet this is plainly the true meaning of mens going of'lrrefolution and Delaying. 93 going on in their fins, in hopes that hereafter they fhall repent of them. 5. If you be ftill refolved to delay this bufi- nefs and put it off at prefent, condder well with yourfelves how long you intend to delay it. I hope not to the lad, not till ficknefs come and death make his approaches to you. This is next to madnefs, to venture all upon fuch an atter-game. 'Tis juft as if a man fhould be content to be fliip-wreckt, in hope, that he fhall afterwards efcape by a plank and get fafe to fhore. But I hope none are fo unreasonable, yet I fear that many have a mind to put it ofF to old age, though they do not care to fay fo. Seneca expoftulates excellently with this fort of men j '' Who (hall enfure thy life till that "" time ? Who {hall pafs his word for thee, that *' the providence of God will fuiFer all things *^ to happen and fall out juft as thou haft de- *' figned and forecaft them ? Art thou not " aftiamed to referve the reliques of thy life " for thyfelf, and fet apart only that time to *' be wife and virtuous in, which is good for *' nothing ? How late is it then to begin to live *' well when thy life is almoft at an end ? What " a ftupid forgetfulnefs is it of our mortality, *' to put off good refoiutions to the fiftieth or *' fixtieth year of our age, and refolve to begin *' to do better at that time of life to which very ** few perfons have reached ?" But perhaps thou art not altogether fo unrea- fonable, but defireft only to refpite this work till the firft heat of youth and luft be over, till the cooler and more confiderate part of thy life come 94 ^f^^ Folly and Danger come on j that perhaps thou thinkeft may be the fitteft and moft convenient feafori. But ftill we reckon upon uncertainties, for perhaps that feafon may never be : however, to be fure it is much more in our power, by the affiftance of God's grace, which is never w^anting to the lin- cere endeavours of men, to conquer our lufts now^, and to reiid the mod: heady and violent temptations to vice, than either to fecure the future time, or to recover that which is once paft and gone. Some feem yet more reafcjnable, and are con- tent to come lower, and defire only to put it off for a very little while. Bat why for a little while ? Why till to-morrow ? To-morrow will be as this day, only with this difference, that thou wilt in all probabihty be more unwilling and indifpofed then. So that there is no future time, which any man can reafonably pitch upon. All delay in this caie is dangerous, and as fenfelefs as the ex- pecflation of the idiot defcribed by the poet, who being come to the river fide and intending to pafs over, ftays till all the water in the river be gone by and hath left the channel a dry paf- fage for him. at tile Labitury £f lahetur in om?ie voluhilis cevum. But the river runs, and runs, and will run, and rf he fhould flay a thourand years will never be the nearer being di-y. So that if the man mufl go over, and there be neceflity for it, (as there is for repentance) the only wife refolution to 3 ^s of Irrefilution and "Delaying. g^ be taken in this cafe, is to wade or fwim over as well as he can, becaufe the matter will ne- ver be amended by tarrying. 6. Laftly, confider v/hat an unfpeakable hapf- pinefs it is to have our minds fettled in that condition, that we may without fear and a- mazement, nay with comfort and confidence expert death and judgment. Death is never far from any of us, and the general judgment of the world may be nearer than we are aware of ; for of that day and hour knoweth no man : and thefe are two terrible things, and nothing can free us from the terror of them but a good confcience, and a good confcience is only to be had either by innocence, or by repentance and amendment of life. Happy man ! who by this means is at peace with God, and with himfelf ; and can think of death and judgment without dread and aftonifhment. For the fling of death isfm -y and the terror of the great day only con- cerns thofe who have lived wickedly and impe- nitently, and would not be perfuaded, neither by the mercies of God, nor by the fear of his judgments, to repent and turn to him : but if we have truly forfaken our lins, and do fincerely endeavour to live in obedience to the laws and commands of God, the more we think of death and judgment,the greater matter of joy and com- fort will thcfe things be to us : for ij/ejed is that fercanty whom his Lord when he comes JJjallfind fa doing. Let us therefore as foon as poffibly we cai) put ourfelves into this poflure and pre- paration according to that advice of our blelled iSaviour, Luke xii. 35, 36. Let your loijis be girded g6 The Folly and Danger girded about ^ and your lamps burnings and ye yourf elves like unto men that wait for their Lord* And now I hope that enough hath been faid to convince men of the great unreafonablenefs and folly of thefe delays ; nay I believe that moft men are convinced of it by their own thoughts, and that their confciences call them fools a thoufand times for it : but O that I knew what to fay that might prevail with men, and efFed:ually perfuade them to do that which they are fo abundantly convinced is fo necefTary. And here I might addrefs myfelf to the feve-^ ral ages of perfons. You that are young and have hitherto been in a good meafure innocent, may prevent the devil, and by an early piety give God the firft pofTeffion of your fouls -, and by this means never be put to the trouble of fo great and folemn a repentance, having never been deeply engaged in a wicked life : you may do a glorious, I had almoft faid a meritorious thing, in cleaving fledfaftly to God and refolving to ferve him, when you are fo importunately- courted and fo hotly alTaulted by the devil and the world. However, you may not live to be old J therefore upon that coniideration begin the work prefently, and make ufe of the op- portunity that is now in your hands. You that are grown up to ripenefs of years and are in the full vigour of your age, you are to be put in mind that the heat and inconfide- ratenefs of youth is now pafl and gone, that rea- fon and coniideration are now in their perfedion and ftrength, that this is the very age of pru- dence and difcretion, of wifdom and warinefs : fo of Irrefolutmi and "Delay mg, gy (o that now is the proper time for you to be ferious, and wifely to fecure your future happi- nefs. As for thofe that are old, they mcthinks /hould need no body to admonifti them, that it is now high time for them to begin a new Hfe, and that the time paft of their Hves is too much to have fpent in lin and folly. There is no trifling where men have a great work to do, and but little time to do it in. Your fun is cer- tainly going down and near its fetting, therefore you {hould quicken your pace, conlidering that your journey is never the fhorter becaufe you have but little time to perform it in . Alas man 1 thou art juft ready to die, and haft thou not yet begun to live ? Are thy paflions and lufts yet unfubdued, and have they had no other morti- fication than what age hath given them ? 'Tis ftrange to fee how in the very extremities of ^ old age, many men are as if they had ftill a thou- fand years to live, and make no preparation for death, though it dogs them at the heels, and is juft come up to them and ready to give them the fatal ftroke. Therefore let us not put off this neceflary work of reforming ourfelves, in what part and age of our lives foever we be. To-day, whilft it is called to-day^ lejl any of you be hardened through the deceitftdnefs of fin. Nay to-day is with the lateft to begin this work, had we been wife we would have begun it fooner. It is God's infinite mercy to us that it is not quite too late, that the day of God's patience is not quite expired, and the door (hut againft us. Vol. II. H Therefore 9^ T^he Folly and Danger Therefore do not defer your repentance to the next folemn time, to the next occafion of re- ceiving the bleffed facrament: do not fay, I will then reform and become a new man, after that I will take leave of my lulls and (in no more. For let us make what hafte we can, we cannot poffibly make too much. proper at 'vivere nemo fatis. No man makes hafte enough to be good, to ceafe to do evil^ and to learji to do well. Be as quick as we will life will be too nimble for us, and go on fafter than our work does, and death will go nigh to prevent us and furprife us un- awares. Do, do, finner j abufe and negle(fl thyfelf yet a little while longer, till the time of regarding thy foul and working out thine own falvation be at an end, and all the opportunities of mind- ing that great concernment be flipped out of thy hands, never to be recovered, never to be called back again j no, not by thy moftearneft wiflies and delires, by thy moft fervent prayers and tears ; and thou be brought into the con- dition of prophane Efau, who for once defpif- ing the bleffing loft it for ever, a?id found no place of repentance though he fought it carefully with tears. To conclude : art thou convinced that thy eternal happinefs depends upon following the advice which hath now been given thee ? Why then do but behave thyfelf in this cafe, as thou and all prudent men are wont to do in matters which thou canft not but acknowledge to be of far of Irrefohition and Delaying. 99 far lefs concernment. If a man be travelling to fuch a place, lb foon as he finds himfelf out of the way he prefently flops and makes to- wards the right way, and hath no inclination to go wrong any farther : if a man be fick, he will be well prefently, if he can, and not put it off to the future : mofl men will gladly take the firft opportunity that prefents itielf, of being rich or great, every man almoft catches at the very iirft offers of a great place or a good purchafe, and fecures them prefently if he can, left the opportunity be gone and another fnatch thefe things from him. Do thou thus fo much more in matters fo much greater. Return from the error of thy way, be wife, fave thyfelf, as foori as pofTibly thou canft. When happinefs pre- fents itfelf to thee do not turn it off, and bid it come again to-morrow. Perhaps thou mayeft never be lb fairly offered again, perhaps the day of falvation may not come again to-morrow, nay perhaps to thee to-morrow may never come. But if we were lirre that happinefs would come again, yet why fhould we put it off? Does any man know how to be iafe and happy to-day, and can he find in his heart to tarry till to-mor- row ? Now the God of all mercy and patience give every one of us the wifdom and grace to know and to do, in ibis our day, the things that belong to our peace, before they be hid from our eyes ; for the fake of our bleffed Saviour and Redeemer, to whom with the Father a?id the Holy Ghoft be all honour and glory now and for ever. Amen. II 2 SERMON [ 100 ] SERMON VI. The Nature and Caufes of Irrefolution in Religion confidered. By Dr. S. Clark, of St. Albans. Acts xxvi. 28. I^hen /aid Agrippa unto Faiil^ Almojl thou per^ fuadejl me to be a Chrijiian, IN this chapter, we have an account of the defence Paul made for himfelf before king Agrippa, the Roman governor, and a great company of nobility and gentry, the chief of the land of Judea; in which is obfervable, the beauty and force of the moft perfuafive elo- quence, the fincerity of the Chriftian, and the authority and majefty of the apoflle. The man- ner in which he fpake, drew from Feftus a confeffion of his great learning : tho* his igno- rance and unacquaintednefs with the great truths of the Gofpel, the fubjedt of Paul's difcourfe, made him refledl upon him as mad ; from which unjuft refledlion, Paul vindicates himfelf in I'he Nature and Caufes, &c. toi in a very handfome manner, by modeftly deny- ing the charge, and appealing to king Agrippa for the truth of thofe matters of fadt, concern- ing which he fpake. In his fpeech, after an engaging addrefs to king Agrippa, to gain his favourable attention, he gives an account of that wonderful Provi- dence, by which he was obliged to become, of a mod zealous and bigoted Jew and perfecutor of Chriftianity, the profeflbr and teacher of it, the only caufe of the Jews hatred of him ; and obferves, that what he taught was no other than what Mofes and the prophets had fore- told ; that Chrift Jhotdd fuffer, and rife from the deady and foew light unto the people and to the Ge?itiles, ver. 23. 'The/e things^ fays he, were not done in a corner. The Chriftians of that day could confidently appeal to the whole world for the truth of thofe fad:s, which were the foundation of the Chriftian religion, that is, the miracles, the buf- ferings, and death of Chrift : even the blindeft and mofl hardened Infidel in the land of Judea could not deny them : v/hich fad:s, compared with the prophecies of the Old Teftament, were abundantly fufficient evidences of the truth of the Gofpel. Upon this ground he ailcs that queftion, Believeft thou the prophets'': Agrippa was, by nation and profeffioji, a Jew ; Paul therefore, as it were, begging pardon for mak- ing a doubt of this, anfwers for him, I hiow that thou believefi. The conclufion therefore which he leaves him to draw from thence, was this 3 fince thou believeft the prophets, and H 3 wh^C 102 I'he Nature andCaufes what they foretold of the Meffiah is fo fully ac-- compliflied in Jefus of Nazareth, and thou thyfelf knoweft the great and wonderful things that have been wrought by him, and by his power and name, thou canfl: not but own the truth of the Gofpel, and that I have done well to obey the heavenly vifion, in preaching Jefus of Nazareth as the Chrift. It was becaufe A- grippa faw the force of the argument, that he expreiTes himfelf as he does in the text; Almojiy or Within a liltle, thou perjuadeji me to be a Chrijtian. Some think it very unlikely Agrippa iliould make fuch a confedion as this before the Roman governor, and all that audience, and therefore underftand the words, as if fpo- ken ironically ; Doll; thou think, Paul, fo eafily to make a Chriftian of me? No, it will not be done fo foon as thou imagined:. But, as the force and evidence with which Paul fpake, might well draw from Agrippa fuch a confef- iion, without regard to his audience, fo the an- fwer Paul made him plainly ihews, that he underftood the king as we do, and not as fpeak- ing ironically. Befides, that the favourable opinion he gives of Paul's cafe afterward, fhews that he was in a particular manner moved by v/hat Paul faid. So quick and powerful is the word of God ! fo fully was Chrift's promife to his difciples accomplillied, that when they ivere called before kings and governors^ it fiwuld be gi'ven them in that hour what to Ipeak^ Matt. x. j8, 19; and that he would give them a mouth ■and wijdom^ which all their adverfaries fiould not he able to refijl^ Luke xxi. 15. We fee then, of Irrefolution in Religion, 103 then, fo great was the evidence and force of what the apoftle delivered, that the king owns himfelf almoft perfuaded to become a Chriftian. And why not altogether ? Was it for want of fufficient arguments ? No certainly, the reafons the apoftle gave, were fo convincing, that would he have continued his attention to them, would he have taken them thoroughly into confidera- tion, he muft have been not only almoft, but altogether perfuaded. The miracles, he knew, and the whole nation of the Jews knew, that Chrift and his difciples wrought ; the exadt accomplifhment of all the ancient prophecies; and the miraculous converfion of the apoftle Paul himfelf, who there gave his teftimony be- fore them all j thefe were fufficient for convic- tion : efpecially when joined with the holy life and doctrine of Chrift, fo fuitable and agreeable, in all refpefts, to the word of God in the Old Teftament. it was not, therefore, for want of evidence, that he was only almoft perfuaded, but for want of due coniideration and attention. He would not give himfelf leave and leifure thoroughly to confider thefe things, agreeably to their importance. He was in hafte, and had other things to mind. Befides, it might look too little for him, who was a king, to be fo ea- fily perfuaded by Paul the prifoner, to fall in with a dodrine that was univerfally defpifed and flighted. It might bring him into contempt with the Roman governor, and expofe him to the hatred of the Jews, if he had taken upon himfelf the profeffion of the name of Chrift. Nor did the purity and holinefs of the dodrlne H 4 and iiD4 ^'^^ Nature and Caufes and laws of Chrift, agree with his inclinations and lufts ; he muft have broken off his unlaw- ful commerce with Berenice his fifter, and have led a more regular courfe of life, if he would be a Chriftian indeed. Now thefe were invincible obftacies in the way of his becoming a thorough Chriftian. So that though he was, by the force of truth, alcnoft perfuaded, yet he ftill perlifted in his infidelity to the laft ; and, as hiftory aftures us, perifhed in it. This ftory, therefore, affords a very inftruc- tive, and a very important leflbn. In how lively a manner does this king reprefent the cafe of multitudes in our day, who are often almoft perfuaded to become Chriftians, that is, true, fincere, and faithful fubjcdls of Chrift j yet, through the power of their lufts, and their love to the world, never are thoroughly perfuaded, can never come to a full refolution. In one iQViit^ indeed, they are Chriftians, that is, they profefs the Chriftian name, being bred up in it, and they, perhaps, fee the evidence of the truth of the Gofpel, fo that they cannot but believe it. One may appeal to them, as Paul to Agrip- pa. But they are not yet perfuaded to be Chrif- tians indeed, the fubjedts of Chrift, and to go- vern themfelves by his holy laws. That this may be of the greater ufc to us, I. I fhall defcribe the cafe of thofe who are almoft perfuaded to become fincere Chriftians, or true converts, but not altogether. II. I fhall fhew v/hence it is that they are not altogether perfuaded. And, of Irrefoluti on hi Religion. 105 III. Reprefent their fad and unhappy condi- tion, as a caution to us all. I. We are to defcribe the cafe of thofe who are, or feem to be almoft perfuaded to devote themfelves fincerely to Chrift,but not altogether. I am not here giving you the charader of one who is but an alnrioft Chriftian, or hypo- crite, as fome have ufed this expreffion, of per- fons that are Chriftians but in part, or have the refemblance and form of religion, without the fubflance and power of it ; this not being the cafe in the text. But I fpeak of thofe who when the reafonablenefs and neceffity of real religion hath been at any time, or by any means, prefled upon their minds, are ready to enter- tain fome thoughts of complying with thofe in- Arudtions, and of giving themfelves up to the fervice of God in Chrift j but yet are not come, and perhaps^ never do come to a thorough re- folution upon itj never are wholly perfuaded; though they often feem to themfelves, and, it may be, to others, to be almoft perfuaded, they are within a little, Iv oXiyu, feem not far from the kingdom of God, and yet never reach it. " I. Of thefe fome have ftrong convidions of the truth and reafonablenefs of religion ; they cannot but own that certainly there muft be a God of infinite power, wifdom, and goodnefs, that made them; to whom they are fubjedl, and who can do with them as he pleafes. They are convinced of this, when they obferve the glorious frame of the creation; the grandeur, order and (kill that appears in the univerfe ; and when they coplider the providence of God; bow 1 06 I'he Nature and Caufes how all things are preferved, direded, and dif- pofed of; how Vv^onderfuUy God hath often appeared in defence of his people, and to baffle the designs of his enemies \ what care he hath taken of themfelves; how conftantly he hath provided for them ; and how, upon many oc- calions, he hath remarkably aded in their fa- vour; when they attentively obferve thefe things, jn the frame of nature, and the condudt of pro- vidence, they find great reafon to conclude there is a God that made the world, that judges in the earth ; and that he is mod kind and good to his creatures. They fee alfo great reafon to believe the truth of the Scripture, and that there is a Hea- ven and Hell, and future judgment ; when they mud give an account of themfelves to Chrift. They fee reafon, I fay, to be convinced of thefe great truths, when they confider what plain cha- racters of divinity appear in the Bible; what a holy and excellent doftrine it contains, fo agree- able to the dictates of right reafon, and fo much above the reach of the wifdom of the greateft philofopher ; and how exactly the prophefies contained in it have been fulfilled in every age. How much foever their lufts would incline them to doubt whether their fouls fhall live af- ter death, or not ; whether they (liall be judged, and future rewards and punifiiments be pre- pared for the righteous and the wicked, or not; yet they know not how to anfwer the reafons fo ftrongly urged for thefe truths. Their own confciences tell them, that God, who is infi- nitely wife and good, muft be alfo a holy and juft of Irrefolution in Religion. 107 jufl God J that it is not likely he will fuffer his holy laws to be trampled under foot, without a due refentment ; and that the welfare and or- der of the univerfe demands the punidiment of fuch tranfgreflbrs. Their own fenfe and feeling tells them, they have fomething within them which is really difUnft from their bodies, which thinks and reafons independant of the bo- dy, and therefore may exift without it. The de- clarations therefore of the Scripture, concerning the immortality of the foul, and the future ac- count they muft give, are fo reafonable and pro- bable, they cannot but fear they are true j efpe- cially when they confider what evidence there is, that Chrift, who hath taught thefe truths, came inverted v/ith a divine commiffion and authority; which was proved by the mighty works he wrought in the face of the whole world, and by his refurred:ion from the dead. Now fince Chrift himfelf, the Son of God, and the feveral apoftles in their writings, all concur to allure us in the name of God, that to them whoy by patient continuance in inelh doingyfeek for glory and honour and immortality ^ God^ the righ- teous judge, ivill render eternal lije-, but unto them that are contentious^ and do not obey the truths but obey unrighteoufnefi ; indignatiofi and ivrath^ tribulation and anguiflj^ upon every foul of man that doth evil, Rom. ii. 7, 8, 9. Thefe men 1 am fpeaking of, cannot but be convinced of thefe great truths; fo that they are forced to fay fometimes within themfelves, " Well, I fee *' there is a great and holy God, to whom I y muft give an account. I have great reafon »' to io8 The "Nature and Caufes " to believe, that I, and all thofe who do not " repent and return to God byJefusChrift, muft ** be miferable for ever; and that there is a ** blefled and glorious ftate referved in Heaven *' for thofe who truly fear and ferve God by *' Jefus Chrifl:." They have frequently ftrong convidions of the truth and reafonablenefs of religion, and yet they will not flay to come to a thorough determination, nor give themfelves leave to draw from their convidions the proper conclufion to regulate their condud. 2. Some have alfo, at particular feafons, very ferious and lively impreifions made upon their hearts and afFedions by divine truths. When a minifter hath been laying before them the fad and dangerous condition of impenitent fin- ners, and thundered out the terrors of the law j when he hath fo particularly defcribed the cha-' radters of the hypocrite and the ungodly,that they cannot but fee it to be their own pidure -, or when under fome affliction, they have been roufed and awakened, they have had for fome time a very lively fenfe of the power of the world to come, and have been under great con- viclions of their own guilt and mifery j been very much moved and afFeded, pricked m their hearts^ ready to cry out, Alas! What Jh all I do to befa'vedf I fee I am in a very miferable condition; What will become of my poor foul ? So we read of Felix, Ads xxiv. 25. that when he had heard Paul concerning the faith of Chrifl:, as he rea- fined of riphfeonjnefs^ temperance^ and judgment to come^ Felix trembled. Thus when the rea- fonablenefs of the divine commands, the excel- lency^ of Irrefolutlon in Religion. log lency of the knowledge of Chrift, the riches of his grace, and the love and mercy of God, have been difplayed in the hearing of many, it hath very much affeded them ; and they have been ready to wifh for an intereft in this bleffed Sa- viour, and the great and glorious bleiTings of the Gofpel. They could not but own, that it is certainly the beft and wifeft courfe they could take to be mindful of their duty to God, and to fave their fouls. The like impreffions have been often made upon them, when they have met with any difappointments in the world, and their expectations from it have been very much balked. They fee then there is no real fatisfadion or comfort in this world ; that it would be much better for them to feek after God, and get an intereft in his favour and love. Such ferious thoughts, fuch deep impreflions they fometimes are acquainted with, and yet they have no real lading influence upon them^ to perfuade them to their duty j they quickly wear off, and they are juft the fame men they were before, or with very little alteration. Do not I fpeak the experience of fome that hear me this day ? 3. Some are fometimes fo far perfuaded, as to entertain faint purpofes and refolutions, and yet cannot bring themfelves to a fixed de- termined refolution to become Chriftians in carneft. Under ftrong impreffions of the force of divine truths, of the awful judgments of God upon linners, and the danger of perifhing in everlafting flames : upon a clear and diftindt view of the excellency and advantage of religion^ 6 and no 'The Nature and Caufes and of the beauties of holinefs ; and efpecially under the apprehenlion of ficknefs, death, and a fpeedy entrance into the eternal world, many are ready to refolve they will alter their courfe of life, live in another manner than they have done, and fubjed; themfelvcs to the rules of the Gofpel. They purpofe t© forfake this and that lin, to apply themfelves to this and that duty, and fo to become Chriftians indeed : but thefe are only fudden motions ; when the prefent im- preffion is a little worn off, when they come abroad again into the world, to look about them, to tafte its pleafures, or engage in its bulinefs, all their purpofes and refolutions come to no- thing, are quite forgot, as if they had never been, as if the nature of things varied jufl: as the temper of their fickle minds does j as if thofe great things, God, Chriil:, Heaven, Hell, Judgment, and Eternity, ceafed to be, upon their ceafing to think of them ; or as if a few tranfient good thoughts, purpofes, and refolu- tions, would ferve as well as, and inftead of. real converfion and holy obedience. Alas, Sirs! will the great God be thus mocked? Will he be put off with a few good words ? 4. Some are fo far perfuaded that they acflually take fome fteps towards being Chriftians. There is a change made in many refpe(fts in their courfe and behaviour, and yet they are not fully perfuaded to become thorough Chriftians. They have got fuch a fenfe of religion upon their minds, that they apply themfelves to many of the duties of it ; they begin to pray, to read, and to get into the company of ferious Chrifti- ans 5 of Irrefolution in Religion. 1 1 1 ans •, they forfake many of the finful pradices they before allowed themfelves in, and there is a great aheration appears in their deportment. One would now think they are thoroughly per- fuaded ; that they are become Chriftians in ear- ncft : but alas ! if we obferve them carefully, we fhall find it quite otherwife ; their conver- lion is but partial. In fome things, that are not contrary to their worldly intereft, or their flefhly inclinations and lufts, they can comply ; but when it comes to a pinch ; when there is a competition between God and the world, Chrift and foiiie beloved darling luft, then they plainly fhew how matters ftand with them. They have never been thoroughly perfuaded to give up themfelves heartily, and without re- ferve, to God in Chrifl. So Herod, in compli- ance with John, did many things, and heard him gladly j but would never be perfuaded to put away Herodias, his brother's wife. No, John (hould be facrificed, rather than {he be dif- pleafed. So Ananias and Sapphira were fo far convinced of the truth of the Gofpel, as to make profeffion of it j feemed fo far fincere, that they fold their eftate, and brought part of it to the apoftles } yet not fo far as to part with all from love to Chrift ; not fo far, but they were in hopes of deceiving the apoflles, and the holy Ghoft in them, by a lye. Thefe particulars may ferve for a defcription of the cafe of thofe, who though they feem al- moft perfuaded to be Chriftians, to turn to God by Chrift, yet are not thoroughly perfuaded, come to no fixed fettled determination. II. We 112 The Nature and Catifes II. We come now to confider the reafons why fo many, that have fuch ftrong impreffions of rehgion made upon their minds, yet will not be thoroughly engaged in the pradice of it. One might expert, when we fee perfons con- vinced of the great truths of religion ^ when we fee them under fome ferious impreffions, and forming anfwerable purpofes, nay, and making fome confiderable advances towards a courfe of religion, that the defired work fliould now be perfected in them, that they lliould now be- come Chriftians in earneft. But after all this, how commonly do we fee it mifcarry ! They are ftill the Devil's flaves, led about by him at his will and pleafure, ftill earthly, carnal, and worldly i have no real, thorough, lafting refped: for religion, but only for fo much of it as fuits their conveniency, or is not contrary to their worldly intereft and pleafure. Whence is this ? I . Not for want of fufficient reafons to per.-^ fuade them. The evidence of the being and' perfedions of God, is ftrong and clear enough to convince the blindeft and moft hardened Atheift, if he will attend to it. The truth of the Scripture, the certainty of a future judg- ment, of Heaven and Hell, is fupported by a variety of arguments, which they cannot but own to be convincing. The infinite impor- tance alfo of eternity, and the neceffity of mak- ing provifion for it, and of taking the meafures prefcribed by the Gofpel for that end, admit of no doubt ; fo that when they fet themfelves to reafon upon thefe matters within their own minds, there is enough to filence their Atheifm and of Irrefohition in Religion, j i '\ and unbelief. It is not therefore for want of evidence of the great truths of religion. 2. But for want of confideration, and attend- ing to them. Would Agrippa have given him- felf the trouble of laying together, and confider- ing the evidences Paul brought for the truth of the Gofpel, he would have been not only almoft, but altogether perfuaded : but he had other things to mind. Would thefe perfons I am fpeaking of, fet themfelves down ferioufly to think over the matter, and weigh with them- felves the reafonablenefs and necellity of re- pentance; and fubjedion to the Gofpel ; would they give thenifelves leave to prcfs the matter upon their own confciences, and allow time for It, anfwerable to the importance of the cafe, it would have a good effed ; but the unhappinefs of it is, when they have been fomething mioved by a ferious difcourfe, or upon fome other oc- caiion, have had lively imprelTions of religion made upon their minds, they go away, fuiter their thoughts to be diverted by company, or bufinefs, from ferious refledions upon their eternal flate ; and fo all their convidions and impreffions vanifli, and they feem to themfelves to have been but in a dream. Let me appeal to you. Is not this often the cafe t Such perlbns are defcribed as receiving the feed fown by the way fide, Matth. xiii. J 9. who fuffer it to be prefently ftolen from them. But how unrea- fonable is this condudt } Do the truths which have been impreffed upon your minds, appear certain, great, and important, of infinite impor- tance to you i' And will you not allow time to Vol. 1L 1 r.fled 114 ^'^^ Nature and Caufes refle(5l upon them, to weigh them ferioully with yourfelves ? Should you not impofe it upon yourfelves as a law, to go home and purfue this matter in your ferious thoughts, and fee what you have to do? Don't you know by fad experi- ence, how changeable you are, how foon the impreffion will wear off, if due care be not taken? And does not your reafon tell you how fatal will be the confequence, if you ftill go on in a carelefs difregard of the great things of the eternal world ? You are now feniible of their infinite importance ; the fpirit of God is now breathing upon your hearts ; improve the happy moment ; ftrike while the iron is hot. What- ever evidence you have now before your eyes, of the truth and neceffity of religion, let it put you immediately upon meafures to fecure your adting accordingly, and to continue the fame fenfe of things upon your minds. You have this or that to do, or fuch a company to enter- tain : And {l:iall thefe things rob you of your fouls ? Better difmifs or excufe yourfelves to that company, or get out of their way : better leave that buiinefs to fome other time, than lofe the opportunity of Chrift's knocking at the door of your hearts, and afking for admittance. If you turn him away for the fake of thefe things, you may, perhaps, never have the offer repeated. Thus, it is to be feared, an unhappy perfon I have read of, found it ; who being an officer in the army, a little before he went into Flan- ders, came to a Chriftian friend, and told him, he had had a great many ferious thoughts of the Rate of his foul, and was refolved to lead a new of L refohition in Keligion. 1 1 ^ a iievv life : But, fays he, there is fuch a com- pany I muft be vvith to night, I wifh I could difengage myfelf from them. He, notwith- ftanding, went to them, forgot all his ferious thoughts, when with them j plunged himfelf all night into the utmofi: excefs of drinking, and the next day went aboard j and the firil: news his friend heard of him was, that he was killed ; and, as he had reafon to fear, before he had executed thofe good purpofes he had once entertained. Thus his vain companions put an ejid to his ferious thoughts, diverted his good refolutions, and robbed him of his immortal foul. How frequently are the moft awakening difcourfes made ineffedual on thofe that heard them with fome concern, for want of their re- tiring afterwards from company, to make a due application to their own confciences. And give me leave, my friends, upon this occafion, to caution you againft a practice too common, and even upon the Lord's day, of going into com- pany after you have been hearing the word cf God J and, it may be, fuch company as hath no other tendency, than to thrud: out thofe ferious thoughts which have been excited by what you have he.^rd. How much better would it be to retire prefently into your clofets, to think over the matter, or at leaft, to engage in fuch dif- courfcs as may maintain and promote the good impreflions made upon your minds. Take heed you do not fuffer the warmth of holy at- fedilons railed in your bread by any means to be cooled and extinguiflied. Take the firil op- 1 2 portunity 1 1 6 The Nature and Caufes portunity of reviving them with ftiil greater ef- ficacy upon the heart and confcience. 3. Another reafon of men's Irrefolution, is the prejudices they have imbibed againft reli- gion. They fee a great deal of realon to ap- prove of the Gofpel, of the pure and flrid: pro- feffion of it, and of the prad:ice of its feverai du- ties ^ but they are carried away by various com- mon prejudices againif it j they have been taught to look upon it, perhaps, as Kerefy or Schifm. It might be an argument with Agrippa againfl Paul, that he was reprcfented as a ringleader of the fe6l of the Nazarenes. Give fome re- proachful name to the profeffion of religion, this fhall be a ftrong prejudice againfl: it witli many, who would otherwife approve of it. Call it but Herefy or Schifm, and then all arguments for it are anfwered. Thus fays the apoftle. Ads xxiv. 1 4. j4fter the ivay that they call her ejy^ fo worjhip I the God of my fathers. And fo to call it, was inftead of all arguments againft it. Thus many would become religious, but they are afraid of being reproached under fome hateful or obnoxious name : or it is an objec- tion with theni^ that fuch and fuch men of note and figure, do not approve of, or fall in with the profefiion. Have any of the Pharifees, or of the rulers, believed on him ? None but mean and ordinary people follov/ him ; fuch men are for that v/hich is moft in fashion, and which hath the privilege of the common vogue. They cannot bear to be looked upon as lingular, or laughed at as precife. But conlider j Are we to judge of the truth of things by numbers? Are cf Irrefohttion in "Religion » 117 Are the multitude the wifefl ? Has not true reli- gion been generally, and in every age, oppofed by the wife and great men of the world ? Hath it not met with ill ufage, and hard treatment ; with reproach and contempt? Will you lofe your fouls, for fear of being called by a re- proachful name ? Do you fear men rather than God ? If you are afraid to own Chriil before men, can you expert to be owned by him at the great day ? Confider the truth and reafon of things ; do not fuffer yourfclves to be car- ried away by the found of words, by names, or the notions and fentiments of the vulgar. He is the brave man, the fincere Chriftian, whom God will own at laft, thatpurfues v/hat appears to him to be true and good, agreeable to the word and will of God ; though the whole world about him (hould take the contrary fide, and reproach and vilify him for it. ^ 4. Another reafon is, their fondnefs for the world, its pleafuies, and other advantages. So Mark iv. 18, 19. we read of fome who heard the word, but the cares of this 'woy'ld^ and the de- ceitfidnefs of rich^s^ and the liifls of other things , entri72g in^ choaked the word, and it became un- fridtJuL So John xii. 42, 43. Many among the chiej rulers belienjed on Chriji, but becaufe cf the Pharifees, they did not corfefs him^ leji they fcculd be put out of the jynagogue-y for they bved the praife of men more than the praife of God, But let us confider the unreafonablcnefs of this condud. Don't tl^e great things of the other world appear of fuch infinite importance, that nothing can be balanced with them ? Will it I 3 bear 1 1 8 ^he Nature and Canfes bear the leaPc fliew of argument, to expofe your- felves to the anger of almighty God, and run the rifque of everlafting mifery, for the fake of fome prefent traniitory pleafures or enjoy- ments ? irkaf ivill it profit a man^ thd hi fioidd gain the whole world, and lofe his own foul ? How dearly fhali I pay for the fhort enjoyment of a little pleafure and diveriion, if I muft lie for ever in Hell for it. What will it fignify to me to be courted and honoured by men, a few years in this world, if I muft be overwhelmed with ever- lafting fhame and confufion? When you think fe~ rioufiy of God, of Heaven and Hell, and Eternity, do not all the things of this world feem to you as (liadows, and nothing ? And will you, for the fake of thefe fliadows and nothings, difre- gard thcfe vadly important concerns ? But at other times, it may be, your pleafures, your earthly enjoyments, appear to be fubftan- tial and valuable things ; and the things of the other world feem like fhadows, or even to va- ni(h out of fight. But cannot you, in that cafe, make ufe of your reafon ? Will not this inftrudt you, that it is becaufe fenfible enjoyments are prefent, juft before your eyes, that they feem fo great and valuable ? Whereas fpiritual things are at a diflance in the other world j and there- fore, and for this reafon alone, appear to you inconfiderable, or as nothing. You will, in other cafes, ufe your reafon in oppofition to the mif- reprefentations of fenfe : you will not prefer a little cottage in fight, before a great palace and an eftatc, in another country, becaufe you can- not fee it -y nor a few guineas lying before your " ^ eyes. of Irrefolutlon i?i Religion, ijq eyes, to the promife of a thoufand pounds ; though this fum be not in polTeflion, and you have no other fecurity for it than a piece of pa- per. And why fliould the prefence of the poor tranfitory enjoyments of this life give them' the preference to thofe infinitely greater and more valuable enjoyments of the other world, merely becaufe thefe lie at a difcance, and are only fecured to us by promife, when it is upon the word and oath of God himfelf ? Now then, do you find reafon, upon a thorough confider- ation of the matter, to own the truth and im- portance of the eternal world, and the necefljty of governing yourfelves by the rules of the Gof- pel, in order to.your everlafting happinefs? Do not fuffer the deceitful pleafures and little con- cerns of this prefent tranfitory life, to caft a mill before your eyes, and make you regardlefs of thofe meafures that are fo confeficdly ne- cefiary to your happinefs. 5. To add no more ; another common rea- fon, why fo many that are almoft, cannot yet be thoroughly perfuaded to give themfelves to Chrift, according to the Gofpel, and devote themfelves to a courfe of religion, is the power and prevalence of fome particular lufl:. Herod would do many things, but not part with Ilero- dias. His love to her deftroyed all the force of John's perfuafions. Felix was very much moved with what Paul faid to him ; but covetoufnefs kept faft hold of him : he hoped that money v/ould have been given him to let Paul go. He would not be perfuaded to leave oft thofe un- juft oppreffive pradiccs which v/ere fo gainful I 4. to 120 \rhe Nature and Caufes to him. Thus it is with many. They are convinced in their minds, that religion and the fervlce of God is their true intereft j and they make many refolutions to this purpofe j and many things in religion they do ; but they can't come to a thorough refolution of giving up themfelves wholly lo God in Chrift, on account of fome darling inclination which they nourilli, and cannot part with. In fome, the love of drink is fo bewitching, that for the fake of it they do violence to their confciences, and break through their moft powerful convidions. O- thers are as much enchanted by their fondnefs for their vain companions, or their idle and fin- fui fports and diverfions ; thefe rob them of the time they fliould fpend in their duty to God J dedroy all their ferioufnefs, and infufe into them a light, loofe, and thoughtlefs tem- per of mind. Others are bound fo fafc by the entanglements of loofe and impure defires, or fome unreafonable affedions, that all the attrac- tives .of religion have not force enough upon them to diiengage them j and the holy and good fpirit of God can find no admittance into their hearts, or, hovv^ever, it is foon driven away again. Thefe, or fome other prevailing diforders of the mind, are the ftrong holds by which the Devil keeps poffeffion of their fouls. Sometimes they feem ready to capitulate, and furrender all up to Chriil ; but while this caftle is referved for fin and the Devil, all is in vain, the gate ftill re- mains fhut againfl the Lord Jefus Chrift. Sometimes mere floth and indolence is the caufe of this fatal negledl. They cannot per- fuads' of Irrejolution in Religion. 121 fuade themfelves to take the necefTary pains in religion j their indulgence to their flefhly eafe robs them of their fouls. And will yoi^ then (poor unhappy man !) fuffer your reafon and confcience to be enflaved to this unreafonabie luft, to this llothfui teniper ? Confider, Is it worth the while for this to lofe your foul, to perifli for ever? You tell me you are fenfible it is not j and therefore you are fometimes refolved again ft it ; but ft ill you are overcome and carried away contrary to the con- vidiion of your own mind. How fad is thy cafe ! Go, cry mightily to God for grace and ftrength to mafter thy lufts. P'ix it upon your mind. You muft deny, and oppofe, and mor- tify them, or you are undone. A man will part with his leg, his arm, his right eye, rather than lofe his life. When you think of the in- finite importance of your foul, and the neceffi- ty of faving it, refolve to pluck away from your heart, though it be like tearing the flefli from the bones, whatfoever it is that endangers the lofs of your foul. This will, indeed, be pain- ful, but better is it to cut off your right handy or put cut your right eye, than having two hands, or tico eyes, to be thrown into Hell^ Matt, xviii. 8. You fee then v/hat it is that prevents many from giving up themfelves fincerely to Chrift, notwithftanding the convidions of their own confciences: and though they frequently have appeared to be almoft perfuaded to do it. You fee alfo, how unreafonabie it is to fufter our- felves, by fuch means, to be diverted from mea- fures 1 22 The Nature and Catifes fures fo abfolutely necefTary to our welfare and happinefs. And now, my friends, whoever of you have not yet been thoroughly perfuaded to devote themfelves to a courfe of real religion, notwith- ilanding all the convincing arguments that have been laid before you from time to time j is it not from fome fuch principles as thefe 1 have mentioned ? And can you juftify this fort of condud: to yourfelves ? Do you not blufh when you think of it ? Can you pretend to the cha- radler of men of fenfe and reafon, while you adt a part fo mean, fo abfurd, fo unreafonable, in all refped:s ; and which your own judgments and underftandings muft condemn as much as any one ? What fhall I fay ? Remember this, and Jhew yourfelves men \ bring it again to inind^ O ye trafjfgrej/brs, Ifa. xlvi. 8. Think the matter over again, and fee whether you can give any better, any good reafon, why you fiiould not yield yourfelves to the fcrvice of God in Chriil:. To give ftill further weight to what I have been reprefenting ; for I would fain reach the hearts and confciences of every one this day j let me beg your patience a little while. III. I reprefent to you the aggravations of their unhappy miferable ftate, who though they are often almoft, yet are never thoroughly per- fuaded to be Chriftians in earneft. There are but two things 1 fhall infifi: upon at prefent. I. To fuch perfons their own confciences will be a terrible witnefs againft them, as foon as they find time and leifure to bethink them- felves': of Irrefolution in Religion. 123 Telves : and a longtime and leifure they will find for it in the other world, if they could not be- fore. They will then refledl ; " I have often " had the great concerns of religion fet before " my mind, in a ftrong and clear light. I could *' not but fee the truth and reafonablenefs of it, " I knew what was fitted and beft to be done, " but I would not confider, I would not attend *^ to or regard it, but wilfully iliut my eyes a- '* gainft the light that (hone upon me. I loved *' darknejs rather than light becaufe my deeds *' were evil -y and therefore my condemnation " is moft jufi. For the fake of my foolifli, ^' vain, accurfed pleaiarcs, I have ruined myfeif ** for ever. I rufhed forward, and even with " my eyes open (for I knew what I was doing) " to Hell and DeHrudion. Oh moft unac- *' countable folly and madnefs ! to let a mife- " rable world fo enchant and delude me, that " for the fake of its vain fhews, of its foolidi " baubles, of its pitiful perifhing enjoyments, " 1 have parted with folid and fubftantial hap- '' pinefs, and expofed myfeif to real and eternal " forrows ; and this too, wittingly and know- " ingly : for I knew, I very well knew I could " not live and enjoy that fooliih world I was fo ** fond of, always. I knew I muft die, and *' enter upon an eternal ftate. My own reaT *' fon and confcience told me I muft foon be ** iudged, and punifhed v^^ith everlafting pains, " if I did not alter my courfe of life, and obey " the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift. I knew all this: '' I could not doubt it j and yet I went on, mi- '* ferable diftracted wretch that I was ! to make 8 " fure 124 ^^^ Nature and Caufes ** fure of, to haften my own deftrudlion, and *' to complete and finifh mine everlafting dam- *' nation. Oh! that I had never been born. *' Oh ! that I had never heard of Chrift, or of the *' Gofpel. Curfed be the day that ever it w^as " fo fully preached to me, or rather curfed, for ,** ever curfed be my foily and wickednefs, that ** I flighted and difregarded it." Thefe, firs, are fad and difmal reflections, but no other than what mufl: naturally and neceflarily rife in the minds of thofe who faw, or might have fecn, fuflicient evidence to convince them of the truth and reafonablenefs of religion, but would never be perfuaded heartily and thoroughly to fubmit themfelves to the behef and pradlice of it. 2. That they had been fo near the kingdom of God, and yet fell (hort of it, will be another fource of moft fevere refledions, and tormenting agonies. " I was almofl: perfuaded (will they *' fay to themfelves) to have become a Chriflian *' in earnefl:. I had fome thoughts often about " it. I was fometimes very near coming to a " thorough fixed refolution. Fiad 1 done fo ; ** had I gone a few fleps further, Oh how " happy had I been ! I remember, one day in " particular, the neceflity of real religion was ** ftrongly preflTed upon me ; it had a great in- " fluence upon my heart. I was even jufl: per- *' fuaded to take new meafures ; to turn to ** God, and apply to Chrift for mercy and grace, " and live according to the Gofpel. Had I '* done fo, I fhould have been as happy as now " I am miferable. Oh ! how near was I to '•^ Heaven ! but, unhappy wretch that I was ! " inilead of Irrefohition hi Religioft. 12^ inftead of purfulng thofe ferious thoughts, and brino;in{^ matters to a comfortable iiTue, I foon got into fome vain and idle company, which diverted my thoughts another way : I quickly plunged myfelf again into worldly bufinefs, or pleafures; and fo, by degrees, quite loft: all that quick fenfe of eternal things I had before upon my mind ; and then went on to add fin to fin, till I became ripe for deftruc- tion. Oh this foolifh, inconflant, gxMy heart of mine ! I was, in a manner, efcaped from the wrath to come; had Heaven and everlafling happinefs near in view ; and God and Chrid appeared ready to receive me with much mercy and kindnefs, and to make mc as happy as any glorious faint there ; and yet I could not perfuade myfelf to go on a little further, bu~, like one diftraded, turned my back uponHeaven, and returned again towards everlafting flames. How was it pofiible I could be io fenfelefs, that when 1 had a full light of the wretched and miferable ftate I was in through fin, and was juft perfuaded to leave it, when I fiw before me the hap- pinefs and glory of the heavenly flate, and was jufl ready to enter upon the way to it, I fhould fuffer myfelf, by any company, or worldly matters, to be diverted from it ; and now I mufl lie for ever in infupportable mi- fery, who was (o near obtaining an inconceiv- able eternal happinefs and glory in Heaven. Oh that I had with indignation rejesfled the com- pany, the temptations that turned off niy good purpofes from Heaven and my dutv. *' Curfed 126 T'he Nature and Caufes, ^c, *^ Curfed be thofe bewitching pleafures, for the *' fake of which I have loft Heaven. Curfed *' be that wandring, carnal, covetous, ambiti- " ous, flothful heart of mine, that led me back " to, and plunged me into Hell, when I had ** almoft efcaped the danger of it." God for- bid any here fhouid ever be expofed to fuch dreadful reflexions. That we may not, let us now, in time, lay thefe things to heart, and ef- fectually guard againft the danger. If you have any fenfe of the infinite importance cf the great truths of religion, and how nearly they concern you ; go home, think ferloully of them 3 confi- der how matters are with you ; prefs thefe aw- ful truths upon your hearts, till you come to a thorough fixed refolution of falling in with all the meafures the Gofpel prefcribes, in order to your everlafting happinefs. Think, " Are not " thefe things true? If fo, am I not concerned " in them ? Is it not bed ? Is it not neceffary *' for me to forfake my fins, and turn to God, *' and take care of my foul, by putting it into *' the hands of Chrift ; trufting in, and obey- *' ing him, according to the Gofpel." And when I confider the fad confequences of it, if any of you ihal! be bat almofl perfuaded by all' that has been fiid ; I cannot forbear concluding with this wifh of the apoftle Paul, addreffed to king Agrippa : Would to God that fiot only thou^ but aljo all that hear me this day^ were eveit both almoft and altogether fuch as /, except thefe bonds ^ SERMON [ 12/ ] SERMON VIL Of the true Ufe of this World. Preached before the King, Feb. 21. 1724-5. By Bifhop Hoadly. I Corinthians vii. 31. And they that ufe this Worlds as not abujing it ; for thefajhion of this World paffeth away, FTER St. Paul had, in the former part of this chapter, given the Corinthians fuch prudential rules, relating to their behaviour in the w^orld, as the circumftances of Chriflians at that time required, he comes to fum up what he chiefly intended by all that he had been faying. This he doth in the 29th, 30th, and 31ft verfes. Verfe 29. But this I fay, brethren, the time is fiort. It remaineth that both they that have wives, be as though they had none : fo our tranflation exprefl'eth it. But it feems more agreeable to the original, to conned; the parts of that fentence, after this manner. But, brethren, this is what I am faying, and incul- cating upon you, (becaufe, as to what remain- eth. 128 Of the true Ufe of this World, eth, the time, or opportunity, that will be af- forded us in this world, is very fhort) this is, I fay, what I am prefiing upon you, that they that have wives : they that have families to con- cern themfelves for, fhould thus far be as tho' they had none, that they fhould not fuffer them- felves to be overwhelmed with worldly cares, fo as to forget the ftate they are in, as they are Chriftians : ver. •^o. that they that weep, or are under any afflid:ion, fliould be as though they wept not j (liould behave themfelves under it, as perfons who in a fliort time (hall be re- leafed from it: that they that rejoice, JJxtild be as though they rejoiced not j they that enjoy the inoft profperous condition of life, fliould behave themfelves with moderation, as perfons under a fenfe of the f]:iortnefs of that time which I am fpeaking of: and they that buy ^ (liould be as tho' tiiey pofTelTed not ; (hould behave themfelves only as tenants for a very (liort fpace, not as lad- ing pofTeffors of what they purchafe. At the 3 1 ft verfe, he fums up. In a very comprehenfive expreffion, the whole of what he means to prefs upon Chriftlans at that time, with regard to all the goods of this world : viz. that all who ufe this worlds fhould behave them- felves, as not abufing it j either, as not ufing it with too great an Intenfenefs of affedlon towards it ; or, much more, as not uRng it, or any por- tion of it, in any manner, or for any purpofe, contrary to the original defign of the Creator of all things. Then the apoifle adds this rea- fon for what he faith, y^^r the fafion^ or figure, of this world paffeth away : that is, either the world Of the trite life of this World, T29 World itfelf; or the prefent ftate and condition of things in the world. This is all, according to the apoftle, to pafs away ; or to be fo entirely altered, as that the lame things, and circumftan- ces of things, can have no place after that alte- ration. In this pafTage, indeed, the apoftle may be fuppofed to have had a principal view to that fcene of perfecutions which was then coming upon true Chriftians ; and which fhould alter, to them, the ftate of the world entirely: and likewife, to that total diffolution of the prefent fabrick and face of things, which in thofe firfl days was certainly underltood, and often fpoken of, as a matter juft then coming, and very near at hand. But, without any critical examination of the precife meaning of the words, as they fland in this particular place : and coniidering them in that more general fenfe which the iirft found of them may be fuppofed to raife in us, as allow- ing an Ufe of the World, lawful and neceffary ; as condemning the abufe of it j and as urging a reafon againft abuling it, from the uncertain condition of this world j it will be proper for us to confider, I. What is meant by the World 3 and what is comprehended under this word. II. When it is that we ufe it, as it is our praife and duty to do. And, III. What it is to abufe it. And then to make a (liort reflexion upon the argument here made ufe of, by the apoftle. And all, with re- VoL. If K ference 130 Of the true life of this WorhL ference to ourfelves, and the flate of the World at prefent. I. The firfl: thing is to conlider what is meant by the World ; and what is comprehended under this word. And here it is moft evident that by the World, we are to underftand, what- ever this world contains in it ; whatever it can boafl of as on any account delirable j and parti- cularly whatever there is in it, that men are ittn to think it moft worth their while to pur- ine after, and to obtain. All this may be re- duced to thefe three, Riches, Honour, and Plea- fure ; the three great mafters of the affedions, and adions, of thofe who think moft of this world. Riches may well be mentioned in the firft place, becaufe they lead the way to worldly honour, and worldly pleafure. They have it in their power moft commonly to procure whatever a man may propofe, or fancy to him- felf, as necefTary to his happinefs in this world : and, too often, to procure what ought to be the reward of merit and virtue alone. But then, as they feem frequently to be deftred, and fought after, even for their own fakes ; I mean by the covetous, who defpife what is called ho- nour, and know no other pleafure, but that of having much of them in their pofleiTion : they may well claim a diftind place by themfelves, as they are feen to ftand for themfelves, and all other good things too j to be not only riches, but honour, and pleafure, in the opinion of thofe who fet their hearts upon them. But, as there are others who are as fond of worldly ho- nour Of the true life of this World. j^ j nour and grandeur, as the mofl: covetous man can be of his money ; and others, as tranf- ported with the love of pleafure, as either of thefe can be with their idols j and, as both thefe latter can make riches fubfervient to the objeds of their particular defires : they may jufliy claim, every one of them, to be diftin(5lly fpoken of, on this occaiion. Nor is tiie nature of this World, or of man^ fo framed, as that we muft fuppofe that richeSj honour, or pleafure, are not good things ; orj that all defire of them, or ei joyment of them, is (inful. Far from it. This World is our ha- bitation at prefent. It is our hcufe of enter- tainment, in our paifage to another. The three great entertainments that it fets before us, are riches, honour, and pleafure. They cannot but be accounted goods (till they are wilfully made evils) by all who carry human nature about them, and live in fuch a ftate as this is. This being then the nature of the World ; and thefe being the principal goods it pretends to j and of fo great confequcnce, as to be ever* chieiiy comprehended in the name World; it is plain, that the Ufe of thefe, is theUfe of the World ; and the abufe of thefe, the abufe of the World : that, when we ufe riches, honour, and pleafure, as we ought, then we ufe the World rvithout abifing it j and that then we abufe the World, when we abufe the riches, honours, or pleafures, of it. Let us then, 11. In the fecond place, enquire, as I propofed, ^vhen it is that we ufe the World, that is the riches, honours, or pleafures of it, as we ought 5 K 2 as 132 Of the true Ufe of this World, as it is our praife and duty to do. The fiifl flep of all is to ufe them innocently, fo as not to be induced, by the love of them, to the violation of any one law of God ; or of reafon, which is his gift. The fecond is to ufe them fo as to make them the inftruments of much good, and of lafting happinefs, to ourfelves and others. The former is fomething : but it is the lowed degree of virtue and praife. It leads naturally to the latter : and without it, it can hardly be fuppofed J and, I believe, never is found. For he that doth not ufe the good things of this World, fo as to make them the inftruments of good to himfelf, and of happinefs to others, is, I fear, always feen to make them the means of evil to himfelf, and of unhappinefs to others : as, he that is (^tn to receive no harm from them himfeif, and to be untouched by the evil that comes from them too naturally, will like- wife be feen to make them the occafions, and inftruments, of good, and happinefs to others. Their nature is fuch, that, if they produce not good to ourfelves and others, they can hardly avoid producing a great deal of evil and mif- chief. The true Ufe of riches is firft^to beconfidered. And in what is it that they differ from the other common dirt of this earth, if they be not ufed fo as to adminifter the conveniencies and ne- ceiTaries of this life to ourfelves; and after that, to all about us, to whom our help can reach ? When a man is feen, out of a fort of madnefs of covetoufnefs, to deny himfelf the common conveniencies of life, rather than break in upon his of the f me XJfe of this World, 133 his facred flore; he cannot be faid to ufe rlcbei^, becaufe they lie untouched and unufed, unlefs they are fometimes handled and told over, with an unaccountable fatisfadion. But this is fo very rare a fort of covetoufnefs, that it raifeth the aftoniOiment of all, whenever it appears. There are few, who will not make ufe of the riches of this world, for their own eafe, and convenience j but many, who ftop here, when they fliould go much farther. The next thing is to coniider the abundance that we enjoy J and how much of it can fafely and fecurely be fpared, without breaking in up- on our own conveniences and accommodations, or our own nearer relations : and of this abund- ance to impart to thofe who have it not in their power to procure for themfelves the common neceflaries of life without our affiftance. This is a noble ufe of riches in truth ; but not more noble, than it is reafonable, and fitting. For what can we better, or more becomingly, do with thofe fuperfluities which furround us? what method can we take, to make them more effedually fubfervient to our own happinefs, than to ufe them thus ? What more manly pleafure, than to 4ook upon every thing human to be of concern to ourfelves ? and every thing that can happen to any other men, to touch us nearly, as men alfo ? What more rational fatif- fadion, than to think of multitudes made happy by' us ? It is a fort of approaching to divinity ; and a being, in the beft fenfe poffibleto us, par- takers of the Divine Nature ; to make ourfelves, under the fupreme God, affiftants, fupporters, K 3 bene- 134 Of the true life of this World. benefa6lois, prefervers, to all within our reach. They that feel it, know that there cannot be a greater pleafure to a well-difpofed mind, than this of adding to the happinels, or diminifliing the mifcries of our fellow-creatures around us. Nor can the praife due to fuch a beneficent Ufe of riches, be detained from it. Every one ap- plauds it, though every one will not imitate it. It conflrains and commands the voice of man- kind in it's favour. And if it fliould at any time, by fome flrange accident, go without thatj yet, it always recommends to the great judge of the world. It makes us rich towards him; and makes IfuTi condefcend to be our debtor, on account of others, to whom our riches are dif- penfed. It is God, the great difpofer of all things, who makes one man differ from another. It is his providence that gives or allows fuccefs to at- tend upon his defigns; that fills his coffers, and makes his abundance to overflow. What can this be for ? Not merely for his own happinefs, confi- dered by himfelf, as feparated from x.ht reft of the world : for God fees, what we do not always fee, that the happinefs of a man, the prefent happinefs, is fo ftr from being certainly pro- moted by the abundance of what he poff^jfeth^ that it is too commonly utterly deftroyed, and confounded by it. The plain intent of this fa- vour is, that this abundance ihould be difpenfed abroad, by the rich ; whom he makes his Rew- ards, when he makes them rich, for the fupport of the poor and diftreffed under them. This Of the true life of this World. i^c This is theUfe, the only Ufe, tliat ahiiighty God can dellgn ihall be made of the abundance and fuperfluities of rich men : and when they ufe their riches after this manner, then do they truly ufe the V/orld, as far as the riches of it are concerned, not only as not ahufmg it j but as God, and reafon, and the end of human fo- ciety, require. The next thin 2: is the true Ufe of the honours of this world. Now, the whole end propofed in them, by the very nature of the thing, being only to preferve and keep up fuch diftin<^i;ions of order amongft the members of the fame body, as feems necelTary for the better carrying forward the ends of human fociety j it is cer- tain, that when they are ufed, by the poiTeffors of them, with regard only to that dillindtion, they are then ufed, as the nature and end of them require. When humility and affability accompany them ; when the power that is ge- nerally joined with them, fhews itfelf in bene- ficence and charity ; when the mind of the pofTeffor views them with that lowlinefs and moderation, which are the conftant companions of a great fpirit j and actuates the whole beha- viour fo, that all that is decent and regular feems the effed: of that greatnefs, and to be didated by that diftindion, which they give a man ; engaging him to excel in virtue, as well as the outward appearances of honour j then, we may truly fay, that he ufeth this world, as far as the honours of this world are concerned, as he ought to do 5 as the nature of them, or, as reafon, and God require. K4 Tha 136 Of the true Vfe of this World. The third of thofe good things which this world principally boafts of, is pleafure : a fatal evil, in the end, to many ! but what mav be ufed fo as to bring no guilt along with it. For pleafure, in the delign of almighty God, being that fatisfadion, which neceflarily arifes from our fenfes, and the objed:s about us; and from the indifTolvable relation of thefe two, to one another ; and our fenfes and thefe objeds in this mutual relation being the work of God himfelf: the pleafure which refults thence, muft be in itfelf good, and fitting. The plea- fures of this world confequently are ufed, as they ought to be, when they are looked upon as the grateful circumftances of our well-being in this world ; when they are purfued with temperance and moderation, fo as to preferve, and not deftroy life and health ; fo, as the lavv^s and didates of found reafon dired ; fo, as not to break in either upon our own duty and in- nocence; or upon the property and peace of others about us. Thus ufing them, we take care, that what is not evil in itfelf, doth not be- come evil, and pernicious, but beneficial, and good to us, as long as we are in this ftate. 1 have thus endeavoured to give you the heft account I can, when it is that we ufe this world, CIS not abufing it ; by fliewing you, when we may be faid to ule the principal good things it boafts of, riches, honour, and pleafure, as we ought : viz. as the riature of things, the nature of ourfelves, the nature of human fociety, and the eternal laws of God, dircdj and require. And Of the inie XJfe of this IVorld. 137 And from this account will eafily appear, what I propofed, III. In the third place, when it is that we ufe the world, in the apoftle's phrafe, as abu/i?ig it. And this abufe of the world, to be fure, is the very contrary to the right ufe of it. When the love of money becomes in us the root of all, or of any, evil : when we are lo under the power of it, as to be barbarous even to our- felves ; when the riches of this world are made the occaiions, or the inftruments, either of un- mercifulnefs and hard-heartednefs j or of fraud, rapine, and injuftice to others; or ot intempe- rance and madnefs of pleafure, to ourfelves : whenever any thing of this fort appears, riches are then grolly abufed with the highefi: ingra- titude to God who beftowed them; and the greateft inhumanity to fociety, which ought to feel the benefit, and good influence, of them. • Again, when the honours of this world dazle a man's eyes, and turn his head giddy; fo that right no longer feems right ; nor wrong, wrong ; but good is put for evil, and evil for good; bitter for fweet, and fweet for bitter : when pride, and haughtinefs, and difcourteous beha- viour, are the eifed of that diftindion which they give to one man from another : when the pafH- ons of the heart are raifed and boiled up into the head, by them ; and the man can come to think himfelf above the rules of ordinary virtue, and that he is privileged to be a finner, as well as a man, of diftindion ; then, the true \JiQ of ho- nour is forgotten ; and the abufe of it is grofs, and palpable, through the whole behaviour of fuch 138 Of the true life of this Wo-rU, fuch aperfon. Or, if all his aim be to be high in the view of men, and exalted in place and power above the common level ; ambition then is his god •, and the laws of ambition are the maxims of his condnd : and then, though the laws of the true God, and the rights of all mankind, ftand in the way, they are but of little force to hinder the effed: of fuch a mailer. Again, when the pleafures of (cnit, admini- flered by this World, are made the meafures of all good, and a man comes to place fupreme bappinefs in them ; when they are purfued be- yond the bounds of lawful and right j fo as to break in upon his own health, and life j or UDon the rules of decency and modefty ; or upon the quiet and property of others ; fo, as to binder him fron\ doing God or man that fervice be might otherwife do : when intemperance, and luxury, and negled: of all that is great and good, is the effed of a man's attachment to pleafure, and his love of worldly delights ; 1 need not fay, the pleafures annexed by God al- mighty to fenfe and fenfible objedSj are then grofly and perfe6liy abufed. The man himfelf will come to find it, if he lives long enough to feel the pernicious effects of fuch a behaviour, which it will certainly, at length, have, upon his mind, his health, his eftate, his reputation ; upon every thing which he values, even in this world, fuppoiing him to have cad: off all regard to an- other to come. In a v/ord, when the World, the riches, or honours, or pleafures, of the World, are fo regarded, or fo ufed, as to be the occafions, or in(lruments_, of fir.ning a8;ainfl: ^God, Of the true life of this World. 139 God, our neighbour, or our own true Intereft; then, the world is ufed, fo as to be abufed. From this account, therefore, of the Ufe, and abufe, of the riches, honours, and pleafures of this ftate, it appears that there are two ways of behaviour, with refped to thefe things. The one is fuch a behaviour as renders us, and de- nominates us truly the mafters of what we poiTefb here j the other, fuch a behaviour as makes and denominates us their ilaves: the one makes thefe good things our fervants ; the other renders them our lords. For when we are perfectly under the dominion of riches, ho- nour, or pleafure ; io bewitched and captivated with the love of any of them, as to be influen- ced in our actions by them ; fo, as 'when thev fay Come, to come ; wheti they fay Go, to go ; and when they fay Do this, to do it : when the cafe is thus, I fay, it is plain, that they poiiefs us, and not we them J that they are our maflers, not we theirs; that they ufe us, as their fiaves, not we, them, as our fervants : for they command, and we obey. But then only are we their mafters, when our love to them is in perfect fubjedioii to the love of God, which is the law of eternal reafon ; when we make them fubfervient to the end of our enjoying them, and the true happi- nefs of ourfelves ; not guided or impelled by the unrefifted violence of paffion ; but governed and tempered by the wife influences of reafon. And now, that we may thus tfe the World, as not abufmg it^ we mufb, in the laft place, as I propofed, IV. Con- 140 Of the true JJfe of this World. IV. Confider the argument here made ufe of by St Paul j only accommodating it to the ordinary and more general condition of this World. For the fajlmn^ or figure, of this IVorld pajfeth away. The prefent fcene of things is perpetually changing : and another, of a very different nature, haftning to open upon us : both which make up the apoftle's reafoning. There is force enough in thefe two conliderations, to deftroy that devotion to this world, which is the caufe of all the abufe of it -, and to temper our concern about it, fo as to engage us to ufe it as we ought. For confider, I pray you, when you have amaffed together an heap of riches, what is it you have got ? An heap of good things, if you. pleafe; but good things, liable to a thoufand accidents : uncertain in their poileflion ; often following the great revolutions of this lower World ; and changing their mafters, with all the viciffitudes of human affairs. It is enough to fay of them, that they belong to a fcene of things, which is always in motion, and ever ready to change. A great lofs, common to all worldly bufinefs ; a great miftake, to which the bed heads are liable; a fire, an inundation, a perfidioufnefs in thofe who are trufted ; a po- pular rage; many more things, to which this ffate is liable, h;we often changed the fcene of plenty and riches, and furprized thofe with dif- trefs and calamity, who have perhaps thought themlelves too fecure, and far out of the reach of any fuch evils. And then, the .poffeffors themfelves are fure of being removed, either fooner or later, from thefe poffeffions ; and this is Of the true life of this World, 14.1 is another change made in our fcene. We are taken away from the World : and fo, with re- fpedt to us, \hG fafiion of this World imXy^paffetb cway, when we ourfelves pafs away. For it is all one, in eited:,, whether that pafleth from us, or we pafs from that 5 whether we are removed from our riches, or our riches from us. This latter may be, by multitudes of unforefeen ac- cidents : but the former muft certainly be, one time or other, by the -unmoveable decree of our Maker. The fame may be faid with refpe^fl to worldly honours and pleafures. They muil be as uncertain, as this ftate itfelf is, to which they belong : and we muft as certainly be torn from them by death, as we now enjoy them in life. And the little time we live in this World, how often do we fee the fcene of worldly ho- nour changed ; and the wheel that is ever turn- ing, carrying up one, and bringing down ano- ther ? T^he fajhion of this World paffeth away, when the fcene of honour is changed : and that fcene is as often turned upfide down, as favour, and opinion, and a thoufand unforefeen acci- dents, work. And, as to pleafurej men die to that) even before they die to nature. It be- comes iniipid to them, even whilft they are alive. The fcene of that changes, whilft they look on : and they grow infenfible, whether they will or no, and unmoved by what ufed to give them the greateft fatisfadion. But then, as this fcene changeth continually, and at laft is quite removed, there is another to fucceed, fo unlike it, fo oppoiite to it, that the fame riches are no riches > the fame honours no 1 42 Of the true life of this World. no honours i the fame pleafures no pleafures, when that appears. Your money, if you could carry it with you, is not current in that other {late : your honours are there, as faded gar-^ lands, dead and gone. Your pleafures will there have no attraction or influence j becaufe they will have no being. What little reafon, therefore, have vv^e to abufe them in this ftate, by overvaluing them, or by employing them t6 ill purpofes \ when the Icene that is to fucceed is of fuch a nature that they will be all ufelefs in itj and the very memory of them infipid: and efpecially, when the only mention to be made of them at the opening of that new ftate of things, will be, upon occaiion of a ftritft and tremendous en- quiry, how we have ufed them in this } The charity, the humanity, the generofity, that have accompanied riches, will then be the only ad- vantage and gain of the rich man : the mo- defly, the humility, the meeknefs, that have attended the honours of this World, will be the only glory of the honourable : and the tem- perance, and moderation, that have been ufed in the purfuit and enjoyment of pleafure, will then be the only happinefs of fuch as have had the pleafures of this World at their command. The fum of what hath been faid, is this, the faJlAon of this World pajj'eth aivay. But the falliion of another World, vvhich palTeth not away, fucceeds to it. And therefore, let us ufe this IForld, as not ahfing it ; and let our hearts, and our treafure, be in that other future, never ending, ftate j in which we are all infinitely concerned. SERMON [ H3 ] SERMON VIII. Of the Love of Pleafure. Preached before the King, March lo, 1727-8. By BIfhop HoADLY. 2 Timothy ili. 4. Lovers of Pkajiifes more than Lovers of God, N an age of gaiety and luxury, which, if we had a mind to diftinguifli it from other ages, we might juftly call the Age of Pleafure j and in a country, where the tafte and purfuit of Pleafure have been carried to as high a pitch of elegance and extravagance, as invention and wealth can well flretch them j and in an afTem- bly, in which many of thofe prefenthave all the advantages which power and riches can put into their hands for the full enjoyment of Plea- fure : it cannot be improper ; nay, it muft be agreeable to the peculiar end of preaching ; to fpend fome time in leading men to juft and rea- fonable thoughts upon a fubjedt in which their hap- 144 Of the Love of PIcafure. happlnefs, even in their own opinion, is fo deeoly concerned. Let not what I have now propofed give you any fears that I am fo abfard, as to attempt to rob you of fo great and darling a good, as Plea- fure ; or to perfuade you into fuch a ftate of infenlibihty, or pain, as neither human nature can admit of, nor reafon, nor God, require. My defign is quite the contrary. I am going to be an advocate for Pleafure j and to fliew YOU, as well as I can, how you may enjoy it more effedlually, by enjoying it more fincere, and iefs mixed with unhappinefs, as well as for .a lonp-er duration, even in this life, than you can poifibly hope to do in any other method. This is all the mortification you (hall hear of, from me, in this feafon (fo called) of mortifica- tion : a mortification ! which will, I am confi- dent, mortify and kill only thjg pains, and un- eafineiles of life 3 but enliven and prolong the Pleafures of it ; and fuch an one, as is perfedly' agreeable to the Chriflian religion itfelf, which came from Heaven not to diffoive any of the laws of nature, or to deflroy the natural con- nexion of any one thing to another ; but to add the motives of the world to come to thofe dic- tates of reafon, which are ftill left as the unal- terable rule of our condudt, in fuch cafes as this now before us. And, in anfwering the end I have propofed, I fhall I. Shew what I mean by the Pleafures I am going to fpeak of: And, II. Make foms obfervations, chiefly upon the two different, or contrary, methods of purfuing tbefe Of the Love of Pleafure, 145 thefe Pleafures. And from thefe you will ea- fily judge, III. On which fide the advantage manifeftly lyes, in the point of Pleafure itfelf. I. Under the firft of thefe, I will not be fo unfair as to mean one thing, whilft, I know, thofe, who are moft concerned, mean another. The word Pleafure, is now, by long cuftom in common difcourfe, come to be appropriated to the gratifications of our fenfes, properly fo called. And when we fpeak of a man of Pleafure, we are always underfiood to mean, one who is, in a peculiar manner, a follower of the Pleafures of fenfe. The covetous man has, without doubt, his Pleafures, adapted to his own narrow- nefs of foul, and inordinate appetite after mo- ney ; even that abundance of it which is quite ufelefs to himfelf. The ambitious has likewife Pleafures, in the elevation of himfelf above others, and in the flattering hope of a ftill greater heighth, abftradted from other gratifications. The man of virtue, that is, of true honour, has Pleafures, infinitely fuperior to both, im- inediately and diredly refulting from the in- ward reditude of his mind. But thefe are not the Pleafures we mean when we ufe the word by itfelf, in difcourfe : but the idea which al- ways goes along with it, is that of the Plea- fures, or gratifications, of fenfe, properly fo called. And it is with regard to thefe peculi- arly that I now fpeak. After 1 have faid this, the IF. Next ftep is to offer, as I propofed, fuch obftrrvations upon this fubjedt as v/ill lead us to Vol. II. ' L that 146 Of the Love of Fleafiire. that true judgment upon the whole, without which all boafts of Fleafure are but vain words j and by which alone we can juftly pretend to fettle any title to that good, which, with fo much paflion, we are feeking after. And this, I think, cannot be done better than by confider- ing the circumftances, and confequences, of the different conduct of men, in their purfuit, and enjoyment, of this good : neither aggravating the unhappineffes of one fort ; nor exalting, more than is undeniably juft, the happinefles of the other. I. In the firft place, with regard to thofe who have entered, without reafon or modera- tion, into this field of Pleafure ; no one of them- felves can deny, what too many know by confci- ous and fenfible experience, that there is a purfuit of Pleafure, (of that I mean which mud be al- lowed to be Pleafure) which, by natural con- lequence, introduces a fcene of pain and bodily uneafinefs ; as really pain, (and much more lading) as the Pleafure itfelf was Pleafure, which was the fole caufe of it. Nor can it be denied that, in fome cafes, the purfuit of Pleafure, made eager by the prefent ungoverned paffions of the purfuer, is feen, in a little time, to lay wade the very fupport of Pleafure itfelf j and, by the excefs of extrava- gance, to bring on fuch temporal inconveni- ences, as change the fcene entiiely from a fhort fcene of rioting in joy, to a long one of fenfible grief and forrow, when he finds himfelf de- prived of the very poflibility of going on in the fame courfe. For this mull: be the cafe of Plea- fure, Of the Love ofPleafure, 147 fure, wherever paffion will know no bounds^ confidering that the riches of the purfuer, tho* great as you pleafe, upon this fuppofition, muft be ibon wafted to nothing. But if fuch immediate evils are, by a cau- tious prudence, avoided by forne, it may ftill be faid, that there is often feen, in their examples, a purfuit of Pleafure, founded upon a fcheme - of difhonour 5 and this is always accompanied by uninterrupted cares j carried on with num- berlefs anxieties j fuccefsful perhaps for a length of time ; but, when an end is put to it by any unlucky event, naturally followed by uneaii- nefTes, which outweigh all the remembrance, and efface every image, of what was once thought Pleafure. For, before men have quite put off humanity, the reflexion of a wounded fpirit, and the regret of a fenfible heart, are, in fome events, fuch efl?e(5ts of this purfuit, as change the fweeteft honey into the bitterefl gall ; even in the minds of thofe who think of this life only. This is indeed a purfuit of Pleafure, fo un- worthy of human nature, and fo difhonourable, in the eftimation of the generality of mankind ; that, as fhame for ever follows it, fo muft the fear of difcovery always attend it. And this is a companion, alone fufficient to deftroy the very eflence of Pleafure itfelf, in any mind not to- tally loft to all generous fentiments within. You niay obferve that I have not, in thefe inftances, fo much as mentioned any remorfe of mind, but that caufed by the prefent evils of a too eager purfuit of Pleafure -, nor any mife- L 2 lies 148 Of the Love of Pleafure. ries but thofe of the prefent ftate, introduced by It.' Bat, as confcience is reafon itfelf, firft guiding us, and then cenfuring us ; as reafon is the gift of God to all men, for their government 5 and Pleafure is his gracious law, for the good, and not for the ruin, of his creatures; it is impof- fible that there (hould not be a remorfe of ano- ther fort, and an inward diftrefs, in all well formed fouls, following upon fuch purfuits of Pleafure mentioned before, as evidently are con- tradidions to the will of that God who made us what we are, and placed us in this ftate, fur- rounded with fenfible objeds ; inftances of the higheil: ingratitude to him, who formed us ca- pable of Pleafure J injuries to our neighbours, who have a tide to our good offices; and, in fome cafes, grofs violations of the laws of fo- ciety, for which our great Creator made us. 2. Secondly, I will now go on to obferve the oppofite maxims of purfuing, and enjoying, the fame good : and thefe are fuch as make the purfuit of Pleafure, entirely different, in every circumftance, and confequence, from the for- mer. For this purfuit and enjoyment of Plea- fure, under the condu6t of renlon and modera- tion, is undeniably fuch a purfuit of it, as does not bring on a ftate of bodily pain and indifpo- fition, as its natural or probable confequence. It is fuch a purfuit of Pleafure, as is free from that long train of fears and anxieties, which ne- ver fail to attend upon the contrary purfuit; unacquainted with any difappointments but what the common condition of human life makes unavoidable ; and untroubled with any remorfe Of the Love of Plea fur e. 149 remorfe of evils procured to others, by the man's paflionate regard to his own Pleafure only. It is fuch a purfuit of Pleafure, as does not vvafte or deftroy that fortune which is ne- cefTary for the purpofes of the moft innocent enjoyments of life themfeives ; and fuch a pur- fuit, as carries no (Lame along with it, in the judgment of the world about us. In a word, it is fuch a purfuit, as is a mark of gratitude to the giver of all our faculties of Plealure them- feives, and of all the pleafures about which they can at any time be converfant. And, being no violation of any one of his lavvsj no breach into the univerfal fyftem of good and right j carrying with it no evil to the members of hu- man fociety, or to the public ; it cannot be the parent of any inward diftrefs or anguifh of mind , nor confequently end either in repen- tance here, or puniihment hereafter. Thus ftands, in general, the difference of the two purfuits. And now, III. On which fide, the advantage lies, even in the point of Pleafure itfelf, is next to be conlidered. Now in the ilating of this, we muft imitate the men of worldly buiinefs, in the method of flating their profit or lofs, which they follow fo as not to impofe either upon others or them- feives. If never fo many of the particular ar- ticles in their account are real profit, but yet have themfeives been the occafions of lofs or difadvantage, more than proportionable to it j the fum of fuch an account cannot be profit : and if the balance at the end be lofs, it is L 3 fmall 150 Of the Love of Fleafure, fmali comfort to them, and little matter of boafting, that there are in it particular articles of gain, and thofe, perhaps, very confiderable. It is from the total amount, that they judge : as that alone, by which their condition in bu- fmefs muft be determined. And thus it muft be in the cafe of Pleafure. Put down, if you pleafe, all the gratifications of fenfe, you can think of. Let them be magni- fied and fwelled to as high a pitch as an imagi- nation devoted to them can do it. But be juft in not deceiving yourfelves. Put down, before you pretend to judge of the whole, all the pain of body and mind j the difeafes, the calamities, which were the refult of them : the fears, and anxieties, and difappointments which attended them : the ruin, in fome cafes, of fortune and eftate ; in fome, of reputation and honour j in others, the lafting wound of remorfe, in the reflexion upon what, it may be, has produced miferies fomewhere or other, never to be re- trieved, and never to be alleviated ; and in all, the inward uneafinefs natural to a reafonable being, in every ftep of life, which reafon does not approve of. Put into the account every known evil confequence under the notion of pain, the oppolite of Pleafure ; and then it muft come out thus. If the total amount of fuch a purfuit of Pleafure, be really found, as it muft be, to be pain, cf the feveral forts before men- tioned, naturally produced by it ; and this more than fufficient to counter-balance every article of pleafure in it : the man of Pleafure himfelf, to whom the name is now appropriated, the man Of the Love of TIeafure. i ^ i man who pretends to ftudy and follow after Fleafure as his great good, mufl: be found, at lad:, not to underftand what it is truly to enjoy Pleafure itfelf; nay, frequently to dcftroy his own purpofes, by Shortening and ruining his own Pleafures. On the contrary, the man of virtue, who is alfo the man of true honour; who enjoys the Pleafures of fenfe under thofe rules which make them fit perfe6lly eafy upon his mind, his body, his eftate, his reputation j mud be acknow- ledged, in the whole, by the natural operation of virtue, and by the wifdom of God, in efta- blifhing the nature and relation of man, and all things around him, far to exceed the other at the clofe of the account -, and to triumph juft as much over him, in Pleafure itfelf, as he does in virtue, innocence, and honour. I fay, in the whole : becaufe, as I am free to acknowledge, on the one iiand, that there are Pleafures, in the fenfe in which we now ufe the word, to the man of Pleafure, which to the man of vir^- tue are wholly unknown ; yet, it is certainly true, that judgment mufl: be made from the whole, and not from a part ; and that, upon the foot of the whole, it is undeniable that the man of virtue enjoys Pleafure, more fincere, i. e. more free from the mixture of any of thofe pains and evils which are its natural confequen- ces to others ; and with much more fecurity of continuing fo to do ; than the man of Plea- fure can pretend to do. To which we may add this difagreeable circumftance, that the courfe of Pleafure which the voluptuary runs L 4 fo 152 Of the Love of P/eafure. fo precipitately, is firfl: in time ; and that the courfe of evils which are its produce, fucceeds ; and lafts often long after the whole fcene of Pleafure is vanifhed. And certainly, it is lefs tolerable to human nature, to pafs from Plea- fure to a flate of pain, than to pafs through a courfe of pain to a fettled ftate of Pleafure. To which we may add, that, as thefe two enhance one another, the Pleafure paft muft give the man a double fenfe of that pain, which not only fucceeds it, but is really owing to it. The great dod:or of Pleafure in the heathen world, who had, with equal flupidity and im- piety, banifhed Providence out of the world, and took into his account this life only, faw plainly the importance of virtue, in brder to the enjoyment of Pleafure itfdf. And though his dodrine, by unhappily placing the chief good of m.an in Pleafure, not fcridly explained, led his rafh followers into the mofl intemperate purfuits of their own unhappinefs under that notion j yet his example, and the temperance and command of paifion, by which he enjoyed and prolonged his own Pleafures, were, indeed, a reproach to them, who would not interpret his maxim by his oviu practice. I only juft mention this, to fhew that even he, who flu- died Pleafure only, put the virtue of tempe- rance, or the command of prefent appetite, into the very compofition of Pleafure itfelf. To return : The great miftake in this matter, amongft the men of Pleafure, feems to lye in this, that they do not make Pleafure, and happinefs, two diffcind; Of the Love cf Plea/iire. i^j diftin(5l confiderations : or rather, that they ne- ver inquire after happinefs, but are only for ever feeking after particular inftances of fen- iible Pleafure, and ready to fall in with every invitation to them. Whereas Pleafure and hap- pinefs ftand, even in common difcourfe, for two fo different things, that no one, by a man of Pleafure underftands you to mean a happy man ; but rather, a man who difregards happi- nefs for the fake of particular inftances of Plea*- fure. For happinefs being a ftate of mind, of a better and more fixed nature than the fudden ftarts and paffions of mankind ; it mufl fol- low, that, if the paffionate purfuits of any real or imagined Pleafure, break in upon that hap- pinefs, which is the true happinefs of an ani- mal endowed with reafcn to diredl the conduct of his life j then, the man, meanly and igno- bly, enjoys Pleafure, without being in a ftate of happinefs. And from hence a moft important truth flows : 'viz. That, if the total amount of the purfuit of fenfible Pleafures be not a fettled flate of inward happinefs, but the contrary ; the pur- fuit has been irregular and unworthy of a crea- ture to whom God has given the capacity, and occafions, of fuch Pleafure ; and that thefe un- reafonable purfuers of this attracting appear- ance, have, by their paffionate ungoverned Love of Pleafure, fliewn that they have no know- ledge of what happinefs is ; and are quite Grangers to their own greatefl good : and that others, who have obferved the contrary rules in all their gratifications, have really, and truly, enjoyed ^54 Of the Love ofPleafure. enjoyed Pleafure itfelf in fuch a manner, that it has not interrupted their happinefs -, nay, that it has contributed to as good a ftate of happi- nefs, as man can hope to attain in this prefent fhort, uncertain, life. Thus have I been an advocate for Pleafure, as I at firfl promifed j and not again ft it. I al- low man, as framed in the manner he is, by his Creator, and placed in this ftate, furrounded with objeds of all his fenfes, to be unavoidably, by his nature, and by the law of creation, which conftituted the relations of things, a Lover of Pleafure. My great point has been, to (hew you the true, and nioft lafting, way of enjoying this good. And, if I have been fpeaking to any purpofc all this time, the only good rule muft be, to be virtuous, in order to enjoy Plea- fure ; at the firft found, perhaps, to many ears, a furprizing, dull, and unacceptable rule : but to thofe who will give it but a few minutes conlideration, a certain truth 3 a rule demon- flrable, from nature and experience, to be a friend to Pleafure, by ennobling it j by extend- ing it beyond the limits which ungoverned paf- iion will ever confine it to j and by freeing it from thofe mixtures of evil and pain, which the contrary rule will certainly throw into it. You fee, then, that, in the account of reafon, which always confiders all the circumftances and mutual relations of things, the Love of Pleafure is not, in itfelf, a crime ; but, indeed, the law of God, who created man what he is, and placed him in fuch a world as this j and is himielf the author of that Pleafure, which ne- celTarily Of the Love of Pleaftire. 1 5 5 ceflarily refults from his own works, and his own will. You will fee, if you go a ftep far- ther, that reafon itfelf will fupport the fevere cenfure of the apoftle, in the text, fixt upon thofe, not who are Lovers of Pleafure [ioT the apoftle does not reft his cenfure there) but who are lovers of Pleafure, 77wre than lovers of God : i. e. who prefer the paffionate purfult of parti- cular inftances of Pleafure, before the regard due to the laws of that God, who is the great au- thor of Pleafure itfelf, to whom they owe the very poflibility of enjoying it. Let us, therefore, from this, and from what has been faid, argue, that they, who purfue Pleafure in contradiction to the laws of God, or to his diflionour, are ungrateful to him, who alone gave them this good, by being lovers of Pleafure more than lovers of God : that they who purfue it in any inftances, in violation of the peace ar.d rights of neighbourhood, are very bad members of fociety, by being lovers of Plea- Jure more than lovers of their neighbours : and that they who purfue it to the hurt or ruin of their own honour, reputation, eftate, health, and families, are unjuft to their own interefts, by being, truly, lovers of Pleafure more than lov- ers of themfelveSy in that (cn(Q in which they ought to be fo ; expoling themfelves, for the fake of a prefent violent paffion, to the lofs of every thing dear in this world -, even of ail their own happinefs, which can never fubfift, but under the diredion of virtue. To fum up the whole of what is juftly to be faid} if we chufe to confider ourfelves as beines con- 156 Of the Love of Pleafure. concerned chiefly in the finding out, and enjoy- ing the Pleafures of this world only ; it is mod certainly true, that, in this view only, however the unexperienced may flatter themfelves, the courfe of Pleafure muft, and will, be limited by fomething or other ; and the wild purfuer mufl:, and will, be fl;opt by fome obfl:acle or other, in his career. And whether any man will not be more eafy, and fatisfied in the reflexion that good reafons, though of prefent concernment only, have prevented the utter ruin of his hap- pinefs, by confining his Pleafures within the bounds of juft and right, than in the thought of having left them to be totally flopped, and deflroyed, by the natural confequences only of his own unreflrained paflion ; let himfelf judge. But, if we will be fo juft to ourfelves, as not to ftop here; but to go, as we ought, into a courfe of thoughts much more worthy of fuch creatures as we are ; if we would look farther into ourfelves, and confider our own frames ; and alfo the main delign of our great mafl:er, Chrifl himfelf, in coming into the world ; we could not but find ftill plainer demonftrations, that reafon was given us to govern the Love of Pleafure. For we fliould very clearly fee, that, as we have faculties adapted to fenlible objeds in this fliort lifej io we have others, of an higher nature, to govern them, which look forward, towards a better flate to come : that we are made with fuch capacities, and fuch powers, of reafoning, reflexion, and judgment upon our own condudl, as will force us to ac- knowledge ourfelves capable of being called to a flric^ Of the Love ofPleaftire. i^y a flrI6l account, and framed exadly as we fhould have been, upon the fuppofition that fo it will be : that, as it is perfeftly agreeable to the reafon of mankind to expedl it, fo our blef- fed Lord, by a plain declaration, fufficiently at- tefled by his refurredion from the dead, has af- fured the world that fuch a folemn day of ac- count will come, in which the triumph will belong to thofe, who have here below kept the Love of Pleafure in fubje(5lion to the love of virtue, and true happinefs ; and (hame and di- ftrefs to thofe, who have been lovers of Pleafure y mere than lovers of God^ their neighbours, or themfelves. And thefe will be fuch arguments, as will fet us above every allurement ; and en- gage us to live the prefent life by that religious wifdom, whofe ways are ways of pleafantnefs^ and all whofe paths are peace : and will certainly conduct us fafe, through a fhort delufive fcene of the fleeting images of Pleafure only, to the real and lafting Pleafures of a ftate of happinefs, never more to be interrupted, eiiher by our own paffions, or any other enemy. SERMON [ ij8] SERMON IX. Of tke Difficulty of reforming vicious Habits. By Archbidiop Tillotson. Jeremiah xiii. 23. Can the "Ethiopian change his Jkin^ or the Leo- nard his [pots f then may ye alfo do good that are accufiomed to do evil. COnfiderlng the great difficulty of reclaim- ing thofe who are far gone in an evil co'jrfe, it is no more than needs to ufe all forts of arguments to this purpofe: from the confi- deration of the evil of iin, and of the goodnefs of God and his wonderful patience and long- fuftering towards us in the midft of our infinite provocations : from his great mercy and pity declared to us in all thofe gracious means and methods which he ufeth for our recovery : and from his readinefs and forwardness after all our rebellions to receive us upon our repentance, and to be perfe^^ly reconciled to us as if we had never Of the Difficulty of, &c. 1 59 never offended him : and from the final illue and event of a wicked Hfe, the difmal and end- lefs miferies of another world, into which we . fhall inevitably fall except we repent in time and return to a better mind : and laftly, from the danger of being hardened in an evil courfe, pafl: all remedy and hopes of repentance. And yet I am very fenfible that to difcourfe to men of the impoffibility, or at leafl the ex- treme difficulty of refcuing themfelves out of this miferable ftate, feems to be an odd and crofs kind of argument, and more apt to drive people to defpair than to gain them to repen- tance. But fince the fpirit of God is pleafed to make ufe of it to this purpofe, we may fafely rely upon infinite wifdom for the fitnefs of it to awaken finners to a fenfe of their condition, in order to their recovery. For here in the text, after terrible threatni.ngs of captivity and defola- tion to the people of the Jews, who were ex- tremely wicked and degenerate, through an univerfal depravation of manners in all ranks of men from the higheft to the loweft, fo that they feemed to fland upon the brink of ruin, and to be fatally devoted to it ; to add to the terror and force of thefe threatnings, God by his prophet reprefents to them the infinite dan- ger and extreme difficulty of their cafe, to fee it he could ftartle them by telling them into what a defperate condition they had plunged themfelves; being by a long cudom of finning fo far engaged in an evil courie, that they had almoH: cut oft themfelves from a poffibiJ'ity of retreat ; i6o "Of the Difficulty of retreat j fo that the Difficulty of their change feemed next to a natural impoffibility. Can the Ethiopian change his Jkin^ or the Leopard his fpots ? then ?7iay ye alfo do good that are acciif- tomed to do evil. The expreffion is very high, and it is to be hoped fomewhat hyperbolical, and above the juft meaning of the words. Which are, I think,; only defigned to fignify to us the extreme Dif- ficulty of making this change ; which is there- fore refembled to a natural impoffibility, as coming very near it, though not altogether up to it. And that this expreffion is thus to be miti- gated, will appear more than probable, by con- iidering fome other like palTages of Scripture. As, where our Saviour compares the Difficulty of a rich man's falvation to that which is natu- rally impoffible, '■oiz. to a Carnefs pajjing through the eye of a needle : nay, he pitcheth his ex- preffion higher, and doth not only make it a thing of equal but of greater difficulty ; I fay unto you J it is eafer for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom cf God. And yet when he comes to explain this to his difciples, he tells them that he only meant that the thing was very difficult, How hard is it for thofe that have riches tobejavedf and that it was not abfolutely impoffible, but fpeaking according to human probability : with men this is impoffible^ but not 'With God, And thus alfo it is reafonable to underfland that fevere panage of the apoitie, Heb. vii.4. It 3 ^'5 rlfonrJng 'viciotis Hahks. j 6 i is impojjible for them that were once enlightened^ if they fall aivay, to renew them again to repentance. It is impoffible; that is, it is very difficult. In like manner we are to underftand this high expreffion in the text, Can the Ethiopian change his fkin^ or the Leopard his fpots f then may ye alfo do good that are accufiomed to do evil, that is, this moral change of men, fettled and fixed in bad Habits, is almoft as difficult as the other. From the words thus explained two things will properly fall under our confideration. Firft, the great Difficulty of Reforming vi- cious Habits, or of changing a bad courfe, to thofe who have been deeply engaged in it, and long accutlomed to it. Secondly, notwithftanding the great difficulty of the thing, what ground and hope of encou- ragement there is left that it may be done. So that notwithftanding the appearing harffinefs of the text, the refult of my difcoi^rfe will be, not to difcourage any, how bad foever, from at- tempting this change, but to put them upon it, and to perfuade them to it; and to remove out of the way that which may feem to be one of the ftrongefl: objedions againft all endeavours of men very bad, to become better. 1. Firft, the great Difficulty of Reforming vicious Habits, or of changing a bad courfe, to thofe who have been deeply engaged in it, and long accuftomed to it. And this difficulty arileth, partly from' the general nature of habits indifferently conlidered whether they be good, or bad, or indifferent ; partly, from the particular nature of evil and vicious Habits y and partly,- Vol. II.- M from i62 Of the Difficulty of from the natural and judicial confequences of a great progrefs and long continuance in an evil courfe. By the confideration of thefe three particulars, the extreme Difficulty of this change, together with the true caufes and reafons of it, will fully appear. I. If we confider the nature of all Habits, whether good, or bad, or indifferent. The cuf- tom and frequent practice of any thing begets in us a faculty and ealinefs in doing it. It bends the powers of our foul, and turns the ilream and current of our animal fpirits fuch a way, and gives all our faculties a tendency and pliablenefs to fuch a fort of adlions. And when we have long ftood bent one way, we grow fettled and confirmed in it ; and cannot without great force and violence be reftored to our for- mer flate and condition. For the perfection of any Habit, whether good or bad, induceth a kind of neceffity of a(fting accordingly. A rooted Habit becomes a governing principle, and bears almoft an equal fway in us with that which is natural. It is a kind of a new nature fuperinduced, and even as hard to be expelled, as fome things which are primitively and origi- nally natural. When we bend a thing at firft, it will endeavour to reftore itfelf ; but it may be held bent fo long 'till it will continue fo of itfelf, and grow crooked j and then it may re- quire more force and violence to reduce it to its former ftraightnefs, than we ufed to make it crooked at firft. This is the nature of all Ha- bits ; the farther we proceed, the more we arc confirmed in them : and that which at firfi: we 8 did reforming 'oicious Habits, 163 did voluntarily, by degrees becomes fo natural and neceflary, that it is almofl: impoffible for us to do otherwife. This is plainly feen in the experience of every day, in things good and bad, both in lefTer and greater matters. 2. This Difficulty arifeth more efpecially from the particular nature of evil and vicious Habits. Thefe, becaufe they are fuitable to our corrupt nature, and confpire v^ith the inclina- tions of it, are likely to be of a much quicker growth and improvement, and in ailiorter fpace, and with lefs care and endeavour, to arrive at maturity and ftrength, than the habits of grace and goodnefs. Confidering the propeniion of our depraved nature, the progrefs of virtue and goodnefs is up the hill, in which we not only move hardly and heavily, but are eafily rolled back : but by wickednefs and vice we move downwards 5 which, as it is much quicker and- eafier, fo it is harder for us to flop in that courfe, and infinitely more difficult to return from it. Not but that at firfl a finner hath fome con- fiderable checks and reflraints upon him, and meets with feveral rubs and difficulties in his way ; the fliame and unreafonablenefs of his vices, and the trouble and difquiet which they create to him : but he breaks loofe from thefe reflraints, and gets over thefe difficulties by de- grees : and the fafler and farther he advanceth in an evil courfe, the lefs trouble fall they give him, 'till at lafl they almofl quite lofe their force, and give him* little or no dillurbaace. Shame is a great reflraint upon finners at firfly but that foon falls off: and when men have M 2 once 164 Of the DifficulU of once loft their innocence, their modefty Is not like to be long troublefome to them. For im- pudence comes on with vice, and grows up with it. LefTer vices do not banifh all fliame and modefty, but great and abominable crimes har- den mens foreheads, and make them fliamelefs. Were they afiatned (faith the prophet) when they committed ahomination'^ ISlay they were not a^ fiamedy neither could they blufi. When men have the heart to do a very bad thing, they fel- dom want the face to bear it out. And as for the unreafonablenefs of vice, tho' nothing in the world be more evident to a free and impartial judgment, and the finner himfelf difcerns it clearly enough at his firfl fetting out in a wicked courfe j -Video melioraj proboque, Deteriora fqiior : He offends againft the light of his own mind, and does wickedly when he knows better : yet after he hath continued for fome time in this courfe, and is heartily engaged in it, his foolifli heart is darkened, and the notions of good and evil are obfcured and confounded, and things appear to him in a falfe and imperfedl light : his lufts do at once blind and bias his under- Handing; and his judgment by degrees goes over to his inclinations; and he cannot think that there {houid be fo much reafon againft thofe things for which he hath fo ftrong an af- fcdion. He is now engaged in a party, and fadtioully concerned to maintain it, and to make the reforming vicious Habits. 165 the befl: of it; and to that end, he bends all his wits to advance fuch principles as are fitteft to juftify his wicked practices 3 and in all debates plainly favours that fide of the qaeftion which will give the greateft countenance and encou- ragement to them. When men are corrupt and do abominable ucorks^ tJoeyjay in their hcartSy 'There is no God; that is, they would fain think fo. And every thing fcrves for an argument to a willing mind j and every little objedion appears flrong and confiderable, which makes againfl that v^hich men are loth (hould be true. Not that any man ever fatisfied himfelf in the principles of infidelity, or was able to arrive to a fteady and unfhaken perfuafion of the truth of them, fo as not vehemently to doubt and fear the contrary. However, by this means many men, though they cannot fully comfort, yet they make a flnft to cheat themfelves ; to Hill their confcicnces and lay them alleep for a time, fo as not to receive any great and frequent dif- turbance in their courfe from the checks and rebukes of their own minds. And when thefe reftraints are removed, the work of iniquity goes on amain, being favoured both by wind and tide. 3. The Difficulty of this change arifeth like- wife from the natural and judicial confequences of a great progrefs and long continuance in an evil courfe. My meaning is, that inveterate evil Habits do, partly from their own nature, and partly from the juH: judgment and permif- fion of God, put men under kvera,! diiadvan- M 3 tage? 1 66 Of tJoe Difficulty of tages of moving efFtdlually towards their owHi recovery. By a long cuflom of finning mens confciences grow brawny, 2.n<\ feared as it isjere with a hot, iron-j and by being often trampled upon, they become hard as the beaten road. So that unlefs it be upon fome extraordinary occafion, they are feldom awakened to a fenfe of their guilt. And when mens hearts are thus hard, the befl counfels make but Httle impreffion up- on them. For they are fleeled againft reproof, and impenetrable to good advice j which is therefore feldom offered to them, even by thofe that wifh them v/ell, becaufe they knov/ it to be both unacceptable, and unlikely to prevail. It requires a great deal of good-nature in a very bad man, to be able patiently to bear to be told of his faults. Beiides, that habitual wickedriefs is naturally apt to banifli confideration, to weaken our refo- lution, and to difcourage our hopes both of God's grace and affi (lance, and of his mercy and forgivenefs3 which are the bed means and encouragement to repentance. Sin is a great enemy to confideration ; and efpecially when men are fo deeply plunged into it, their condition is ^o very, bad, that they are loth to think of it, and to fearch into it. A vicious man is a very deformed fight, and to none more than to himfelf j and therefore he loves to turn his eyes another way, and to di- vert them as much as he can from looking upon himfelf. He is afraid to be alone, left his own mind fliould arrefl him, and his confcience fiiould reforming vicious Habits. 167 fliould take the opportunity to call him to an account. And if at any time his own thoughts meet him, and he cannot avoid conlideration, he is ready to fay as Ahab did to Elijah, Haft thou found me J 0 ?ny enemy ! and is as glad to (liake it ofFas a man is to get rid of a creditor, whom, becaufe he knows not how to fatisfy, he cares not to fpeak with him. Conlideration is the great troubler and difturber of men, in an evil courfe, becaufe it would reprefent to them the plain truth of their cafej and therefore they do all they can to keep it off: as thofe who have im- providently managed their affairs, and been ill hufbands of their eftates, are loth to make up their accounts, left by that means they fliould be forced to underftand the woril of their con- dition. Or, if confideration happen to take them at an advantage, and they are fo hard preiTed by it that they cannot efcape the fight of their own condition, yet they find themfelves fo miferably entangled and hampered in an evil courfe, and bound fo fall: in the chains of their ov/n wic- kednefs, that they know not how to get loofe. Sin is the faddeft llavery in the world ; it breaks and finks mens fpirits, and makes them fo bafe and fervile that they have not the courage to refcue themfelves. No fort of Haves are fo poor-fpirited, as- they who are in bondage to their lulls. Their power is gone, or if they have any left they have not the heart to make ufe of it. And though they fee and feel their mifery, yet they choofe rather to fit down in it, and tamely to fubmit to it, than to make anj M 4 refo- 1 68 Of the Difficulty df refolute attempt for their liberty. What the prophet fays of whoredom and wine, is pro- portionably true of other vices, they take away the heart. Every lull that we entertain deals with us as DaUlih did with Samfon, not only robs us of our ftrength but leaves us fail bound : fo that if at any time v^e be awakened to a fenfe of our condition, and try to refcue ourfelves from it, we find that our flrength is departed from us, and that we are not able to break loofe. And as long cuflom and continuance in fin deprives us of our flrength, fo it difcourageth our hopes, both of God's grace and affiftance, and of his mercy and forgivenefs. For why fhould men exped the continuance of that grace which they have fo often received in vain? After fo many provocations, how can we look the offended majefly of God in the face ? How can we lift up our eyes to Heaven with any hopes of mercy and forgivenefs there ? De- fpair doth almoft naturally fpring from an evil confciencej and when men are thoroughly awakened to a fenfe of fin, and of the infinite evil of it, as they cannot eafily forgive them- felves, fo they can hardly believe that there is goodnefs enough any where to fdrgive them. But befides thefe difadvantages, which are natural and confequent upon a vicious courfe; by the juu judgment of God, his fpirit is with- dravv'n from them, and they are given up to their own hearts lulls, to commit all iniquity with greedinefs. And then there is hardly any thing left, either to reftrain them in their evil cpurfe, or to recover them out of it. And reforming vicious Habits. 169 And not only fo, but by the juft permiffion of God, as men grow worfe and more wicked, the Devil hath a nearer accefs to them and more immediate power over them. So the Scripture tells us, that wicked men are led captive by Satan at his pleajure^ and that the evil one works and aSls in the children of difohedience : they are as it were poffeft and infpired by him. And what can be expeded from this cruel and malicious enemy of mankind, but that he will continu- ally be pulhing them on from one wickednefs to another, 'till he drive them iirft into defpair, and then, if God permit him, into eternal per- dition ? And what a forlorn ftate is this ? when men are thus forfaken of God, and left without check, blindly and headily to follow the fway of their own tempers, and the bent of their own corrupt hearts ? When they are continually expofed to temptations, flrongly inviting them to evil ; and God lets the Devil loofe upon them to manage thofe temptations with his utmoft fkill, and to pradife all his arts and wiles upon them ? ]n thefe circumftances men almofl: in- fallibly run into (in, as fure as men wander in the dark, and are in danger of falling in flippery places, and of being entangled when they con- tinually walk in the midft of fnares cunningly laid for them. It is not in men, thus difabled and entangled, to order their own fteps, and to reftrain their inclinations and paffions in the pre- fence of a powerful temptation. At the be(f, we need God's diredtion to guide us, his conti- nual grace to uphold us, and to guard and pre- ferve I JO Of the Difficulty of ferve us from evil ; and much more do we ftand in need of it, when we have brought ourfelves into thefe wretched circumftances : but then alas ! how little reafon have we to hope for it ? Blind and miferable men ! that in defpite of all the merciful warningsof God's v/ord and pro- vidence, will run themfelves into this defperate ilate, and never think of returning to a better mind, 'till their retreat is difficult almoft to an impoffibility. I proceed to the II. Head of my difcourfe, which was to iliew, that the cafe of thefe perfons, though it be extremely difficult, is not quite defperate \ but after ail, there is fome ground of hope and encouragement left, that they may yet be re- claimed and brought to goodnefs. Indeed, hu- manly fpeaking, and according to all appearance and probability, the thing feems to be very hopelefs, and next to an impoffibility j but yet what our Saviour fays concerning the Difficulty of a rich man's falvation will reach alfo to this cafe, though much more difficult ; ihofe things which are impojjible with men, are pojjible with God. And this will appear, if we confider that even in the worft of men there is fomething left which tends to reclaim them, to awaken them to conlideration, and to urge and encourage them to a vigorous refolution of a better courfe : and this, accompanied with a powerful affift- ance of God's grace, which when lincerely fought is never to be defpaired of, may prove effedual to bring back even the greateil of fin- ners. I. There reforming *uiciom Habits. lyi 1. There is left, even In the worfl: of men, a natural fenfe of the evil and unreafonablenefs of iinj which can hardly be ever totally extin- guifhed in human nature. For though the Habits of great vices are very apt to harden and flupify men, fo that they have feldom a juft fenfe of their evil ways, yet thefe perfons are fometimes under flrong convidions, and their confciences do feverely check and rebuke them for their faults. They are alfo, by fits, under great apprehenfion of the danger of their con- dition, and that the courfe which they are in, if they continue in it, will prove fatal to them, and ruin them at lafc : efpecially, when their confciences are thoroughly awakened by fome great afflidion, or the near approach of death, and a lively fenfe of another world. And the apprehenfion of a mighty danger will make men to look about them, and to ufe the bed means to avoid it. 2. Very bad men when they have any thoughts of becoming better, are apt to conceive fome good hopes of God's grace and mercy. For though they find all the caufes and reafons of defpair in themfelves, yet the confideration of the boundlefs goodnefs and compafiions of God (how undeferved foever on their part) is apt to kindle fome fparks of hope, even in the moft defponding mind. His wonderful pati- ence, in the midft of our manifold provocations, cannot but be a good fign to us that he hath no mind we fi:!ould periSi, but rather that w^e fliould come to repentance ; and if we do re- pent, we are afllired by his promife, that we Ihall 172 Of the Difficulty of fhall be forgiven. He that coffepth andforfak^ eth his fis JJjall have mercy. Jf we ccnfefs our fnSy he is faithful and jujl to forgive us our fins y and to ckanfe us from all unrighteoufnefs. 3. Who knows what men thoroughly roufed and ftartled may refolve, and do ? And a mighty refolution will break through difficulties which feem infuperable. Though we be weak and pitiful creatures ; yet nature when it is mightily irritated and ftirred will do ftrange things. The refolutions of men upon the brink of defpair, have been of an incredible force : and the foul of man in nothing more difcovers its divine power and original, than in that fpring which is in it, whereby it recovers itfelf when it is mightily urged and prefl. There is a fort of refolution which is in a manner invincible, and hardly any Difficulty can refift it or fland be- fore it. Of this there have been great in fiances in feveral kinds. Some by an obftinate refolution, and taking incredible pains with themfelves, have maflered great natural vices and defects. As Socrates and Demofthenes, who almoft ex- ceeded all mankind in thofe two things for which by nature they feemed to be leafl made, and moft unfit. One in governing his paflions, and the other in the mighty force and power of his eloquence. Some that by intemperance have brought themfelves to a dropfy, which hath juft fet them upon the brink of the grave, by a bold and fleady purpofe to abflain wholly fro.n drink for reforming m clous Habits. ly^ for a long time together, have refcued thetn- felves from the jav/s of death. Some that had aimoft ruined themfelves by a carelefs and diflblute Hfe, and having run them- felves out of their eftates into debt, and being call into prifon, have there taken up a manly refolution to retrieve and recover themfelves ; and by the indefatigable labour and ftudy of fome years, in that uncomfortable retreat, have mattered the knowledge and iTcill of one of the mod difficult profeffions, in which they have afterwards proved great and eminent. And fome in the full career of a wicked courfe, have by a fudden thought and refolution, raifed in them and affifted by a mighty grace of God, taken up prefently, and made an imme- diate change from great wickednefs and impi- ety of life, to a very exemplary degree of good- nefs and virtue. The two great encouragements to virtue which Pythagoras gave to his fcholars were thefe ; and they were worthy of fo great a phi- lofopher j firft, " Choofe always the beft courfe " of life, and cuflom will foon make it the *' moft pleafant." The other was this, " That *' power and neceffity are neighbours, and ne- *' ver dwell far from one another." When men are preffed by a great neceffity, when na- ture is fpurred up and urged to the utmoft, men difcover in themfelves a power which they thought they had not, and find at lail: that they can do that which at firft they defpaired of ever being able to do. 4, The 174 t)fthe Difficulty of 4. The grace and affiftance of God where fincerely foughtj Is never to be defpaired of. So that if we do but heartily, and in good earneft refolve upon a better courfe, and implore the help of God's grace to this purpofe, no degree of it that is necelTary fhall be wanting to us. And here is our chief ground of hope. For we are weak and unftable as water j and wheri we have taken up good refolutions, do eafily ftart from them. So that frefh fupplies, and a continued affiftance of God's grace is neceflary to keep up the firft warmth and vigour of our refolutions, 'till they prove effectual and vidto- rious. And this grace God hath promifed he will not deny to us, when we are thus difpofed for it ; that he ivill give his holy Spirit to them that ajk it ; that he will not quench the fmoking Jiax, nor break the brtdfed reed, until he bring forthjudgjnent unto vi^oij. All that now remains is to apply this to our- felves : and we are all concerned in it : for we fhall all find ourfelves comprehended under one of thefe three heads, either we are of the num- ber of thofe few happy perfons, v;ho by the in- fluence and advantage of a good education, were never engaged in a bad courfe : or, of thofe who have been drawn into vice, but are not yet far gone in it : or, of thofe who have been long accuftomed to an evil courfe, and are grown old and ilifif in it. The firft of thefe have great caufe to thank God for this fingular felicity, that they were never enfnared and entangled in vicious HabitSy that they have not had the trial of their own weak- reforming 'vicious Habits. ijc weaknefs under this miferable flavery, that they never knew what it was to be out of their own power, to have lofi: their liberty and the govern- ment of themfelves. When we hear of the miferable fervitude of the poor Chriftians in Turkey, we are apt, as there is great reafon, to pity them, and to think what a bleffing of God it is to us that we are not in their condition : and yet that flavery is not comparable to this, either for the fad nature, or the difmal confe- quences of it -, or for the Difficulty of beino- releafed from it. And let fuch perfons, who have been thus happy never to have been en- gaged in an evil courfe, preferve their innocency with great tendernefs and care, as the greatefl jewel in the world. No man knows what he does, and what a foundation of trouble he lays to himfelf, when he forfeits his innocency, and breaks the peace of his own mind ; v/hen he yields to a temptation, and makes the firft ftep into a bad courfe. He little thinks whither his lufts may hurry him, and v/hat a monger they may make of him before they have done v/ith him. 2. Thofe who have been feduced, but are not yet deeply engaged in an evil courfe, let them make a fpeedy retreat, left they put it for ever out of their power to return. Perhaps their feet only are yet enfnared, but their hands are at liberty, and they have fome power \thy whereby with an ordinary grace of God they may loofe and refcue themlelves. But after a while their hands may be manacled, and all their power may be gone j and when they are thus 176 Of the Difficulty of thus hound hand and foot ^ they are jufi: prepared^ and in danger every moment, to he cajl into ut" ter darknefs, 3. As for thofe, who are gone very far, and are grown old in vice, who can forbear to la- ment over them ? for they are a fad fpedtacie indeed, and the trueft objedt of pity in the world. And yet their recovery is not utterly to be defpaired oi -, for ivith God it is poffihle. The fpirit of God, which hath withdrawn him- felf, or rather hath been driven away by them, may yet be perfuaded to return, and to under- take them once more, if they would but feri~ oully refolve upon a change, and heartily beg God's affiflance to that purpofe. If we would take up a mighty refolution, we might hope that God would afford a miraculous grace to fecond it, and make it effectual to our recovery. Even in this perverfe and degenerate age in which we live, God hath not been wanting to give fome miraculous inftances of his grace and mercy to finners, and thofe perhaps equal to any of thofe we meet with in Scripture, of Manaffes, or Mary Magdalene, or the penitent thief; both for the greatnefs of the offenders, and the miracle of their change : to the end that none might defpair, ar.d for want of the encouragement of an example equal to their own cafe, be difheartened from fo noble an en- terprife. I am loth to put you in mind how bad fome have been, who yet have been f latch- ed as fre-hrands out of the fire\ and that in fo flrange a manner, that it would even amaze a man to think of the wonder of their recovery : thofe who reforming *vidous Habits'. lyy who have funk themfelves into the very depth of infidelity and wickednefs, have by a mighty hand and out-ftretched arm of God, been pluckt out of this horrible pit. And will we ftill ftand it out with God, when fuch great leaders have given up the caufe, and have furrendered and yielded up themfelves willing captives to the grace of God ? that omnipotent grace of God, which can eafily fubdue the ftouteft heart of man, by letting in fo ftrong a light upon our minds, and pouring fuch terrible convi(ftions into our confciences, that we can find no eafe but in turning to God. I hope there are none here fo bad, as to need all the encouragement to repentance which fuch examples might give them : encourage- ment, I fay, to repentance : for furely thefe ex- amples can encourage no man to venture any farther in a wicked courfe: they are fo very rare, and like the inftances of thofe who have been brought back to life after the fentence of death feemed to have been fully executed upon them. But perhaps feme will not believe that there have been fuch examples ; or if there have, they impute all this either to a diftufbed imagi- nation, or to the faint and low fpirits of mem under great bodily weaknefs, or to their natu- ral cowardife and fear j or to I know not what foolifh and fantaftical defign of completing and finifhing a wicked life with an hypocritical death. Nothing furely is eafier than to put fome bad conftrudion upon the befl things, and fo flur even repentance itfelf, and almofl Vol, II. N dafb 178 Of the DiJicuUy of dafli it out of countenance by fome bold, and perhaps witty faying about it. But oh that men were wife ! oh that men were wife 1 that they underftood, and would but coniider their latter end 1 Come, let us neither trifle, nor diflemble in this matter ; I dare fay every man's confcience is convinced, that they have led very ill lives, have fo much reafon for repentance, that we may eafily believe it to be real. How- ever, of all things in the v/orld, let us not make a mock of repentance j that which mufl be our laft fandtuary and refuge, and which we muft all come to before we die, or it had been better for us we had iiever been bom. Therefore, let my counfel be acceptable unto you^ break off your fins by repentance^ and your iniquities by righteouf- nejs : and that inflantly, and without delay ; lejl any of you be har defied through the deceitfulnefs of fin. If we have been enflaved but a little to a vicious courfe, we fliall find it a tafk difficult enough to affert our own liberty ; to break thefe bonds infunder,and cajl thefe cords from us: but if we have been long under this bondage, we have done fo much to undo ourfelves, and to make our cafe defperate, that it is God's infinite mercy to us, that there is yet hope. There- fore, give glory to the Lord your God, before he caufe darknefs, and your feet fiumble upon the dark mountains, and while you look for light, he tu?'?i it into darknefs and the fiadow of death. I will conclude with that encouraging invitation, even to the greateft of finners, to repentance, from the mouth of God himfelf, Ifa. Iv. Incline your ear^ and come unto me; bear, and your foul JJjall live : reforming 'vicious Habit si lyg live : feek the Lord while he may be founds atid call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forfake his way^ and the unrighteous man his thoughts^ a?id let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abu?idantly pardon. To him let us apply ourfelves, and humbly befeech him, who is mighty to fave, that he would ftretch forth the right hand of his power for our deliverance, from this miferable and cruel bondage of our lufts : and that as the rain Cometh down from heaven, and returneth not thi- ther, but watereth the earth, and maketh it to bring frth and bud ; fo he would gra?2t that his word may not return void^ but accomplijlo his pleafure, and projper in the thing to which hefent it, for his mercy fake in Jefus Chrift, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghofi, be all honour and glory now and for ever. Amen. Na SERMON [ iSo] SERMON X. Agur's Prayer; or the middle Condi- tion of Life, generally, the mofi; eligible. By the Rev. Dr. Foster, pRov. XXX. part of the 8th, and the whole 9th verfe. Give me neither Poverty nor Riches, feed me uith food convenient for me : left I be full and deny thee, and fay. Who is the Lord? or left I be poor and fteal, and take the name of my God in vain» THESE words (as we are informed in the firft verfe of the chapter) were fpoken by Agur to Ithiel and Ucal, who, very probably, were two of his fcholars, that came to him to be inftruded in the principles of true wifdom. He begins with modeftly declaring his own in- fufficiency for fo great an undertaking, and re- commends as the foundation of all ufeful know- ledge, an humble temper of mind, fenfible of the Agurs Prayer. i8i the natural weaknefs of human underftanding> and the imperfed:ion of its higheft improve- ments ; which he argues, verfe the 4th, from our ignorance of the works of nature. And therefore, in the two following verfes, he ad- vifes his pupils to make it their principal ftudy to uiiderliand the will of God^ which is, of all knowledge, the moft important, and of the greatefl: ufe in human life ; and in all their en- quiries of this kind, to confine themfelves to what God had revealed. Then he introduces the words of the text, in the form of an addrefs to God, in anfwer, perhaps, to fome queftion that they had propofed to him about the duty of prayer : 'T'wo things have I required of thee : deny me them not, before 1 die. Remove far from me vanity and lies ; give me ?ieither poverty nor riches^ feed me isoith food convenient for me^ [i. e, allow me only to enjoy fuch a competency, as will enable me to live with decency and ad- vantage to my fellow creatures, in that ftation in which I am placed,) lefi I be fidl and deny thee^ and fay^ Who is the Lord? or left I be poor andftealy and take the name of?ny God iji vain. In this palTage 'tis plainly intimated, that the middle ftate of life is, generally at leaft, more fafe and eligible than either want or fuperfluity. With refped: to its being better than narrow and penurious circumftances, there can be no difputej but that it fhould be preferred to great wealth and abundance will, I am per- fuaded, appear a very wild and extravagant pa- radox to the giddy and unthinking, who judge of things at firft fight, without enquiring into N 3 their 1 82 Agurs Prayer. their nature, or confidering their confequences; For is it not a deiireable thing, will fuch fay, to be not only placed above poverty, and enjoy the neceflaries and conveniencies, but the de- lights alfo of human life ? to be perfons of figure, power, and influence?- and, confe- quently, capable of ferving our friends, aod re- lieving the indigent and miferable, in a more large and extenfive degree ? — Can a condiiion, which may not only be fo agreeable, but ufeful, be mifchievous and deftrudive to mankind ? It certainly may j nay, it actually has had this fa- tal confequence in many cafes. Aod perfons who have behaved with honour, and an unbk- miflied reputation in moderate circumftances j nay, who have preferved their virtue, and ma- nifefted great prefence and ftrength of mind, under the buffettings of adverfe fortune ; have been captivated and bewitched by the charms of an affluent profperity, and the pleafures it brings along with it, and funk into an indolent and dilTolute life. Which foows us that there is not only danger, but eminent and peculiar danger in it, when it happens to Ibme particu- lar tempers j and in general, where there is not a lively influence of religion and virtue, and flrm- nefs and refolution of mind. But I proceed to conflder the words of the text more particularly, in the following method. I. 1 fhall endeavour to explain and illuftrate what it fays concerning the danger of a ftate of great riches and fuperfluity on the one hand, and of want and poverty on the other 5 from v/hence it will clearly appear, that the middle con- Agurs Prayer. i S '^ condition is in general, and, except to fome rare and peculiar tempers, the moft convenient and eligible. And II. Make fome remarks upon this dodrine to prevent miftakes that may arife from it, and direct to the right ufe and improvement of it. I. I am to explain and illuftrate what the text fays concerning the danger of a ftate of great riches and fuperfluity on the one hand, and of want and poverty on the other. I fhall take them juft in the order in which it repre- fents them to us. And I ft. For the dangler that attends a ftate of o great riches and fuperfluity, which is expreffed thus, left I be full and deny thee^ and fay^ Who is the Lord? To deny God fignifies in Scrip- ture, fometimes, to ad as if there was no righ- teous governor and judge of mankind, to whom they are accountable, as well as diredly to dif- own his being and providence. But I cannot apprehend this to be the meaning of the phrafe here, becaufe, in this large view, there is no more danger of denying God to men in high and flouriSiing circumftances, than what every other flate of life aflfords, which has in it equal temptations to vice and immorality. I fhall take it therefore in a ftridler fenfe than this, and yet not in the moft confined fenfe of ail, and enquire briefly, what peculiar danger there is, arifing from riches and plenty, of " irreligion " and prophanenefs, a difregard and contempt " of providence, and other crimes of a like na- ** ture, that are committed more diredly and *' immediately againft God himfelf." N 4 And, I ?4 Agtirs Prayer. And, in general, the fundamental danger of all lies here, that in the height of profperity, men are apt to be carelefs and inconfiderate. Chearfulnefs, and a relaxation from feverer In- dies and contemplations, is not only innocent but neceffary in the prefent mixed and imper- fe(51: ftate of human nature. But in an affluent profperity, when every thing about us is gay, tind has a fmiling afped, we are too apt to con- trad an habitual levity of mind, and negled: all prave and ferious refiedtions. A continued fuc- ceflion of pomp and pleafure fixes our attention, and diverts it from greater and more important concerns. Wife men, indeed, who have im- partially eftimated the true worth of things, look upon riches and honours only as fuper- Buities and outward decorations of life, and not as efiential to human happinefsj and value themfelves upon them no farther, than as they enable them to do greater good to their fellow creatures; but the foolifli and unthinking are made giddy by their profperity. The natural confequence of which is, that they muft be an eafy prey to all the peculiar temptations of their wealthy and exalted ftate ; and it will appear, particularly, from the following confiderations, that they are in great danger of the vices im- plied in the text. For (i.) When the mind is thus weakened and diifolved, its faculties enervated and broken, when the moderation of men's tempers is de- ftroyed, and they are become thoughtlefs and inconfiderate, which the indolence and gaiety, and various little trifling entertainments of a prpf- Agiir's Prayer. 1 85 profperous condition have a natural tendency to efFed, 'tis no wonder, if they pride them- feh'es in their riches, as their ultimate happi- nefs ; and for want of refleding on the infta- bility of all human affairs, think themfelves felf-fufficient j and lofe that juft fenfe which they ought to have of the fovereignty of their maker, and their abfolute and neceffary depen- dence upon him. 'Tis no wonder at all, if, by being complimented and flattered, their vanity be raifed fo high, as to make them regard- lefs of that fupreme being, from whom all their abundance, honour, and greatnefs flows -, nor if any conceived an extraordinary opinion of their own merit, upon the account of their fhining circumftances, they negle<5t to pay their due homage and worfhip to the Deity, and live unmindful of his benefits ; this is, in efied:, to deny not only God's government of the world, but his abfolute perfection, and confequently his being; 'tis to deny our obligations to him as the author of every thing we enjoy, and his right to our fervices. The language of fuch a condudt is, Who is the Lord that we Jhoiild obey his voice ? And that all this difingenuity and ingratitude towards the beft of beings, is a con- fequence, that, it may juftly be feared, will fpring from riches and greatnefs, when men are immoderately fond of them, and, for want of due confideration, grown prefumptuous and arrogant, experience abundantly tefl:ifies. For there are too many, to whom a time of afilicflion is a feafon of fome fort of piety, be- ^aufe, then their fufferings put them in mind of their 1 86 Agttr's Prayer. their fins, and the hope of deliverance makes them, to appearance at leaf!:, humble and fub- miffive to th«ir maker 3 but when things o-q on fmoothly, and anfwer to tiie heighth of their wifhes, they feem to think they have no farther need of him, and are fufficient for their own happinefs, without his interpofition. The di- flinguifhing goodnefs of God, in their conti- nued plenty and abundance, is unheeded, be- caufe it is conflant and uninterrupted. What a perverfe creature is man ! he wifhes not to be miferable, and yet forgets the author of his happinefs, becaufe he has not allotted him fome mixtures of evil and mifery with it ! — Or rather fince this is not human nature, which abhors ingratitude, but a vile and melancholly depra- vation of it : what will not a man do when profperity has made him wanton and infolent ! But further, (2.) 'Tis mofl evident that affluent circum- ftances are attended with great temptations to luxury, and the immoderate purfuits of plea- fure. Plenty too naturally begets excefs. It has the means of it in its power, cuftom to countenance it, and generally minifters of vice enough at hand to prompt and excite to it. And luxury enfeebles the mind, deflroys every thing that is great and generous, and indifpofes for all rational exercifes and improvements, It naturally heightens and inflames the fenfual paffions, and leads to the purfuit of irregular pleafures. For what can that man have to re- train him from any enjoyment that his inclina- tions prompt him to, who has wealth, power, and Agurs Prayer. i2y and influence to comniand them, and the op- portunity, perhaps, of gratifying his corrupt ap- petites in a private manner, fo as to avoid, in a great meafure, that (liame and infamy which juftly attends it ; what, I fay, can reafonably be luppofed to reftrain fuch a one from indulging his corrupt defires, if he has no regard to rea- fon, confcience, and the authority of his maker? A {enk of God, indeed, as the infpedor and dreadful avenger of his wickednefs, will create great uneafjnels and confufion in his mind, and abate his relifh of unlawful enjoyments. But can we think, that when he is immerfed in itn- fual pleafures, and given up to vitious purfuits, he will fuffcT his imagination to be continually haunted, and feared by fuch ungrateful truths, if it be in his power to prevent it ? will he not endeavour to root out of his mind thofe difa- greeable ideas, which are a conuant vexation and torment to him ? So that by his vices, he is neceflarily prejudiced in favour of atheifm, and from wifliing that there was no God, may Gome, by degrees, to im.agine that there is none? or, at leafl:, which will ferve the turn of his vitious inclinations and pleafures full as well, that he does not exercife a particular providence over the moral w^orld, nor take an account of their condud:. And as the | omp and fplen- dour of his greatnefs continually dazzles his underflanding, as the levity of ins mind, and the gay amufements his riches fumiih him with, fcarcc allow him any opportunity for clofe and fcrious thinking, and his high fpirits bear him up againfl fudden and occalional refledions, he has. 1 88 Agurs Prayer. has, upon thefe accounts, a better chance thai another man of being confirmed in his atheifti- cal fentiments ; and of hindering fober reafon-^ ings about the being and providence of God, and a judgment to come, from faftening upon him ; which, if they were not fome way or other diverted, muft make the ftouteft heart tremble in the midft of all its carnal delights. I fay indeed a better chance, becaufe to a man of fuch a depraved difpofition, it appears under that charader ; but the real truth is, that his affluence and luxury only tend to blind and pervert his judgment the more, and, confe- quently,to harden him in atheifm and irreligion. in the — (3d place.) If at any time it happens to be the fafliion to be atheiftical, and feem to have no fenfe of religion, the rich and great are, of all others, mod likely to fall in with it. For it is, generally, their prevailing view to recom- mend themfelves to the approbation of the po- lite world} and therefore we fee daily, that, in compliance with the reigning tafte, they run into drefTes and cuftoms that are neither orna- mental nor ufeful, nor perhaps fo decent, as one might exped: from perfons of a higher educa- tion. And, upon the fame principle, if it fhould happen in the prefent age, as it probably did in Agur's time, that a difregard and contempt of the fupreme being, and bantring and ridiculing things facred, are reckoned genteel accomplifh- ments ; if religion fhould be looked upon as calculated only for the populace 5 and it fhould be thought the charader of an ill bred man, and ^Agtirs Prayer, i B9 and one that did not know the world, to be fe- rious in public offices of devotion, or give the leafl: fufpicion of fecret piety ; if this, I fay, fliould be the cafe,, there is great danger that the perfons above mentioned would fall in with the modifh extravagance. They would, proba- bly, think it unbecoming their rank and ftation in life to be out of the fafliion, even in a thing that is fo contrary to juftice, honour, gratitude, and the true intereft of mankind. And their temptations to it might be the ftronger, as their pride makes them contemn the ill opinion of the vulgar, and their circumftances place them above a ftate of dependence. If it be faid, that a difregard of the Deity, and difcarding both natural and revealed reli- gion, prevail very much in middle life, as well as amongfl: perfons of a more elevated condition, I anfwer, that this will be found to be no pre- judice to the prefent argument j becaufe fuch, generally fpeaking, copy after the example of their fuperiors, and are prophane, from a fervile imitation of them, in order to be fafhionable. And jufl: in proportion as luxury, which is, ori- ginally, a vice of the great and wealthy, and cannot be pradlifed with decency by perfons of inferior condition, who have not the fame opportunities for it, and are not able to fupport it, without lofing their credit, and confuming their fubftance j juft, I fay, in proportion as luxury and the purfuit of pleafure has abounded, irreligion, likewife, has gained ground, and fpread itfelf. Thus have I (hown the tempta- tions, arifing from fuperfluous wealth and great- nefs. IQO Agurs Prayer. nefs, to deny God in the ftrI6l fenfe of the word, and adt with difrefped; and ingratitude towards his providence. Suffer me now briefly to mention a few other vices of the mod malignant and fatal confe- quence to mankind, to which it has peculiar temptations. And the Firfl is pride and vanity. When men are elated by iheir diflinguillied circumftances, they eafily fancy themfelves to be very fignificant perfons, and pofTeffed of extraordinary merit. And this vain opinion, which is continually fed by their mercenary dependents and flatterers (among whom it is fcarce poflible for any man to preferve a jufl opinion of himfelf, and of hu- man nature) difcovers itfelf in every part of their conduct, and in all their appearances. Not but that it may be very innocent and rational for perfons of figure and fubflance to allow themfelves fuch diveriions, and make fuch an appearance in public, as would be very impro- per and criminal in thofe who enjoy but mode- rate fortunes -, nor would I be fuppofed to con- demn that external fliew and magnificence, which is a badge of civil honour, and neceflTary to diftinguifli the feveral ranks of men one from another, or maintain the refpecft due to their different charaders. But for any to pride themfelves, and fancy that there is a proper me- rit in drefs and equipage, or in the prodigality and glittering pomp of greatnefs, is a vice that argues a very low and degenerate turn of mind; and whenever fuch a temper prevails, it will take men off from improving in thofe moral 4 difpo- j^gurs Trayer. 191 dlfpofitlons and habits, which alone conftitute true gfeatnefs, and are the only real excellency of a reafonable being. Farther, riches minifter to ambition, which is one of the moft irregular paffions of human nature, and attended with the moft mifchiev- ous effcfts. And in proportion to our vanity, and the high views we entertain for ourfelves, they have a tendency to beget in us an unbe- coming and infolent contempt of others. For men are apt to think, that there is fo much re- fpe6t due to their fuperior circumftances, as if they were of a difierent nature from their fel- low creatures, and originally formed in a higher order of being j and thus they facrifice all the rights of mankind, refulting from their natural equality, to an accidental advantage, which has no merit at all in it otherwife than as its enjoyed with condefcenlion and benevolence, and a fub- ferviency to the general good. Finally, men are too ealily tempted, by their riches and power, to be impious and tyrannical, and to abufe thofe great talents, which God hath put into their hands for the good of others, to oppreffion and injuftice ; by which means they moft wickedly pervert the wife fcheme of providence, and are m.ore extenfively mifchie- vous and hurtful, in proportion to their greater capacity for doing good. I now proceed 2. To condder what the text fays concern- ing the danger of a ftate of want and poverty ; or left I be poor and fteal, and take the 7iame of my God in ^ain. The vices, to which ftrait and penurious circumftances of life are here repre- fented 192 \Agurs Prayer, fented as having peculiar temptations, are theft, and taking the name of God in 'vain, by which is mod probably meant perjury. And 'tis very evident, that the temptation to thefe crimes is, in the nature of the thing, much ftronger, v^'hen perfons are embarrafled with difficulties, and opprefled by poverty, than it can be when they enjoy a fuperfiuity of riches, or even a moderate fortune, which is fufficient to procure for them all neceffaries, and proper conveniences, and places them above care and anxiety. And as it appears likewife, in fa(5t, that the guilty this way are mod frequently neceffitous people, who have either no employment to follow, or elfe had rather violate the moft facred obligations of confcience, than be forced to maintain them- felves by honeft labour ; I fhall fay no more to this point dired:ly, but enquire into the caufes why the poor fo ealily give way to temptations of this kind. And, (i.) *Tis undoubtedly owing, in a great mea- fure, to the v/ant of a good education. The advantage of this is unfpeakable ; and nothing has a larger fhare in forming the difference there is between one man and another, though originally of the fame fpecies of beings. 'Tis this that diftinguifhes the politsr parts of the world from the moft ignorant and barbarous nations. For all mankind have the faculty of reafon implanted in them by the great creator; but if it be not improved, it will never fliew itfelf to advantage. By good culture it may be raifed to a ftate of great maturity and perfection; but if it be negled:ed, it will be over-run with igno- Agiirs "Prayer. 19 ^ Ignorance and prejudice. Again, all men have a natural power to difcern the difference be- tween good and evil, and the folid grounds and foundations of morality j but, notwithftanding this, if they are not taught and inftruded, their notions will be very imperfect, rude, and con- fufed. Now there is this defeft, generally, in the education of the poorer fort of people. They are trained up in a brutal ftupidity. — No care is taken to infliil into their minds proper notions of God, and of his providence, of a judgment to come, and the difference bcLween virtue and vice. And as they grow up thus wild, and without any good principles at leaft, if they are not corrupted by bad examples, and have not imbibed a contempt of all religion, 'tis no wonder that they are diffolute and extrava- gant in their practice. All which {hews us the great ufe, I might almoft fay, abfolute neceffity of a fober and virtuous education, and of infuf- ing fentiments of wifdom and piety into chil- dren in their early years, and at the firft dawn of reafon. For their minds are then tender and flexible, free from prejudice and unruly pailion, and equally fufceptible of good, as bad impref- fions : and 'tis generally obferved, that perfons retain fomewhat of the tindure that was given them in their education, all their lives after. Another reafon why poverty fubjedts men to the temptations intimated in the text is, that the poor are not trained up regularly to any em- ployment, by which they may get an honefl: livelihood; and for want of being inured to labour and induftry, they contrad a habit of idlenefs. Vol. IL O than 194- Agurs Prayer. than which nothing can be more detrimental to fociety ; for it is, indeed, the parent of all vices. To this, particularly, it may be afcribed, that fo many fublift by rapin and violence, and by abufing and plundering their fellow crea- tures. Again, perfons in.fuch low mean circum- flances, are often deflitute of a fenfe of fhame, and regard to reputation, and confequently, have loll one of the fureft guards of their virtue and integrity, and are eafily led into the moft abo- minable and injurious vices. And this is not only owing to their haying never received any notions of decency in their education, but to the wrong cuflom of the world. Poverty it- felf is looked upon as an objedt of contempt ; and for a poor man to pretend to have any re- putation to lofe, is too often matter of jeft and ridicule. But this is certainly very impolitic, as well as unjuit ; becaufe 'tis for the intereft of fociety to encourage a fenfe of honour in every one that has a reafonable nature, whatever his outward circumftances may be. For it mufi: be conlideied, that a regard to reputation, and a fenfe of lliame frequently prevail, where the awful notions of a Deity, and a providence, and a future Itate, have little, or no influence at all. And therefore, if thefe are deftroyed, as they generally are in the wretched poor, by one or other, or both the methods above mentioned, and they think they cannot render themfelves more defpicable by their wicked nefs, than they are already on account of their poverty j 'tis na- tural to fuppofe, that they may commit fuch crimes. Agurs Tracer, ig^ crimes, as they would otherwife be fhockcd at the thought of. And in this infenfibihty and indifference about the good or ill opinion of the world, in this la- zinefs and averfion to labour, in this brutidi ftupidity, and thofe corrupt and vitious fenti- ments, which they acquired from their educa- tion, they are confirmed by their wicked afTo- ciates, perfons, for the mod part, of the fame abandoned principles with themfelves : fo that there is fcarce a polTibility of being reclaimed, but, on the other hand, 'tis highly probable they will be more and more encouraged and hardened in their vices. Let me juft mention another vice, that comes under the charader of taking God's name in vain^ which the poor are notorioully guilty of 3 and that is the pradice of common fwearing. To this, I know of no peculiar temptation arifing from their poverty. And it appears, in fa6l, that there is none ; becaufe it is very near, if not al- together, as common among perfons of high rank and circumftances, to the very great fcan- dal of religion, and their own diflionour. For 'tis a (hamefui thing that they fhould indulge to fo vulgar a vice ; a vice, to which there is not the lealt temptation ; and which is a fenfe- lefs, infignificant expletive in difcourfe, that adds neither flrength, nor beauty, to it. And if they will not refrain out of refpedt to the great God, who is infinitely their fuperior and better, or from a dread of his vengeance ; they ought at lead, out of good manners, to be adiamed to continue any longer fuch an infa- O 2 mous tgS ' Agtirs Prayer, mous pradice, to the offence of the fobereft and wifeft of their fellow-creatures, and in defiance of the laws of their country. I proceed now to the Second thing propofed, njiz. to fuggefl a few ufeful reflexions on what has been advanced in the foregoing difcourfe, in order to prevent iBiiftakes that may arife from it, and dired to the right ufe and improvement of it. And, The firfl: obfervation I would make is, that notwithilanding what has been faid, both riches and poverty are capable of being improved to the moft ufeful purpofes. For in affluent cir- cumftances, let a man but govern his appetites, and enjoy his fortune with difcretion, and he has the utmoft advantages for cultivating his mind j — a freedom from the cares of life, and confequently an eafinefs and chearfulnefs of temper, than which nothing is more ferviceable to us in the purfuit of knowledge ; leifure for ftudy; opportunities for confulting the beft books, and converling with the moft learned men in all profeffions, &c. And, befides, which is much more defirable, he has it in his power to exercife diffufive and godlike benevo- lence ; to be the patron of virtue, to encou- rage it by his example, and fupport it by his authority and influence, and to be the kind in- ftrument of providence in relieving and com- forting his fellow-creatures ; and for behaving well in fo critical a flation, and doing fo much good to human fociety, will be entitled to a greater reward. And even a ftate of poverty, if it be born with becoming patience and fubmif* fion \Agiirs Prayer. igy Hon to the will of God, may be of great ufe, as it inures us to laborious and felf-denyinfT virtue, to ftrength and firmneis of refolution ; and confequently prepares for various feivices of great importance to mankind, which cannot be exped:ed from any, whofe minds are relaxed and enfeebled by a long courfe of indolence and luxury, who are unexperienced in difficul- ties, and therefore frighted at the profped of them. 2. As poverty is attended with fuch difad- vantages with refpedt to the pradice of virtue, we lliould be excited by this confideration to commiferate the cafe of the poor, and relieve them according to our abilities, that we may remove, at leall in fome degree, the tempta- tions they are under to vice and immorality. But 3. The chief ufe of all, is to moderate our paffion for riches and greatnefs. Such a fla- tion is much more dangerous when perfons are raifed to it from a low condition, or moderate fortune, than to thofe who having been bred up in it. The fuddennefs of the change in one cafe, {hocks men's tempers, and overfets their reafon ; whereas, in the other, they having been always accuftomed to it, the impreffions it makes are not fo ftrong and fenfible. Beiides, the defire of fuperfiuity is not a natural detire 3 — all cannot have it indulged, and therefore ought not to be fet upon it. They fhould rather con- fider what it is proper for perfons in their cir- cumftances to expert, and be contented with that J and not afpire irripatiently and eagerly O 3 after 1 9^ Agiirs Prayer. after every thing, that the irregular cravings of an infatiable appetite may prompt them to. And from what has been faid fo largely in this dif- courfe, concerning the danger that attends worldly profperity, vje may fee abundant rea- fon not to envy thofe who are poffciTed of it. For what is it we envy ? v\^hy perhaps ig- norance, vice, and mifeiy, under a glittering and pompous appearance. — — The envied circum- ilances, which are fo highly the obje(5l of our admiration and delire, may have corrupted the virtue of thofe whom we think happy in the enjoyment of them, and, in confequence, have deftroyed their peace; io that they may lan- guifh amidll: all their plenty, and be diftraded with innumerable cares ; or elfe may be gay and thoughtlefs, or given up to riot and luxury. The generality of mankind are fuch wild and inconfiderate creatures, and examine fo little into the nature of things, that a fine outfide ea- fily deceives them j fo that they love, and ad- mire, and confequendy envy, they know not what. Whereas, if they would weigh matters impartially, their reafon mufi: inform them^ that to feme tempers, the eafe, lazinefs, and affluence of profperity, will adminifter number- Jefs temptations to vice and extravagance; and that, on the contrary, afflidions may be of great ufe when perfons cannot be brought to confi- deration, or kept in tolerable order, any other way. And in fuch cafes they would be led to think very differently from what they ufually do, /, e. to look upon the feeming evil as a real good, and on profperity as a real evil, notwith- landing j^gurs Prayer, ipp ftanding its flattering and deceitful appearances. Befides did they con:ipare their own intire cafe with that of the perfons whom they are fo apt to envy, they would often find the advantage to be on their own fide. For the outward gaiety and fplendor of profperity, if it has corrupted the hearts and manners of its pofiiefibrs, is a great misfortune in comparifon of moderate, nay even of afilided ciicumftances of life, joined with a grave and confiderate mind, regular paf- fions, and a virtuous conduct. Add to this, that profperity, to thofe efpecially who envy it in others, is likely to be attended with the moft mifchievous and deftrudiivc confequences. For what is the true objedt of their envy ? Is it the capacity thofe perfons enjoy of doing more good to their fellow-creatures ? No ! but the abun- dance, honour, pomp, and luxury of fuch a fta- tion. And if they are enamoured of thefe things, there is no ground to hope that they will guard againfi: any fadiionable excefles, or abridge them- felves even of the moft unmanly entertainments of a vain and luxurious age. O4 SERMON [ 200 ] SERMON XL The Inipoffibility of ferving God and Mammon. By Bifhop HoADLY, Luke xvi. 13. ISJofervant can ferve two majlers : for either he ivill hate the one, and love the other ; or elje he will hold to the one, and defpife the other. Te cannot Jerve God and Maimnon, N thefe words our blefTed Lord fuppofes, and reprefents, all men who have it their power to come to the knowledge of the fu- preme God, as tied and bound to him, in the relation of fervants. This being the fuppofi- tion ; in order to convince his followers of the great unreafonablenefs of pretending to be the fervants of God, and yet to be the fervants, to- gether with him, of an oppofite mafter, flaves to the riches, or grandeur, of this world -, our Lord ufeth an iiluflration taken from common life. No fervant amongft men can poiTibly ferve two maf- ters, ^he ImpoJJihility of, ^c. 20 1 ters, that is, two mafters, with different and oppo- lite wills ; of contrary tempers, and contrary re- folutions. For it will be either thus,that thefervant will have a much greater inward afFedtion, and kindnefs, for one of them than for the other: or, fuppofing that he can inwardly love them both equally; yet the nature of their commands, and feparate interefts, is fuch, that he mufl of- ten, whilft he is obeying the one, or holding to the one^ as the text exprelTeth it, defpife^ that is, negledl the commands of the other. The firft affirmation is, that he cannot be fuppofed to love them both equally, fo as to be attached to their interefls equally in his'inward afFedion, and in- clination : the fecond affirmation is, that, fup- poling him to love them both equally, yet, in the execution of their contrary commands, he mud unavoidably negledl, or defpife, the one, whilft he holds to, or obeys, the other. From this inftance of a fervant amongd men, pretend- ing in vain to ferve two mafters, oppofite in their interefts, and their v/ills, our Lord argues, and aflures his followers, that it is fo, with refpedt to God, and Riches, here reprefented as a per- fon, or falfe god, fet up as a mafter, in oppofi- tion to the true God. Ye cannot ferve the true God, and Mammon 3 that is, Riches, or the ima- ginary God of wealth. If you would now fee the force of our Lord's argument, extended, as it ought to be, to other points as well as riches ; it may be compre- hended in thefe three propofttions. " You are all obliged by the ftrongeft ties, and the moft unanfwerabie reafons, to be faithful and iincere 202 7he Impojjihility of fmcere fervants of the true God, to whom you owe yourfelves, and all you have, and all you can hope for." Now, as it is impoffible, amongft men, for a fervant to ferve two oppolite mafters, either afFed:ionately, orTaithfully; fo, it is im- poffible for you to be the fervants of the ficti- tious God of this world, and to ferve the true God faithfully, at the fame time. " There- fore, you are obliged, if you would ferve God, as you ought, to renounce to the fervice of everv other mafter, oppofite to him, in intereft, and in will." From the text thus explained, I (hall take occaiion to difcourfe of feveral particulars, not foreign to the plain defign of the words ; nor ufelels to Chriftians of thefc later ages. I. I lliall obferve that many perfons, who have naturally good difpofitions, and frequently holy and warm refolutions, pleafe themfelves with dividing their fervices between God, and fomething oppolite to him ; and entertain a foolifli opinion that this condud is a fecure way to his favour. II. I {hall obferve to you how unreafonable, and how ufelefs, this divifion of their fervice is; and how ill-grounded and vain, all their hopes are, which are founded upon fuch a fervice. III. I (hall endeavour to dilTuacle you from all fuch fervice to any thing in this world, as will make it impoffible for you to perform the fervice that is indifpenfably due to God. And, IV. I fliall conclude with a proper applica- tion, concerning the reafonablenefs, the honour, the advantage, and true glory, of that fervice which we owe to almighty God. L I fervhig God and Mammon. 205 I. I Hiall obferve, that many perfons, who have good diipofitions, and frequently holy and warm refolutions, often pleafe themfelves with dividine their fervices between God, ana fome- thing oppoiite to him ; and entertain a foolifli opinion that, by thus halving their behaviour, they are in a fecure way, and truly his fervants. For it being fo, that religion hath been taught them, and the plain acn'iirines of it inculcated upon them from their childhood ; and that, notwithftanding all the allurements, or terrors, of the world, virtue hath flill its peculiar at- tradtions, and advantages ; and that the profped:, or even fufpicion of God's anger and future pu- nifhment is verv terrible, and to fome minds intolerable : thefe things, I fay, being fo ; many -^ perfons find it impoiTible to j .'Ot out of their minds all regard to religion. They experience a relucSance in their confciences, when they at- tempt it ; and this reluctance gives them fo much uneafinefs, as rather determines them to fet about fome part of the work of religion, than to negledt the whole. • They cannot bear the thoughts of being totally caft off by al- mighty God ; and of forfeiting all poffible title to Heaven and happinefs j and of incurring certainly his wrath and difpleafure. Thefe things they cannot think of with any eafe j nor can they bring their confciences to fit down quiet under the apprehenfion of them. But then, on the other hand, perhaps their natural inclination leads them llrongly to fome particular vice, or other: perhaps cuflom has improved this inclination, before they were I enough 204 T^he ImpoJfibiUty of enough aware of it : perhaps, it brings them in a great deal of prefent profit, and advantage ; or it procures them a great deal of pleafure ; or honour, and pomp, may attend upon it, Thefe things are fo entertaining, and bewitching, to fome particular minds, and tempers, that men are not able to bear the thought of parting, ef- fedtually and entirely, with what procures them fo much prefent fatisfadion. When their minds are employed upon the excellency and beauty of religion, and the good confequences of ferving God truly ; and are a little at leifure from the clofe attacks of any thing of this world j then per- haps, they may come to a refolution of forfaking all for God, and a good confcience ; and be vain enough to think that nothing iTiall move them from fuch refolutions. But when the feafon of trial comes again ; and the temptation pre- fents itfelf to them, in all its force: they begin to think more favourably of the matter j and to imagine it no mortal crime, to be influenced by it ; and to give proofs, by their weaknefs, that they are men. This being their cafe, between the motions of confcience, and God's commands, on one hand, and the temptations of profit, or pleafure, or honour, on the other ; they at laft are feen to come, with calmnefs and a fort of ferenity of mind, to divide themfelves between this world and the other 3 between the true God, and the idol god of this ftatej and to procure them- felves a fort of eafe, by performing part of that fervice which they owe to almighty God, (and this, to be fure, will be the part that they them- felves Jerquing God and Mmnmon. 20 c felves happen to like beft) vvhi-lfl: at the fame time they never lofe the view of what they pro- pofe to themfelves in this vain world. All in- deed do not give up themfelves to the fame mafters. Some yon may fee parfaing pleafure to an immoderate degree j others, ambitious beyond all bounds j others, bufying themfelves in amafling heaps of ufelefs wealth : and very many of thefe, in their intervals, appearing be- fore God, in publick worfhip j calling them- felves his fervants, and perhaps really thinking that they are fo. But II. I come now to obferve to you how un- reafonable, and how ufelefs, this divifion of their fervice is : and how ill-grounded, and vain, all their hopes are, which are founded upon fuch a fervice. And this will appear mofi: evidently by con- jQdering, what the true fervice of God is; and how much of our hearts and time it muft un- avoidably require. The great miftake of men feems to lye in their not knowing, or not at- tending to, the true notion of God's fervice. Were it i^ indeed, that to ferve God were no- thing but to fay our prayers, to call him mafter, to attend upon his ordinances, to bow before him, to lift up our hands and eyes, to confefs our fins, to beg his bleffing, and to give him thanks : were this, or the like, all that is im- plied in ferving God, then it is very certain that we might divide ourfelves, and give the world our ftrength, and our heart, and our practice, whilft we ferve God (as fome call it) with our lips, and our bodies. We might then certainly go. 2o6 . ^he Impoffibility of go, from our intemperance and our luxury, to our prayers and praifes -, we might come frelh from cheating our neighbours, and fall low- before the footftool of our mafter; we might come from our hoards of ill-gotten poffefiions, and be as loud, as the beft of our neighbours, in calling God our father, in profeffing our faith in him, and laying ourfelves before the throne of his mercy. But this notion mufl: be rooted out of men's minds. This is what God complained of, un- der the Jewidi difpenfation. ^fhis people draweth nigh to me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. You fee, the worft amongft that wicked and corrupted generation of men, in which our Saviour appeared, put on the greateft lliew of zeal for God and his fervice. Who fuch zealots as they, to pay tithes j to fafl ; to pray ; and to do many other things which be- longed to their religion ? But what was this ? or to what purpofe ? Their practice, their hearts (which are difcovered by pradtice) ivere all another way. Mammon was their true mafter > becaufe they were his true fervants. The fer- vice they did to fin was vifible. The world about them felt the efreds of it : whilfl: they called that form of religion, the fervice of God, which he alTured them he abhorred and de- tefted, when it was feparated from that prad;i- cal fervice which he indifpenfably required. For what is it, in which the fervice of any mafter upon earth coniifts ? Is it in the calling him, our mafter j or ourfelves, his fervants ? Is it in a formal attendance upon him, to receive his •ferving God and Mam//w?2. 207 his commands, or merely to know his pleafure? Is it a bare confefTing of ourfelves guilty of tranfgreffing his will, and in a daily returning to afk his pardon ? Will any mafter upon earth acknowledge this to be fervice ? or, will any mafter value, or regard a man who behaves himfelf thus, as his fervant ? Offer it now to any man, and fee if he will accept of fuch mock- fervice, as this. \i I be a ?jiafter, faith God, by his prophet, where is my jervice I* /. e. If I be your mafter, as you pretend to call me, pay me the fervice due to a mafter : behave yourfelves as that relation, v/hich you pretend to be be- tween us, enjoins and demands. It is the part of a fervant to regard the inte- refl: of his mafter, as his own intereft; to con- fult the honour of his mafter, as his own ho- nour ; and principally, which is the only thing to judge by, to look upon his mafter's will, as far as a mafter's authority reacheth, as the guide and rule of his acflions. Now, if we ap- ply this to almighty God, and that relation we ftand in to him, as fervants ; we ftiall prefently fee how far the fervice we owe him reacheth; how much of our time, and how much of our hearts, it muft of neceffity take up. The inte- reft of our great mafter muft be efteemed by us, as our ov^n iutereft. Now, the intereft of our mafter can be nothing, but theencreafe of all that he approves of; and the addition of as many perfons as po:Tible, to his true fervice. Our great mafter's honour is what we are oblip-ed, as fervants, to confult and regard. And this hes likewife, in the likenefs of all underftanding natures 20 8 ^he Impojfihility of natures to his moral perfedions \ and in the advancing, as much as poffible, the flate of true virtue in the world. And, what comprehends all, our great mafter's will muft be made the rule of all our actions: for they are but indif- ferent fervants indeed, who do not pay a con- ftant and ftridl regard to the will of their maf- ters. Now, the will of God is every command that he hath made known to us, whether bv the law of nature, which is his voice j or by the law of revelation, which is an open confir- mation of that hrft law. From hence, therefore, it appears that, under the fervice of God, is comprehended the whole fyflem of moral virtues, as well as all the ex- ternal acts of devotion and worfliip. A part of that fervice, v^^hich we owe to him, is indeed, external adoration ; the prayers, and praifes, of our lips ; and all the expreffions and depen- dence upon him^ and univerfal love to others, which become fuch creatures as we are. But this is but one part of his fervice ; however it may have come to be called, in general, by that name. Nay, if it do not proceed from the heart and foul 3 if the mind and thoughts do not fincerely accompany it, and diredt it all, with due affections and fentiments, to him ; it is indeed no part of his fervice ; but only fo many words pronounced without meaning ; and fo many founds, muttered over for form's fake, without any effe6t either upon him, or ourfelves. Nay, and fuppofing the heart and foul to go along with us in thefe outward exer- cifes of our religion 3 fuppoling us to be fincere in fervtng God and Mammon. 209 in this part of God's fervice j and to confefs> and pray, and praife, and intercede, with all the prefent affedion that becomes the attendance of fuch fervants upon fuch a mafter : yet, when this is done, this is but a part of his fer- vice. There remains behind a large field of virtue. Temperance, and a command of ourfelves, and all our appetites ; charity, or an unbounded love to all the intelligent creation 5 juftice, or a ftridt regard to the dues and rights of all mankind about us ; forgivenefs of the greateft, and mofi: provoking injuries, that can be offered us ; pa- tience, under all the evils of pain, ficknefs, lofs, difappointment, that come upon us by the providence of our mafter; and contentment in every flation, to which he is pleafed to confine us ; in a word, fuch a behaviour and condud:, in that poft in which our great mafter placeth us, as becomes us, as fervants, and as is required by the nature of it, whatever it be. All may be comprehended in the two great command- ments, of loving the Lord our God with all our heart, ajid all our mind, and all our foul, and all ourjlrength, and of loving our neighbours as our- felves : or may be fummed up in St. Paul's comprehenfive expreffion of living foberly with refped: to ourfelves j righfeoujly, with refped to our neighbour i and godlily, with refpedt to almighty God, in this world. This being then the taik of God's fervants j this being the work which every one hath to do, that hath given up his name to him ; tell Cie now, Is there any room for other mafterSy Vol. IL P oppofite 2 10 T^he ImpoJJibility cf oppoiite or contrary to him ? Can any man love God v;ith all his heart, and yet love any enemy to God with the leaft degree of his affedtion ; or the kail part of his heart ? Can any man^ who hath fuch a tafk marked out for him ; fo many virtues to excel in ; fo many good habits to implant in himfelf ; fo many good adlions to fill upevery moment of his time; fo flri(5t a regard to pay to the honour of his great mafter, and the commands of fuch a Lord : can any man, I fay, In thefe circumftances, find any opportunity, or the lead interval of time, for the fervice of other contrary mailers ; fuch, I mean, as diredt him. to any inftances of that fin, which is as op- pofite to the will of God, as darknefs is to light? It is evident indeed, from the nature of the thing itfelf, that, in whatioever point we decline from his fervice, we ceafe to ferve him -, and that, as foon as we are drawn to fin, we are no longer the fcrvants of God, but of his enemy. For k7iow ye not, faith the apoftle, that to ivhom ye yield your Jelves fervants to obey, hisferva7itsye are J to "whcm ye obey. And confequently, If you obey the commands of God, you are the fcr- vants of God : but if you obey thofe of fin, you are the fervants of fin ; and have departed from the fervice of God. And the fervice of God being the pradlice of all righteoufnefs, in every inilance equally ; it is impoifible that you fhould at the lame time be the fervants of God, and yet tranigrefs any of the rules of that righte- oufnefs. How vain therefore, and groundlefs, are the hopes of thofe, who pretend to divide them- 2 - felves. fervlng Gcd and Mammctt, 2 r i felves, and their fervices, between God, and this world ', between duty to this fupreme mader, and any Tort of vice; they themfelves may fee, by confidering ferioufly what the fervice of God is : not a prayer, or a tear, or an ad; of de- votion 3 but a continued tenor of good v/orks ; a progrefs and improvement in all virtue. This is a fervice, which admits of no remillion of ' care and diligence ; and which can brook no rival. And therefore, the man, whenever this is negleded, or broken into, immediately ccaf- eth to be the fervant of that God, who cannot be truly ferved, unlefs he be fcrved with the whole heart. The reafonablenefs of what hath been faid under this head is fo manifeft, that it will make way for what I next propofed^ which was III. To difiuade you from any fuch fervice to Mammon, /. e. Riches, or any other thing, or perfon, in the univerfe, as will make it im- poffible for you to perform that fervice which is indifpenfably due to God. For, it having appeared plainly, that it is impoffible to ferve, or obey, any two contrary and oppofite mafters ; and confequently, impoffible for the fame man, to be the lervant of Mammon and of God j the only queflion is, Which of the two opoofite mafters, who contend for his fervice, he fiiali chufefor his lord anddire{51or r Whether the true God, or the falfe gods of this world, pleafure, profit, or honour, that fet themfelves up againft his right, and in oppofition to his will ? For one or other of thefe he mufl: chufe. P 2 Now, 312 The ImpoJfibUtty of Now, there is this, at firft thought, to be faid of the fervice of God, that the greateft part of thofe who are truly the fervants of Mammon„ or fome other evil principle, know not how to throw off all regard to their rightful mailer ; -but even, whilft they are ferving his enemy truly, would gladly, ever now and then, return to the fervice of God, in fome inftances or other. By this they themfelves give a remark- able teftimony that almighty God hath a lafting, true, and certain, title to their fervice j whilfl they cannot beeafyin their minds, without paying him fome fort of fervice. On the other hand, all that the greateft votaries of this world can fay for that fmcere fervice they pay to their other mafters, is, that inclination Itrongly leads them to it 5 that they hope it is not fo bad as it feems to be ; and that they defign fliil, one time or other, to have due regard to the fervice of God, their true, and rightful mafter. But how long will fuch pretences fatisfy reafonable creatures? Only long enough, to ferve to make them mi- ferable, when they come to fee, too late, the unhappinefs of that fervice, in which they have engaged themfelves. For this is the cafe. Almighty God hath fuch a right to your fervices, that is, to your obedi- ence to all his laws, that, in the midft of your ferving other mafters, you are forced often to recur to his fervice, and to pretend to pay him fome fort of obedience. Now, you have itzxi that this interrupted obedience, this half-duty^ which is only fo much as your other lords, your lufts and paffions, your covetoufnefs or lux- ury, ferving God and Mammon. 2 1 3 ury, will permit you to pay him, is not truly his fervice; and that you cannot pretend, by fuch a limited and broken obedience, to prove yourfelves his fervants. Would you, therefore, be his fervants, fo as to have that reward which he hath promifed to his true and faithful fer- vants ? There is an abfolute neceffity that you fhould immediately come out of the chains of other contrary lords; that you fhould break their fetters; and renounce every degree of that fervice, which Mammon, or any fort of evil principle, requires of you. For God's fervice cannot be his true fervice, unlefs it be perfectly free from all fuch regard to any thing elfe in the world, as is inconliflent with your conftant regard to all his laws. His fervice never can be eafy to yourfelves within, till you have thus got rid of all the influences of impetuous in- clination to the fervice of all contrary m afters : nor can it be ever plcafing to him, tUl it is that uniform, lincere, unmixed, obedience, which he hath a right to, by all poflible titles. On the other hand, confider what title, what right, any other thing in the world, oppoiite to him, hath to our regards. What do we owe to them ? Are they the firft caufes of our be- ings ? Are they the primary occafions of our happinefs ? Will they, at the end, ftand us in- ftead againft the attacks of adverfity here, or the difpleafure of an offended God hereafter ? Are they ftable, unmoveable, certain, unOiaken goods ? or. Are we certain of always having them for our comforts and fupports ? or, Are they not rather vain, imaginary, movable, and P 3 tran- 214 'The Impojjibility of traniitory things j and we ourfelves, haiTmg a- way with a never ceafing pace ; till all corref- pondence with them is entirely interrupted, never to be renewed again ? And are fuch things as thefe, fit to be chofen for our mafters ? or, Are we of that nature, as that it can become us to make ourfelves their fervants ? By no means : God, and reafon reclaim us from all approaches to fuch a fervice ; God, and reafon, which are to us infinitely more than all the world befides. If therefore we would have God for our friend, we muft chufe him firll: for our mafter j and his laws for the rules of our fervice. And if we would have our own reafon, and confcience, at peace with us , we mufi: ad: the part to which they dired; : and that part is ever the fervice of that God, to whom we owe ourfelves. What- ever hinders us from a conflant application of ourfelves to that fervice ; whatever cppofeth us in it, or would draw us oft from it, is to be dif- regarded, and cafl from us with courage and conflancy. And, it being certain that the fer-^ vice of Hn, is utterly inconfiftent with the fer- vice of God ; it is certain, that if we would ferve God, as we ought, in duty and intereft, to do J we mufl firft lliake off all regard to his enemy ; we mufl:, if we think of being his fervants, unto all righteoufnefs, fliake off that yoke of fervitude which other mailers would impofe upon us. i^nd if we be truly willing to do this, there vi'ill remain nothing to hinder us from givinff ud ourfelves to the true fervice of God, IV, To ferving God and Mammon. 2 1 5 IV. To this I fhall now endeavour to perfuade you, and fo conclude. His title, or right, to this lervice, is indifputahle. He hath created us what we are. We owe to him all we have, and all we can ever enjoy j and the very poffi- bility of enjoying any thing. He hath bought us again into his pofTeffion, by the life and death of his Son. To him we owe this frefli, and greater, opportunity of making ourfelves happy in his fervice. And, how can we deny a ler- vice due on fo many, and fo excellent, accounts? The rulfes of his fervice are his laws, by which he governs us, and to which he requires our obedience. And thefe are reafon, and light ; the tranfcripts of his own moral perfections, which conftitute his own happinefs. They are the didates of eternal truth ; and every flep we take in the paths of them, brings peace and joy along with it: in which they entirely differ from the laws of every other finful principle, that would draw us afide from them. The rewards of this fervice (for we ferve not God for nought) are unexprelTible. The pre- fent reward is all that inward fatisfaclion which a well difpofed mind can take, in the confciouf- nefs of a good and reafonable condud ; and the thought of having God's approbation. The future reward, after the fervice is over, is all the happinefs of God's prefence, or, of thofe more immediate communications of his love, and favour, which he hath promifed to all his faithful fervants. Jn the Scripture-flyle, by being his fervants, they become his fons ; and, P4 by 1 1 6 The TmpqJJibility of^ &c, by being his fons, they are adopted into the In- heritance of the faints in glory. What is it new, I pray, that can come in competition with this reafonable fervice ? Can uncertain riches, or empty honour, or infatiable luxury, pretend to any thing hke this? What title can they (hew to the fervices they claim ? or. What can they produce in favour of their own right ? Can they fpeak peace and fatisfac- tion to the mind within ? Are their laws the equitable laws of reafon, and obeyed with the approbation of our confciences ? or, \Vill they entitle to any, the leaft reward hereafter ? What are their laws, indeed, but the hard commands of tyrants, accompanied by difquiet, here, and ending in unhappinefs and eternal death, here- after j flattering with images of pleafure, but leading to certain pains ? Here then let us flop, and acknowledge that it is almighty God alone, who can juflly claim us, as his fervantsj he alone, who hath the re- ward of our fervices, in his hand ; and hath power to execute what his goodnefs hath pro- mifed us ; and he, alone, therefore, who de- mands, and deferves, our whole fervice. We cannot, we fee plainly, ferve him, whilft we ferve other contrary mafters. To him there- fore, without delay, without referve, without hypocrify, let us give up ourfelves, as true fer- vants; and fhew ourfelves fuch, by our fincere, conftant, and uniform obedience to all his holy jaws : that fo we may, at lafl, with the good and faithful fervant in the parable, enter into the joy of our Lord, SERMON [ 217 ] SERMON XII. The Neceffity of well Hufbanding our Time. Preached before the Household. By the Rev. Dr. Littleton. Psalm xc. 12. So teach us to number our days^ that we may ap- ply our hearts unto ivijdom. THE ufe that I would make of thefe words at prefent, is, to introduce a fub- jedl which may be profitably confidered, viz. The well Hufbanding and improving of ourTimc. The fhortnefs and uncertainty of human life is a thing, that has been much complained of: and therefore there is no need to go about to prove it, fince we all own and lament the truth of it. To perfuade 'men to make a proper ufe of this knowledge, is indeed a much harder taik : and fpr this caufe it was that the holy pfalmift 2 1 8 Of the Necejjity of well pfalmlfl:, confcious of our weaknefs in this refped, thought fit to apply to Heaven for the cure of it, praying to God, that he would teach usfo to number our days^ i. e. fo to confider and lay to heart how (hort our time is, that we may apply our hearts to the truefl wifdom, by prepar- ing for a better ftate. The way to do this (if we defign to do it, and if we do not, we are certainly in a very dangerous condition) is, to fit down and ferioufly confider with ourfelves, in what manner we have fpent our time, what profit We have gained, what lofTes we have fuf- fered ; what improvements we have made in virtue, what progrefs in vice, and in what re- fpeds we are better or worfe Chriftians, than we were when our lives began. It is not very eafy to point out the particulars, of which this enquiry Should coniift; thefe being as various and different from each other, as the circum- flances and conditions of men. One man has met with croiTes and difappointments, another with profperity and fuccefs : one has been af- iiided with pain and ficknefs, another has en- joyed health and ftrength : one has been pining under want and poverty, another has been filled with plenty : one has had many opportunities to do good, anoth€r has had few or none ; and in proportion to the difference of men^s circum- flanees in thefe refpeds, the articles of their en- quiry will be fomewhat different too. How- ever, that we may not enter upon this neceflary wofk without fome kind of method to diredl us, 1 (hall take upon me to lay down a few ge- neral rules for our condud in this refped, after having huPandi?7g our Time. 2 t (^ having premifed, that in all enquiries of this nature we muft take with us thele following cautions. I. That that is really no profit or advantage, which fets us forward in the affairs of this world, and at the fame time fets us backward in the accounts we are to make at the judgment- feat of Chrift. II. That that is really no lofs, which is Co only with refpedt to this world, provided it helps us forward in thofe articles of enquiry, which fliall be made at the great day of judg- ment. III. That therefore in all our bufinefs and employments, in all our dealings and tranfac- tions with each other, we ought to have an eye to that final hearing, which will make us happy or miferable for ever. And therefore IV. That to abound with this world's good, and at the fame time to be poor in grace, is in truth the worft huibandry in the world, fince all that exceeds our own necefiary occafions, was given us for the fake of others, to enable us, by providing for the relief of their wants, to lay up for ourfelves a reverfion of happinefs, which this world cannot give. This being premifed, 1 proceed to lay before you a few general diredlions, by which we may be enabled fo to balance our accounts, as to im- prove the time to come to our fpiritual advan- tage, by looking back on what has happened in the paft. The firft is, I. To compare the good offices we have done, with the opportunities we have had to do them. It 220 'The Ntcejfity of well It is not the good that is done by us, compared with what is done by others, but compared with the power and ability we have to do it, that will juftify us in the fight of God. This we are taught by the parable of the widow, whofe mite, we are told, was as well accepted, as the rich offerings of her wealthy neighbours. And indeed it would be no equitable or fair proceed- ing, to expecfi; the fame improvement from him, who has but few, as from him, who has many talents. This would be utterly inconfiftent with that maxim of common juftice, which is urged by our blefled Lord himfelf : That to whomfo- ever much is given ^ of hi 772 muchfrnll be required ; md to whom men have committed tnuch, of him they will afk the more. Bat though all men are not bleffed with the fame means and opportunities, yet moft men have fome powec to do good. And the lefs power we have, the more careful fliould we be not to lofe any occafion of exerting it. For in proportion to our power, be it more or lefs, we fhall be expe(5ted to account for the ufe of it. Accordingly it was fome of the laft advice of a wife and good father to his fon : Be merciful af- ter thy power. If thou hafl much, give plente- oufly ; if thou haji little, do thy diligence gladly to give oj that little ^ fir fo gather efl thou thyfelf a good reward in the day of neceffity. It happens indeed to be the cafe of fome, (would to God it were lefs common than it is !) to be fo humbled and afflidted in their outward circumftances, that they can only be the objects of that charity and compaffion, which, if it had pkafed hupand'ing our Time. 221 pleafed God to blefs them with the good things of this life, they would gladly have reached out to others. To thefe it may be offered as juft matter of confolation, that by their indigent condition they are exempted from the neceffity of accounting for the ufe of riches. But withal they muft remember, that there are many in- ftances of duty, wherein the poorefl man alive may fupply the necefllties, and adminifter to the wants of others. To feed the hungry and to cloath the naked ; to diftribute among the poor thofe bleflings and conveniencies, which they want through the affluence of others, are, doubtlefs, very great and fhining inftances^ but they are by no means the only inftances of compaffion; nor are riches the only talents com- mitted to our care for the exercife of Chriflian charity. Who was ever in a poorer or more mean condition, than our Saviour Chrift him- felf ? And yet who was ever more charitable than he ? Or whoever more abounded in thofe offices of compaffion, by which he has com- manded us to ex:prefs our charity, and to teftify our love to others? The character which is given him by one of the facred writers, and the defcription which is left by all of them^ is, that he went about doing good, and that too at a time, when his poverty and diftrefs gave occa- lion to that pathetical complaint of his, that the foxes had holes y and the birds of the air had neflsy but the So?z of Man had not where to lay his head. What riches had any of his apoftles, who were chofen from fome of the mofb mean employ- ments, and had as great a (liare in the fuiferings aqd 22 2 The Necejjity of well and afflidions, as in the virtues of their Lord and mailer ? But as poor as they were, they never wanted means to exprefs their compaf- fionate concern for men, by the moft confpicu- ous ads of charity. Siher and Gold have I none^ fays one of them : but fiich as I have ^ give I thee ; In the name of J ejus Chrift of Na-zareih, rife lip and walk. Ads iii. 6. Thefe, it may be faid, are great inflances of charity ; but they are the work of a miraculous pov^er ; a povv^er, which Chrift had by virtue of his divine nature, and his apoftles from the Spirit of God : nor can we be expeded to do the works that they did, fince we have not the fame power to perform them. It is true, we cannot. But is there then no other way ? Have we never an opportunity to admonifh the wic- ked, to inftrud the ignorant, or to comfort our afHided brethren ? Can we fave them no trouble in their ordinary concerns by taking a little trouble on ourfelves ? Are there not many good offices, that one may do another, without fuf- fering the leaft* injury hin:ifelf ? What is it, that caufes one to be efteemed a good, and another a bad neighbour amongft us ? Is it not the grant- ing or denying thofe common favours, which may be Vv'ell fpared without damage to our- felves? If fo, what excufe can it be to fay, we have no riches to beftow on others, when we deny them, vv'hat w'e have to glv^e ? When we refufe to afford them that comfort in diftrefs, which is all that our prefent circumftances will allow? One would think the common wants and neceffities of our nature, from which none of hupanding our ^itne. 223 of us can pretend to be exempted, fliould knit us all together in the bands of love, and difpofe us to combine, if for no better reafon, yet at leall for the cafe and convenience we fhould iind in promoting each other's good. But where can we find a greater want of charity, than among thofe who ftand moft in need of it? As if the hardships of poverty were too little of themfelves, fome of thofe, who feel it, do but add to its afflictions ; grieving their neighbours by their unfriendly treatment, and themfelves by their uncharitable tempers. While thefc things are fo, it is in vain for them to talk of the good they would have done, if God's provi- dence had trufted them with the management and ufe of riches. For as fure as they are en- vious and malicious in their want, they would have been infolent and unkind in plenty : as fure as they now murmur at the good of others, they would then have been indifferent to their diftrefs. The fame principle would flill have followed them, through all fortunes,, and all circumffcances in life : and he that has fo little love and benevolence in his temper, fa little will and inclination to do good, as to lofe the few fmall opportunities he has, would have loft them, if they had been more and greater. The reverfe of our Saviour's reafoning, will hold good with refpedl to him; He that has not been faithful over a few things^ is not fit to be a ruler over many things^ nor jhall he enter into the joy of his Lord. To return therefore to the rule I gave you : fince fo many excellent things are fpoken of charitv, 224 ^^^^ Necejjity of well charity, fince charity is the bond of perfednefs; iince the end of the command is charity ; the way to know whether we are polTefled of this heavenly virtue, is (as I faid) to compare the good offices we have done, with the opportuni- ties we have had to do them. To compare them with the good that is done by others, is a falfe and uncertain rule; becaufe we can nei- ther know what is done by others, nor if wc did, {hoald we be bound to follow them. Our example may as well be a rule to them, as theirs can be a rule to us j and if neither we, nor they, have an eye to our own power, but meafure our adions by the practice of each other, in this cafe the blind will but lead the blind^ and both may fall into the pit. Whereas by compar- ing the good offices we have done, with the opportunities we have had to do them, we fhall be able to fee, how our charity has abounded, and in what inftances it has been defeftive : and may thereby be enabled fo to regulate our conduit, fo to hulband and improve our talents, that when we are called to give account of our fie ward (hip, we may do it with joy, and not with grief. Thus much for the firft rule, to keep our accounts even, and to prepare for the great day of judgment. The next is, to compare the mercies we have received with the returns we have made to heaven for them. Numberlefs are the bleffings, which God's gracious provi- dence pours down among the fons of men. Every day and every hour we live, is a frefh inftance of his goodnefs to us. To him we are hujbanding our ^ime, 225 are indebted for all the bleffings we receive from the exercife of our feveral callings j for the profperous fuccefs of our projeds and de- figns, and for the fruits of our honefl labours. It is he, who crowneth the year with his goodnefs, and whofe clouds drop fatnefs : who vifiteth the earth and blejfeth it^yea^ and maketh it 'very plen- teous : who watereth her furrows, and fendeth rain into the little valleys thereof-, who maketh it foft with the drops of rain, and blejfeth the in-- creafe of it. Nay it is he, who gives us that chearful fpirit, without which his other bleffings would be loft to us. Every man, fays Solomon, to whom God hath give?i riches and wealth, and hath given hi?n power to eat thereof and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour, this alfo is the gift of God. So that to him we are in- debted both for the bleffings themfelves, and the comfort and delight they yield. To him therefore we fhould afcribe the glory ; to him we fliould return the thanks. This is the onlv recompenfe he requires for all the inftances of his favour to us, not as relieving any honour upon him, or adding any luftre to his infinite pcrfedlions ; but as the beft tribute we are able to pay, the only acknowledgment we can make for his goodnefs, and the only fervice, by which we can deferve the continuance of his favouc to us. To know therefore, whether we have thus deferved it 3 we muft look back upon the mercies we have received : not only thofe ge- neral mercies, which he difpenfes to all men promifcuoufly, but likewife thofe particular in- ftances of his providence, in which we are more Vol. II. Q_ pecu- 226 ^he Necejjlty of well peculiarly concerned. Some fignal proofs of God's favour and protedion, fome eminent efcapes from danger, fome great deliverances from approaching evils, every year's experience will afford : and he muft needs be a very care- lefs obferver of the benefits conferred upon him, who cannot recollect many inflances of this kind, that have happened to his own per- fon in particular. When therefore we have raifed up thefe thoughts in our minds, the next thing to be confidered is, what acknowledg- ments we have made for thefe great and unde- ferved mercies. If we find upon enquiry, that we have lived like men under a fenfe of fuch in- finite obligations, God's mercies are then mercies indeed : in as much as they will tend not only to our prefent, but likewife to our future happi- nefs. li not, it is time to make up our ac- counts, and to pay our arrears of gratitude, by offering up at the throne of grace, the fmall recompence he requires us to make, even the ac- knowledgments of a thankful lieart, and by lledfalfly refolving, through the help of his grace, to Jer'-cc and pleajc him in iiewnejs of life, as long as we have our being upon earth. And that this may be done with the better profpedt of fuccefs, the next rule I (hall offer, is this : III. That wt carefully compare the fins we have committed, with the temptations, by whicii we were feduced. We can fee, v;hen the power of a temptation is over, when the pleafure is vaniihed, and the pafiion gratified, the true va- lue both of vice and virtue j which perhaps we could not, while we were blinded by our inte- rcir. hujhanding our Time, 22 y teft, or intoxicated with the love of pleafure. The way therefore to know, what enjoyment we may exped: from the commiffion of any fin hereafter, is, to confider what comfort or fatisfadion we receive from a fin that is already pafl ; what recompence it has made us for the lofs of our innocence, and for the forfeiture of God's favour to us. If intereft was the motive, let us confider, what benefit we have found in the polTellion of ill-gotten wealth ; whether we are ever the happier or more cojitented men, for any of our unlawful gains ; Vv^hether they have not wafted by infenfible degrees, without doing us any real fervice ; or if not, whether we have never any painful thoughts from the fenfe we have, that they are none of ours, but ought to be reftored to others. If we have no remorfe,- our cafe is dangerous ; and if we have, we muft be fenfible how little it is worth while, to forfeit that innocence and integrity of heart, which is a perpetual fpring of comfort, for the fake of that, which, when we come to prove it, is but vanity and vexation of fpirit. For ichat will it profit a inaji, to gain the 'whole world, if he lojcs his own quiet and repcfe f Much Icfs will it profit him, if he lofes hhfculhy it; the worft lofs that he can poflibiy fuftain. On the other hand, if pleafure has been our aim, if it is for that, that we have loft our innocence, let us lit down and compute our gains. What fruit had we then in thofe things, whereof we are now afuimed^ What was all we got by it, even in the height of our enioyment, but a tranfient, and fliort delight ? And what ncv/ remains of 0^2 it, 11% ^he Neceffity oficell it, but remorfe of confcience, and the fad re- membrance, that our guilt ftill lives, though the pleafure be quite gone for ever ? Such will be the pleafure which is yet to come; and- which now tempts us with the moft inviting fondnefs. That alfo will be paH: for ever. When we think on thefe things, who would ever hearken to the fuggeftions of either intereft or pleafure, feducing us to fin and mifery? Who would ever fubmit to part with an advantage, for any thing which he has found, upon ba- lancing the account, to be no fair and juft equi- valent ? V/hilft we are upon this head, we may con- fider further, what temptations have been mofl apt to beguile us ; and thefe, when we are fa- tisfied of their force and influence, we fhould be very careful for the future to avoid ; in like manner as a prudent and frugal manager will avoid all places, all companies and occafions, which he has frequently found, by examining his accounts, have led him to an unneceffary expence. By this rule v/hen we have fortified and fe- cured our hearts, and armed them againft the power of temptation, we may proceed to the fourth and lafi: rule I dial I offer, viz. IV. To compare the vows and refolutions we have made, with their acftual performance and effed. The worft of us, no doubt, have, at fome time or other, had thoughts of forfak- inf' our fins. If they were only general, with- out fixing any time, what reafon have we to think, we fliall ever do more, than repeat the fame hujhanding our Time. 229 fame general refolutions? If we have fixed a time, and that time is paft, what advances have we made in virtue ? Do we fleadily hold out, in purfuance of our vow, again ft the force of all temptations that aflail us ? If fo, we have obtained a vidtory indeed ; and happy that fer- vant, whom his Lord^ when he comet h^ JJmll find fo doing. If not, we have reafon to fufped: our hearts, and to guard them with more diligence for the future. For if one refolution has been broken through, what hope, that we fliall keep another ? It is a fign there is fome perveri'e and wicked principle, which lies lurking at the bot- tom of our hearts, which the longer we indulge, the more power it will gain, and the more dif- ficult it will be to conquer it. To conclude : we are hitherto preferved by the good providence of God, to confider and amend our ways. The day of grace is as yet vouchfafed to us ; though many of thofe with whom we have converfed, are now laid in the loweft pit, in the place of darknefs, and in the deep. Their fentence is fixed for ever : for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wifdom, nor repentance, nor mercy in the grave whither they are gone : their love alfoy and their hatred^ and iheir envy is now perifijed -, neither have they anymore a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the fun. How long any of us may furvive, we know not : but this we know, that we muft fall at laft, and that the time we have to live, whether long or fhort, is as nothing with refped: to that eternity, which is to come, and for which therefore we fliould Q_3 be 230 T^he Neceffity of well, &c. be conftantly preparing, left day fucceed day, and year fucceed year, and death overtake us in the fame flothful ftate, refolving to repent with- out beginning, or beginning without ever fi- nifhing. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let m exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day, left any of us be hardened through the de- ceitfidnefs of (in : and may God, of his great mercy, difpofe our hearts to coniider our real intereft, and fo teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wifdom. Now to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, be afcribed all honour, praife, might, maje- fly and dominion, both now, henceforth, and for evermore. SERMON [ 23» ] SERMON XIII. The feparate Intercfts of this World and the next reconciled. By the Rev. Dr. Littleton. COLOSSIANS iii. 2. Set your affeSiion on things abonje, not on thi?Jgs en the earth. T^HE feparate Interefts of this World and \ the next, make man a very fickle being. As he is compounded of two different prin- ciples, one of them devoted to the concerns of this World, and the other looking forward to eternity, it is no v^onder to fee him varying his purpofes, as this or that principle has the af- cendant. There are fome indeed fo fteadily religious, and others fo profligate and aban- doned, that they feem to have but one principle to direct them. But the greateft part of us are wavering and irrefolute ; fometimcs mifled by the blandiOiments of fenfe, and at other pmes reclaimed by reafon ; fo that our lives are Q^ d^ chequered 232 'the Jeparate Inter ejls of this chequered with vice and virtue, and divided between fin and repentance. Now the caufe of this diforderly variety in our actions, is evidently the mifplacing of our afFedlions. If we would but fuffer them to be conducted by reafon, we {hould never feel fuch a conflid: within ourfelves, from the remonr ftrances of that bufy monitor : we fhould be fecared from all levity and error, and confe- quently from all forrow and difappointment : we fhould be taught not to look for fubftantial happinefs, where no fubllantial happinefs can be founds or, in other words, we fhould be taught, as we are taught in my text, io Jet our affeBion on things above, not on things upon the earth. Reafon, I fay, could fhe fpeak for herfelf, would give us the very fame advice with the apoftle. And it is a pity therefore, that fuch excellent advice fhould meet with fuch an ilj reception. But as the fenfual man doth not well confider it, fo the fuperflitious doth not underftand it. Neither of them obeys the pre- cept, as he ought : though the former offends knowingly and wilfully, and the latter out of ignorance and miftake. One of them receives the precept like a fiubborn enemy, the other like a ceremonious friend : and accordingly one treats it with contempt and averfion, the other with too much refpedl. To be plain i the fenfual man refufes to comply with the com- mand, left it fliould rob him of his unlawful pleafures : and the fuperftitious adheres fo llridly to the letter of it, that he lofes even ' " thofe World and the, next reconciled. 23^ thofe pleafures which are lawful : whereas were the defign of the apoftle underftood, the liber- tine might have the trueft fatisfadion that this World affords, without deferring the Interefts of the next 5 and the devotee might have all the fpiritual ecftafy he defires, without fequeft- ring himfelf from his bufinefs or his pleafures. In a word, the latter might be convinced, as great a paradox as it feems, that a Chriftian may in fome fenfe be a man of pleafure; and the former perfuaded of what is as great a paradox to him, that there is no man of pleafure like the Chriftian. Now all this will moft evidently appear, by confidering the three following proportions. I. Firft, that whatever is meant by this pre- cept of the apoftle, or any other of the fame nar ture in holy writ, it can never be underftood to prohibit that attention to the concerns of this prefent World, which is neceffary to our well-being in it. Nor, fecondly, can it be fuppofed to exclude US from the enjoyment of thofe innocent de- lights, which nature has poured out about us. But thirdly and laftly, That, fo far as is con- fiflent with the neceffary bufinefs and the inno- cent delights of life, it is no lefs our Interefl, than pur duty, to fet our affeSlions c?i things above, Firfl I fay, that whatever is meant by this precept of the apoflle, or any other of the fame nature in holy writ, it can never be underftood to prohibit that attention to the concerns of this prefent World, which is neceffary to our well- being in it. To provide for our own fecurity, is 234 ^he feparate Liter eJIs of this is indeed as much required of us as any other adt of duty. Self-prefervation is a moral prin~ ciple, and as fuch we are obliged to comply with it. Luxury and intemperance, and all that tribe of vices, by which we are faid to fin againft ourfelves, are none of them any other- wife criminal, than as they offend againft this inviolable law. For the fame reafon all neQ,le(5ts and omiiiions, by which we are wanting to our own fecurity, are, in proportion to their impor- tance, fins. Belides this, there are many other duties arifing from the feveral relations we ftand in, none of which can be pradtifed, as they ought, without an attention to the bufinefs of the World. So that to abandon the fociety of mankind, and immure ourfelves in cells and cloifters, as it is taught and pradifed in popifh countries, under pretence of fetting our affeSiiom on things ahove^ is fo far from being the duty of a Chriftian, that, as long as the health of our bodies and the ftrength of our minds enable us to be ufeful in another way, it is a down- right defertion of our duty 3 a devout lethargy, a fpiritual repofe, agreeable neither to grace nor nature. In our natural flate we were formed for adion, and Chriftianity has introduced no new duty furely inconfiftent with the laws of nature. We are told indeed, that if we, feek the kingdom of God and his righteoiijnefs, every thing we want befide.fiall be added unto us. But this promife itfelf fuppofes we have no hope of God's fuccour and protection, without the con- currence of our own endeavours. For why ihould we be commanded to feek the kingdojn of World and the next reconciled. 235 cfGodfrffy and principally, if there were not fome other fecondary purfuit ? And what can that fecondary purfuit be, but the concerns of this prefent life ? Let our converfation therefore he in Heaven^ if you will ; but let us not forget we are upon earth. For if we do, we may be fure others will not. There will be always fome, who have the wifdom of the ferpent, to take advantage of our holy flothfulnefs, and while we think Vv^e are laying up^^r ourfelves treajures in Heaven^ amals to themfelves the riches of the earth, which might have been pofTeffed, and employed by us in the neceflary works of Chriftian charity, for the re^ef of our needy brethren. In a word, while thofe who have another World at heart, employ their whole time and thoughts in raptures of fera- phick love, the wicked will lay fnares to entrap the innocent ; and the ftate of religion, and of the World in general, will be the worfe for their particular devotion. I fay not this to check the love of God, which can never be enough commended. But I fay it in oppofition to thofe. zealots, who place religion in retiring from the World, and defpiling all perfons in it : whereas a chearful and regular obedience, in the more adive fcenes of life, is as much fuperior to this fullen fandity, as the good of mankind is a nobler view, than one's own particular inte- reft or advantage. A generous and beneficent fpirit feeks occafions of doing good to others ; whereas in this reclufe and monaftick ftate, our virtues are purely negative. 'Tis the utmoft per- 236 The feparafe Inter efts of this perfedtion of this order of men, not willingly to do mifchief to any one. But, fecondly, as this precept of the apoftle is not meant to prohibit all attention to the bufi- nefs of the World, fo neither can it be fuppofed to exclude us from the enjoyment of thofe in- nocent delights, which nature has poured out about us. It cannot be denied, that at fome certain fea- fons, to mortify our corrupt affedions, or to humble ourfelves before an offended God, it may be proper and even neceflary to abflaiii from the enjoyment of our lawful pleafures. But it is a mean and unworthy notion of the Supreme Being, to fuppofe he takes delight in mifery. The contrary is not only deducible from his attributes, but fo vifible even in all his works, that nothing but the groundlefs ter- rors of the fuperftitious, who thought him aU together fuch a one as themJelveSy could have in- duced them to entertain that thought. The merciful and gracious Lord hath fo done his mar- *vellotis works J hat they ought to be had in remem- brance. And how can they be remembred bet- ter, than by contemplating them with pleafure and complacence ? It muft needs be either guilt or ignorance, that can caufe us to furvey the beauties of the creation without being fenfibly affedted. They were made to ilrike our fenfes with delight, and if they have not this ^iit&.^ the defign of nature is defeated. It is for this reafon they are ever tempting and foliciting us, and till we can diveft ourfelves of all our fenfes, i^hich were purpofely adapted to the enjoyment of World a7id the next reconciled. 237 of them, we cannot be indifferent or inatten- tive. No imaginable reafon can be given, why they are formed with fo much fymmetry and order, but for the delight and entertainment of us men, the fovereigns of this lower World. And indeed to behold them with a chearful heart, is in fome fort an a6t of gratitude. It is rejoicing in him who made them, as we can- not but do with the moft unfeigned lincerity, when we confider him as their great author and fupport. Who can enumerate that variety of entertainments, which lies fcattered about the viUble creation ? Or what can we fay to that prepofterous devotion, which takes a pride in beholding them with indifference ? There is fuch a thing as a religious melancholy, a cer- tain peevifli folemnity of temper, conlifting ia an habitual difpolition to be out of humour with every thing on this fide Heaven. You are to underftand the perfon infected with this di- ftemper, to be far gone towards another World, and to have fuch violent foretaffes of the joys of Heaven, as to have no relifli for any pleafure upon earth. But furely it muft needs be a more religious, as well as a more happy temper, to be pleafcd as much as poffible with every thing. This is certainly no ways inconfiftent with the barfheft and feverefl precepts of the Gofpel. We are commanded indeed to take up our frofs ; but we are no where commanded to feek it out : we are to bear all the calamities, that fall to our (hare; but not to load ourfelves with unneceflary evils. We are neither to decline, nor court adverfity : if it is thrown into our lap, we 23 § 7he jeparafe Inter eft i of this we muft hear it patiently : if not, we may enjoy the bleffings of providence j provided it be done with temper and moderation, with an humble fenfe of our own unworthinefs, and without forgetting the hand that gave them. And this leads me to confider in the Third and laft place, That, fo far as is con- iiftent with the neceiTary bufinefs and the inno- cent delights of life, it is no lefs our interefl, than our duty, to fet our affeBion on things above. And furely if any thing in this World deferves our love, much more does the mofi bounteous author of every thing that is good and amiable. He gave us not only thofe ob- jeiSs of delight which affed: us with fuch an exquifite pleafure, but likewife the very capa- city of receiving that pleafure, and the difpofi- tion to be delighted v/ith it. He therefore fliould be the principal, if not the fole object of our affedion ; and becaufe the paffions are apt to follow, which ever way the fenfes lead them, and confequently it is not fo eafy to place our aftedions upon a fpiritual and incorporeal be- ing, as upon one of the fame nature with our- felves, it would be well therefore, if we would endeavour to bring down this glorious objecfl to the level of our own capacities, or at leaft to raife ourfelves to fome faint idea of his infinite perfedions, by furveying him with the eye of reafon. By this means we (hall difcover, how much we have been obliged to his goodnefs, and how much we depend upon his power: how much reafon we have to praife him for favours paft, and to trufl in him for thofe which ' 3 a^'e JVorld and the next reconciled. 239 are to come. Love and joy, and hope and gratitude, and all the tribe of the moft exalted paflions, which can rife in the heart of man, will find room to exert themfelves on this iingle objed:. How muft the imaginalion fwell with the idea of that great and awful Being, which even the Heaven y and Heaven of Heavens ^ is not able to contain I And how muft it break out into ecftafies of thankfgiving, when we coniider ourfelves intitled, by the blood of oui- Redeemer, to an iriheritance incorruptible and undefiledy referved in tbofe Heavens for us I Where can we find a fabjed: for our meditation upon the furface of this eajthly globe, which deferves to be put in competition with thefe great and fublime meditations ? How mean is wealth and honour, birth, title, place or power, nay how mean is human wifdom itfelf, com- pared with thefe celeftial treafures! Thus faith the Lord : Let not the wife man glory in his wifdcfn, neither let the rmghty man glory in his might : let not the rich man glory in his riches : but let hitn that gloriethj glory in this, that he under jlandeth and hwweth me, that I am the Lord which exercife loving kindnefs, judgment and righteoujnefs in the earth. For in thefe things I delight y faith the Lord. But laftly, another reafon why we fhould fet our affedions on things above, is, that we may be fuperior to the little cafualties and difaflers that happen in this lower Vv^orld. A mind that is wholly bent upon immortality, contrafls all its views and wiihes, with refpeclH; to the concerns of this trajifient fcene, into a very nar- row 24.0 ^he fepar'ate Inter ejls of this row compafs. Fortune has no power over it. Every moment of pleafure is enjoyed ; and every moment of pain is cheated away by the prof- pedl of a blefled immortality. From a heart io fortified as this, came that noble refolutioa in the prophet Habakkuk. Although the fig- tree JJjall not blojfom, neither fi all fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olive fiall fail, and the field jJmll yield no jneat, the flock [ball be cut off from the fold, and there fiall be no herd in the Jlalls'y yet will I rejoice in the Lord-, I will joy in the God of my falvation. Such is the fpirit of every true Chriftian, when he is tried in the furnace of affliction. The fetting our affeSlions on things above, caufes all difficulties and hard- Ihips to difappear. The love of God is the vital principle, which animates and gives vigour to our devotion. Without this, the outward ex- ercife of religion will be not only a fruitlefs and unprofitable, but a very toilfome and uneafy -tafk. We fee, in the ordinary concerns of life, how the principle of love prevails. With how much eafe are all dif^culties furmounted, which oppofe our palTage to what we earneftly defire ! Who would not rifque even life itfelf for the fake of what he dearly loves ? And on the con- trary, how ill are all offices performed, that are undertaken at fiifl upon compulfion, and executed with unwillingnefs and regret ! In vain does reafon prompt us forward, if our af- fections do not fecond and fupport it. And if they do, no danger can difcourage us, no op- pofition baffle and repulfe us. What elfe is ihe reafon, that fo many holy martyrs have, from World and the next reconakd. 24 1 from time to time, with fo much chearfulnefs of heart, fuffered death for the fake of Chrift ; while others, whofe affedions were lefs in- flamed, have deferted the common duties of ChriAianity, as too rigorous, and toodifficult to be born ? Whereas the difhculty is not in the duty itfelf, but in the fpirit of him, who is to prac- tife it. And the reafon why ^o many profef- fors of religion ftart back and {hame their calling, is, that their hearts are not afFedled with a fenfeof gratitude, and their labour proceed- cth not of love. To conclude ; fince it is our duty fo to di- vide our time betwixt this World and the next, as to be wanting to the concerns of neither ; let every one, after he has ftudied his temper, fet a guard upon his own particular frailty. I believe there is no great reafon to fufped-, that any of us think too much of another World. However, if there be any one, who thinks he has fet his affe£fio?2S on things above, merely becaufe he has withdrawn them from the earth, let him carefullv fearch and examine his own heart, to fee whether he does not miftake his own fullennefs and morofenefs, or his own fpleen and ill-nature for religion. If there be any who thinks himfelf only innocently chear- ful, let him take heed, left his gaiety of heart infenfibly withdraw him from the thoughts of another World, and enflave him to the delights of this. In general, let us all examine what particular pleafures upon earth are moft apt to engage our aife(flions, and at what feafons they are moft Vol. II. R apt 242 T^hefeparate Interefis of this, &c, apt to folicit us. Againft them let us employ all our fkill, that they may not fo command and engrofs our thoughts, as to make us negli- gent of the one thing needful. With this cau- tion the Interefts of both Worlds may be united: we may fet our affedions on another, without lofing the conveniences of this, and we may live with chearfulnefs and pleafure here, with- out forfeiting our inheritance hereafter. Now to God, &c. SERMON [ 243 ] ,.1 A.. SERMON XIV. Of the Happinefs of a heavenly Con- verfation. By Archbifhop Tillotson. Phil. iii. 20. For our converjatio/t is in Heaven. FOR the underflanding of which words we need to look back no farther than the 1 8th verfe of this chapter, where the apoftle with great vehemency and paflion fpeaks of fome among the PhiHppians, who indeed pro- feiTcd Chriftianity but yet would do any thing to decline faffeiing for that profeffion ; tbere are many that ^walky of whom 1 have told yon of- teny and now tell yon even weepings that they are enemies to the crojs of Chrilt j they cannot en- dure to fuffer with him and for him, they are fo fenfual and wedded to this world that they will do any thing to avoid perfecution ; fo he defcribes them in the next verfe, whofe end is d'friidiion^ whofe god is their belly ^ whofe glory is R 2 in 244 Of the Happinefs of in their JhamCy ivho mind earthly things. Now in oppofition to thefe fenfual and earthly- minded men the apoflle gives us the character of the true Chriftians, they are fuch as mind Heaven and another world, and prefer the hopes of that to all the intereftsof this life; our converfation is in Heaven. For the right underftanding of which phrafe be pleafed to obferve, that it is an allufion to a city or corporation, and to the privileges and manners of thofe who are free of it. And Hea- ven is feveral times in Scripture reprefented to us under this notion of a city. It is faid of Abraham that he looked for a city which hath foundations^ whofe builder and maker is Gody Heb. xi. lo. It is called likewife the city of the liv- ing Godi the heavenly Jeru/alemj Heb. xiii. 22. And the fame apoftle fpeaking of ihe uncertain condition ofChriftians in this world fays of them, that here they have 710 continuing city^ but look for one that is to come^ Heb. xiv. 14. Now to this city the apoftle alludes here in the text, when he fays our converfation is in Heaven. For the word sroXiTEUfxccy which is rendered converfation, may either iignify the privilege of citizens, or their converfation and manners, or may take in both thefe. In the firftfenfe of the privilege of citizens, we find 7u-oXtT£ioi a word of near affinity with this fometimes ufed ; ivith a great fum (fays the captain to Paul) obtained I r-^v -uroKiTtiocv tocvt'^v, this freedom^ Ads xxii. 28. According to this fenfe, oj^wwy to iroXirivfAa, may very well be ren- dred, as Tertullian often does this text, munici- pattis a heavefily Cowcerfation. 245 patus nofier, our citizenfiip is in Heaven', an allufion perhaps (as the learned Dr. Hammond obferves) to thofe who though they were not born at Rome, and it may be Uved at a great diftance from it, had yet jus civitatis Romance ^ the privilege of Roman citizens. In like man- ner the apoftle here defcribes the condition of Chriftians. 'Tis true, we are born here in this world and live in it, but we belong to another corporation j we are denizens of another coun- try, and free of that city which is above. In the other fenfe of the converfation of ci- tizens we find the verb -ziroXirsvecrde ufed to- wards the beginning of this epiftle, let your con- 'uerfation be as it becometh the gofpel of Chriji, Phil. i. 27. And why may not the word -sro- XiTeuf/.ce, in the text, without any inconvenience, include both thefe? As if the apoftle had faid, there are fome that mind earthly things, and are fo addided to them that rather than part with them they will forfake their religion j but as for us, we confider that we are citizens of Heaven, and accordingly we converfe and de- mean ourfelves in this world, as thofe that are free of another city and do belong to it. So that to have our converfation in Heaven does imply thefe two things. Firft,The ferious thoughts and confiderations of Heaven. Secondly, The effed which thofe thoughts ought to have upon our lives. Thefe two things take up the meaning of my text, and (hall be the fubjedl of the follow- ing difcourfe. R 3 1. The 246 Of the Happinefs of I. The ferlous thoughts and conliderations of Heaven, that is, of the happy and glorious ftate of good men in another hfe. And concerning this, there are two things principally which of- fer themfelves to our confideration. Firft, the Happinefs of this ftate. Secondly, the way and means whereby we may come to partake of this Happinefs. Firft, v/e will confider the Happinefs of this {late. But what, and how great this Happinefs ii, I am not able to reprefent to you. Thefe things are yet in a great meafure within the veil, and it does not now fully appear what we fhall be. The Scriptures have revealed fo much in general concerning the reality and unfpeakable felicities of this ftate as may iatisfy us for the prefent, and ferve to inflame our defires after it, and to quicken our endeavours for the obtaining of it ; as namely, that it is incomparably be- yond any Happinefs of this world ; that it is very great; and that it is eternal 3 in a word, that it is far above any thing that we can now con- ceive or imagine. I. It is incomparably beyond any Happinefs in this world. It is free from all thofe ftiarp and bitter ingredients which do abate and allay the felicities of this life. All the enjoyments, of this world are mixed and uncertain, and unfatisfyingj nay fo fir are they from giving us fatisrad;:on, that the very fvveetcft of them are fatiating and cloying. None of the comforts of this life are pure and unmixed. There is fomething of vanity mingled with all our earthly enjoyments, and that a heavenly Converfation, 247 that caufeth vexation of fpirit. There is no fenfual pleafure but is either purchafed by fome pain, or attended with it, or ends in it. A great cftate is neither to be got without care, nor kept without fear, nor loft without trouble. Dignity and greatnefs is troublefome almoft to all mankind, it is commonly uneafy to them that have it, and it is ufually hated and envied by thofe that have it not. Knowledge, that is one of the beft and fweeteft pleafures of human life J and yet if we may believe the experience of one, who had as great a fliare of it as any of the fons of men ever had, he will tell us» that this alfo is '•dexation of fpirit -^ for in much wifdo?n there is much griff and be that increafeth knowledge i iiicreafeth forrow, Ecclef. i. 17, 18. Thus it is with all the thino;s of this world: the beft of them have a mixture of good and evil, of joy and forrow in them : but the Hap- pinefs of the next life is free from allay and mixture. In the defcription of the new Jeru- falem it is faid, that there flmU be no more citrfey and there /ball be no night there ^ Rev. xxii. 3, 5. nothing to imbitter our bleffings, or obfcure our glory. Heaven is the proper region of Hap- pinefs, there only are pure joys and an uiimin- gled felicity. But the enjoyments of this world, as they are mixed, fo thev are uncertain. So waverins: and inconftant are they that we can have no fecurity of them, when we think curfelves to have the fiuleft hold of them, they flip out of our hands v/c know not how. For this rcafon Solomon verv elegantly calls them things that are not. Ra " Why 248 Of the Happinefe of Wfyy 'Wilt thou Jet thine eyes upon that which is not t for riches certainly make to themfehes wings and fly like an eagle towards Heaven. So fugi- tive are they, that after all our endeavours to fecure them they may break loofe from us, and in an inftant vanifh out of our fight, riches make to themfehes wings and fly like an eagle ^ intimat- ing to us that riches are often acceffary to their own ruin. Many times the greatnefs of a man's eftate, and nothing elfe, hath been the caufe of the lofs of it, and of taking av^ray the life of the ow^ner thereof. The fairnefs of fome mens fortune hath been a temptation to thofe who have been more powerful to ravifh it from them, thus riches make to themfehes wings. So that he that enjoys the greateft Happinefs of this world does ilill want one Happinefs more, to fecure to him for the future what he poffef- fes for the prefent. But the Happinefs of Hea- ven is a fteady and conftant light, fixed and unchangeable as the fountain from whence it fprings, the father of lights^ with whom is no va- riablenefs nor fl:adow of turning. And if the enjoyments of this life were cer- tain, yet they are unfatisfying. This is the va- nity of vanities, that every thing in this world can trouble us, but nothing can give us fatisfac- tion. 1 know not. how it is, but either we, or the things of this world, or both, are fo phan- taflical, that we can neither be well with thefe things, nor well without them. If we be hungry, we are in pain ; and if we eat to the full, we are uneafy. If we be poor we think ourfelves iiiiferable, and when we come to be rich we com- a heavenly Converfation. 249 commonly really are fo. If we are in a low condition we fret and murmur, and if we chance to get up and to be raiftd to greatnefs, we are many times farther from contentment than we were before. So that we purfue the Happinefs of this world juO: as little children chafe birds, when we think we are come very near it, and have it almoft in our hands, it flies farther from us than it was at firO-. Nay, fo far are the enjoyments of this world from aifording us fatisfadion, that the fweetefl of them are moft apt to fatiate and cloy us. All the pleafures of this world are fo contrived as to yield us very little Happinefs. If they go off quickly they flgnify nothing, and if they ftay long we are lick of them. After a full draught of any fenfual pleafure we prefently loath it, and hate it as much afier the enjoyment, as we courted it and longed for it in the expectation. But the delights of the other world, as they will give us full fatisfadion, fo we fliall never be weary of them. Every repetition of them will be accompanied vvith a new pleafure and con- tentment. In the felicities of Heaven thefe two things (hall be reconciled, which never met together in any fenfual delight, long and full enjoyment, and yet a frefh and perpetual pleafure. As in God's prefence there is fulnefs of joy, jo at his right hand there fiall be pleafures for evermore. The Happinefs of the other life is not only incomparably beyond any Happinefs of this world (that, it may be, is no great commenda- tion of it) but it is very great in itfelf. The Hap- ^5^ Of the Ilappincfs of Happlncfs of Heaven is uflially In Scripture delcribed to us by luch plenfmes as are manly and excellent, chaftc and intelledual, infinitely more pure and refined than thofe of fenfe ; and if the Scripture at any time defcend to the me- taphors of a feaft, and a banquet, and a mar-* riage, it is plainly by way of accommodation to our weaknefs and condefcenlion to our capa- cities. But the chief ingredients of this Happinefs, fo far as the Scripture has thought lit to reveal it to us, are the perfedcion of our knowledge, and the height of our love, and the perpetual fociety and friendiliip of all the blefled inhabi- tants of thole glorious manlions ; and the joy- ful concurrence of all thefe in chearful expref- iions of gratitude, in the inceffant praifes and admiration of the fountain and author of all this Happinefs. And what can be more de- lightful than to have our undt-^rftandings enter- tained with a clear fight of the bed and moft perfed; being, with the knowledge of all his works and of the wile defigns of his provi- dence here in the world ? than to live in the reviving prcrence of God, and to be continu- ally attending upon him wliofe favour is life, and whofe glory is much more above that of any of the princes of this world, than the greateft of them is above the poorefl: worm ? The queen of Sheba thought Solomon's fervants happy in having the opportunity, by flanding continually before him, to hear his wifdom ; but in the other world it fliall be a Happineff? toSolornon himfclfjand to tiie wifcit and greatef^ perfons 3 a heavenly Converfatwi. 251 pcrfoiis that ever were in this world, to fland before this great king to admire his wifdom and to behold his glory. Not that I imagine the Happinefs of Heaven to confift in a perpetual gazing upon God, and in an idle contemplation of the glories of that place. For as by that blefled fight we (hall be infinitely tranfported, fo the Scripture tells us we fhall be alfo tranf- formed into the image of the divine perfedions; we Jh all fee God and we pall he like him j and what greater Happinefs can there be than to be like the happieft and moft perfe(5t Being in the world ? Beiides, who can tell what employ- ment God may have for us in the next life ? We need not doubt but that he who is Happi-, nefs itlelf, and hath promifed to make us happy, can eafily find out fuch employments and de- lights for us in the other world as will be pro- per and fuitable to that (late. But then befides the improvement of our knowledge, there fliall be the mod delightful exercife of love. When we come to Heaven we fhall enter into the fociety of the bleffed angels and of thefpirits cfjufl men made perfjdi^ that is freed from all thofe pafiions and infirmi- ties which do now render the converf^tion, even of the befl men, fometimes troublefome to one another. We (hall then meet with all thofe excellent perfons, thofe brave minds, thofe innocent and charitable fouls whom we have {^tx^.j and heard, and read of in this world. There v.^e fliall meet with many of our dear relations and intimate friends, and perhaps with many of our enemies, to whom we iLall then be 252 Of the Happiriefs of be perfedly reconciled notwithftanding all the warm contefts and peevifli differences which we had with them in this world, even about matters of religion. For Heaven is a ftate of perfed: love and friend{hip, there will be nothing but kind- nefs and good-nature there, and all the prudent arts of endearment and wife ways of rendring converfation mutually pleafant to one another. And what greater Happinefs can be imagined than to converfe freely with fo many excellent perfons, without any thing of folly or difguife, of jealoufy or defign upon one another ? For then there will be none of thofe vices and paf- lions, of covetoufnefs and ambition, of envy and hatred, of wrath and peevifhnefs, which do now fo much fpoil the pleafure and diflurb the quiet of mankind. All quarrels and contentions, fchifms and divifions will then be effectually hindred, not by force but by love, not by com- pulfion but by that charity which never fails ; and all thofe controverfies in religion, which are now fo hotly agitated, will then be finally determined, not as we endeavour to end them now by canons and decrees, but by a perfect knowledge and convincing light. And when this bleffed fociety is met together and thus united by love, they fhall all join in gratitude to their great patrons and benefadlors, to him that fits upon the thro?2e, and to the Lamb that was fain ^ to God even our Father, and to our Lord fefus Chrijl, who hath loved us and wafied us from ourfns in his ow?i blood. And they (hall fing everlafting fongs of praife to God for all his works of wonder, for the cffedts of that infinite a heave7zly Convej-fatlon. 253 infinite goodnefs, and admirable wifdom, and almighty power, which are clearly feen in the creation and government of the world and all the creatures in it 3 particularly for his favours to mankind, for the benefit of their beings, for the comfort of their lives, and for all his merciful providences towards them in this world : but above all for the redemption of their fouls by the death of his Son, for the free forgivenefs of their fins, for the gracious aflift- ance of his holy Spirit, and for conducing them fafely through all the fnares and dangers, the troubles and temptations of this world to the fecure polTeffion of that glory and happinefs which then they fhall be partakers of, and are bound to praife God for to all eternity. This, this (hall be the employment of the bloTed fpi- rits above, and thefe are the chief ingredients of our Happinefs which the Scripture mentions- And if there were no other, as there may be ten thoufand more for any thing I can tell, yet generous and virtuous minds will eafily under- hand how great a pleafure there is in the im- provement of our knowledge, and the exercife of love, and in a grateful and perpetual acknow- ledgment of the greateft benefits that creatures are capable of receiving. 3. This Happinefs fliall be eternal. And though this be but a circumftance and do not enter into the nature of our Happinefs, yet it is fo material a one that all the felicities which Heaven affords would be imperfect without it. It would ftrangely damp and allay all our joys to think that they {l:iould fome time have an end. And 254 Of the Happlnefi of And the greater our Happinefs were, the greater trouble it would be to us to confider that it muft have a period. It would make a man forrowful indeed to think of leaving fuch vaft: pofleffions. Indeed if the Happinefs of Hea- ven were fuch as the joys of this world are, it were fit they (liould be as fhort j for after a little enjoyment it would cloy us, and we fhould foon grow weary of it : but being fo excellent, it would fcarce be a Happinefs if it were not eter- nal. It would imbitter the pleafures of Hea- ven, as great as they are, to fee to an end of them, though it were at never fo great a dif- tance; to confider that all this vaft treafure of Happinefs would one day be exhaufled, and that after fo many years were pail: we fliould be as poor and miferable again as we were once in this world. God hath fo ordered things, that the vain and empty delights of this world fhould be temporary and tranfient, but that the great and fubfiantial pleafures of the other world lliould be as lading as they are excellent. For Heaven as it is an exceeding, fo it is an eternal weight of glory. And this is that which crowns the joy of Heaven, and banifhes all fear and trouble from the minds of the bleifed. And thus to be fecured in the pofleflion of our Hap- pinefs is an unfpeakable addition to it. For that which is eternal, as it fhall never determine, fo it can never be diminiihed ; for to be dimi- uifhed and to decay is to draw nearer to an end, but that which (hall never have an end can ne- ver coa:ie nearer to it. Ovaft a heniiicnly Convcrfaticn. 255 O vaft eternity ! how doft thou fwallow up our thoughts and entertain us at once with de- light and amazement ? This is the very top and higheft pitch of our Happinefs, upon which we may ftand fecure and look down with fcorn upon ail things here below ; and how fmall and inconfiderable do they appear to uSj com- pared with the vafl and endlels enjoyments of our future ftate? But oh vain and foolifli fouls! that are fo little concerned for eternity ; that for the trifles of time, and the pleafures of fin which are but for a feafon^ can find in our hearts to forfeit an everlafting felicity. BleiTed God ! why hafl thou prepared fuch a Happinefs for thofe who neither confider it, nor feek after it? Why is fuch a price put into the hands of fools ^ who have no heart to make ufe of it ; who fondly chufe to gratify their lufts rather than to fave their fouls, and fottill:ily prefer the temporary enjoyments of iin before a blefTed immortality. 4. And lafcly, this Flappinefs is far above any thing that we can now conceive or imagine. It is fo great that it cannot now enter into the heart of man. We cannot from the experience of any of thofe pleafures and delights which we have been acquainted withal in this world, frame an equal idea and conception of it. So fhat when we come to Heaven we {hall be ready to fay of it as the queen of Sheba did of Solomon's wifdom and profperity, that half of it hath not been told us ; that the felicities and glories of that ft ate do far exceed all the fame which we have heard of them in this world. For who can fay how great a good God is ? and how 2 5^ Of the Jiappmefi of how happy he who is the fountain of Happl- nefs can make thole fouls that love him, and thofe whom he loves ? In this imperfecfl fcate we are not capable of a full reprefentation of thofe glories. We can- not now fee God and live. A full defcription of Heaven and of the pleafures of that ftate would let in joys upon us too big for our nar- row capacities, and too ftrong for weak morta- lity to bear. We are now but children^ and we fpeak as children^ and undei'fiand and think as children concerning thefe things ; but in the other flate we (hall grow up to be men, and then we fliall put away thefe childifh thoughts; now we know but in part, but when that which is per feci is come^ that which is imperfeB fiall be done away ; now we fee through a glajs darkl^^ [h alvlyf^ari, in a riddle) but then we fiall fee face to face ; now we know in party but then we fhall know even as alfo we are known ^ i Cor. xiii. 9, 10, II, 1 2, as the apoftle difcourfeth excellently concerning this very matter. No fooner fhall we enter upon the joys of the other world, but our minds fhall be raifed to a ftrength and adivity as much above that of the moll: knowing perfons in this world, as the thoughts of the greateft philofopher and wifefl: man upon earth are above the thoughts of a child or a fool. No man's mind is now fo well framed to underftand any thing in this world, as our underftar dings fhall then be fitted for the knowledge of God and of the things that belong to that ftate. In the mean time let us blefs God that he hath revealed fo much of this *r a heavenly CoJiverfation. 25*: this Happinefs to us as is necellary to excite and encourage us to feek after it. The fccond thing to be conlidered concern- ing our future Happinefs, is the way and means whereby we may come to be made partakers of it. And that in {hort is by the conftant and fincere endeavours of a holy life, in and through the mercies of God in our Lord Jelus Chrift. Chrift indeed is the author of our falvation, but obedience is the condition of it j fo the apoftle tells us, that Chrift is the author of eternal faU vat ion to them that obey him^ Heb. v. 1 . It is the grace of God in the Gofpel v/hich brings or offers this falvation to us, but then it is by the denying of ungodlinefs and worldly lujls^ a7id by living foberly J andrighteoifly^ and godly in this prefent world that we are to wait for the blefcd hope^T\X,\\. iij ]2. Our Saviour promifes this Happinefs to the pure in heart, bleffed are the pure in hearty for they f jail fee God y and elfe- where the Scripture doth exclude all others from any fhare or portion in this bleffednefs j fo the apoftle affures us that without holi?2efs no man Jha^lfee the Lordy Heb. xiii. 14. And holinefs is not only a condition but a neceffary qualification, for the Happinefs of the next life. This is the force of 8t. John's rea- foning, we Jljall be like hiniyfor we foall fee him. To fee God is to be happy, but unlefs we be like him we cannot fee him. The fieht and prefence ot God himfelf would be no Happi- nefs to that man who is not like to God in the temper and difpofition of his mind. And from hence the apoftle infers in the next verfe, every Vol. II. S man 25S Of the Happifiefs of man that hath this hope in him piirifieth himjelf even as he is pure. So that if we live wicked lives, if we allow ourfelves in the pradice of any known fm, we interrupt our hopes of Hea- ven and render ourfelves unfit for eternal life. By this means we defeat all the defigns of God's grace and mercy towards us, and falvation itfelf cannot fave us if we make ourfelves incapable of that Happinefs which God offers. Heaven is in Scripture called aji inheritance among them that are fanSlifiedy and the inherita?ice of the faints in light ; fo that it is not enough that this inheritance is promifed to us, but we muft be qualified and prepared for it, 2lX\^ be made meet to he made partakers of it. And this life is the time of our preparation for our future fiate. Our fouls will continue for ever what we make them in this world. Such a temper and difpofition of mind as a man carries with him out of this life he (hall retain in the next. 'Tis true indeed, Heaven perfeds thofe holy and virtuous difpofitions which are beeun here : but the other world alters no man as to his main iiate, he that is filthy ^is)! II be filthy ft illy and he that is imrighleous will be unrigh- teous ftiil. If we do not in a good degree mor- tify our lufts and paffions here, death will not kill them for us, but we (liall carry them with us into the other world. And if God {Iiould admit us fo qualified in:o the place of Happi- nefi, yet we (hall bring that along with us which w^ouid infallibly hinder us from being happy. Our fenfual inclinations and delires would meet with nothing there that would be fuitable to 8 them. a heavenly Converfation. 2 5*9 them, and we fliould be perpetually tormented with thofe appetites which we brought with us out of this world, bccaufe we niould find no- thing there to gratify them withal. For as the apoflle fays in another lenfe, the kingdom of God is not meats and drinks^ but righteoiifnefsy and peace^ and joy in the holy Ghofl. The Happinefs of Heaven confirts in fuch things as a wicked man hath no gull: and relidi for. So that if a covetous, or ambitious, or voluptuous man were in Heaven, he would be juft like the rich man in Hell, tormented with a continual thirft, and burut up in the flames of his own ardent defires; and would not be able, amidfl all the plenty and treafures of that place, to find fo much as one drop of fuitable pleafure and delight to quench and allay that heat. So likewife our fierce and unruly pafiions J if we fliould carry them with us intowthe other world, how inconfiftent would they be with Happinefs? Thev would not only- make us miferable ourfelves, but be a trouble to all thofe with whom we fliould converfe. If a man of an envious and malicious, of a peevifli and paffionate temper, were admitted into the manfions of the blefied, he would not only be unhappy himfelf, but would difturb the quiet of others, and raife ftorms even in thofe calm regions. Vain man I that dreamelt of being happy without any difpofition or prepa- ration for it. To be happy, is to enjoy what we defire, and to live with thofe w^iom we love. But there is nothino- in Heaven fuitable o to the defires and appetites of a wicked man. All the joys of that place, and the delights of S 2 that 26o Of the Happinefs of that ftate are purely fpiritual, and are only to be rel idled by thofe who have purified themfehes as God is pure. But if thou be carnal and fen- fual, what are thefe things to thee ? What Hap- pinefs would it be to thee to fee God, and to have him always in thy view, who was never in all thy thoughts ; to be tied to live for ever in his company who is of a quite contrary tem- per and dlfpoiition to thyfelf, whofe prefence thou dreadeft, and whom whilft thou waft in this world thou couldft never endure to think upon ? So that the pleafures of Heaven itfelf could lignify no good or happinefs to that man who is not fo difpofed as to take pleafure in them. Heaven is too pure an air for corrupt fouls to live and breathe in, and the whole em- ployment and converfation of that place, as it would be unfuitable, fo would it alfo be unac- ceptable to a fenfual and vicious perfon. From all this it appears how neceflary it is for us to prepare ourfelves for this blefled ftate, by the conftant and fincere endeavours of a holy life, and by mortifying every luft and inordinate paflion in our fouls. For till this be done we are not meet to be made partakers of the feli- cities of the other world. And thus I have done with the firft thing implied in this phrafe, of having our Converfation in Heaven^ viz. the ferious thoughts and confiderations of Heaven; or the Happinefs of that ftate, and the way and means whereby that Happinefs is to be attained. II. The having our Converfation in Heaven does imply like wife the effc(5t which thofe con- 2 fider- a heavenly Converfation. 261 fideiations ought to have upon our hearts and hves : As, 1, To convince us of the vanity of this world. God hath on purpofe made this world troublefome and uneafy to us, that there might be no fufficient temptation to reafonable and confiderate men to take them off from the care and thought of their future Happinefs ; that God and Heaven might have no rival here be- low J that there might be nothing in this world that might pretend to our affedtion or court us with any advantage in comparifon of everlafting life and glory. When we come to die, and eternity (hall prefent itfelf to our ferious and waking thoughts, then things will put on another face, and thofe things which we valued fo much in this life will then appear to be nothing worth j but thofe things which we negleded, to be of infi- nite concernment to us, and worthy to have been the care and endeavour of our whole livei^. And if we would coniider thefe things in time, while the opportunities of life and health are before us, we might be convinced at a cheaper rate, and come to be fatisfied of the vanity of this world before we defpaired of the Happi- nefs of the other. 2. To make us very adive and indudrious to be as good, and to do as much good as we can in this life, that fo we may be qualified and difpofed for the Happinefs of the next. Men are ufually very induftrious for the things of this life, to be rich and great in this world ; did we but value Heaven half as much as it de- S 3 ferves 262 Of the Happinefs of ferves we fliould take infinitely more pains for that. So often as we confider the glories that are above, how does it accufe our floth and condemn our folly, that we are lefs concerned for our fouls than moft men are for their bodies, that we will not labour half fo much for an eternal inheritance as men ordinarily do for thefe corruptible things ? Let us remember that we are hafting apace to another world, and that our eternal Happi- nefs now lies at the ftake. And how fhould it quicken our endeavours to' have fuch a reward fet before us, to have crowns and fcepters in our eyes? Would we but often reprefent to our minds the glorious things of another world, what fervours fliould we feel in our hearts ? we fliould be all life, and fpirit, and wing; and Ihould do God's will, almoft with the fame rea- fon and delight, as the angels do who contmually behold the face of their Father. The confidera- tion of Heaven and the firm perfuafion of our future Happinefs fhould aduate all the powers of our fouls, and be continually infpiring us with new vigour in the ways of holinefs and virtue. How fliould this thought fwell our refolutions and confirm our purpofes of obedience, that if we have our f'uit unto holinefs our end will be cuerlafi/ig lif ? 3. To mitigate and lighten the evils and afflictions of this life. It is no great matter how rough the way be, provided we be fure that it leads to Happinefs. The incomparably greater good of the next life will to a wife and confiderate man weigh down all the evils of this. a heavenly Converfation. 263 this. And the Scripture tells us that there is no comparifon between them. T^he fufferings of this prefent time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which JJdall be revealed in us, Rom. viii. 18. The evils of this life affiid: men more or lefs according as the foul is fortified with confiderations proper to fupport us under them. When we conlider that we have but a little while to be here, that we are upon our journey travelling towards our heavenly country where we fhall meet with all the delights we can de- iire. it oug-ht not to trouble us much to endure ftorms and foul ways, and to want many of thofe accommodations we might exped: at home. This is the common fate of travellers, and we muft take things as we find them, and not look to have every thing juft to our mind. Thefe difficulties and inconveniencies will fliortly be over, and after a few days will be quite forgot- ten, and be to us as if they had never been. And when we are fafely landed in our own country, with what pleafure fliall we look back upon thofe rough and boifterons feas which we have efcaped ? The more troubles we have pad through, the kinder ufage we (liall iind when we come to our Father's houfe. So the apoftle tells us, that our light affii5iion which is but for a moment i worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. When we come to Heaven our Happinefs fliall then be as real as our miferies were here upon earth, and far greater and more lafting. And what great matter is it though we fuffer a while in this world, provided we efcape the endlefs unfuf- S 4 ferable 264 Of the Happinefs of ferable torments of the next; though we have not our good things in this hfe, if infinitely greater be referved for us, and we fhall receive them with intereft in the other ? Several of the evils and calamities of this life would be infufferable indeed, if there were no- thino^ better to be hoped for hereafter. If this were true, Chriftians would not only be of all men but of all creatures the moft miferable. But our religion hath abundantly aflured us to the contrary. And the aflurance of this was that which made the primitive Chriftians to embrace fufferings with fo much chearfuhiefs> to glory in tribulation, and to take joyfully the • (polling of their goods, knowing that in Heaveji they had a better and more enduring fubfiance. The feven brethren in the hiftory of the Mac- cabees upon this perfuafion would not accept de- liverance, that they might obtaiii a better refur- rcSficn. The ftorm of Itones which was poured upon St. Stephen was no more to him than a common fliower when he Jaw the Heavens cpened, and Jeftis (in whofe caufe he fuffered) flanding on the right hand of God. 4. To make us iincere in all our profefiions, words and adlions. Did men firmly believe the rewards of another world, the irreligion would not only be in fhew and pretence, but in life and reality, no man would put on a form of godlinefs that were deftitute of the power of it; we flioald do nothing for the opinion of others, but all with regard to God and our own con- fciences; and be as curious of our thoughts, and moft: retired adions, as if wc were in an open theatre a heavenly Converfation. 26^ theatre and in the prefence of the grcateft af- fembly. For in the next hfe men (liall not be rewarded for what they Teemed' to be, but for what they really were in this world. There- fore whatever we think, or fpeak, or do, we fhould always remember that the day of reve- lation is coming, when the fecrets of all hearts fhall be difclofed, when all difguifes fliall be laid afide, and every one's mafk (liall be taken off, and all our actions and deligns fball be brought upon the public ftage and expofed to the view of men and angels. Inhere is 7iothing now hidden which jJjall not the?! be revealed ^ nor fecret which fiall not be made known. 5. To arm us againft the fears of death. Death is terrible to nature, and the terror of it is infinitely encreafed by the fearful apprehen- fions of what may follow it. But the comfort- able hopes of a blefied immortality do ftrangely relieve the fainting fpirits of dying men, and are able to reconcile us to death, and in a great meafure to take away the terror of it. I know that the thoughts of death are difmal even to good men, and we have never more need of comfort and encouragement than when we are conflidting v/ith this laft enemy, and there is no fuch comfortable confideration to a dying man as the hopes of a happy eternity. He that looks upon death only as a paflage to glory, may welcome the meffengers of it as bringing him the beft and moft joyful news that ever came to him in his whole life, and no man can ftay behind in this world with half the comfort that this man leaves it. And 266 Of the Happinefi of And now I have done with the two things implied in this phrafe, of having our Convej^Ja- tion in Hea'veny viz. the ierious thoughts and confideiations of Heaven, and the effeds of thefe thoughts and confiderations upon our hearts and hves. I crave your patience but a little longer, till I make fome reflection upon what hath been de- livered concerning the Happinefs of good men after this life. I have told you that it is incom- parably beyond any Happinefs of this world, that it is great in itfelf, and eternal in its dura- tion, and far above any thing that we can now conceive or imagine. And now after all this, I am very fenfible how much all that I have faid comes fhort of the greatnefs and dignity of the thing. So that I could almofl begin again and make a new attempt upon this fuhjedt. And indeed who would not be loath to be taken off from fo delightful an argument I Me- thinks 'tis good for us to be here, and to let our minds dwell upon thefe confiderations. We are unworthy of Heaven, and unfit to partake of fo great a glory, if we cannot take pleafure in the contemplation of thofe things now, the poffeffion whereof fliall be our Happinefs for ever. With what joy then fliould we think of thofe great and glorious things which God hath pre- pared for them that love hi?n, of that inheritance incorruptible^ imde filed, which fadeth not away, referred for us in the Heavdis^ How Ihould we welcome the thoughts of that happy hour, when we (hall make our efcape out of thefe prifons. a heavenly Con-verfation. 267 prifons, when we fhall pafs out of this howling