yc-th ^/re../2^' ^l^C^ y ^ I ALUMNI LIBRARY, I THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, | $ PRINCETON f, N. J. ^^— - — -^ ('((s<% Division.,.'. v.v |1| '^'^'''^/' Section..,,...., i sec. 3(0S ■\ FIFTY-TWO SERMONS, Sfc. FIFTY-TWO SERMONS OH THE BAPTISMAL COVENANT, THE CREED, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, AND OTHER IMPORTANT SUBJECTS OF PRACTICAL RELIGION; BEING ONE FOR EACH SUNDAY IN THE YEAR BY SAMUEL WALKER, A. B. lATE OF EXETER-COLLEGE, OXFORD i CURATE OF TRURO, IH CORrWALL, IfC. Ifi IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. IL NEW EDITION; CORRECTED AND REVISED BY THE REV. SAMUEL BURDER, M. A. OF CLARE-HALL, CAMBRIDGE ; AND CHAPLAIN TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OT KEKT. LONDON: PRINTED FOR MATHEWS AND LEIGH, IN THE STRAND, By W. Clowes, Northumberland-court. 1810. CONTENTS TO THE SECOND VOLUME, LECTURES ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. SERMON XXVI. Gal. ili. 24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring ut unto Christ, that tve might he justified by faith. X HIS epistle shews that justification is not by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ - - - 1 What is meant by the law __---- 2 The great design of the Mosaic dispensation was to bring us to Christ - 2 The ceremonial law has ceased since the coming of Christ - fi The moral still remains, and serves as a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ ---------2 The Author's design to explain the Ten Commandments ; he begins with the first, Thou shalt have no other gods but me, or before me --------3 The four first Commandments require the inward worship of the heart and the outward worship of the life - - - 3 The first requires us to know God ----- 4 God's spiritual nature and perfections are revealed in his word, 4 A serious inquiry whether we have a practical knowledge of God or not - - - - - -. -- • 5,6 We must condemn ourselves ; and, as fallen nven, may cry, God, be merciful to us, sinners! - , - - - - 8 This first Commandment requires us to put our trust in God, to love him with all the heart, and fear him only - . 9 VOL. II, A . ii CONTENTS. Page An inquiry whether we have trusted in God for things tem- poral - - -- - - - - -10, &c. And also in respect of things spiritual - - - - 13 SERMON XXVII. What is implied in loving God with all the heart - - 17 Have you esteemed God as your chief good, happiness, and portion ?- - - - • - ---19 Have you a most ardent desire after God? - - 21, &c. Do you delight in God as your chief happiness ? - 27, &c. What reason we have to be humbled, and, from a sense of our guilt, to betake ourselves to Christ for mercy - - 29 SERMON XXVIII. God, as our absolute Sovereign, the object of fear « - 3d Angels, saints, sinners, and devils, in what way God is the object of their fear - - - - - - 31,33 The fear of God exercised different ways - - - - 32 We are to have • deep concern for God's glory, and a godly sorrow for our sins ------- 34 We are to justify God in the sentence he hath denounced against sin ---.-----35 We are to yield a quiet submission to God's corrections - 36 We should be impressed with a due concern about his dis- pleasure incurred by our sins ----- 38 To consider whether we have been secure in our sins - - 38 Has our concern about God's displeasure fdt our sins driven MS to God's mercy through Jesus Christ - - - - 39 We are to have a concern for our past sins after we have be- taken ourselves for mercy through the Redeemer - - 40 Have we such a fear of God as makea us jealous of his ho- nour and fearful of his displeasure ? - - - - 41 Are we humbled for not having had a greater detestation of «n ? - - - - - - - - - - 42 Have we actually rejected all evil motions in our hearts ? * 43 Hath the fear of God made us watchful against all tempta- tions ?- - - - - - - - - -45 Hath the fear of God kept u« from dishonouring him in the use of his ^^ood creatures ><>..•. -45 CONTENTS. ui SERMON XXIX. Page. The first Commandment enjoins a practical knowledge of God, or giving the heart to him ----- 47 This is the life and substance of all the Commandments - 47 The second Commandment requires us to worship God - 47 We are to worship God in the use of prayer, the word, and sacraments - - - " " " " "." Sincerity, diligence, faith, and reverence, necessary in worship, 4» What engagements baptism brings us under - - - 48 What sincerity, diligence, and reverence, have we shewn in observing our engagements ? - - - - - - 48 Have we been sensible of the ends of coming to the Lord's supper ? ------- -"*y Have we been sincerely desirous that Christ should be our Saviour ? Have we examined ourselves, and come with an hungering appetite ?-------- -53 Have we come in faith to feed on a crucified Jesus ? - - 54 Have v/e come with reverence and abasement, as vile sinners ? 55 An exhortation to humility and self-abasement on account of our miscarriages -_-«--- 5t> SERMON XXX. An exhortation to bring our hearts and ways under examina- tion by the Commandments ----- 57» 58 The word and prayer, as parts of worship, considered - 59 Have we been sincere in the use of God's word ? - - - 59 Have we been diligent iu the use of the word ? - - - 6! Have we used the Scriptures in faith ? , - - - - 64 Have we used God's word with reverence ? _ - . 66 In respect of prayer, have we been sincere and diligent in prayer? -68 Have we approached to the throne of grace in faith and with reverence ?.------- "9» ' ^ Our sins against the second Commandment, as those against the first, may tend to convince us of the need we have of a better righteousness than our own - - - - 71» 7* a2 iv, CONTENTS. SERMON XXXI. A yearly season for the more express humiliation and mourn- ing for sin - - - - - - - - - 73 How the law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ - - 73 A serious examination of ourselves for the year past - - 74 The third Commandment considered - - - - 76 Have we not dishonoured God by our lips? - - -77 Hath our conversation been such as tended to glorify God ? - 79 Hath there been nothing in our conduct dishonourable to God ? 81 How have we conducted ourselves in our general and special callings? „___-_--- 82 Our conduct in our general and special callings examined negatively and positively ------ 85 SERMON XXXII. The fourth Commandment, Remember the sabbath-day, considered ---------89 That day to be sanctified for God's glory and our spiritual profit - - - - - - - - --90 The design of the sabbath, namely, divine worship, and pre- paration for an everlasting rest - - - - - 90 Resting from worldly employments required, Thou shalt do no manner of work - - - - - - -90 Have you rested from doing worldly business on the Lord's day? 91 Have your thoughts and words been heavenly ? - - - 91 No worldly business is to be done on the sabbath-day - 93 What works may be called works of necessity and mercy, and allowable on that d^y ------ g4 When the sabbath may be said to be kept holy - - - 95 Public worship required on that day, namely, prayer, praise, hearing the word, and communicating - - - - 9^ Private exercises, namely, secret prayer, examination, read- ing, and meditiition ------ 97, 98 Religious communication required, and speaking our own words forbidden - - ------99 Hath your aim been principally to glorify God on that day ? 101 CONTENTS. V Page. What is meant by the sabbath being a sign between God and his people _-------- 101 Ilath your aim been the sanctification of your soul on that day? - - 102 How great ground for self-condemnation and humiliation for not sanctifying the sabbath -----*■ 103 SERMON XXXIII. We are all guilty, and can only be accepted by God's mercy through Christ's righteousness ----- 104 A confession suitable to every one of us - - - 104, &c. The law is to be explained in a spiritual sense - - -107 Honour thy father and thy mother, these words explained - 108 Of natural affection in parents and children - - 109, &*-'• The duty of parents towards their children - - - 112 Above all things their religious education is to be aimed at - J 14 Parents are to set their children a good example - - - 115 And to instruct them in the knowledge of Christ - - 1 16 They are to instruct their children in all good ways - - 11 7 They are to be gentle towards their children - - -118 They are to correct them for stubbornness and idleness - 118 Parents ought to place their children in a proper calling - 1 19 And should make a suitable provision for them - - - 120 Parents are to prevent their children from marrying graceless persons They should be constant in prayer for their spiritual welfare, 121 SERMON XXXIV. Of the duty of children towards their parents - - -123 There must be an acknowledgment of that dignity and authority God has put upon parents . - - - 124 They are to reverence their parents as appointed by God to direct their education ------- 125 Children are to attend to their parents' instructions - - 126 And to submit to their parents' discipline - - - -126 And to the corrections of their parents, and to profit by them, 128 They must be humbled for their faults - - - - ISl And be grieved for having incurred their parents' displeasure, 131 n CONTENTS. Page. Not to be angry with their parents for doing their duty - 131 They must seek God's forgiveness, and that of their parents, 131 They are cheerfully to submit to the disposals of their parents, 132 And to their directions in all lawful things - - - - 134 Children are to honour their parents though they should not always act for the best ------ 136, &c. SERMON XXXV. The duty of servants considered - - - - - 139 They are to consider themselves as servants of God in their calling _---___- 140, &c. They are to have an inward reverence to their masters - - 144 And to shew an outward reverence towards them - - 145 They are to obey their masters in all things - - - 147 Apprentices, how they ought to behave - - - -148 Servants are not to purloin, but to shew all good fidelity - 150 They are to have clean hands, and to be industrious and thrifty - - - .-150 They should pray for their masters, and the success of their business - - - - - - - - -152 SERMON XXXVI. The duties of masters to their servants considered - - 154 Religious masters should make a good choice of their servants, 1 55 They are to serve God in the important calling of a master of a family - - - - - - - - -156 Masters are to use their authority over their servants for God's glory - - - - - - - - -157 The great influence a master's conduct has over his servants, 158 Is his government such as best serves to promote religion among them ? - - - - - - - -158 Have masters encouraged them in the ways of Christian god- liness? - - - - - - - - - -158 Masters are to be mild in their carriage, and reasonable in their commands - - - - - - - -159 They are to be just and kind towards their servants - - l6l It is the duty of masters to w^tch over theit- servants' souls - l64 CONTENTS. irii Pa^e. Masters should exainiae themselves concerniog the discharge of their duty ; and, under a sense of their imperfections, to depend on the righteousness of Christ - - » • Igg SERMON XXXVII. The duties of husbands and wives considered - - - ifiS Marria S-t* LECTURES Ser. *iS From the whole we may easily collect, that the fear of God in man is not such an angelic reverence, as if we had never sinned against him (for in this re- spect there is a difference between angels and saints even in heaven ; the saints never forget they were sinners, though the remembrance be without pain or fear, yea, rather with a humility that enlivens all their praise and joy) ; or as if we were now perfect, or were delivered from all the pains and penalties which the justice of God hath annexed to sin ; but it is such an apprehension and veneration of God's wise, mighty, and glorious majesty, as makes us jealous for his glory, and fearful of his displeasure : and this both as we have offended him, and lest we should offend him. 1. — As we have offended God, this apprehension and veneration of God's majesty should keep alive upon our hearts a due and deep concern for his glory, whicli we have thereby injured, and for his displea- sure, which we have thereby incurred. First. — A deep concern for the glori/ of GocVs ma" jesty^ which we have injured by our sins. We cannot be supposed to have any veneration for God's majesty without this. Let us see how a concern for God's glory in such a case doth express itself First. — In godly sorrow. Peter, as soon as he had denied his Master, went out, and wept bitterly * ; for what did he weep, but the dishonour he had done his Master? It was that which pained and grieved his * Matt. xxvi. 75, Ser. 28. on the church catechism. 35 heart. O what a monster did he think himself! and have we loathed ourselves and humbled ourselves in godly sorrowings, whenever we have dishonoured God's majesty by our sins ? Whence is it then that so many of you have committed, and too many of you still do commit, the most deadly sins, the sins of swearing, and drunkenness, and filthiness, and sab- bath-breaking, and feel no concern about it, find no shame upon the matter before God, if ye take to yourselves any shame before men ? Whence, like the sons of Sodom, are you bold and hardy to do what you list? Alas! with insolent disregard of God's majesty, you say in your hearts, Who is Lord over us .^ While you sin without fear; yea, make a mock at sin, and despise the fear of the Lord. Thanks be to God ! you are not all thus without understanding ; yet all of you^ how disproportionate have been your sorrowings to your sins ? Have we not all reason to complain of the hardness of our hearts, that we have dishonoured God so much, and loathed ourselves so little ? Secoiidly. — In justifying God's majesty in the sen-* tence that he hath denounced against sin, according to that humble language ; That thou mighiest hejustijied in thy sayings, and mightesi overcome when thou art judged*. Now have we justified God in his sentence against us? And have we always done thus? Hath the veneration we have had for God's majesty made the curse he hath pronounced against us appear equi- ♦ Rom. iii. 4. D 2 36 LECTURES Ser. 2S. table to us ? Have we never secretly questioned the justice of it, or complained of its severity? Many are doing this openly, and insisting that the righteous God will not, or shall not, thus deal with his crea- tures ! Many do so openly ; but if you have escaped this insolence, have you never done it secretly, either questioning whether you were not so righteous as to deserve God's favour, or disputing whether his curse justly belonged to you, or conceiving hard thoughts of him concerning it, or murmuringly demanding in your heart. Why hast thou made me thus ? So charging your sins on God to justify yourself. Have you always lain down under the stroke of justice, giving glory to God's adorable majesty, and saying, from the full conviction of your heart, II is of thi/ mercies, O Lord, that I am not utterly consumed ; thou hast done right, hut I have done wichcdly. O enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no flesh living he justified ! Will you ven- ture to say you have thus acquitted and justified God iu your heart in all and every one of your sins, without murmw-rings and without disputings? Thirdly^ — In a quiet submission to God^s corrections. Have you always acquiesced in the justice and even- mildness of them, that they were less than you de- served ; saying. Righteous art thou, O Lord, and just are tlu/ judgments ! Thou art righteous in all thou hast brought upo7i us/ Why shoidd a man complain for the punishment of his sinsP Brethren, have we never forgotten God in the matter ? or complained with wicked Cain, My punishment is greater than I Ser. 28. on the church catechism. 37 can bear ? or been ready to curse the clay that we were boru, with Job ? Have we always owned, *' Thy judgments are just, when the desire of our ** eyes hath been taken away at a stroke,'* when our prospects have failed us, our friends have been taken from us, when we have been left destitute and for- saken, when God's visitations have fallen thick upon us, one following in quick succession upon another ? In all cases have we been quiet, nor asked God, What dost thou? adoring his majesty, and giving glory in the bottom of our hearts to his justice ? The too-common way is, we provoke God by our sins to punish us, and then quarrel with him for doing so. O where is the reverent veneration for God's just majesty, while we are fretting against all his dispen- sations which do not suit our humours ; sinning with a high hand, and with as high a hand refusing to be corrected ; murmuring, impatient, angry, as if God were doing us wrong, as if he had no right to do with us as he pleases, as if by our dutiful demeanour we had a claim upon all his favours ! A right apprehen- sion of, and veneration for, God's majesty, while we see what sin is committed against it in the world, should make us rather admire there is not more misery sent down among us, than repine there is so much: and he who is acquainted with God's glo- rious sovereignty, and his own manifold transgres- sions, hath no cause to startle at the prospect of that wretchedness he has to 2^0 throusrh in this vale of misery; at the pains, sicknesses, death, which he «ces waiting for him. But, 38 LECTURES S^r. 28, Secondly — As we have sinned against God's .ma- jesty, our hearts should be impressed with a due coii' cern about his displeasure^ which we have thereby in- curred. But now let us see what concern we have had, or yet haVe, about God's displeasure against our sins. First. — Have we not been, or are none of us now% secure in our sins ? David could say, My flesh irembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments* ; but hath it not been, or is it not our language still. Soul, take thy ease, eat, drink, and be merry .^ Have we never acted as though we had made a covenant with Death, and put away the evil day far from us? If we have not refused the fear of the Lord more or less, even to turn with all our hearts at his' reproofs, whence is it we are all such poor scholars in that wisdom which the fear of the Lord would have taught us ? or whence have so many of you this lesson all of it still to learn, after all of us have passed through so many calls, warnings, providences, and judgments? Ma}^ we not all say, we have been shamefully secure about God's displea- sure at our sins ? My brethren, let conscience be consulted. Are there none among you this day who have cause to say, " I am stupid, I am senseless; " fool that I am, I live as if God were not able to " punish ; as if m}' forgetfulness should stop the *' course of God's ven2:eance ; I live as easv as if f " were sure God was reconciled to me, and death, * Psalm, cxix. 120. Ser. 28. on the church catechism. 39 " come when it will, should certainly convey me to *' Abraham's bosom ; and yet I am sure, as I am that *' I live, that death, should it come (and it is coming, *' it is striding up towards me), that should death *' come now, (I cannot but tremble at the thought !) " it would take me away, and hurry me, alas ! not ^' to Abraham^s bosom, not to the paradise of God, ■' not to the blessed place where there are pleasures " for evermore, but (and can I any longer be easy at ^' the reflection ?) to misery, and flames, and tor- " ments! Yes, death, should it now come, would " carry me at once without delay, without hope, " without mercy, to that dark and dreadful place " where dwell the devils and all the cursed of God " for ever, and I to dwell among them also for " ever!" Secondly. — Hath our concern about God's displea- sure, by reason of our sins, driven us to God's mercy in Jesus Christ? They are few who have so much concern about God's displeasure against them, for their sins past, as to come to Christ wnth. an honest and true heart. There are none, indeed, who would not choose to be happy, and they would be glad if Christ would make them so, but it must be on their own terms; he must dispense with their forsaking sin, with their self-denial, and taking up the cross^ and leading an holy and an heavenly life, else they will be excused. They have not so much fear of God's displeasure as this comes to. They will hold it out a little longer; they will rather run the risk of all that God can inflict than submit to these hard Gospel 40 LECTURES Ser, 28. terms. What I am saying is no new or strange thing. It is as old at least as the days of Christ, when, we are told, Many went hack^ not able to endure such hard sayings'^ ; and it is no strange thing to one and another of you here present, I doubt not : yea, we all know it, in some degree, by experience. The very best have found it no easy matter to part with all for Christ, whatever apprehensions they might have had of God's displeasure. But, Thirdly. — Supposing you have betaken yourself to mercy in the Redeemer, are you to have no concern about your past sins? Yes, surely. I said above there will be an humbling remembrance of sin in hea- ven ; and I say now that the best saint upon earth is not at liberty to forget his past sins. I am sure neither David nor St, Paul did so: and that to keep them humble, to enliven faith, to excite love (accord- ing to that of our Lord, He that hath much forgiven will love much f), to stir up praise, thankfulness, and redeeming the time. And do we, or have we as we ought, thus concern ourselves about past, and, I sup- pose, now forgiven sins ? Who will say this ? Who will say it for so much as one hour ? It is not fit we should be terrified about past sins when we are come to Christ ; but it is fit we should remember the dis- pleasure of God under which we then lived, the dis^ honour we did his majesty, the danger we brought on our souls, and the grief we brought on the soul of Jesus. This is a part of a religious and child-like * John vi, 60, 66. f Lute vii. 47. Ser. 28. on the church catechism. 41 fear of God ; and I leave you all to judge if you do not come short in it. Yet, Fourthly. — Fear of God^s displeasure by reason of past sins is often slavish, and that is very contrary to the fear we are now speaking of; and peculiarly dis- honourable to God as a merciful, as well as righteous, Governor of the world. This slavish fear hath no concern about God's displeasure simply considered, but about the punishment which is the consequence of sin, and of that displeasure. A good child will be sorry he should have done any thing to deserve his father's displeasure ; a selfish slave regards not how any are affected by what he hath done, but what he is like to suffer. This latter is a bad fear, and con- trary to the duty we are speaking of Yet if your greatest concern upon the review of your sins is, or hath been, that you may not be punished ; if you mean nothing but yourself; if you are not ingenuously grieved, but only frightened at the thought that God should be displeased with you ; if you could be easily enough reconciled to have sinned, could you be sure God would never call you to account for your sins, yours is a slavish fear ; and it argues that you have not any veneration for God^s majesty, nor child-like concern about his displeasure against you : this was the fear of Adam after he had sinned, ' I heard thy * voice in the garden, and I was afraid.' — It is time now to pass on to the other branch of the fear of God, having spoken sufficiently of that concern which a due apprehension and veneration of his awful majesty, as we have offended him, should preserve in us. 42 LECTURES Ser. 28. II. — The other was, that such a fear of God as makes us jealous of his honour, and fearful of his dis- pleasure, should keep us from ojfending him and dis' pleasing him. Now such a fear of offending God implies these four things : — First. — An absolute detestation of all sin. Secondly — An actual rejection of all evil motions in our hearts. Thirdly. — A watchfulness against all temptations. Fourthly. — An holy care not to dishonour God in the use of any of his good creatures. First. — Have we not cause of humiliation, and of crying unto God for mercy, in that we have not had a greater detestation of sin ? To hate sin is the great fruit of a true fear of God : for as a true fear of God is a most high veneration of God's majesty, and a most awful apprehension of God's displeasure, so, where this is, there cannot but be an entire hatred of all that sin which dishonours God's majesty and iur curs his displeasure, and is the only thing that can do so. Wherefore there is no such thing as really fearing God without detesting and loathing sin, and this of whatever kind it be. Sin will be absolutely and universally hated, wherever the true fear of God is. Indeed, the love of sin is consistent enough with a slavish fear of God ; nay, is what is a main cause of that slavish fear of punishment. God would not be dreaded, were not his government hateful ; and it is a love of sin only can make it so. We shall need therefore look well to it, that we absolutely hate from the bottom of our hearts all evil ways, all sinful prac« Ser. 2S. ON the church catechism. 43 tices, and all sinful tempers, and all the sinful motions to the one and the other that are in our nature, else we have not the true fear of God in us. It is easy to apply this. The carnal mind, with all worldly and proud affections and lusts, have they always been hateful to us, and hated by us, as they ought ? Who hath not found some longing after the flesh-pots * ? or who hath so perfected holiness in the fear of God, as to be able to say, All false ways I have utterly abhorred -j*. Were this the case, how comes it that the catalogue of our actual sins is so large, and that we have all so much to confess and to be forgiven ? Would our debt have amounted to so large a sum, had we actually, absolutely, and duly hated and abhorred all evil ways ? No. The love of them was at the bottom too much, and the fear of God too little, in the many sins we have to answer for. When we at any time indulged intemperance, was there not the love of the flesh ? When we made compliances through fear of men, was there not the love of praise? When we truckled to the humour of some one we had expectations from, w^as there not the love of the world prevailing in us? Doubtless, we have not feared God as we ought ; and I wish there may be any true fear of God in the most of us novv.'^ In such case we shall quickly see many sins laid aside which are now in practice among us ; and therefore in prac- tice because we love them. Secondly. — Have we actually rejected all evil mo- * Exodus xvi. 3. t Psalm cxix. 128. Old translation. 44 LECTURES Set, 28. tions in our hearts ? This is but a consequence of the other. And the reason why I make a distinct head of it is, only to have it more distinctly noted ; because a watchfulness over our hearts, and a ready rejection of whatever evil motions are raised there by the body of sin, is the best and only certain sign of a true hatred of sin, and consequently of a true fear of God. I stop not to ask, whether you have never indulged evil motions in your heart ? lustful, worldly, proud, or malicious imaginations ? This is but too certain ; but I observe that such motions, improved into evil imaginations and thoughts, by the consent to, and delight of, the heart in them, are both the nursery of all outward sin, and in themselves so many actual sins before God ; who perfectly knows the inward parts, requires truth there, and plainly discovers that in such cases there is a great defect in the fear of his holy name. It was the fear of the heart-searching God that made David so earnestly pray. Prove me and examine my thoughts, look well if there be any way of wickedness in me*. And we must see to it whether there be in us such an holy fear of God as makes us watchful over our deceitful hearts, that are continually, like a muddy fountain, sending out some filthy thing or other; and whether we be ready to put our hand to the knife, and slay all such evil motions in the birth. If so, God will say of us, as he did of Abraham, Noic I know that thou fear est wc, seeing thou hast not withholden from * Psalm cxxxix. 2S, 24. Old tniDslation. Ser. 58. on the church catechism. 45 vie thy most beloved inclinations. O that sinners would but cast their eyes on their hearts one hour, and see what evil motions prevail within them in so short a space ! they would find at once that they knew not the fear of the Lord. Thirdly. — Hath the fear of offending God made us watchful against all temptations ? As much as the fear of offending God possesses our hearts, it must needs be, we shall not willingly run any risks of doing it. And needlessly we run risk of offending God, when needlessly we run into temptation. Now hath God nothing to lay to our charge on this score ? Few have at any time fear enough this way ; and none have been always enough watchful against temptations. Some indeed court sin, run wilfully into temptatiork because they love sin, else certain places would not be frequented as they are. And where then in such persons is there any fear of offending God ? AVhat ! Doth the drunkard fear offending God, when he runs- wilfully to the alehouse ; or the lewd person, when he betakes himself to the brothel ? Is there any fear ot^ God in the heart of him who will be a companion of those who fear him not ? This hath been, and is, the case of too many of you. And of whom in some de- gree hath it not been the case not to fear temptations ? — Alas ! the more we search our hearts and ways, the more abundantly we find the multitude of our sin& increasing upon us. But, Fourthly. — Hath a holy fear of God kept us from dishonouring him in the use of any of his good crea- tures ? This is a peculiar branch of religious fear ; 46 LECTURES, &c. Scr. 9S. and is what is meant by doing all things in the fear of God. And it is the more to be noted, because ill things allowed we are most apt to be off our guard. It is to no end I should ask careless persons if they have not been without this fear, since they always are so, and know not the difference between the use and abuse of an allowed thing ; asking only if there be any harm in it, while they make it ignorantly harm to themselves by their abuse of it. But to more serious persons I observe, there is not one of the ne- cessaries or comforts of life which we shall not sin- fully abuse, unless we use it in the fear of God. Our sleep, refreshments of meat and drink, our time, our friends, our books, our children, our every thing is capable of sinful abuse, by being used to indulgence; not in the fear and to the glory of God, but to self- pleasing, and to the hinderance of necessary duties. I beseech you all to bring yourselves under examination upon this point ; you will all find plenteous matter for humiliation from it. It is a great thing to be able' to say, " I have used this world, in the allowable " things thereof, as not abusing it." Thus much of the fear of God. Apply what you have heard, and the Lord give you understanding for Christ Jesus' sake ! SERMON XXIX. Galatians iii. 24-. JVherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. I HAVE spoken fully of the first commandment, with a view of shewing you what the law saith and ex- pects, and that, unable to answer its expectations, we might humble ourselves, and betake us to Christ. And now I will enter upon the second commandment with the same design. The first commandment enjoins a practical know- ledge of God, or giving the heart to liim in the dispo- sitions thereof And this is the life and substance of all the following commandments, which are only kept in proportion with the devotedness of heart to God which there is in keeping them. More particularly we can only worship God, as our hearts are acquainted with a love and fear of him, and trust in him. With- out something of this all worship can be but formality : we can neither pray, nor hear, nor wait on God in the. sacraments with any spirituality ; so these must be lifeless services^ unprofitable to us, and not honour" able to God. 48 LECTURES Ser. 29* This second commandment requires us to worship God ; and the worship of God must be according to God's revealed will. Now the Scripture requires we should worship God in a reverent use of prayer, the word, and the sacraments. At present I will speak of the sacraments, reserving the other two for another occasion. And these are two, baptism and the Lord's supper ; concerning which I will only suggest some needful inquiries re- specting the use we have made of them, and those such as 1 hope may be of service to such of you as are now to approach the Lord's table. Let it be remarked, once for all, that there are four things needful to a right performance of religious worship : — First. — Sincerity, from a simple desire to please God in our worship, because he requires it at our hands as a means of our honouring him and profiting ourselves. Secondly. — Dihgence, which is an earnest striving to stir up and maintain the graces which are requisite to worship, and to profit by it. Thirdly. — Faith, which is a believing that God will accept us in our worship for Christ's sake, and bless it to us. Fourthly. — Reverence, which is a due impression of the majesty of that God with whom we transact. — Let us see for the present how far we have walked in these rules concerning baptism and the Lord's supper. First, — With regard to baptism, how this sacrament Ser. 29. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 49 is the instrument of admission into Christ's family, by which the baptized person becomes entitled to Gospel benefits, and voluntarily engages for Gospel duties ; namely, that mortification of sin and holy living which are represented by washing the body with water, and Avhich St. Peter calls the answer of a good conscience before God*. See, then, since we came to years of discretion, have we been sincere and true to our baptism ? Did we immediately, on coming to those years, claim the benefits it gave us a right to, and discharge the engagements it laid us under? Who will say this of himself? Who will say, from the hour he was capable of it, he has always respected himself as a child of God's family, valued as he ought the relation, and faithfully hath walked as a dutiful child of his heavenly Father ? Will you venture to say, you have been thus sincere with God in his co- venant, at no time starting from it ? Or are you now sincere? Alas! how many are unfaithful, not claim- ing their privileges, and disregarding their duties ? in whom sin even now reigneth, and to this day un-^ washed from their iniquity ! To sincerity, let me add an inquiry about your diligence in this baptismal trans* action. Have we been diligent to make our calling sure; diligent in seeking the grace of God; diligent in stirring up the grace that is in us ; diligent in the use of all instituted means ; diligent in living to God, in mortifying and dying to sin; in short, diligent before all things and as we ought in our spiritual and * 1 Pet. iii. 21. VOL. II. E SO' LECTURES Ser. 2^. covenant work ? Also, have you been believing, that is to say, trusting with all confidence on God's faith- fulness to make good whatever was promised and en- gaged for to you, when you were baptized into the sacred Trinity? Have you not rather regarded your baptism as a matter of form with which you had little concern ; or negligently undervalued and forgotten the privileges you were admitted to in baptism ; or at best not failed often and much in claiming those spiritual blessings in time of need, which God had so kindly engaged himself by that institution to make good to you ? To speak the truth, we have almost lost sight both of those benefits and engagements which this divine ordinance seals between God and us: baptism stands for a mere cipher ; 1 may ask, who hath any reverence for it ? or where is it shown ? Is there any thing of that sacred reverence which is due to a divine institution shown when we bring our children to it? From one end to the other, do we treat it as a sacrament ? Is not the chief care to procure sponsors who may be able to bear an extravagant and needless expense, and then to entertain them in such sort as, to say the least, doth very ill become the devoting a child to God's service, and that absolute renuncia- tion made, in the child's name, of the pomp and va- nity of the world, together with the carnal desires of the flesh, so as not to follow or be led by themP Is there not much cause to fear that on such occasions we forget the vows which are on ourselves ; and da but little act the baptismal covenant in our own per- sons, when we bring others to it, and solemnly pledge Ser. 39. on the church catechism. d\ our care for their godly education in it ? Or is this the only time when we do not reverence our baptis- mal engagements and privileges ? It is a saying among the Turks, " What! a musselman, that is, a professed *' servant of Mahomet, to do this!" And it hath been a sufficient answer of old, in time of temptation, " I a7n baptized/^ But what regard have we in ge- neral to our baptism ? It is renounced every day by the neglect of the most that have been sealed with it, who live in an utter contradiction to it, slightmg God's ways, and keeping in with the world and the flesh, so serving the devil. And I would God any of us had been without blame on this score. But, Secondly, — With regard to the Lord's supper. Now this 1 hope you are sensible is such a remem- brance of the death of Christ, as that while therein we receive him to us, we renewedly by that receiving surrender ourselves to him as his disciples, in a living union with him, and in a loving fellowship with one another. Now if the design of this institution be to seal Christ to believers as an all-sufficient Saviour, and them to Christ as loyal servants and faithful dis- ciples and believers, one to another as fellow-mem- bers and fellow-servants ; if such be the communion of saints with Christ and one another, by a solemn in- stitution of our Lord's own appointment for the pur- pose, it will be seasonable to ask, in view to the ap- proaching ordinance, and I leave you to make appli- cation for the time past. First.—- Are you sincere herein ? Thaf is"t6 say, are you truly desirous that Christ alone be your Saviour, E a M LECTURES Ser. 99. because you find an utter insufficiency in yourself, and an all-sufficiency in him to help you in every need of your soul, whether respecting your guilt, or the sentence of the law, or the power of corruption, or the force of temptation, or the deceitfulness of your own heart, or the vigilance and artifice of the devil, or the work you have to do, or the shortness of your life, or the approach of death and judgment: for any or all of these things do you desire sincerely heJp from Christ, giving glory to him as alone able, and mightily able, to save you ; and saying with Peter, Lord, to whom should I go ? thou hast the words of denial life ? And I know and am sure that thou art that Christy the Son of the living God *. Also are you sincere in this, in determining that Christ alone shall be your Master? Doth he who knoweth all things, even the secrets of your heart, read there the unfeigned characters of loyalty for his service, and zeal for his honour and interests ? that, loathing, and exceedingly ashamed of yourself for your past unfaith- fulness, you are come now to him with an honest and true heart, earnestly hoping, and steadfastly pur- posing by his grace, that never more you will be ashamed of him, or deny him, or betray him, or sell him for interest, or reputation, or friends, or life? — Can you say also with truth, from the bottom of your heart, that you are ready to all offices of love towards Christ's members and i/our fellow-members ? Can you cheerfully eat this one bread and drink of the same —— *^ 1- - , I, , * John vi. 68. Str. 29. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 53 cup in token of your brotherly affection ; and as your pledge that you will gladly do all in your power to promote their greatest interests ; and that you are ready to receive all their kind assistance tor the edifi- cation of your own soul ? Secondly. — To sincerity have you added diligence in this matter ? Are you come prepared ? Have you examined and judged yourself that you might not he judged of the Lord ? Is Christ precious to your soul ? Do you long to taste of his goodness? Are you come with an hungering appetite to eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man -, diligently having sought out your wants and his fulness ? Is your de- sire keen after his pardoning, quickening, and com- forting grace ? Have you been diligent too in trying your ways, in lamenting your iniquities before him whom you have pierced; in stirring up all your graces, and putting on the wedding garment ? Have you beheld the man till you have mourned, till you have believed, till you have loved him? Have you thought of all the wonders he hath done, of all the wonders he hath done for you, how he hath plucked you from the hands of the enemy, and led you, and taught you to go, and kept you from falling, and lifted you up when you were down, and to this day with almighty power and care delivered you ? Of the wonders he hath yet to do for you have you been mindful — won- ders in grace and glory ? Have you meditated on all his kindness, till your heart, big with praise and thankfulness, is impatient to come before him in this not the least testimony of his love ; to come and tell 54 LECTURES Ser. 29. him of his wondrous doings, and to devote yourself, your whole self, soul, body, and spirit, to him, as a too-little return for his wonderful love ? And would you think it worse than death ever any more to part from him, to deny or disgrace him ? But more, have you been diligent that your love of Christ might be enlarged to all his people ? Have you been earnestly seeking that all prejudices might be done away, and to have your heart taught the gracious tenderness of a Christ-like affection, so that you can say. You love not in word and in tongue^ but in deed and in truth *, and trust that Christ shall own you by this mark to be his disciple? Thirdly. — Are you come also in faith ? Have you considered attentively who hath spread the table, and what are the provisions which are set before you ? Do you see Christ under these signs of bread and wine ; and are you come to feed your heart and eyes in this representation of the dying love of Jesus ? You have weighed his own words. This is my body which was given for you, and this is my blood of the New Testament which was shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins. And what, do you verily be- lieve, it shall be even so as he hath sajd ? Only be- Jieve and the thing is done. Faith discpver? a cruci- fied Jesus in the representation here made of him ; faith makes the promise a living word, and feeds on the body and blood of Christ in the power of the pro- mise ; faith looks to Jesus at the right hand of God, ■ ■ I I I ■ I ■ . ■ ■ I , II I M . . I I I I I ) * J John ill. 18, Sir. 29. ON THE church catechism. ifi is assured of his power to fulfil his engagements, arid of hrs faithfulness to his promises, and draws out of him a feast indeed, to the establishment and refresh- ing of the soul. Are you believing, therefore ? In Spite of all your manifold past iniquities, in spite of all your infirmities and spiritual poverty, in spite of whatever trials and discouraging appearances, do you believe that there shall be an accoitiplishment of the things which have been Spoken ? This is to deal with Christ as a faithful and powerful High-Priest, and to enter into the heart of his design in leaving behind him this pledge of his love, this assurance of his car6 and protection, till he come. Yet, Fourthly. — Are you come with reverence P Amidst all the triumphs of your faith, are you mindful who you are and with whom you are to transact ? That you yourself are a vile sinner, coming to sit dowrt at your Master's table, who is also the most high God ? The thought indeed ought not to terrify you, but it ought to awe you. Have you therefore been so mind- ful of your sins, and so abased in your own eyes, that you could not think of drawing near but in the merit of your Lord, and upon his express invitation and command ? And, when even thus you are em- boldened to approach, are you impressed with a deep sense of your vileness, of your unworthiness of so high an honour, and covered with shame while you are admitted to so near an approach ? Believe it, my friends, the highest archangels rejoice to minister under him with whom you are about to feast. You must needs then be humble when you come near $6 LECTURES, &c. Sev, 29. to his Majesty ; you must needs admire and adore, and be full of lowly reverence of his presence, while he thus condescends to us sinful dust and ashes. The thoughts I have now suggested to you may well add to your godly fear and reverence ; while you cannot but have reflected how far short you have come in all these things, or at least in fulfilling your sacra^ mental engagements on former occasions. Who can say, with all this sincerity, and diligence, and faith, and reverence, I have always attended on the Lord at his table ? Let the thought of former miscarriages still more humble and abase you ; let it also increase your fear and watchfulness. And O that others, who have neglected or profaned this high and holy ordi- nance, may be seasonably brought to a sense of their guilt with regard to this important branch of Christian worship ! SERMON XXX. Galatians iii. 24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christy that we might be justijied by faith. W^HILE we are proving ourselves by the law, the holy, just, and good law of God, bringing our hearts and ways under examination by one and another of the divine commandments, do not our sins observably increase upon us, our guilt grow up to a mountainous size, and are we not constrained to cry out with David, Mif iniquities are more in number than the hairs of my head P But, brethren, do we and can we also sincerely say with him on the review. My heart hath failed me ; O Lord ! let it be thy pleasure to deliver me : make haste, O Lord ! to help me ? Are we loathing ourselves for our abominations ? doth shame cover our face ? and, our hearts failing us, are we crying mightily to our God, that for his mercy's sake in Jesus Christ he will have mercy upon us ? Have we thus improved the word we have already heard, and profited by the inquiries which we have hi- therto been making after our sins ? If not, what are we doing other than adding sin unto sin ? \f hy do we suffer 58 LECTURES Ser, 30, the devil to catch away the word from our hearts as soon as we have heard it? In truth this is too gene- rally the case among you. You come and sit here as God's people ; you hear what is said to you ; you plainly perceive that the matter we treat of is of the last importance to your souls : but, when this is done, where are the fruits ? O that such fruits were found among us as God doth most certainly and most reason- ably expect ! You ought to have been long ago an hum- ble, believing, heavenly people, full of love to God and to one another. But is this the case ? Hath not God cause to say of us, my brethren, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient afid gain- say ing people * ? They will not hear, they will not re- gard : I have shewn them their filthiness in the glass of my law, but they go away and forget what manner of men they are ; they go away and forget all that I have said to them ; they do not meditate thereupon ; they do not commune with their own hearts in their chambers, digesting the bread I have given them to eat ; they forget all that I have spoken, one losing it in care, and another in pleasure, and another in indul- gence, and another in sloth, every one in pursuit of the particular lust of his heart. Yet my word shall not return unto me void'\. I beseech you, brethren, is not the word God's ? You know it is. And is not the ministry of it God's own appointment? You know we are no less than ambassadors for God, and his messengers to you. And is not the day God's ; I » .■» ■ ■! ■ ' - 1 '■ ■ '■' ■"■ — ■ .. . ■ ■ ♦ Rom. X. 21. t Is"'*^ Iv- II* Ser. SO. ON the church catechism. 59 and the house God's ; and the people, do you not by your coming hither profess yourselves to belong to God ? 1 beseech you, after all, how will you answer it to God, that you remain still so idle, that you hear and do not, that you hear and use no endeavour to do, forgetting as soon as you have heard ? O that you would duly consider the awful declaration, That the word of the Lord shall not return unto him void : that the word you hear in this house is a blessing or a curse to your souls, is life or death to you as your- selves improve or disregard it ! — But, to draw nearer the point — Our conduct is under examination respecting the second commandment. And this commandment was said to enjoin upon us the worship of God in a due use of prayer, the word, and the sacraments. As the occasion then required it, I spake of the sacraments the last Lord's day. And now I am to consider prayer and the word^ with a view of bringing your conduct under inquiry, and so of suggesting cause of humiliation, and of application to the blood of Jesus for mercy. You will remember that four things were said to be requisite in order to a religious discharge of every part of divine worship, that it might be so done as to glorify God and profit us. These were sincerity, dili- gence, faith, and reverence. We will apply these to the iDord and prayer. And, First. — Have we been sincere in the use of God*9 yvord? There is a generation who desire not the 60 LECTURES Ser. SO. knowledge of God^s wcif/s*^ and therefore care not to come to the lif^ht, lest their deeds should be reproved "j* ; or if they do come to inquire at the mouth of the Lord, it is hypocritically, not with an honest heart and single eye; simply desiring* to know what the will of the Lord is, though it should be never so much against their own inclinations ; but, like wicked Ahab, want- ing the word of the Lord to speak good concerning their case, and not evil; that is, wanting to have the word of God on their side, and that merely for this wretched end, that they may be more satisfied and easy in their pernicious ways. Now, we know that, as Satan can transform himself into an angel of light, so an hypocritical, insincere, and deceived heart, can make the Scriptures speak the language of hell ; be- cause it is wished they might correspond with the prejudice or inclination of the heart, it is easy to be- lieve they do. Wherefore, in the hearing or reading of God's word, have you never had your prejudices ? did you never want the Scripture to be of your humour or opinion, coming thereto with preconceived notions, and so more apt to warp and distort its mean- ing than fairly to be judged by it ? There is more of this insincerity in the world than is thought ©f : and this is the reason why men of all persuasions do think the Scriptures speak on their side. They come with prejudice, and so, longing to find somewhat which may favour their way, they easily do so, catching at * Job x\i. 14. t Johniii. 20, Ser. 30. on the church catechism. 61 every word which may seem to suit their purpose. The remedy for this is not a Popish infaUible inter- preter, but a simpHcity and true honesty of heart. But say if you have not brought your prejudices with you against God's word? Have you never, in or after hearing, had your disgusts against it ? Have you always hearkened to it with a child-hke teachableness and meekness ? or rather, instead of humbly and thank- fully applying all to yourself, have you not been un- willing to hear its declarations ; and its judgments, because they were so severe ; its precepts, because they are so spiritual ; its prohibitions, because they are so self-denying ; its means, because so opposite to flesh and blood ? Whence is it otherwise that so many of you have been wanting me to prophesy to you smooth things, and complaining of me that I am often hard, and terrifying, and carrying things too far, when nevertheless you all know in your con- sciences T speak to you but what God speaketh in his word ? In short, As new-horn hahes^ have ye de- sired the sincere rnil/c of the word, that ye may grow thereby * ? As a child doth the breast, have you always loved and always desired the word, always received it when offered you, always fed upon it, and made it the whole nourishment of your soul } Your diligence in the use of it may best show you your sincerity, and therefore I ask. Secondly. — Have you been diligent in the use of God's word ? Have you been diligent to hear it pub- licly ministered ? Hath your place been never vacant * 1 Pet. ii, ?. (St LECTURE* Ser, 50* in the church ? or, when vacant, was it always an absolute necessity, so as that you can appeal to God you did not come for this only reason, because you could not, or at least because you were satisfied in your conscience it was his will in your circumstances you should not ? Have you been diligent to read it in private ? Hath your Bible at no time Iain by covered with dust ? or is it not the case with you, perhaps, that you have never yet provided to have such a book in your house ? Was this because of your poverty ? What ! all your life so poor ? Have you never squandered more than this would amount to ? or, even in the most necessitous case, would you not beg if you were never able to buy? Or, say you could not read ; have you been diligent to meditate on what you heard therefrom ? You could think : have you thought on God's word ? this is required of all, whether readers or not readers. Have you endea- voured always to hide it in your heart ? All the day long hath your study been in it ? Have you made it your delight and your counsellor? — God's command concerning the Scriptures, You shall teach thein your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way ; when thou liest down, and when thou risest up *. It means plainly that the Scriptures must be the matter of our ordinary conversation. Before the business of the day begins, and when it is ended, when we sit at our tables, and when we walk abroad, our conversation * Peut. xi. 1 9. # Ser. 30. ON the church catechism. 6$ must be from the word of God. This might you all do, whether learned or unlearned ; but this have you done, or do you? Are your children, your family, your houses, your tables, your walks, witnesses for you herein ? Alas ! it is greatly to be feared the wor4 of God is more in the mouths of some to jest upon it, than of others to speak of it with honour. Indeecl we are ashamed of so unfashionable a thing ; andt while it is banished our familiar discourses, our soub suffer abundantly from the idle, vain, trifling, insig- nificant matters we entertain one another with in our friendly intercourses. — But have you been diligent so to use the word as to profit by it ? Have you made diligent preparation for such use of it, by praying for a meek and understanding heart, that you might be able both to know and receive the will of God con- cerning you ^ Have you been diligent to apply it to yourself rather than others when you have been hear- ing or reading it, always laying home to your own soul the doctrines, reproofs, corrections, and instruc- tions it hath spoken to you? And have you also ^)een diligent to do what you have been taught, care- fully keeping the word in your heart, and recalling it for use by recollection and prayer ? To talk over the Sermon one with another, and to communicate their several experiences relating to it, was a good old custopa among Christians. Have you desired or endeavoured to do this ? or, rather, have you not too often carelessly forgotten, as soon as you were gone from church, whatever was said to you ? And how could- it be otherwise, whep yQU would pass your Sunday 64 LECTURES Ser. 30. evenings in visits one with another; and when in them you would speak I/our own words on the sahhath-day*P To speak freely, I never expect to see that person rehgious indeed who continues in this practice, and thereby breaks at least two commandments at once as soon as departed from the house of God, the fourth by an abuse of the sabbath, the second by a careless and wilful forgetfulness of the word spoken. — I say then, once more, have we used the word with dili- gence, or have we not all been sadly negligent to read, to hear, to speak of, to improve it ? And to what shall we ascribe this, but to want of sincere love of it ? Let us take shame to ourselves before God, that while we have been so desirous to hear, or read, or talk of any matter of pleasure, we should have been so backward to God's word ; and been amusing our- selves with that which doth not profit, while we have been neglecting what alone can make us wise unto salvation ! Thirdly. — Have we used the Scriptures in faith / There is ground enough for believing the Scriptures to be the word of God ; but yet to believe them such with the heart is no slight matter: indeed there is no doing it of ourselves, for this faith is the gift of God. To use the Scriptures in faith is not only to receive every and any part of them vrith suitable temper and disposition of spirit, but especially it is to have all; the great points of them lying on the heart ; to enter- tain in the heart the threatenings and curses of God * Jsaiah Iviii. 15. Ser. SO. ON the church catechism, 65 against sin, with an humble acknowledgment and awful adoration of their reality and justice; to en- tertain the promises with persuasion of their truth, satisfiedness in their fulness, and content that they shall surely be accomplished ; to entertain the precepts with delight, as being holy, just, and good ; to entertain the prohibitions with willingness and readiness ; and to entertain the means prescribed with desire and thankfulness. And have we thus received the word ? Sinners, see you not that God's curse against you for your sins hath never humbled your hearts ; that you do not take one of his promises relating to this or another life into your hearts, so as to rest upon and be influenced by it ; that heartily and from the bottom of your souls you hate all which God bids you do, and with full choice love and fol- low what he forbids you ; that you experience no de- sire after the means God affords us, and use them with a most wicked indifference ? And where then is your faith in God's word ? Believers, have God's threatenings awed you as they ought now and al- ways, and his promises encouraged you ; hath what he bid been received with cheerful delight, and what he forbad been forsaken with utter detestation ; or have you always used the means with desire and thankfulness? Have you used the word in faith? Though you believe, have you no cause to say, Lord, help mine unbelief.^ Put yourselves to the trial : hath faith enlivened the word in your hearts whenever you heard it? Whence, then, hath the hearing of God's terrors drove you no faster |Vom the wrath tp VOL. II. F 66 LLCTUllES 6c/'. iJOo come, or die declarations wliicli you have had made to you so often of (iod's mercies allured you no more to Jesus ? Whence is the law of God so little tran- scribed into 3^our hearts, and the law of sin so little mortified there? May not Christ well complain of us, O, faithless generation f Iioid long shall I be with youP how long shall I suffer you * ? One and all of us, we have great cause of humiliation for our little faith in God's word. And be it remembered, that nothing more dishonours God than this, seeing not to believe his word is to make him a liar, to suppose him unfaithful, to suspect him weak, or changeable, or mistaken. Alas ! who can know the depth of that mystery of iniquity, the heart of man, when so much sin is implied in only one word ? But, Fourthly. — Have we used God's word with reve- rence ? Brethren, in all reason we should approach God's word as if we heard God speaking to us. For the word is God's revealed will, the declaration of God's mind to us and concerning us. The difference is not so much whether the instrument he uses be the voice of a man, or the voice of an angel ; the thing to be regarded is, that what we hear or read is the declaration of God's mind to us. And I will leave you to judge in what manner we ought to attend upqn God revealing his mind to us. Only consider that he is the glorious eternal almighty Majesty of heaven and earth, and we dust, ashes, sinners, and you will easily perceive, that, with our faces on the earth, with * Malt. .xvii. 17. Scr. 30. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 6? the deepest prostration of spirit, struck into awe and reverence we ought to attend the manifestations of his mind. But, now, are you not already confounded in the recollection of that little reverence wherewith you have so often attended on the most high God speaking to you ? How wandering, cold, and inat- tentive you have been ! how liglitly you have re- garded ! how heedlessly you have approached ! how suddenly you have forgotten ! the ministry is God's especial way of speaking ; — a thought which should make the preacher and the audience both to tremble, lest either should profane the word of God. And is it fit that God, opening himself by the mouth of his mcvssengers, should be heard with curiosity, with cri- tical remarks only on the abilities of the preacher, with contention against his declarations, with an in- sulting indifference, with a horrid slight, disdain, and a licentious air of disregard ? Is it fit that messages from heaven should be received with that irreverence they too often are ? Attention is not enough, there must be reverence; reverence not of the man, but of the word ; of the word, as coming from the most high God. I beg you to consider if you have thus heard ; to see whether your irreverence hath not been a sig- nal cause of your little profiting by what you hear, and to weigh what that word of the inspired preacher meaneth, Keep iJuj foot lohtn thou goest into tlic house of God, and be more readij to hear than to ojjtr the sacrifice of fools; for they know not that they do evil*. — And thus much concerning the use of the v»ord. * Eccle;^. V. 1. F '2 68 LECTURES Scr. SO. II. — T would speak a few words concerning the use we have made of prayer ; and they will be but a few, because what hath been said concerning the word may be so easily applied to this matter of prayer. Yet I ask, First. — Have you been sincere in your approaches to the throne of grace? Sincerity in prayer is an un- feigned desire of God's granting whatwc ask. But I fear there is much seeming prayer where there is little unfeigned desire. Did j'^ou never ask for a contrite heart, and full of godly sorrow for your sins ; or for a new heart and new spirit; or for faith and love, and other graces; or for God's blessing on the church; or for the conversion of sinners; or for the establish- ment of saints ; or, in short, for many other things which have been the matter of your prayers (if not else vv here, yet in this house at least), when at the bottom voii rcallv desired none of these thinsfs ; or when your desire of them was so very w^eak that you could hardly call it sincere ? Second///. — Have we been diligent in prayer? Dili- gence implies that we are constant at our work, and busy while we are in it. How have you been con- stant in {jraycr? This you ought. Continue instant in prayer^ and pra if "icitliout ceasing ^% are Scripture injunctiofis. But some pray not at all. Perhaps they aie more tlian may be thought of. Truly 1 stick not ro put Ji'i t!ie nunil^er all such as pray not in secret, though the}' appear in the congregation. That they * Rom. xli. !•?. 1 Tht'ss. v. IT. Ser, 30. ox the church catechism. 69 may do and never pray, unless an unmeaning repe- tition of words should be called prayer. And if they had any thing more, any the least grain of the spirit of prayer and supplications, it would brin^j them on their knees in private as well as public. And others, are the}'^ as constant as they should ? (1> t the question be put to any of you all.) Have you been al^ ays con- stant.'' At na time have you needlessly neglected, or causelessly been diverted from it ? And when yuu have been thus employed, have you been always busy, your heart in your work, and all 30ur strength em- ployed upon it? Whoever prays indeed shall often find it no easy work. There shall need much wrest- ling, wrestling with the flesh, wrestling with the world, wrestling with Satan. And what! have you always wrestled, and always vanquished ? ^Vhoever you are, I am sure you are crj'ing out, " Lord, for- " give me the iniquity of my holy things!" Tliirdly. — Have you also prayed in faith ? Now, it is the very nature of such prayer to cast all manner of care and e\ery burden on the Lord ; guilt, corrup- tion, trial, temptation, whatever it be, to come and lay it all upon Christ; and this with a certain confi- dence in him, which both doth him the highest ho- nour, and makes him best pleased with us. It charges Christ with all, and leaves every thing with him. It says, " Lord, here are all these sins that I have done ; " here are all these temptations I have to struggle " with; here are all these corruptions to subdue; " here is all this work to be performed ; and 1 am a *' poor helpless thing: behold, I lay it all upon thee, 70 LECTURES Ser. 30. " and leave it all and every part of it with thee. " And I know that thou canst, thou hast told me " thou wilt, take care of the whole. It is thy office *' to do so, and thou delightest to do it : Lord, I *' cast all my care on thee." There is no other bold- ness in this than what the promises of God encourage and give sanction to. Such is the very prayer of faith ; and I must leave yourselves to judge how far you have approached the throne in this spirit. Fourthly. — Have you prayed with reverence? What ! always, and with all due reverence, as speaking to God ? You know how great a reverence, how pro- found a humility, becomes you, a creature and a sin- ner, when you approach the great God. But hath this attended you in all your approaches ? Whence then is it that some are sitting on their seats ? that others are unconcernedly gazing about while prayers are here offering up? Is this reverence? I'do not say that wandering thoughts, lamented and contended with, shall render prayers to the most merciful God, offered up in Christ's name, of no account: but you must needs see that such thoughts argue a want of due reverence. And which of you hath had such an abiding and awful reverence of the majesty and pre- sence of that God with whom he hath been transact- ing in prayer, as to be altogether free of them ? And may not this have been owing to an hasty and un- prepared rushing into God's presence ? And then what should that convince of, but that we were not solemnly enough impressed with that awful intcr-^ course we were about to hold with God ? Ser. 30. on the church catechism. 71 Let these hints serve relating- to prayer ; and let the whole convince you how exceedingly you have transgressed this second commandment, which regards the instituted methods of worshipping God in the word, prayer, and the sacraments. Add the inquiries which have been made from the second commandment to those which were made from the first, and then say if you have not abundant need of a righteousness better than your own, and how justly the Apostle says in the text, that The law is a schoolmaster to bring iis unto Christ, that ice might be justified by faith. I shall be greatly rejoiced if these considerations drive any of you to him, or nearer to him. And much need there is they should drive us all to him, when we remember that otherwise the curse of the law abideth on us. But remember, my brethren, if you will go savingly to Christ, it must be in a way of true humilia- tion ; loathing yourselves, ashamed, sorry, and greatly humbled for all vour trans^^ressions airainst God's majestj^ Remember that Christ did not come to be a minister of sin. God forbid. But he came to give us encouragement and to give us power to repent. And how much greater will our damnation be, if to our transgressions of God's law we add so horrid an abuse of the Gospel, as from Christ's coming to save us to take liberty of continuing in sin ? I dismiss the subject for the present, determining to resume it again, if God permit, at the return of this season. But truly that is a great way off; and who can say that either you or I shall live to see it ? 72 LECTURES, &c, Ser. 30. Certainly many of us shall not. If it shall please God to take me in the mean time, what you have already heard will be his witness against you, and you must see to it that you be ready to give a faithful account of the improvement you have made of it at the day of judgment, where we shall assuredly all meet again ; and where it will be my joy and my crown, as it is my most earnest prayer, to see you every one at the right hand of the Judge, and hear that soul-ravishing sentence of acquittal and glory pronounced over you all, Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom ptepared for you from the foundation of the tcorld. Even so, Lord Jesus, for thy name's sake ! Amen, amen. SERMON XXXI. Galatians iii. 94. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christy that tee might be justijied by faiih. The design of Lent is for the more express humi- liation and mourning for sin. We must come tor Christ as men cast away, and glad by any means to be saved from perishing. How doth the sinfulness and misery of our lost estate appear ? The text tells us, by the law. The law is our schoolmaster, by holding up to us its righteousness and curse, con- demns and makes us afraid, and so drives us to Christ. It is the contemplation of the law therefore must abase us ; and this abasement causing us to draw near to Jesus for pardon, we learn from the love of Gpd, manifested to us in the satisfaction and atonement made for sin, to loathe ourselves for it, and lament and forsake it. To open therefore the law as a rule of duty, and that in a way of inquiry, that therein as in a glass we might see our own deformit}'-, was thought a proper employment at this season the last year. Then it was proposed to go over the Ten Com- mandments in this view ; to go as far therein only as 74r LECTURES Scr. 31. the Sundays of Lent gave opportunity; and, should God give me life and continuance among you, to re- sume what remained the next (that is now, the pre- sent) Lent. — While I am speaking this, the thought of God's having spared me, and the most of those who then heard me, this year, also forces itself upon me, and suggests to me to ask myself and you, what fruit we can show for so long a time, and for so many opportunities as we have enjoyed in it? Are we grown stronger in faith, hope, desire after God and glory ? What sins have been renounced, and lusts mortified ? Have we been more active and zealous in our Master's service ; and what have we attempted for his honour and interests, and for the salvation of others? Let us look back, and take shame to ourselves we have so little profited. Yea, but are we not rather further from God than a year ago ? Have we not lost ground ? Do we not see less of our sins, and feel less for our soul, and seek less after Christ? Are not our eyes closing? Or perhaps we have thought nothing about this needful thing, and just even as we were, insensible and care- less ! Is it not so with some of you ? Are twelve other months gone over your heads just like the former? In these, as in them, have you been adding sin to sin ? As if your guilt were not great and heavy enough before, have you been filling up the measure of it every day of all this time ? If this be the case with any of you, I know not what to say to it. I wish 1 could say any thing that might do you service. I will say this. Will you come to a resolution that Scr. 31. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM, 75 vou will not meddle with religion ; that you will go on, live and die in your old way, and stand by the consequence ? I would have you try to bring your- self to this resolution. Deliberately and positively determine, once for all, that you will never have any thing to do with Christ. Come, resolve upon it, that you will not forsake your old way, as long as you live. Why, it is but to lose heaven, and perish for ever ! Resolve, I say, distinctly and fully, that you will never meddle with religion. It is as good re- solve as do it. Well, then, arc you determined ? No. Satan has never yet pushed you to this point, nor ever will. He knows he shall succeed more effec- tually by putting you on delay. Satan will not ; then I will still more and more press you to try if you can- not come to this resolution. Doubtless if you can but once be coolly and deliberately resolved that you will have nothing to do with God, and godliness, and glory, and will never mind any thing but the world, it will presently make your life more easy, you will eat, drink, and be merry ; i/o?i icill eat and drink, for to-morroic you die *. AVhat profits it to halt between two opinions? You do not like Christ. Why not then resolve you will never have any thing to do with him? you see my meaning. You are in fact and continuedly doing that you dare not resolv'e to do ; the past year j^roves it, and the present hath not pro- duced, nor is likely to produce, any thing to the contrary. * Isaiah xxii. 13. ?6 LECTURES Scr. 31. What use shall we make now of past experience > Shall we not humble our souls ? and shall not what lies so immediately behind and before us quicken us to do so ? Let us proceed then in the work proposed. The two first commandments have been already opened and applied in the method designed. Proceed we now to the Third commandment, Thou shalt not take the naniSf of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will 7iot hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. — The name of the Lord^ though it signify properly and strictly any of his titles, such as Jehovah, Lord, God, yet, inasmuch as names only serve to distinguish per- sons, we must understand hereby God himself, his majesty, being, and perfections. Thou shalt not take bis name, that is, thou shalt not touch or meddle with God, or any thing whereby he is known as per- sons are by their names. Thou shalt not touch and meddle therewith in vain, in a vain manner, for no <'ause, and upon light occasion. The sense of the commandment is this : '• We must not in our ordi- '' nary conduct and conversation behave ourselves '* dishonourably to that God whom we solemnly take " to be our God, according to the first command- " ment, and whom we profess to be our God by the " public worship we pay him, according to the second " commandment ; but our whole conduct and con- " versation in the world must be such as doth re- " verently set forth and tend to promote his glory." In short, in word and deed we must l>chave in such manner as shall be to the glory of God's name : when Sa: SI. ON TFIE CHURCH CATECHISM. 77 we do not say and do every thing which may promote God's honour, as well as when we say or do any thing contrary to his honour, we are guilty of taking his name in vain. Let us come therefore to inquiry under these two heads, whether in word or conduct we have taken God's name in vain. And, 1. — In word. lias our conversation been always such, as that therein there was never any tiling dis- honourable to his glory, and always every thing suited to do him honour ? First. — lias there been nothing dishonourable to God upon our lips ? The Apostle St. James saith. The tongue is a world of inujuitij, an unruly evil, full of dead lif poison. Let us look into the use we have made of this member. — Have we profaned God's 'name, taking it in our mouths lightly, irreverently, and without design of doing him honour ? This i.s the manner of too many to abuse that sacred na«ie in horrid imprecations, and curses, and appeals to God, in every and no cause ; as it is also the manner of many more to use familiarly God's name in almost every sentence they speak; and in the mean time both are ready with excuse, the one is provoked or does it inconsiderately, the other insists there is no great harm in it ; how truly, let this third command- ment determine. — Have you never treated irreligiously God's word, and the truths it contains ? And this, whether by disputing against what it saith, or by in- decently using the expressions of it ? It is the way of some to dispute against what, for manifest reasons, they care not to believe •. and of others, with as grear 78 LECTURES Ser. 31. ill manners as ungodliness, to clothe their idle jests over a glass in Scripture language. — Have you never spoken lightly of God's ordinances, his day, sacra- ments, and other parts ot his worship, and especially the preaching of the word, wherein we are most apt to offend, because it comes to us through the hands of men ? But it must be remembered that as the word is God's, so is the ministration of it God's ordinance. And therefore Christ saith, He that despiseth you despiseth me*. To speak against what a minister saith from God's word is not to speak against the man, but directly against God ■{• ; and to speak against the free enforcements, exhortations, and applications he makes of God's word, is directly to speak against the faithful execution of God's ordinance. — Have you never spoken rashly of God's people; top hastily judging and censuring them ; too readily receiving and propagating evil reports concerning them ; run- ning them down for their infirmities, and giving a malicious turn to their graces ; and so miscalling the profession of Christ and his word by the odious name of hypocrisy, as to discourage and discountenance it ? — Have you never spoken disrespectfully of God's providence and grace; in the day of your distress cursing the day you were born :J:, and complaining with Cain that your punishment was more than you could bear%. contendins; that none was ever visited as you ; and in the day of your prosperity ascribing * Luke X. 16. t ^ee ^ Thess. iv. 8. X Job iii. 1—3. § Gen. iv. 13. Ser. 31. ox THE CHURCH CATECHISM. T9 all to yourself, saying, in the forbidden language^ j\Ii/ power and the mi^ht of my hand hath gotten me this wealth., or for thij righteousness * hath the Lord done such and such things for me ? — Have y©u never spoken dishonourably of God's promises? Faith brings glory to God, when our expressions are full of con- fidence in his care and protection, according to his word. Perhaps there is hardly a greater instance of this than in that of Job, Though he slay me, yet will J put my trust in him •\} Whereas, when we are crying out, Is his mercy clea?i gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore %} we bring disrepute on his faithfulness and truth in the face of those that hear us. From such circumstances as these we may see if we have not spoken unadvisedly and dishonour- ably to God with our lips. — But further, Secondly. — Has our conversation been always not only not dishonourable, but such as in every thing was suited to glorify God ? Have we always in cir- cumstances required spoken for God? I ic ill speak of thy testimonies., says the Psalmist, before kings, and will not be ashamed ^. Hath this been always our case ? What ! have we never been ashamed, and spoke (to say the most) but by halves, disgracing the truth by not freely and fully declaring it? Have we never spoke more in conformity with the times and the company than we ought ? — Yea, but is there not also such a thing as sinful silencer a holding the * Deut. viii. 17. — ix. 4, f JoV) xiii. 15. X Pitalin Ixxvii. 8. § cxix. 46', so LECTtTRES Ser. 31. peace altogether even from good r and are we not chargeable with it ? I read of Christ, that, when him- self was reviled, persecuted, accused, he answered not so iwuch as. a word ; but when God's truth was in question, or the cause of God dishonoured, then it was, Wo u'lUo you Scribes, wo unto you Pharisees, wo vnto you lawyers * ! Just the reverse of what we do, who are warm and contentious for ourselves, and silent for God. — Alas ! what day, what hour, what company, doth not convict us of opportunities passed by wherein we might have said something, or something more than we did, for God ? And to speak now of the general use of the tongue : what has been your general conversation ? Has it not often been trifling, insignificant, unprofitable ? Who have been your familiar acquaintance? and what has your con- versation together usually turned upon ? Has it been any thing to the glory of God, directly or indirectly ? If not, are you guilty or not guilty of opposing the design of this commandment ? Our Lord saith. We shall give account of every idle word at the day of judgment -j*, that is, of every un- profitable word, which is inconsistent with the cha- racter and conduct of a Christian : and then what cause have we every one to cry out, God, be merci- fulto me a sinner P — Also, when we have been speak- ing of God, have we always done it with all that reve- rence which became us towards him, so as to exalt him, and express a lively sense upon our hearts of ♦ Matt, xsiii. 13. f xii. 3(5, Ser. 31. ON the church catechism. 81 his being that glorious God we say he is ? When we have spoken of his justice, have our tongues ex- pressed a becoming dread ; when of his holiness, a becoming shame ; when of his grace and love, a be- coming gratitude ; when of his faithfulness, a becoming confidence ; when of his greatness, a becoming humi- lity? Have we as we ought exalted God in his works, his word, his providence, his judgments, his mercies, while we have been speaking of them, whether they regarded the world in general, or ourselves in particular ? Under whatever dispensations we at any time have been, have we made it our endeavour so to speak as to give glory to his justice, or mercy, or patience, as the case was ? In a word, have we ia all our conversations exalted God as we ought, con- sidered as a great and gracious Maker, Redeemer, and Sanctifier ? These hints may serve to show you what guilt you may have contracted by taking God's name in vain by word. So I go on to inquire, IL — Whether in conduct you have not been gutlty of taking God's name in vain. And here also we must search again into the negative and positive side of the question. First. — Negatively : Has there been nothing in your conduct disgraceful and dishonourable to that Jehovah whose servant you profess yourself to be ? You may remember what was Nathan's parting word to David, Because hy this deed thou hast giveti great occasion to the ciiemies of the Lord to blaspheme^ the child VOL. II. G ^S LECTURES Ser. 31, also that is born unto thee shall sureli/ die *. David's conduct in the matter of Bathsheba had given the enemies of the Lord great handle to speak evil of and run down the good ways of the Lord. The ques- tion is, whether we have not done so likewise? In- deed We all have been guilty, as will appear by a review of our conduct, both in our general callings as Christians, and in our special callings in that state of life in which the providence of God hath placed us. Consider your general calling as Christians ; have you done nothing dishonourable to the name of Jesus therein ? Looking back on your past years, can you say, / am pure from the blood of all men-\ ; my conduct at no time hath strengthened the hands of wickedness, and given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme ? Recollect the various periods and passages of your life, your younger and your riper years, the places you have lived in, and the persons who have been privy to your conduct, and try if, with St. Paul, you can appeal to all these things, and say, Ye are icitnesses, and God also^ how holili/^ andjusflt/, and unblamablt/, I behaved my- self among you% ? Have you in no instances, at no time, set before the world iTn example dishonourable to your Lord ? What ! did you never show forth any pride, conceit, and vanity ; any anger, envy, resent- ment, malice, or evil speaking ; any conformity with the ways and maxims of the wicked, doing as others, * SSam. xii. 14. f Acts xx. 26. * I Thess. xi. 10, ^er.3\. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. ^$ following the multitude, and refusing to be particular? Have neither the honour, esteem, nor interest of the world, ever had undue influence on your conduct? Did the world never see you step into indulgence in meat, drink, or apparel ? never yielding to sloth, idleness, and pleasure? at no time trespass the bounds of decency and modesty in word or deed ? never giving countenance to the abuse of the sabbath and God's worship ? What ! have you never given en- couragement to evil, in all the places where you have been, and among all the persons with whom you have conversed ? Search rather and see in how many particulars, perhaps for how many years, your con- duct has been inconsistent with, and dishonourable to, that holy name whereby you are called. Nor shall we need look far back ; the traces behind us reach home to the present day in one instance or another. And yet in every instance we must be forced to confess we acted unsuitably with our pro- fession, and took the name of the Lord our God in vain. To say the truth, careless persons are always doing so ; their whole lives are a continual taking God's name in vain, and giving occasion with a wit- ness to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. This is an awakening thought. But, alas ! such miscalled Christians regard not how much dishonour they bring on the Lord Jesus, nor how many unhappy souls they are the instruments of encouraging and forwarding into hell. Yet how deplorable is it, that while the true believer is pierced to the very heart when he takes but one step dishonourable to God, o 2 S4 LECTURES Ser. 31. that they should every step be trampling down his glory, and tee! no concern for the matter? But, to pass on. Besides our general we have all of us a special calling; and it is peculiarly needful we should all in- quire if we have not by our conduct therein disho- noured God's holy name. In the commonwealth, the minister of state, the commander by sea or land, the judge, and every other officer, is expected to do nothing hurtful to the honour of the king and the in- terests of the people ; when at any time they do, all, and very reasonably too, are calling for justice. Now we each of us bear a particular office under Christ, and that according to his assignment, whatever our station of life be; while also our misconduct therein doth peculiarly dishonour God, and hurt the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom. 1 say we have all our par- ticular callings : let us all examine how we have acted in them. You know what your calling is, for a call- ing each of you have, though Providence may have distinguished some of you by a fortune, which ex- empts you from those determinate employments, or that more restrained course of life, which others are confined to. You know, I say, your calling; how then have you acted in it? Have you been seeking to glorify God in it ? If not, you have totally abused it, and taken his name in vain. If worldly honour, worldly interest, or carnal gratification, hath been the thing you have been aiming at, you have dishonoured your Lord, and taken God's name in vain. Look back now and see, hath God no chars:e against vou Ser. 31. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 8^ concernins: your special calling? Did you never be- tray your trust through idleness, sloth, vanity, com- pany-keeping, desire of man's favour ? Did you never pervert it to the ends of pride and vain glory ? Has the world never seen any thing in 3^our conduct re- specting your calling which has been dishonourable to the Christian name ? What ! never any compli- ances for filthy lucre's sake ? never any trimming, or truckling, or dissembling, or flattering? I cannot stop to be more particular. Yourself must see if there have not been many things dishonourable to God's name in your distinct and particular calling ; and especially this, whether the world may not have most discernibly seen you were not carrying it on with a single design to glorify God. Now, Secondh/. — For the positive side : Have we so conducted ourselves always in our general and special calling as might most tend to glorify God's name? The Scripture is express, Let your light so shine before men^ that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father lohich is in heaven *. Now, the inquiry is, have we acted as children of our Father which is in heaven, zealous always for his glory? In our general calling, have we been always shining lights ? Was the will of God our rule always, and our only rule ? Ever concerned to glorify God, have we always conformed to this rule, and so shown forth our good works before men to God's honour ? Have we been always such examples of faith and heaVenly- * Matt, V. 16. 86 LECTURES Ser.31. mindedness, hope and charity, meekness and humi- lity, patience and contentedness, diligence and zeal ; have we always in such manner approved ourselves dead to sin, dead to the world, dead to the esteem, the pleasures, the interests of it, dead to self-will and self-pleasing, without anger, pride, env}'-, and re- venge ; and so chaste, modest, temperate, sober, as that in the whole of our conduct God has been glorified in us ; and wherever we have been, and whatever we have done, we have shone as Ijcrhts unto the world ? Who will say this ? None but they who know not what manner of men they are. The humble Chris- tian will smite upon his breast, and say, " Father, " thou knowest all things ;.thou knowest that in all " these things I have not glorified thee as I ought. " How exceedingly have I failed in that faith, hope, " and charity, which make thy children a light unto " the world, and are the good works which men may *' $ee and glorify thee for?" indeed the self-sufficient will pretend a claim, and be rash to cry out almost as Christ did, " Father, I have glorified thee upon " earth," when, alas! they have been seeking nothing but self-praise and honour from others; while the most have never thought of glorifying God by their conduct, nor can produce so much as one act in their lives undertaken in that view, which should have influenced the whole of them. Also, jn our special callings, have we done all we might for God's glory ? have we been faithful, dili- gent, laborious, cheerful, undaunted, unwearied, up- right, day after day, in our Father's work ? have we Ser. SI. ON THE church catechism. 87 always said in our hearts, thus and thus shall God be glorified ? and hath this stirred us up to labour and not to faint ? Not to speak of Christ's example, which leaves all so far behind, only compare your conduct in your calliug with that of St. Paul in his : and certainly you can assign no reason why you should not have been zealous, active, laborious, ceaseless, as he. Make then the comparison, consider the Apostle's conduct and your own, and see if you have been in your conduct the thousandth part of what he was, and what the glory of God required you should be. Brethren, God hath put a talent into every one of our hands, and bid us go and work ; whether ministers, magistrates, or tradesmen, whether men in authority or inferiors, whether parents or children, masters or servants, we have all a special calling. Let us look then what we can severally answer. Will all that have been witnesses of our conduct bear testimony we have not borne our calling in vain ? To instance only in one instead of all, masters of families, will your children and servants bear testimony for you that you have ruled in your house for the glory of God, encouraging godliness, discountenancing vice, worshipping God, and carefully instructing and watch- ing over those committed to your care ? Can you call them all together, even each of all that have been under your roof, and will they be your joint and unanimous witnesses, that throughout your whole families you have done all you could to glorify God? By this time the design of this commandment may 8S LECTURES Ser. 51. be manifest, and that it reaches further than cursing and swearing, and a light use of God's name. It commands us not only to own the Lord to be our God, and to own him by the worship we pay him, but to do it in the whole of our conduct in word and deed. And you will easily see how all other owning of God is nothing, if this owning him in word and deed be wanting. Consider what you have heard with application. And may the Lord forgive us our sins, and put a new heart ir^to us, for Jesus Christ's sake ! SERMON XXXII. Galatians iii. 24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring u& unto Christ, that we might bejustijied by faith. In laying open the law with a view to examination and application, I have already set before you the inward principle required in the first commandment, godliness itself lying in the heart, and also the out- ward expressions of it enjoined by the second and third commandments, both in worship and in the whole of our conduct. The fourth commandment requires the sanctifica- tion of the seventh day to God's glory and our spiri- tual profit. God's people must keep a weekly holy- day, in remembrance of the works of creation and re- demption, and in a way of preparation for that rest which remaineth for them in the life to come. So you see the sabbath is a day not only of rest from worldly labour, but of holiness ; and therefore a da}' of ceasing from worldly labour, that it may be spent in such exercises as tend to sanctification, without which a day of rest would be no other than a day of idleness, and so of sin. 90 LECTURES Ser. 32. The design of the sabbath is twofold. Principally, that the servants of the Lord, by ceasing from ordi- nary employments, and devoting themselves to God's worship on that day, might make a public profession of his name. And, subordinately hereto, that by the exercises of public and private worship the sanctifica- tion of their souls might be promoted, and they for- warded in the way to their better and everlasting rest. In the former of which views, the sabbath appears calculated for the glory of God in the world ; as in the latter it is manifestly an institution given us in great mercy, that we might not be lost in the cease- less cares of this life, and so forget and remain dis- qualified for the glory that shall be revealed. Now, such being the design of the sabbath, here are three things evidently required in it, in either of which, whenever we have failed, we have contracted the guilt of sabbath-breaking. I. — Here is resting from ordinary employments. II. — Here is a sanctifying that rest. III. — Here is a right aim in such rest and sancti--. fication, namely, the glory of God and the benefiting our souls. First. — Here is resting from ordinary employments. In it thou shalt do no manner of work. On the sab- bath-day nothing of the work of the six days may be done. Consider now what the work of the six days is, and you will find in what latitude this resting from ordinary employments is to be understood. In the exercise of our calling, there must be a thinking God forbid. What, then, to enable Ser. 33. on the church catechism. 113 the parents more effectually to provide for the tem- poral prosperity of their children ? No, nor this nei- ther, any further than such an authority in temporal things mi?ht serve the higher purpose of promoting God's glory in the Christian education of children,and their being placed in such a state of life as might best contribute to their living to the same glory, and to the eternal welfare of their own souls. God's end is his own glory in all things ; and therefore, when he adds his revealed authority to the natural authority of the parent, it is with this design, that they may bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This being kept in view, it will be no difficult matter for all parents to see if they have done their duty to their children, which will be found within the follow- ing particulars : — First. — Aiming at their religious conduct. Secondly. — Setting them a good example. Thirdly. — Instructing them. Fourthly. — Encouraging them in all good ways. Fifthly. — Being gentle toward them. Sixthly. — Seasonably correcting them. Seventhly. — Placing them in a proper calling. Eighthly. — Providing for them. Ninthly. — Taking care how they marry. Tenthly. — To say all, praying for them. So far as parents. have come short, or acted contrary to any of these things, they have sinned against their children, and broken the fifth commandment. A short word will be sufficient upon each. VOL. ir, I n4 ' LLCTUKES Ser. 33- First — It is the duty of parents to aim at the reli- gious education of their children above all things. G©d saith of Abraham, / know Imn, that he will com- mand his children and his household after him, and theif shall keep the waif of the Lord *. This you find was Abraham's aim in the use of that authority God had given him over his children. And, parents, can you say it has been yours, your great aim, always the principle that governed you in your conduct towards your children and guidance of them ? Hath it really been your great aim and endeavour that this might be effected? And in comparison of this have you been little solicitous about their accomplishments or pro- sperity in the world ? Be assured if it has not, if to bring them up in the fear of God has not been the principal object of your care, that which has regu- lated all your conduct respecting them, you have not done the least part of your duty towards them : if you have had no higher prospects than for their well-doing in the world, or have been regarding them as your property, and have been devising to get yourself a name in them, you have gone out of the way of your duty, and have forgotten for what end God gave you authority over them, Mas the glory of God in j^our children's religious behaviour been your grand aim, regulating every step you have taken in your manage- ment of them ? This is the leading inquiry. And liereuDon, let it be asked, * Gen. xviii. I9. Ser. 33. on the church catechism. 11j Secondly. — Have you been setting them such an example as might best tend to form their minds to re- ligion on the one side, and to discourage vice in them on the other? Have you carefully endeavoured they should see in you every thing which might dispose them to love and practise religion ; should see in you an engaging pattern of humility and faith, of heavenly- mindedness and the love of God, of charity and meek- ness, of deadness to the world respecting its honours, interests, and pleasures ; that they should see you feared God, studied above all things to please him, and would not willingly displease him, to please all the men or to get all the things of the whole world ; that they should see you delighted in worshipping God by the constant, regular, devout, and solemn wor- ship you kept up daily in your family, and by the time they must know you spent with God in private in your closet ? And, on the other side, have they seen every thing in you which might tend to discourage vice in them ; how hateful it was to you, how careful you were to avoid it ? You have not set before them a pattern of pleasure, and company-keeping, and idle- ness, and vanity ? They have not seen you indulging over the glass, or pampering your body by gluttonous living f You have not been an example to them of lewdness or swearing, of ambition or covetousness, of sabbath-breaking or licentiousness, of pride and self- will, and anger and violence, expressed in your coun- tenance and words, than which nothing is or can be a more hurtful example to children ? Thus have you I 2 116 LKCTURES Ser. So. endeavoured by your example to nurture your chil- dren in the ways of God? Thirdlif, — Have you carefully instructed your chil- dren in the knowledge of Christ? These words that I command thee this da>/ sluiU be in tiiine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children *. You see it is the parents' duty themselves to catechise and instruct their children as far as they are able. It is the least part of this to teach them by rote the cate- chism and their prayers; both should be explained to them by the parents, and the children taught to regard them both as matters of the last and best importance : in doing vvhich,what is wanting in the parent's ability must be made up in his diligence. Nor on any pre- tence must this point of instruction be put over by the parents to the schoolmaster and minister, who or- dinarily will be able to do little if the parents' autho- rity and co-operating instruction be wanting to give weight to their endeavours. Parents must be diligent and frequent in this work themselves, and cause their children also to attend and mind the instructions of the school and the church, particularly the latter ; in which regard 1 have matter of complaint against many parents among you, who give themselves no care to cause their children to attend the public cate- chising, at least when they are grown to such years as to be capable of any considerable improvement ; but leave the young persons to themselves to come or not * Deut. vi. 6, 7. Ser. 33. on tjie church catechism. \]J as they see fit, and as suits their own humours. Wherefore I earnestly beseech and require all parents to look to it that their younir ones sive their attend ance, and that not promiscuously in the congregation as part of the audience (in vvliich case they do nothing but play and disturb all near them), but in the place assigned them ; that they may not only hear, but ren- der an account of what they have heard. — The third duty then of parents was instruction. Consider if you have nothing to charge yourself with on this head. Fourthlf/. — Have you encouraged your children in all good ways ? And in the parents' power it is to en- courage their children by giving them helps, and shewing themselves peculiarly delighted in them when they discover any serious marks of religion on their minds. Indeed parents must not make their children proud upon any attainments: but it is in their power without doing this to encourage them. They may shew their children that they esteem religion as not only the greatest ornament, but the richest blessing, they wish for them. They may let their children know that they pray daily for God's grace upon their hearts; and that they have little concern about their prosperity in this world, in comparison with what they feel for their being the servants of Christ and inheritors of everlasting life. The question is, have parents ac- cording to their ability heartily endeavoured to en- courage their children in the ways of religion } It must be a horrid part in a parent to do the contrary and to discourage them fromj the ways of godliness. 113 LECTURES Ser. 33. O how will they answer it to their children, perhaps eternally lost through this very thing, when they shall stand before the judgment-seat of the Lord Jesus'. *' There are not a few (saith a sensible writer), who " seem afraid, lest, by being trained up in the holy »' religion of Christ, their children should be brought " too much out of love with this world, and learn " that piece of ill husbandry (as they esteem it) to "count all things but loss for the excellency of ^' the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord." Fifthly. — Have you been gentle towards your chil- dren ? Fathers, saith the Apostle, provoke not your children to wrath *. Harshness in the parent is a fruit of the very same stock with stubbornness in the child ; both proceed from self-will indulged. There is no good to be expected from harshness ; on the contrary, it is the natural parent of lying, hypocrisy, and many Other sins, till the child is grown old enough no longer to endure it, and breaks out into absolute way- wardness and independency. The parent must hold his authority, yet must use it with a gentle hand. Gentleness does not lie in humouring children, but by mild and prudential measures, rather than by heat and violence, bringing them to compliance. This gentleness m all cases is needful, but especially in the point of religion, lest by means of force and severity children become hypocrites instead of Christians. Yet at proper seasons, Sixthly. — Have you also corrected your children ? * Ephes, vi, 4. Ser. 53. on the church catechism. II9 If you have, let me ask for what ? Their vices, I hope not their indiscretions, jjarticularly the two great vices of children, stubbornness and idleness? Foolinhness is hound in the heart of a child ; the rod of correction shall drive it far from Jam*. Here by foolishness you must understand wickedness, which, saith the Spirit, is bound in the heart of the child ; this is what we are all born with ; and it is this, and this alone, the rod of correction must drive out. The breakings-out of natu- ral corruption must be restrained by the parents inter- posing their chastising authority. So you see parents may not correct their children for their own pleasure, to gratify their own passions ; they may not correct them for their indiscretions, for being children : but for their bad tempers they may and must correct them. That is their duty to them ; as to neglect it. shews but small love of their souls, though very great and very sinful fondness for their persons. Yet too often we shall see children punished for their indiscre- tions, and their vices escaping ; and the rod more fre- quently used to indulge the bad humours of the pa- rent than to correct those of the child. What say you now, have you not withholden the rod ; or have you used it only in restraining your children's corrup- tions? If you have spared the rod, you have laid aside your authority ; if you have used it for your own pleasure, you have abused it. The Seventh duty of parents is to place their children in a proper calling; that is, such an one as, their cir- * Piov. xxii. 15 120 LECTURES Ser.33, cumstances and talents considered, will best contribute to their doing God service in the world, and will least expose them to temptations. In determining this inu portant matter, the parent mu:^t have directly in his eye the glor}^ of God and the spiritual welfare of the child. It is this, and not what will in a worldly'view be most advantageous, must guide his determinations. The manifold daily abuses of this kind should cause pa- rents seriously to consider and to lay to heart by what motives they have been directed in a matter wherewith not only the present prosperity but the future happi- ness of their children stands so nearly connected ; and in this view the making the only rule of determi^ nation what the child likes will hardly be justifiable. EightJdy. — It is the duty of parents to lay up for their children a suitable provision : and a suitable one is that which will enable them best to exercise their calling with most advantage to God's glory, and with least temptation to their own souls. The parent is not to make indeed the leaving his children a com- petency an excuse for his own covetousncss, and for not giving to the poor out of that wherewith God hath blessed him : but then neither is he to neglect making provision for them through sloth, nor to squander their portion in extravagant living. The proverb, that cha- rity begins at home, seems founded in the thing now before u$. A man must give to others with a more sparing hand till provision be made for his own house- hold ; and then he must open his hand more largely in acts of liberality. But what is a competency for a child r The answer is easy, that which will enable Ser. 53. on the church catechism. 121 hiiu to live agreeably to his station. Bat how shall 1 know what that is, seeing people of the saaie sta- tion live very clitFerently ? This must be determined by the practice of prudent and serious people. Ninthlt/. — I will just add a word upon the point of marriage, concerning which, as this at least is clear, that children ought not to marry without their parents' consent ; so it will lie in the parents' power, and is the indispensable duty of parents, to prevent their chil- dren's marrying to graceless persons : for so the rule is Let them marry only vi the Lord *. Grace is the first qualification ; and therefore if tUe parent, biassed by interest, gives his consent where the person to marry, his child is graceless, he betrays the trust God has put into his hand, and shamefully sins against God's glory and the soul of his child. So far is clear. But is this the whole of the parent's duty in the point of marriage ? I find the patriarchs in Scripture seeking wives for their sons : and if parents did not leave so great a matter wholly to their children, as is common- ly done, but would at a proper time of life seek out suitable persons for their children, proposing them to their inclinations without force or constraint, they would tread in the steps of Abraham, Isaac, and other Scripture examples, and not at all step out of the way of their duty to their children. But, Tenihlt/,^nd lastly. — Have you been constant and importunate at the throne of grace for the spiritual * 1 Cor. vii. 36—39. 122 LECTURES Ser. 35. welfare of your children ? that in all these things God would direct you and bless them ? Have you prayecJ for the grace of God to be poured into their hearts; and for that beyond all things ? Are there records of such your daily intercessions written in the book of God's remembrance? And will it be found there at the judgment-day ? But I have done. Such is the duty of parents. You see how spiritual as well as important it is. You will prove yourselves by it, as many as have been in that relation. 1 refer the duties of children to our next meeting, when I especially wish all young per- sons may be present to hear on their part what a charge God has laid upon them respecting their parents by this^M commandment. SERMON XXXIV. Galatians iii. 24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might bejustijied by faith. The relative duties required by the fifth com- mandment are now under examination for the pur- pose expressed in the text, that seeing ourselves con- demned by the law we may humble ourselves and come unto Christ. The relation of parents and chil- dren was entered upon when we last met. Then I shewed you how God had put authority into the hands of parents ; that his design therein was his own glory in the religious education of children ; and that consequently it was the duty of parents to use their authority over their children with the simple view of educating them in the knowledge and practice of Christianity, which was branched out into several of the most important particulars in the duty of parents. I am now to speak, Secondly. — Of the duty of children towards their parents. In this relation we must all have been ; and therefore the present subject will be of more univer- 124 LECTURES Ser. 34. sal concernment than the last. We have all had pa- rents. Have vvc done our duty toward them ? Here some perhaps will hold themselves guiltless, because their parents died when they were yor.ng : indeed in that case the obligations which are purely natural ceased ; but the obligations which arise from this com- mandment did not : for, according to this command- ment, the authority over such children, as well as the duty of a parent, devolved upon those who had the care of them, and stood in the place of parents toward them : so that the point now under consideration is of universal concern to us all. The word of commandment is this. Honour thy father and mother. Observe, it is not said, bear a na- tural affection toward thy father and mother, but ho- nour and reverence them. Natural affection there will be, till children grow altogether reprobate : but there may be much of this, where there is little or nothino- of the reverence here commanded. A child, who is very wicked toward God, may have much natural affection for his parents. But to honour. and reverence them, as bearing God's authority, and from a sense of duty to God, this is the main point, and the only mark of a truly dutiful child. Our busi- ness therefore is to see what is meant by this word honour thy father and thy mother, which will lay open to us the whole duty of children to parents. Now to honour has been said to be to acknowledge the dignity there is in another. Consequently to honour our parents is in all suitable ways to acknow- ledge that dignity and authority God has put upon Ser, 3^. ON the church catechism. 125 them. And this acknowledgment must be two- fold. JTirst. — There must be an inward acknowledgment of their dignity and authority upon the heart. Secondlif. — There must be an outward expression thereof in a becoming behaviour. But, because where the one of these is the other cannot fail to be, I shall consider them together. To honour parents implies an acknowledgment of that dignity and authority God has put upon them both, both father and mother. And where this is there will not be wanting suitable outward expres- sions of it. I say both father and mother, for the commandment mentions both, and requires the one to be honoured as well as the other. It requires both of them to be honoured, not for the sake of any natural accomplishments of sense and parts, or for any world- ly distinctions of wealth, honour, and station, but be- cause God's authority is put upon them equally and in common : and so the one must be honoured as well as the other, and neither of them the less because they may be without any considerable either natural or acquired endowments. Now this honour must needs imply all such things as do acknowledge God's authority in the persons of our parents, and do corre- spond with God's design in giving parents that autho- rity. For though God has put authority in the pa- rent's hand, it is plain nevertheless that neither God's glory nor the child's spiritual benefit is therein pro- moted, any further than the child has regard to God's 126 LECTURES Ser. 3^» authority in the persons of his parents, considering them as set over him under and for God. From hence it is evident that the First duty of children to parents, and that also without which they can do no part of their duty to them upon a right principle, is to reverence them as immediately appointed by God to direct their educa- tion. This is in the strictest sense to honour parents. Honour them ; have regard to their authority over you. Respect that authority as God's appointment. Now, children, have you considered your parents as God's deputies, and in that view have you had a be- coming reverence on your heart toward them ? What ! has it been the main thing causing you to reverence them, that God bid you do so ? And have you in- deed reverenced them, and always done so ? and both of them, your mother as well as your father ? Whatever has been their condition in life, whether poor or rich ; whatever has been their conduct in ge- neral, and toward yourself, still have you reverenced them ; not thinking yourself, by any conduct or cir- cumstances of theirs, or by any advantages of know- ledge, grace, sense, wealth, station, you may have attained beyond tliem, discharged in any degree from that honour which God requires you to have and bear on your heart toward them ? — The opposite to this is irreverence, setting light by father or mother; making no account of them any further than we need them. This is a common fault and sin in many chil- dren, they have no reverence of their parents in their Ser. 34. on the church catechism. 127 hearts ; and they shew none in their expressions to- ward them. They may perhaps fear them, while they are younger ; and when they are grown up may have some respect to them through natural affection, or for the sake of what they may expect from them ; but to respect them with a godly reverence they know not. Yet the commandment doth not say Honour your father and mother because they begat you, be- cause you live in their house, and are cared for by them : it doth not say. Honour them, while you have your dependence upon them, and then you need not honour them any longer : nor doth it say, Honour your father because he is a wise and experienced and wealthy man ; honour your mother, because she is very fond of you, and is ready to let you do as you please : but it saith, at large, without regard to cir- cumstances, and with a peremptory command, Ho- nour thy father and mother. Behold, I charge thee so to do. I suppose there is much failure throughout the world with regard to this godly reverence ; else we should not find so little an account made of parents, when they are no longer needed, and are grown old enough to be inconvenient or troublesome, or expen- sive ; else children would not be answering so pertly and disputing so saucily, and in all things behaving so stubbornly and frowardly as many do, filling their parents' houses with noise and clamour. From this reverence will spring out many other dis- positions, which are the duties of children toward their parents. For it is manifest, if God has put authority into the parent's hand for his glory in the religious .123 LECTURES Ser. 34. education of children, that then it mast be the duty of children humbly to acknowledge that authority, in every case to which it reaches. And so children must reverence their parents in all their instructions, discipline, corrections, disposals, and directio7is ; in all which they must behave with an humble and cheer- ful compliance, not expecting to have their own will, but studying to please and obey their parents in all. The second duty therefore of children is cheerfully and humbly to attend unto their parents' instructions. When parents are teaching their children the ways of God, examining into their conduct, shewing them the sinfulness of their nature, and the danger of such and such wrong courses taken up by them ; when they are warning them of the evil of certain sins they are most liable to, as stubbornness, self-will, idleness, pride, company-keeping, or love of pleasure, vanity in dress, or any thing else ; when they are giving their children directions on these heads, and requiring their careful observance of them, they are acting in the cha- racter of parents; and it is the duty of children hum- bly to hearken, and carefully to observe such instruc- tions. The word of God is express on this head, Mt/ son, hear the instruction of t hi/ father, and forsake not ike law of thy mother *. Nor do I understand that, in any advanced age of children, either they or the parents are discharged from this reciprocal duty as need requires. We find old Jacob sharply reproving * Prov. i. 8. .Ser. 5i. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 129 .the conduct of his two sons in the matter of the She- chemites*; and old Eli condemned for not restrain- ing the impiety of Hophni and Phinehas -]•, when they ■were not only grown to be men, but were in the ad- ministration of the priesthood. The question there- fore is, have children meekly heard and carefully ob- served the instructions of their parents, relating to re- ligious conduct ? Look back and see. Were not such lessons grievous and intolerable to you ? When you were warned against certain companions or prac- tices, were you never impatient ? When you were re- proved for your faults, were you never resentful, and even ready to fling away in a rage ? In your grown years, have you not thought, what have my parents to do with me ? And when an affectionate mother may have offered you some serious counsel, have you not thought yourselves particularly entitled to laugh at it, and disregard it? perhaps behaved so irreve- rently to your parents, that they have been afraid to speak freely to you ; and have incurred Eli's sin, through fear of displeasing you ? The third duty of children is cheerfully to submit to the parents' discipline. By this I mean the reli- gious discipline or government of the family. AVhen Joshua said. As for me and my house, we icill serve the Lord :{:, he spake like one who had a proper sense of the authority God had put into his hands. He was Xesolved God should be served in his house, and it was the duty of his children duly to conform to the order * Geu. xxxiv. so. f 1 Sam. iii. 13. + Joshua xxiv. 1?. VOL. II. K 150 LECTURES Ser. 34, and regulations he made therein. While the pious parent in the fear of God will allow no bad orders within his walls, expects all his dependents to attend the family-worship, and forbids all idle wanderings abroad on the Lord's day, the children must dutifully comply with the whole and every particular ; and that however they may be advanced to riper years. Thankfully and cheerfully, in all such orders, they must submit to the parents' pleasure ; and it will be a peculiar sin against their authority to slight or Shew any dislike of such religious regulations. Yet how often do children think this grevious ! Have you not thought it a burden to be thus confined to religious exercises ? a hardship, that your parents would not allow you such pleasures, as, you are ready to say, they themselves took when they were young ? Have you not thought it a hard thing they would not permit you to wander about and take your pleasure on Sun- days ? And have you not often undutifully deceived them by feigned pretences in one and another of these particulars ? Fourthly. — It is the duty of children cheerfully to submit to the corrections of their parents, and humbly to profit by them. By correction I mean any method the parent uses for restraining the vices of his chil- dren. And under correction it is the child's duty, I. — To be humbled for his fault. II. — To be grieved for having incurred his parents' displeasure. III. — To submit to the reproof. And, IV. — To endeavour without delay to recover God's Ser. 34. on the church catechism. 131 favour and his parents' also. And let me add, it is the duty of children thus to behave under the correc- tions of their parents, whether they be more or less se- vere, whether of the rod or the tongue, whether of father or mother. First. — They must be humbled for their fault, what- ever it be, whether lying, or swearing, or idleness, or company-keeping, or whatever else. They must not deny they have done amiss, and set about to excuse themselves ; as if they could escape their parents' displeasure all were well enough.^ Secondly, — They must be grieved for having in- curred their parents' displeasure. For that they must principally be grieved, and not for the correction they have brought on themselves. Thirdly. — They must submit to the chastisement ; not be angry with their parents for doing their duty to them ; but own their fault, and confess they deserve and need the correction. A hard lesson fof a proud heart. Fourthly. — They must seek God's forgiveness and their parents'. Alas ! how little is the former of these thought of by stubborn children ! and how loth are they to conform to the latter ! Instead of asking the parents forgiveness, and taking every measure to ex- press a hearty sorrow for being deservedly under the parents' displeasure, they grow sullen, appear dissatis- fied, meditate revenge on those who may have given as they suppose information, and study rather how to bring their parents to compliance than to make any K 2 132 LECTURES Ser. 34- themselves. Sometimes this grows up to an intole- rable insolence ; they will stay no longer in the house, not they ; what care they for their parents? with a deal of such threatening wilful language behind their parents' back, if not to their faces; which shews a desperate pitch of wickedness, and a total loss of all reverence towards parents, or duty toward God. Of such it is said in Deuteronomy, If a man have a stub- born and rebellious son, who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother ; and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them; then shall his father and molJier lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city ; and all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die *, Fifthly. — Have you cheerfully submitted to the disposals of your parents ? This is another duty of children, to leave the management of themselves in the manner of their education to their parents' will. Children of the one sex must not affect any other schools or callings than their parents provide for them ; nor those of the other such dress or pleasure as their parents do not see fit for them. And in these things they must study not only to submit to, but to please, their parents, shewing all cheerfulness in doing as they are bid. There is no true reverence of pa- rents if childFen want to have their own will in such matters; and though they submit, yet do it unthank- * Deut. xxi, 18, 19, 20, 21. Ser. 34. on the church catechism. 133 fully, as we say. Jesus, you know, went down readily with his parents to Nazareth, and was subject unto them. It is really a graceless saying from a child to a parent, however innocently it may seem to be spoken, " I will not be of that trade or profession; or why " should not I do as this and that young person does ?" Dutiful children dispute nothing, but. cheerfully sub- mit to what their parents order; and that without making any questionings upon the matter. But I suppose this is not the common case of children. Too often young persons will be for taking the manage- ment of themselves out of their parents' hands as soon as possible, and when indeed they are utterly unfit to judge of what is proper for them; they will shew themselves displeased with the dispositions their parents are making for them, and will try all the arts of stub- bornness and fondness to bring their parents to com- pliance. You may hear them talking already of what they will do when they are men and their own mas- ters, and impatiently longing for that season. Mean- time, as that advances, you may see disregard to pa- rental authority advancing with it, and new liberties daily taken in self-government. And now the young head is wise enough to set up for itself, regards pa- rents no further than according to the vi^orldly expecta- tions had from them, manages all things at its own discretion, and adventures into the most important passages of life without any respect to the authority or judgment of parents. What I chiefly hint at in these last words is the point of marriage ; concerning which I would wish all young persons to be sensible, 134 LECTURES 5er. 54, that to engage their affections so far as to put it out of their parents' power with any prudence to withhold their consent, and then to ask their approbation, is indeed at the most but to pay them a compliment, and that a coarse one too ; and which they do not pay from any reverence, but through a sort of slavish fear, and because they cannot marry without their parents' assistance. To say the truth, as many parents regard their children as their property, considering them only as those with whom they may do what they will, so many children in their turn seem to have no other notion of their parents ; they look on what their pa- rents have as theirs, and that is all they mind ; they take advantage of their parents' circumstances to dis- pose of themselves, and will think themselves hardly dealt with if their parents do not come into their mea- sures; so indeed, as I have said, using their parents no otherwise than as their property. Sixthly. — -It is the duty of children to submit reve- rently to the directions of their parents in all lawful things. I add this in the place of many other parti- culars that might be mentioned, and in order to make you sensible that the commandment is so large, as to require a reverent obedience to parents in every lawful case. There can be but this one exception, if the parents' directions should be contrary to con- science towards God : in all other cases the rule holds, Children, obey your parents in all things*. See how large the rule is, in all things, great as well as little, * C0I088. iii. 30. Ser. 34. on the church catechism. 135 and little as well as great. In things of greater im- portance the matter is clear, to disobey is to disho- nour. But is it not so in lesser things? Certainly it is. For if the thing directed be little, it is more easily complied with, and therefore to disobey argues a greater irreverence. Besides, these lesser things take in the generality of the parents' directions, and of the child's duty. Honour for parents will approve itself by a readiness to conform to their will in the whole of the children's conduct; and the excellent jjroof of it is a being pleased in doing or forbearing in the whole of the conduct as will please the father and mother, whether the matters be great things or small. Consi- der, then, has it been your study to please your parents in all things ? to behave yourself as you knew they would have you ? and has this accompanied you in their absence as well as in their presence ? and that also when you could be sure they would never know what you did ? And have you done this not out of constraint, but cheerfully ? I know not what your con- duct may have been in this respect : but there is a manifest self-willedness of conduct in many children. They want to please themselves in all things ; when they are restrained from it, you may see by their faces, if not hear from their mouths, that they are dissatis- fied; and they will do what they will when their pa- rents are out of sight. What I am now speaking of is the more to be regarded, because it is in this general desire of pleasing parents, rather than in any particular act, that the honouring them, that is, the honouring God's authority in them, doth consist. And it is easy 136 LECTURES Ser. 34. to see, that if there be this general desire to please and obey parents in the whole conduct, a conformity with their will in more interesting cases will not be want* insf: as, on the other hand, such children as have no regard to please their parents in the generality of their behaviour, cannot from a sense of duty, but only through fear or interest, comply with their will in more important particulars. Such now is the duty of children. And you may see how exactly it corresponds in every particular with God's design in putting his authority into the parents' hands, for his own glory in the religious education of children. If parents are authorized and required to train up their children in the ways of godliness, then it must be the child's duty to reverence his parents as bearing authority for that end, to observe their re- ligious instructions, to conform to their religious dis- cipline, to submit to their needful corrections, to yield himself to their disposals, and in all things to be guided by their will. This is plain, otherwise the design of the commandment is frustrated ; and there- fore, whenever we have departed from such an ho- nouring of our parents, we have broken the fifth commandment . But you may say, My parents do not or did not use their authority over me with this religious design you are talking of; they took no pains to make me acquainted with a covenant God ; I had no good in- structions from them ; and when they corrected me it was to indulge their own passions; all their disposals and directions at best, tended only to my worldly hap- Ser. 34. on the church CAXECHiSiM. 137 piness ; yea, and they have set me an ill example, by neglect of family-worship, and private worship in their own closets (for 1 know that ordinarily they have spent no time there), by sabbath-breaking, com- pany-keeping, drunkenness, swearing, passion, and the like. And doth not such a conduct in ni}' parents discharge me from the duty 1 owe them? Must I honour such parents as these ? Doubtless you must. No misconduct in them toward you will justify any irreverence in you toward them : for God saith. Ho- nour thy fatJier and mother^ without any limitation. But you say, how can I honour them when they ai*e wicked ? Why if they were good, the reason of your honouring them, considered as parents, is not because they are good, but because they are parents, and be- cause God has put authority upon them as such. So you see that the authority God hath put upon them makes them honourable whether they be bad or good. And were they good, to honour them for that, and not for the authority God hath put upon them, were to go beside the commandment. Here lies the dif- ficulty, to honour parents solely from the considera- tion because God has put authority upon them : and in this view it is just as difficult to honour good pa- rents as bad ones. But how must I honour bad pa- rents ? Just as you would honour good ones. You must reverence them in your heart; you must obey them in all lawful things; you must study to please them ; you must speak respectfully to them ; you must not speak disrespectfully of them. You say now your parents are bad? Well then, have you ho- 138 LECTURES Ser. 34. noured them in this manner ? Have you reverenced them in your heart? Or have ycu not licentiously taken advantage of their faults to slight them in your mind ? Have you obeyed them in all lawful things ? Or have you not set up for your own master? Have you studied to please them, and always to do so for conscience-sake ? Have you behaved respectfull}/ to them, and that even when they were behaving un- kindly to you ? And if you have warned them of their faults, has it been with modesty and trembling? Have you covered those faults as much as you might, not uncovering their nakedness, nor speaking lightly of them to others ? Have you prayed for them ; and also endeavoured by the meekness and humbleness of your demeanour to win their souls? I have now suggested matter enough of inquiry upon the duty of children ; and therein I suppose of humiliation. It were greatly to be wished that parents and children would lay to heart what has been said on this important subject : which, as I observed in the beginning, has the nearest connexion with our estate towards God, and a religious regard to which is among the most substantial proofs of an interest in Christ Jesus. SERMON XXXV. Galatians iii. ^4. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christy that we might he jusiijied by faith. Although the subject undertaken from these words was designed for the Sundays in Lent, yet it will be improper to leave the consideration of that commandment we had entered upon unfinished. Therefore I will go on with Xhefifth commandment^ already begun with, and submit to your consideration and examination those several other relative duties it enjoins ; having already spoken to the duties of parent* and children. A second part of duties, required by the fifth com- mandment^ are those regarding masters and servants. Firsts of the duty of servants. — You must consider we have all a twofold calling ; a general calling, and a particular calling. The general calling is that which is common to us all, the profession of Christianity. The particular is that special station of hfe, or course ©f employment, in which we are engaged. Now as there can be no contradiction between these two, if our special calling be an honest one ; so it is the most UO LECTURES Ser. 36. important proof of our being really Christians, that we taithfully serve God therein : 1 say, when the main thing we have in view is to serve and glorify God in our special calling, then we do most of all approve ourselves true members of Christ: as well because such special calling is the very place allotted us in which we should serve God in our generation, as because our special calling must in a manner engross all our time. What is advanced thus in general I now particularly apply to the matter before us, the case of servants. The Jirst duty of servants is to consider themselves servants of God in that their calling. Servants, saith St. Paul, in the sixth chapter to the Ephesians, he obedient to them that are your masters according to the Jlesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ: not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart ; with good will doing ser- vice, as to the Lord, and not to men. Here, you see, servants are required to do their duty in their calling with singleness of heart, as unto Christ; not as if they had no more to do but to please their masters ; but with good will and cheerful readiness doing their business, because God expects it of them ; and to please and glorify him. This is the main quahfica- tion of a good servant ; and without this none shall be so accounted in the sight of God, however diligent, faithful, and careful to please their earthly masters, they may be; for in truth such are not serving God, but themselves. Nay, but indeed it cannot be imagined Ser. 55. on the church catechism. 141 that such will faithfully and honestly serve their mas- ters upon earth. Sense of duty to God, as members of Christ's body, and serving the Lord in that calling, will carry servants through all the duties and all the discourasrements that attend this station of life. Such O will not be eye-servants, but, seeing God's eye ever looking upon them, will be ever as diligent in the master's absence as in his presence ; such will not more squander their master's goods than they will squander his time, but will make the most of all for the master's benefit, as being put in trust by God ; nor will such be discouraged and fall into murmuring under the hardships and unkindnesses which either their masters put upon them, or at least servants will be apt to think they do. If the desire of pleasing God be wanting, and the greatest aim is to please the mas- ter, and serve their own interests, the best servants otherwise in the world will gain nothing in God's account, for Those that despise me, saith the Lord., shall be lightli/ esteemed. Nor upon strict inquiry will they be found either careful as they ought of their master's interests, or diligent as they should be at their labour; most of all, they will not endure with a proper spirit those hardships or unkindnesses they have to contend with. They will be secretly fretting under them, and ready to utter passionate and irreve- rent speeches ; " Though I should work myself to •' death my master would not care," and " This is *' what I get for my labour.'' Indeed if we serve earthly masters only, this may be often said truly enough ; but if we serve God in our calling of ser- 142 LECTURES Ser. 53. vants, it can never be said, " Here is no considera- '* tion had of my diligence." The true servant of Christ knows better than to say that : for, as he does not seek a reward from man for his services, so he is sure he shall not lose his reward from the hand of him ■whom he serves, his Master in heaven ; and hereupon is not discouraged by those hardships or unkindnesses put upon him by his master on earth. Jacob was a good servant under Laban, a covetous and hard mas- ter. Yet Laban's severity did not cause Jacob to remit of his diligence. For twenty years together he went on serving Laban with all his might : as he ySmys, Bi/ day the drought consumed hitn, and b// night the frosty and sleep departed from his ei/es* ; he was up early and late, and minded no weather. And what recompense did he get from Laban ? Why, " If any *' thing was torn Jacob bare the loss of it ; and what- " ever was stolen by day or night poor Jacob must *' stand to it." That there are many Labans in the world may not be questioned ; but I fear there are few Jacobs, who serve God in their calling with his faith- fulness, diligence, and zeal for his master's interest, and that too under so many discouragementSu, and so much ill treatment, as Jacob met with in return for all the services he had done Laban. The too com- mon language is. My master does not like me ; why, then, let things go as they will ; what care I how much is lost and squandered? — Now, servants, prove yourselves by this. What answer will you give to this question, have you been serving God in your * Gen, xxxi. 40. Ser. 35. on the church catechism. 143 calling ? If you have altogether failed here, there is a heavy account lying against you before God for your constant transgression of his fifth commandment. But suppose you had some general eye to God in your service, hath that continually attended you, so that for God^s sake you have been always diligent, faithful, patient ? There is no inquiry so important to servants, vv^ho would think well of their estate to- wards God through Jesus Christ, as this now before us. For as service is their talent, so only by resolving this inquiry can they be determined whether they have used it to the glory of God or not. And with regard to the matter of salvation, I must observe, it is of equal moment to you that you be found serving God, in your calling of servants, as it is to me that I be found so doing in my calling as a minister of the Gospel of Christ. — What I have been advancing on this head is the foundation, and that without which it is impossible to be a good servant : for conscience toward God must needs be the ground and support of all our duties, which God requireth from servants to their masters. But where there is this conscience towards God in servants there will not be wanting either reverence towards their masters, or a shewing that reverence by obedience and honesty, together with prar/er for them, and for the success of their mas- ter's business in their hands ; which are the remain- ing duties of servants, and which I come now more di- rectly to lay before them for examination. Wherefore, The second duty of servants is to reverence their mas- ters. This reverence is twofold, inward and outward. 144- LECTURES Ser. SS. First. — Inward. Servants, he obedient to them that are your masters according to the fiesh, %cith fear and trembling *. Be subject to your masters with all fear., not only to the good and gentle^ but also to the froward "j" . Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour \. You see God puts authority upon the master, and requires servants to respect and reverence it. As it was in parents, so here in masters, God's authority rests upon them ; and for the sake of that they must be reverenced. If you should reverence your masters because they are wise and wealthy, this would not be the thing; for then you would not reverence them at all if they were poor or ignorant : and this I suppose is a common case with servants ; while they are in families where their masters are rich and great, and keep up some authority, they will have some respect towards such masters : but do they come under such as are lower in the world, or have not so much discre- tion and weight with them, truly they have no re- spect for them at all. Yea, and in the same house you shall commonly see a kind of reverence had of the master, and very little of the mistress. In such cases it is plain there is no regard had to God's authority; to which, and not to the wisdom or weal thof the mas- ter, the reverence is due. I say, it is God's authority puts honour upon the masters ; and that whether the master be rich or poor, wise or foolish, nay, good or bad. Even in bad masters God's authority must be ho^ noured ; for when St. Paul saith, Let as many servants * EphcB. vi. 5. t 1 Pet. ii. 18. J 1 Tim. vi. 1, Ser. 35. ON the church catechism. 145 as are under the yoke count their masters worthy of all honoitr, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed, he is speaking of unbelieving and Hea- then masters, as appears from what he adds in the next verse, And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren ; by which be shews that the masters he was before speaking of were infidels ; while at the same time he intimates it is no less difficult to reverence such masters as are truly good and Christian. It is as if he should have said, " Servants, I know it is a hard matter for you to *' reverence your masters ; if they are without religion, " you will be ready to think, must or can 1 have any " reverence for such a wicked master as this ? And " if your master be a real disciple of Christ, you will *' be apt to forget he is your master, because as a Chris- " tian all are upon a level as brethren : but whether " bad or good, a disciple of Christ, or of Belial, bear " an honour toward him on your heart, because God " has put his authority upon him. It is a great mat- " ter, and that by which servants do a great deal of *' honour to Christianity, that they esteem and reve- *' rence their masters in their hearts, whatever they " be : as by a contrary conduct they bring disgrace on " the na-me of God, and the Gospel of Jesus is evil- " spoken of and blasphemed." Secondly . — This inward must, and where it is will be accompanied by outicard reverence; which lies chiefly in a reverent speaking and behaving to their masters, and a reverent speaking o/tliem. Servants must not speak or act irreverently to their masters VOL. II. L 146 LECTURES Ser. 35^ and mistresses ; must not answer again *, saith the Apostle; must not shew a proud, sullen, undutiful spirit. But how httle is there of this Christian con- duct among us ? Do not the most of servants, if they be in families of higher station, shew the irreverence of their hearts by a discontented sullen countenance, and an angry sturdy manner of going about their work, when in any thing they are blamed, or put out of their own way ? And in families of a lower degree, is not the servant's word as good as the master's or mistress's ? Are not their servants continually ready to come to terms of debate with them ; and the masters often obliged to give up the matter for peace-sake ? Such servants bewray the ungodliness and irreverence of their hearts by such behaviour ; and indeed have not the least regard to God^s authority in the persons of their masters and mistresses. — And as servants must not behave or speak irreverently to their masters, so they must not speak irreverently of them. It is a very bad part in a servant, to come like a spy into a family, to watch and observe every thing that passes, and then to go whispering it about here and there, without any other end to be answered than that of indulging a wanton licentious tongue and a very wicked irreverent heart. Yet it is a most ordinary thing for servants to speak too forwardly of their mas- ters when behind their back ; to proclaim their faults and weaknesses, and so to blast their reputation. And this I have observed to be a very usual thing, after . * Titus ii. 9. Ser. 35. OS the church catechism. 147 servants are passed from one family to another, their new masters and mistresses encouraging them in it, out of a vain and sinful curiosity, and not considering that they themselves are laying a foundation for a likemisusage of themselves, when such graceless ser- vants shall have been gone from them to others. The third duty of servants is obedience. Servants, obey yourmasters in all things ; that is, in all things that are lawful : for if your master command you to lie, swear, steal, break the sabbath, or in any thing to transgress the law of God, he must mot be obeyed. In all things must needs reach to all such things as fall within the calling of a servant. Though the mas- ter's authority doth not reach unto any that is a mat- ter of conscience in the servant's judgment of it, as whether his servant shall be a Papist or a Protestant, and the like, yet it absolutely reaches to all that is the properbusiness of a servant living in the family. While a servant is in a family he must submit to all the or- ders and regulations of it, regarding religion and pru- dence ; for instance, he must attend such family-wor- ship, and observe such hours, as the master of the family has seen fit to establish. And, with regard to the mat- ter of work, the servants must do as they are bid ; must not be impatient of direction ; nor murmur and grow peevish if reproved. Servants must do what they are bid cheerfully, considering, that not they, but their masters, are to guide the house. A conceit- ed temper in servants, leading them to do just what they will, and nothing else, without being out. of hu- mour; causing them to treat their masters' and mis- L 2 14S LECTURES Ser. 3S, tresses' orders with slight and indifference, to do what they will and when they will, to act as it" there were none in the house fit to govern but themselves, and carelesly to forget in a manner whatsoever is required of them : such a temper shews very little sense of duty to God, or reverence to masters. Servants, judge for yourselves if this has not been in a greater or lesser degree your temper and conduct. Have you been possessed with such a sense of your duty to God and your masters as has caused you to obey them in all things ? Have you not been self-willed, impatient of direction, taking your own way, oftentimes out of hu- mour when your masters would not allow you to do as you pleased ; making very light of what you were bid to do, and heedlessly forgetting what was required of you ? Forgetting, you say ! what, is there any sin in that? Yes surel}^, if it' be out of heedlessness r for that plainly shews a want of reverence. Consider if you have not been of this conceited disobedient spirit : and be convinced that, as far as you have, you have contracted the guilt of breaking the fifth commandment. I must speak a word here particularly to appren- tices, who perhaps have not looked on themselves as servants, though they call those who are over them masters ; and may possibly judge themselves uncon- cerned with the duties of reverence and obedience here spoken of Is not this too frequently the lan- guage of their heart, and what their conduct but too evidently speaks? " What care 1 for my master? *' What has he to do with me ? when I have done his Ser. 35. on the church catechism. 149 " work, he can demand no more after that of me. *' I will go where I will, and come when I please; *' shall he tell me? I am old enough to govern myself, " and do not want his directions. What is it to him *' how much money I spend, or what company I *' keep ? It is not his business how I spend the Sunday^ " or where I pass the evenings. lie has threatened *' to strike me. I wish he would. I would — .'' My dear young friends, if there be any such as I have been describing present, will you consider that, while you are thus behaving to your masters, you are rebelling against God ? I own, indeed, that, through your masters' want of resolution, or want of real love toward you, you may many of you do nearly what you will : but if you get the upper hand of your mas- ters, will you be also able to do so of God ? And what will you say to him for all this irreverence and unduti- fulness of yours to them, whom he has expressly charged you to honour } Nay, you mu}^ see plainly you are not only dishonouring and disobeying your masters, but God much more : and what think 30U this proud spirit of yours will end in } lie assured it will in all probability end in your utter ruin of soul and body. If you are old and wise enough to manage yourselves, let us see you making a right use of this self-management : for, depend upon it, not a truly wise soul in the world will allow ycu have the least measure of that wisdom you conceit belongs to you till you have forsaken these ungodly, irreverent, and undutiful courses. — Such young persons as these are the objects of the greatest compassion ; and all con- 150 LECTURES Ser. V)5' cerned with them or for them should exert them- selves to rescue them from so dangerous a condition. Their parents especially should use all their autho- rity, lest they also by-and-by become slighted by them, and lose all power of doing them any good. But, Fourthlt/. — Another duty of servants is honesty. Not purloining, but shewing all good faithfulness. It is the property of a faithful servant to be true to his trust, not to convert to his own profit what belongs to his master, and is committed to his care ; to be dili- gent too at his work, that he may render to his mas- ter that for which he pays him ; nay, and to be as thrifty of what is his master's as if it were his own. These three things then fall under the title of honesty in servants, a clean hand, itidustrious labour, and a saving thriflincss. I. Servants must have a clean hand. Picking and stealing is most abominable in servants, and incom- parably worse in them than in any others. When a person is taken into the house, as one of the famil}^, and intrusted with so much of what is there ; when the master giveth him his wages, and provides for him every thing needful for comfortable subsistence ; then to fail a pilfering and plundering; this is theft of an enormous kind. If any servants have sinned this great sin, let them, as they value their souls, make restitu- tion according to their power. In the law of Moses the n^atter of restitution stood thus. He shall rccom- pence his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof and give it unto him Ser. 3J. ON the church catechism. ].51 against whom he hath trespassed*. But if any, whether servant or other, keep what they have stolen, they will be sure to keep God's curse along with it : for so it is said in the prophet Zechariah, / will bring it forth., saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief; and it shall remain in the midst of his Jiouse, and shall consume it, with the timber thereof and the stones thereof "f. i?. Servants must be industrious. This is another branch of honesty in them. They may not be idle, consuming much, and working little. They are hired, and ought to labour. And, if they do not, their mas- ters are as much defrauded as if they were actually robbed. If you are a slothful servant, I beseech vou with what face can you ask your master to pay you your wages, when 3'ou know you have not earned them ? And what is here said does as much afi'ect such as are hired by the day as any other servants. 3. Also servants must be thriftt/, taking care of their masters' interests as they would do of their own : they must content themselves with such necessary things as are allowed, and not think it is all their own, OA" we say ; they must not carelesly waste and destroy any thing, because not they, but their masters, must provide more ; they must not take the liberty of giving away what is not permitted ; nor, as the manner of some is, make spoil of what is their master's ia riotous entertainments among their companions. Any thing of this is dishonest, and shews a servant has not * Numb. V. 7. t Zcch. iii. 4, lo2 LECTURES Ser. '35. either much conscience toward God or reG;ard for his master. So you see the honesty and faithfulness of servants is of pretty large extent. It greatly demands their consideration, both on account of their duty towards God, and their own interest in the world, which has the nearest relation with their integrity and faithful- ness. — I said, in the Fifth and last place, that it was the duty of servants to pray for their masters, and for the success of their masters^ business in their hands. This, at least to the servants themselves, may be a good proof of the con- science they make of their calhng, and of the care they have to glorify God in it. You may see * a very de- vout prayer to this purpose made by Abraham^s ser- vant, when he was sent upon an important business by his master. And I suppose you will hardly think- that when the Lord made whatever Joseph did to prosper in his hands, and blessed his master the Egyp- tian's house for Joseph's sake, that both the one and the other were not commended to God by him in daily prayer. Indeed it cannot be w^ell seen how they can be Christian servants, who in a confidence of their own strength and sufficiency, and not calling on the Lord for help, are going on with the whole work of their calling. Now then you have found much cause of condemnation from one and another of those duties which I have been laying before you. You have not, as you ought, had an eye to God in your service ; * Gen. xxi. v. 12. Scr. 35. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 155 you have failed prodigiously of inward and outward reverence ; you have been sadly self-willed and im- patient; nay, you have not been so honest as you ought, at least in the articles of diligence and thrifti- ness. But have you not to add to all these that your calling has not been sanctified as it should have been by diligent daily prayer ? And may not this have been the main cause also that you have so greatly failed in those other duties of your calling? Yes ve- rily : and I will add further, that you ought to charge it to your neglect herein that you have met with all those crosses and disappointments you are ready to complain of: for I know not that there is a promise made in Scripture of any blessing that is not prayed for. On the whole, you cannot but see how content and happy the practice of your duty in the instances men- tioned would render you in your calling, though in some respects service may seem to you clogged with peculiar inconveniences. It is the calling God has placed you in ; and let that satisfy you. Let it be your care to do your duty in it as becomes the ser- vant of the Lord ; and in the end, if you are faithful, God will not forget you in Jesus Christ. SERMON XXXVI. Galatians iii. S4. IP herefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christy that we might bejustijied by faith. 1 TREATED last of the duty of servants toward their masters ; and am now to speak on the other side of the duties of masters. Servants, it was shewn, must serve God in their calling, so must their masters also ; servants must reverence their masters, because God hath put his authority upon them, and masters must therefore use that authority in such manner as that God may be glorified by it ; servants must be obedient to their masters' orders, therefore masters must be mild and reasonable in them ; servants must be faithful, and masters must be kind ; servants must pray for their masters, and masters in their turn must w atch over their servants' souls. It is impossible not to remark, in the consideration of those relative duties which the law requires of us, how exactly suited to promote the happiness and well-being of society our religion is ; seeing it interposes a divine authority to restrain the violence of our corrupted hearts, and lays us under* a curse for our failures in duty one toward Ser. 36. on the church catechism. 165 another, just as it does for our sins committed imme- diately against God himself. Servants must act their parts becomingly to their masters, and they again to them, under divine penalties ; nor shall transgressions of this kind, any more than those directly against God, be blotted out and pardoned, but through the blood of Christ humbly and penitently applied unto. To say the whole, there is such an intimate relation be- tween God's glory and our happiness, as that the one may not be severed from the other : and in instances of the very lowest kind, where the glory of God de- mands obedience from us, we shall find that obedience producing the happiest effects even upon our present ease and quiet. Particularly in that family, where the fear of the Lord influences all the members to a religious discharge of the duties of their several stations in it, there will be found a most desirable and delight- ful peace. But to come to the duties of masters. I observe, by way of introduction, that it is the part of a religious master, with good advice, to make choice of the ser- vants he takes into his family. He that walketh in a perfect way^ saith David, he shall serve me. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell in my house. He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight *. David would have none but rehgious persons for his servants ; no proud, lying, swearing, ungodly persons, should har- bour under his roof. And with good reason : for how could he think they would serve him well, who served God so ill ? He would not bring a leprosy within his * Psalm ci, 6, 7. io6 LECTURES Ser. 30\ walls, to infect his children, and the other servants; nor venture to take the curse of God into liis house, together with the wicked servant he admits into it. This is the foundation ; there must be a good choice made of servants ; and the master must look to it that he hire none for servants whose conduct shews they do not fear God. If we have failed here we have set out wrong ; and I dare say shall be found to have done very little of that duty God requires at our hands as masters of families. What that duty is 1 come nov/ to explain under the particulars above mentioned. And, First. — It is the duty of masters to serve God in that calling. And a very important calling it is, that of a master of a family. For the whole world is but a collection of families, under the direction of their re- spective heads : and as these are nurseries of religion, or vice, so in general must the world be. There can- not therefore be any private trust of such moment as that of a family-governor ; as also the account to be rendered up of it must be of the last importance to our souls. Upon the faithfulness or remissness of the master the state of the family will unavoidably turn ; be orderly and exemplary on the one hand, or a har- bour of licentiousness, riot, and wickedness, on the other : w^herefore when God distributed the world of men into rich and poor, superiors and inferiors, it was not but upon a wise design for the better order- ing his government among us. He has not admitted that we should be all equal, that there might not be an universal confusion : but by leaving the most in a state of necessity, he has put the many into the hands Ser. 36. on the church catechism. 1o7 of the few ; and has strictly enjoined these few to look well to the charge he hath committed to them. The most natural and immediate relation that is caused by this inequality is that of masters and servants ; and therefore, according to God's general design in this unequal distribution of circumstances, it is easy to see how much rests on the head of a family-governor, and how much it behoves him to serve God in that particular and important calhng. It is a question therefore of great moment to all masters, whether they have been serving God or themselves in that relation. If there hath been no consideration of the trust com- mitted to masters, nor view to serve God in that sta- tion, the charge is heavy, and the guilt great, as the consequences must have been very hurtful to the in- terests of God in the world. But to come nearer to the present subject. Secondly. — It is the duty of masters to use that authority God hath given them over their servants to his glory. The master must be truly sensible of God's design in putting authority over servants into his hands ; that it is not for the master's sake, but God's ; not that the master might take his ease, and be attended as though the lower sort of people were made for that purpose, but that, by a righteous use of the authority received, the honour of God might be maintained in the family. Hence, in all respects in which the master's conduct and government may have any tendency to promote the honour of God, by the influence the one and the other must have on the servant's, it is his duty so to behave and j'overn. These 158 LECTURES Ser. 36. therefore should be leading inquiries with a master of a family. First. — What influence will my own conduct have upon my servants ? Do they see in me every thing that would recommend religion to them ? that I honour it, that I believe it, that I practise it, that I make no account of wealth and honour in comparison with it, that I really sacrifice every thing to it ? Have all that were ever servants in my house seen this in me ? And have they never any of them seen in my conduct any thing which had a tendency to lessen their regard for God, or to harden them in sin ? Did they ever see me, in any instance, an example of drunkenness, swearing, sabbath-breaking, covetous- ness, or whatever else was contrary to the conduct of a Christian ? Or have they ever found me counte- nancing any of these sinful practices in others within my walls ? Masters, as far as you have failed in these points, you have not used your authority to the glory of God. The second leading question is this. Is my govern- ment in the family such as might best serve to pro- mote religion among my servants ? Particularly, have they seen this to be my great aim in all my family- discipline ? and that the worship of God, and the maintenance of all good order, have been prevailing objects of my attention ? that 1 would admit no man- ner of vice ; and that my servants must either reform or leave me ? — And, i Thirdli/. — Am I able to say I have used all the in- fluence my station has given me with my servants to Ser. 36. on the church catechism. 159 lead them into and encourage them in the ways of Christian godliness? Have 1 obliged them, as tar as I might, to a religious observance of the sabbath at church and at home ; both providing they might as much as possible attend the former, and not allowing them to idle about from the latter, on that day ? Have 1 been at any pains to instruct them ; and given them convenient opportunities for private prayer ? Have 1 encouraged them in doing well, and reproved them for doing ill ; in all careful not to give up my autho- rity by an unpardonable remissness and want of reso- lution ? Most especially have my orders at no time been contrary to any of these things ; such as brought them under a necessity, if they would avoid my dis- pleasure, to lie, deceive, cheat, break the sabbath ? — Such as these are very interesting inquiries ; and which will easily help masters and mistresses of fami- lies to discover how far short they have come of using their authority over their servants to the glory of God in their servants' spiritual profit. Thirdlif. — It is the duty of masters to be mild in their carriage, and reasonable in their commands. Ye masters^ do the same things unio them, forbearing threatening, knoicing that your Master is in heaven : neither is there respect of persons with him *. Masters must not be tyrants, nor servants treated like slaves. Masters must endeavour to make their servants' labour as easy to them as they can ; not laying more on them than they can well do ; not taking up every mistake and indiscretion to scold and rate them for ; not hasty * Ephes. vi. 8. o 2 196 LECTURES Scr. 5S4 he reverenced for their work's sake? Suffer me there- fore to ask, have you accounted ministers as servants and representatives of Christ? As such have you esteemed and honoured them, neither despising them for the meanness of their gifts, nor, if they have been of more distinguished talents, paying respect to their abilities instead of their office ? Ifave you at all times behaved respectfully towards them ; bearing with their infirmities (for they are men, and not angels), and con- cealing as far as you might their frailties ? Especially have you never behaved irreverently towards them in the execution of their public trust, by slighting, de- spising, railing at, or jesting upon their messages brought you from God ? Have you, like David, pa- tiently heard their reproofs, saying with him, / have mined, when it has been said to your heart, Thou art the man * ; or, in the spirit of the ill-tutored children of Bethel to Elisha, have you said, Go ?//>, thouhald- head'\} As far as any have failed in reverence to- ward their ministers, they will be found not only to have sinned against Gcd, but also against their own souls; for to profit by a ministry there must needs be a reverent regard to the institution of Christ in the appointment of it ; otherwise, if that be want- ing, and the ordinance of God disregarded, there is nothing of that spirit of meekness wherein only we can receive into our hearts the word that is able to save our souls. But this enters into the Second duty of ministers and people, Minisfcrs * 2 San), xii. 7, 1?. t 2 Kintrs ii. ?.?. Ser. 38. ON the church catechism. I97 must diligentlif dispense the word ; and people must meekly receive it. — Ministers must dispense the word. This is the means of executing* their office ; they are appointed purposely to deliver, explain, and apply God's messages of reproof, direction, and comfort, which are written in the Scripture. And this it is their office and duty to do, as need is, with all free- dom, diligence, and simplicity. It is their business to search, understand, and explain the way of salvation contained in the Scriptures, so that their people may if they will be instructed in the whole counsel of God towards them, set forth, not from man's inven- tions, nor upon man's authority, but from the plain word of God, according to the express injunction, Teaching them all tilings whatsoever I have commanded you. You find they must teach what Christ has commanded, and nothing else ; and all this they must teach, withholding nothing profitable to salvation. Herein they must be painful and unwearied, never tired of their work, but spending and improving their time in such a manner as to be themselves better in- structed, and to be prepared with such discourses as may best tend to the edification of their people. It is their business on the one hand to preach the un- searchable riches of Christ, to make known to those who are seekins^ God the love of the Father, the orace of the Son, and the consolations of the Spirit, to the end that the bruised may be healed, the broken- hearted bound up, the servants of Jesus established by the seasonable ministration of the promises and sacraments. On the other hand, it is their business boldlij to rebuke rice, to stand up against iniquity, to 198 LECTURES Ser. 38. watch the sins that abound, to oppose to them the threatenings of God's word: and herein to set their faces as brass, neither to be ashamed nor afraid to tell the house of Jacob their sins ; as becomes those who are set on purpose to confound the kingdom of Satan, and to exalt the kingdom of their Master, Christ. In a word, they must diligently, persevcringly, and im- movably minister the Gospel for the honour of God and the salvation of men ; neither of which can any other way be forwarded or maintained but by the Gospel. All this may seem an easy task to those who are not engaged in it : but how much pains will it cost to understand all these things ! how much de- nial of flesh and blood to go through the private and public labours that will be found in a faithful execu- tion of this work ! and, above all, what firmness and disinterestedness is needful in honestly opposing the Gospel to the authority, maxims, and practices of a wicked world ! But, whether ministers have thus dis- pensed the word or not, this is their dut}^ and the very end of their office; and, as St. Paul saith, JVo will be nnto them if they preach not the Gospel*.— The peo- ple must meekly receive the word, which it is the duty and office of ministers thus to dispense to them. If it is the duty of ministers to teach, it must be the duty of people to learn; if their business is to instruct in the ways of God, then it is the people's to walk in them. Obey them that have rule over you., and sub- mit yourselves : for they watch for your souls as they that must give aJi accouiit ; that they may do it with * 1 Cor. IX. 16. Ser. 38. on the church catechism. 199 Jot/, and not with grief; for that is improjitahle for you *. The main thing in this obedience and sub- mission is to obey the doctrine the minister preaches out of God's word; which, as the passage intimates, will be as delightful to the minister as it is and will be profitable to the people. But when people run quite contrary, hear indeed, and are, it may be, very kind to the minister, yet have no care to practise what he teaches them, they do not their duty to him, they disregard his office, they bring him to daily grief, they discourage and weaken his hands, and cause him to pour out sad complaints before God on their behalf. Nothing is plainer than the duty of the peo- ple in this case; they must attend the ministration of the word at the mouth of the minister ; they must wait, with humble, meek, and teachable hearts, upon this divine institution ; they must hear it as the word of God ; they must lay it up in their hearts, and shew forth their profiting by their practice. And in pro- portion as this is done the design of a ministry is an- swered, God is glorified, and the Church is edified. Now therefore if any would know whether they have done their duty to their ministers, they must look iato their hearts and lives, and see if the^^ can find transcribed in them their humility, faith, hohness, and heavenly-mindedness, the lessons they have heard from God's minister. As far as they come short, they will of necessity condemn themselves. And then they must 'make inquiry whence it has been that so much seed sown upon them hath brought forth so little fruit, it may be none at all : whether they have * Heb. xiii. 17. 200 LECTURES Set. 38. not heard lightly, irreverently, contentiously, cu- riously ; whether they have not attended to the man rather than the minister, saying with the people in EzckieFs days, Come, let us see how the prophet will succeed to-day ; whether they have not sufi'ered the devil to catch away the seed sown on their hearts, by going away and quickly forgetting all in company or vanity. All must inquire, why, after so many re- proofs delivered, their corruptions are so strong ? aftPT so many promises declared, their faith and other graces are so weak ? after so much teaching, they are so ignorant and unenhghtened ? in short, why they have done so little of their duty to their minister in that point wherein, if he be a true one, he eminently desires to see them submit to him ? Here is a grand inquiry on the one part and the other ; and such as, if honestly made, will leave both condemned ; and both you and we shall be crying out, Lord^ have mercy upon us. I am sure it behoves us ministers to make diligent search, seeing we have so dreadful a denunciation levelled against us, if we forbear to speak the truth through sloth, cowardice, or" desire of pleasing men. ' Son of man, 1 have set ' thee a watchman unto the house of Israel : therefore ' thou shnlt hear the word from my mouth, and warn ' them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O ' wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not ' speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked ' man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I ' require at thine hands *.' Surely after this none can * Ezck. iii. 17, 18. Ser. 38. on the church catechism. 201 be angry at us that we speak freely. And for t/oic^ my brethren, doth it not behove you to inquire how you have heard the word at our mouths ? That is an awful sentence of our Lord's, and implies much more than it speaks, Whosoever shall not receive you,, vor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off' the dust from binder your feet for a testimony against them*. To which I might add many more equally alarming, and enough to stir you up to deep humilia- tion for your neglect or abuse of God's ordinance, by which we are appointed ministers of his word to you. Thirdly. — It is the duty of ministers to give them- selves up to their work ; and the people must commu- nicate unto them in all good things. — Ministers must give themselves up to then work. Their ministerial office is their proper calling ; nor should they have any other but upon necessity or charity, as was the case of St. Paul. Indeed they will find employment enouo:h for their time, without ooinGf out of the u'av of their duty, if they have their heart in their work. Give attendance, saith St. Paul to Timothy, to read- ing, to exhortation,^ to doctrine ; neglect not the gift that is in thee. Meditate upon these things, give thy- self wholly to them, that thy profiling may appear to all'\. It is a strange mistake, you see, that ministers have little or nothing to do. Surely, if they mind their business, they will find no leisure for vain pleasures, and will spend as little time and thought as they can upon the cares of the world. And this ministers *]Mark vi. 11. t 1 Tim. iv. 13, 14, 15. S02 LECTUUES Set. ^8, amono^ us have oblisred themselves to bv an ordina- tion-promise ; they will lay aside the study of the world and the flesh, and give themselves up to such employments as are proper to their calling. They arc to separate themselves as much as may be from worldly engagements, their province being to study and pro- mote the interests of Jesus, and the happiness of their people in a better life. You should see them there- fore minding this one thing, unremitting in their la- bours, and evidently manifesting the importance of their office, by their diligence in it, and attention to it. Give tJm/self wholly to them ; to thy labours, thy stu- dies, thyJNlaster, thy people. This is the employment of the minister. — And if it be, then the duty of the people must be on the other hand to communicate to their ministers in all good things. //' wc have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things*} It is the people's duty freeely, and without grudging, to help their minister with sufficient allowance of the things of this life, that lie may be at leisure without distraction to attend upon the duties of his calling. Were 1 speaking to another congregation, 1 should have occasion to press this point, seeing there are many, who, as one saith, are wont to think all well- gotten wJiich they can defraud and deceive the minister of. But, as it is, I do but hint this duty of the minister's maintenance as that which the people ought gladly and cheerfully to afford : and pass to the Fourth duty of ministers and people, namely, mini- * Gal. vi. ti. 1 Cur. ix. 11. Ser. 38. on the chuuch catechism. 205 sters must be examples of vvhat they teach, ami people must follow their example as far as they are so. — Ministers must set a good example. There is a very remarkable direction to this purpose given to Timothy; Z.et no man despise thy youth. But Timothy might be apt to say, " IJow can I hinder tiiem ?" Why this way, saith St. Paul, Be thou an cxiDnple of the b(- lieaerSf in word, in conversation, in charily, in spirit, in faith, in purity'^; do this, and, though thou be 3'oung, they will not despise thee. An example in the minister is a main point; and there is none the Scripture insists more upon, as you may see, especi- ally in the Epistles of St. Paul, particularly in those to Timothy and Titus. I will mention but one, In all things shew thyself a pattern of good works, in doC' trine, uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity "j". Titus and every other minister must be a pattern of Christian godliness, must liye what he preaches, must go be- fore his flock in every point of duty. His example must correct vice, must countenance all manner of godliness, in a word, must recommend the Gospel. He must be the foremost in breaking through sinful customs ; he must lead the way in every point of self-denying and difficult duty. He must not lay burdens on others, which he will not touch himself icith one of his fingers %. He must not give encourage- ment to sin by the least appearance of compliance; his conductmust be a continual exemplification of the doctrines he teaches. Little can be expected hy ns * 1 Tim. iv. 12. t Titus ii. 7. + Luke xi. 4'J. 504 LECTURES Ser. 3S. (to speak the truth, we can expect nothing) among our people, vvhon our conduct does not go hand in hand with our doctrine. The people, too ready to take ad- vantage of every encouragement to sin, will set our examples against what we teach them, and plead pre- scription for their iniquities from ours. Through the corruption of nature the bias is strong to the side of vice ; from whence it happens, that though the best examples produce little of the good effect upon others which might be hoped for from them, examples that are not of the best will go great lengths in hardening others in sin. Wherefore, since sin has so powerful an advocate in the heart, the servants of Christ must not add any thing to its influence by their conduct, but reprove it by their example, and give all the weight in their power to the cause of Christ by joining an unblamably edifying practice to a true Christian preach- ing. The man of God must be every way such ; everywhere and in everything must live for Christ, so letting his light shine before men that they may see his good works, and glorify God by submitting to Christ, — On the other hand, it must be the duty of the people to follow the good examples of their ministers, to follow them as they follow Christ. It is a foolish conceit in the mouths of many, that such and such things are not right in ministers. AVby then, they are not right in others neitlier. For Vi^hat, is there one rule in Scripture for the minister's duty and conduct, and another for the people's ? Or can the minister do or forbear a jot more than the law of God Scr. 38. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 205 requires of all? The wliole possible clifTerence lies here, tbat the inniister, as the servant of Christ, is peculiarly obliged to go before others in doing and forbearing. But suppose he should not ; if he does not forbear what he should forbear, will this excuse the people for committing sin ? Or if he does not do what he should, will God therefore excuse the people for neglecting their duty ? This is a senseless conceit, and exactly calculated to render ministerial example, on the side of godliness of no effect, \yhat is the minister's good example to the people, if it be con- ceived as something peculiar, which they are not to follow ? See the device of Satan ! When the minister does any thing amiss, then the cry is, Well may we if the ininislcr dues so : but when the minister acts in «n exemplary manner, then the tone is altered to, Such things are very \cell in a clergt/man. But remember it is the duty of the people to be influenced by, and to follow universally, the good example of the minister in holy conversation, and in opposing the world to follow him ; to observe his conduct, not to encourage themselves in wickedness, but to be directed and en- couraged in godliness ; not presently to judge him precise in abstaining from common customs, but to suspect there may be somewhat amiss in them, seeing he avoids them ; nor to imagine he is righteous be- yond measure in doing more than others, but modestly suppose that, being the teacher of others, he is better iicqnainted with his and their duty. i>ut, Ftfth/i/ and lastly. — It is the common duty of mini- sters anrt peoplf to pray for each other. Well it be- i06 LECTURES Ser. 3S. fcometh ministers (who are the servants of Christ, and h;\ve so diificult a task on their hand in his behalf with the untoward hearts of nien, as well as to oppose the whole power of spiritual wickedness) to pray ear- nestly and frequently for God's blessing and grace to fall continually on their ministrations ; that they may be successful upon the people, that God will forgive their sins, will not be provoked to take his Spirit from them ; that the Lord himself will take them in hand* heal their sinful nature, and cause his word to work effectually on their hearts. We find St. Paul conti- nually speaking of his bowing his knees before God, with ceaseless importunity, for the establishment and grovvth of believers. And Samuel says, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord^ hy ceasing to prai/ for you*. Indeed it would be a foolish and vain thing, should a minister think of doing any good among his people without praying for them. Should he preach with all the zeal of Paul and all the eloquence of A polios, all would be fruitless unless God gave the increase. It is not man's labour and wisdom, but the Spirit, that can make the word effectual to humble the lofty looks of the proud, and to strengthen the feeble hands of the faint. And therefore it is the duty of ministers to pray much for their people, and to give God the praise if any fruit hath been wrought by their ministry. When Jeremiah could not prevail with the people he was sent to, he says, like a true Prophet, Mtf soul shall weep in secret places for your * 1 Sam. xii. 23. Ser. 38. on hie church catechism. 207 pride*. If public preaching cannot prevail, I will try what private mouruing will do ; it 1 cannot move you to repent, I will try if i cannot move God to convert you. By snch exercises the minister will also find the enlarsfement of his heart much increased toward his people, and his soul stirred up to much fatherly love and compassion, which will mightily help him in his labours tov.'ard them. — We hear often on the other side of the people's praying for their ministers ; Pra^ for us, saith the Apostle to the Hebrews f. To the Thessalonians he says. Pray for us, that the Kord of the Lord maij have free course and be glori- fied even as it is with you: and that we may be deli' vered from unreasonable and wicked men t. This is a great duty lying on the people. And yet it is to be feared there are many who never once offered up one true and hearty prayer for their minister, that he might be furnished with abilities for so great and weighty an office ; that he might have the gift of wisdom and ut- terance to divide the word aright; that the Lord would be with his mouth to speak to the consciences of his hearers, and to their edifying; many again that never thanked God for stirring up their minister's heart at any time to reprove sin with more earnest- ness, and to call to repentance wnth more power; as if it were no mercy to them that God opened their mi- nister's heart thus to be plain and pressing with them. You must judge for yourselves, whether herein doth not lie a considerable cause of so much fruitless hear- ing among you. * Jer. xiii. 17. f Heb. 13, 18. J t Tfeess. iii. 1, £. 208 LECTURES Ser. 38. The institution of a ministry being God's, the duties which I have now laid before you, on one part and the other, arising out of that institution, must be matters of much importance. And it will become us on both sides to consider how we have discharged them. Not in such manner, I am confident, either 3'ou or we, that both have not great need of God's forgiveness. And, blessed be God, he sits on a throne of mercy prepared by the blood of the Redeemer. Thither then let us come with contrite and penitent hearts, and our sins shall not be our destruction. And, while we are pleading the riches of redeeming love for our pardon, we shall find our hearts animated with vigour to run in the ways of God's commandments. Happy they who have so tasted that our God is gracious, as that their hearts are thereby sincerely inclined to keep his laws. SERMON XXXIX. Galatians iii. 24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might hejustijied by faith. The plain design of the fifth commandment, which for several Sundays has afforded matter of considera- tion, is to regulate by God's immediate authority the divers relations men stand in one to another. And this he does not so much to preserve the peace and good order of society (though it is manifest that, wherfe there is no regard to God's command in the several social relations, there society has no stable founda- tion), as, by the influence of these several relations re- ligiously observed, to promote his own glory in the maintenance of piety among sinful and corrupted crea- tures. By a distinct consideration of the relative du- ties it manifestly appears how peculiarly God's honour and our present happiness would be promoted, did we all faithfully discharge the social trusts he has com- mitted to us : while it may be equally easy to observe that the great disgrace which religion suffers, and much of that vexation and misery that is in the world, can be ascribed to no other cause than our disregard VOL. II. p JIO LECTURES Ser. 39. of our duty in these relations. Were parents and chil- dren, masters and servants, husbands and wives, mi- nisters and people, magistrates and subjects, all kinds of superiors and inferiors, what they should be in these several relations, what a resemblance of hea- ven would there be upon earth ! how would peace and happiness abound ; how would religion flourish ; how would God be glorified ! especially would all this appear and be produced from the conscien- tious regard that should be paid to the duties of magistrates and subjects ; which being a relation of a more large extent, and taking in all persons, the good effects of faithfulness in it on the one part and the other would be more universal ; as, on the contrary, disregard to the duties of such relation on one or both sides must be more dreadfully destructive to God's honour in the world and man's social happiness. Whe- ther this nation of ours be not an instance in proof of what I am advancing, I will leave any man to judge. With all the means of public happiness in our hands, which any nation this day in the world can boast of, what are we ? Are not our counsels distracted, our measures and undertakings unsuccessful*? Is there not somewhat at the bottom, which, like the worm that smote Jonah^s gourd, withers all our hopes, and lays us open to the stroke of affliction, as the Prophet's fainting head was exposed to the raging heat * This Sermon was preached at Truro, May 22, 1757, when our affairs had a very cloudy aspect ; but it pleased God afterwards to favour our counsels, and give great success to the British arms against their enemies. Ser. 39. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 211 of the sun when that friendly shelter was taken away ? And what is this but want of conscience toward God in those who are intrusted with authority, and in those who are in subjection ? Is there any shew of con- science toward God in those who are in authority, I mean those who are in pubHc trust ? Does not every man mean himself, not God's glory, (alas, how little is that thought of!) not the public good ? And if you cast your eye to the side of the people, can you see any thing like obedience to governors, for conscience- sake ? Is not every man set up for a judge of his go- vernors, blaming all things, directing all things, deter- mining all things in his own conceit ; our liberty turned intoa factious licentiousness? There is little conscience toward God on either part ; and from hence we are na- turally necessarily and judicially sinking under confu- sions at home and disappointments abroad. What can put a stop to our certain ruin ? Nothing on our part but the fear of God falling on our hearts. We may call for a change of men and measures ; our ex- pectations may run high from this and that enter- prise ; but we shall sooner or later in the issue but reap the whirlwind, as the Prophet speaks, unless the fear of God possess our hearts, and regard to his ho- nour and law influence us to a faithful discharge of our duty as governors and people. Let us open there- fore our hearts to conviction, while I am laying out the duties of magistrates and subjects, which is the Fifth relation provided for by the commandment now under consideration. In order to the clearer un- derstanding the scope and extent of this relation, let p 2 212 LECTURES Ser. 59. it be remembered that government is an ordinance of God, not as to the particular form of it, but with re- gard to the obligations which rulers and subjects are mutually brought into by being members of society. Here God's authority comes in, and obliges to the re- spective duties of this relation. And then be it further considered what is God's design in this ordinance. This the iVpostle plainly intimates in that direction to Timothy, / exhort that supplications, prayers^ inter- cessions, and giving of thanks, he made for kings, and for all that are in authority ; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty*. In the latter clause of this passage you may observe how the end of government is marked out to be, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life ; and then the means hereto are added, in all godliness and honesty. There can be no quiet and peace without godliness and honesty ; and therefore the design of government is, by maintaining godliness and honesty, to preserve quietness and peace among a people. Now godliness and honesty are to be maintained, and so peace and quietness promoted, only by the faithful discharge of the duties of that station we are called to in government, whether it be a station of authority or of subjection. There must be rulers for the maintenance of godliness and honesty ; these must look to their work ; and they must also be submitted to, and supported in their carrying it on : otherwise, if rulers be negligent, or people will not submit, the ♦ I Tim. ii. 12. Ser. 39. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 213 design of government is overturned ; and as godliness and honesty are not maintained by it, so neither are quietness and peace procured. From the whole thus stated, it will be easy to see what are the duties of magistrates and subjects. If government be God's ordinance for the quietness and peace of society, by means of godliness and honesty maintained hereby, then, First. — Those in authority must regard themselves as God's ministers appointed for these ends. — And subjects must reverence them as the ministers of God. Secondly. — Magistrates must use their authority to the maintenance of godliness, honesty, and peace. — And subjects must obey them in their lawful com- mands and administrations. T/iirdlf/. — Magistrates must look to and provide for the public necessities, according to the nature of their offices. — And subjects must cheerfully contribute to bear them out in doing so. Fourthly. — They must mutually pray for God's blessing to make the whole effectual. First. — Magistrates must regard themselves as God's ministers, appointed for the maintenance of godliness, honesty, peace, and quietness. — And sub- jects must reverence them as bearing God's authority towards them. Magistrates must regard themselves as God's mi- nisters. By me, says the sovereign Judge, kings reign^ and princes decree justice ; by me princes rule, and nobles^ even all the judges of the earth *. Magistrates, * Prov. viii. 15, lO". 214 LECTURES (S'^r, 39. you find, are God^s deputies. There is jio power but of God, saith St. Paul ; the powers that be are ordained of God*. You may see what magistrates ought to be, in the direction given by the same Apostle, a little lower in the same chapter; when, insisting on the du- ties of submission and paying tribute, he calls magis- trates, again and again, ministers of God ; He is the minister of God for good. He is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. They are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Wherefore as God's ministers they must regard themselves ; not set up to serve them- selves but God's glory in the good of the people he hath committed to them. Magistrates are not set up over others by God's ordinance to swell up their hearts with pride and ambition, to indulge them in their own naturally wayward will, to fill their purses, or to en- courage them in sloth, luxury, and extravagance ; no, but to be ministers of God for the people's good, in ruling according to the wholesome laws of the consti- tution, to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to them. Yet authority is a great temptation to a cor- rupted heart ; and it will behove all who have been or are in authority and trust, in places of lower as well as of the highest consideration, to make diligent in- quiry whether they have humbly regarded themselves as the ministers of God ; whether they have had in view to serve his glory in their places ; whether they have executed their trust with a pure design of ren- dering their office eflfectually useful to the people ♦ Rom, xiii. 1. Ser. 39. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. %15 under them ; whether they have had no indirect aims to their own worldly honour; whether they have not exercised their authority to the indulgence of their own self-will ; whether they have not had a sinful re- spect to their profit; in short, whether they have purely designed to glorify God in their office, and whether there has not been something or other in their conduct that would argue a Avant of such purity and simplicity of intention, and manifest an ambitious, proud, wilful, selfish aim. It is worth while to consider the direction given to Moses respecting the choice of magistrates. This will shew what sort of persons they ought to be. It may be found in the eighteenth chapter of Exodus, at the twenty-first verse ; Moreover thou shall provide out of all the people able men., such as fear God., men of truth., hating covetousness, and place such over them. Magistrates must be able men, such as have skill and ability for their employment ; they must be such as fear God, who believe his eye is over theni, and that they shall be accountable to him for their conduct: men who make a conscience of their office, and will neither neglect nor betray it. They must be men of truth, to be depended upon for their integrity, who will not be double-hearted, or act a bad part upon any consideration ; and hating covetousness, persons not to be biassed by any regards of interest, and who are above seeking themselves in the execution of their trust. That is, in a word, they must be men who will be at pains to understand their duty, and mean only 216 LECTURES Ser. 39. the glory of God and the good of the public in the discharge of it. On the other part subjects must reverence magis- trates as bearing God's authority. It is not enough to obey the lawful commands of magistrates; this is nothing in the sight of God, if it do not issue from a reverence of their authority in the heart. The word is, Honour the king*. It lies in the temper of the heart ; the magistrate must be honoured because God has honoured him; God's authority must be seen resting upon him, and for the sake of that his person, as God's minister, must be reverenced. Many a person will have some fear of the magistrate for wrath's sake, because he has the power of punishing; many are struck with the pomp and solemnity of his appearance; many are influenced to a kind of awe by the dignity of his station : but none of this is ho- nouring the magistrate as the minister of God. We then only properly honour the magistrate when we honour God in his person. That was true reverence in David, when he said concerning '^2iw\, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord ; for he is the Lord^s anointed "f. Saul was the Lord's anointed ; that was the foundation of David's reverence. What then shall we say of those in our days who have no reverence of magistrates ? What account do they make of God's ordinance ? or how will they answer it to him at his judgment ? Yet there is a visible irreve- rence every where towards those in authority. A li- * 1 Pet. ii. 17. t 1 Sam. xxiv. 11. Ser. 39. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 217 centious spirit is gone out, -which does not fear God, and so does not honour the king, and those who hear office under him*. It is a sinful irreverence to speak evil of the rulers of the people^. Then what place "what house, what tongue is exempt ? How disre- spectfully have you often heard persons in the highest as well as the lowest offices spoken of! what rash in- terpretations put upon all their public conduct ! how have they been treated, as if there were no difference between them and us I ^^'hat, because we are a free people, may we therefore set aside God's command- ment, and forget that we owe reverence to those who represent God in the state, and are eminently distin- guished by the mark of his authority ? But it will be said, if they behaved in their office as they ought, they would be respected by us. This makes no diffe- rence in the matter ; the reverence is due to the man because of his office, not to the office because of the man. Let the man be what he will, the office is still the same ; and, as long as he bears it, he must be reverenced because set in authority. The truth is, there is no reverence amongst us paid to magistrates because of their office : if they behave well indeed they shall get some respect ; but then, to what is that respect paid, to the office or to the man ? If to the man, what has religion and the command of God to do in the case ? To be plain, all honouring of magistrates for the Lord's sake seems in a manner out of doors ; scarce any one thinks of them as ministers of God ; hence they have lost their * 1 Pet. u. 13, 14, 17. t Acu xxiii. 5. SIS LECTuiiEs Ser. 39. authority, their hands are weakened, they have no hold upon our consciences, and there remains chiefly the form without the power of governors. If there be any one national vice in this kingdom, any one that overtops all the rest, it is want of reve- rence for authority. How familiarly are we come to think and speak of our governors ! how free are we to censure all their proceedings! how ready, as has appeared lately all over the land, to take the redress of our calamities out of our governors' hands, and to do ourselves right, as we think it ! To go no further than this very place for an exemplification of the spi- rit that prevails, what religious reverence has been paid to our magistracy ? There is indeed some fear of their power, some respect to their fortunes ; but where is the reverence due to them as ministers of God, while one and another is at every turn speaking so irreverently of them, and not seldom even to them ? It is in no degree better, I am very confident, elsewhere. It cannot be otherwise: as Christian piety has decayed, a licentious undutiful spirit hath taken place in our hearts ; and as we have forgotten to fear God, we have learnt to disregard man. So it is in fact, all re- gard to authority is generally departed, whoever will may see it; methinks we can hardly help seeing it whether we will or no. Yet the consequences are above all things to be dreaded. With your leave I will mention two of them. The first is, when a nation has cast off regard to governors, it has actually rejected God's ordinance, which government was above shewn to be. Gover- Ser. 39. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. Sig nors being God's ministers in the state, to cast off regard to their authority is to fly directly in God's face as to the point of government, and to reject that very method which he hath established for national peace and prosperity. Now as far as this is our case, it is plain he must be provoked at us as a people. When the Israelites would have a king, they did not mean to cast off all regard to authority, yet it was a slight put upon God's majesty, and therefore he gave them a king in his anger. But when a peo- ple will own no authority, but flatly oppose the or- dinance of God, this is a higher insult offered to him, an avowed rejection of his institution ; nor can they reasonably expect but that his hand shall be against them to punish and consume them till they be no more a people. And, Secondly. — When a nation has lost regard to au- thority, the only cement of society is gone, and they must fall in pieces of course, be eaten up by domestic confusions, or be made an easy prey to an enemy from abroad. Can any society subsist without somewhat to tie it tosiether ? But when resfard to authority is gone, there is no longer any tie subsisting, by which the people are bound to their governors. The out- ward form of the constitution may remain for a sea- son, but the life of it is no more. There is an actual spirit of rebellion in that people; they will do as they list, nothing but force can restrain them. If force do restrain them, they are slaves ; if it do not, they will sooner or later be devoured one of another. Upon these considerations, the truth of which are 3:20 LECTURES Ser. 39. but too sadly made out to us in part by the hand of God on the side of our enemies against us, as well as by the uncommon confusions among those who are at the head of our affairs, is there not just cause to con- clude we are in greater danger from ourselves than from all others ; and that the fears of those who dis- cern the face of the times with an eye to God's provi- dence, and the natural consequence of national vices, are but too justly grounded? The remedy is indeed at hand, if we had the grace to make use of it. If religion revived, conscience would grow up with it, and then there would be found such a religious regard to government as would quickly make this whole people as one man ; whose strength thus compacted by the supply of all the members, would, by the blessing of God, soon render us capable of main- taining our ground against all that should rise up against us. Wherefore, for the sake of our sinking country, let us return unto the Lord ; let us pray him to send out his Spirit among us ; let us contend earnestly for the revival of religion ; and let us be patterns to all men of that fear of God and honour of his ministers, the want of which must unavoidably issue in our ruin, present and eternal. Secondly. — Magistrates must use their authority for the maintenance of godliness, honesty, quietness, and peace. For the maintenance of all these they are God's ministers, and for the sake of supporting them to his glory he has imparted of his authority to them. Within the compass of these lies the whole business of the civil magistrates. They must use their autho- Ser, 39. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 221 rity to promote godliness or religion^ by preserving the free and public exercise of it unmolested, and by punishing wickedness and vice in a due execution of the laws against it. They must use their authority to maintain honest y ; not only must they punish those who are dishonest, but also they must labour to re- move all the occasions of it, such as places of idle resort, houses of gaming and lewdness, which are among the plentiful causes of knavery, theft, and other such kinds of villany. They must use their autho- rity for keeping jyeace and (juietness among the people ; good order, and repressing the turbulent spirits of vio- lent and troublesome persons, lie within the reach of the magistrate's sword, and he must not fail to use it as need requires. These are the general duties of his office, which I do but hint at, because it is my busi- ness rather to insist on the diligence, boldness, and im- partiality wherewith the magistrate ought to execute his office. He must be diligent, look well to his trust, have his eyes every where about him, not suffer the sword to lie asleep in the scabbard, but have it always in his hand for the punishing of evil-doers. As also he must be careful to give a due measure oi praise to them that do well. An indolent magistrate is a very bad one, unfaithful to God and to the trust committed to his care, and while he sleeps the guilt of a thousand sins and miseries light upon his head. If he sleeps he bears the sword in vain. To diligence he must add boldness; he must know no man and fear no man in the execution of his office ; he must not be moved from his duty by apprehensions of any future conse- 2^^- LECTURES Ser. 39. quence that may attend his doing right; he must not be deterred by threatenings, nor melted down by a false pity, nor wearied out by complaints, entreaties, or the intercession of friends. He must go on to do his duty, though the world be against him, and in de- fiance to all the pleadings against it he will find in himself. He must regard no opposition, but go out sword in hand against a multitude of evil-doers. He must not decline any thing which the honour of God and the welfare of the people require at his hand. He must have the courage to be singular as need is in ex- ecQting his trust, and must not be biassed by what shall be said or thought of him. In short, he must be in the State what Elijah was in the Church, very jea- lous for the Lord God *. For the judgment is God's j*. Nor must he stop here. He must be also impartial; he must know neither hatred nor affec- tion ; interest must not be allowed to throw a grain into either scale ; he must deal alike by all, the rich as well as the poor. The law must be his rule, and he must make no difference between those who come under the stroke of it : here he must be blind. In this manner the magistrate must use his authority in the maintenance of godliness, honesty, and peace. To maintain these must be his aim in the whole exercise of his office; and such is the diligence, boldness, and impartiality w^ith which he must behave himself in so important a trust. You see, if the honour of a ma- gistrate be great, his labour is not less. Well may * Kings xix. 10. f Deut. i. 17. Ser. 39. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 223 every mascistrate cry out, " Who is sufficient for these things ? Lord have mercy upon me !" And very rea- sonably may he expect the concurrence of the subject to relieve him as much as may be from so heavy a burden. This he has a right to. For, on the other hand, God has laid it on subjects to obev mao-istrates in all their lawful commands and administrations. And, were this done, the duty of the magistrate would be more easy and pleasant. Now nothing can be more express than the injunc- tions of Scripture on this head. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king as supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent hy him *. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magis- trates '\. Let every soul be subject to the higher pote- ers X- The point to be considered is, wherein doth this obedience and subjection consist ? It consists in a conformity leith the laws of the land (supposing them not contrary to the laws of God), and in a sub- mission to the magistrate in the execution of them. To obey magistrates doth principally imply obedience to the laws of the state ; from which whoever doth wil- fully depart in any instance is disobedient to that go- vernment under which he is, and sins against God. Yet to obey magistrates doth also imply further, that it is the subject's duty not to resist, but to submit to the magistrate in the execution of such laws ; for laws are nothing, unless life be given to them by the vigi- lance and activity of the magistrate. So that the sub- * 1 Pet. ii. 13, 14. t Titus iii. 1. % Rom. xiii. 1. 224 LECTURES Ser. 39. ject*s obedience reaches to all the laws, and to the lawful execution of them. He may not transgress the laws, neither may he any way stop the course of their sanctions to render them ineffectual. Now, I say, were there this conscientious obedience in sub- jects, the execution of government would be a more easy matter to those in authority ; indeed they would have little else to do but to go through the forms and ceremonies of their office. But, as it is, disobedience in subjects is sure to provide them work enough for the exercise of their courage and zeal. There are so many sins against God, that are injurious to the state, and therefore punishable by the laws of it, such as drunkenness, sabbath-breaking, lewdness, swear- ing; there are so many sins directly against the state itself, such as frauds in public trust, in payments of customs and duty, gaming, unlawful houses, cheating, oppression, theft, corruption in elections, and num- berless others, by which the peace and welfare of so- ciety is so directly struck at, that the magistrate shall not want employment. Indeed there is more than he can possibly effect, and evil-workers will often escape his watchfulness and diligence: but then they cannot escape the judgment of God, who knows all, and will surely punish all in the day of account. Seek therefore after whatever you have done in dis- obedience to government, and repent of it betimes, calling upon God for mercy, for Jesus Christ^s sake, else you shall find at last that those who have resisted shall receive to themselves damnation *. * Rom. xiii. 2. Ser. 39. on the church catechism. 225 Thirdly. — Magistrates must look to and provide for the public necessities, according to the nature of their oliice. — And subjects must cheerfully contri- bute to bear them out in so doing. It is the part of governors to look after the public exigencies of every kind, to provide all manner of servants for the state, to prepare every thing which the public need requires, to keep the kingdom in good order at home by the wholesome and seasonable execution of laws, to maintain it against all its ene- mies abroad, and, when necessity is, to carry on war: in short, the management of public affairs hes on go- vernors. They are not set up for their own ends, to fill their pockets, to gratify their ambitious hearts, to aggrandize their families, and vainly to seek for them- selves a name and honour in their generation. God has no such design in advancing one above another. They are servants of the state ; their office is designed for the public good ; they are appointed by God to attend continualli/ upon this very tlnng *. Let them look to themselves therefore, that are looking alier places of public trust, with what views they are seek- ing them. It should be merely to serve God and the people that offices of trust should be undertaken ; with fear and trembling, oecause of the weight and importance of them. But is this the only aim ? Is all the strife for places we hear of simply owing to. a love of their country.^ Are men so zealous now- a-da^^s for the public good, that they cannot endure * Rom. xiii. 4. 6, VOL. II, Q 226 LECTUR.ES Ser. 3^' any damage should accrue to it ; and therefore are they pressing their shoulders under the heaviest bur- dens to serve it? Can these things be so when the means used to obtain preferments are so indirect, dis- honest, illegal, and unchristian ? when votes are bought for money; when the kingdom presents us with a scene of iniquity at every season of election, which makes every thinking man admire that God does not sink us a thousand fathom into the heart of the earth ? Are these things so, when not merit but abilit}^ to make interest is the only road to preferment, not only in the state, but even the church ? I could mention proofs without number, that ambition and covetousness rule all ; sad proofs, which ought to make us all tremble in the too-probable expectation of approaching ruin. But, be all this as it may, it is still the express duty of governors conscientiously to have regard to the public, and diligently to care for the public affairs ; and for their faithfulness herein they shall answer at a higher judgnnent. It is the duty of subjects on their part cheerfully to contribute to the public expenses. There is no disputing whether this be the will of God. Haider to all their dues, tribute to tchom tribute is due, cus- tom to whom custom *, are the express dictates of his Spirit. And for what is this tribute and custom paid but for the public maintenance of the state, of wdiich every one receives the benefit ? Here another common sin comes under our view ; people not only * Rom. xiii. 7. Scr. 39. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 22/ jjay their dues to tlie state grudgingly, in direct op- position to Christ's example, who, though he was free from the payment, yet readily made it, lest he should ofiend them * ; but by art and contrivance withhold their dues, not paying the customs for that they buy, ^■jontrary to law, and making, many of them, a secret trade and livelihood of this ungodly gain. This may be called indeed o«/y cheating' the hing, as if that were a harmless thins;: but it is in truth cheatinor the state, that is, cheating every honest man in it, that pays his taxes duly. And methinks cheating at any rate is not so commendable a thing for one who is called a Christian. But it is easy to see where the cheat will rest at last, even upon the souls of such, who, contrar}^ to the law^s of God and man, proceed to do what they know in their own consciences to be sinful. The fourth and last duty of magistrates and subjects is to pray for another. / exhort that supplications be made for kings, and all in authoriti/ "j*, is the direction for subjects. And you may see in all the pious go»- vernors in the Old Testament what is the duty of ma- gistrates in this respect. Surely we have need to pray now, if ever; magistrates should pray for the people, and they should pray for the magistrates, that the Lord, for Jesus Christ's sake, will take pity upon us, and turn our hearts. By prayer we own govern* ment to be the ordinance of God, and commend the guidance of it to him. But do we pray on cither . * Matt. xvii. 24— 27. tlTiiu. ii. 1. Q 2 228 LECTURES Ser, 39. part? It looks sadly as if we did not; at least not faithfully ; for I am sure there are little marks of it to be seen ; a praying people being always a godly people, and a people that trusts in God more than in fleets and armies. But God calls us to pray by his judgments. There were no better token in our be- half, than that our hearts were stirred up to do so. We may think as we will, but, unless God helps us all is over with us ; all our counsels shall ccme to nought, all our undertakings fall to the ground. And can we expect he will help us, remaining as we are ? O for this prayerless people ! we have not, we do not call on God in the day of our trouble^. To conclude : Put all together, and see our pro- voking sins against God^s ordinance : see, each ofyou, the share yourself has in them as a member of civil society. Lay this to heart, and surely the judgments of God on the land will lay you low. You will cry for mercy for yourself and the people. The law will drive you to Christ. There you will find relief, par^ don for the past, and grace to walk in God's laws for the future. Do this, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall be with you. *P»almcvii. 6, 13, 19,23. SERMON XL. Galatians iii. 24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ J that we might bejustijied by faith. In several discourses from these words I have been opening the commandments before you for examina- tion ; and am now to conclude what is required in the fifth commandment. The precept of honouring parents is of very extensive latitude, taking in all re- lative duties ; the principal of which have been already spoken to. You have heard the respective duties of parents and children, masters and servants, husbands and wives, ministers and people, magistrates and sub- jects. I have now only to add, that there is a mutual duty arising from various other distributions of dis- tinctions, which God has settled in the world between one man and another. These divide themselves into three heads: — First. — Outwa.'d distinctions. Secondly. — Natural gifts and acquisitions. Thirdly. — Spiritual attainments. First. — There are outward distinctions God has dis- tributed in the world, which, as God^s providential 230 LECTi'RES Scr. 40. appointments, do require observance and reverence in interiors, and faithfulness and hunijiity in those who are distinguished by them. Now these outward dis- tinctions arise from a difference in quaiUij, ivcalth, or age. Fir.sL — 'There is a difference in (yw//?V?/ among men. Some are high, others are low. So it is in all states, the few are distinguished l)y birth and rank from the many who r.re of less consideration. Rut who has made this difi'erence ? It is the Lord thai wakefh poor, and maketh rich; he bringeth low, and liffclh up*'. And if it be God's doing to put others in the world over your head, you must be sure to see God's hand in it, and to own God's allotment liereis) by reve- rencing those whom he hath advanced in the world above you. You must on no consideration destroy Vvdiat God has established ; adopt a levelling principle, be- cause you think j'ourself wiser or better than your superiors ; indeed you may be so, and therefore think yourself upon equality with the foremost, and disdain to set your foot behind them : for, after all that can be s lid, the}'' are stiii your superiors, and God has made them so, and it \\\[\ be your duty to honour and re- verence them as such. There are still some outward ijemains ot" this reverence preserved in our corner of the land. People of a lovv'er class are generally wont to uncover themselves to those of higher appearance, even though they be strangers. The usage is com- mendable and decent ; and, as it is a proper acknow- * I Sam. ii. 7. Ser. 49. on the church catechism. 231 ledgment of reverence to God in the persons of our superiors, as well as expressive of the different rela- tions VvO bear one to another under God's govern- ment, so would it be well if it served to put us in mind of that inward honour which every superior in rank has a title to from us by God's appointment. — But then, on the other hand, has God set some in sta- tion and rank before others ? With what design I pray you ? What, for their glory, or his own ? Surely he means not that their inferiors should be their slaves ; nor has made the distinction to gratify pride. Yet distinction in station is a great temptation to a cor- rupted heart. What a deal of pride on this considera- tion may be seen in the world ! what a lawlessness is it apt to give to our hearts in treating with ihose be- neath us I how little apt are we to bear with them, and to be gentle towards them ! what liberties are we ready to use with them, their characters and conduct! how forward to be hasty and peevish with them, to rate and scold them ; and all through a proud abuse of our superiority over them. I say there is not a man in the world who has not more or less mistreated his inferiors because they are such ; behaving in such man- ner to them as to have betrayed the pride of his heart, and a want of a due sense of the Author of that dis- tribution which alone lias set him in a state of emi- nence above others. Nabal's temper is that which is natural to our hearts, and his language is expressive of a deportment we are but too apt to fall into towards our inferiors ; icho is David P and who is the son of Jesse ? There he many servants now-a-days that break 1?32 LECTUiiES Set. 40. awat/ every man from his masler* . And then, besides this matter of mistreating interiors, what a swelling and boasting has there always been in the world upon family and extraction, manifested in a secret disdain of such as are of lower birth, and in a haughty carriage towards them ! And, on the whole, how far short have all come of that courtesy of conduct and unfeigned condescension to those of the lowest rank, which would denote a heart duly sensible of the ma- jesty of that God from whom this distinction was re- ceived, and for whose glory it was bestovv^ed ? — They are very few, indeed but one in this kingdom, that are not inferiors in respect of others above them; and there are not many who have not some under them ; so that this head may afford matter of examination to the most of us on both the parts ; and concerning both 1 may venture to lay it down as a certain rule, that as far as we have been stubborn inferiors we have been haughty superiors ; as, on the other side, whoever bears it with a high hand to those beneath him, can never brook reverently and humbly to stoop unto those above him. Secondlif. — Wealth makes another difference among men, and obliges to honour and reverence. Riches come of God "f, the Scripture assures us; and, if they do, God does b}^ them mark out for respect those to whom he gives them. Now God means that we should honour those whom he himself honours. Say the worst ; say a rich man uses his riches covetously, * iSaiu. xxv. 10. f 1 Chion. xxix. 12. Ser. 40. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 23S luxuriously, selfishly, proudly ; yea, say he uses them oppressively, to crush and do wrong to those who are poorer ; yet, when you have said all, you have only said it is a difficult matter to respect such an one be- cause of his riches; still God has made him rich, and therefore he must be respected. The rich must be respected because they are rich, not because of the use they make of their riches. If they make a right use of them they have a title to our reverence in an- other character, and we must respect them not only because they are rich, but also because they are good. The deceit, iniquity, and pride of our hearts, do in no- thing shew themselves more plainly than by the pre- tences we are ready to make for bearing no inward honour and reverence toward superiors of every kind. How ready the plea is, He does not do his duty, he is a bad man, one cannot have any honour for him. True, not as a man, not as a Christian ; in that light you cannot reverence him ; but, as one whom God has distinguished, you may and must honour him ; it is no excuse that he is a bad man ; the point is, God has honoured him by giving him distinction in his government of the world, and therefore you cannot Avithdraw your reverence without denying God's hand in the matter, and rejecting his authority. — As the rich must be honoured by others, so it is their duty to honour themselves by an humble temper of mind, and a sincere endeavour to use their riches to the glory of God. You may see the whole of the rich man's Christian temper and conduct in that direction given to Timothy ; ' Charge them who are rich in this world. 234 LECTURES Ser. 40. * that they be not high-mindecl, nor trust in imcertain * riches, but in the livino- God, whogiveth us richly ' all things to enjoy : that they do good, that they be ' rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to ' communicate ; laying up in store for themselves a ' good foundation aj^ainst the time to come, that they ' may lay hold on etrrnal life*/ Let all who are rich in this world examine themselves by this passage. Have they not been high-minded, puffed up on their wealth ? The heart is ready tosu,i;gest, in such circum- stances, Now I am some]:>ody ; to swell and grow big upon it; to look down upon others; and to make little account of the gifts of such as are poorer. The rich man is wise in his oini co}iceit'\, saith Solomon, as if money did necessarily bring wisdom along with it. Have the// not truslcd in their richest not trusted in them instead of God ? I am sure we are naturally apt to trust in any thing rather than in the Lord, for it is only when we have found by experience there is help for us no way else that we shall trust in him. And how peculiarly difficult not to trust in our wealth, when we see it affording us ail the supports, comforts, and conveniences of the world, and to appearance delivering us from the possibility of want? Have then done good with tlulr moneij P For this reason have they valued and in this view have they used it? Nay, but are tlie}' rich this way, in woiks of usefulness and charity ? \V hat matters it ihey be otherwise ricl^ if they be not rich in good works? Not being so they « 1 Tim. vi. 17> 1?; 19- t f^'^'^- s^viii- 11.- Scr. 40. ox THE ciiuiicii catechism. 235 have only heaped treasure together for the last dai/s'*. Have they been willing to communicate, ready to distribute, and so have they been storing up for the time to come? This is the rich man in God's ac- count; not simply he thfit has riches, but he that uses his riches in good works; who for Christ's sake is continualh' making draughts on his purse, and trans- ferring his substance into the funds of grace and glory. That soul is in the very way to perish through want, who is rich in purse, yet poor in good works ; who trusts in his riches, and boasts in his riches. Alas ! such an one sets his eyer, on that which is not; hi^ riches certainlf/ make themselves wings, and jlet aicay "j*. Thirdhj. — Age makes a difference between men, and demands reverence and honour. Thou shalt rise tip before tin hoarij head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thi/ God: I am the Lord '^. Younger persons must behave with reverence towards those who are in years, and not carry themselves to- wards them as if they were their equals. Honour the face of the old man : I am the Lord. I command and require thee to do so ; I will not have old age despised, but honoured; and if thou do it not, though hoary heads cannot punish thee, yet I assuredly can and will. To reverence old age is not only a piece of good manners, but a point of duty : and therefore it is said of E,lihu, that he waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he ; / am young, and * James V. 3. t ^^ro\'« -^^''i- ^« i^ Levit. xi.\.53. 2S6 LECTURES Ser. 40. 1/e are very old, wherefore I was afraid, I durst not shew you mine opinion*. You see the practice of Elihu carries in it a reproof of the common pertness and forwardness of youth, who, conceited in their own sufficiency, will be opening themselves in every matter, and deciding that of which they who are three times their age modestly doubt. It is noted in Isaiah, as a curse that goes along with the subversion of a state, That the children shall behave themselves proudly against the ancients "l. And if so, we have no cause to boast, I suppose, that our young people are men and women now some years sooner than they were wont to be formerly ; that they affect with an unripe haste to be their own masters, make little ac- count of the aged, and want to thrust out of the world those of years and experience. — And if such respect and reverence be due to old people, they ought by a heavenly, grave, cheerful, and condescending conduct, to put a crown of glory upon their own hoary heads. For the hoary head is a croicn of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness '^. But, if not, how signal a disgrace ! how base and despicable a thing is that person who has outlived every thing but his vices ! If there be nothing of grace upon his lips, who is just stepping into the grave, but his talk is vain, light, foolish, insignificant, lewd, or profane, what a snare is such an one to the young ! how doth he tempt them to despise and cast off all reverence toward him ! Is such a grey head a glory ? What, when it affects the * Job zxxii. 4. 6. f Isaiah iii. 5. X Prov. xvi. 21. Ser. 40. ON the church catechism. 937 vanities of youth, when it mixes in the pleasures of boys and girls, when it casts off all reverence to it- self, and seems industriously seeking to render itself ridiculous ? Is this what age owes to God, and to the growing generation? No; but, as our bodies decay, so our souls should increase in gravity and soberness, in faith and love, and heavenly-mindedness and meek- ness. How dead should old age be to the world it is just leaving! O how detestable is covetousness and greediness, when the body is even dropping into the earth ! and then how patient also, sweet, affable, and gentle, should they be ! Thus they shall adorn the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and command the respect of others. But when they are seen more griping, dis- trustful, and worldly, with their years ; when they are impatient, fretful, peevish, and froward ; when their will may not be crossed a hair's breadth, and they have learnt nothing of meekness and forbearance, but are obstinate, continually angry, and displeased with all about them; then where is the honour of the hoary head, or how can they complain if they are treated without respect and reverence ? — And thus much of outward distinctions, and the duties arisins; from them. Secondly. — Besides these, there are natural gifts and acquisitions : such as great parts, knowledge, learning, wisdom, and other gifts of the mind. Now as these, whatever they be, and in whatever measure ministered, are God's distributions, they must be used to his glory. You think you have more sense, more knowledge, more learning, discretion, and prudence. 23S LECTURES Ser. 40. than another. Suppose you have; from whom did you receive these distinejuishins: U'ifts ? If from God, for what end .^ A\'hat, that like Ahithophel, a great politician*, you might only serve your own purposes by them ; or, hke Tertullus •\, p;ervert right ? Did God give you them only to make you admired and es- teemed, that you might make a figure in life, that people of a lower class in such gifts might truckle and bow before you, that you might disdain their slowness and ridicule their ignorance, boasting your- self on your own superiority ? All this is abuse of such gifts, and yet very common is such abuse. It is no easy matter to be possessed of such gifts as make us differ, and yet to be humble in the use of them as if there were no difference. Did you never find your lieart rising up with pride and conceit, when you saw your preference to others in knowledge ; when they have run upon some misadventure which they would have escaped had they followed your advice ; when they have sought to you for direction and counsel, and the thing has prospered ? Have you never boast- ingiy set yourself off, and contrived to let people see how expert, ready, sensible, and knowing you were? nor triumphed in your heart at least, if not in terms, and sneered on the evidence of their insufficiency in comparison of you ? Were 3^ou never impatient of others' opinions, and eager to establish your own, as if you expected to be treated as an oracle ? The most run great lengths this way, spoiling all by their selfr * 2 Sam. xvi. 1~. f ^^^^ ^^iv. 1>. Si'}'. 40. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 239 spekiiig, and prostituting to the ends of their ovvji praise the eminent gifts God has bestowed upon them. What an instance of the contrary was St. Paul! In him you see great parts, and the most excellent gifts, put to a right use; not to adorn the man, hut to adorn the Gospel of Christ. So Moses had done before him; eminent as he was in all the knowledge of the Egyptians, and accomplished with, the greatest natural and divine gifts, all was humbly devoted to the honour of God and the interests of his people. These are patterns set out for others of emi- nence this way to walk after. But do they tread in their steps, devoting their abilities to the service of the Church of Christ, yea, or even employing them in the civil interests of the community? Are they ijot rather used to selfish ends, to purchase reputa- tion, interest, and honour? And is not this too much the case in every profession ? Even in the lowest ranks of men, what boasting, vaunting, and despising of others, doth not a little eminence in their way pro- iduce? — But, however this be, these things are the gifts of God, and therefore reverence is due to those on whom he has bestowed them. Such are consi- derable men, God has made them so, and conse- quently marked them out for respect. Indeed, let ihem behave as they will, the v/orld could not well do without them, and therefore they are a blessing from God. Indeed, while they abuse their talents, they turn their gifts to be a curse unto themselves; and >\hen God pleases they may be a sore judgment upon pthers:- yet on the whole God overrules, and makes 240 LECTURES Ser. 40. them, act as they will, subservient to his ends in the government of the world. They must be honoured therefore, and it is a foul and base sin to be envious of them, to go about to lessen their endowments, to be continually at our huts and exceptions against them, and to be trying all the means in our power to bring them down to our standard. This is a mis- chievous sin, derogates from God's gifts, and hurts their usefulness. How much doth it do so if these endowments be guided and directed by a sanctified heart, and the man of parts, learning, wisdom, and prudence, be laying himself out in the cause of reli- gion, and the present and future welfare of men ! Yet this is the way of a wicked world. Even all the gifts of Jesus could not screen him from the imputation of having a devil, a?id being mad *. First, the man has the character of being mad, and then they run him down. This was always the way of the world. But this leads us to the remaining head, which I shall speak to in the afternoon. From what you have heard this morning you may learn two things: — First. — The adorable wisdom of God in the go- ' vernment of the world, which, by distributing the whole of mankind into various ranks, stations, and seasons of life, as also by distinguishing some above others by gifts and endowments of the mind, has laid the plainest foundation for carrying on his govern- ment, forwarding the happiness of his creatures, and uniting us together in love. We may see clearly that * John X. 20. Ser. 40. ON the church catechism. 241 none of these excellent ends could have been an- swered had there been an equality in all these things between all men. And therefore, Secondly. — We may learn the very destructive na- ture of pride, which strikes at the root of God's design in all these wise distributions. Pride, by making superiors conceited and puffed up on their distinc- tions, causes that they seek themselves, and not the glory of God, nor the happiness of others, in the use of them ; and on the other side suggesting impatient, undutiful, and stubborn thoughts into the hearts of inferiors, will not allow that their superiors shall be of any service. While God says to the great, the wealthy, the aged and the wise, Seek my glory, seek the good of all men in these eminences I have be- stowed upon thee ; Pride cries with a louder cry, Thou art something, seek thyself. While God is commanding inferiors, Honour, reverence, and submit to all those whom I have set over you ; stubborn in- bred Pride is claiming in them the right of indepen- dency and casting off all restraints. So dreadful a thing is pride! so blessed might we be, if we were but humble! and therefore let us pray God to humble us in the sight of our sins, and especially of those we have been guilty of against this commandment, that, while we cry for his mercy with broken hearts, we may grow disposed meekly to use his gifts one towards another, and cheerfully to submit to those he has set above us in his fear for Jesus Christ's sake. — I am now. Thirdly, — To speak of the honour to be paid to spi- VOL. II. R 242 LECTURES Ser, 40. ritual attainments. Grace is God's best gift in this world ; so, wherever it is given in a saving degree, it must be possessed with much humility and devoted- ness to God's glory ; as also on the other part it must be esteemed and imitated. The Scripture-history records a variety of persons in the Church, from the first age of the world, who were shining lights unto it, lived by faith, walked with God, and served him faithfully. And so it will be in all ages of the Church, God will not leave him- self without witness, but will raise up a people to his name. Doubtless, however we live in these last and worst times, there is no inconsiderable number of such all over Christendom, men and women, who have obeyed the divine invitation, laid hold on the offered mercy, and come out from the ways and practices of a wicked world. Now hereupon arises a double inquiry. First. — How must such personsdemean themselves? Secondly. — How must others carry it towards them? First. — How must they demean themselves ? I an- swer, First, With great humiliti/. They may not in- deed deny the gift of God, but they must think very meanly of themselves. And this is the best mark in the world of true grace, grace that will stand all wea- thers, and bear the shock of all temptations. Other graces make a greater shew, but without humility they have only the name of grace. Zeal and charity are well bottomed when they stand upon this ; and it is this which gives the engaging sweetness of modesty and meekness unto botb. The servant of Christ Ser. 40. ON the church catechism. 243 must think meanly of himself, must not have a lie in his right hand when he says I am nothing, but must really mean what he says, and experience that he speaks the very truth. How nothing ? Why nothing in respect of any righteousness he has in him to jus- tify him, or any strength of his own to walk in the ways of God ; nothing, because he is so corrupted, and all his best duties are so unprofitable ; yea, nothing, because whatever he has of his own does but serve to hinder and defile God^s work in him. Thus he must think himself nothing ; and when he does he will easily esteem others better than himself, and then he will despise no weak brother ; he will not be proud, and censoriously prone to mark out others' faults, be- cause he knows so much of his own. This is the gra- cious man's great preservative against spiritual pride, which allowed would soon cause him to fall, and by his fall to bring so much the greater dishonour on his Master, as his profession had been more eminent. If you mean to shoot up and to shew forth the fruits of an honourable profession, you must be sure that you go deep into your heart, and be truly lowly in the esti- mation you have of yourself. — And then, Secondly. — Youmust use the grace God has bestowed on you to the benefit of others. How ? Your life must be exemplary. You must look that your conduct do recommend the ways of God, and reprove the ways of darkness. This is the main step to usefulness. Your light must shine: shine not affectedly, not on purpose to be taken notice of, but your behaviour must be such as manifests the power of godliness -to R 2 244. LECTURES Ser, 40. be in you. But is this all? Yes; nothing can be added more : for what can any do more than let the world see they love the Lord Jesus Christ in since- rity, and are heartily affected toward the good of all men? You must cause that men see it every where and in all things. You must endeavour always to speak and act like a Christian, and this from a real love of God and man ; and, when you do so, you are in the high road of usefulness. If you speak like a Christian, your words will not be corrupt, but good to the use of edifying ; and all with whom you converse may by the blessing of God be the better for you if they will ; tor it will not be your fault if you withhold not any thing from them wherein you can be profitable to them. If you act like a Christian, you will in every thing you do be reproving vice and recommending godliness. So that as the true servant of Christ does not understand God has given him grace merely for himself, but for the benefit of others, so his aim is to live, act, and speak continually in such manner as that others may be the better for him. — Thus in humility and an edi- fying conduct lies the duty of those who have received that best of all God's gifts, his sanctifying grace. You will judge for yourselves how far you have come short, and I hope the consideration of that will serve to make you more humble. On the other part, Secondly/. — How must others carry themselves to- ward such as are blessed with this best gift, the grace of God P The answer is, they must lovingly esteem them, and follow their example. — They must esteem and love them. This they ought to do, and this they Ser. 40. ON the church catechism. 245 will certainly do, if they have any love towards God in them : for Every one that loveth him that begat ^ loveth him also that is begotten of him *. No man loves God for nothing; it is for the mercifulness, good- ness, holiness, truth, and faithfulness we see to be iu God, that we love him. And if we love these pro- perties in God, when we see any of these things in men we cannot but love them too. It is impossible we should hate holiness in the child, if we love it in the father : if we hate men for their holiness, we do most certainly, though we see it not, hate God for his holiness ; for If we love not our brother whom we have seen^ how can we love God lehom we have not seen'\ ? Yet, notwithstanding this, our Lord has taught all his followers how little they must expect the love and esteem of the world for their piety and godliness. Marvel not if the world hate yoii^ you knoio it hated me before it hated you : and thjen he adds the reason of this hatred of the world toward them, If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you J. Now therefore, brethren, have you loved or hated Christian godliness wherever you have seen it ? Has your heart risen with delight or with disgust toward those who would not live as others do ? Have you been ready to cover their infirmities, or sat as a spy upon them, to discover some flaw in their conduct for your own quiet's sake? Judge for yourselves; but, *lJohnv. 1. t iv- 20. :;: John xv. 18,19, 246 LECTURES Ser. 40. since the world began God never raised up a sin- gle man to himself, bestowing upon him the heavenly gift of true grace, but all graceless persons were im- mediately set against him, charging him with hypo- crisy, ostentation, and what not ? for no other reason than because he would serve the God of his fathers. The true cause of which has always been, that the venom of the serpent lies unmortified in such grace- less persons, who cannot therefore endure the servants of God, and the followers of him who came to destroy the works of the devil. However, all those, who bear the image of God in their hearts and lives, ought for that reason to be esteemed and loved. And then also we must endeavour to follow them as far as they fol- low Christ. Has God sent light into the world merely to be looked at ? No, but that we might be provoked thereby to good works. We should observe the con- duct one of another, to imitate it ; if we see in another a greater measure of humility, meekness, zeal, hea- venly-mindedness, and deadness to the world, that he is striving more earnestly to enter in at the strait gate, this should provoke and stir us up, not to envy, but io follow such an one. It is a great aggravation of our sin that we are lazy and sit still, while we see others running in the race who have but the same helps that we have : and by so doing we disappoint God's design in setting the e.xamples of others before us. The more shining example of my neighbour I should regard as God's call to me ; and while I see such an one outstripping me, I should suppose God is saying to me by his good works, " Up, awake sleeper; Ser. 40. on the church catechism. 247 '' be doing, the time is at hand, the work is practicable, " the enemies of your soul may be vanquished, hea- *' ven is set open, come, run, strive, enter, let no man " take thy crown." And it is only so far as 1 hear and obey this call that I honour and reverence the grace of God in those whom God has distinguished by it. And thus now at last we are come to an end with the fifth commandment, upon which 1 have insisted the longer, both because it is least regarded, and also demands a conduct that is most expressive of the power of godliness. It is then Christ appears in his glory upon earth, when he does influence and sway our hearts to a religious observance of relative du- ties. But, brethren, how sadly have we, do we, come short! If after any commandment we have cause to humble our souls and cry for mercy, pleading the righteousness of Christ in our favour, it is after this. And it will behove us to make diligent search here- upon to prove and try ourselves, that we may sue out the pardon in season, and obtain grace for the keeping this law. Happy, yea, beyond expression blessed shall we be, if when the Lord coraeth he shall find us so doing ! And now I dismiss these discourses on the law for the present, having already much outrun my de- sign of speaking to them only in Lent : but I thought it unadvisable to stop in the midst of the social du- ties. If God permit, we shall resume this subject with the return of the year. But who knows what may be in the counsels of God ere that time come? 348 LECTURES, &c. Ser. 40. where you or I may be ? We know nothing of to- morrow ; this day is only ours. Let us work then to- day, for we hasten to our end ; we are passing off the stage, and doubtless many of us are at the very end of our part ; perhaps I am speaking the last words of mine. If so, my last words are, " May the Lord Almighty " bless you, direct you into all truth, and bring you " to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.^* Amen, SERMON XLI. Galatians iii. 24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might hejustijied by faith. The season * is now returned wherein we are to prosecute the explanation of the Ten Command- ments in that view wherein the text doth partly at least represent the law ; namely, a schoolmaster to make known our sins, and by the terror of its curse and scourge to drive us to Christ. The five first com- mandments have been fully spoken to ; and I now go forward to open before you the sixth. Thou shall do no murder. There are two things you know in every command- ment — something required, and something forbidden ; and these two always contrary the one to the other; which do in such manner go together, that we cannot omit what a commandment requires but thereby we do what it forbids ; or do what it forbids but we omit what it requires ; as, if a man murders his neighbour, he not only does what this commandment forbids, but * Preached at Truro, Feb, S6, 1758. jg^O LECTURES Ser. 41. most manifestly slights all those duties of love and kindness it enjoins upon him. And so, on the other part, if he neglect to give of his ability to his distressed brother, as this law commands, he is therein guilty of that cruelty which it plainly forbids. — And fur- ther it must be observed, that as respective sins, ac- cording to the nature of the commandment, are for- bidden, so to come short in any measure or thing of that duty which a commandment requires and enjoins is to be guilty of a trespass against it ; so that as far, for example, as we come short of that love to others, both in temper and conduct, which this command- ment directs, we are guilty of breaking it. — With these observations before us, let us now endeavour to lay open the sixth commandment for examination, Thou shall do no murder. And it may be best under- stood and remembered when distributed under these three heads : — First. — The disposition of heart. Second It/. — The speech. Thirdlt/. — The conduct it requires of us towards^ one another. And, Jirsf, of the disposition of heart it enjoins us to bear one towards another. Thou shalt do no mur- der; that is, regarding the disposition of the heart, thou shalt neither bear an envious, revengeful., nor cruel temper of tnind towards any of thy brethren ; but, exercise over them a complacential, meek, and compassionate disposition. First. — Thou shalt not bear an envious, but thou shalt bear a complacential spirit towards others. — Ser. 41. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 251 Envy, strictly speaking, is that inward hatred of an- other for some good thing he has, which we have not, but wish for. Hence, according to the same strictness of speech, there is this difference to be observed be- tween envy and jealousy (though they be both daugh- ters of the same mother, pride), that hatred of those who have what we have not, but wish to have, is envy; hatred of those who, though they have not yet, seem in the way to have beyond us, is jealousy. But notwithstanding this be true in exact propriety of words, yet these two are to be understood in the Scripture to fall under the word envy, as indeed they do also in our common language. For the fact and nature of jealousy, you may find many instances of it in Scripture, such as SauPs hatred of David lest he should go beyond him in military reputation ; and Haman's hatred of Mordecai, because he was advancing in the favour of King Ahasuerus ; and Plerod's and the chief priests' hatred of Christ, lest he should take from them their worldly greatness. But what need of Scripture-instances, when the world is every day so full of them; and when with our wretched hearts it is crime enough to incur dislike, that any are coming near us in the thing for which we are distinguished ? Whose heart has not known jealousy; a secret rising of dislike, which, if unrestrained, has settled into hatred against those we feared were over- taking us ? Indeed it cannot be otherwise, while we are proud of that, whatever it be, which distinguishes us ; whether it be station, or wealth, or knowledge, or skill in a profession, or strength, or beauty, or even S59 LECTURES Ser. 41. dress, or (saddest of all) even gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. And then for hatred of those who go beyond us in any thing ; what a fearful instance have we thereof in Cain towards his own brother Abel ? And what had poor Abel done ? Just nothing, but that he was the better man of the two. That was fault enough with Cain's proud heart. His countenance fell, it is said ; that is, envy might be seen in his coun- tenance towards his brother; he could not endure the sight of him. And what was the issue? Why first he murders himself, asl may say, with spite and vexation ; and then took an opportunity, when they were in the field together, to rise up against and slay his brother. And what is all envy but murder in the heart ? And who is free from it ? He knows little of himself who has not seen that his natural heart is ready enough to wish those, who stand in his way, out of his way at any rate. Horrid iniquity of fallen man ! What in- deed is man, that he should be clean ; and he that is horn of a woman, that he should be righteous * ? That inoffensive child Joseph, what was his fault ? His fa- ther was fond of him; and therefore his brethren must hate him ; envy lies rankling in their hearts, till they cast off all pity. Such is the real character of nature unrestrained, hateful to and hating one another f. This envy is a raging sin in the world. The effects of it are not always alike terrible ; but the thing itself is beyond measure sinful ; yet that man is stark Wind who thinks he has never had any inclinations and * Job XV. 14. , * Titus iii. 3. Ser. 41. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 233 Stirrings of envy in his heart ; and he has been a godly- man indeed who has at no time in any degree in- dulged them. Such are jealousy and envy, the daugh- ters of pride ; you may easily know by their features that their father is no other than the devil. But, should you be able to say you are free concern- ing envy, you may not therefore think you are quit of the demands of this law upon this head ; for it not only forbids that malignant spirit, but it does not per- mit you to be indifferent about the prosperity of your neighbour in soul and body ; it requires you to re- joice in it ; and that it is plain you do not, if you are only indifferent whether it goes well or ill with your neighbour. God has made us members one of an- other; all one by nature, and he expects we should all be so by grace ; and therefore his will is, that we all love one another ; which doubtless we do not, if the prosperity of others gives us no pleasure. The main thing he would have us rejoice in concerning others is the prosperity of their souls, that with regard to godliness and glory they are in a thriving condition ; and also that our joy over them should be in propor- tion to the measure of grace and godliness we see in them ; and so, of course, the closer we see any walk- ing after Christ, the better we should be pleased, and the more complacency [we should take in them ; yea, when we see them much more distinguished Chris- tians than ourselves. This the law requires. Judge you for yourselves whether you have not come short of it. But then also it reaches to the temporal con- ditions of our neighbours ; we must not regard their Si4 LECTURES Ser. 41. worldly prosperity with an envious eye ; but must re- joice therein as far as there is ground for doing so, that is, as far as we see grace along with prosperity to use it to God's glory : for otherwise prosperity is in- deed a curse from God, and such a thing therefore as he who loves his neighbour's soul cannot rejoice in. — As we may not bear an envious, so neither, Secondly, m^^y we bear a revengeful temper to- wards any of our neighbours, but must be disposed in meekness of spirit toward all and every one of them. Here, whatever many may think of the littleness of such things, all causeless anger, and all that resent- ment which lies upon the heart concerning those we are displeased with, and most of all when it settles into malicious hatred against them, with wishes and con- trivances of revenge in any sort or way ; all these, being in their very nature selfish and devilish, are pe- remptorily condemned by this commandment. Christ explains it in this very manner himself, in order to shew us the abundance of our guilt ; I say unto you. Whosoever is angry with his brotlier imthout a cause (upon any selfish consideration) shall he in danger of the judgment *. And if so seemingly light a thing as hasty rash anger, which quickly passes away per- haps, makes us liable to the curse of the law, what shall we think of the matter when the injury really or supposedly received fixes an allowed distance, dis- gust, and resentment on the heart, at last settles into downright malice, and brings forth wishes and contri- * Matt. V. 22. Ser. 41. ON the church catechism. 955 vances of retaliation ? You may see the whole of this in its true light in the conduct of Jacob's two sons, Simeon and Levi, towards the Shechemites, because of the injury done their sister Dinah *. First they fell into rash anger ; it is said, When the sojis of Jacob heard of if, the men icere grieved, and they were very moth. Wroth ! you will say ; why should they not ? was there not a cause ? No, not for such an anger as theirs, which was not so much for the dishonour done to God as for the affront put on themselves, as you may see by the last verse of the chapter. Should he deal inth our sister as with an harlot P There in the words our sister lay the grief; the honour of the fa- mily was stained ; this shews plainly enough of what temper chiefly their anger was. And, O ! with what a furious look and vehement tone, I warrant you, they spoke these words to their father! But it did not stop here. Their anger rested in their bosom, and settled in a fixed resentment; the scandal lay upon their minds, they could by no means reconcile themselves to put up the wrong: and, under this spirit, no one about them, I dare say, could have a good word or a kimd look from them. At length Shechem's love to their sister gave them a fair opportunity of revenge. This was sweet to them. And now they could dissemble friendship, and lie, and make a cloak of relio-ion to bring about their purpose ; till, all things having an- swered their black designs, they took their swords, and without remorse or pity slew not only Shechem, * Gen. xxxiv. 2. 256 LECTURES Ser. 4K but old Hamor his father, with all the males they could lay their hands upon. And then their brethren fell in also, and carried off, like a company of plun- derers and robbers, all they could get. You see here a terrible instance of rash anger, of the horrid effects it will produce, and the great sin of not leaving venge- ance unto God. How fer any thing like this may have been our case, whether we have not been often guilty of rash and sinful anger, whether anger has not settled into resentment, and we have not meditated and taken revenge as far at least as the fear of punish- ment and the restraint of the laws of the land would permit us, I must leave every one to inquire for him- self. — But lest any may think they have little or no blame on this head, because they are not of this hot passionate humour, and love to be quiet, and so for the sake of their own ease make no stir upon every trifle, we must consider that, by this command- ment, those dispositions of mind towards others, which are the direct contraries to this angry, furious, revenge- ful spirit, and which fall under the general word meekness, are enjoined upon us. As, ^rst, We must bear a kind and courteous tem- per of heart towards others, as being members of our- selves ; we and they being of one blood, and having the same Father ; for which reason a man of strife and debate, and that strikes with thejist of icickedness, is said, by the Prophet Isaiah, to hide himself from his own Jiesh *. This temper is set out by St. Peter as * Isaiah Wiii. 4, 7- Ser. 41. ON the church catechism. 2J7 that great ornament in wives which God makes much account otin them : but it is as true of their husbands, and of all men, as of them, that lite ornament of a meek and quiet spirit is in the sight of God of great price *. Secondlif. — A disposition to construe every thing in the best part. To hope all things, even the best we can, and to see every thing in the most favourable light respecting 'all men, enemies as well as friends, is what this commandment requires of us. And surely it is but an ill token of true affection and love if we be waiting as it were to find fault, greedy to swallow the least accusation against another, ready to believe it, and forward to make the worst of it. This shews a malicious and revengeful spirit. Thirdly. — Another part of this meekness is a for- giving temper. Forgiving one another^ even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you f ; as much as to sa}', *'No man can receive such injuries from another "as himself hath offered to and been forgiven by " God ; and therefore God expects you should lay "aside all of you all thoughts of revenge, and forgive " one another from your hearts." And let us remem- ber there is no limitation to this command because of the greatness of the injury done us. Whatever it be, we must forgive it, and be ready in the sincerity of our hearts to return good for it, as if it had never been offered. He that cannot bring his heart to this, to forgive his enemy, and do him good, is a trans- gressor of this commandment, and liable to the fear- * 1 Pet. iii. 4. t Ephes. iv. 32. VOL. II. a 258 LECTURES Ser. 41. ful judgment of God for the same ; as yOu may see in the parable recorded at the end of the eighteenth chapter of St. Matthew. And, Fourthly/. — A peaceable temper is another branch of meekness. We must be of that temper, as, if it be possible, and as Much as lieth in us, to live peace- ably with all men *. We must really desire to be at peace with all men, and use all honest endeavours actually to be so. We must do nothing, as far as we may avoid it, that will any way tend to open a breach, or to keep it open ; and, where it is once opened, we must not stand upon niceties, but give up any thing in our power to get it healed. What care 1 for their displeasure P if they be angry, they must be pleased again. Shall I submit to such an one ? Such speeches are marks, however common, of a very ungentle and ungodly spirit. But, Thirdly. — We may not be of a cruel, but must be of a compassionate, disposition. Not cruel either to our neighbours' souls or bodies. Not to their souls. There is nothing in which man can so nearly resem- ble the devil as by rejoicing at the fall and sin of an- other. Yet doubtless there were such at Corinth, whose cruelty herein set the Apostle upon putting them in mind of their great uncharitableness in so doing. Charity, saith he, rrjoiccth not in iniquity '\; and therefore of what temper are some of you, who, envious of the religious attainments of others, are waiting for their halting, and ready to rejoice at it ; * Rom. xii. 18. t 1 Cor. xiii. 6. Ser. 41. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 2o9 yea, and' that so much the more as they have been eminent in their profession ? Then again, as we may not rejoice in others' sins, so may we not lead any into sin ; as those do who take pleasure in making others drunk, or in putting them upon any kind of wick- edness. Nor may we make a mock at sin in others, turning it into a laughing matter; for this tends to harden them, and shews much cruelty toward their souls in our hearts. Nor, finally, may we encourage any sin by our example and conduct, as not concern- ed what influence our behaviour may have upon them, so we seem to keep ourselves unhurt. These, and the like, are great marks of a cruel merciless disposi- tion towards the souls of others, and high provoca- tions against God ; whose will is that we should be of the very contrary temper, tenderly aflfectioned to each others' souls. He condemns a careless indiffe- rence about the salvation and spiritual estate of our neighbours, as though we should say, What care I what becomes of my neighbours, so I myself get safe to heaven ? Truly this is not the way thither. God will have us to compassionate poor sinners, to mourn and weep for them, and be ready to do every thing we can for their good. This was Christ's spirit ; he mourned in the very bottom ofhis heart for sinners, he wept over lost Jerusalem, and was ready to suffer any thing for our souls' sake. And, as far as we have come short of his temper, we have transgressed this com- mandment. And then, as to men's temporal concerns, all merciless rejoicing over, yea, and indifference to s 2 260 LECTURES »Ser. 41 their afflictions, whether in body or estate, is here con- demned. Self-love and worldly interest are ready to beget this spirit of cruelty in us. You see how they did it in wicked Herod respecting the poor infants * ; and in the priest and Levite in the case of the wound- ed traveller f ; and we may see the like effects of them upon the hearts of the covetous every day. O what an unfeeling, cruel, tyrannical, oppressive tem- per, doth there arise out of the love of money, and the lust of power ! how has this temper raged through the world, destro3'^ed the inhabitants thereof, and shut out pity and compassion towards any objects of misery ! in greater or less degree it is probable it has infected us all : for have we always, and as we ought, pitied the poor ; mourned with the afflicted ; felt for the op- pressed orphan and widow, and delivered them as we might out of the hand of the oppressor ? As members of the same body, have we been afflicted with the sons and daughters of Sorrow, and ready to comfort them with our words, liberalities, and prayers? Yet this is compassion ; and, by failing in any part of the whole extent thereof, we have trespassed against this hoi} law of God. And so much for the disposition of heart required by this commandment ; of which I have spoken thus largely because the life and spirit of this law lies herein ; and because, if we are tolerably free from outward gross acts of envy, revenge, and cruelty, we * Mut. ii. 1—16. t Luke x. 30, 31. Ser. 41. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 26 1 are apt to imagine this commnndment has no charge o1' guilt against us. A short word will be sufticient upon each of the other two h-^ads ; and therefore 1 have only to observe on the Second head, that we must indulge and gratify nei- ther envy, revenge, nor cruelty, in our tongues; but, from a real affection one towards another, our words must be charitable and kind. Yet when envy, resent- ment, or unmercifulness, are in the heart, how im- possible is it to confine the tongue ! Consider, now, how have you spoken of those your heart disliked, because they Mere more eminent than yourself in wealth, skill, or piety ; in short, of those who stood in your way ? AVhat ! was there never any bitterness upon your tongue, nothing of the poison of asps under your lips, no words tending needlessly to lessen them, no artful insinuation of their defect? Yet all these were envious speeches. Or again, did your tongue never transgress the bounds of meekness in speaking of those who had injured 3'ou in deed, or you thought had done so ? What ! at no time did you use an}- contemp- tuous words to them, or reproachful words of them, by complaining to any one you met how ill they had used you, and how abominable they were ? Has your tongue, I say, never been set on fire by the hell of re- sentment and revenge, and been employed in doing mischief to an enemy ? Or, finally, have your words been ever free of cruelty and full of mercy ? You know how Shimei cursed David in distress*: and * 2 Sam. xvi. 5, 7, 8. $62 LECTURES 5gr. 41. did you never speak a disdainful word to your bro^ ther in the day of his trouble? The Pharisees look- ing on Jesus hanging on the cross wagged their heads, ?ind sa.\d, Ah/ t ho Ji* : and did you never shake your headat a brother fallen from prosperity, or cry Ah/ thou; pride will have a fall; or by any cruel word add re- proach to affliction ? O how gracious were all the words that proceeded out of the mouth of Jesus ! Shew me one envious, revengeful, cruel word, in all that he spoke! Upon his tongue was the law of kind- ness, because on his heart was the law of love. We have all need to be ashamed, remembering how little we have taken heed to our ways, not to commit mur- der against our brother with our tongue. The third thins: was our conduct. Thou shalt not do any damage to thy brother in soul or body, but shalt do him all the good thou canst in both. You say,. I never murdered any one, I never took away the life of my neighbour ; but have you been no striker? God allows not that; he says, Vengeance is mine. But did you never do damage to other people's souls ? Have you never put them upon sin ? or, if not, have you never led them into or encouraged them in sin ? Here we are all guilty ; we have all led others into sin, whether we designed it or no, and that by our example ; yea, and I am sure we have encou- raged them in sin by not setting our whole influence against it. And this who will say he has done ? who will say he has done what he might for the help of * Mark xv. 2' Ye shall love the Lord with all your mind and " strength, and one another as yourselves," when already they perfectly know and perfectly do this, and there is not the least inclination in them to do any thing else ? Accordingly, when our first parents were in their state of innocency, there was no moral law Ser, 46. on the church catechism. 3]'i charged upon them, though they were God's sub- jects ; for they had both the knowledge and practice thereof in themselves. There was no more need to bid Adam love God than there is to bid you or me love ourselves. Secondly. — The giving out of the law not only sup- poses that sin is in the world, but also that sin is not known to be sin. This is universally true. Sin is not known till some law shews it, seeing sin is the transgression of a law. The depraved nature of man is ever ready to call evil good, to pass by that as no- thing which is most provoking and dishonourable to God, and especially to hide its own malignant wick- edness under the smoothing titles of human frailty and imperfection. To this day no man knows sin to be sin till the law shews it him : and if after many ages God saw fit to collect into two tables the sum of man's duty, and to give it out in a most awful manner, it was but doing that in a more express way, with a special view to the approaching appearance of Christ in the world, which he had before found ne- cessary to do by direct revelations, and the mainte* nance of his law upon men's consciences by tradition. Sin doth not appear to be sin without the law. Thirdlif. — The giving out of the law implies also that the consequences of sin are not regarded. The love of sin in men's hearts, and the prevalency of its practice in the world, make it look like a harmless thing, which may be meddled with without danger. With the ten commandments in our hands, and the curse against transgression of the least of them in our 316 LKCTURES Ser. 46. ears, how easy do we sit down about the fearful con-- sequences of sin in judgment and eternity I And how little then should we have thought of these conse- quences, had sin been left in tlie quiet possession of us, and we never been told by divine authority that the wages of it is death ! And, Fourthly, By the giving out of the law is evidently implied the purpose of mercy through Jesus Christ. Had there been no design of mercy, there could have been no end answered by giving out a law, which in that case we could not in any sort keep, when also our misery as sinners was determined before. But when the divine Majesty has a scheme of mercy in hand, which cannot effectuall}'- take place unless our sins be known, and the consequences of them apprehended, to give out the law by which both sin, and its consequence, death, are plainly set forth to view, is to declare in the very doing it the design of mercy, because it is taking the only method that could be taken of bringing us lo it. Yet, Fifthly, As the design of mercy is implied in giving out the law, so also this further design, that they who are brought to partake of this mercy, through the discovery of their sin and danger by the law, might find in the very same law a perfect rule after wiiich to square their hearts and lives. Indeed the main end ofall is conformity to the law, to which both the knowledge of sin and its danger by the law, and the purpose of mercy in Christ, are subservient ; the law sending us to Christ for mercy, that being en- couraged and enabled by him we may walk in con- Ser. 46. on the church catechism. 317 formity to God's commandments, imperfectly here, and wholly hereafter. From these observations the use we are to make of the commandments appears to be this : — First. — That we learn our guilt and misery by them. Secondly. — That the sense of our guilt and misery by them do bring us unto Christ. And, Thirdly. — That, being brought unto Christ, v,e do diligently walk in them. First. — Therefore, as you intend to profit by the commandments, you must learn your guilt and misery by them. What I mean by your misery is plainly this, that if you have disobeyed God by breaking any of God^s commandments, there is a curse lying against you for it. For the curse threatened against Adam, In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die*, lies against you as well as him, not only for his transgression, but every personal one of your own. Thou shalt surely die, a temporal death speedily, and, if not prevented by mercy, an eternal death in the world to come. You do not doubt of Adam's misery after his transgression, unless relieved by God's par- doning mercy ; and you have no reason to doubt of your own without the same mercy. You see Adam, after eating the forbidden fruit, a poor condemned criminal, trembling before his Judge, and expecting nothing else but the execution of his sentence, with- out the least hope or remedy in himself. If God had resolved to strike him dead that moment, and put » Gen. ii, 17. 318 LECTURES Ser.0, in force against him all the further terrors imphed in that word, Thou shall surely die, he had nothing to gainsay to it, he could not prevent it. And if you have sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgres-- sion, put forth your hand and done that which God charged you you should not do, why is not your case as remediless as his ? Has not God pronounced the sentence of death for it against you as well as him ? And what can you do more than he could to. pre- vent it ? More than he could, can you prevent present death ? Adam is dead, and so shall you also soon be. And what power have you, more than had Adam, to prevent death eternal ? If therefore you have sinned, the sentence of death is gone out against you already, which you have no power to reverse in the whole extent of it ; no more power to prevent eternal than present death. And, that you may know you have transgressed, God has given out his law. Your busi- ness is to prove and try yourself by it. To help you in doing which, the whole of it has been explained ; and you have continually found yourself guilty, com- mandment after commandment. But, to assist you in fixing on your heart the whole extent of your guilt, it may not be amiss to lay all the charge of the law before you in a iQW words, and in such manner as to help your inquiries after your sins. Take therefore a summary of the ten commandments; but in an order different from that in which they stand, for the better ascertaining the whole extent of your sins, and the connexion which they have one with another. Let us begin with the fourth commandment. Have Ser. 4(r. ON THE CHURCH catechism. 319 you not been wanting in the public honour you are required to pay to God by a religious observance of the sabbath-day ? If you have, Let us pass to the third commandment. Have you not also been wanting in paying honour to God in the whole of your conduct, by acting in every thing as became your dependence upon him, and his government over you ? If here also you are guilty. Let us pass to the second commandment, and ask, if you have put no slight upon his honour in respect of the worship due to him, either by neglecting it, or behaving irreverently in it? Now you cannot but be sensible that it was your duty publicly to honour God ; and that you could do so no other way than by worshipping him, acting always in such a manner as became your dependence upon him, and solemnly observing that day which he has purposely separated for the maintenance and manifestation of h's honour and namp in the world. But here you have beea wanting. Why ? Surely because you had not a right disposition of heart towards God. This leads to the first commandment; you had not that belief of God's being and glorious perfections, that reverence of him, that love towards him, that trust in him, which this first commandment requires, and which, had they been in the entire possession oi your heart, would have unavoidably and uninter- ruptedly (iaused you to worship him to his honour, to actfor his glory, and to bear your testimony to his name by the most religious observance of his day. But what excluded from your heart these dispositions towards God ■? It was «in,. concupiscence or lust, S'2Q LECTURES Ser. 46* dwelling in you ; which, with all its motions or desires, is condemned by the tenth commandment. And here the sins of commission have their foundation, and the reason is shewn why you have been without the love of God and man in your heart, and acted so much to the dishonour of the one, and thehinderance of the Other, as you have done. The root of all lies in your sinful nature, for which, as well as for all and every of its desires and motions, you are charged with guilt by the last commandment. But, besides this, you have actually consented to the evil desires and motions of your sinful nature, and more or less they have formed the habits of your soul, and influenced the actions of your life; insomuch, that, because your nature is sensual^ you have consented to the sensual desires of it, and put them into practice; for which you are condemned by the seventh commandment, which enjoins upon you temperance, soberness, and chastity : because your nature is earthly^ you have consented to and acted upon the worldly motions of it, contrary to the eighth commandment : and, finally, because your nature is devilish., you have consented to and followed the self-willed motions of it, in opposi- tion to the fifth commandment ; its envious, revenge- ful., 2iXid. cruel motions, in contradiction to the sixth commandment ; and the purely malicious motions thereof in censoriousness, contrary to the ninth com- mandment ; and ail this in full and evident breach of the duty you owe to God and your neighbour. — Now such an inquiry will not leave any of us free from guilt ; nor shall we be able to allege that in any of ,the§& things we have not sinned. And it has appeared Ser. 46. on the church catechism. .^21 that we pass over one design of giving out the law, if we are not brought to find our sins by it. The law comes out because we are sinners, and to shew us that we are so, as well as to alarm us with our mi- sery because of sin. And this work it must do, as we mean to seek for mercy and to obtain it. The whole need not the physician : and none are so dangerously sick as they that are so and do not know it. Wherefore let us lay God's law to our conduct, that we may certainly see what it has been ; and then let us lay the curse of the law to the transgression of it. And thus, by the grace of God, we shall lay the good foundation of making a right use of God's merciful design towards us in giving out the law. And hereupon, Secondly. — The sense of our guilt and misery through the law must bring us unto Christ for mercy. It was shewn above that the sentence against sin is already gone forth, In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die ; and it was observed that a part of thissentenceisalready executed, and daily executing in present death. The point is, can we do any thing to prevent the remaining and more fearful part of it, death eternal ? If we can, God will be found a liar, who hath declared, The day that thou eatest thertof thou shalt surely die ; and that the wages of sin is death*., not only present, but most evidently ever- lasting, because that everlasting life, which it immedi- ately follows in that passage is the gift of God, is set in opposition to this death. We can do nothing that * Rom. vi. 2j, VOL. II. y 522 LEcruKES Ser. 46. will prevent eternal death : if you think you can, you will by that very means effectually bring it upon you. Thetruthis, that the business of the judgment-day will be only to put in execution the sentence of eternal death on ail of us who have not fled for refuge to Christ, and to give possession of eternal life to all of us that have : then the truth of that word shall appear, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life ; but the wrath of God abideth on him *. If there had been such a thing as justification by our own righte- ousness, there had been no such thing as a law given out, for there had been no need of it ; we should have been a law unto, and have had the perfection of the law in ourselves : and therefore no one can have made a right use of the law who has not learnt by it the need of a Saviour, and to apply for mercy through that Redeemer who hath come into the world. Such an one has not learnt the first use of the law, which is to give the knowledge of sin ; and must be sent back again to the precept and the curse of the law, to be taught, what he has not yet learnt to purpose, his guilt and misery. Christ is come into the world to save sinners; and vvehave God's word forit,a thousand times over, that he is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God bf/ him: but then the law came before Christ, to prepare the way for him, by making known the want of him, and thereby to bring men's hearts into a state to receive him. We never come to Christ till the law is first come to us ; and the law * John iii. J6. Ser. 46. on the church catechism. 323 IS never effectuallv come to us till bv it we are brought to Christ; that is, till we are convinced by it of our guilt and misery, and are looking after mercy in his righteousness. Wherefore this is the second step in the use of the law, that we betake ourselves to mercy in Christ, the promise of whom is plainly implied in the explicit giving out of the law. IJitherto the text evidently reaches, The law was our scJuwlmasler to bring us unto Christy that Ke might be justified by faith. But then, Thirdly. — When we are come to Christ for deli- verance from the curse of the law, have we no more to do with the law ? Yes verily we have, we must walk in it all the days of our life. And that we shall not, we cannot, fail to do, if we be really come to Christ, if our faith in him be true. For if it be true faith it will work by love; love will be the certain infallible fruit of it, love towards God and our neigh- bour. And to walk in the love of God and of our neighbour is indeed to walk in God's commandments, for this is the substance of what all and each of them require of us ; and if our hearts be in the real practice of this love, we shall sincerely conform to what God enjoins, forbear what he denies us, and valiantly oppose the desires and motions of our sinful nature within us. God did not give out the law with a purpose that we should lay aside the observance of it ; just to shew us our misery, that we might cry for mercy, and then make no more use of it : but he gave us the law to shew us our guilt because we did not love God and one another : and he gave us the promise Y 2 324- LECTURES Ser. 46. to encouraore us to walk in the love of himself and our neighbour. The design of all was to bring us to love, as the Apostle plainly witnesses, The end of the commandment is charity * ; the end of giving out the law, in which giving it out the promise is con- tained, is to bring us to the love of God and of each other. Without the law we had not known that we were fallen from charity, and the guilt of that state had not been apprehended ; without the promise we had had neither encouragement nor power to love. But now the Law and Gospel go hand in hand to the same end, the former shewing us what love is, and the latter influencing us to walk in it. vSo charity is the issue of all. Hence it is that the truly humble believer takes so much delight in the law, and so heartily desires and endeavours to conform to it. Hence he cries unto God dail}^ from the bottom of his soul, " Create, O my God, a new spirit within *' me ! I long to love thee with all my heart, to find *' the deepest reverence of thy eternal Majesty always *' there, and to make thee all my trust. Father of " mercies ! grant me power to glorify thy name, to " attend upon thy appointments with holy worship, •' to maintain only thy glory in all my conduct, to *' profess, myself thy servant in the most religious *' observance of thine own day. O my God, heal " this fountain of sin that is in my nature, that I may " perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy *' name. Or, if it may not yet be destroyed, bring * 1 Tim. i. 5. Sir. 46. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 5'2S " it daily nearer to death, that I may feel less and " less its accursed motions, and may never more *' consent to them. Let love take its place, the love *' of thee and of my brother, that I may indulge " no more any sensual earthly or devilish lust; but, *' being pure in heart, heavenly-minded, and full of " charity, I may honour all men, forgive and do good ** to all men, and speak as well as act to the edifica- " tion of my brother." To such a pra^^er as this the heart of the man who is come to Christ does unfeign- edly say Amen. He is no believer whose heart does not. Yet what is all this but a desire and disposition wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost to '.valk in God's commandments ? for I have only put into the form of a prayer the duties that are contained in them. You see now the use that is to be made of the law, how it must shew us our sin and misery, drive us to Christ, and be our rule of walking with God as obe- dient children. If the two former of these be done, the third will unavoidably follow. But the main difficulty lies in the first, the conviction of our real guilt and misery by the law. To this point, according to the tenour of the text, the foregoing discourses have been directed. That they have had at least this bless- ing I will trust, to have shewn us all more of our sins. How far they may have been instrumental to convince any of us of our misery because of sin, and to stir up in us a hearty concern about salvation, is another question ; and it will behove you all to consider how you will answer it on the last day. That day is hastening upon us ; a joyful or a terrible 326 LECTURES, &c. Ser. 46- day, according as we shall then be found. Who can say how terrible, my dear brethren, to any soul of you who will not now hear the sentence of the law to conviction, and therefore shall then hear it to con- demnation ! But O how joyful to that happy soul, who, having now heard the sentence of death, is fled to Jesus for refuge, and is walking in his steps, and therefore shall only meet his triumphant Lord in the last day to receive the final sentence of absolution, and to hear those ravishing words from his mouth, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the tcorld *. O sirs, can such words as these reach our ears without piercing our hearts ? May the Lord give us all grace to humble ourselves, that he may exalt us in that day, through the merits of our great Redeemer Jesus Christ ! * Matt. XXV. 34. SERMON XLVII. Mark xvi. \5, ]6. And he said unto ihem. Go ye into all the icorld^ and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that be- lieveth, and is baptized^ shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned. After preaching the law for the discovery of sin, and the fearful ruin sin has brought upon us, I must needs come to joq with the offer of the Gospel, that ye may know your case is not desperate, that ye may hear the glad tidings of salvation, that ye may lay hold on eternal life. It is not the ultimate design even of the law to wound, but by opening the deadly disease of sin, by making the smart of it felt, that it may be a means of directing to the Gospel for a cure. So both Law and Gospel speak the same gracious lan- guage, and the one and the other points out glory to the sinner. Has the law done its part ? Has the law shewn'you, my dear brethren, that ye are sinners, guilty sinners, condemned sinners, helpless sinners ? Has it shewn you the plague of your nature, how sensual, earthly, and devilish, how atheistical, un- godly, and impious, ye came into the world, have lived therein more or less, and your vrretched hearts 398 LECTURES Ser. 47. still are? And are you looking about where to fly ; where to cast your guilt ; where to get peace with God, peace of conscience, deliverance from the fear of death and judgment, and the fire that shall never be quenched ? 'where to find help against sin, and power to master its influence, and to become again like unto God in the temper of your souls and the conduct of your Jives ? Are ye intent upon this search after salvation, as having seen that your all, your eternal all, depends upon it? that if your guilt be not remitted, your sentence be not reversed, your peace with God be not procured, your spirit be not sancti- fied, you are undone, utterly, eternally, undone, and have not the least glimpse of hope in that other world into which time is swiftly carrying you, and where you "will live ages unnumbered by any but God, infinitely more than the blades of grass that cover the fields of the earth, the drops that compose the vast ocean, the sands that lie on the shores of it ? Are you looking with awful concern [upon this amazing scene ; and, knowing what you are, and what God is, and that it is but a hand's breadth before death will be upon you, do you find this momentous thought pressing upon your heart, " What shall I do ? I, whither shall I go ? " Ah ! that the Lord would have mercy upon me, " would turn away his eyes from beholding my " sins ; that the eternal God would look on me as '.^ a child ; that he would rid me of all my fears and *' all my sins ; that I might behold his face in glory, ** and live in his favour in that heavenly kingdom " that is to come ! Surely my soul should bless Ser. 47. ON THE CHURCH CATECHUM. S29 *' him, his mercy should be all my song, and I " would be as loud and earnest as any of the blessed " inhabitants of that everlasting city in shewing forth " his praise." And is this indeed your wish ? Would you esteem yourself happy could you look on God as your friend, death without fear, judgment as the day of your hope, the joys above as your inheritance ? Why all these things are to be had in Christ, they are all laid up in him ; pardon, peace, adoption, resur- rection, life, glory, are all laid up in Christ ; and, what is more comfortable, more encouraging, you may have them all as freely as you will ask for them. Nay, they are all offered you ; nay, you are pressed to re- ceive them ; nay, you are commanded to do it; yea, your refusal of God's free gift will be taken so ill that you shall be damned for not accepting it. I am not now to tell you who Christ is, or what he has done ; " how for us men and for our salvation " he came down from heaven," and by his obedience unto death both fulfilled the law and satisfied the curse of it. At the time when Christ spoke the words of the text, he was risen from the dead, and it was manifest thereby to the very eyes of his Apostles that the great work of redemption which he had under- taken was actually completed. It remained only to make it known. His personal presence was required in heaven ; and therefore he commissions them to publish, declare, and offer this redemption to sinful men. Go ye into all the worlds &c. I will just open the words in the order wherein they lie, and then apply them. 330 LECPLTREs Ser. 47. Hear, then, Christ's commission to his disciple*. And if his commission, then he speaks by them. Go; it is / send you. Deliver this message in my name. Should any ask you by what authority you declare these things, say you are sent by me, and shew them these words of mine by which I empower and com- mand you to go; you and all after you that I shall send forth to preach the Gospel. Go into all the world; not to the Jews only, but to the Gentiles, to people of every name and language under heaven. Your commission is unlimited, I will have none ex- cepted. Go into all the world, and preach the Gos- pel to evert/ creature; you shall carry the offer of sal- vation with you, and make a tender of it to every soul. I will have every creature told he may be saved if he will. I will have every creature invited to accept eternal life in me. You are to pass by no one, nei- ther circumcised nor uncircumcised, Scythian nor Barbarian, bond nor free. Let them know that all and every one of them is welcome. 1 will have my Gospel preached in all the world, and offered to every creature wherever you go. Offer it to the sick as well as the whole, to the bad as well as the good. I will have no one on any pretence passed by ; for all are welcome: and I will have all told so in my name, and convinced that they are so by this commission which I give you to shew them. And to you 1 de- clare further, what I require you also to declare wheresoever you go preaching the Gospel, He that believeth, and is baptized^ shall be saved. Whatever sinner heartily accepts this my salvation, preached by Ser. 47. on the church catechisiM. 331 you and others unto the end of the world, so as to be- come my disciple indeed, receiving the Gospel in the whole fulness of it, as a salvation from the guilt and power of sin ; and, so believing, is baptized in token of his faith in me and dependence upon me, not only putting away the filth of the flesh, but having the answer of a good conscience towards God ; I tell you, and will have you declare publicly, that that man, whatever he has been before, shall be saved. But he that believeth not shall be damned. That 1 will have you remember yourselves, to quicken your diligence in preaching the Gospel. And that 1 will have you declare in all places as an encouragement to the broken-hearted, that they may know from my mouth, that nothing else but unbelief shall damn men ; and to alarm those who lie dead in trespasses and sins, and those who will not receive me : Go therefore into all the worlds and say to every creature^ He that be- lieveth, and is baptized, shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned. You see now the force of the words, and the au- thority we have as Christ's messengers to offer the Gospel to you. T am guilty therefore of no presump- tion, and go not a jot beyond my orders, when 1 tell you that 1 am sent to you by Christ Jesus the Lord of all, the Judge of quick and dead, to offer unto you the forgiveness of all your sins, perfect peace and re-, conciliation with the Almighty God, and all the bless- ings of the kingdom of heaven in him. And in the name of Jesus, and by the commission which you see 332 LECTURES Ser. 47. he has given me, I do this day offer this whole glo- rious salvation to all of you, and to every single soul of you here present. By the same authority I de- clare to you all this day, that if ye accept the offer, and deal sincerely with God in it, all and whoever among*you does so shall be saved. And further, in the name of Jesus, I do also this day charge and re- quire you all to accept it, upon pain of the eternal displeasure of Almighty God, and of your own endless damnation. And remember that no excuse will be allowed ; you may not keep back because you are guilty, nor refuse because you have the pleasures or interests of this world upon your hands ; for I am bid to tell you in the plainest words, that if you believe; not, and whosoever among you believeth not, shall be damned. Thus I deliver my message. And now I desire to persuade you that you will accept the offer. And here I will mention two points : — First. — The certainty of your ruin out of Christ, and of your salvation in him. Secondly. — The greatness of your ruin if you slight his offer, and of your salvation if you close with it. First. — 1 beseech you to accept the offer this day made you, by the consideration oi ihe certainty oi youv ruin out of Christ, and of your salvation in him. Nei- ther of these stands upon probabilities or peradven- tures, the one and the other being as certain as the unchangeable truth of God. For what doth the word of God say on the one part and the other ? It Ser. 47. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 355 says, On the day that thou eatest thereof thou shall surely die *. It says, Though hand join in hand, yet sin shall not be unpunished "j*. It declares, The wages of sin is death if. And insists, There is none other name under heaven^ given among men, whereby we must be saved, but only the name of the Lord Jesus Christ^. On the other part, it speaks with a like fulness ; Whosoever believeth on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life \\. He that hath the Son of God hath life ^ . There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit **. There is no question about the matter on either side ; so that it is alike certain you are ruined without Christ, and may be saved in hira. Now therefore consider : the facts against you are incontestable ; you have sinned ; it is as certain you were born in sin as that you were born at all ; as sure that you have lived in sin more or less as that you have lived at all. Then there is no denying God's declarations against sin ; and you are not stronger than he to frustrate them and reduce them, to nothing. You are a dying man, and you cannot help it; you must appear before the judgment-seat, and cannot avoid it. But you will perish for ever, unless you have an interest in Christ, as surely so as you live, as surely as you must die, as certainly as you shall be called out another day before the Judge of the quick and the dead. And is it true also that you may be saved and live for ever if you will ? Has the ♦Gen. ii. 17. fProv.xi.Sl. J Rom. vi. 23. § Acts iv. 10, 12, II John iii. 16. ^1 John v. 12. ** Rom. viii. 1, S34 LECTURES Ser. 47- Son of God died for the ungodly ? Has he commanded that the offer of his salvation be made to you ? Is that salvation firmer than the heavens, and will it last longer than they ? United to Christ, will you see the earth passing away with fervent heat, and the heavens wrapped up like a scroll, yourself the happy witness of a new heaven and earth, the region of righte- ousness, and your habitation for ever? Are these things indeed so? And will you hesitate a moment whether you shall close in with the offered salvation while you may assuredly have it? Alas ! Sirs, if you do not come and lay hold on eternal life in Christ Jesus, the real cause is, that you do not believe any of these things ; you know indeed that you have done this and that which you have heard God has forbid- den you ; you know also you shall die, as do others ; but you do not believe that sin has entailed God's curse upon you ; that you shall certainly appear here- after before the judgment-seat of Christ ; that, being such as you are, you shall certainly be damned ; that there is no hope for you but in Christ, and that in him you shall enjoy a life everlasting. You really believe nothing of all these matters, and that makes you neglect this great salvation, and hear the offer of it so coldly as you do. But, though you believe no- thing, yet you cannot help seeing and feeling that you are in a world of misery ; where (in proverbial lan- guage) briers and thorns vex and tear you every day till you shall be laid in the dust. And how think you this comes to pass ? Is there nothing amiss, judge you, when God so afflicts his creatures ? Can vou Ser. 47. on the church catechism. 355 imagine it is for any thing else but their sins? And, if you do not repent, may you not reasonably con- clude that all other God's declared judgments against sin, as well as those you see, feel, and fear, will surely be executed? My dear brother, I beseech you ven- ure upon no dreadful experiments. Search seriously nto the truth of your case now, and accept offered nercy while yet the day of salvation is not ended. Try yourself by the law for conviction ; and then try Christ for salvation ; and you will do a work which /ou shall never repent of hereafter ; and I venture to appeal to yourself, whether you are now satisfied this work is already done. But, Secondly. — To the certainty of your ruin or salvation being without Christ or in him, add the greatness of that ruin and of that salvation. The text sets out this in two important words, you shall be saved, you shall be damned. Damned! The very sound is terrible; there is not a sinner in the world that likes so much as to hear the dreadful shocking word. Saved! This is ail, you can desire no more. Salvation ! It is a word the angels cannot utter with that sensibility of joy that belongs to it. It is the sinner's word, the saved sinner's word of triumph in life, in death, in glory. Damnation ! It is the un- humbled sinner's tenor; I cannot name it but he trembles. Damnation ! It is the good Redeemer's pity. The thought of it draws tears from his eyes ; yea, and the very blood from his heart. He sees, the dear compassionate Jesus sees, the long and horrible chambers of hell ; sees the miserable sinners covered over with inextinguishable flames ; hears their 556 LECTURES Ser. 47. hopeless cries for pity; knows they shall never, never, never be delivered. The foresight of it melts his soul into compassion; he offers himself to suffer in our place, he makes an atonement, he runs between the living and the dead ; he cries, " Here, sinners, come, " come to me, and you shall escape that horrible pit ; " turn, follow me, and you shall be safe ; O come to " me, and you shall not die." And what ! my dear friends, shall Jesus thus pity us in vain ? Is there re- fuge from this wrath to come, and shall we not be- take ourselves to it? Alas! do but set salvation in the other scale ; over-against the first and second death set resurrection to life, and glory eternal. See, my brethren, what fearful prospects lie in the road of death ; misery every step you go in the peaceless road ; misery growing more formidable as you draw nearer your end. Then what misery in the departing hour! who can tell ? for we have not known it; and they that have may not come back to instruct us in it. Yea, and what misery after death ! what misery at judgment, when the whole creation shall as it were die away at the sight of man's ruin ! and for endless horrors ! for the fire that never shall be quenched, for the worm that never shall die ! — Ah, do but compare -with these the blessings of salvation ! The peaceful conscience walking with God as a reconciled Father, resting in the everlasting arms. The hope full of im- mortality, sweetening the bitterest passages of life. The departing saint looking up to Jesus, and smiling at death. The spirit made perfect waiting for the re- surrection-day with infinite content. The meeting with Jesus in the clouds. The glorified body. Th« Scr. 47. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 337 final absolution. The sentence of life. The shout of angels. The entrance into paradise. The sight of God for ever. The sight of Jesus in his glory. The enjoyment of God world without end. The services of heaven. The fellowship of saints. The love, the peace, the joy, the rest, the glory, the safety, the se- curity for ever of heaven's inhabitants. This is Sal- vation. Salvation, the daughter of true Faith. But what is that ugly monster that stands over-against it ^ It is Damnation, the child of Sin and Unbelief. And what, my brethren ! is unbelief only the cause that any of us shall perish ? If we come to Jesus in sincerity, shaii we escape all these things that are- coming upon the v/orld of the ungodly, and share in all this so vast salvation ? So Christ himself tells us, you see ; for I am but arguing from his own words. And are we already sentenced to this so great a death ? And yet is this so great a life this day freely offered us ? I am ahuost ashamed to ask which you will choose. But I know the enemy of souls will be striving hard to catch away the purpose which, I am hoping, now glows upon your heart. And will you suffer him ? He will certainly do it, unless you call upon God to help you. I beseech you therefore, by all your eternal hopes, go and pray; pray that the thoughts which have been suggested to you may sink deep into your heart. And when at any time you begin to stagger and faint, remember this word, He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. I earnestly com- mend you to God's grace, for the sake of his infinite love in Jesus Christ. VOL. ir. 2 SERMON XLVIII. 1 John ii. 3, 4. And hereby we do know that ice know him, if we keep Ms commandments. He that saithj I know him, and keepeth 7iot his co7nma?idtnents, is a liar^ and the truth is not in him. This wliole eplstle of St. John is a catholic exhor- tation; and the special occasion and design of it seems to be, that none, being dcceiv'od by the love of sin^ might take up an imagination, that what they called iiiith was that saving faith, which, by the constitution of the Gospel, is appointed to be the means of making us partakers of the salvation purchased by Jesus Christ, when it produced not its genuine and proper fruit of obedience in the heart and life. This he had entered upon in the first chapter, and declared very peremptorily, If ice say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do 7iot the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another ; and the blood of Jesus Christ his Soti cleajiseth us from all sin *. From which last words having taken occasion to ad- * 1 John i. 6, 7. Ser. 48. on the citURCH catechism. $39 dress some seasonable comforts to sincere believers, who, in the experience of daily iafirmities, and in the Case of disallowed falls into sin, might be ready to be discoura;^ed, he returns again, in the words of the text, to his main matter; alle-jing, that though, as he had just before been intimating, it uas true that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses its from all siiiy yet they orily are partakers of this glorious privilege, who Jire possessed of that faith in God whrch engages their hearts and lives into his service. And hereby ice hnow, &c. The truth of the assertion contained iri these words is evident. The effects manifestly shew whether any, or wdiat, t[ie knowledge is. A man may be well assured that he knows God rightly, if what he knov/sof him is productive of an obediential spirit and conduct. But if these do not follow, what- ever he seems to know, he is still in darkness, and a j)erfect stranger to a saving knowledge of him. Here therefore we are evidently taught two things: — First. — That a right knowledge, or (which is the same) a right faith, is the only principle of true obe- dience. And, Secondlf/. — That true obedience is the direct proof of aright knowledge or faith. First. — A right knowledge or faith is the only prin- ciple of true obedience. To know God is to know him to be what he is ; and unless God be known to be that most blessed Being he indeed is, and unless the relation we bear unto him be known also, there can be seen neither motive nor obligation to serve him ; so that a right knowledge of God is the main z 2 540 LECTURES Ser. 48, thing. They that live without God, as too many do in Christian as well as Heathen countries, are such as do not at all know him to be what he is. Did they in any measure of truth know that, they would find some influence from it on the heart and conduct. But it is not every sort of knowledge of God that will produce a true obedience. To manifest this, let us consider what is meant by obedience. Present your bodies^ saith St. Paul to the Romans, a living sacrifice^ holy^ acceptable unto God, wliich is your reasonable service *. Take bodies here in the most strict and literal sense, and still the obe- dience of the mind, which alone can make any service reasonable, must be implied in presenting the body to the Lord. The body cannot present itself. It is the heart willingly presenting the body to God that can make it an acceptable sacrifice. So that the life of obedience lies in the willingness of the heart; De- lighling in the law of God after the inward man "j*. Without this, bodily services can be neither living, holy, acceptable, nor reasonable. True obedience is the conformity of the whole man to the will of God, a will within to do what God pleases, and a powder without to put it in practice. This is strongly ex- pressed by St. Paul to the same Romans, Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which wag delivered yow^. Wherein the spring of obedience, from the heart, the practice of it in the conduct, ye have obeyed, and the rule and measure thereof both * Rora xii. I. f vii, S2. J vi. 17. Scr. 48. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 341 for the heart and life, that form of doctrine which kcis delivered you^ are plainly noted. Now the question is, " What is that knowleds^e of ** God which will produce such a will to do God^s " pleasure? in other words, such an obedience from *' the heart ?" It must be observed that naturally Ave have no manner oiwill hereto, but just the very contrary, the carnal mind being enmity against God*; and that in such a degree, that there is nothing in the whole world we are so averse to as this. Our inclinations carry us quite another way ; and that with such a desperate hatred of God, that we incline to undergo any diffi- culties or hardships much more readily than to per- form any the least part of the will ot God ; which is manifested by this single instance, amidst many others, that the most of those, who toil ten hours ot a day in painful labour, find it a thousand times more irk- some task, indeed cannot at all prevail on themselves, to spend even a quarter of an hour in a day in prayer. How then shall this enmity be overcome, and the will of man brought to the will of God ? That it cannot be done where there is no knowledge of God is unquestionable. But, First. — Will not a knowledge of God in his at- tributes, or as he is in himself absolutely considered, overcome this enmity of the will, and produce an obedience from the heart > Say this knowledge of God should ,be never so exact and complete ; that he * Rona. yiii. 7« 342 LECTURES Ser. 4-8. were known to be all that glorious God tliat he is, self- living, all-sufficient, omnijm?scnt, eternal, almighty^ mest holy, and just and good ; that the soul, as 1 may say, was standing looking upon, and with the utmost diligence and attention contem}.>lating, this all-glorious Being; would the effect of this knowledge and sight be the turning of the will to God, to serve him ? What answer does the case of Adam, immediately after the fall, and before the promise was made, fur- nish us with as to this matter? Before his fall, he saw God with a degree of delight which the heart of man is now a stranger to ; but then lie liid himself^ as well as he could, among ilic trees of the garden*. What made him do so ? It was guilt made him do it, he was afrhid-\, he could take no comfort in the sight of God. God indeed was the same, but he was not. lie was fallen, he had sinned, liis heart was ffone from God, What then could there be in the o sight of an all-perfect Being, whose very perfection pleaded for and threatened his destruction, to engage his heart back again to God ? He icas afraid, and hid himself. This is the true picture of a guilty creature looking only upon God according to his essential per- fections. The most do not look on God at all. But when any are drawn seriously to consider him, the first thought fills them with fear; and were they not re- lieved and encouraged by some apprehensions of his mercy, the sight of his excellencies would be so far from drawing over their wills and hearts to him, that * Gen. HI. 8. t iii. 10. Ser. 48. on the church catechism. S13 the more they knew of his power, knowledge, eter- nity, and greatness, the more settled would be their abhorrence of him, as discerning him in all these to be a sure, almighty, everlasting enemy to them. This is the very state of the fallen angels. They know God to be what he is. They know also that he has no mercy for them : and therefore every thought of him, while it makes them tremble, does but unavoidably rouse up the bitter and malignant hatred of their hearts against him for being what he is. Fallen crea- tures therefore have no motive in the sight of God, while only under an absolute consideration, to turn unto him to obey him from the heart. And as they have no motive thereunto, so neither have they, ner can they derive, ^ny poKer to turn unto God from such consideration of him merely. The power of turning to God, in a love of him, and of his commandments, is not of man, but of God; Turn thou me., and I shall he turned^ is the lanp^uaGre of every truly enlightened soul, knowing who has said, A new heart icill I give yon., and a new Spirit will I put within you : and I will take away the stony heart out of your fleshy and I will give you an heart of fiesh. And I will put my Spirit withiu you^ and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep nif/ judfr^ ments, and do them*. Now if the turning of man's apostate will unto God to obey him from the heart be an act of God's power, then there must be a will * Ezek, xxxvi. 26, 27. 344 LECTURES Ser. 48. in God thereunto. But sucli a will in God does not arise necessarily from his nature. He is not obliged by his holiness, or justice, or goodness, or any other attribute, to condescend unto fallen creatures, as is plain from the case of fallen angels. And therefore, when he does condescend to them to forgive them and put a new heart into them, it is an act of his free and sovereign will, which he is not obliged to in any sort, and which therefore he will dispense in such matter as he pleases ; most certainly in such manner as to make those who are partakers of it sensible that his con- descension unto them is not in any degree of debt, but entirely of grace. But now, when we look upon God absolutely, and not through a Mediator, and conceive him to have a regard to us, we do not respect this re- gard to us as an act of mere sovereign mercy; but, though we may not observe it, as what we have a right to from him, what our circumstances have a claim upon him for, and what it would be contrary to his nature and to equity not to bestow ; and the conse- quence in this case is, that as we do not regard him in humility, so he does not give us that power to turn unto him, which we can have from no other quarter ; and so, with whatever speculative knowledge of him, and frequency of thought concerning him, our na- tural enmity against him still remains, and we do not, and cannot, obey him from the heart, with an un- feigned consent and deliberate choice. And thus you see how a knowledge of God under a mere absolute view of him cannot produce true obe- Ser, 48. on the churcm catechism. J4<5 dience; that is, obedience from the heart, in a fallen creature ; and that because to a fallen creature there is, in such a knowledge of God, neither motive nor power unto such obedience. From which considera- tion we may learn these two things, of great import- ance to Christian comfort and practice: — First. — That the fears and doubts which do perplex the minds of serious persons have their cause in look- ing unto God too much in this absolute manner, and not altogether as he manifests himself in a Redeemer- It is certain, that the more a guilty dependent and accountable creature knows of God absolutely, the more he must be afraid of him. A sin-defiled con- science and the holy Majesty of God can never stand peaceably together. There is consciousness of sin in the very best, of sin which experience tells them will not be removed out Of the way in such manner and to such a degree as to become aground of sure and quiet confidence in God. And from the increase of this knowledge of God increasing apprehensions do arise, which will and can yield to nothing but the knowledge of God's mercy in the Mediator, as a sovereign and free act of his will. The second is, that, in looking too much on God in an absolute manner, most believers find their progress in grace and holiness going on so slowly. In an abso- lute God there is, as I have shewn, no motive to en- gage the heart; and at the same time no power is de- rived from a mere view of God, as he is in himself , en- abling us to choose his will, and reject and oppose the. natural will of the flesh, And yet, as through the na- 546 LECTURE& Ser. 4S- tive pride of our hearts, and the continual suggestions of unbelief, we are all much more ready to con- sider God as he is in himself, and as he appears in the works of creation, than as he is manifest in Jesus the Mediator; I doubt not. that herein lies a special cause of the abundant unfruitfulness we have to lay to our charge. But to proceed : Seeondlt/. — What cannot be effected by the know- ledgeof God, under an absolute consideration, is never- theless the certain fruit of truly knowing God in the Redeemer Jesus Christ. And that for this plain rea- son, because by this knowledge both the things which rendered obedience from the former knowledge of God utterly impossible are a&tually taken out of the way; and in the Redeemer Christ both the most constrain- ing motive and the most ef^ectwd] power are ministered for obevim: God from the heart. For, First. — Whereas in an absolute God the more perfect knowledge of him does but discourage and drive off the soul in fear and torment ; in a covenant God through Jesus Christ all is just the reverse; and every perfection of the divine nature, as it comes to be more distinctly discerned, increases the force of the motive for returning to him upon the soul conscious of guilt, and otherwise apprehensive of punishment. While a man sees himself justly obnoxious to divine Avrath through disobedience, and yet sees God recon- ciled to him through Jesus Christ, such a knowledge of God is extremely suited to beget a generous self- displeasure at the thought of having dishonoured such a Majesty, to represent sin in its proper colours of de- ^S'cr. 48- ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 347 formity, and to engage fhe soul into the most delihc* rate purpose ofotTcnding no more against such a God, and of giving itself entirely up to his will and glory. But it is not reconciliation merely, but God's method of reconcJiation and shewing mercy, which gives this argument its proper and full weight. " Justice shall " be done upon sin, while mercy is shewn to the^ *' sinner. The AVord will become flesh, and himself " make an atonement," that in the very manner of shewing mercy we may see what we owe to justice, and so may want no motive to obedience which either deliverance from the deepest misery due to sin, or the display of the richest mercy by the freest act of con- descending divine love, can possibly present to us. Sirs, who would think there could be so much as one soul standing out in disobedience, wherever this amaz- ing mystery of love, the incarnation and death of the only-begotten of the Father, for and in the place of the ungodly, has been but only heard of? But that guilty creatures, who dared not otherwise look God in the face, should hear, and know, and have explained to them from day to day the riches of redeeming love, the incarnation, the life, the death, of the eternal Son for sin and for sinners, and God's freest offers of mercy and acceptance in him ; that they should so continually hear and know this (as you all do, my brethren), and yet find their hearts unmoved, unconstrained, still as much in love with sin and at enmity with God as ever: this is strange ! It would be unaccountable, v^'ereitnot most easily to be accounted for by the vile corruption of nature that dwells in us, and whereof this is so 34S LECTURES Ser. 48. pregnant and lamentable a proof. Without this motive there could be no obeying from the heart ; but sad #:jKperience shews that even such a motive as this is not of itself suiFicient to beget true obedience in a fallen creature ; and that, after all, unless God make this glorious motive effectual, by working in us there- by to will and do, all is in vain, and we shall be never brought to obey from the heart that very law of God which possibly we may be brought to see and to con- fess to be holy, just, and good. But now, Secondlt/. — In a covenant God this also is provided for; and though an absolute God does not give grace and strength, yet a reconciled God, a God in Christ, does. In this relation he is styled the hearer of prayer. Nay, the very business of the Spirit, in this dispensation of divine grace and love, is to work upon the hearts of us sinners, preventing us with good de- sires, and enabling us to bring the same to good effect. The soul of man is the subject where the Spirit •works conviction and conversion ; and this he does by his sacred illuminations, whereby he discovers the misery of a fallen state, and the glorious remedy there is in Jesus ; wherein, by disclosing the love ofGod in Jesus Christ, he stirs up and enables the heart to turn unto God in love, and in a cheerful willingness to serve, please, and glorify him. It is the Spirit that overcomes the enmity, while the means he uses is God's love in Christ. And all this you may observe in the most rational manner, perfectly consistent with the freest use of our reason, and the freest choice of our will. For as in a reconciled God he proposes to Ser. 48. on the chcjrch catechism, S49 our reason or understanding^ the most suit.ible and convincing argument unto our obedience, so thereby he stirs up our wills in the most deliberate manner, with the freest consent, and without the least con- straint or violence, to choose the holy way of God^s commandments. Thus you see what that knowledge or faith is which is the principle of true obedience ; and therein that what cannot be obtained through a knowledge of God at large is really and effectually wrought by the knowledge of God in Christ. Hence we learn, First. — That it is by a constant contemplation of God in Christ, and in a dependence on the Spirit, that we shall grow into a more perfect conformity of the whole man (spirit, soul, and body), unto the command- ments of Go<^l. Here is the only motive that can en- gage our souls, by at once removing our apprehension* of God's wrath against us, and representing to us the most dtsirable and condescending object ; and to this also the operations of the Spirit are absolutely confined, according to the tenour of the covenant of grace. If we are not under this influence we have in fact no real obedience, whatever persuasions we maybe under, or whatever specious appearances to the contrary we may have to produce, but our enmity against God remains upon our hearts ; and if we are under it, yet the only reason why we are not more advanced in obedience is, because this glorious motive is not more powerfully and abidingly fixed in our hearts. The love of Christ constraincth iiSy saith St. Paul, be- cmisc we thusjudgey that if one died for all, then vrere 3^0 LECTURES Ser. 48. all dead. And Uicit he died for all^ that ilieij rch'ich Hue should not henceforth live unto thonselves, but unto him u'hich died for them, and rose again*'. WhereforCj brethren, let us labour earnestly that Christ mai/ dwelt on our hearts hy faith f . Remark the word dwell, not be admitted into us as one that comes to make us a visit, however frequent, but may have a constant abidance. This, this is the only way of comfort and victory. The more Christ is in you; the more sin iviil fall before him, and hope and love flourish. You will never repent the pains you take to entertain such a guest: behold his reward is with him every hour. Let Christ dwell with you here, and death shall not part you asunder ; nay, you shall dwell with him for ever. Secondlij. — We may learn hence also in what man- ner we should receive the message of mercy brought us by our incarnate God. Thankfully, without all question ; with hearts bearing some, though no proportion of gratitude to the vastness of the gift. God passed by sinning angels ; he sent redemption to us. And such redemption! O sirs ! what shall we think of it in heaven ? yea, what upon our dying beds? Tell it out among the people, let the world know that their Redeemer liveth. Ah ! my dear brethren, let us not be insensible to this love ; let us not be ashamed of the only name under heaven whereby ^ve must be saved ; let us not disgrace that holy name whereby \ve are called. I beseech you, by all this mercy of • *.2Cor. V. 14, 15. t Ephes, iii. 17, Ser. 48. o>" the church catechism. 3JJ God, let every one that nameth the name of Christ iiepart from iniquity. The time set apart for the remembrance of our Lord's appearance in tiie flesh is before us. And how shall we commemorate that blessed manifestation ? Shall we do it with spiritual, or with carnal, joy r Let us consider beforehand. What ! is it a tiaie for riot, debauch, and excess ? This cannot be. He came to destroy the works of the devil. Holy joy becomes holy days. To us a Child is born, to us a, Son is given ; a Son to pardon, sanctify, and bless. Let our hearts be lifted up . Let the praises of God be ia our mouths. Let the work of the Lord be on our hands. Let Jesus be glorified in us and by us. Bre- thren, be on your guard. The enemy will not be asleep. It is a season of temptation. One or another of you have found him working already, and prompting to your minds schemes of indulgence or riot. Take Ireed. Behold, you are warned. Do not so great wickedness, which the devil will be sure to drive you into if he can. What ! when we pretend to remember the birth of the Son of God to save us, shall we do works that will shame him, and damn us, unless mercy after- wards interpose : I entreat j'^ou to remember that Christmas is the season of commemorating the nati- vity of the holy One ; and not, as it is usually taken, a season for every sort of foolish mirth and abominable licentiousness. And. therefore do not yield to the sinful thought, " now Christmas is at hand, and I " will keep it merrily." The mirth you propose is no other than madness. Away with these practices : So2 LECTURES, &c. Ser. 4S. Christmas is not a Heathen feast. Behold, you are warned. And I trust in God you will be cautious, and demean yourselves in such manner that your hearts and conduct shall be in concord with and under the spirit of that anthem with which the angels ushered the Only-Begotten into the world, when the multi- tude of them brake forth and sang Glori/ to God in the highest, and on eaj'th peace, good will toioards men. This is the way to express your thankfulness. And thus let us keep the feast. SERMON XLIX. 1 John ii. 3, 4. And hereby/ ice do Imow that ice know him, if ice keep his commandments. He that saith, I knoin) him, and heepetJi not his commandme?iis, is a Hart and the truth is not in him. I HAVE shewn you, from these words, that a right knowledge or faith is the only principle of true obe- dience. The obedience here intended is that only which can deserve the name; the obedience of the whole man, beginning in the deliberate choice of the heart, and issuing in a conformity of the conduct with the will of God. Without any knowledge of God at all, that this obedience is impossible, every one sees. But, although God should be perfectly known to be all that he is, yet if he be known only absolutely, that is, without respect to the mediation of Jesus Christ, by us guilty and perverted creatures, there is nothing in that knowledge which could draw over our hearts unto him ; nor would that knowledge give us the least power of turning to him : but, on the contrary, the more perfectly we should know God in this ab- solute manner, the more fearfully we should hate him VOL. II. 2 a S64 LECTURES Ser. 49- for being such a God as he is ; so great and mighty, so eternal and ever-present with us: because, however perfect in himseh^, we should in all his perfections see him aoainst us, while also he does not communicate unto us any grace (without which we cannot choose his service) but as we look unto him through the Redeemer, Wherefore that knowledge or faith, which constrains the heart unto obedience, is the knowledge of God in Christ; and this is, and only can be, a principle of obeying God from the heart. Having seen therefore what that knowledge or faith is, which is the principle of real obedience, we will now, Secondly. — Endeavour to shew that obedience from the heart is the direct proof of such a knowledge or faith ; Wc do know that we know him., if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commaiidm^ents^ is a linr^ and the truth is not in him. Here this is manifest, " That where " there is a true knowledge of God in Christ, obe- " dience from the heart is the certain and necessary " effect of that knowledsre." From which it will o follow of consequence. First. — That obedience from the heart is an in- fallible proof of the truth of our faith or knowledge. And that therefore, Secondltf. — Where this proof is not, it is a mere lie to say we know God. The two latter, you observe, are plain consequences from the former. For if the knowledge of God in Christ, and that only (as has been shewn), does ne- cessarily constrain the heart unto obedience, then oi^ Ser. 49. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 353 the one side obedience from the heart must prove our knowledcre to be of the rieht sort, and the want of that obedience convince us that we have not that knowledge. The doctrine is, " Where there is a true knowledge of God in " Christ, obedience from the heart is the certain " and necessary effect of it." And that lor these two reasons : — First. — Because of the incomparable excellency, loveliness, and desirableness of the object. There is that in the blessed God, which, when it is seen (and seen, observe, with scIt'-applic;ition, as what we have an interest in), is infinitely suited to engage the heart of any rational creature, whether angel in heaven or sinner upon earth. Devils only may not appropriate God unto themselves, and therefore their knowledge of his excellencies cannot engage their spirits unto him. But when, to say nothing of angels, a sinful man beholds the fair beauty of the Lord in the face of Jesus Christ; beholds him as what he is, a Spirit self-existing, and whose essential property it is to have life in himself; a Spirit filling the universe with his presence, and upholding and directing both it and ever}' thing in it, great and little, by his amazing- operation, almighty in his power to do even what he pleases, and everlasting without possibility of decay, while generations and worlds rise up and pass away ; a Spirit too to whose free goodness he owes his being, his soul and body, and every enjoyment and means of happiness, nay, and upon whom, though he be a sinner, he can look as his God, reconciled by a me- 2 A 2 356 LECTURES ber.49. thod, the glory of which astonishes and dazzles the eyes of the most exalted creatures, while they con- sider the wisdom, grace, and love, held out in it : I say, when the enlightened sinner thus beholds the fair beauty of the Lord in the face of Jesus, he finds an object before him infinitely suited to engage his heart, whom he cannot choose but love supremely, and de- light in, whom he would have to be honoured through the whole creation, whom he thinks it his glory to obey, and besides whom there is none in heaven or earth that he can desire. In the sight of this object sin appears in its true colours of deformity, and holi- ness in its proper beauty. The whole man stands prepared to obey ; and, fixing itself on the revealed will, is asking with cheerfulness, What wilt thou have me to do ? Secondly, — The other reason why this knowledge of God begets obedience in the heart is because it was revealed to this very purpose, that the Spirit having enlightened the dark soul in the knowledge of God reconciled in Jesus Christy might thereby in- fluence and engage the heart unto a conformity with him. Thus, it is said, Christ gave himself for us^ that he might redeem us from all iniquili/, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works *. And, when God made himself known to Abraham as bis God, he speaks thus, lam the Almighty God; walk before me, and, be thou perfect f. And so, at the giving out of the law, we find God speaking in the * Titus ii. 14, t ^*^^' xvii, 1. i'cr. 49. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 357 character of a covenant-God as moving us to obe- dience thereunto, / am the Lord thy God, thou shall have no other gods but me *. And, in short, The cud of the commandment is charity t ; the design and com- pletion of the Gospel is the love of God and our neighbour. Now, if the very purpose of God's thus re- vealing himself in Jesus Christ was that we might be sanclijied through faith that is in him +, it cannot be that the Spirit should make this revelation of God m ' the soul, and not thereby form the heart unto obe- dience. That he does hereby work unto the begetting and nourishing love, in the hearts of all who re- ally know God in Jesus Christ, is expressly assured. St Paul says of himself, that as soon as ever it pleased the Lord, who had called him by his grace, to appoint him his commission, he was not disohedimt to the heavenly vision §. He was all readiness, and went di- rectly to his work. And he says elsewhere of himselt and all believers, We all, idth open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord\\ : where the motive, the agent, and the work, are most plainly marked out and placed together. From these two reasons it appears, that wherever there is a true knowledge of God in Christ, there obedience from the heart necessarily follows. And you see in what manner it follows ; namely, by the glory and loveliness of the object presented to the soul, which, while the mind is iTgarding and beholding, the • Exod. XX. 2, 3. t 1 Tim. i. 5. ^ ...J Acts xxvi. 13. § ActsxxvM9. llSCtfr.m, 13. 3.5S LECTURES Ser. 49. Spirit takes occasion by that blessed sight to turn the heart nnto God, From hence I must make two very needful remarks. The first is concerning unfruitful knowledge, that it is indeed no knowledge at all ; for it does not set up the object in the mind, and so has no efl^ect on the heart. 1 say it is no real knowledge or tliitii concerning God. It is not a knowledge of God evangelically seen, for so it w^ould beget love ; and it is not a knowledge of God in an absolute view, for then at least it would beget fear. But it begets neither love nor fear, and therefore is not really any knowledge at all. Ileal knowledge or belief of any thing does unavoidably influence us according to the importance of that thing to us ; and, where there is no influence, there is really no belief or knowledge concerning things which are of the very smallest moment to us. So that that state of mind wherein men do neither fear God's wrath, nor love him for his mercy, is plain atheism. There is no real belief or knowledge of God's being in it ; although through certain suspicions, taken up by hearsay, and con- ceived upon the opinions of others, there are often- times some disquieting apprehensions raised in the isoul. Nevertheless this is evidently the general know- ledge of God that is in the world; and this the state of unbelief wherein all lie, till God by his Spirit does beofin to make himself known within in the soul. Then he begins to be taken notice of, he is seen as a real object before the eyes of the mind, and the effect on the heart follows in trembling or love, as God is Ser. 49. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 359 seen absolutely or through a Redeemer. And this is the awful difference between true and false faith or knowledge. The second remark is concerning true believers. The matter now explained shews us the very reason why they are not more steadfast in their love and obe- dience ; namely, because their knowledge of God in Christ is not enough deep and clear, or not suffici- ently impressed on the mind so as to keep the blessed object present therein. Some do not earnestly follow on to know the Lord, what he is in himself, and what in the face of Jesus Christ ; and others, when they have obtained some more lively discoveries of the divine glory, are not careful enough to keep them in view. The consequence of which, whether im- perfect knowledge or forgetfulness, is, that the heart is without that due influence, which a more distinct and abiding knowledge would maintain upon it ; and the goings out of the affections in love, desire, de- light, trust, and zeal for the honour and service of God, are cold, unfrequent, and without sufficient strength to keep the soul in a state of readiness for all duty, and of resolute preparedness to repress all the risings of corruption, and to bear up under all temptations and sufferings. So that, if we expect to maintain a healthy, vigorous, active, and advancing state of soul, we must acquaint ourselves with God, and walk in the sense of his presence. Otherwise we suffer a veil to be thrown over our eyes, which hinders us from the only sight by which the Spirit works upon our hearts to engage them unto God. 360 LECTURES Ser. 49. "What we have been saying on this head suffici- ently shews that obedience from the heart does neces- sarily follow a right and true knowledge and faith. And if so, then, First. — Obedience from the heart is an infallible proof of the truth of our knowledge or faith. For if the knowledge of God in Christ does and can only draw over the heart unto God in a true' spirit of obedience, then that obedience from the heart must needs prove such a knowledge or faith to have an actual being, existence, and abidance within us. No man can love, fear, honour, and serve God, without some reason ; and whoever really does this can only do it because he knows God in Christ to be infinitely worthy of, and entitled to, all this obedience of the inner and outward man. Do you really love God, and choose to serve him ? Observe why you do so. Is it not for that which you see in him, as he hath mani- fested himself in the face of Jesus Christ ? Does he not appear to you there bearing a commanding and amiable character, so that you cannot refuse him your heart and service ? And does not every repeated view 3^ou take of him in that glass draw out your heart to him afresh ? Or is it any thing but such a knowledge of the blessed God which restrains you from indulging your natural inclinations, or engages you to the performance of his will ? Herebi/ therefore you knoi€ that you really know him. Your obedience proves it to your own conscience, because you plainly see that you only love and serve him because you know him to be such a God as he is, and as he has Ser. 49. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 36l shewn himself to be in the Gospel. Obedience from the heart then is an infallible proof of a right know- ledge or faith ; it issues from it ; and, were the act- ings of the mind observed, would be evidently seen to do so. This, I say, infallibly proves the know- ledge or faith to be real, for, if it were not so, it could not possibly produce any such fruits of obedience. Nay, and the habit and course of obedience necessa- rily proves the faith to be more than a mere hasty notion, and to have -a subsistence in the mind, be- cause it does habitually work by love. So that if we do really love God, and from our hearts obey him, we may hereby assuredly know that we know him. Here then the point of importance is before us ; do we know God in Christ? If we do, we obey him from the heart. If we obey him from the heart, we know that we know him. This is the order ; and we must take heed we do not confound it ; neither seeking to obey God without knowing him in Christ, which is impossible, nor conceiting that we know him in Christ if we do not obey him, which is a lie. This leads to the other consequence of this doctrine; namely, Seco7idly. — If we sat/ ice know him^ a?id keep not his commandments^ we lie. You see how plain and peremptojy the Apostle is. To say we know God in Christ, and not to obey him, is a mere lie. Well, then, I fear there are many liars in the world ; for it is too evident that there are many who profess to know God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, who are very far from keeping God's commandments, take 362 LECTURES Sei'. 49, no manner of care to do so, indeed are with the ut- most carelessness breaking them every day. But how is this a he ? Why, Firsts It is a he, because the thing is abso- lutely false in itself. They who do not obey God do not know him, have actually no faith or knowledge of God in Christ in them ; and, if they sa}'^ they have, they say that w^hich is not true : for it has been shewn incontestably, that, wherever that knowledge of God is, it brings forth obedience to him ; so that, where the obedience is not, there the faith cannot be. And, Secondlf/, It is a lie, because the person who says it knows it to be no other ; for, while he says that he does know God, he is very sensible in his own conscience that he does not know him. Will a man seriously say that he certainly and steadfastly knows God to be a holy, jealous, and almighty Being, privy to all his conduct, and to whom he is accountable, when at the same time he finds no fear of him in his heart, though he be acting in such a manner as is ex- actly suited to provoke him ? Or, again, that he knows God to be reconciled, merciful, infinitely good and gracious, and in all the fulness of his eternal per- fections his God, when he does not at the same time love him ? The truth is, God is not an object whom we may know as we do a thousand other things, with which we have little or no concern. We are so related to him, and our happiness or misery are so wrapped up in his favour or displeasure, that, the very mo- ment we know him to be what he is, our hearts feel the impression of that knowledge in fear or love as we Ser. 49. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. S63 behold him against us or for us. And therefore for a man to say, I know God, when he neither fears nor loves him, is to assert what he absolutely knows to be false : for he knows very well that he does not know God to be that God he is, that he does not know him to be that almighty, eternal, and ever- present Being, who is about his path and bed, and spieth out all his ways, in whose favour is life, and his frown hell ; for when at any time he should reflect on what is laid up in his mind, he would find no such knowledge of God there. So that if any man should dare to say, I know God in his absolute character, when he does not fear him, and, much more, I know Iiim in Jesus Christ, when he does not obey him from the heart, he ventures to say w'hat he knows to be false, and the truth is not in him. Consider therefore, sinners, who live after the courses of the world, and have no heart to serve the Lord, that you are altogether faithless, and in fact as jornorant of the true God as are the Heathen who o have not your advantages. You profess to know God, but in works you deny him, and therefore you know him not. You may conceit, perhaps, some- thing from yoin* supposed knowledge ; but that con- ceit is, you find, a lie. It is proved to be so every day by your conduct : and how dreadfully will it be proved to be no better another day? O sirs, consider how dreadful it will be for you to go down to the grave with this lie in your hand, and then to have it proved to be such before the tribunal of Christ, in the pre- sence of the assembled world, to your inconceivablt? 364 LECTURES, &c. Ser. 49. confusion, and to the utter loss of your soul in the fire that never shall be quenched ! The conclusion of the whole is, let us all acquaint ourselves with God. Gloriously has he unfolded his perfections and will in the Gospel. There let us look, even on God manifest in the flesh ; nor ever take off our eyes, till in that glass we see God awful injustice, rich in mercy, unsearchable in wisdom, and the ever-blessed object takes our hearts along with it, transforming them into a conformity therewith in love, and desire, and holy fear, and the most complacential obedience. So shall we know that we know him in this world, and be assured of our interest in him, and be prepared for the enjoyment of him in the world that is to come. To which most blessed knowledge of God, may he vouchsafe to bring us all. SERMON L. Romans i. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ : for it is the power of God. unto salvation to every one that believeth. Among the various things which hinder us from embracing, or living agreeably to the Gospel, shame is not the least considerable ; and without question has been the occasion of forcing back many from re- ceiving a Saviour, whose followers are of that sect which is every where spoken against, and has perhaps more or less restrained all from that freedom and bold- ness of profession which their Bibles and consciences have demanded of them. It is indeed an easy matter for a proud heart to say, I would not regard what people should say of me : but when we come to make the word of God the rule of our conduct, and not the ways and customs of the world, as hereby we become singular, so we find the dread of particularity has a force we were not before aware of. If the Gospel of Christ be designed to reform the world, it must needs follow that the unreformed part of the world is in a state directly contrary to the Gospel ; and while these 366 LECTURES Ser. 50. make up the bulk of mankind in every place, the general countenance will be on their side ; and the few, who will venture to have more religion than the fashion of the times allows, must incur the censure of being odd and particular. Their lot must be the same with those of the same good character in the day of Amos, Tliei/ hale him that reproveth in the gaiCy and the// abhor him that speaketh icprightl// *. If the Gospel was to lie a dead letter, a wicked world would find no fault with it : but whenever it appears in its power, and is manifested in the life, it makes the minds of the children of this world too uneasy to permit them to leave the professors of it at quiet. You may be particular as you please on any other head : nobody is hurt, and so no one blames. But here, as soon as you are particular by living con- fonnably to the Gospel, all about you are troubled, cannot treat you with cordiality, but at last lose all conscience, and you find yourself become the object of dislike even where you have the greatest desire to please. It is no little matter therefore not to be ashamed of the Gospel, and consequently a point worthy our particular consideration. I am no I ashamed of the Gospel of Christ : for it is the power of God nnto salvation to every one that helieveth. From which words we may treat of these two things : — First. — When we may be said not to be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Secondly. — Why we should not be ashamed of it. * Amos V. 10, Ser. 50. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 367 First. — We may inquire when we may be said not to be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. And this is the case, First. — When we own it. We are ashamed of that we dare not own : but what we avow, we cannot be said to be ashamed of. To own Christ is to let the world see you belong to him. This is confession of Christ before men. But if you would be Christ's, yet decline acting in such a manner as to be thought his, you do not confess him, you deny him before men, and are plainly ashamed of him. The question is not whether you have more or less an inward shame upon your heart; but whether you oppose that sinful shame of your heart, lament it, and are not restrained by it from owning Christ and his words. In that case it is plain enough you confess him ; and that you do it in direct contradiction to the strivings of your own spirit argues evidently that you prefer his honour to your own. Now it must be observed that all of us either own or disown the Gospel; we must do the one or the other : and I am sure it be- hoves us to consider whether of the two we do. Do we own Christ to be the only Saviour of the world, and are all that know us acquainted with our steadfast persuasion that there is salvation in none other, that all the liberality, harmlessness, honesty, and sobriety in the world, will not bring any man to heaven, but that only through the merits of the Redeemer we can have the least ground of hope toward God ? And do they know also that we avow the words of Christ, and the way of a Gospel-life, and hold ourselves and 368 LECTURES . Ser. 60. all others obliged to walk as Christ also walked, though in the world yet above it ; in a spiritual, not a carnal life ; and under the influence of a prevailing concern for God's glory in the world, and of an unfeigned re- gard for the salvation of our neighbours? Is this the reckoning others make of us ? Then it is plain we must have owned Christ and his words. But if the world does not thus think of us, and we pass for those that are of the world, for those who will do as do others, and are not for more religion than is com- mon, it is not less manifest in that case that we have not owned the Gospel ; a little inquiry into our conduct may convince us we have disowned it ; and it is but too plain that we have been held in the fetters of a worldly shame of the Gospel of Christ. Second I//. — We are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ when we live agreeably to it. And whatever profession we otherwise make of it, however bold we may be to own it, and however warmly we may con- tend for it, yet, if we do not live it, all is but false fire, it is manifest that we do not love it, and our conten- tion for the Gospel is not for the Gospel's sake, but our own, for the sake of our own pride and vanity. We act under, a mistaken zeal, propped up by passion, self, and conceit ; and, were these false props taken away, should find it as hard a matter for us as for our neighbours not to be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. 1 am not contending for cowardice and hiding the head, nor do I in the least desire to restrain that pure jzeal which is begotten by humility, faith, and love : but since there is such a thing as mistaken zeal, Ser. 50. ON the church catechism. 3^9 vastly apt to deceive those who are under the guidance of it into a good, if not a high, opinion of their state, for this very reason, because they are bold in owning the Gospel, I am observing that all such confession as is not accompanied with a Gospel-life is not owning Christ, but self. If I give my body to be burned^ and have not charity^ I am nothing *. If, while we are not ashamed to own the Gospel, we be careful to live it, and to shew the regard we bear to it by the effect it has upon our hearts and lives, en- gaging us to a conduct wherein by the belief of the things revealed and promised, and conferred in Jesus Christ, we are manifestly influenced to a pure, holy, and self-denying conversation, then we may be as- sured that we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. If we live as becometh the Gospel in the midst of an adulterous world, then there can be no question concerning the matter, it is plain that we are not ashamed of it. Thirdly. — If we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, we shall endeavour to recommend it to the ■world. When people are not for making a shew of religion, as they will perversely call all profession, but industriously keep to themselves the little piety they think themselves possessed of, no way reproving the works of darkness, but fashioning their behaviour after the smooth easy way of the times ; such as these are perfectly strangers to a Gospel spirit, understand not the force of the precept. Let your light shine before men^ and have struck out of Christianity the * 1 Cor. xiii. 3. VOL. II. 2 B 370 LECTURES Ser, 50. two glorious distinguishing principles of it, concern for God^s honour, and for the soula of otliersi : so under the cloak of a false hum 51. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 585 less to themselves, I will describe in a few words what it is to neglect this salvation. And this is in general to make light of it, as it is described in the parable of the marriage-feast. They who were bidden took no care to come, Thej/ 7nade light of it^ and loent their way, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise *. Every man had some- what else to do, which he liked better, or thought of more importance. When a man goes on his way, minding his earthly things, not caring about salva- tion, nor thinking it worth while to be at any great pains about it, but passing it by as if it were not his concern, and putting off the thought of it for a sea- son, then it is plain he slights and despises it, and must be allowed to neglect it. More particularl}^ First. — You neglect this salvation, when you use not due pains to find out your want of it. We all absolutely want this salvation : but it is manifest many of you are but little sensible of the want of it. Now, I beseech you, whose fault is this but your own ? Why, you have never taken any pains to see how greatly you want it. You know you have not. You have not allowed yourself time to think of your state, and to search out your sins ; you will not retire to meditate on death and judgment ; you do not pray, nor read God's word with any desire of knowing your miserable condition ; and so you live on in a wilful unconcernedness about your soul. Now what is this but neglecting salvation ? I am sure you would * Matt, xxii. 5. VOL. II. 2 c i38<3 LKtiuuLS Ser. 5U reckon this negligence, sliould you act thus in your worldly affairs; and 1 suppose none would wonder in such case should you fall into poverty, or lay the blame on any thing but your own negligence. Seamdlf/. — You neglect this salvation, if you do T)ot labour to be acquainted with it. Your heart and life are not influenced by the Gospel-salvation ; why ? Hecause you do not know it, and use no pains to know it. You do not search the Scripture yourself, nor confer about it with others, nor attend the public ministry of the word as often as opportunity offers ; so you remain in ignorance. And is it to be thought that this will excuse you ? You cannot think so ymvi- selves. Have you not means ? And do not you slight them ? And is not your ignorance owing to that }; And what can j'ou call this but neglecting salva- tion ? — But another perhaps is saying in his heart, I know this salvation, and am well acquainted with my duty ; yet, Thirdly. — You will be found to neglect this salva- tion, if you do not practise what you know of it. A man may know much, yet do little: which is the sure way to be beaten with many stripes. It is a knowledge that proceeds from the head into the heart and life which is a saving knowledge. Suppose you kno\v you are a sinner,, yet your heart is not humbled to a suitable sense of your lost condition :- or you know who Christ is, and what he has done for sinners, yet dp not heartily come to him to be saved : or say, you know what the new creature is, but do not strive to attain unto it, but go forward in Ser. 51. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 387 a mere self-conceited formality ; what doth your knowledge, and what do your attendances, profit ? You evidently neglect this great salvation. Fourthly, — If you do not value this salvation above all things, you put a slight upon it, and neglect it. You neglect it, if you esteem any thing in the world in comparison with it. If any man come to vie^ and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life, he cannot he my disciple *. You see there must be no comparison. Christ must be dearer than all ; yea, and a man must set such a value upon him as to be ready to part with all things rather than dis- grace Christ, or go without his favour, Now it is no uncommon thing, I suppose, that a man would have Christ, yet will retain one thing or other which he will not quit for his sake. He would have part in this great salvation, but it must be in his own way, with a reserve against certain self-denying practices, and world-denying duties. What can be plainer than that in such case this salvation is neglected, and has a slight put upon it ? Many are hasty to say, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest ; but when the mortifying work comes on, then it is, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Lord, let me first go bid them farewell which are at home at my house "f. Such are looking back, and not fit for the kingdom of God ; for they manifestly slight and neglect it. And thus, having marked out to you who they are * Luke xiv. 26. f ix. .!•:. 2 c 2 3SS LECiuuES Ser. 51, that neglect this salvation, I am at liberty to enforce, as was proposed in the Third place. The danger of neglecting so great sal- vation. How shall we escape, if we. do ? First. — How shall we escape the curse of the law, if we neglect this salvation? If we slight this salva- tion, and let it slip through our hands, is there any other way of being saved ? People may fancy what they will, and please themselves with delusions pro- pagated by Satan in the world, that all shall be well though they walk in the imaginations of their hearts ; may conceit I know not what of God^s mercy, and that he will not cause to perish so many of his crea- tures as must perish if the Gospel be the only way of salvation, and they only shall be saved Avho follow that way ; I say, people may suffer their lusts and the devil to cheat them at this rate ; but, after all, what shall we make of such plain declarations as this of the text to the contrary — " How shall we escape if we " neglect so great salvation ?" As much as to say, *' We shall never be able to escape, there is but this " one way under the sun ; and, if we will not take " this, there is absolutely no escaping for us." Escape ! Consider the very word, it supposes us in imminent peril, beset with dangers, and flying for our lives. And that is the very truth of our case ; for we have sinned, and cursed is every one that hath done so. Who will say he hath not? But Christ was made a curse for us; and if we will fly to him for refuge, escaping for our Hves, the curse shall not light upon us ; for there is no condemnation to them that are Ser. 5\. ON THE CHURCH catechism. SS9 in Christ Jesus: but, if not, the sentence is gone tbrth, and he that believeth not is condemned alread}'. But, Seco7idl(/. — The words have yet a more awful sense. How shall we escape ? That is, how dread- fully shall we perish ! Questions in Scripture do usually import their contraries in the strongest man- ner. How shall we escape ? It is an argument drawn from comparison with the certainpunishment of those who transgressed Moses' law ; as appears from the foregoing verse. If the word spoken bu angels was steadfast^ and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward^ hoio shall we escape if we neglect so gj-eat salvation .^ If they were surely and justly punished for transgressing the woixl spoken by angels, how much more shall we be pu- nished for slighting and disobeying this great salva- tion,, li'/t/c/t at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him ; God also bearing them witness? We shall perish without plea or excuse in our mouths ; we shall perish with a great destruction, because the salvation we had neglected is so great. He that despised Moses^ law died without mercy^ under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thou gilt worthy P How shall he die without mercy, and under how manifold v/itnesses, who has despised and neglected the Gospel, so great a salvation ? Be pleased only to step forward in your thoughts to that day, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from hea- ven with his mighty angels, in flaming Jive, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not 390 LECTURES Ser, 51- the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It follows, Thei/ shall be punished with everlasting destruction *, For what ? For not obeying the Gospel; for neglect- ing so great salvation. Then the greatness of this salvation shall be fully opened to them, and they shall be found to have added to all their other damning sins this most damning of all, neglecting and slight- ing the Gospel, How confounded and ashamed will they then be, when the greatness of this salvation shall appear before them, and they shall be made to see how the glory of God's love moved it, and how it was devised for the salvation of sinners, what amazing means were found out to effect it, and how full and complete a salvation it was? Surely, sinners, you shall wonder and perish at the sight ; and must acquiesce in the sentence, though the Judge say to you, " Thy blood be upon thine own head. Depart " from me, accursed !" Surely then we should bethink ourselves betimes, •while it is yet to-day, lest we fail into this condemna- tion. And I beseech you let us all do it. For why will you die ? Is it not better for us to live than to die } Is not God's blessing better for us than his curse, and heaven than hell ? We have the means in our hands, salvation, great salvation ; so great salvation that one cannot think of it without astonishment. Only let us see if we do not want it. Why the greatness of the salaation shews how very greatly we want it. And if we want it, it is ready for us, it waits upon us. Be * 2 Thess. i. 9. Ser. 51. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 591 sure there be no delay any longer, lest, while we sleep, the night and the bridegroom come, the day of sal- vation end, and the door of mercy be shut against us : and then how shall we escape if we have neglected so great salvation ? SERMON LII. Acts xxvi. 28. Then Agrippa said unto Paul^ Almost thou per* suadest me to he a Christian. Agrippa was almost (alas ! hut almost) persuaded to be a Christian. What a pity, that, being so near the kingdom of heaven, he should not enter into it ! that when his foot was now at the door, and a step forward had brought him into Immanuel's land, he should have stopped short ! Doubtless some mon- strous form presented itself to his mind that moment, and forced him back ; somewhat inconceivably formi- dable stood against him, and confounded his purpose. It must have put on an appearance more terrible than hell ; or perhaps it wore an enchanting aspect, and seemed more desirable than heaven. He was almost persuaded; there he stopped. When almost per- suaded, it was but a little way to be persuaded alto- gether: yet to that he never attained. And what did his almost persuasion avail, but to render his con- dition more inexcusable, his misery more deplorable ? Being but almost persuaded, he had no part in Christ; being almost persuaded, he lost Christ with peculiar guilt. Ser. 52, 'on the church catechism. S93 What has been may be. Possibly Agrippa's case may be the case of some of us. We may have been almost persuaded to be Christians, but may have wanted the heart to be reallif such. The case of har- dened sinners, who have no pretence of having done any thing for their souls, is out of the question. But few, possibly none, will own themselves to be of this graceless character ; but will fancy they have some- thing to say for themselves, and maintain some hope that they may do well in another world. So that, when I am speaking to the almost Christian, I shall at the same time necessarily take in those, who, though they have never done any thing toward becoming Christians, yet will be depending upon false founda- tions. To treat this subject clearly it will be proper, First. — To consider when we are entirely persuaded to be Christians. Secondly. — When we are but almost persuaded to be SQ. Thirdly. — What hinders those who are almost per- suaded to be Christians from being so altogether. Let us consider then, i^zVs^.— When we are entirely persuaded to be Chris- tians. It is my endeavour always to speak in the most intelligible manner, and to bring what I have to say into a determinate j9o/w< that may be easily seen, to the end that you may not be puzzled by a variety of matter and of distinctions. Accordingly, here, though there be a thousand things which are descrip- tive of a real Christian, I shall speak only of one, the leading principle upon which all the rest turns, and 39* LECTURES Ser. 69. that is a renewed tcilL When a man's will is. wrought upon to choose God steadily and universalli/y then lie is persuaded to be a Christian altogether. And this is the grand matter and the principal point by which all is determined. Let a man go what lengths he will, if his will be not brought to fix upon God, he stops short, and nothing is done. And he that is really brought unto God has his will so fixed. You must take special notice, fixed steadily with an abiding determination ; not in a sudden heat, not in hasty wishes, not in sudden resolutions, however fer- vent they may seem to be for the present ; but upon a deliberate choice and free consent, founded upon a discovery of God's excellencies in himself, and his right in us, and proved to be a real choice by the per- severance of the soul in seekinsr after God ; servinof him, liking him, and endeavouring to be more closely united to him. And then also there is an tinirersal choice, choosing God in every respect as the great good of the soul ; choosing him to rule over us, and to make us happy, in a preference to and rejec- tion of all idols; choosing his will as the only rule of our conduct, in opposition to all our own inclinations, and his favour as our only support and comfort, in- stead of all the confidences and comfoits of this pre- sent world. Nothing I think can be plainer, than that the per- son, whose will is thus determined and fixed upon God, is a rcc// Christian, has had a real chanofe wroudit upon him, and that God has put into such an one the new heart. I say God has put it into him, for this- Ser. o2. ON the church catechism. 395 choice and change is of God's operation. Concern- ing which it will be needful to observe, that it is ex- pressly said in Scripture, God worhetk in us to will* ; and that we are horn again of the Spirit •]" : which turning of the will is effected by a concurrence of the most persuasive arguments, and a divine, secret, al- mighty operation. The change is wrought by the power of God; yet he effects it by means of such con- vincing arguments, that our choice is with the utmost freedom and consent. First, he influences the sinner in a way of persuasion, representing to his mind the misery of an apostate state, and proposing himself to him to be his God in such a display of his loveliness, loving-kindness, eternity, power, and all perfection, that the creature sees there is nothing but vanity and misery out of God, and all happiness in him. And while God does thus cause his glory to pass before the sinner in the most persuasive manner, he does powerfully enable his will to determine and settle upon God by a mighty and converting operation. The man is dealt with (you see) as a reasonable crea- ture, and his choice is wrought upon the most con- vincing arguments, and with the freest consent, so that he does not lose the freedom of his will in making choice of God, though it be God that worketh in him thus to fix and determine his choice upon such pre- vailing considerations. You see by this time what it is to be persuaded to be a Christian ; that it is to be wrought upon by the ar- * Philip ii. 13. f John iii. 5. S96 LECTURES Ser. 52. giimcnts and enabled by the grace of the Gospel to choose God, to serve and enjoy him steadily and uni- versally ; that is, in an abiding and unlimited deter- mination of the will or heart. Pass we on, therefore, Seconclhj. — To consider when we are but almost pereuaded to be Christians. And this is certainly the case vvhf?n we stop short of giving up X\\e will and heart to God in the manner now described. Where this is not, there is no true Christian ; the foundation is wanting, all is unsound, and, whatever be the ap- pearances, Christ has no part in us. In general therefore it must be laid down that a man is but al- most persuaded to be a Christian, who is not per- suaded and wrought upon to give himself unto God in the steady and universal renunciation of all idols. Yet a man may go a great way in religious matters, who never yet attains to a true change of heart and choice of God. Now here, waving the consideration of all such characters as have no tendency towards being Chris- tians indeed, and therefore the cases of the careless sinner and the presuming formalist, who have never yet approached to being almost persuaded to be Christians, I remark, First. — A man may have been exercised with great terrors of conscience, and dread of God^s wrath, who was never persuaded to be a Christian. This was the cas6 of that primitive reprobate Cain ; under the sense of God's indignation inflicted upon his conscience, he cries out, Mi/ punishment is greater than I can bear*. * Gen, iv. 13. S^'r. 52. ON THE CHURCH CATECHISM. 3^7 A man may have a very hell in his conscience (wit- ness the traitor Judas), who has not a spark of grace there. Such preparatory convictions of conscience, which often lead to a good issue under the guidance of the Spirit, people do often rest in and stop upon, and are never persuaded to be Christians, however ipuchor long they have suffered under them. So, Secondly. — A man may go further, and attain a clear and distinct knowledge of Gospel truths, and that there is no salvation but by the merc}'- of God through the merits of Jesus Christ, and yet not b« persuaded to be a Christian. Balaam had great know- ledge of God. And many will say at the judgment, Have ice 7iot prophesied in thy name P which they could not have done without knowledge ; to whom Christ will answer, Depart from me, I know you ?iot. Yea, Thirdly. — There may be much emotion in the affections, when a man is but almost a Christian. There is that in spiritual things which is very apt to move us, especially when they are new, and more so when they are set forth in a moving manner. All they that saw Christ crucified smote on their breasts, but you do not hear any of them were converted till after the day of Pentecost. There may be affections of/o?/,. as in those that received the word with Joy, yet hy-and' by in time of tetnptation fell away ; and in the Jews, who for a season rejoiced to walk in the light of John* a ministry, as was particularly the case of Herod, whoi heard him gladly, and did many things.- and there may be affections of sorrow about sin, as in Judas, of w horn it is said that herepented himself; and in Ahab, 39S LECTDRES Scr. 59. who, we are told, humbled himself y and lay in sack- cloth^ and, went softly ; and in King Saul, who was greatly moved at David^s repeated kindness in sparing his life, and said I have sinned, return,, my son David: and yet with all this joy or sorrow there may be no good state. Fourthly. — AH this may be accompanied with an outward reformation ; a man may for a time, longer or shorter, forsake the gross sins he before indulged himself in, and grow very orderly and decent, when yet he falls short of true Christianity. An awakened conscience will do much this way, and prudence may lend a hand to it : under the one and other an out- ward change may be wrought, when the heart remains in the old unconverted state. We read in St. Peter of such as, having escaped the pollutiojis that were in the world, through lust icere again entangled therein, and overcome'^ : and the whole family of Pharisees tes- tify, that the outside may be made clean, when the heart is full of rottenness. And, Fifthly. — A man may be so convinced that without holiness no man shall see the Lord, and that there is somewhat so excellent in the ways of godli- ness beyond those of sin, as to be seriously wishing oftentimes that he were holy and godly, and to be taking up resolutions many times of renouncing the world, \yhen the glories of Christianity are set be- fore a man, he can hardly help wishing he were a Christian, and determining he will be no longer a . . . ♦ 2 Pet. ii. 20. . Ser. 5S- ON the church catechism. 399 slave to sin : but then, though there seem to be some- thing of the will in this, yet there is no wholeness of heart in it, and it is but a sudden blaze that in an in- stant goes out. When such an one comes to question himself closely, and propose to himself a choice of God, and walking with him in his ways, in a rejec- tion of all sin, especially the convenient pleasing bosom-sin, then the hypocrisy appears, he cannot consent to it, and the unsoundness of the double, heart is made manifest. So you see a man 'may go a great way, and yet flill short of being a Christian. And that he always doth, when his will is not, through divine grace, upon the persuasive arguments of the Gospel, steadily and universally determined to serve God. However awakened his conscience, and clear his light and knowledge; whatever touches of joy or sorrow he may have felt in his affections about spiritual things ; however reformed, regular, and civil his outward con- duct; and whatsoever seemingly good desires he may- have, and firm resolutions he may make ; yet being deficient in the main thing, namely, a will and heart de- termined and fixed upon God, he is as yet but almost persuaded to be a Christian. That Agrippa had gone the most of this length seems evident from the history before us ; he had conscience it appears from these very words ; for his knowledge St, Paul appeals to him ; he was certainly much affected with what the Apostle had been representing; he wished he were a Christian, he said, Thou hast almost persuaded me to be one; but there it stopped. The.Go&pei atgumejil 400 LECTURES Ser. 6S. pleaded strongly, and there was an evident niotion upon the heart ; but he repressed the one and the other, and remained an almost Christian. And has not this been the case of others as well as Agrippa ? Say, my friends, have none of you under the ministry of the word found your consciences greatly alarmed, the light of the Gospel breaking in upon you, your affections warm, your wishes earnest, your resolutions running high; in a word, almost per- suaded to be Christians; and yet but almost per- suaded ; alas ! to this day not prevailed upon to forsake all and follow Christ ? What a pity, you say, that one so near the kingdom of God as Agrippa should stop short ! What a pit}^ say I, this should be your case ! and yet it is, many of you know it is. Ah, that it were otherwise ! would to God that all that hear me this day were both almost and altogether such as was the Apostle ! But, Thirdly. — You will say, what made Agrippa stop, when he was so very near being a Christian ? Alas, sirs ! the very same things that have hindered vou, the love of the world, and of the things of it. Conscience pleaded hard for his owning Christ ; but he was a great man, his interest, honour, ease, and re- putation, pleaded harder. He saw before his eyes what his owning Christ must bring him to ; he knew the Apostle's only crime was heartily embracing Christianity, and should he run himselt into a like wretched condition with this criminal by embracing it? He had no heart to this, he will be no Christian oa these terms; conscience must yield, for he will Ser. 52. on the church catechism. 401 not lose his honour, character, and worldly ease. So he smooths over the matter, pays St. Paul a compli- ment, asrrees that he had done nothinof worthy of death, or even of bonds ; yet, to save himself from the suspi- cion of being a favourer of Christianity, does not drop a word of his being set at liberty (though that was entirely in the governor's power, and was but justice to an innocent man); and, to keep fair with the Jews, refers him to the judgment of Caesar. Here you see his heart ; he was a time-server, a man of the world, who at bottom had not the least heart toward God, but would make conscience truckle to convenience. Could he be more than almost persuaded to be a Christian, while he was under this worldly bias ? Had he given way to the convictions of his own mind and the secret workings of divine grace — instead of quenching, had he closed in with them, and at once made an honest profession of the truth of Christianity, as he then saw it, without hearkening to worldly considerations — he had been a Christian indeed. Here you see then what stops many, who are brought under concern for their souls, and, under the hearing of the Gospel are secretly moved to close in with it, from receiving it: they will not, they cannot, endure to think of parting with their worldly reputation, in- teres, or ease; they will not buy Christ so dear; they dismiss conscience for the time with a promise that when they have a more convenient season they will call for it again. Let this therefore be noted as a most certain yet tremendous truth, that all, who in the manner de- VOL. n. 2d 40? LECTURES Ser. 52. scribed have been almost persuaded to be Christians, and never wrought upon to be really so, have been hindered by the love of sin, by some worldly lust which they would not part with, or some carnal in- dulgence which they were determined to gratify. Ye will not come to me, that ye mioht have life*, says our Lord to the Pharisees. Why would they not? Wh?t ! because they wanted means of conviction that he vi^as the Christ ? No, but because they would not ; for, if they did, they must give up their worldly ho- nour, interest, ease, and reputation. It is the same case with many of you, my dear friends ; you will not come to Christ. It is not through want of con- viction that there is salvation in none other, but be- cause, if you do, you shall be laughed at, reproached, have your names cast out, perhaps suffer a little in your interests, or be forced to deny yourselves a course of life you have been long accustomed to. For these reasons you have many a time hitherto resisted the Gospel-ofFer, when it has been brought home to your ears and your consciences ; and for the same miserable reasons I fearyou will still persist in the same unhappy conduct. You see you cannot be Christians indeed unless you give up your hearts to God upon his Gos- pel-invitation and secret motion. This you have not yet done. Will you do it now ? Or will you not come to Christ for life ? With your eyes open, will you desperately stand out still, and prefer the world (a mere nothing !) to the living God ? How inexcu- * John V. 40. Ser, 69. on the church catechism. 403 sable must you then be in your own consciences ! or how will you answer it to your souls in another world ? I would gladly prevail with you to go one step further than Agrippa ; and, in that view, to lay it seriously to heart whether there be any thing but de- spair out of Christ, and whether there be not infi- nitely more than we can desire in him. Consult your Bibles ; see if any man ever went to heaven but in the •way of renouncing the devil, the world, and the flesh ; and, if not, make this day one vigorous effort for liberty and glory. The only further use I would make of this subject is, that, since the very life of Christianity consists in giving up the heart to God in a steady and universal choice of him and his waj's, and seeing also there are so many ways wherein we may stop short of this self- denying determination, let me express my wish that we may all carefully examine ourselves whether we are brought sincerely to it: if we are not, that we may diligently seek it ; and, if we are, that we may diligently improve it : and that all of us may go be- yond this Agrippa, and be not only almost^ but alto- getheVi Christians. FINIS. Printed by W. Clowes, Northumberland-court, Strand, Loudon. 'AHVNIHaS IVOIOOlOaHX I i* ~ / ^J^i^y^^^-M^j "^^ ys^. l